Title: Kitchen Misadventures
By: W'sWife
Pairing: gen
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Summary: What ever you do, never leave Emily alone in your kitchen.

***

Emily rang the doorbell uncertain of what surprizes lay behind the door. She had been on the team for only 15 weeks and now Gideon had invited her over for Thanksgiving. Emily hopped on one foot then switched to the other. "What's taking them so-" she began, before being caught in mid sentence by a snowball. She turned around and saw Morgan running up to her. "Hey Emily, what you up to?" Morgan asked, giving her a one armed hug.

"Hello Derek, how are you? I was ringing the doorbell but no use." Emily replied, giving him an akward pat on the back. "Well that's because the doorbell doesn't work." Derek said, rapping his knuckles on the door. JJ answered the door. "Hey! Come on in you guys!" she said, opening the door as wide as her smile. Emily walked inside and took off her coat. She strolled further into the house and stood off to the side, trying to stay out of the way. Everyone was bustling about. Reid was setting the table, Morgan was getting drinks, JJ was putting food on the table, Gideon was rushing around the kitchen cooking and putting last minute details on the food.

Emily took a couple steps back. Who was she kidding, she didn't belong here. She was about to grab her coat and run like the wind in the opposite direction, but JJ's giggle stopped her in her tracks. "Come on Emily, don't be shy! I think Gideon could use some help in the kitchen." JJ said, taking Emily's arm. Emily tried to protest but somehow ended up sputtering out an "Okay, sure". "Emily! Glad you could make it!" Gideon said, giving her a quick hug. "Need any help?" Emily said, tying her hair up with a rubber band from her pocket. "Just heat up these rolls in that toaster oven." Gideon said, handing her a basket of dinner rolls.

Emily walked over to the toaster oven and put in the rolls. She turned it on and suddenly one burst into flames. Emily's eyes widened and she whipped her head around looking for Gideon. "Gideon," she began. "Not now Emily, I'm busy." Gideon repiled. Emily nodded and looked back at the toaster. Black smoke was billowing out of it. "Gideon," Emily repeated. Gideon turned around and saw the smoke. He ran over and turned off the toaster oven. Then he smothered the flames with a wet towel.

"Emily what the hell do you think you're-" Gideon yelled at her, but stopped in mid sentence. Emily stood there, biting her lip, bracing herself for the punishment. She had the body of a grown woman but from her eyes he could tell that she was still very much a little girl. Gideon shook his head and disguised a chuckle as a cough. "Go sit down Emily." He said quietly. Emily rushed out of the kitchen and made a beeline for the door. "Whoa! Emily, where are you going?" Reid said, grabbing her arm. "I should go, it's late, and I - I forgot to - uh - feed the - turtle, yeah. Bye Spencer!" Emily said, grabbing her coat, eyes dewy with tears. "Emily, come here please." Gideon called from the kitchen. Emily paled and said, "Yes sir." as she walked back into the kitchen.

Garcia shook her sleeping friend's shoulder. "emily...hey Emily...EMILY!" Emily woke up with a start. "Yeah? What's going on?" she said, rubbing her eyes. "You ok? you were mumbling about turtles and started crying." Garcia explained with a giggle. "Was I? Sorry, I just had this dream that I'd set the toaster ovens on fire again." Emily explained, turning beet red at the realization that she made no sense. Garcia smiled and nodded. "Need any help with dinner?" Emily said, trying to get her bearings in order. "Dinner's over Em. You fell asleep during the game. Its 2 am." Garcia explained, trying hard not to laugh. "So basically what you're trying to say is: what are you still doing here?" Emily asked yawning.

"She's just kidding, it's 3 PM we're still cooking. Garcia, what I tell you about tormenting Emily?" JJ said, swatting Garcia with a spatula. "Need any help?" Emily offered, walking over to JJ. "No, it's ok. You rest. It was a long trip and I'm already scared to have you within 12 feet of my toaster oven." JJ teased, walking back to the kitchen. "Are you sure they just don't happen to combust insantanously?" Emily said, tying her hair up while walking over to the kitchen. "Only when you're around them." Garcia said dryly.

Emily went to work on the soup, while Garcia mashed up the potatoes, and JJ checked on the turkey. Everything was going well until Emily accidently spilled some of the soup all over her forearm. She calmly placed the soup on a different burner, and grabbed a towel. "Hey, got any toothpaste?" Emily asked, drying off the hot water. "Yeah, why?" Garcia asked, looking up from the potatoes. "I burned myself." Emily explained way too calmly. "This is a hell of a time to think about brushing you're teeth sweetie! Are you ok?" Garcia asked, dropping everything. "Yeah, nothing major. If you apply toothpaste to a burn it heals faster. Don't ask me how I found that out." Emily said, scattling off to the bathroom. "She is such a klutz! Seriouly Em, you're hopeless." Garcia said, rushing after her. "Yeah, that's what my mom said." Emily said, rubbing toothpaste on her forearm.

***