Secrets of the Cabin (Part 1/5)
Title: Secrets of the Cabin (Part 1/5)
Author: Tooks
Pairing: Team (Rossi/Strauss, Hotch/Prentiss)
Rating: FRT (for now, haha)
Summary: The team spends a traditional long weekend before the holidays up at Rossi's cabin...he's also invited Erin Strauss.
Notes: This started off as a flash of the very first scene in my head, then ballooned into what will be a longer, multi-chapter, tale. There's some cursing, a little suggestiveness, and Season 6 spoilers. (It somewhat follows my other Rossi/Strauss pieces and my Hotch/Prentiss AU "Brave New Worlds" too but I don't know if I'm going to set it in any current AU.)
~ Afternoon, Day 1 ~
“Are you out of your fucking mind?” Emily growled at Rossi in one of the spare bedrooms of his cabin.
“Emily.”
“Don’t you Emily me,” she warned, pointing her finger at him almost threateningly. She’d never been truly mad at Rossi, not once, until now. “How could you even think of bringing her here?”
Rossi shrugged, “She had no where else to go. Her children are with their father for this weekend and…” he shrugged again, “she was all alone.”
“And how is that our problem?”
“She’s my friend, Emily,” Rossi asserted before sighing, “You know, you, of all people, I would think might be sympathetic.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because you know what it’s like to feel like the odd person out.”
Emily’s jaw dropped in shock before her mouth twisted in displeasure, “Don’t you even think of comparing me to her like that. However I’ve felt in the past had nothing to do with the things I did to those around me. I wasn’t an outcast because I betrayed and manipulated others for my own personl and professional gain…”
***
Erin’s leg shook almost uncontrollably as she sipped deeper than usual from her martini. She’d told David this was not a good idea. That she wouldn’t be accepted, let alone welcomed, in the team’s little weekend getaway. But the man had insisted. Stupid, foolish, stubborn ass-of-a-man that he was. This was something he did for Agent Hotchner’s team, not for the team and their boss. And while Rossi assured her she wasn’t as disliked as it might seem she knew better. Strauss wasn’t deluded enough to believe that her wheeling and dealing at work wouldn’t have any impact on how those around her felt about her personally.
Unable to sit any more as hushed, angry, voices carried from the room down the hall Erin got up to refresh her drink. She herself knew the cabin well; a few previous visits and an extra day and a half with David cemented the layout for her well enough. The woman let her stress out in the shaking of the mixer before starting to pour. Then she heard the front door start to open…it was only going to get worse now.
“Hello?” a young man’s voice called out happily, though somehow still warily. “Oh, hello,” the voice turned to simply happy, clearly sighting there was, in fact, another person in the cabin and glad for it.
Erin finished pouring, took a sip, and then a deep breath before turning. She saw the youngest of the team standing in the doorway in jeans, a collared shirt, and a sweater that looked like it came from Bill Cosby’s closet. She let her breath out and smiled faintly, at least it wasn’t Agent Hotchner, “Dr Reid.”
“Uh…” Reid was stunned, beyond stunned. He was a deer in political headlights without a clue what to do. “Hello?” That worked before, maybe it would again?
“Dr Reid, it’s a pleasure to see you,” Erin almost felt like she was assuring him he had the right place and everything was as it should be as she took long strides in his direction and presented her hand to shake.
“Okay,” Reid got out as his instincts to be polite and social kicked in and he shook the woman’s hand. As he got a better look at her current state of dress though he found it a touch calming. Strauss had dispensed with the usual stern business attire in favor of black slacks and a beige turtleneck with her hair held loosely in a clip that could easily be seen by others. Not the most casual, but more so than most agents had probably ever seen her.
Erin let go of Reid’s hand and smiled expectantly before realizing she’d likely be the one carrying the conversation. “Would you care for a drink, Dr Reid?”
“I’m good,” the agent replied before remembering his manners, “Thank you.”
The woman nodded a touch before sipping her own drink and silently praying for Rossi to finish his tiff with Prentiss and come out already. No such luck, “So,” Erin turned her head to the side as if truly curious, “how was the drive up? Any troubles?”
