A few weeks had went by that the team spent working on cases and due to the new extra team they got more time at home just doing paperwork and all that stuff. Prentiss and Hotch were meeting up regularly and the whole team, even Spencer had noticed by now that there was really something going on between those two. But since they still weren't on best terms with Strauss everyone kept quiet and didn't mention it while being at work, still JJ made sure to ask Emily at every occasion she got and she always got the same answer.
'No nothing happened JJ, stop asking about it all the time.'
When they got back from their latest case in Ohio they went to Rossis place for a game night since Garcia had decided it was time for a team activity again.
"Oh come on I bet Prentiss is cheating again!", Derek exclaimed while throwing his cards onto the table.
"Hey I never cheat.", Prentiss said defensive.
"Morgan when will you stop behaving like a five year old when you loose?", JJ laughed.
"When Prentiss stops cheating!", he replied childish.
"Just because you are bad at Uno it doesn't mean that I am cheating.", Emily told him.
"Alright kids stop fighting and make your moves I am waiting over here.", Rossi rolled his eyes and after that the game went on.
"Okay so what about a round of twister now?", Garcia asked excited when they finished the game.
"Oh come on you're kidding right?", Morgan chuckled.
"No I swear it's fun!", Penelope argued.
"Yeah maybe when you are 5 years old.", Derek replied sarcastically.
"Please.", Garcia begged.
"I am definitely too old for that, I'll go and prepare dinner.", Rossi smirked and got up to go to the kitchen.
"Come on guys, pleeeeeaaaaseeee.", the blonde begged again.
"Only if you bring us coffee every morning for at least a week.", JJ argued.
"Everything you want!", Garcia replied and got up to set up the game.
"Come on JJ we're not really doing this.", Emily laughed thinking she was just joking. "Right?", her laughing stopped soon after she realized that JJ was dead serious.
"Oh no I am out.", Hotch got up from the couch but Emily pulled him right back.
"If I am doing this then you are too.", she demanded serious.
Hotch looked around the group for help.
"Well she's right if we are doing it then you too.", Morgan shrugged his shoulders.
"Come on help a man out.", Hotch begged desperate.
"No way man.", Morgan laughed.
"Okay so everyone get up, I'll spin the wheel!", Garcia exclaimed excited when everything was set up.
"Wait why are you the one spinning the wheel?", Derek raised an eyebrow.
"Cause I suggested the game.", Penelope replied.
"Guys I don't think this is a good idea. Y'all probably had way too much wine and one of us will end up hurt.", Spencer got himself involved into the conversation.
"I'm sure you little genius could calculate the exact risk of that happening but right now we don't need to hear this so get onto the game.", Garcia demanded and Reid seemed too scared to actually speak up against that command so he just went over to the twister mat like the others did.
"Okay right hand on blue.", the blonde started the game.
They were about 5 rounds into the game when the first of them fell to the ground, to no ones surprise it was Reid. But Reid himself seemed happy about the fact that he didn't have to continue this game so he quickly fled to the kitchen before they would make him play another round.
"Garcia hurry up please.", JJ rushed while reaching her left hand over Emily's upper body to put it onto a yellow spot.
"Yeah yeah of course.", the blonde mumbled stressed and gave the wheel a push. "Right hand on red."
"Okay that's it, I give up.", JJ exclaimed and got up since it seemed impossible to have the left hand on yellow and right hand on red at least from the pose she were in at the time, for the remaining players this one was actually an easy command.
It took three more rounds until the next one of the was out, Morgan fell when was about to put his left leg over Hotch to reach a green spot. Derek seemed really certain that he could do it but while trying it the realization hit him when he lost his balance and fell to the ground, almost taking Hotch with him.
"Okay can we stop now?", Hotch begged Garcia.
"No, we have to play until only one of you two is left.", the blonde quoted the rules.
Hotch let out a frustrated sigh and then waited for the next command.
"You know you could just let yourself fall to the ground and give up.", Emily whispered while putting her arm under his torso to reach one of the red spots."
"And let you win? No way Emily.", Hotch laughed.
"I'll win anyways so why make this torture last longer for you?", she tried to convince him.
"Yeah we will see how that turns out for you.", the unit chief smirked.
"Oh God they are still playing?", Rossi asked disbelieving when he got back into the living room.
"Well Hotch and Prentiss both have too much pride and can't let the other one win.", Morgan laughed. "Wanna take bets on how much longer they will continue this?", he joked.
"You better tell them that if they take longer than ten minutes they won't get served anything of my amazing bruscetta.", the Italian man shook his head and went back to the kitchen.
"You two heard that?", Morgan asked the two laughing.
"Yeah just one more minute.", Hotch replied concentrated.
