Due to severe thunderstorms, the team is unable to fly home that night. After getting all their paperwork filed they go out to a late dinner and enjoy the time laughing and chatting and picking on Reid who has trouble eating with his stitched lip. As dinner is winding down, Morgan looks at Emily.

"Oh! I almost forgot, Princess. Reid said something to me and said you would understand it."

Emily raises her eyebrows curiously. "What did he say?"

"Something about holding my gas in an arboretum."

Emily starts to laugh. "Why do I feel you got that really, really wrong?" She looks at Reid, who is chuckling. "Reid?"

Reid scoots farther away from Morgan. "I told him I wouldn't recommend containing a colourless, odourless highly reactive gaseous element in his infundibula for an extended period."

Emily waits. "That's it?" She looks at Morgan. "You didn't get that?"

"Hell no! Tell me what he said."

"Don't hold your breath."

"Come on, Prentiss, tell me what he said."

Emily and Reid laugh. "Uh, I did, Morgan. The colourless, odourless highly reactive gaseous element is oxygen. Your infundibula are the sacks in your lungs where oxygenation happens. He told you 'Don't hold your breath' regarding whatever it was you were talking about."

Morgan slowly shakes his head and looks at Reid. "Pretty Boy, you really suck." He looks back to Emily. "And you, Princess, are getting more and more geekified as you get older."

Emily smiles proudly. "Thank you. Wait until you see how I raise my kids. They'll be gifted athletically and mentally."

JJ smiles. "Sounds about right. She already has Henry watching Star Trek and Dr. Who."

"Hell, she had him watching Dr. Who when he was just a few days old," Hotch points out with a laugh.

"Nerdling training, to be done right, must start early," Emily explains. "Now that both kids are on their feet the real athletic training begins."

"For the kids or you?" Rossi asks.

Emily frowns in thought. "Huh…come to think of it…good question."

The team stays at the restaurant long after they finish eating just enjoying the relaxing time together.

When they get back to their hotel room, Emily pulls JJ into a hug. "I had a lot of fun tonight."

"Me, too. We haven't done that as a team in a while."

"Uh, yeah. I know."

"Emily, get that guilt out of your voice. The break from us you took was needed. Hell, it wasn't really much of a break when you think about it. I think it sort of recharged all of our batteries to be honest. We had to all take a look at ourselves in relation to you and in relation to the team. We're stronger now than ever. That time away helped us all know we are exactly where we want to be."

Emily gives her a kiss. "You're right. But…well…there is one problem I have with where I am right now," she admits nervously.

JJ swallows hard…was Emily still leaving the unit after all? "Uh…what's the problem?"

Emily runs her hand up under JJ's shirt. "You're not naked."

JJ rolls her eyes and pushes her wife away. "You jerk! You scared me!"

"You pulled your gun on me. I owed you."

JJ laughs and pulls her wife close once more. "Yeah, well, okay. Come on, let's get you comfortable, Mrs. Prentiss." She sucks Emily's pulse point. Emily moans. "I want to remind you just how good 'short' can be."

"Oh, yeah…remind away, baby. I fucking love you."

"And I love fucking you. Perfect."

Emily chuckles and backs her wife towards the bed. Soon they are naked and making love. The perfect end to their first case back together.

The team walks into the bullpen around 3 p.m. on Monday. Emily finds a note on her desk. She picks it up, curious.

Emily,
Come to my lair. Bring JJ. DON'T use email or cell phones!
Pen

Emily pockets the note and walks over to JJ. "Jen, we need to go check out that thing with Garcia."

JJ looks up in confusion. "What thing?"

"That consult we're working on that she's running a check on for us. We need to go see her about it."

"But we're not working on a consu- -"

"Just come on," she says in exasperation.

JJ stands and follows her wife down to Garcia's office. As soon as they walk in, Garcia closes the door and locks it. She goes back to her computer and hits a couple of keys before turning to them.

"Okay, we're now safe."

"Safe from what?" Emily asks worriedly.

"Prying eyes." She takes a deep breath. "Kevin and I broke up."

"WHAT?" JJ hollers. "When? Why? How?"

"He got pissed that I was staying at Chateau Prentiss but told him he couldn't and it was a good thing because I ended up being called back in and he would have been left alone so it was a good thing in the end but he just didn't see that and then we yelled about the promotion and his attitude and…" she takes a deeeeep breath. "I told him to kiss my ass, that I deserve better than him, and that we are done."

"Whoa," Emily mutters as she drops down onto one of Garcia's desks.

"Are you okay?" JJ asks in concern.

"Perfectly good. I feel…better now that it's really done. So, on Saturday, unless you are out chasing down an uber-creepy unsub we need a girls night out."

JJ smiles. "Sure. We can do that. Dinner and movie? Dancing? What?"

"I want you all to take me to a lesbian bar."

Emily stands up. "A lesbian bar? Pen, I know we joked about you finding a woman but are you serious?"

Garcia nods. "I am. I think. It kind of seems right. Hell, maybe I'm bi like Jayje. Won't know until I know, right?"

JJ studies her friend and sees this isn't just a whim because of the break-up. "Okay but you have to promise me something: you will be completely and utterly honest with any woman that hits on you. Don't mess with their heads or hearts. Tell them you are questioning. A lot of women don't want to date someone who may suddenly decide she likes men better. Heck, there are some women who wouldn't date me because I was bi. If we go, promise me you'll be honest."

Garcia nods. "I will be. Promise." She raises three fingers. "Scout's honor."

JJ frowns. "Were you ever a scout?"

Emily answers for their friend. "She was a Brownie but the uniforms were too dull."

JJ laughs. "Yeah, I can see that. So, we'll arrange a sitter for Saturday. Be ready for a good time."

"Always! I'm so excited! And I just can't hide it!" she sings.

"Well, you must. Time to at least look half-way professional," Emily warns her. "Now, get your office back on the grid before someone other than Kevin notices."

"I will. Thanks guys!"

"No problem, Pen. And, Penelope, I really am sorry you and Kevin broke up. I know it's hard even if it's right," Emily tells her, squeezing her arm in support.

"Thanks, Emster." She pulls both her friends into a hug. "I love you guys!"

"We love you, too, Pen. Now, let us go so we can clear our desks and get home to see the kids."

"You got it, Jayje." Garcia opens her door to let her friends out.

On their way to the bullpen JJ looks at Emily. "Long talk on the way home?"

Emily laughs. "Oh, hell yeah!"

JJ chuckles. They hurriedly clear their desks so they can discuss the latest turn in their friend's love life and start to make plans for Saturday. It had been a long time since they had a Girl's Night Out. They cross their fingers that no cases come up to ruin their plans.

A/N: So there ends #53. I wanted to bring them back together on a case that was kind of light compared to some of my others. Just had to show they were clicking again. (And for those that thought Emily was in mortal danger at the end of Chapter 13—GOTCHA! :o) )

I am still working on #54 which will be mostly fluff with a few harbingers of things to come. Oh, and Emily's 40th Birthday party. (In my AU she's just turning 40. Creative license at its best.) So, hope you enjoyed this one. See you later this week with #54!

-AR