Disclaimer: CM and Collin Raye's "That was a River" do not belong to me, they are being borrowed for entertainment puproses.
Author's Note: This story was inspired by the song "That Was a River" by Collin Raye. Lyrics are used as dialogue within the story. Inspiration came mostly from the second verse. This was written for Ilovetvalot. I hope the Italian is correct but I don't know Italian and sometimes info found on the internet is wrong. I did my best so if it's a bit off i apologize now. Please Enjoy!
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David Rossi wasn't sure at first what had broken through his slumber to drag him toward wakefulness. Eyes still closed, he listened to the sounds around him. He heard the wind howling outside and the soft tap of raindrops on the windows. In the pet bed beside the bed, Mudgie made little noises while he slept. Dave momentarily what it was the dog was dreaming about. There were no other noises disturbing the quiet of the night - but wait there should be his mind told him.
Absently Dave reached out a hand for the woman who should be asleep beside him. The woman who had been sharing his bed for only the last four months but with whom he couldn't imagine his life without anymore. The only thing his hand found was a still slightly warm sheet. The discovery finally caused him to open his eyes.
It was nearing daybreak, the rising sun lighting up the room to shades of grey. Dave looked around but saw no sign of JJ. Given that there was still warmth on her side of the bed, Dave figured she wouldn't have gone far.
With a sigh he threw back the blanket and climbed from the warm bed himself. Still content in his dream, Mudgie didn't bother to even acknowledge the movement. Dave grabbed his green terry-cloth bathrobe from the bedpost as he walked by, and slipped it over the boxers and T-shirt he was wearing. Dave tried to think of where JJ could have possibly gone to and headed for the first place that came to mind.
He reached the small bedroom where six-year-old Henry had been tucked snugly into bed and placing a palm against the cool wood, pushed the door that was ajar further open. The small lamp, the base the shape of a toy rocket and the shade cover with stars, cast a soft glow over the room, revealing to Dave that the only occupant of the room was the little boy. The corners of Dave's mouth turned up in a smile at the sight, as he quietly pulled the door shut a bit and slipped away.
Dave padded quietly down the hallways to the main living area of the cabin. There were no lights on nor any other indications that another human being had been that way. The middle-aged Italian made his way quietly through the cabin, finally ending up at the front door. Wondering why JJ would go out in the current weather, but out of ideas, he stepped out onto the front porch.
JJ was sitting on the porch swing, which was far enough away from the edge to be protected by the roof from the falling rain. Wrapped up in her fuzzy pink bathrobe that Dave had bought her for Christmas, the blonde was starring out into the woods that surrounded the cabin, a faraway look in her eyes. As she hadn't looked over at the sound of the door opening, or even when he closed it, Dave wondered if she was even aware of his presence.
"Did my snoring drive you out of bed?" Dave asked, announcing his presence while trying to add a little levity to the moment.
"You don't snore," JJ said lightly, slowly turning her head in his direction. "I just couldn't sleep and didn't want to wake you."
"Well I'm awake now," Dave said, walking slowly toward the glider.
Dave settled down beside her, snaking an arm around the slender shoulders and pulling her closer to him. JJ didn't resist him. She let herself be drawn close, relishing the warmth of being held close. She didn't need to hear words to know the man who held her close loved her as that sentiment radiated in every touch and action that he did. His love for her had been revealed to her numerous times over the past two years as he had searched for ways to make her burden easier, even before she had been able to return those feelings. She couldn't even pinpoint when it happened, but somewhere along the line once she had realized she had fallen for David Rossi, the FBI's notorious ladies man, she had found him patiently waiting. And she did love Dave, with all of her heart, but there were times, like today, when she felt she was betraying the love that had once been.
"So what is it that was keeping you awake, il mio amore," Dave said softly, his warm breath blowing across her hair.
"It was eight years ago today that I first met Will - when we had that case down in New Orleans. It seems like such a long time ago."
"You still miss him, don't you?"
"I do," JJ said and felt the guilt flood through her. "It's not that I don't love you Dave, it's just . . . "
"It's okay, JJ. I understand. We don't stop caring for someone just because they can no longer be in our lives for whatever reason. Just like we can't stop from falling in love with someone who at the time is unattainable."
JJ moved her head back and looked up at Dave. "Why David Rossi, are you trying to say that you've been in love with me for a while?"
"Since the first day I met you," Dave replied easily, without missing a beat.
"I never knew that."
"Far be it for me to step in the way of two people who were so happy together. All I've ever wanted to do was to see you happy again."
JJ smiled and then rested her head down on his chest. "I am happy. I've fallen in love with you this past year and I love the life we've made. I like that Henry has a positive male role model in his life to make up for losing his father but . . ."
JJ let her voice trail off. She felt Dave's arm tighten around her, holding her close. Offering her comfort.
"But . . ." Dave prompted.
"Sometimes I wonder if I'm being fair to you. There is always going to be a part of me that loves Will and misses him."
"Don't feel guilty for that. 'The love we had before can never change this one'. Your past is part of who you are - part of the woman that I love. What's important now what we have now - together. The past that we've brought along is not a prison, it's what allows us to share this love we have between us and what we have right here - well 'there are no boundaries. There is no end in sight.'"
JJ let those words echo in her mind. She liked that sentiment. Like the thought of what she had now, with Dave, going on forever. Oh, in reality, she knew that couldn't happen but right here, on this porch - with the rain falling down around them - it seemed like the promise of eternity.
"One ship in the night," JJ whispered softly.
"I would sail anywhere with you. Tu sei una stella . . .la mia stella," he whispered softly in her ear.
"That sounds beautiful. What does it mean?"
"You are a star . . . my star."
"Well, this star was thinking we might take this cozy little meeting somewhere I bit warmer," JJ said, shifting so she could look into his face.
Dave took the opportunity to capture her lips in his own, putting off the answer he knew she wanted to hear, long enough to get a taste of her. There was no resistance as she hungrily returned the kiss, all thoughts of betraying Will banished from her mind. Deep down, JJ truly believed that Will would want her to be happy and David Rossi made her happy.
"Shall we go put our bed to use for something other than sleeping, cara mia?" Dave whispered, his face still close enough for him to feel JJ's breath dance across his lips.
"I'd love to, Stallion," JJ replied, her voice like a whispered song to Dave's ears.
Dave got to his feet and then helped JJ to her feet. He wrapped an arm around her and held her close to his side, as the two of them headed inside. After a quick glance to make sure Henry was still sleeping, the two retreated to their own room, both more than ready to set sail in the ocean of emotion that they were feeling.