Gypsy had docked on time, and after bidding goodbye to Jack Sparrow and Anne, she'd begun to dress for dinner. Jack, her son, had told her she looked pretty, and she'd hugged him. After Jack had popped back to London, Isabela finished her preparations and donned her dress and new mink. She'd managed simple eye makeup, dark and smoky to match her outfit. It was all about the drama. It had been a comparatively long time since she'd seen Aaron, after all. She'd called a cab to take her to the restaurant where she'd made reservations, though who knew, Sebastian might change the venue.

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all_knowing 2011-06-17 04:04 am UTC (link)

Garcia was ridiculously excited as she waited outside the restaurant. She'd portkeyed over, gotten ready in a restaurant bathroom, and taken a cab over as well. When she saw Isabela, she stood up and waved, grinning brightly. She'd chosen a dress that she hoped would make Sebastian swallow his tongue, and because of how fancy the restaurant was, worn her hair down and demure in loose ringlets around her face. Even her makeup was more conservative than usual: demure eyeshadow with a simple cat eye and deep red lipstick were downright demure for her. However, her sky high platform heels betrayed a bit of her usual flair. "Isabela! Over here!" (Reply to this)

rivainipirate 2011-06-17 04:19 am UTC (link)

Isabela paid the cab driver and walked over toward the entrance. When she saw Garcia, she couldn't help a very undignified female noise. "You look absolutely amazing! Ah!" She hugged Penelope, loosely, so as not to mess things up. She ran her hand up her friend's leg, half to tease, half to flirt. She really was a knockout. "Where are the men?" As soon as she said that, though, a hubbub seemed to come from a bit down the street. "I think that might be Sebastian now." Isabela chuckled faintly. "Be ready for cameras, kitten." (Reply to this)

all_knowing 2011-06-17 04:24 am UTC (link)

Garcia laughed and hugged her back as well, reaching out to stroke her hair. "Oh, you look gorgeous! Seriously, you know just how much to show." But then she giggled as Isabela stroked her leg. "Tease. You're breaking my heart, sugar." She couldn't help her heart leaping into her throat when she thought of Sebastian in a tuxedo again. "You think there will really be cameras? Well, crap. At least I look cute." (Reply to this)

rivainipirate 2011-06-17 04:45 am UTC (link)

Sebastian did appear next, doing his best to ignore the people shouting at him and the flashes of light. He saw Isabela first, blinking hard at her dress - very elegant, for Isabela! - but where were the others? He didn't recognize Garcia at first. It took a moment before he saw her now-familiar smile and eyes, and frankly stared. "Penelope?" Isabela tittered, but Sebastian ignored her for the moment, instead taking the other woman's hand and lightly pressing his lips to her knuckles. Isabela couldn't help herself. "Hello, Sebastian," she said, a trifle exaggeratedly, a trifle loudly. But if he didn't say hello right away, honestly, she wouldn't terribly mind. (Reply to this)

all_knowing 2011-06-17 04:49 am UTC (link)

She knew she'd done right by wearing her contact lenses, but she hadn't been expecting his reaction. She ignored the sound of cameras flashing and the flares of light behind her. He was kissing her hand, and she couldn't help spending far too long staring into his eyes. A light clearing of the throat sounded from behind her, and Garcia turned her head. When she saw her boss in a tuxedo, she couldn't help but whistle low, waiting to see Isabela's expression. (Reply to this)

rivainipirate 2011-06-17 05:02 am UTC (link)

Sebastian tore his eyes away from Penelope to look over at his friend, kissing Isabela on the cheek. "Hello, Isabela; you look lovely. It's been a long time." Isabela smiled; she'd be very nice, given the sparks that seemed to be flying between Garcia and Sebastian. "Thank you, Sebastian, or should I say Your Highness?" Sebastian chuckled. "No, no, just Sebastian." He was about to say more when he saw another man appear, wearing the same sort of suit as he was, black tie, pressed white shirt. The man cleared his throat, and Sebastian was treated to the novel sight of Isabela turning around and being - at least temporarily - lost for words. It took her a moment, he saw, before smiling through her dark makeup. "Blimey, and here I thought to knock you off your feet." (Reply to this)

all_knowing 2011-06-17 05:28 am UTC (link)

Garcia couldn't help but smile at Sebastian and Isabela's banter. If she'd been able to have an out of body experience, she'd have seen that she was standing close to Sebastian, her fingers lightly hooked around his. But she could see Isabela and Hotch, and she couldn't help but grin at how adorable they were. He softened her, and she soothed him. It made her sigh girlishly to see Hotch theatrically kiss Isabela's hand as well before dipping in for a proper snog. "Oh my," she murmured, shielding her eyes. It was like watching someone's parents having a particularly heated snog. (Reply to this)

rivainipirate 2011-06-17 05:41 am UTC (link)