The question finally seemed to do the trick in pulling Reid out of his stupefied state. “Oh, um, no, no troubles, ma’am.”
“Please, just Strauss is fine.” Erin immediately regretted the correction. She wanted to seem casual, like whatever occurred at the cabin wouldn’t be used at work, but her damned pride forced her last, and not first, name to come out. To cover her embarrassment she wandered a little ways away, sipping her drink as she did.
“Okay,” Reid replied a little warily, wondering if this wasn’t some sort of trap. Politics were never his strong suit to start. He decided to go with a tit-for-tat approach. “Well, um…you, uh…you could always just call me Reid, if you like.” Most did.
“Very well, Reid,” Erin smiled a little. It was something, wasn’t it? “So, the drive up was good?”
“Honestly, um…I didn’t actually drive.”
“Oh?”
Reid nodded as he finally felt there was enough distance between himself and his superior’s superior to drop his bag and remove his jacket and scarf to hang it up. “Yeah, uh, my car isn’t exactly, um, off-road capable so…Morgan drove me.”
“Agent Morgan?”
“Yes…he has an off-road capable vehicle.”
As if on cue Morgan’s voice burst through the chilly outside air, “Reid, man, gimme a hand here,” he was making his way to the door, unable to see inside just yet, “a swear to god, Reid, if I drop someone’s present and it breaks I’m kicking your butt all over this cabin!” Despite the words his tone had a playfulness to it that Reid would recognize.
Reid was nervous Ms. Strauss would, however, not identify the tone properly and so stood, awkwardly, unsure what to do. Help Morgan and have Strauss think he was, and could be, pushed around by others or stand his ground and look like an asocial jerk? He never got to make his choice though as the door was thrown open virtually on him.
“Reid, what the hell,” Morgan started, then saw who else was in the main room of the cabin and added an all important vowel, “o…hello Madam Strauss, what a surprise.” He smiled as if not at all thrown completely off course by her presence.
“Hello, Agent Morgan,” Erin smiled softly, catching the cover but rather admiring the quick-thinking of the man.
“It’s just Strauss,” Reid muttered to Morgan.
“Huh?” Morgan didn’t catch it but Reid didn’t have time to repeat himself as Prentiss and Rossi finally returned to the room themselves.
“Morgan, Reid, welcome!” Rossi acknowledged them happily, hoping some obvious cheer might break the awkward tension bogging down the room.
The two men said hello before Prentiss went to help Reid with putting the packages under the tree Rossi had set up in the room as Morgan worked to remove his winter gear.
“What’s going on?” Reid whispered curiously to Emily as they carried gifts to the still bare tree…Rossi thought it’d be nice if everyone decorated together, so the kids could help and all.
Emily rolled her eyes, “Rossi lost his mind.”
Reid didn’t seem totally convinced as he looked back at Rossi who headed towards Strauss, then returned his gaze back to Emily, “Hotch and, uh, JJ, and all them are still coming…right?”
“As far as I know.”
The young man’s face blanched a little and he made one of his yikes faces, “Oh boy.”
“I know.”
“We should, uh, warn them.” Reid pointed out as Morgan headed over.
“So, what the hell is going on?” Morgan asked, looking to Prentiss for answers as he pretended to help despite the wrapped gifts already being set about.
“I don’t know, but I say you call JJ and Garcia and I’ll call Hotch,” Emily replied, more focused on warning the rest of the team than why Rossi’s head was up his ass.
“Alright,” Morgan gave a nod.
Reid looked between the two, nodded, then realized something, “What about me?”
Emily smiled sweetly, “You’re the distraction.”
“Huh?” Then Reid got it, “Oh.” He wondered if his friends realized he’d likely only get more awkward the more time he spent with Strauss. Spending increased time with important people like that tended to have the opposite effect of making him more and more nervous as he went on.
Morgan slapped a hand on Reid’s shoulder, “You’ll do fine, big guy. And, if ya get stuck, just go to a classic.”
