DISCLAIMER: Criminal Minds and its characters are the property of CBS. No infringement intended.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Tootsie Rolls and Old Money
By Semerket
It was time for the both highly anticipated, and horribly dreaded, Prentiss Halloween bash! Emily normally hated Halloween, or any holiday for that matter. Her mother always managed to plan some sort of politicking event under the guise of festive fun, and she would insist, or more accurately, force Emily to attend. But this year, Emily was actually looking forward to the party. She'd invited the entire team, at mother's insistence of course. Hell, the Ambassador practically invited the whole Bureau.
Emily had to hand it to herself, she'd done a good job with her hair and make up. Now she just had to do the teeth. Emily fumbled with her costume one last time before studying herself in the mirror. She had to admit, she made a damn sexy vampire. She was wearing a flowing, burgundy and black velvet gown with a plunging neckline and cape. She blushed, Emily wasn't accustomed to wearing 'seductive' clothes. But this year she wanted to impress JJ. One day she'd overheard the press liaison mention off-handedly that she thought vampires were sexy, so Emily had gone out of her way to be just that. It was silly though, she knew Jennifer was straight, but a girl could dream.
JJ parked her car on the street and checked her watch nervously. They had agreed to meet outside and go in together. Jennifer was going to be mad if she was the only one that showed. Or worse yet, the only one in a costume. Emily had made herself very clear; in order to attend the Prentiss Halloween party you must be wearing a full costume. That meant no cheap cat ear bands or silly hats, you had to have a real costume.
It had been years since JJ had done anything other than work on Halloween. This year the holiday was falling on a Saturday, which made it easier to participate in festivities. This would definitely be more fun than sitting at home and handing out candy while she watched a Hocus Pocus marathon for the umpteenth time.
JJ turned the light on in her car and checked her makeup in the rear view mirror. It was more than she was accustomed to wearing and she hoped that she didn't look whorish. She wanted Emily to like her outfit. She remembered the brunette mentioning that she thought pirates were kind of sexy, but she couldn't remember for the life of her how that had come up in conversation, maybe it was after that Johnny Depp movie had come out. It didn't matter though, because Emily was straight, of course!
"Where are you guys?" JJ muttered to herself. She didn't get all dolled up to hide in the car. She opened her door and stepped out into the cool night air.
"Boo!"
Jennifer shrieked involuntarily. She caught her breath when she realized it was just Derek.
"Not funny! Do you know what we do for a living?" JJ sounded irritated, but she was glad at least one of her friends had arrived.
"Halloween is supposed to be scary!" A voice squealed loudly from behind JJ.
JJ flinched, but this time she held back the scream. "You guys..." JJ chuckled at Penelope.
"Oh my god, Jayj, you sexy, sexy pirate wench!" The press liaison felt self conscious as her friends eyed her costume outfit appraisingly. She was wearing knee high brown leather boots with a heel and she completed the ensemble with a red bandanna tied around the top of her head, and large hoop earrings. Garcia started poking at JJ's costume, "OOo, I like the bodice thing happening in the front with the stitches and the sleeves that end just below the shoulders... oh how cute is your frilly little skirt and sash!"
"It's not too short is it?" JJ bit her bottom lip, she wasn't trying to look like a pin up girl.
"No, it's just right." It fell just a little above the knee. Garcia stood back and spun around. "So what do ya think?"
"I think it's cute. And very appropriate for you." JJ laughed at her friend's colorful fairy costume. Every time she moved, the colorful, plastic antennae bounced up and down on her head. Aside from the wings, it looked like something she might actually wear. It was totally Garcia. "Oh my gosh, did you make your skirt?" Penelope looked like she'd popped out of a recycling bin.
"Yup. It's made out of compact discs."
Derek and JJ laughed.
Garcia did a curtsy and waved her star-tipped glitter wand in the direction of Derek. She said conspiratorially, "And what do you think of my dark delicious knight?"
Derek flexed his muscles in his batman costume. He didn't normally get into Halloween, but he had to admit, he was enjoying the attention he'd been getting from the ladies.
"Sexy." JJ winked at Derek. "Where is everyone else?"
Just then Hotch approached the team. He was wearing his work clothes.
Hotch said seriously, "You all have some nice costumes." He did a double take on JJ, he'd never seen her in anything but office attire. "You look very nice, JJ"
"Thank you."
Derek crossed his arms, "What are you supposed to be?"
"A federal agent."
Derek rolled his eyes, "Original."
Garcia booed him.
JJ complained, "We all dressed up and so should you."
Derek agreed, "Yea, you need to be more creative, Hotch."
"I'm... Agent Mulder... from The X-Files."
Garcia jumped up and down with excitement. "How about Spock or Superman. You'd be really sexy as Superman!"
"I will never wear blue spandex."