"Left hand on blue.", Garcia called out the next command.
Hotch took that as his chance and while sliding his hand under Emily's upper body he made sure to poke her rips a little, which made her lose it and fall to the ground.
"Oh no that was clearly cheating!", Emily exclaimed immediately when she hit the floor.
"Well there is nothing in the rules about tickling.", Hotch replied while getting up.
"Garcia?", Prentiss looked over to the technical analyst, who just shrugged her shoulders in agreement with Hotch.
"See, I told ya.", the unit chief laughed and handed Emily a hand to help her get up.
"If it makes you happy, I bet you would have won if Hotch didn't play unfair.", Morgan patted her on the shoulder while walking past her to get to the dinner table.
"Yeah at least I wouldn't need to cheat to win.", the brunette scoffed.
"I already told you it's not cheating.", Hotch argued.
"Dinners ready.", Rossi chimed when he walked into the room with a big plate in his hands, which got the attention from Hotch and Prentiss, both of them also went over to the dinner table where the rest of the team was already seated.
"So who won the game?", Rossi wanted to know after he had put some Bruscetta on everyone's plates.
"Hotch, but we are still deciding if he cheated or not.", Morgan said with his mouthful which made Rossi raise an eyebrow.
"The rules say it is no cheating.", Hotch shrugged his shoulders.
"Oh come on what did you do?", Rossi chuckled.
"There is nothing in the rulebook about tickling.", Hotch again shrugged his shoulders, Rossi couldn't help but laugh at this.
"So JJ you're birthday is coming up soon and I was wondering if you have anything planned?", Garcia wanted to know when everyone had calmed down again.
"Oh nothing, it's just a day like every other. We will probably be on a case anyways.", JJ tried to ignore the topic.
"Come on you're turning 30 JJ! You need to do something!", the technical analyst protested.
"Yeah she's right JJ, you're only turning 30 once.", Morgan agreed.
"Guys really it's not a big deal.", JJ tried to brush it off.
"It is!", Emily supported the others.
"Is you're family coming?" Reid wanted to know.
"I don't think so, I think they have more important stuff to do than to travel here for just one day.", the blonde answered.
"Since you're birthday is on a Saturday this year they could stay the weekend.", Penelope mentioned.
"Yeah but like I said I haven't planned anything so it doesn't even matter.", JJ sighed.
"What about a little party? Like just us and maybe your parents if they'll visit you.", Garcia suggested excited.
"No really there is no need for that.", JJ replied.
"Come on JJ, why not?", Emily tried to convince her.
"You can't say no, you don't even have to do anything, I'll plan it. I'll get the cake, I'll decorate everything, there will be fancy cocktails. ", Garcia rambled.
"I guess you won't take a no.", the agent said defeated.
"Great.", Garcia hugged her excited. "Rossi I hope you don't have plans that day because I am going to need your mansion.", she laughed.
"Yeah of course, I guess asking would be too much to wish for.", the Italian man rolled his eyes.
"You're the best.", Garcia chimed and also hugged him.
"So now Hotch only has too keep that week free for us.", Morgan chuckled.
"I'll try my best.", Hotch replied unsure if he was able to do that.
"Alright so who is ready for Carbonara?", Rossi asked when he got up.
Of course everyone immediately turned their attention to him, nobody wanted to miss out on Rossis famous Carbonara. After that meal course there followed a dessert, it was homemade Tiramisu, Rossi had told them that this recipe was from his great great grandmother.
As always it tasted delicious and at the end of the evening all of them were stuffed. After another glass of wine Morgan was the first one to leave Rossis place. Soon after Morgan Reid and Garcia also went home do now it was only Rossi, JJ, Hotch and Prentiss.
"I didn't wanna ask with the others around but have you two heard anything from Strauss lately?", Rossi asked when JJ went to the bathroom.
"No not really, the last time I heard from her was last week when she asked about the case we were on.", Hotch told him. "Why are you asking he?", he wanted to know.
"This has to stay between us alright?", Rossi looked at the two agents who nodded as an reply to that. "I heard from someone that they are working on a new regulation about relationships at the workplace but I don't know any details.", the older man let them know.
"Wait what do you mean? I thought there already was a regulation for that?", Emily asked with a confused look on her face.
"Like I said I don't have any details right now but I guess they try to phrase it in another way so that they can handle it more individual.", Rossi let them know.
"But why should they do it? There is nothing going on between us two.", Hotch told him and looked over to Emily while saying that. The brunette felt kinda hurt when Hotch said that but in the next moment she realized that he was right and he was right because of her decisions, she had told him that it would take some time before they could even talk about a relationship so the fact that Hotch was saying that there was nothing going on between them was purely her fault.