“Magic?”
Emily snorted as she tried not to laugh, “Only if Rossi takes pictures.” She began to stand up, “Just show off your intelligence or something, Reid, you’ve got plenty to spare. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some calls to make.” Hotch was always a touch harder to track down with Jack and all.
“Me too,” Morgan said as he got up, “Good luck kid.”
“I’m good,” Reid gave a slight wave of his hand, “I do my best work under extreme terror.” Of course this wouldn’t be same as the terror of a threatening UNSUB but, still, terror.
“…I really should go,” Erin continued to insist to Rossi as they spoke, argued, by the mini-bar, “This is only going to get more uncomfortable when Agents Hotchner and Jareau arrive.”
“Erin, it’s going to be fine.”
Strauss smiled a touch, “David, even If I got everyone that came a trip to Disney, a new house, and a puppy things aren’t going to be fine.”
Rossi laughed some, “Well, honestly, Erin, I think a puppy would only put you out of favor with Reid here.” Reid had been approaching and, when he heard his name, his eyes widened a touch with curiosity. “Reid’s not a fan of dogs, are you?”
“Oh, um,” Reid smiled a touch in nerves, “dogs aren’t really a fan of me, actually. Accept Rossi’s, he seemed to like me.”
Rossi gave a laugh and Erin smirked a little, “Did Muttsy stick his nose somewhere it didn’t belong?”
“Excuse me?” Reid didn’t catch on…on the plus it did get Strauss to chuckle softly, which Reid didn’t think was possible.
“No, no,” David laughed, “Muttsy doesn’t like Reid like he likes you, Erin. He only jumped up and knocked Reid down in his excitement.”
Then it clicked in the youngest agent’s mind what Strauss had been suggesting and he did, in fact, smile, “Oh, uh…yeah, no, Muttsy’s only ever sniffed my hand.”
Strauss gave a slightly more formal smile, “Consider yourself lucky, Reid, he has a very cold, wet, snout.” The woman felt herself about to laugh out loud so covered her mouth a touch as if to hold it in…as if worried too much emotion might make her seem too human.
***
With the forewarnings given to the others there were no more overtly awkward entries into the cabin; but the tension did increase with each added person. Hotch refused his customary Scotch, even though Rossi got him a good bottle for the weekend, and JJ felt like she had to be “on” so gone were her usual soft, playful, smile and gentle teasing of others. Prentiss…Prentiss simply set up a seat in the corner where she could glare at Rossi and Strauss. Even Garcia was a little more restrained than usual, keeping her jokes clean and going without her classic double entendres.
Refusing to allow the obvious awkwardness of it all kill the holiday spirit Rossi insisted everyone still work on decorating the tree. At first no one seemed to even pay him any mind, but then he pulled out a trick he rarely used from his bag. “Okay, fine, but if the tree’s not decorated then Santa won’t know that he’s supposed to drop off presents for everyone here at the cabin so,” the man shrugged as if defeated, “he won’t and I guess Jack and Henry won’t have any gifts left for them here.”
Hotch and JJ audibly groaned as their sons simultaneously flew into a panic over Santa forgetting about their presents. JJ was the first to get up, picking up Henry as she did, “Don’t worry, sweetie, Santa’s not going to forget you,” she cooed as she tried to calm the tot down from his near crying state. When able to the blond gave Rossi a glare that rivaled Hotch's best on the job, but it only lasted a moment as she returned focus to relaxing and reassuring her son.
“Where are the decorations, Rossi?” Hotch asked in a sigh as Jack tugged at his pant leg asking over and over if he was certain that Santa would remember everywhere he’s supposed to visit.
“Right in the closet by the door, don’t worry.” Rossi was delighted his ploy worked. Until, that was, he saw Strauss’ face.
The woman sat back with a deeply disapproving look that she generally saved for those she was about to let have it in her office. When Rossi gave a small smile she just rolled her eyes and shook her head in further disapproval.
