Ghosts • Aaron Hotchner

Chapter Nine

Fallon was sitting on her desk the day before Halloween, wearing a grey dress skirt, a light blue shirt, and she had a grey blazer on the back of her chair. She saw Spencer walk into the bullpen with a Frankenstein mask on, which made her stifle a laugh as he stood behind Morgan. Morgan was completely oblivious, which made it much funnier for Fallon and Emily who were observing the scene. 

"I'm going to eat you," Spencer growled in Morgan's ear, causing Morgan to jump and fling around to see what was going on. Fallon and Emily's attempts at keeping their laughter in failed when they saw Morgan's reaction, and the pure terror that was on his face for a split second. 

"Reid," Morgan complained, but Spencer just walked over to his desk.

"Happy all Hallows Eve folks," Spencer said as he pulled his mask up so that it revealed his face. "To paraphrase from Celtic mythology, tomorrow night all order is suspended and the barriers between the natural and the supernatural are remooooooved!"  He pulled out a creepy, fake blood stained head, making both Fallon and Emily laugh, before Spencer threw the head at Emily who caught it in slight disgust. It was fake, but still, if Fallon had to hold it, she would be uneasy.

"See, that right there is why Halloween creeps me out," Morgan announced, pointing at the head in Emily's hands.

"You're scared of Halloween?" Spencer asked mockingly, and Fallon snickered.

"I didn't say I was scared, I said I was creeped out. There's a difference there youngster, you should look it up," Morgan retaliated.

"What creeps you out about it?" Fallon asked.

"I don't know, people wearing masks. I don't like folks in disguises," Morgan answered.

"That's the best thing about Halloween, you can be anyone you want to be," Spencer protested.

"Nah, I'm pretty good just being me," Morgan assured him.

"Yeah why is it that neither one of those points of view surprise me," Emily asked.

"I was just about to say that," Fallon said, and Emily did a little hand sign between the two, insinuating that they could read each other's minds.

"You know what though? On the flip side, it does provide a pretty good reason to cozy up with a scary flick and a little Halloween honey," Morgan commented, as he pointed at Fallon and winked.

"Ew, Halloween honey, now I'm creeped out," Emily commented, as Fallon nodded.

"Guys, he's here," Spencer said, interrupting the conversation. They all turned around, and Fallon smiled when she saw David Rossi, another old friend of her father's, walking through the door. Spencer hastily pulled his mask off of his head, and Rossi smiled at him. He then nodded at Fallon and squeezed her shoulder in greeting as he walked past with Strauss.

"Do you know him?" Emily asked once they closed the door to Hotch's office.

"Yes I do," Fallon answered, which made Emily, Morgan, and Spencer all gawk at the brunette.

"You know BAU legend David Rossi? How?" Spencer questioned, sounding almost jealous.

"He and my father were friends a long time ago," Fallon explained, and the three of them nodded as Hotch walked down with Rossi right behind him. Spencer, Morgan, and Emily all stood up, their spines perfectly straight and bright smiles on their faces, determined to impress Rossi, while Fallon stood up with an amused smile on her face as she laughed internally at her friends.

"SSA David Rossi, this is SSA Emily Prentiss," Hotch started, motioning to Emily.

"Sir," Emily greeted, shaking his hand enthusiastically.