Smitten

Chapter 11

Eliza gets into the penthouse and immediately kicks her shoes off. "What a NIGHT," she says, smiling from ear to ear as she locks her door. She sets down the food before heading up to change into pajamas. She comes back and grabs her food before heading into her living room, opting to watch Schitt's Creek as she eats. She throws her trash away, grabs her laundry to fold, and heads back to the living room, when she sees she has a text from Aaron.

"I'm sorry I had to leave. I had an amazing time. Did you get home ok?"

"I did, too. I got home just fine. I'll see you soon. Stay safe. xx"

Not long afterward, she gets a text from Penelope in their chat with JJ: "SOOOOO, how was it before this GD case got in the way????"

"You guys...O M G. It was seriously incredible. I will spill all once you have some more time on your hands. Now find this bastard so I can tell you faster!!! Love you girls xoxoxo."

Eliza continues to fold her laundry and enjoy her show before setting up her coffee machine for tomorrow morning. Soon after, she heads to sleep.

-

Aaron got to the jet early to review the case file more closely. Penelope had briefed him as soon as he arrived, but he couldn't focus, as Eliza was still on his mind. Getting there early didn't make any difference either, as he decides to ignore the file and text her instead. She responds very quickly, and he smiles before setting his phone down. Not before Dave sits down next to him, looking over his shoulder and seeing who's got him smiling.

"And who might that be?" Dave asks.

"If you know the answer, why do you ask?" Aaron replies.

"Because I'm a pain in the ass," Dave says. "Did you have fun last night?"

"I did. And I had fun tonight, too," Aaron starts.

"Oh?" Dave asks.

"What's going on?" Spencer asks, as he and the rest of the team enter the jet and settle in.

Aaron clears his throat and shifts slightly in his seat. "Let's get started," he replies, completely changing the subject. Spencer, Derek and Emily look at each other puzzled as the jet takes off for Miami and they continue to brief on the case.

-

It takes three days for the team to find and apprehend the unsub, who confesses to all five murders on his way inside of the patrol car. They soon pack up all of their files and go-bags and head back to the air strip. Once again, Aaron arrives first and opts to sit in the back to avoid anyone seeing who he's texting.

"We're on our way home. Want to pick up where we left off, say Friday night?"

"I'd thought you'd never ask. xx"

"Good; I'll see you at 7:00. Doing ok?"

"Doing great, actually. Closed three major gifts this week, and it's only Wednesday. I'm on a roll. ;)"

"You'd better save some of that fire for me."

"You already know. Ta-ta for now, Agent. xx"

Aaron sits back in his chair relaxed and starts to scroll through emails to distract himself from his daydreams of this past weekend. It takes a minute before he realizes someone is sitting across from him and trying to talk to him.

"Aaron!" Aaron looks up startled seeing Dave.

"Sorry," Aaron says.

"What did she say this time?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Cut the crap, Aaron. I know you better than you think."

"Fine. We just made plans to pick back up on our date Friday night."

"Well, would you look at that? G-Man makes a move. And how was it before you were interrupted?"

"Honestly, Dave..." Aaron says, pausing, "It was perfect. She's just, she—"

"Who's perfect, Miss Eliza thang?" Derek interrupts, sitting next to Dave across the aisle.

"What about my sister?" Emily says, sitting across from Derek. "How was the date, Hotch?"

"Whoa whoa whoa, a date?! Nobody said anything about that!" Derek says, rubbing his palms together laughing. "Come on Hotch, talk to us."

"I don't think so." Aaron replies.

"Rossi?" Derek persists.

"Hey hey, don't look at me! Talk to G-Man!" Dave replies, throwing his hands up.

Hotch is spared when JJ and Reid enter and he distributes paperwork duties. Meanwhile, JJ and Penelope are about to get the tea.

-

Eliza switches over to her group chat with JJ and Penelope. "You girls got some time on your hands now?"

"You bet your ASS, little Cindy Crawford. SPILL!" Penelope replies with voracity.

"Welllll, your Unit Chief is just a giant fucking flirt...what did he say to me...oh yeah, he said I was wearing my dress, quote, "LIKE I WAS DOING IT A FAVOR."

"Stoppppp," JJ says.

"Are you KIDDING ME?!" Penelope says.

"It's true!!! I couldn't make that up if I tried. Anyways, he said he googled me and found my 73 Questions vid, which is how he learned about the peonies. He said he googled me because he thought I looked familiar, and he said he remembered my Chanel ads that came in his Neiman Marcus catalogue. How much does an FBI Unit Chief make, anyway? Because he also has Gucci shades."

"Hotch wears designer shades?" JJ asks.

"He has every time I've seen him," Eliza says.

"Well is there gonna be another date?!" Penelope asks.

"We're picking it back up Friday ;)" Eliza asks.

"Send us outfits!" JJ says.

"Done and done xx," Eliza says.

Eliza then switches over to text just Penelope. "I kinda left something out just now."

"What, queen?!"

"I kinda brought up my fight with Em...he read me like a damn book."

"Oh honey...what happened?"

"Girl, I literally ended up freaking CRYING. Not sobbing by any means, just tears slipping out that I couldn't hold in. He just reassured me that we were both on the same page—wanting to see where it goes, and that was that."

"Good!!!!"

"Yeah! He's just so SWEET, Pen. I perked up after he told me that and said I was ready to get going, and then he said, "There she is," and grabbed my thigh while he drove...who DOES that?!"

"You're literally living a fucking MOVIE script. Wanna share some of your secret sauce?"

"If I figure out what it is, I will bottle up a blend just for you xo"

"Not to be another bossy big sister figure, but I think you should talk to Em now." Penelope starts.

"No, I agree. Gonna do that now. Love you PG!"

Eliza switches over to Emily, but Emily texts before Eliza can start to type. "Oh hell," Eliza says before responding.