never grow up, criminal minds

071. healing

"Aww, she's so precious." Penelope gushes, petting the cat. "Oh, Sergio's gonna be so jealous when I get home and he smells this beautiful baby all over me."

As if understanding she has a cat of her own, the cat meows and climbs off of her lap. She goes straight to Clara who holds her.

"Ooh, did you finally decide on a name?" Penelope excitedly asks.

"Mm-hmm." Clara brightly smiles and nods. "Madam Mittens." She gently waves one of the cat's white paws opposed to the rest of her gray fur. "Mittens for short. It's nothing original or bookish like dad wanted, but I think it's cute."

"It's adorable." Penelope grins. "Oh, Reid, this is the best thing you could've ever done."

"I suggested naming it cokey, but dad didn't really like that joke." Clara says.

"No. No, I really don't." Spencer states. "And if you ever make it again, you're grounded."

"He's no fun." She whispers to Mittens who meows.

Penelope quietly laughs while Spencer rolls his eyes.

+++

"Are you sure you want this?" Emily asks.

"A change of hair is a healthy coping mechanism, right?" Clara shrugs.

"Not usually, no." Emily shakes her head. "I mean, it's smart that you're at a professional's instead of cutting it yourself and accidentally giving yourself some sort of... Dora cut, but it's not the best way to deal. Therapy. Therapy's a great way to heal."

"Aunt Em, I'm just cutting a few inches of my hair off. People do that all the time." Clara says. "You think every time someone goes to get a haircut, they're mentally stable? Dad used to get haircuts all the time. When's the last time you saw him mentally stable?"

"Clara Reid." Emily chides.

"What?" She innocently asks.

"Clara." Her usual hairdresser steps out. "Hey, I'm ready."

"Great." Clara smiles. "She can sit in the room, right?" She asks, pointing to Emily, not wanting to be alone.

"Yeah, of course. We'll be in there after I wash her hair." The woman smiles.

"Of course. Yeah." Emily nods.

+++

Emily and Clara get back to the apartment. Mittens is immediately at the door, meowing in greeting.

"Hi, Madam Mittens." Clara greets, picking her up. "Hi." Mittens sniffs her a few times, double checking it's her given the chopped hair.

"Hey." Spencer greets, walking out of the kitchen. "How was lun--" He stops when he sees Clara's hair. He stands still as he takes a moment to process the short length. "What happened to your hair? What-- how do I keep missing this?"

"I got a hair cut." Clara says. "Do you like it?"

"I-- wh-- we-- y-yeah, no, of course I like it. You look beautiful, like always. But why'd you decide to do it?" Spencer asks. He gently grabs the ends of her hair, his thumb brushing over the soft strands.

"I dunno. It just felt... heavy, I guess. I wanted a change. And, no, it's not because of my life crisis." Clara says, giving Emily a pointed look.

"I didn't say that's why you were doing it, just that it's what some people do." Emily says.

"I pointed out you guys were probably never mentally stable when you got your own hair cuts. Or anybody else on the team, honestly." Clara says.

"Okay, jeez." Spencer mutters.