Isabela heard that, laughing into the kiss. Just for that, she didn't let up right away, wrapping her arms around Aaron's neck. She liked embarrassing Sebastian - because she knew she would - and making Penelope squirm a little. Eventually, though, she did let up, grinning, still with her hand in Aaron's. "Sebastian Vael, Prince of Starkhaven and Monaco, Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner." Sebastian stepped forward, extending his hand. "A pleasure, Agent Hotchner." He tripped a bit over the first word - what exactly was an 'agent'? Agent of what? - but his appreciation was real. "I've heard a lot about you from Penelope and Isabela." A minor fiction, but still. He wanted to meet the man Penelope had spoken so highly of. (Reply to this)

doesntblink 2011-06-17 05:47 am UTC (link)

Hotch wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off of the ground for a moment. It made Garcia laugh and look up at Sebastian for a moment, shaking her head. When eventually their lips parted, he was grinning. "Likewise, Mr. Vael. I've heard a lot about you from Penelope and Isabela as well. And please, call me Hotch. I'm only Agent Hotchner at work - I'm essentially a lawman. Penelope helps me find criminals." Garcia smiled softly at his oversimplification of what he did, amused that he'd already figured out that Sebastian didn't know what an agent was. It touched her that he was trying to be kind. (Reply to this)

rivainipirate 2011-06-17 06:04 am UTC (link)

"So I hear," Sebastian said, smiling, "and please, the ladies call me Sebastian, feel free to follow suit. Shall we?" He gestured into the restaurant, explaining to Isabela as an aside, "When they heard I was coming, they insisted on co-ordinating with Carlo. My manservant. They've given us a place in the back." Sebastian smiled, offering his arm to Penelope. "I ought to have known," Isabela replied, draping her mink over her arm. "Though I didn't intend this as a double date, at first." She used the word deliberately, smiling in a way Sebastian would recognize from Thedas. (Reply to this)

doesntblink 2011-06-17 06:08 am UTC (link)

Hotch nodded, smiling at Sebastian. "Thank you. Isabela and I appreciate the hospitality." He took Isabela's arm gently, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. His eyes closed for a moment; he'd missed the scent of her hair. Garcia grinned and bit her lip as she took Sebastian's arm. "This is really gorgeous." She hoped that she didn't do any sort of weird faux pas that would set off the tabloid presses. Of course, Isabela made her blush with bringing up date and smiling like a cat who'd sauntered into an aviary. (Reply to this)

rivainipirate 2011-06-17 06:23 am UTC (link)

That, of course, had been Isabela's aim. She wanted to unsettle Penelope just a little, keep her on her toes. "I'm glad I chose this place, though; it's lovely." Everyone seemed kind and willing to please, though that could have been just Sebastian's presence. She smiled sweetly when Aaron kissed the top of her head, her eyes turning gentle. Sebastian noticed, inwardly smiling at how happy Isabela seemed to be with her suitor. It pleased him; she looked more at ease than he'd ever seen her. He murmured as much to Penelope. "They look very happy indeed. As do you. You look lovely, if I didn't say." His eyes were kind. (Reply to this)

all_knowing 2011-06-17 06:30 am UTC (link)

Hotch smiled and pulled her chair out when they arrived at their table, beaming at Isabela. It didn't take a profiler to see that he was absolutely smitten. A half smile was on Garcia's lips, and she nodded. "He normally doesn't smile that much. It makes me feel so light." His comment about her dress made her eyes twinkle. "Thank you, I'm glad you think so. You know you look fantastic, but it bears repeating." (Reply to this)

rivainipirate 2011-06-17 06:54 am UTC (link)

Sebastian smiled. "His interest is obvious," he answered, trying to be diplomatic as he pulled out Penelope's chair for her. Still, he smiled when she said he looked nice. "Thank you, Penelope. This is the one I tried out while you were with me. Carlo said it fit well." He chuckled, reminded of how the old man's eyes lit up when he'd heard of this dinner date with Penelope. "He likes you, by the way." Isabela had picked up bits of their conversation as she sat down, thanking Aaron with a smile for pulling out her chair. "So," she said to the table at large. "Sebastian, how have you been settling in? It's a bit mad at first, isn't it?" "A bit." Sebastian answered, smiling. "I woke up in my bed here, accidentally popped up to London via a port-key I didn't know existed, and bumped into Penelope." (Reply to this)

all_knowing 2011-06-17 03:05 pm UTC (link)

Garcia squeezed his hand. She didn't want to say in front of Hotch that it was obvious he was falling for Isabela, so she simply smiled sweetly. At the mention of Carlo, she grinned. "I like him too. He'd better have finished those cookies." She winked at Sebastian and settled comfortably into her seat. Hotch had finished setting his phone to silent - a luxury that he had grown to appreciate having since his arrival - and smiled wryly at the other man. "You couldn't have bumped into a better person. Garcia will help anyone that needs it." (Reply to this)

rivainipirate 2011-06-17 04:34 pm UTC (link)

"Clearly," Sebastian answered with a chuckle. "It probably isn't a normal occurrence to have someone ask where they are. I'd have asked if I'd been drinking, but she took pity on me." "Did you mention Thedas?" Isabela asked, to which Sebastian nodded. "That's why, I'm sure; since everyone's here, people talk about it. The only one from Kirkwall who hasn't appeared is Carver, and that's quite all right with me." Sebastian tried to turn a laugh into a cough; it wasn't polite to talk behind one's back, but at the same time ... He settled for explanation for Penelope and Hotchner. "Carver is Hawke's brother; I presume you've met Hawke or at least heard of her. She doesn't stay quiet for very long, wherever she is. Carver was a templar and ..." He searched for words. "Difficult." (Reply to this)

all_knowing 2011-06-17 05:22 pm UTC (link)