Will and Emily were all already up and heading toward the closet after Hotch to pull out the lights and such. Garcia and Kevin, meanwhile, made their ways out of their chairs and towards the kitchen. The team couldn’t work on an empty stomach and there were the popcorn strands for the tree that had to be made.
Only Reid stayed behind with Rossi and Strauss. “Not cool, Rossi. Not cool.”
“What?" Rossi sat back down opposite Reid and Strauss, “It worked.”
“Really, David, how could you?” Erin scolded, but then smirked a touch, “And people say I’m heartless.”
Rossi smirked back at the woman, “You can’t say the strategy wasn’t successful.”
“No, I can’t.” Erin confessed before taking a sip of her nightcap with the smirk stay playing over her lips. Her smirk wasn't a sign of approval, it was the acknowledgment of a private understanding of one another - when they really wanted something both pulled no punches in their fight to get it and while it made them plenty of enemies it was a tendency admired between the two of them nevertheless.
Hotch and Emily worked on untangling the lights at the table as Jack stood on the chair beside his father and leaned forward on the table to watch the men. “Are you sure, Daddy?”
“I’m sure, Jack,” Hotch stated for what was probably the tenth time in a row, “Santa isn’t going to forget anyone here, at our house, or anywhere else.”
The little boy looked to the female agent, “What about you, Emily?”
Emily smiled, “I’m sure too, Jack.”
“Yeah, yeah but, um…” the boy twisted about some in his worry, “do you have things up for Santa where you live?”
“I have a tree with little white lights right in my window,” Emily assured the five-year-old, “Santa can’t miss it.”
“That sounds pretty,” Hotch commented as he smiled across the table at the woman.
“It is.” Emily smiled back.
Jack got a wonderful thought, “Can we see it?”
Emily’s eyes stayed on Hotch’s for a moment longer than needed before they turned to Jack, “If you and your daddy would like,” she then looked back to the boy’s father before looking down to focus on a knot in the lights, “Would you? Like to, I mean.”
Aaron gave a nod, but only answered once he too had turned his attention back to untangling the wires, “I think that’d be very nice, Emily.” Then he smiled softly, “And maybe sometime you’d care to see all our decorations?” He said all because she’d, in fact, already seen (and helped with) the tree and didn’t want to risk his son correcting him in efforts to be helpful.
“I’d like that very much, Hotch.” Emily moved to cross her legs, brushing one of Hotch’s with her foot in the process. Hotch bit his lip as if in concentration on a particularly difficult knot as he got a small rush from the brief contact.
Normally the two didn’t do this anymore…this teenage type behavior of quick glances, almost shy formality, and inviting one another over through Hotch’s son. Not even in front of the team. But Strauss changed things, she threw them both off-balance, and now caution had become some delicate little dance between them…a slightly invigorating dance.
When they’d completed their task the two agents moved together on opposite sides of the table to carry the lights carefully from the table to the tree where they began to string them. They slipped under and around the tree and one another to make sure the lights ended up even and there weren’t any bald spots, occasionally there was a brush of bodies or somewhat awkward positioning between the two but under the guise of decorating no one else seemed to take note.
Not even when Emily gave a slightly mischievous look and whispered, “Wouldn’t it be great if everyone else just disappeared?” as Hotch came up behind her to check the bulbs in a certain spot.
“Emily.” Hotch warned.
“What?”
“No.” He wasn’t even going to entertain that idea knowing the road it might bring them down. Not with Strauss sitting nearby he wouldn’t. Not ever.
Emily gave a small laugh to show there were no hard feelings before slipping out from under him and going to check bulbs elsewhere.
By the time they were done Garcia and Kevin’s popcorn strands were done, cooled, and ready for Jack and Henry, with JJ and Will’s help, to hang. After that it was different ornaments that everyone participated in hanging. The tree was lit and dressed-to-the-nines in no time which made the kids feel much more secure that Santa would, in fact, remember to drop presents for them at Rossi’s cabin. And, with the job done, the kids were sent to bed and the adults were able to once again relax and enjoy some drinks before turning in for the night.
