Philophobia

Thirteen; Nikolai

May 21st, 2010
8:03 pm
Off the Record Bar
Washington D.C.

Eliza sat, watching her new team enjoying their Friday night. It was interesting to watch them away from work, though she'd only worked with them for one day.

Carefully, she sipped a Raspberry and Lavender Gin Fizz. It was a stereotypical English drink and disliked by her personally but Morgan had placed it in her hands and she felt cruel turning it away. Furthermore, the drink was significantly stronger than the ones she'd tried back home. Though Eliza could hold her liquor she didn't want to risk to standing up, falling over and looking like a fool. So, she sat, watching Morgan, Garcia, and JJ forcing Rossi to dance amongst the twenty-year-old crowd. It wasn't much of a dancing bar, but nobody cared.

Hotch had refused the invitation, returning home to his son Jack, instead. They hadn't bothered to ask Blake. She'd left early because her husband was back from Doctors Without Borders for the weekend. This combination of events resulted in Eliza and Reid sitting at the table, keeping watch over their team members' drinks and belongings.

"You don't seem like the bar type," Eliza mused taking another sip of her drink. She could feel the gin burning through her veins. Reid looked at her.

"It was either this or sit at home alone," Reid replied taking a sip of his drink the same was she had. He was drinking a Diet Coke.

"Honestly, if I was used to my surroundings, I'd prefer sitting at home alone. I've been re-reading War and Peace in an attempt to get a further understanding of Tolstoy's views on spiritualism in relation to matters of the family. I find the concept much more prevalent when in it's original Russian language." She hadn't been thinking as she spoke, and looked from her dancing team members to Reid, mouth gaped. "I am so sorry. I did not mean to create a dull conversation."

"It would only be a dull conversation if you were having it with Morgan," Reid joked, he immediately felt bad making a joke at the expense of a friend, but it made Eliza laugh and somehow he couldn't dwell on the feeling for long. "Personally, I believe Tolstoy's message was that matter of the family and their relation to you create the spiritualism found in adulthood. I've only read the book once though, so I could be wrong." Eliza smiled widely, her mouth slightly opened in shock.

"My sentiments exactly." She was almost bursting with joy. She'd never found someone with the same views on Tolstoy as her, that could talk about the reasoning and logic behind their views at an academic level. Either that or she'd been too obnoxious with her feelings about Tolstoy. "And I thought they were kidding when they called you a genius." She peeled her eyes off of Reid's blushed face, transporting them to Rossi, who'd finally escaped his dancing captors.

"When I said my treat, I thought I'd get to pick the bar," he said as he sat.

"Are you trying to tell me that you didn't choose this place?" Eliza asked. Her face was deadpanned as she spoke. Rossi looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh no, I did," Rossi replied. "You know me. David Rossi, lover of fine wine, homemade pasta, and loud dance clubs." The two chuckled, but Reid didn't know why. He was immune to sarcasm. "What have you two been talking about?"

"Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy," Reid jumped in, feeling left out of the conversation.

"You know this is a club, right!" Morgan had made his way towards the table in an effort to find his drink. "You're supposed to be having fun!"

"You can't prove to me that talking about Leo Tolstoy isn't fun," Eliza retorted.

"I've been supplying you with drinks all night, and you won't even dance with me," Morgan scowled.

"You are aware of how creepy it is when you phrase it like that?" Eliza asked him. Rossi laughed. Reid scowled. "Anyhow, I've got to head out. I'm getting up early tomorrow."

"Why? Early morning date?" Morgan questioned teasingly.

"Wouldn't you like to know!" Eliza gasped sarcastically, placing a hand on Morgan's shoulder. She stood up and moved her hand from Morgan's shoulder to Reid's shoulder. "I'll see you later." It was supposed to be directed at the group but it ended up being directed at Reid. Grabbing her things, Eliza exited the bar, Reid's eyes on her as she did.

"I TOLD you," Morgan shouted confidently. "Cough it up!" Rossi groaned, opening his wallet and forking over twenty dollars.

"I can't believe I bet against you." Rossi took another sip of his drink.

"Me neither! That has got to be one of the more stupid bets you've taken me up on," he laughed. "Baby Girl! Let me get you another drink! Rossi just lost twenty bucks!" He waved Garcia and JJ over to the table.

"What are you talking about?" Reid whispered to Rossi. He only shrugged, refusing to respond.

"Thank God," JJ cried as she approached the table. "I thought Garcia was going to keep me on that dance floor all night!"

"Would that have been an issue?" Garcia asked sadly, looking at JJ with large eyes.

"No! NO!" JJ replied reassuring Garcia of her love. "I do, however, have a son to get home to. So, as much as I love you, I am going home."

"Tell Will I say hello, and tell Henry I love him!" Garcia smiled, placing a soft kiss on JJ's cheek.

"Will do." JJ scooped up her bag and coat, waving at the team as she began to leave.

"Before you leave," Morgan called. This stopped JJ from walking. She turned around to face him. "Say you like someone, and you have a feeling they like you too. Would you ask them out?"

"Of course! How do you think I got Will?" JJ laughed before exiting.

"I think that means you owe me Pretty Boy." Morgan extended his hand as if he were waiting for Reid to pay him.

"What?" Reid looked at Morgan confused. "I'm not giving you anything!" Then to a passing waitress, "could I have a water please?"

"I don't think Reid should have to pay you anything unless you're using that money to buy me more wine," Garcia informed the group. She was leaning on Morgan, teetering in her heels. She, like Eliza, was a lightweight.

"I don't think I should pay you at all!" Reid protested.

"I think we should all go home!" Rossi chimed in. "We're about to have an entire weekend off of work. I'm not spending it dwelling on everything you idiots are drunkenly saying tonight."

"Bold of you to assume I'm drunk!" Garcia slurred.

"Rossi has a point," Reid stated taking a sip of the water the waitress had brought over. He pointed to the tech analysis who was dozing off on Morgan's shoulder. Morgan shook her softly to wake her up. "Garcia might need a chaperone."

"Noooooooo!" Garcia frowned, rubbing her eyes.

"Would it change your mind if I was the one taking you home?"

"Yeeesss," she slurred again, smiling widely. "Bring me to my chariot!" Morgan rolled his eyes. He moved Garcia, taking her out of the bar and into his car. Rossi placed a large number of twenty-dollar bills on the table, before exiting the bar with Reid.

"Thank you for paying," Reid said. He was the only one who ever directly thanked Rossi. Rossi didn't mind the silence from the rest of the team though, they thanked him in their own ways.

"My pleasure." The two men stopped in front of Rossi's car. They nodded, and Rossi crossed to the driver's side. Before he got in, he addressed Reid. "He's right you know."

"Who?"

"Morgan." Reid rolled his eyes. "I'm serious! I've had three wives, and only one of them ever looked at me the way Eliza looks at you. Lock her DOWN," he advised Reid.

"Right." Reid began walking away. As he did, he heard Rossi's car start and pull away from the curb. He softly smiled to himself as he got into his Volvo. Maybe they were right Maybe he should ask Eliza out. He turned on the car, confidently but then felt doubts. Maybe it was a bad idea. Maybe he'd ask her out, and she'd say no, and it would ruin the friendship they were forming. He drove away with too many thoughts in his head, and the feeling of doubt clouding his mind.