Garcia squeezed Sebastian's hand comfortingly under the table, but couldn't help giggling when Sebastian tried not to laugh. "I've heard of Hawke," she chuckled. Hotch nodded. "I as well. She's an impressive woman." He hadn't met her, but he'd spoken to her on the boards. He could respect her since she seemed a bit like him. "I knew you weren't drinking, you weren't slurring." Garcia gently nudged Sebastian with an elbow. Hotch couldn't help but smile a bit lopsidedly as he wrapped an arm around Isabela. He liked seeing Garcia so happy. (Reply to this)

rivainipirate 2011-06-17 06:01 pm UTC (link)

Sebastian broke off to order some wine, figuring a social glass would be acceptable. "Hawke is a force of nature," he said, shaking his head. "I owe her a great debt personally, but she's also very engaging company." Isabela and Penelope knew what that debt was, and he'd leave it at that. "A damned fine fighter, as well." "It's true, or at least as true as I know about magic." Isabela smiled at Aaron. "Have you encountered hand cannons yet, Sebastian? Aaron's a master with one." She turned to her boyfriend. "Sebastian's one of the best archers I've ever seen. Didn't you say archery is more of a sport here?" "Hand cannons?" Sebastian echoed, raising an eyebrow. "I can't say I've heard of those." (Reply to this)

all_knowing 2011-06-17 06:10 pm UTC (link)

Garcia couldn't help but order a glass herself, knowing she needed to loosen up a little. "Mages are really neat, I sort of wish we had some back home. It would've made your job easier, Hotch." Hotch chuckled at the idea of people having to contend with fireballs instead of SWAT teams. He cleared his throat and smiled at Sebastian. "They're cheating, really, compared to archery. I'll show you a gun at some point, if only so you can identify danger if you see it." (Reply to this)

rivainipirate 2011-06-17 06:22 pm UTC (link)

"I would be grateful," Sebastian said seriously. "I do understand that to take a bow around this world is not done, but people obviously have to have weapons. Isabela has it easier; her blades probably still fit under some of her clothing." He risked being faintly indelicate, knowing Isabela wouldn't mind. She didn't, and laughed, having made the order of wine a bottle for the table. "I can't carry such big blades anymore, but I have my ways. Aaron's never seen me fight, but I think he's pleased about that." Isabela teased gently. (Reply to this)

	all_knowing 2011-06-17 06:38 pm UTC (link)
	Hotch chuckled. "I'm very pleased about that, if only because I'd try to break up the fight and you'd get upset." He pressed a light kiss to her cheek. "Isabela doesn't like being catered to, as I'm sure you both know." Garcia laughed. "It's fine, Hotch, you can keep saving me. I can't even throw a punch." (Reply to this)

	rivainipirate 2011-06-17 06:49 pm UTC (link)
	Sebastian smiled. "There's no shame in that, you know," he told Penelope. "Strength appears in all forms." "Quite true on all counts." Isabela smirked at both men. " And I fight at close range; if I couldn't handle myself I'd never wade in. Apparently I teach Jack how to handle a blade, too." That had gobsmacked her, honestly; she'd never have imagined Aaron would let her. (Reply to this)

	all_knowing 2011-06-17 08:16 pm UTC (link)
	"I know you mean it, but you're still a flatterer," she grinned. Garcia loved just being around Sebastian; he made her already warm and loving heart all the more loving and warm. Hotch shrugged a shoulder. "I know how to use knives as well, or I wouldn't carry one. The person who wields a weapon they don't know how to use is foolish." (Reply to this)

rivainipirate 2011-06-17 09:34 pm UTC (link)

"I confess I'd forgotten you carry one." Isabela laughed. "How could I forget that? It was what made me like you at first." She explained to Sebastian and Penelope, though she figured Penelope might already know. "I'd asked him for drinks, and at one point the conversation gets round to blades, and he pulls a small one from his shoe." She couldn't quite explain why she'd liked that so much, but she had. She liked people who were prepared, but it had been something more than that. A mark of kinship, of some kind. "Handy." Sebastian inclined his head. "Carlo did look at me strangely when I asked if people usually carry weapons here. And is she always so self-effacing?" He asked Hotchner, looking at Penelope with a faint grin, teasing just a bit. "I try to be kind and she swats it away." (Reply to this)

all_knowing 2011-06-17 10:37 pm UTC (link)

Hotch was looking over the menu, unable to keep a faint smirk from passing over his features. "It's best to be prepared. I also carry more than one gun, but not today." He did have the knife, but not a gun. He felt relatively safe. The man's question about Garcia gave Hotch no pause; he answered immediately. "Yes. She's got a kind heart and a kinder soul, but she uses it to help everyone else. Also, I think she fancies you." He'd said it teasingly, but from the way Garcia blushed, it was obvious he'd told the truth. (Reply to this)

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