"Friendship is not for merriment but for stern reproach when friends go astray." ~ Tiruvalluvar
Part 2
Author: Tooks
Pairing: Team (Rossi/Strauss, Hotch/Prentiss)
Rating: FRT (for now, haha)
Summary: The team spends a traditional long weekend before the holidays up at Rossi's cabin...he's also invited Erin Strauss.
Notes: This started off as a flash of the very first scene in my head, then ballooned into what will be a longer, multi-chapter, tale. There's some cursing, a little suggestiveness, and Season 6 spoilers. (It somewhat follows my other Rossi/Strauss pieces and my Hotch/Prentiss AU "Brave New Worlds" too but I don't know if I'm going to set it in any current AU.)
~ Afternoon, Day 1 ~
“Are you out of your fucking mind?” Emily growled at Rossi in one of the spare bedrooms of his cabin.
“Emily.”
“Don’t you Emily me,” she warned, pointing her finger at him almost threateningly. She’d never been truly mad at Rossi, not once, until now. “How could you even think of bringing her here?”
Rossi shrugged, “She had no where else to go. Her children are with their father for this weekend and…” he shrugged again, “she was all alone.”
“And how is that our problem?”
“She’s my friend, Emily,” Rossi asserted before sighing, “You know, you, of all people, I would think might be sympathetic.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because you know what it’s like to feel like the odd person out.”
Emily’s jaw dropped in shock before her mouth twisted in displeasure, “Don’t you even think of comparing me to her like that. However I’ve felt in the past had nothing to do with the things I did to those around me. I wasn’t an outcast because I betrayed and manipulated others for my own personl and professional gain…”
***
Erin’s leg shook almost uncontrollably as she sipped deeper than usual from her martini. She’d told David this was not a good idea. That she wouldn’t be accepted, let alone welcomed, in the team’s little weekend getaway. But the man had insisted. Stupid, foolish, stubborn ass-of-a-man that he was. This was something he did for Agent Hotchner’s team, not for the team and their boss. And while Rossi assured her she wasn’t as disliked as it might seem she knew better. Strauss wasn’t deluded enough to believe that her wheeling and dealing at work wouldn’t have any impact on how those around her felt about her personally.
Unable to sit any more as hushed, angry, voices carried from the room down the hall Erin got up to refresh her drink. She herself knew the cabin well; a few previous visits and an extra day and a half with David cemented the layout for her well enough. The woman let her stress out in the shaking of the mixer before starting to pour. Then she heard the front door start to open…it was only going to get worse now.
“Hello?” a young man’s voice called out happily, though somehow still warily. “Oh, hello,” the voice turned to simply happy, clearly sighting there was, in fact, another person in the cabin and glad for it.
Erin finished pouring, took a sip, and then a deep breath before turning. She saw the youngest of the team standing in the doorway in jeans, a collared shirt, and a sweater that looked like it came from Bill Cosby’s closet. She let her breath out and smiled faintly, at least it wasn’t Agent Hotchner, “Dr Reid.”
“Uh…” Reid was stunned, beyond stunned. He was a deer in political headlights without a clue what to do. “Hello?” That worked before, maybe it would again?
“Dr Reid, it’s a pleasure to see you,” Erin almost felt like she was assuring him he had the right place and everything was as it should be as she took long strides in his direction and presented her hand to shake.
“Okay,” Reid got out as his instincts to be polite and social kicked in and he shook the woman’s hand. As he got a better look at her current state of dress though he found it a touch calming. Strauss had dispensed with the usual stern business attire in favor of black slacks and a beige turtleneck with her hair held loosely in a clip that could easily be seen by others. Not the most casual, but more so than most agents had probably ever seen her.
Erin let go of Reid’s hand and smiled expectantly before realizing she’d likely be the one carrying the conversation. “Would you care for a drink, Dr Reid?”
“I’m good,” the agent replied before remembering his manners, “Thank you.”
The woman nodded a touch before sipping her own drink and silently praying for Rossi to finish his tiff with Prentiss and come out already. No such luck, “So,” Erin turned her head to the side as if truly curious, “how was the drive up? Any troubles?”
