please put in the tags how many siblings you have and whether you’re a competitive person or not it’s for science
OK, so this is inspired by the amazing @themetaphorgirl ‘s PSOLC ( Criminal Minds AU) as we discussed a situation with Hotch and Emily in the same class and she gets a better grade than him, though he put in way more effort. I haven’t written in aaaaaages, so 1m super rusty, but I had fun and feel like I nailed Strauss’s character
“ Did you hand in your essay OK, Bubba?” Alex asked Hotch as she sat down at the table, deftly readjusting Spencer’s tray once she had put hers down too.
“Yeah, thanks Birdie. Once you looked through it for me I typed it up and printed it, then I handed it in last week.” he replied, stirring raisins into his oatmeal.
Emily’s head jerked up, eyes wide and her spoon halfway to her mouth. She quickly regained her composure.
“Uh, Hotch, what’s today’s date?” she asked.
“It’s the 22nd, Emily. And yes, it is the date our 2000-word essays are due in for Strauss. The essays she assigned us last month that are worth 40% of the semester’s grade.” he replied, shaking his head and frowning at his classmate’s disorganisation.
“Oh, I knew that, I do actually listen in class sometimes, Hotchner! And it’s no biggie! I’ll write it in French and Chapel.” Emily responded nonchalantly, her eyes reflecting her panic and stress. « We’re studying the present indicative of first group verbs and adjective agreements, which is obviously very difficult, but I’ll make it work » she announced, trying hard to sound convincing but failing miserably.
“Alexandra Catherine Miller, room-mate extraordinaire, what can you tell me about the leitmotifs in To Kill A Mockingbird? Just asking for a friend!” she asked Alex, eyes wide, fluttering her eyelashes and smiling, tilting her head to the side.
“Oh, that’s easy! I read it when I was 7, but the main themes are…”, Spencer interjected, gesticulating wildly, his eyes shining with excitement, as Alex placed a finger on his lips to quieten him.
“Sorry, Emily, but I really can’t help you now. I asked you if you wanted help when Hotch asked me to look through his first draft, and you told me you had ‘almost started it’, so you’re just going to have to face the consequences” Alex answered, a sympathetic look on her face.
« But if I don’t get an A, I’m going to fail! And Strauss offers no make up tests or extra credit! I hope you’ll come to my funeral as Strauss is going to eviscerate me. » she replied, biting her lip as she realised just how much of a challenge she had to face.
Hotch muttered something that sounded suspiciously like “you made your bed, now lie in it”.
Penelope looked aghast.
« Well, I am so glad I only have Strauss for debate. She sounds like the kind of person who has a favourite child! » she shared, shuddering at the thought of having more classes with her most terrifying teachers.
Just before the bell for second period rang, Emily dashed into class, almost tripping over Chris Callahan’s legs and narrowly avoiding crashing into Kate Carter’s neighbouring desk before flinging herself into her assigned seat towards the back of the class, clutching several sheets of rather crumpled notebook paper.
Ashley Seaver smiled sympathetically at her before resuming her chat with Jordan Todd about the new crime series with the hot male lead that they were both obsessed with.
The final bell rang, cutting their conversation short. The class fell silent immediately.
“ Pass your essays up to the front now. Some of you have already handed them in, but I needn’t remind you that is no guarantee of a good or even a passing grade. “ Strauss announced, shooting a pertinent look at Hotch.
“Miss Carter and Mr Callahan, how many times have I told you that there’s no PDA in my classroom?” she scolded, glaring at the offending students, who were holding hands.
“And no, don’t answer that, it’s rhetorical! Get out your grammar books, page 82 and complete the sentence parsing that we started last class. There is no need to talk.” she announced, having gathered all the students’ work in a pile on her desk.
The class got to work and their teacher turned her attention to the papers in front of her, scowling at some and shaking her head at others, that she liberally annotated with her red pen.
Two weeks later
“ Well, on the whole, I was disappointed with your essays. As Juniors, you really should have mastered these basic concepts by now. You do realise, if you go to college, your professors will make me look like a Disney princess. I have a feeling that college might not be the right fit for everyone here” Strauss declared, casting a disapproving look around the class.
