Boxing Day shopping was a royal pain. Unfortunately, Reese Joshlynn didn’t get much of a choice. Her position in the Tucson sex crimes unit didn’t often leave her with much time off. It was a side-effect of being a loner. Sure, she was close to her partner of six years, Max Cabot, but that was pretty much it.
Actually, she lamented, her life style left a lot to be desired. She loved her job, regardless of some of the things she had to deal with. It just left her with little time to do anything else. Max often teased her about her lack of dating, but really, when did Reese have the time? Close to never.
“Excuse me?”
Reese turned, smiling helpfully at the nervous man behind her.
“You haven’t seen my nephew, have you?”
The cop in Reese kicked in immediately. “What does he look like?”
“About this tall,” the man responded anxiously, holding his hand just above his hip. “He’s just a kid.”
Reese would point out the problem with bringing a child to a most definitely crowded shopping mall later. For now, there was a missing child who could very well have already been kidnapped by one of those bastards she dealt with on a day-to-day basis. “Where was the last place you saw him?”
“This way.”
Reese followed without thinking twice.
JJ felt refreshed coming back in from three straight days off. It wasn’t normal that they had that much time, but it was always nice to get a chance to reconnect with her family, even if it was only over the phone. She wasn’t surprised to find all of the team already in the bullpen when she strolled in, prepared for their morning meeting.
“Good morning,” she greeted cheerfully. “How was everyone’s Christmas?”
Reid was the only one who looked at her like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. JJ couldn’t say she was particularly surprised. Spencer Reid was much too logical a person to simply enjoy the frivolity of such a holiday. Even Morrow was smiling.
“Got something for us?” Morgan asked eagerly. He didn’t do well with consults. He preferred to be in the middle of the action.
“Nope,” JJ replied, “Not yet. For now we’re stuck in Quantico.”
“It’s just after Christmas,” Emily scolded Morgan. “Wait a day or two before itching to get back to serial killers.”
“I’ve had three days,” he shot back. “Give me something to do.”
JJ smiled. She’d spent the days on her own and she had to admit, it was nice to get back to the regular swing of things. She settled her files on the edge of Spencer’s desk, leaning against the divider between him and Emily. It was her usual spot when in the bullpen.
“Violent crime tends to increase around the Christmas season,” Reid pointed out.
“Yeah, but that’s because the soccer mom is fighting the perfect dad for that one Christmas gift they both want to give their children,” Emily shot back. “It’s not like we get a spree killer over 48 hours.”
“Isn’t that a little scary though? The season of giving and there are more eyes gouged out…” JJ trailed off shaking her head.
“Maybe a little, but so long as it doesn’t fall in our jurisdiction over those 48 hours, I’m not sure I have all that much sympathy,” Morrow agreed.
Emily murmured her agreement. Mind, she’d gladly take a simple assault over a Christmas present than some of the things they saw. Then again, it wouldn’t be that challenging.
“Here, here,” JJ agreed warmly. She warmed up to the new agent, especially after Jack’s appearance the week before. Morrow hadn’t gone straight to Strauss with the news of how close Emily was to her unit chief’s son when the rest of the team seemed to be just meeting him. It was the next logical step for JJ to trust her just a little bit more. Who knew, maybe Morrow would end up joining her, Emily and Penelope on a few of their girls’ nights.
“What did you do, Jayje?” Emily asked, leaning back in her chair.
“Called my family,” JJ answered. “Did a bit of cleaning, finally got around to decorating.”
“The day before Christmas?” Morgan teased. “A little late, aren’t you?”
“This from the man who, I have on good authority, doesn’t decorate at all?”
“I’m not home at Christmas,” Morgan defended. JJ and Emily knew that he spent Christmas with Penelope because she didn’t have anyone, and his family was in Chicago. “Called my mom and sisters though.”
“Of course you did, Sweet Cheeks. Your mother would have killed you if you didn’t.” Laptop under her arm, Penelope Garcia seemed just as chipper as the rest of them. It was amazing what three days of holidays could do to the seven of them.
“Em?”
The raven-haired woman shrugged. “Saw my Dad and brother on Christmas Day.”
“No mother?” Morgan asked with a raised eyebrow.
Emily shot him a funny look. “You know how well I get along with Mother.”
“You get along fine with your mother,” Morgan said with a roll of his eyes.
“I’ll take you to next year’s Christmas thing then,” Emily threatened. “You can see us when we’re not in the public eye.”
“I’ll pass,” Morgan responded.
“I thought so.”
“Politics isn’t so bad,” Morrow piped up. “I’ve been to a few society parties.”
All eyebrow’s raised. Morrow wasn’t a name within Washington’s society pages, or Virginia’s for that matter.
Morrow was blushing. “As someone’s date.”
Morgan grinned. This was absolutely priceless.
Emily waved a hand at him, her version of keep your mouth shut. “You’ve gone to society parties of your own free will?”
“It’s not that bad!” Morrow defended again. “You say a few nice things, smile, dance, it’s over.”
Emily was shaking her head. “You’re an outsider,” she said without malice. “It’s so different when you grow up with it.”
“I thought Ambassador Prentiss was a charming woman,” Morrow said.
If she was honest, Emily didn’t mind her mother, it just frustrated her that their relationship seemed so much more official and formal than a mother-daughter relationship should. She envied Derek’s sisters for the relationship they had with their mother. Heck, she envied Derek and how close he was to his entire family.
“A little demanding,” JJ spoke up on Emily’s behalf. She remembered the case Ambassador Prentiss had stepped in on. JJ had only really dealt with the victim. Ambassador Prentiss really only dealt with her daughter and Hotch. But still, JJ had gotten a distinct impression from the woman from the moment she’d met her.
Emily chuckled. “She is to people who are not family. Regular protocol, really.”
Morrow huffed, aware she wasn’t about to win such an argument. Someone coming in caught her attention, bringing with him a small bouquet of daisies.
“I’m looking for an Agent Emily Prentiss?”
Emily was absolutely shocked. She and Aaron had discussed Chris’ idea, but she wasn’t sure either of them were prepared to go through with it. She tentatively raised her hand and watched as the man set the daisies on her desk. She felt a smile grow across her face as she grabbed the card before JJ could. “Thank you,” she told the delivery man as she opened the envelope.
There were no flourishes, no little sweet phrase. It was simple, straight forward, and to the point. In fact, there was nothing other than ‘Your Secret Admirer’ on the small card. Emily couldn’t help laughing.
“What’s so funny? Who are they from?” Derek asked.
Before he could get an answer out of her, Aaron walked in, sending the team scurrying to look like they were doing something. He stopped briefly on the stairs. “Conference room in five please.” Then he met Emily’s eyes, allowing only the corners of his mouth to tilt upwards. “Nice flowers.”
Emily blushed.