𝙰𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝙾𝚍𝚍𝚜 | 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝚁𝚎𝚒𝚍

That's What I Do

Aitana sifted through the recent case of files on her desk. She already had one file in hand but she was waiting for the rest of the team to start arriving. She heard the light knock on her open door and looked up to see Penelope standing cautiously under the doorway.

"They're almost all here," she announced.

"Thanks," Aitana said politely and went back to the files.

Penelope was about to say something else, primarily to start a conversation but she figured now wasn't the time. She counted her lucky stars that Aitana hadn't completely shut her out after learning who really read her journal. Things were going slow in terms of rebuilding their friendship but Penelope wasn't going to give up anytime soon.

Aitana put her pen down on the desk and rose from her seat. She wasn't surprised that Penelope was still waiting for her. She grabbed the file on her desk and left the office with Penelope, making a direct line for the conference room.

"So...do you have any plans for the weekend?" Penelope thought to ask on the way.

Aitana knew the trick and she would commend Penelope for doing it so cautiously. She heard firsthand from Morgan how over-the-top Penelope Garcia could be. He also pointed out the restraint Penelope had when it came to their tetchy relationship. Aitana knew it; she saw it. She just wasn't entirely ready to fully forgive Penelope yet.

But never let it be said that she wasn't polite.

"As of right now, yes," she answered just as they were coming into the conference room where another conversation was going on.

"...little more commercialized in the 1950s with trick-or-treat, and today it rivals only Christmas in terms of popularity!" Spencer was excitedly explaining to Emily and Rossi.

"All I asked was what he was doing this weekend," Emily mumbled to the others, her eyes wide from all the information Spencer had spewed in the short span of 2 minutes.

Spencer nodded, not quite getting that Emily wanted him to stop. "I'm toying with the notion of either going to the Edgar Allan Poe Shadow Puppet T or the reenactment of the 19th century Phantasmagoria."

"I don't want to know," Rossi resolved with a shake of his head.

"Phanta...phantaph..." Aitana cocked her head to the side. "Can I just say 'Phantom of the Opera'? I actually know that one."

Spencer grinned at the opportunity to explain even more. "Phantasmagorias are these amazing pre-cinema projected ghost shows invented in France, where the showman attempted to spook the audience using science magic. And it just so happens that I have an extra ticket." Of course as soon as he replayed his last sentence and realized how that sounded—a direct ask for a date—he stammered to clarify what he meant. "I-I mean that for everyone, n-n-not just..." He weakly gestured towards Aitana who, thankfully, didn't seem to think anything more of it. He did, however, notice Emily's and Morgan's smirks. He would be hearing about this, he was sure.

"I'm actually going to try and celebrate Halloween this year too," Aitana said, even revealing a bit of giddiness too. "I haven't really done it since I got out of Witness and now that Elia and I are talking again...we're hosting a little Halloween party. Everyone here is invited, of course."

"I don't mean to rain on the parade—" Morgan started, "—but you should know that this job might get in the way of plans like those."

"I know," Aitana nodded. "But I think that planning it and wanting it is a big step for my case. Last year, I literally locked myself in my room. This year, if all goes well, I will be Alice in Wonderland."