The question finally seemed to do the trick in pulling Reid out of his stupefied state. “Oh, um, no, no troubles, ma’am.”
“Please, just Strauss is fine.” Erin immediately regretted the correction. She wanted to seem casual, like whatever occurred at the cabin wouldn’t be used at work, but her damned pride forced her last, and not first, name to come out. To cover her embarrassment she wandered a little ways away, sipping her drink as she did.
“Okay,” Reid replied a little warily, wondering if this wasn’t some sort of trap. Politics were never his strong suit to start. He decided to go with a tit-for-tat approach. “Well, um…you, uh…you could always just call me Reid, if you like.” Most did.
“Very well, Reid,” Erin smiled a little. It was something, wasn’t it? “So, the drive up was good?”
“Honestly, um…I didn’t actually drive.”
“Oh?”
Reid nodded as he finally felt there was enough distance between himself and his superior’s superior to drop his bag and remove his jacket and scarf to hang it up. “Yeah, uh, my car isn’t exactly, um, off-road capable so…Morgan drove me.”
“Agent Morgan?”
“Yes…he has an off-road capable vehicle.”
As if on cue Morgan’s voice burst through the chilly outside air, “Reid, man, gimme a hand here,” he was making his way to the door, unable to see inside just yet, “a swear to god, Reid, if I drop someone’s present and it breaks I’m kicking your butt all over this cabin!” Despite the words his tone had a playfulness to it that Reid would recognize.
Reid was nervous Ms. Strauss would, however, not identify the tone properly and so stood, awkwardly, unsure what to do. Help Morgan and have Strauss think he was, and could be, pushed around by others or stand his ground and look like an asocial jerk? He never got to make his choice though as the door was thrown open virtually on him.
“Reid, what the hell,” Morgan started, then saw who else was in the main room of the cabin and added an all important vowel, “o…hello Madam Strauss, what a surprise.” He smiled as if not at all thrown completely off course by her presence.
“Hello, Agent Morgan,” Erin smiled softly, catching the cover but rather admiring the quick-thinking of the man.
“It’s just Strauss,” Reid muttered to Morgan.
“Huh?” Morgan didn’t catch it but Reid didn’t have time to repeat himself as Prentiss and Rossi finally returned to the room themselves.
“Morgan, Reid, welcome!” Rossi acknowledged them happily, hoping some obvious cheer might break the awkward tension bogging down the room.
The two men said hello before Prentiss went to help Reid with putting the packages under the tree Rossi had set up in the room as Morgan worked to remove his winter gear.
“What’s going on?” Reid whispered curiously to Emily as they carried gifts to the still bare tree…Rossi thought it’d be nice if everyone decorated together, so the kids could help and all.
Emily rolled her eyes, “Rossi lost his mind.”
Reid didn’t seem totally convinced as he looked back at Rossi who headed towards Strauss, then returned his gaze back to Emily, “Hotch and, uh, JJ, and all them are still coming…right?”
“As far as I know.”
The young man’s face blanched a little and he made one of his yikes faces, “Oh boy.”
“I know.”
“We should, uh, warn them.” Reid pointed out as Morgan headed over.
“So, what the hell is going on?” Morgan asked, looking to Prentiss for answers as he pretended to help despite the wrapped gifts already being set about.
“I don’t know, but I say you call JJ and Garcia and I’ll call Hotch,” Emily replied, more focused on warning the rest of the team than why Rossi’s head was up his ass.
“Alright,” Morgan gave a nod.
Reid looked between the two, nodded, then realized something, “What about me?”
Emily smiled sweetly, “You’re the distraction.”
“Huh?” Then Reid got it, “Oh.” He wondered if his friends realized he’d likely only get more awkward the more time he spent with Strauss. Spending increased time with important people like that tended to have the opposite effect of making him more and more nervous as he went on.
Morgan slapped a hand on Reid’s shoulder, “You’ll do fine, big guy. And, if ya get stuck, just go to a classic.”
“Magic?”
