Caution to the Wind

Chapter 29

Chapter Summary: Instead of spending their day off relaxing together, Emily and Tara deal with a lawsuit, a stalker, and a bright red crib. Follows S15E4, "Saturday."

The excitement of their new engagement still hadn't worn off. Tara and Emily were completely, perfectly happy, and couldn't imagine life getting any better. Emily had an engagement ring of her own now, and sometimes Tara caught her holding her hand up to look at it with a big, giddy smile on her face, like a teenager having her first crush. It was one of the cutest things Tara had ever seen, and she fell more and more in love every time. Her heart was so full as she watched Emily hold her hand out in front of her as she came down the stairs to look around for her shoes, jacket, and keys. Tara wished they could have spent their whole day off here at home together, but Emily already had other plans for the day.

"Come on," Emily said, "We told Matt we'd be there at 10."

"No, you told him you'd be there at 10," Tara corrected, "I made no such promise, which means I still have my Saturday."

Emily shook her head and smiled. "Fine," she sighed. Tara did have a point. "I'll go by myself."

"Just don't forget about dinner with my dad tonight," Tara said.

Emily bit her lower lip nervously. "He's not gonna be upset that I didn't ask for his blessing, right?"

"I'm a grown woman in my forties; I don't need my father's approval to marry the woman I love," Tara replied.

"Yeah, I know, but still..."

"He really likes you a lot, Em," Tara assured her, "And he knows that you treat me well and you make me happy. You're everything he's ever wanted for his little girl."

Emily kissed her fiancée goodbye and went over to the Simmons house to help Matt and Rossi put together the baby's new crib. Tara put on some music and stretched out on the couch with a novel and a mug of hot chocolate to enjoy her Saturday off, even without Emily. She got two chapters into her book before her relaxing day off was interrupted. Her phone started ringing on the coffee table, and Penelope asked her to come in and help out with an unofficial, off-the-books case. One of the students in her weekend hacking seminar was being harassed and threatened by an online stalker who was escalating, and even Penelope was shocked by how bad it was. Luke and JJ came in to help out, too.

"I sent the rest of the class home," Penelope said, "Thank you, guys, for coming; I know you have the day off."

"Well, Will totally has the sleepover covered, so I'm happy to be here," JJ replied.

"Yeah, and as long as I make it to dinner with my dad, I'm good," Tara added, "I mean, we should be able to knock this out by the end of the day."

"Okay, now should we bring in the rest of the team?" Penelope asked, "Because we do have that holding us up." She pointed at Luke.

"You remember, like, 30 seconds ago, when you thanked us?" he said, "Yeah, we were so young then."

"Anyway," Penelope continued, "Elizabeth Wise. Uh, she lives alone, currently single."

"Has she gone to the police?" JJ asked.

"Many times, and they haven't been able to find who is doing it, let alone stop them," Penelope replied.

"The violent content of the messages seems to be escalating," Luke said, "'You ruined a good thing we had.' 'You bang everyone else, but not me.' Sounds to me like an incel."