A/N: Hey guys, this is a little different but I hope you like it.
Season 2 Episode 14 = The Big Game
Aaron Hotchner's POV
The team had finally caught a brake and we were all at the bar. Super bowl party.
Morgan had harassed all of us until we all agreed. As I told Hayley he was just jealous because Reid and Prentiss were hanging out together without him.
I mean, it's not like they forbade anyone to joining, but after years of inviting the team and always being mocked I think Reid would be upset with Morgan taking interest.
JJ and Reid disappeared pretty quickly and after being bombarded with invitations to dance, Morgan went to give the…Uhn…Ladies a happy night. So now it was only Garcia, Prentiss, Hayley and myself at our table.
Well, since Garcia's eyes were glued to Morgan, and she had her back to us, Prentiss was apparently feeling very awkward in the table because as soon as I said I would get us something to drink, she volunteered and was out of her seat before I could reach my wallet.
"You told me you were being nice to her Aaron, the poor woman calls you sir or boss on your off time." Hayley was quick to notice the team's dynamic.
"I was. I mean, I am." Good, that will make her believe that everything was smooth with Prentiss coming to the team.
"Aaron I know you, and I know how Jason can be. I very much doubt that any of you were nice to her. Especially with her last name." If there was one thing Hayley was not, it was stupid.
"Hayley please not now."
"Honey, I know you are a good boss. And I know all of your team respects you. But I also know that she is your first field female agent since Elle, and for some reason you never mentioned getting a new agent, nor you said anything about the fact that you now have a female agent again. Don't you think that is weird?" Did I really not tell her? I'm sure I did at some point.
"Aaron. Besides Garcia, which you only call her that because she likes it. You call the other agents with familiarity. All except Emily. And you introduced her as agent Prentiss, I had to ask her for her name." Ok, I now know the reason why Prentiss vanished as soon as possible from the table. "Aaron do you want her to quit? Is that what this is? You want her to get uncomfortable enough to ask to be transferred." Did I want that? Luckily it was then that we heard Prentiss busting Derek's balls and getting close to the table, and Hayley knew the subject was closed.
"So how are they treating you at the BAU, Emily?" And the subject was not dropped as intended. Great. And what's up with the familiarity between the two?
"She means am I being nice to you." I need a distraction. Or even better, I need to separate those two before Hayley gets me intro trouble with Prentiss and/or Prentiss get's me into trouble with Hayley. I did not want a pissed Prentiss or Hayley. Again.
"Actually everyone is being incredibly nice." And that was lie. And they quickly moved on to mock Morgan again.
"Come on Hayley let's go show them how it's done." I was already pushing my wife to the dance floor.
"You got me out of that table pretty fast huh?" Hayley asked me smiling.
"I thought it was appropriate." I replayed and saw her smile dropping.
"This the first time Prentiss is out with the team?" She said as more of a statement than a question. She was still looking for an answer.
"With all of us together it is. But she has gone out with Reid and Garcia a couple of times that I know of. And we will probably have more nights like tonight, and she is going to come and I'll promise to play nice with agen-with Prentiss. " I replayed thinking this is what she wanted to hear.
"Well if she comes to another one of those. Because you all just left her alone at the table." I followed my wife's gaze to our table and I could see Prentiss sitting there alone sipping her beer.
"She is an adult Hayley, I'm sure she can handle some time alone, and Garcia will probably be back soon." Why did she had to make me feel guilty about this, even Reid was left alone all the time.
"The others live here for some time Aaron. Emily isn't from here is she? She probably doesn't know anyone." That must be what people call Catholic guilt.
"Honey, she will be fine. She is an FBI agent that is prepared for anything. And does not need to be babysat by you, or me for that matter" I was about to convince my lovely wife that we could stay where we were, enjoying our night when I saw something
A guy was approaching a lonely woman at a table. A guy approaching Prentiss, alone at our table. Ok, maybe we should just go back to the table and keep her company, after all she had just moved here and with a job like our making friends was not that easy. And that guy looked creepy.
"Let's go back to the table."
"Does your decision has anything to do with that guy on our table and his hand on her arm?" Hayley said with a smile. And the mocking begins.
"No. Why?" Be cool Aaron.
"You are protective of the female agents that work with you. So, since you are being protective of her right now, because you are. It means I don't have to worry about you making her leave the team that much. You are acting like you do with JJ, and that's good." She had a smile on her face as she said that. "I like her."
"That does not make any sense whatsoever." Right? Was I starting to consider her as much as JJ? I have known JJ for years, and I guess I kind of saw her as family, and Garcia too, but what about Prentiss?
They weren't field agents they stayed inside safe. And that is why when we went out for drinks with the team I usually kept an eye on them, and my wife new that, she was used to it. I would always make sure I new where they were, and if everything was ok.
But I still have not categorized agent Prentiss. Because she was one of the girls, and that would put her on the same page as JJ and Garcia. But she was also a trained field agent that knew how to defend herself. Not that JJ and Garcia didn't, but it was different, damn it.
And now Hayley likes her. What does that even mean? I know she likes JJ and Garcia, but that is because she is nice to them, she never said she liked them. What could she mean by telling me she likes Prentiss? That I have to like Prentiss?
Not that I didn't like Prentiss. She was a good agent, came in and started working like she belonged here. And besides the whole information leak, that I actually found out was more like Strauss power play and not Prentiss political affiliations fault, I never even had to worry about her.
She went to talk to witnesses, suspects, weirdo's: never tried to get out of it, never complained. Not even about crime scenes, and our team always got some serious fucked up ones. Thinking about it she should have, she came from office work in Chicago, she didn't have contact with the things we deal with. Who was this woman? My thoughts were interrupted
"Honey you are starring." My wife caught my attention with a smirk on her face. And looking up I realized that Prentiss saw me starring at her and was awkwardly trying to make Garcia change seats with her.
"Come on, let's go to the table." I put my hand on her back and started guiding her back to the table.
"You are lucky I'm not jealous, after all she is gorgeous." This is so not the appropriate way to talk about a subordinate.
"Very funny. I'm lucky, you are the only one sweetie, because we both know you are actually very jealous." I said in her ear.
As we got to the table Garcia and Prentiss stopped arguing and were pretending to talk about something else.
"So my sexy raven super hero, who was mystery man?" Oh God man talk! Please no.
"That is private."
"Oh come on, I'm married, I want to hear about it. I don't have any single friends that tell me those things, I want to hear about the dating world." Hayley asked. She did?
"Oh…I…Uhn…" Very articulated. But I guess having you boss's wife ask you about dating was a very strange situation.
"Come on girls let's drink before Reid get's too intoxicated or before we get called in." I said trying to diverge the attention.
"Well sir, I guess it's too late for that." Prentiss pointed behind me, and when I looked I saw JJ with a pretty clear expression on her face.
We had a case.