Emily snorted as she tried not to laugh, “Only if Rossi takes pictures.” She began to stand up, “Just show off your intelligence or something, Reid, you’ve got plenty to spare. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some calls to make.” Hotch was always a touch harder to track down with Jack and all.
“Me too,” Morgan said as he got up, “Good luck kid.”
“I’m good,” Reid gave a slight wave of his hand, “I do my best work under extreme terror.” Of course this wouldn’t be same as the terror of a threatening UNSUB but, still, terror.
“…I really should go,” Erin continued to insist to Rossi as they spoke, argued, by the mini-bar, “This is only going to get more uncomfortable when Agents Hotchner and Jareau arrive.”
“Erin, it’s going to be fine.”
Strauss smiled a touch, “David, even If I got everyone that came a trip to Disney, a new house, and a puppy things aren’t going to be fine.”
Rossi laughed some, “Well, honestly, Erin, I think a puppy would only put you out of favor with Reid here.” Reid had been approaching and, when he heard his name, his eyes widened a touch with curiosity. “Reid’s not a fan of dogs, are you?”
“Oh, um,” Reid smiled a touch in nerves, “dogs aren’t really a fan of me, actually. Accept Rossi’s, he seemed to like me.”
Rossi gave a laugh and Erin smirked a little, “Did Muttsy stick his nose somewhere it didn’t belong?”
“Excuse me?” Reid didn’t catch on…on the plus it did get Strauss to chuckle softly, which Reid didn’t think was possible.
“No, no,” David laughed, “Muttsy doesn’t like Reid like he likes you, Erin. He only jumped up and knocked Reid down in his excitement.”
Then it clicked in the youngest agent’s mind what Strauss had been suggesting and he did, in fact, smile, “Oh, uh…yeah, no, Muttsy’s only ever sniffed my hand.”
Strauss gave a slightly more formal smile, “Consider yourself lucky, Reid, he has a very cold, wet, snout.” The woman felt herself about to laugh out loud so covered her mouth a touch as if to hold it in…as if worried too much emotion might make her seem too human.
***
With the forewarnings given to the others there were no more overtly awkward entries into the cabin; but the tension did increase with each added person. Hotch refused his customary Scotch, even though Rossi got him a good bottle for the weekend, and JJ felt like she had to be “on” so gone were her usual soft, playful, smile and gentle teasing of others. Prentiss…Prentiss simply set up a seat in the corner where she could glare at Rossi and Strauss. Even Garcia was a little more restrained than usual, keeping her jokes clean and going without her classic double entendres.
Refusing to allow the obvious awkwardness of it all kill the holiday spirit Rossi insisted everyone still work on decorating the tree. At first no one seemed to even pay him any mind, but then he pulled out a trick he rarely used from his bag. “Okay, fine, but if the tree’s not decorated then Santa won’t know that he’s supposed to drop off presents for everyone here at the cabin so,” the man shrugged as if defeated, “he won’t and I guess Jack and Henry won’t have any gifts left for them here.”
Hotch and JJ audibly groaned as their sons simultaneously flew into a panic over Santa forgetting about their presents. JJ was the first to get up, picking up Henry as she did, “Don’t worry, sweetie, Santa’s not going to forget you,” she cooed as she tried to calm the tot down from his near crying state. When able to the blond gave Rossi a glare that rivaled Hotch's best on the job, but it only lasted a moment as she returned focus to relaxing and reassuring her son.
“Where are the decorations, Rossi?” Hotch asked in a sigh as Jack tugged at his pant leg asking over and over if he was certain that Santa would remember everywhere he’s supposed to visit.
“Right in the closet by the door, don’t worry.” Rossi was delighted his ploy worked. Until, that was, he saw Strauss’ face.
The woman sat back with a deeply disapproving look that she generally saved for those she was about to let have it in her office. When Rossi gave a small smile she just rolled her eyes and shook her head in further disapproval.
Will and Emily were all already up and heading toward the closet after Hotch to pull out the lights and such. Garcia and Kevin, meanwhile, made their ways out of their chairs and towards the kitchen. The team couldn’t work on an empty stomach and there were the popcorn strands for the tree that had to be made.
