Chapter Text
Part One
'Speak low, if you speak love.' ~William Shakespeare
Hotch had been quietly observing his team. He had seen the looks of relief on their faces when the pilot told them they would be landing in less than half an hour. They were tired and wanted to go home. As luck would have it, the BAU jet had caught a tailwind.
The team had been quiet on their flight back from Texas, as they sometimes were. Morgan sat with eyes closed, listening to his iPod. Garcia knitted. The rest of them sat close together in comfortable silence. Reid had his head bent over a book, glancing every now and then at Prentiss, who was playing with some sort of bizarre puzzle. JJ was texting with Will, the light in her eyes giving her away. Only Rossi remained unreadable. He stared out the window into the night sky.
Hotch spoke, and six pairs of eyes went to their team leader.
"When we land, I think you should all go straight home. I don't want to see any of you ‘til Monday, understood?" Hotch said.
No one argued with him. The mood became less somber.
"You know what, it's Valentine’s Day," Garcia chirped, putting down her knitting. "I almost forgot!"
Morgan took off his headphones. "Too bad, babygirl. Uou and Kevin didn't get to make any plans."
She waved a dismissive hand at him. "Fear not, my handsome hottie, Kevin is a man of many talents. Last Valentine’s Day, I got home late and he was waiting for me. He had made a heart-shaped pizza for dinner and afterward we played naked Twister."
Hotch groaned and covered his eyes. "Way too much information, Garcia."
"Sorry sir, forgot where I was for a moment."
Rossi stared wistfully at the ceiling. "It's been years since I've played naked Twister."
Hotch grimaced. "Dave, please!"
"What's Twister?" Reid finally had to ask.
"You know, it’s that kid's game where..." Prentiss began to explain, until she noticed her other team mates grinning at her. "Forget it," she said and went back to her puzzle.
"It's a game, Reid. Like if you were to play naked chess," Morgan explained.
Reid's eyes widened in horror. "Why would I do that? And how could that possibly improve the game?"
Morgan patted his back. "Don't worry, I'll keep my clothes on the next time we play."
Hotch noticed JJ was all smiles.
Prentiss nodded in her direction. "Someone seems to have plans tonight."
"Will is waiting to have dinner with me," she told them, without volunteering any further details.
Garcia pointed a knitting needle at her. "Just be careful, my dove. We don't want to have to find a replacement for you nine months from now."
"Garcia!" JJ exclaimed, embarrassed.
Hotch picked up a magazine. "I'm going to pretend I'm not hearing any of this. Jack and I will be watching a video of his choosing and eating popcorn.”
JJ noticed how quiet Morgan was. “What about you Morgan, any plans?" she asked.
Morgan shook his head. He wasn't about to tell them he had already called Tamara Barnes before they left Texas. He’d given her a key, and he hoped she would be waiting for him at the apartment.
"How about you?" Prentiss asked Rossi.
Rossi sighed. “I have a lot of Valentine's Days under my belt. I might just sit back with a twenty-year-old scotch and reminisce."
Garcia frowned. "Why does that sound so dirty?" she whispered to JJ.
"Because it probably is," JJ whispered back.
"I have a date," Prentiss stated.
All eyes turned in her direction.
"I have a date with a hot tub and a bottle of Merlot," she continued, laughing. The group groaned.
There was one person who was conspicuously silent. Reid stared at his book, until he became aware of the attention on him and looked up.
"What?" he asked.
"What do you have planned for this evening, Reid? You're young and single,” Garcia said.
"So?" he asked, not quite getting the point.
"So?! It's Valentine's Day! You could do the town, hit the clubs," Garcia said, as if it were obvious.
Reid nervously tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, clearing his throat. "I have never celebrated Valentine's Day."
"Never?" Morgan asked.
"No, never," he answered.
"Not even when you were little and everyone exchanged cards at school?" JJ asked.
"No, especially not then. I graduated high school when I was twelve; I never worried about it," he said. All eyes were upon him now. He felt very uncomfortable with the sudden scrutiny. "Excuse me," he said, and got up to go to the bathroom.
Penelope slumped back into her seat. "Sometimes I forget how lonely his childhood must have been," she said, sadly. "I feel bad now."
JJ rubbed her arm. "Spence is all right. Probably just a little embarrassed."
"Babygirl, how about one night you and I take the kid out on the town?" Morgan suggested.
"Sure, that sounds nice,” she replied. “It's just that I worry about him."
"Maybe it would be a good idea if we changed the subject?" Hotch said, knowing Reid would be back any second. "Garcia, don't worry about Reid. I'm sure he's doing fine."
"So am I," Rossi murmured under his breath. Only Prentiss heard this remark. She cast a quizzical look in his direction, but Rossi had returned to staring out the window, a slight smile on his face.
Reid returned to his seat just as the fasten seatbelt sign came on. The jet came to a smooth, uneventful landing. The BAU team said their goodnights to one another and headed home.
All but one.