"So, my budgies..." Garcia almost sang entering the bullpen "...what you are gonna do during this holidays?"

"Baby-girl, they are only 8 days..."

"Have you any idea about what I could do in 8 days with an internet access and 4 computer keys? So, c'mon, tell me your plans right now!"

"Morgan? Prentiss? Could you two come into my office, please?" Hotch intervened in the discourse

"Sure, we're coming" Emily answered for both of them

"What you done?" JJ enquired

"Me nothin, but I'm not sure I can say the same about Morgan..." the brunette profiler answered

"Excuse me, why I am the one to have done something?" the dark agent asked while the two of them walked to unit chief's office

"Please, come in..." Hotch said as soon as the couple entered the room

"Hotch, uhmm...have we done something...I dunno how to say it...uhmm...something wrong?"

"Oh, no, not at all ! Actually I called you in here because I've something to tell you...but you will not like it...Chicago Police Training Division called me because they want to organize a short course about 'Criminal profiling' so they asked me to send two of my Agents and I thought of you two, because you've already worked in Illinois...and then because you know the city. You will be payed, of course, these days will be calculated as overtime and you can use the jet. Is that okay with you both?"

"No problem for me. Prentiss?" Morgan asked his colleague who nodded and added:

"Okay, it's okay with me too"

"Perfect..." Hotch said satisfied "...because I already accepted for you both so you didn't have much choice. A car is waiting for you in the garage to take you to the airport. Do a good job."

M&P

"Beth is having a positive effect on Hotch, don't you think?" Prentiss demanded

"Yeah. I noticed that too. Listen, are you sure that it's not a problem to give up your holiday...or at least half of it?"

"No problem, Morgan, really. You heard Hotch: no choice. Rather I'm almost happy, at least I've got a good reason not to go to my mother's dinner tomorrow night..and then it's a lot of time that I don't see Chicago, without a serial killer that we have to arrest I mean. What about you? Had you organized something? Does it ruin your holidays?"

"Actually I already had to go in Chicago to visit my mother and my sisters, so this only steals my time that I would spend with my family. By the way, I've advised my mother that you will be our guest!"

"No, Morgan, I don't want to disturb. I'll take a room in a motel, the Bureau will pay it"

"Prentiss, don't even think about it! We can manage the Police Academy cafeteria with all that my mother cook"

"Are you sure that I wouldn't be a burden for you? Because I told you, I could take a room in -"

"Prentiss, I'll say it again: my mother is happy to have guests, no stories...it's for that reason that I talk to my mother before than with you"

M&P

When the two Federals arrived in Chicago, they took the FBI SUV and headed to Derek's family house. After a quick greeting to Fran and Morgan's sisters, the Agents deposited their luggages and went to school where they held their lesson.

"So, tell me, was it like jump back in the time?" Prentiss asked him amused while the two of them were heading to the car

"A little, some guys remembered me how I was at their age, the way in which they look at their own future...but especially in the reaction they had when we said them how little we get paid with this job...why everyone expects that we get paid with gold bullion?"

"I really did not know how to explain..."

Their speech was interrupted by a guy who ran towards them:

"Hello, excuse me, I'm Todd Hedge...3rd workbench from right in the 2nd line..." he added when he noted that two federal agents were trying to remember who he was "...I only wanted ask you one more question, it's just a my personal curiosity"

"Just ask..." Emily invited him

"Good, well, I was curious to know if your relationship it's a problem or a resource on the field"

"I'm sorry, which relationship?" Morgan asked surprised, looking at Prentiss and then the guy, like he was watching a tennis game

"Uhmm...yours? You are married, engaged or what?"