"Spock it is!" Garcia reached into her multicolored bag and pulled out a blue Star Trek costume. She tossed it to Hotch, and he just stared at it skeptically.
"And you just carry around costumes that happen to fit me?"
Garcia winked at their unit chief, "I had a feeling you'd be in need of my assistance this evening."
He got ready to protest. "The amazing technicolor fairy has spoken!" She waved her wand menacingly in his direction.
JJ laughed, "All you have to do is put the shirt on. You can just wear the same pants and shoes."
Hotch twisted up his face and then he finally acquiesced. "I... I'll be right back." He headed towards his car with Garcia trailing behind him.
While they waited for Hotch, Reid and Rossi made their way over to the group.
"Hey guys!" Reid greeted them all enthusiastically. He was as excited about Halloween as Garcia.
"Hey." Rossi mumbled. He was a bit embarrassed about being in a costume.
JJ and Derek grinned at them. "Nice, Phantom of the Opera, Dave." Derek laughed.
"It was this or a cowboy. It made me look too much like one of the Village People, so I went for this. And besides, I've heard there's going to be a lot of people from the Bureau here, so if I don't want to talk to them I can just do this." The older man pulled his cape over his face for dramatic affect. Then he dropped it and shrugged.
They all laughed. JJ said, "That's practical."
Spencer puffed up with pride, waiting for the group to admire his costume. Dave gave Reid the once over, "Spencer, what the hell are you supposed to be?"
He was wearing brown boots, gloves, and a long green tunic with a matching hat. He had pointed ears and a fake sword that hung from his black belt.
Derek raised an eyebrow, "You look like a giant Christmas elf."
Not the reaction he'd been hoping for. Spencer pouted, "I'm Link."
They all stared at him blankly.
"You know, Link from Zelda."
They continued to stare at him blankly.
Spencer sighed. "Over 52 million copies were sold! The Legend of Zelda is a fantasy RPG that was published by Nintendo. The series centers around Link, the main playable character and protagonist. He's often given the task of rescuing Princess Zelda-"
"Oh, I get it." JJ said, humoring Reid. She didn't want to hear a monologue about video games. "A Nintendo game. You're a magical elf warrior guy..." They all nodded at him.
Hotch and Garcia made their way back over to the group. Not only was he wearing the Spock costume, but somewhere along the line Garcia had talked him into pointy ears and a phaser.
JJ and Derek applauded him for his effort. "You look good, Hotch." Derek chuckled.
"We all do." He sounded just like a Vulcan. "Are you one of Santa's helpers?"
Reid frowned.
Garcia clapped her hands enthusiastically, "Oh how cute, he's Link. Link from Zelda!" Spencer smiled, at least someone knew what his costume was. "OOo, lets go already. I feel like a kid again."
Emily was getting antsy as she waited for her friends to arrive. She'd been hovering around the door area so that she could greet them. She hoped they were going to show.
Ding.
Emily popped up from her seat on the couch to answer the door.
She tried not to show her disappointment when it wasn't them. "Section Chief Strauss!" Emily smiled warmly as she greeted her boss's boss.
"Oh just call me, Erin, outside of work. This is my husband, Jacob."
"Pleased to meet you." Emily checked out the other woman's costume. She was dressed as a medieval witch. Fitting. "I like your costume."
Erin frowned, "Costume? What costume?"
Was this humor? Emily didn't know how to react.
The older woman chuckled, "Oh, I'm just kidding, Prentiss. Lighten up. I'm not going to send you the principle's office." She went past with her husband in tow.
Emily smiled at the woman's... joke. She'd never heard her make one before and it was unexpected to say the least. "Costume indeed," Emily muttered after she'd disappeared into the crowd.
Ding.
Emily steeled herself and pulled the door open again. She smiled broadly when she saw it was the team.
"Hi guys!" Thank God, now she'd have someone to talk to. She ushered them all inside and the first thing they did was rave about how sexy she looked. Emily turned bright red under their attention.
Then she really noticed JJ.
"Oh my God, Jayj." She said it a little to suggestively, "You're hot... I mean you look really, really nice." Emily tried not to grimace as all other thoughts fell out or her head. What had they been talking about? She needed a subject change.
"Thank you." JJ blushed prettily and fidgeted with her sash. She wasn't able to stop staring at Emily's face.
Rossi said to the group, "Wow, I've never seen Erin in her street clothes before." He referred to the section chief as she headed past them in her elaborate witch costume.
Everyone snickered.
Emily checked out Rossi's costume, "Never took you for the Phantom type, Dave."
"Yea, I'm real mysterious and stuff." He sounded bored, "You look good, Emily. Now where's that open bar I've heard so much about?"
"Oh um, thanks, I mean it's over in the... look for a guy dressed as a devil."
