Healing Together ( Criminal Minds fanfic)

Forever Family

Chapter 39

Prentiss Household

"Happy Birthday!"

A chorus of cheers erupted from inside, sending a jolt of surprise through her. The living room was filled with colors, balloons floating from the ceiling, and streamers weaving across the walls.

In the center stood her team, all grinning from ear to ear. Penelope, JJ, Rossi, Tara, Luke, and even Reid, all looking far too festive for their usual demeanor.

Daniela, the co-conspirator behind the whole operation, stood at the front, a mischievous glint in her eyes and a wide grin plastered across her face.

"Sorpresa!" she shouted, holding up a giant cupcake with a lit sparkler stuck in the middle.

Emily blinked, momentarily speechless. Her initial shock melted away, replaced by a warmth that spread through her chest.

"Oh my god," she breathed, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"We couldn't let your birthday pass without a proper celebration," Penelope declared, bouncing on the balls of her feet.  "Besides, you work too hard, Prentiss. You deserve a day off filled with cake and bad karaoke!"

Emily scanned the room, taking in the familiar faces. It had been a while since they were all together, not working a case.

"This is..." she began, her voice thick with emotion.  "This is amazing. Thank you."

Daniela rushed forward and engulfed her in a hug. "Happy birthday, Em! I told you I'd be back to celebrate."

Emily hugged the teenager tightly, her heart overflowing with gratitude. Daniela may have caused a little chaos with her elaborate plan, but it was the most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for her.

Alvez nudged Emily towards a table laden with an impressive spread of food.  "David outdid himself this time," he announced, gesturing to the overflowing platters. 

"There's enough lasagna here to feed a small army."

The rest of the afternoon unfolded in a flurry of laughter, conversation, and games. They played Pictionary, with Reid's hilariously abstract drawings causing the most amusement. 

Rossi, surprisingly competitive, challenged everyone to a game of charades, while Garcia kept the music flowing, transforming the living room into a dance floor.

As the day wore on, and the cake was devoured (with minimal frosting casualties), Emily found herself taking in the warmth of their company.

Despite the chaos of her job, these were the moments she truly cherished- surrounded by the people she considered family, laughing and simply enjoying each other's company.

The woman's thoughts are temporarily halted when a certain teenager sits next to her.

"You good? You seem a bit pensive," Dani says as she flips her hair to the side.

"Yeah, I'm fine, hun. I just... I can't believe you guys did all of this," Emily replied as she gestured towards the living room, filled with decorations.

"Well, to be honest, Penelope was the one with the idea. I just followed her lead," Dani admits. "Are you mad because of this? I know that you tend to spend your birthday low-key."

"No. I'm not mad. Quite the opposite, frankly," the agent replies with a smile. "I can't believe you guys did this without me noticing."

"It wasn't easy, especially when it came to making sure Penelope didn't spoil it, but we managed," the girl tells her.