"Actually..." the brunette profiler spoke "...we are only colleagues"

"What? No way! You have such a chemistry, you can't be only colleagues...I could understand that maybe you don't want tell me because the FBI doesn't allow the relationship between co-workers but I can keep the secret and -"

"Hey, hey, calm down dude..." Derek interrupted him "...we are only colleagues. Sure, most of all we are friends but nothing more than colleagues"

"Oh, perfect. This means that I have made a really bad impression! Okay, I will stop disturb you...I'll see you tomorrow"

The trip back home was weird. Neither of the two Agents knew the reason but what that guy said had left an imprint in them both. It was like they always knew their unconscious that their understanding was going beyond the simple friendship and this caused some shadow's in them and that guy, what he said, had lit an invisible torch, eliminating those shadows and allowing Morgan to see better what he should do.

The realization caught him off guard so that forced him to change direction suddenly and to hear the insults by the driver behind them who complained because he had not signaled his intention to turn right.

"Uhmm...Morgan, maybe I'm wrong, but this isn't the way to go to your house"

"You're right"

"Ok, I'm right...so, why you turned right?"

"Because we're not going home"

"Where are -"

"Wait, we are almost there..."

After a couple of miles, Morgan stopped the SUV opposite the entrance of a small church.

"Okay, this is the place" he said

"A church? I'm afraid I do not understand..."

"It's not exactly the church...come with me!" he explained her, taking Prentiss' hand and bringing her on top of the church's tower.

"This a special place for me..." Derek explicate her

"Wow, there is a breathtaking view here. This is where you were wearing your girls?"

"Actually...you're the first one that I've brought up here. And then it's not for the veiw that I like this place but for the bells..." seeing the confused look on Emily's face, he understood that he had to tell the story from the beginning "...for some time, after my dad's death, like a good deal of teenagers, I was very angry against a lot of things: the school if I got a bad grade, the girls I liked who didn't want to talk to me, Carl Budford but especially against the destiny which took my father too soon. One day, almost by accident, I walked here in front, while the bells were ringing so I came over to hear and I started yelling...I never knew exactly why but I knew the more I screamed the less angry I felt. Since then, when I still lived in Chicago, everytime I wanted to vent for any reason, good or bad, I come here"

"Beautiful story! I-I'm so sorry for the joke I made before..."

"You don't have to apologize, you didn't know..." a quick look to his watch "...good, few minutes to go. When I'll tell you, plug your ears and yell what you feel inside"

"For example?"

"I dunno, you must know it...if you're angry with your mother from some reason, if you're happy because you will miss Ambassador Pentiss's dinner, if you're sad because JJ and Garcia have found their soul mates meanwhile you're still waiting for that who to ask you on a date...whatever you want, there's not a rule. The only thing is that you've to know is that it doesn't matter how loud you scream, nobody can hear you. Say that if you want to keep your hearing, you've to plug your ears now" Derek advised

Few seconds later, the bells started ringing and the two Federal Agents, like kids, started their screams.

The two of them couldn't know that, but both were saying...rather, screaming, the same thing: finally declared their love for each other...pity only that they could not hear, the sound of bells has overhung everything.

"I can't explain how much I want you to kiss me now!" Prentiss yelled...but in the wrong time because the bells had stopped ringing and Morgan heard everything.

When she noticed that, wanted to run away but she knew that she couldn't avoid him forever.

She opened her mouth to try to say something, even if she didn't know what to say yet but, luckily, Morgan stopped her attempt putting a finger on her soft lips and he added:

"The secret is knowing when the noise stops" bridging the gap between them giving her the kiss which she has unknowingly asked for.

"I was hoping to hear that from you!" the man confessed when they separated

"So you've brought me here with the specific attempt to cheat..." she joked, trying to hit her colleague with her elbow but he stopped her, pulling her into a hug and kissing the top of her head.

"Today must be my lucky day..." Emily spoke against his chest "...I skip my mother's dinner and now...this!"

"So you're not angry to work during your holidays?"

"Not at all!" she answered raising her head to watch him in the eyes, to show him the sincerity in her eyes

"What about a first date, tonight? The Bureau will pay for this, of course..."

"Yeah" she laughed

"Great. Personally, I cannot imagine a ruined holiday better than this!"

Hope you liked it! :)