Another Criminal minds fic, but not smutty this time, rather based around the Emily/Derek friendship,
and the Emily/Rossi romance, how Emily's dealing, etc. Emily's POV.
Read, enjoy and tell me what you think! :)

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Disclaimer: I own nothing, absolutely nothing. The characters etc are not mine.

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At the knock on the door, I pulled out my gun from under the couch. I'd fallen asleep with the sound of Frank Sinatra's sultry tone. Whenever I was feeling down, his voice warmed me. I hated the fact that my hands were holding onto my glock for dear life, but after Ian, I still wasn't sleeping with the lights off unless Rossi was there beside me.

I looked through the peephole and pushed my gun into the back of my fat pants when I saw the familiar face.

"Morgan?" I asked, pulling open the door. I'd half expected Rossi with plans of dirty things to do to me, or JJ, checking to see if I was alright. I hadn't expected Morgan.

"Can I come in?"

Worry covered me like a blanket. There had to be something wrong. Don't get me wrong, I loved Derek, he was a mate, but he didn't just drop around. So I moved out of the way, let him pass me, then shut the door behind him.

"What's up?" I asked, flipping off the TV.

His eyes widened and I released he'd seen my gun, but neither off us said anything. Instead, he chucked his hands deep into his pockets. "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Yeah," I said, laying a hand on his upper-arm and drawing him down onto the couch.

He brushed one of his hands over his eyes then looked up into mine. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I smiled. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Rossi."

My eyes widened under raised eyebrows before I forced them back to normal size. So he knew. Good to know. I didn't know quite how to answer him, so I took my time. To lie, or to tell the truth. "What about him?"

He laughed. "Really?"

I laughed too and flopped back into the couch. Was I really that obvious? "Shush you."

"Is he treating you right?" he asked seriously.

I just laughed again, smiled. "Yes. He's treating me right."

"Do you love him?"

I pondered it for a while. Yes, yes I did love David Rossi, and I didn't know quite how to deal with it. Probably why I'd let good old Frankie coax me off to the land of lullabies. How would it work? How could David and me possibly work? Not only was he a colleague, but twenty years my senior. And much more experienced in life than I.

"I do," I said finally, looking deep into Derek's dark eyes. "I think I do."

"And does he make you happy?"

I smiled. "He does."

"Good," Derek smiled, pulling me in for a big hug. "How are you dealing with it?"

"Dealing with it?" I asked from against his chest – God, he was muscled – looking up into his eyes.

"Yeah, dealing with it. How are you dealing with the fact that you love him?"

I'm not, I thought to myself.

"I'm not sure," I murmured cuddling in.

Derek cuddled me tight and pressed a light kiss against my hair. "Talk to me girl."

"I'm scared Derek," I answered honestly. I let myself nestle against him. "He's been married, he's had a kid. What have I done? Nothing."

By the shocked silence I guessed Derek didn't know about David's son, the poor baby who'd only made it a few days in this world. But to give him credit, he did try to hide his surprise. "That's not true," he told her. "You speak six languages, you've lived all over the globe. You've loved, perhaps people you shouldn't've–"

"I've a thing for that don't I," I interjected.

Derek nudged me playfully. "Shhh. I'm trying to tell you how amazing you are. Derek may have fathered a son, but you, you're a mother to Declan. He's your son. And you look after him. You're amazing Em, don't let anything, or anyone, ever make you feel otherwise."

I smiled and cuddled into him.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know," I murmured.

"Come on. Don't give me that. What are you going to do?"

"I guess I should probably tell him I love him."

Derek laughed. "It would probably be a good start. As for now, get us a couple bears, lets turn on something good and relax. You deserve it, it's gonna be a big day tomorrow."

I walked to the kitchen of my small apartment and pulled two chilled bears from the fridge, peeled off their tops, then brought them into the lounge along with a bag of chips. "And what's going to be so big about it?"

"You're going to tell Rossi you love him."

"Oh am I?" I asked, taking a swig. I would've preferred something stronger, something more Russian, darker with more burn as it flowed down your throat, I would've had it had I been alone, but I settled for the beer as a means to keep it light hearted.

"Yup," Derek informed me. "Then you're going to go tell Hotch."

I choked a little on my drink. "Oh really?"

"Yup," he said again, taking a swig from his own bottle. "Then Strauss."

"Do I have to?" I moaned.

He pulled me in close and kissed my hair again. I knew his answer before he said it. "You know you have to."

"But what if he doesn't love me back? What if Strauss doesn't allow it?"

Derek just laughed. "Trust me, he loves you. And who cares what Strauss thinks about it?"

"I do! She could move me to the other side of the country. It's against the rules."

"That's why you're telling her. And if she doesn't like it, just call your mommy on her."

My eyes narrowed at him. The idea of calling my mother for help was not a thought I liked to think. Especially not about an inter-office love affair. God, she'd kill me with her judgmental stare. "She'd disown me."

Derek laughed. "But it'd be worth it."

I thought of it, being able to just be with David. Being able to walk into the office and give him a light kiss hello. Being able to cuddle into him on the flight. Being able to come in together, maybe holding hands if they felt like it. I smiled and sighed. It would be fantastic.

"It would definitely be worth it."

Derek smiled, glad with my happiness. He cuddled me into him and turned on the TV. I was happy he was happy for me. If he could be, that meant that others could be too. And maybe, just maybe, me and David could have our happily ever after.

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It's just a one off that kinda mixes in with other stories i wrote.
Hope you liked it.

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