"Will do." Rossi chuckled. Hotch left for the bar with Rossi.
As soon as they were gone, Emily said to rest of the group. "You actually got him into a costume! I was sure he'd just show up in a suit and call himself, 'James Bond' or something."
JJ laughed, "Actually, he was calling himself Agent Mulder."
"Oh wow."
"But then Garcia intercepted him..."
"I see." They both stopped talking as a server with hors d'oeuvres approached them.
JJ took in the posh surroundings. The interior of the house, well mansion really, was as opulent as she'd expected it to be. She was surprised by just how many people were inside. It was practically a club. "You have a beautiful home." She said to Emily.
Emily smiled, "It's my mother's home, but it is nice." She added wryly, "If not a bit pretentious." The mansion was so extravagant that one might think her mother had been a president instead of an ambassador. She certainly acted like it.
Emily was having a hard time keeping her eyes away from JJ. She cleared her throat uncomfortably, "Would you like something to eat?"
"I'm starving." Derek butted in.
"Alright, guys. Food's this way."
After they'd perused the buffet area and filled up on some sort of spiked fruity beverage, they headed into the ballroom area. The lights had been dimmed for effect and there were strobe lights and fog.
JJ let out a low whistle when she saw the DJ, "Wow, your mom really goes all out."
Emily sighed, "If you think this is something, you should see the Christmas party..."
"Where's my dark knight at? I wanna dance!" Garcia blurted from out of nowhere as she glanced around looking for Derek. "And where's Reid?"
Emily gestured in Reid's direction, "Aw, I think he made a friend."
Reid was off chatting with someone dressed as Mario.
Dave approached the group. Garcia grinned at him, "Hey Dave, wanna dance?"
Dave pulled his cape over the his face and stalked away dramatically.
JJ chuckled, "I think that was a 'no'."
Emily laughed, "I think he's really starting to enjoy that costume."
Just then, an older man dressed as Count Dracula approached them. He walked over to the brunette and grinned lecherously, "Ah, Miss Prentiss. You're looking as lovely as ever..."
Emily smiled uncomfortably. This was the part she really despised about her mother's parties, the embarrassing set ups and having to be nice to the Ambassador's creepy colleagues. "Hello. This is Congressman Howard, of Delaware."
Garcia and JJ shook his hand. "Ladies, it's been a pleasure. I was wondering if I could have this dance?" He held an arm out to Emily. She smiled at her friends and followed him out onto the dance floor.
JJ was incredibly unhappy now.
Garcia rolled her eyes. "Ew, talk about the spooky factor. He could be her dad."
"More like her grand dad."
"And you," Garcia turned her attention to JJ and waved her wand accusingly. "You should be ashamed of yourself!"
JJ blanched, "What are you talking about?"
"Why don't you just ask her to dance instead of sulking on the sidelines."
"What?"
"Oh. Please. I'm not blind you know. You've been whispering to each other and giggling all night. Why don't you just make a move already, she's obviously into you too."
"That's not true."
"Of course, it is. Every time I've tried to get you to do stuff on Halloween you always said 'no'. And then the one time that Emily Prentiss invites you to a costume party you just jump all over it!" Penelope had a pretty good idea why her friend had worn such a sexy costume.
JJ's mouth dropped open and she blushed. "I..." Garcia reached out and closed her friend's mouth, JJ's response was to bat her friend's hands away. "But Emily is straight."
Garcia threw her head back and let out a loud guffaw. "With all those combat boots and cargo pants... What kind of profiler are you, Jayj? She's a fireball."
"First of all, I'm not a profiler..." JJ was so embarrassed. "I'm going to get another drink." She stormed off into the crowd.
Emily came back over to Garcia. She seemed relieved.
Garcia grinned, "That was quick."
Emily chuckled. "His wife didn't appreciate his friendliness and neither did I."
"Emily," Garcia batted her eyelashes playfully. She knew what she had to do. "JJ was just telling me how much she'd love to dance with you."
Emily blushed, "I'm not much of a dancer."
"Oh, neither is JJ. But considering that half the people here are in the sunset of their lives, I don't think you two have much to worry about."
"Where is she?"
"She went to grab a drink. She'll be back in a sec. And you really should ask her, Emily. She seemed a little sad." Garcia pouted.
JJ was sad? Emily wouldn't allow it! "Why is she sad?"
Garcia shrugged dramatically, "I just don't know, Emily. I just don't know."
JJ came back over with a red party cup. She gingerly took a sip. It tasted like cherry Coke and old money. "Hey."
Emily smiled. "Would you like to dance, Jennifer?"
JJ's eyes widened. "Um.. sure." Penelope plucked the drink out of her hand and and winked at her friend. JJ shot Garcia a questioning look as Emily lead her out onto the dance floor.