"I think she's suspecting something.", Rossi replied.
"Who's suspecting what?", JJ asked when she got back from the bathroom.
"Strauss, she's probably suspecting that there is something going on between me and Hotch and that's why there are rumors that there will be new regulations on relationships at work soon.", Prentiss explained to her.
"Wait can she do that?", the blonde wanted to know.
"Strauss alone can't but she has the bosses on her side we think.", Rossi answered.
"But there's no relationship so why is she doing that?", JJ was confused.
"Yeah but she probably will turn things around to use for her advantage, I guess she'll come up with some weird arguments that the bosses will believe.", Emily replied.
"Alright so what's the plan?", JJ sighed.
"That's what we are trying to figure out right now.", Hotch answered.
"I think right now we can't do anything than wait for new rules and then we can think of something else.", Rossi told them.
"But there has to be something we can do, we can't just watch how she transfers one of them.", JJ replied upset.
"I think Rossi is right, we can't do anything right now. We have to wait but it's good that we are already warned.", Prentiss said.
"If you say so.", JJ said unamused. "I think it's getting late so I think I should head home.", she sighed.
"Yeah I think I should leave too.", Emily agreed.
"You need help with anything before we leave?", JJ asked directed towards Rossi.
"Oh no I think I can get this mess cleaned up alone, but thank you tho.", Rossi replied.
"Alright then I'll better get my coat.", the blonde smiled and went towards the door.
"How much wine did you drink?", Hotch asked Emily when the other two had gone into the hallway.
"I'm not sure three glasses, maybe four I think.", Emily answered a bit confused.
"I'll drive you home.", Hotch replied.
"I'm good Hotch, also how many glasses did you have? Must have also been about two or three.", Prentiss told him.
"It was actually just one and I finished it about one and a half hours ago, so yeah I'll drive you, it's on my way anyways.", Aaron said determined.
"Alright then.", Emily sighed defeated
and so the two of them went also into the hallway where Rossi was still talking to JJ.
"Ah there you are.", Rossi exclaimed.
"Yeah we thought we better leave now before it gets even later.", Hotch chuckled.
"Alright then drive home safe and thank you for this pleasureful evening.", he said while Aaron and Emily grabbed their jackets.
"It was a pleasure to be your guest.", Hotch chuckled.
"Yeah it definitely was, Garcia is right, we need to do this more often.", Emily agreed to that.
"We'll see after the next case I guess.", Rossi replied laughing.
After everyone had said their final goodbye they walked over to their cars, Hotch and Prentiss also said goodbye to JJ before getting into Hotchs car.
"So did you have fun tonight?", Hotch asked while pulling out of the driveway.
"Yeah it was nice spending some time with the team again.", Prentiss smiled
"So what about JJs birthday? Garcia is right she has to do something for her 30th.", Hotch asked.
"Okay to be honest we already have something planned.", Emily laughed. "We just wanted to make sure that JJ didn't have other plans.", she said.
"Oh yeah? What do you have in mind?", Hotch was interested.
"We already talked to Rossi and of course he is willing to let us do it in his mansion.", the brunette chuckled. "We called her mom and she'll probably come here for the weekend with JJs father, and we have already called some friends from JJ. It's probably not going to be too big but like maybe about 15 to 20 people will be there.", she explained.
"Sounds good, I'll try my best to keep us clear of cases.", Hotch told her.
"Perfect. We're probably going to do it a bit like a surprise, we'll tell her it's just dinner with the team nothing fancy, but you know Garcia she'll probably go all out for the decoration and cake and all that stuff.", Emily laughed.
"I can only imagine.", Hotch also had to laugh.
"Do you have plans on wednesday evening?", Hotch wanted to know when they got closer to Emily's apartment .
"No I don't think so, why?", she wanted to know.
"Would you be willing to go and eat dinner with me?", the unit chief asked.
"I'd love too.", Prentiss smiled.
"Great.", Hotch replied and also had a small smile on his face.
It didn't take much longer for Hotch to park the car in front of Emily's apartment complex. "Have a good night.", Hotch said when she got out of the car.
"Good night.", Emily replied and went into the building with a big smile on her face.
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A/N: Hiii, sorry for making y'all wait so long for this chapter. The last three months were really busy and I didn't really got to use wattpad. Luckily I had this chapter already written out so today I remembered to go on here and post something. I'll try to give you all another update in the next two weeks before I'll fly to South Africa. While I'm there I can't update sadly since we'll have about 6-10 hours without electricity every day but after these two weeks I'll try to upload another chapter :)
This one's more of a filler chapter but I thought it would be nice to have something different from time to time, something where the team spends time together.
Let me know what you think of it!!