“However, there was one standout essay that I gave an A to. I had to take some points off for presentation, but the student in question provided some excellent analysis. It’s the only A I have given so far this semester. Emily Prentiss, I did not expect work of such caliber from you. » she continued.
She then proceeded to return work by grade.
« A valiant attempt. Mr Hotchner, but you should definitely ask Miss Prentiss for some pointers for the next assignment » she said, handing Hotch his paper that had a big red B+ on it.
He shot Emily a dark, murderous look, but she just grinned and thumbsed up when their eyes met.
As the bell for lunch went, Hotch uncharacteristically shoved his books and papers haphazardly into his backpack, pushed his chair against his desk with more force than necessary and stomped out.
Emily was smiling broadly at their usual lunch table, chatting to Penelope about hairstyles as Hotch arrived, slamming his tray down.
Alex looked over at him with a concerned look, but he just prodded his mystery meat violently, eyebrows knitted tightly together.
« Hi Hotch! Are you still hung up over your grade from Strauss? I’m sure I can help you do better next time » she said sweetly.
« Just how did you get an A? » he questioned angrily.
Rossi looked up from his mashed potatoes, intrigue written all over his face.
« Emily! How did you do it? Strauss hardly ever gives A’s! Please teach me your ways, you… witch! » he exclaimed.
« I’ m just naturally brilliant, I guess. Perhaps I should request a transfer into the AP class. And don’t ‘Emily’ me! » she replied smugly.
« That’s a great plan, Emily. Except a) there are no places left in the AP class, and b) your last grade was a C minus, I believe? » Hotch declared.
She sighed and returned her attention to her plate of food.
Hotch would hopefully get over it by the time they graduated, she mused.
I love this episode!
I think the crime investigation is interesting, and it has lots of potential suspects who are intriguing.
I love Benson’s line « It’s Detective, not Miss » as it reminds me of Spencer Reid in Criminal Minds who is being questioned about something and gets annoyed, gets reprimanded but replies wit( « This is calm and it’s Doctor! ». Such similar energy!
I also adore Benson’s reply to the University priest, when talking about stalking as a crime, he says « it’s in the eye of the beholder » and Olivia says it’s not, it’s in the eye of the District Attorney. Just a brilliant comeback!
My favourite parts of this ep were Stabler and Maureen’s interactions.
She clearly has no idea why he’s asking her to breathe on him to see if she’s been drinking, showing that she’s still innocent.
I think this episode shows just how stubborn they can both be ( Kathleen, Dickie and Eli all seem to share this trait with him, which we see in later episodes: the Season 11 episode with Dickie’s friend Shane, countless episodes for Kathleen and probably for Eli too, where they refuse to talk to their dad because they are angry/upset with him) and how their relationship is shifting. I think the grounding lasts about a week, and at least one day ( after she sneaks down to help with dinner prep and won’t tell her dad where she was/what she was doing/who she was with) where she’s not speaking to him at all.
In the previous episode, she doesn’t want him to kiss her on the lips when he’s been called in to work, and, in the second episode ( the one with the models and eating disorders), Kathy tells Elliot he should talk to her because she listens to him, and she won’t talk about her eating habits. So lots of little signs/hints that they aren’t as close as they once were.
Later in the show, we find out that Elliot was at home during the day when Maureen was little while Kathy studied/worked and he took night classes/work shifts. He mentions taking her grocery shopping, to the park etc, so would have had a lot of interaction with her, playing with her, helping her learn new skills, teaching her social rules etc… That’s got to have made them very close ( definitely a Daddy’s girl!) , and she’s obviously upset and annoyed that her dad always has to leave for work when family time is planned.
Before their reconciliation chat, when they are in the car, I think both actors nailed the portrayal of how tense things are between them. She doesn’t say goodbye to him when she gets out of the car, let alone look at him, there’s no music playing and it’s just uncomfortably quiet.