JJ felt her heart pounding in her chest as she held Emily's hand. After finding a space in the crowd, Emily turned to face the press liaison.
They both stared at each other nervously as they started to sway to... Emily recognized the song, 'The Monster Mash.' JJ smiled at the taller woman. She could see concern in Emily's eyes.
"Is everything okay?" Emily asked Jennifer.
JJ was surprised by her question; her dancing wasn't that awful was it? "Of course. Why would you ask?"
Emily shrugged. "Garcia said you were feeling kind of sad..."
JJ frowned. She wanted to strangle the good fairy "Did she now?"
"Is she right?"
JJ sighed. "Can we go somewhere more private?"
Emily nodded and led the press liaison into a hallway away from the ballroom. There weren't many people around.
The brunette took JJ's hands. "What's bothering you?"
Jennifer bit her lip nervously. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin her wonderful friendship with the other woman. She gazed into Emily's eyes and found nothing but warmth there. It was now or never. JJ had to act before she lost the nerve.
She leaned in and kissed Emily on her crimson lips. JJ drank in her sweet taste, she tasted like Tootsie rolls. At first the profiler didn't react, she was too shocked, but when she realized what was going on she pulled away. "Jennifer?"
JJ blushed and looked away from her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you-"
Emily brought her hand up to JJ's face. "I've wanted you to do that for a really long time."
JJ smiled shyly, "Really?"
"Mhmm." Emily leaned in and recaptured the blonde's lips. As JJ slid her tongue into Emily's mouth she jerked back suddenly. "Is something wrong?" Emily asked, she hoped she hadn't crossed a line.
"Teeth, baby." JJ chuckled.
"Oh." Emily pulled out the plastic fangs and stuffed them in her pocket. "Sorry." She blushed. Nothing says 'unsexy' quite like choking on your lover's teeth. How would she explain that one to the paramedics?
"Don't be sorry, just kiss me."
Emily was more than happy to oblige.
The Ambassador was chatting about fund raisers with a Senator from the east coast, when from out of nowhere he said to her, "And I take it you'd be willing to show your support for a gay rights initiative?"
Elizabeth Prentiss hadn't seen that question coming. The Ambassador lifted up her long period costume slightly so that she could turn more easily; she was dressed as Marie Antoinette. "Excuse me?"
He motioned behind her. She spun around and saw two women making out in the hallway. Then it dawned her. Emily was one of those women! She turned back to the Senator, and smiled uncomfortably, "Yes, yes... I am now."
After a few minutes she managed to excuse herself from the conversation, and she immediately stalked over to Emily and the pirate that was making off with her daughter's reputation.
"Emily Elizabeth Prentiss you are not making out with a woman in my hallway!"
Emily and JJ jumped apart in surprise. "Mother?" The older Prentiss grabbed Emily's arm and dragged her into a nearby guest room. JJ hesitantly trailed behind them. When Jennifer approached the room, the door was shut in her face. She leaned against it and tried to hear the conversation.
"What did I tell you about behaving yourself at these functions?" The Ambassador spoke to her thirty six year old daughter like she was fifteen again.
"But I-"
"No, 'buts' young lady. Thanks to your little display Senator Colby thinks I'm going to write his organization a big fat check. So now you and I have to attend a gay rights fund raiser at the end of the month! And you WILL be there or else." She took a calming breath. "And if you must continue... there's what, twenty or thirty rooms in this house? Surely, between your profiling skills and your Ivy League education you should be able to find a room and shut the door." The Ambassador yanked the door open, causing JJ to nearly topple into the room.
The Ambassador sized her up briefly as she recognized her. "Agent Jareau."
"Uh, Hi." JJ said nervously.
"I assume you are enjoying the party?" The Ambassador said it politely, but it was obvious that she was not happy.
"Yes, it's... very nice." God, this was awkward.
"You have a nice evening." The Ambassador snapped and left the two women alone.
JJ and Emily stared at each other speechlessly for a moment. Emily had a downtrodden expression on her face. JJ put her arms around the brunette. Emily returned her embrace by grabbing her waist and pulling her closer. "Um... did she approve of us?"
"Oh we're not really her problem." Emily started to laugh, "Man, the look on her face was priceless." Emily shrugged and continued, "Apparently I have to go to a gay rights fund raiser with my mother at the end of the month."
JJ was befuddled. "Is that a bad thing?"
"Normally, yes. But you'll be coming with me, so no."
"Oh am I." JJ said flirtatiously.
"Yep."
"What if I say 'no'."
"You won't say 'no'." Emily said seductively as she touched her forehead to JJ's and looked her in the eyes.
"How do you know?"
"Oh, I just know these things."
JJ gently kissed the brunette on the lips. Emily smiled into the kiss.
This was the best Halloween ever!
The End