Only Reid stayed behind with Rossi and Strauss. “Not cool, Rossi. Not cool.”
“What?" Rossi sat back down opposite Reid and Strauss, “It worked.”
“Really, David, how could you?” Erin scolded, but then smirked a touch, “And people say I’m heartless.”
Rossi smirked back at the woman, “You can’t say the strategy wasn’t successful.”
“No, I can’t.” Erin confessed before taking a sip of her nightcap with the smirk stay playing over her lips. Her smirk wasn't a sign of approval, it was the acknowledgment of a private understanding of one another - when they really wanted something both pulled no punches in their fight to get it and while it made them plenty of enemies it was a tendency admired between the two of them nevertheless.
Hotch and Emily worked on untangling the lights at the table as Jack stood on the chair beside his father and leaned forward on the table to watch the men. “Are you sure, Daddy?”
“I’m sure, Jack,” Hotch stated for what was probably the tenth time in a row, “Santa isn’t going to forget anyone here, at our house, or anywhere else.”
The little boy looked to the female agent, “What about you, Emily?”
Emily smiled, “I’m sure too, Jack.”
“Yeah, yeah but, um…” the boy twisted about some in his worry, “do you have things up for Santa where you live?”
“I have a tree with little white lights right in my window,” Emily assured the five-year-old, “Santa can’t miss it.”
“That sounds pretty,” Hotch commented as he smiled across the table at the woman.
“It is.” Emily smiled back.
Jack got a wonderful thought, “Can we see it?”
Emily’s eyes stayed on Hotch’s for a moment longer than needed before they turned to Jack, “If you and your daddy would like,” she then looked back to the boy’s father before looking down to focus on a knot in the lights, “Would you? Like to, I mean.”
Aaron gave a nod, but only answered once he too had turned his attention back to untangling the wires, “I think that’d be very nice, Emily.” Then he smiled softly, “And maybe sometime you’d care to see all our decorations?” He said all because she’d, in fact, already seen (and helped with) the tree and didn’t want to risk his son correcting him in efforts to be helpful.
“I’d like that very much, Hotch.” Emily moved to cross her legs, brushing one of Hotch’s with her foot in the process. Hotch bit his lip as if in concentration on a particularly difficult knot as he got a small rush from the brief contact.
Normally the two didn’t do this anymore…this teenage type behavior of quick glances, almost shy formality, and inviting one another over through Hotch’s son. Not even in front of the team. But Strauss changed things, she threw them both off-balance, and now caution had become some delicate little dance between them…a slightly invigorating dance.
When they’d completed their task the two agents moved together on opposite sides of the table to carry the lights carefully from the table to the tree where they began to string them. They slipped under and around the tree and one another to make sure the lights ended up even and there weren’t any bald spots, occasionally there was a brush of bodies or somewhat awkward positioning between the two but under the guise of decorating no one else seemed to take note.
Not even when Emily gave a slightly mischievous look and whispered, “Wouldn’t it be great if everyone else just disappeared?” as Hotch came up behind her to check the bulbs in a certain spot.
“Emily.” Hotch warned.
“What?”
“No.” He wasn’t even going to entertain that idea knowing the road it might bring them down. Not with Strauss sitting nearby he wouldn’t. Not ever.
Emily gave a small laugh to show there were no hard feelings before slipping out from under him and going to check bulbs elsewhere.
By the time they were done Garcia and Kevin’s popcorn strands were done, cooled, and ready for Jack and Henry, with JJ and Will’s help, to hang. After that it was different ornaments that everyone participated in hanging. The tree was lit and dressed-to-the-nines in no time which made the kids feel much more secure that Santa would, in fact, remember to drop presents for them at Rossi’s cabin. And, with the job done, the kids were sent to bed and the adults were able to once again relax and enjoy some drinks before turning in for the night.
"Friendship is not for merriment but for stern reproach when friends go astray." ~ Tiruvalluvar
Part 2