It contrasted nicely with the Season 2 premiere, where they are in the car, Maureen fiddles with the radio ( so she gets to choose the music) and they have some teasing banter ( about tattoos and just wait until you have kids).
Their reconciliation scene echoes/parallels their opening scene. He calls out to her, just like he does at the beginning, and she really doesn’t want to have a conversation with her dad. He responds to her annoyed « What? » in a similar tone to her answers to his questions when he’s caught her sneaking back in, which I thought was a nice little callback, and a sweet/funny way to show her how annoying/frustrating it is to not get a straight answer. Plus he tells her that he hates being in a Cold War with her as much as she is visibly hating it, and reassures her that he loves her.
I like that he can get through to her just how scared he is that she’s going to end up hurt or worse without going into graphic detail, and the second he can see she’s upset, he opens his arms to hug her.
Her apology is very sweet and heartfelt, and I adore that he says he’s sorry too.
Their hug is short but full of affection, I love the little squeezes they give each other, it’s clear they’ve missed that aspect of their relationship, and Stabler is very physically demonstrative with his kids ( he’ll kiss them on the head, put his arm around them, lets the little ones snuggle up to him when he’s reading to them or climb all over him when he’s on the phone, picking Dickie up to make him fly across the climbing frame, draping his suit jacket over Maureen’s shoulders at the picnic at the park in the next episode ).
what this episode is about: Benson and Stabler suspect a pair of college basketball players of murdering a female student, but officials don’t want to draw negative attention to the school.
What I think this episode is about:
Father/Daughter Growing pains
________________________________________________________________
Oooooh! Maureen you are so busted!!! If only Elliot hadn’t been called in the middle of the night she might never have been caught.
I never realized how much SVU had originally focused on Elliot’s home life in the first season. Maureen specifically has had a significant role the past few episodes. Lots of teenage angst and how that effects Elliot.
Elliot: “Breathe on me.” - Maureen is so creeped out by that. And she seems so confused. Hint: he wants to know if you’ve been drinking. Elliot is so haunted by his work he is suspicious of everyone. What’s interesting here is that Maureen seems to be having a hard time with Elliot leaving all the time to go to work. In the middle of the night, in the middle of their dinner, in the middle of a PTA meeting.
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@louisaland
I can imagine Penelope writing this for Hotch after the “you’re a narcissist” and all the other criticisms Hotch heard during the Tobias Henkel arc.
The text reads as follows:
To my brilliant and beloved Bossman, I think you are the best!
However, if you feel the need to attain complete perfection, you should start by taking better care of yourself! Also, you seem to have confused work less and smile more, as you tend to do the opposite-oops! I realise this is hard for you, but I believe you can fix it 🙂! I will love you and leave you with two quotes:
“Nolite te bastardes carborundorum” *
and “ No-one can make you feel inferior without your consent” ( E. Roosevelt).
Your devoted technical analyst, Penelope ❤️ * in case your Latin has failed you: Don’t let the b-words ground you down!
if you are an active criminal minds blog please reblog this!! i’ve been finding so many blogs i’ve recognized from my dash and i realized i haven’t been following and i feel so bad???? but yes!! please rb if you’re nice and chill, im tryna find some more mutuals to scream into a void with :)
Series 5, episode 3. Elliot's goodbye to Jet.
I can't express enough how right they got this for Elliot's character. He stays at HQ because he knows her. He knows he'd do the same thing, come back when everyone would be gathering for your send off drinks and get your stuff alone. But he won't let her do that, after hiding herself away for the last couple of weeks.
He wants her to know that he cares about her, that he'll miss her and that's all he really needs to say in this scene. It's just enough of what Elliot would give. He wouldn't make it overly emotional but he'd want her to know she's valued and she meant something to him. And the tiny moment of levity to cut the emotion of the moment when they hug. He doesn't want her to cry or get upset. He just wants her to know. He doesn't find it easy to get the words out but he knows he needs to do it.
