Penelope taps her chin with her index finger. She carefully examines her friend's facial expression, and body language.
"Emily, is it possible that you just need to take a vacation? When was the last time you got away from all of this?"
"Penelope, that is only a temporary solution."
"Let's just take a week off, and go wherever the wind takes us. It isn't a permanent solution to any of the things that you're feeling, but it will give you some time to marinate in them."
"Where would we go?"
"The mountains, or the desert, or the beach. Heck, I hear that Alaskan cruises are nice this time of year. Reach out to the director, I'm sure he would encourage it."
A few hours later Emily has napped, and showered, and is dragging a suitcase behind her into the airport. Penelope rolls into the terminal, behind her. Emily is dressed far more casually than usual. Her hair is pulled into a braid, and threaded through the back of a baseball cap. She wears a coral henley, and a pair of khaki shorts. Penelope furrows her brow.
"Where did you get those shoes?" She gesticulates, as she stares at the beige color boat shoes.
Emily shrugs, "I honestly couldn't tell you. Sometimes when I have insomnia I shop online. I found them in the back of the closet. Are you going to tell me where we're going?"
"No," she shakes her head.
"You literally packed this suitcase, and I have no idea what's in here."
"Emily Prentiss, when was the last time you did something completely spontaneous?"
She combs the recesses of her mind. "When I got the tattoo on my shoulder. I could ask you the same thing."
"Right now. I will have you know I only brought one electronic device."
Emily motions to the square hanging out the front pocket of Penelope's tote bag.
"That doesn't count," Penelope disagrees.
"How do you figure?"
"It's an e-reader. It's not even in color. It's just reading material for the flight. I didn't bring a tablet, or a laptop. All I brought is my personal phone. J.J, and Rossi have agreed to man the ship in our absence. Tyler is helping cover their technical needs. Unless one of them is abducted, or near death they have been given explicit instruction not to contact us. To be honest we probably won't have much cell phone service, anyway."
After a brief flight, they arrive in Florida. From the airport they hop in a car that takes them to a cruise ship. That afternoon they are sailing down the Florida coast. By one of the pools Penelope floats on a raft in the pool. Emily is reclined in a lounge chair reading a book on Penelope's e-reader. A twenty something, tall drink of water motions to the chair next to Emily. His skin is caramel, his bare chest is glistening in the sun. He wears a pair of black, and white checkered board shorts. He has sandy waves of hair, and big deep blue eyes. He offers her a toothy grin.
"Is this seat taken?"
Emily glances at the tote bag at the end of the chair, "My friend is in the pool. I don't suppose she would mind you keeping her seat warm."
"I appreciate it. I'm Jack, by the way."
Emily temporarily puts the kindle back in the bag. She shifts in her seat. She wears a floral bathing suit cover up. She pushes her silver aviators down the bridge of her nose.
"I'm Emily. If I didn't know better, I would think that you're flirting with me."
"Do you blame me? All of the guys I came with are getting sloshed."
"You don't drink? How old are you?"
"Twenty-five. I just graduated from my master's program."
"You didn't answer my other question."
"I do drink, but junior year of my undergrad I got black out drunk, and nearly drowned when I crashed a golf cart into a pond."
"Obviously, you aren't petrified of drowning, or you wouldn't be here."
He nods, "Being here in the middle of the Atlantic is why I will be taking it easy on the alcohol."
"That seems fair."
"What were you reading?".
"An autobiography."
He shakes his head, "You've reached a stagnant point in your life where you've forgotten how to have fun, haven't you? There are a million things to do on this ship, and you're reading a book?"
"I am just trying to relax."
He winks at her, "I could help you with that."
"No, thank you."
"I'm not a serial killer, or a creep, if that is what you're worried about."
"I would know if you were."
"So why are you turning me down?"
"I don't know you."
"You look like the kind of woman who could easily run a background check on me."
She motions, "You know there are plenty of open chairs on the other side of the pool."
He nods, "But none of them have a view as good as this one."
"The view of the ocean is over there," she points out.