Jet probably saw some of the worst days of Elliot's life in the aftermath of Kathy's death. And she became part of that little family they forged together in OCCB. Losing her is a huge loss to the show because it was so nice to have her and Bell there as part of the original team. But, the ever change crew on this show makes the loss a little easier. We've gone through a lot of others working for the team and I'm glad that they gave Jet a really good reason and purpose to go. Although it's never shown on screen, I imagine that Elliot would be so proud of the work she's doing for the FBI and accounting for the murdered women, making them a priority. It's the same sort of dedication and passion that he has for his work.
Weather: my family, friends, reading, arts and crafts, food...
Dove: I express love through writing encouraging notes, buying little “I saw this and thought of you!”, themed gifts and just generally finding the perfect gift for a birthday. Also hugs, I give lots of hugs!
Friendship bracelet: being in the same room as my friend, just reading or watching TV/a film in comfortable silence, shopping or cinema trips, with a meal before/during/after. In-jokes that can be communicated with a look and then uncontrollable giggling
Love seat: a cosy place with a comfy lounge for reading/watching TV, an art room, an indoor pool, a kitchen with lots of appliances, two ovens and a view of the garden, plus a big table and lots of chairs so my friends and family can com3 to eat, a bedroom with a double bed, walk-in wardrobe and ensuite bathroom with shower and bath, lots of guest rooms for potential babies.
Record player: Break-up songs if I’m feeling sad/need a good cry, love songs if I’m happy ( though sometimes they make me cry!)
Stargaze: If dead celebs are allowed, Gregory Peck, Steve Mc Queen and Paul Newman- really handsome yet manly men. Modern/still alive George Clooney definitely still has it, and Jake Gyllenhall is very easy on the eye! Planter: Black thumb here! Linen: Purely theoretical, but I would like to be friends with someone before getting romantically involved.
Hot cocoa: my eye for colour ( makes m3 good at picking out outfits for myself/others), my creativity and ability to be by myself perfectly contentedly! Valentine: Again, theoretical, but a little bit is cute ( hand-holding, little kisses)
Succulent: brother’s wedding, giving the kids I nanny their birthday presents and cards, the cinemas and restaurants re-opening!
Bath bomb: doing something creative, watching a film ( for a good healing cry or to make me laugh), yummy snacks and meals, looking for perfect themed presents for people either online or in shops...
Road trip: university. It was hard being so far away from my family while all my coursemates were going home for weekends/Reading week.
Brown sugar: children running up for hugs in the creche where I work, rewatching a favourite TV show, eating yummy good and finding some great presents for a friend’s daughter!
Pearls: yes! Now all I need is a partner!
Seaside: first date would be a drink at a coffee shop and a trip to a bookstore, established couple date would be a fancy dinner out or a home-cooked meal, followed by a film ( either at home or at the cinema)
Luna Moth: city with lots of green spaces and close proximity to beach and/or forest.
Velvet: practical when I am working ( hoodies, jeans/tracksuit bottoms, trainers) but pretty dresses with cardigans and flats plus cute accessories ( scarves, jewellery, hair clips and bags) when I am seeing friends or going to events!
Cupcake: not with anyone else, but definitely with myself!
Romcom: A mixture of both tragedy and comedy!
Weather - What do you love most?
Dove - How do you express love?
Friendship Bracelet - What does friendship mean to you?
Loveseat- Describe your ideal house
Record Player - Love songs or breakup songs?
Stargaze - Celebrity crush?
Planter - Do you have a green thumb?
Linen - Do you prefer being friends with someone before starting a romantic relationship with them or starting straight into love?
Hot Cocoa - Three things you love about yourself?
Valentine - Do you like pda?
Succulent - What are you looking forward to?
Bath bomb - What is the best form of self care?
Roadtrip - Where is the farthest you’ve been from home?
Brown Sugar - What is making your heart warm today?
Pearls - Do you want to get married?
Seaside - Ideal date?
Luna Moth - City or country?
Velvet - What is your style?
Cupcake - Are you in love?
Romcom - Is your story a comedy or tragedy?
Sunset - Ask anything you want!
39, she/her, New Year’s Day baby. Voracious reader, passionate about the arts and culture, a foodie. Modern Languages graduate. A true Hufflepuff.
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