Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Criminal Minds or the characters…

Summary: David Rossi gets a frightening phone call from a local news reporter who is in danger. The team comes to the rescue. Meanwhile, Dave thinks about pursuing something with a certain blonde at the BAU. Main R/JJ pairing with H/P pairing as well…

Author's Note: This popped into my head this afternoon. Happy July 4th, everyone!

"He, who loves, flies, runs, and rejoices; he is free and nothing holds him back"- Henri Matisse

*~OoO~*

Taking Chances

The rain poured down from the clouds above and covered the entire city of Quantico with wetness. One of David Rossi's pet peeves was rain. He disliked the gloominess, the dark clouds that covered the sky, and the loss of the bright sun that often illuminated the metropolitan land. Peering out the window of the black limo that he was riding in, he could see the sky growing darker with each passing minute.

Just as he was about to emit a sigh of boredom, his black flip cell phone began to vibrate and glow with a message. He could hear Garcia's voice in his ears, telling him to get a new cell phone; that flip phones were so outdated, but Dave considered touch phones something of the future. They were too complex for him to learn how to use. He barely knew how to work the television, let alone a complicated cell phone.

Flipping the phone open, he saw JJ's picture flash on the upper screen, along with her number. Pressing one of the buttons, he began to speak into it.

"JJ?"

"Hey Rossi. Yeah, it's me. I'm sorry to bother you, but we have another case". Her voice sounded awkward and out of tone. It was probably because of what had happened between them yesterday. They had started to move past the boundaries of co-workers. It had only been for about one minute, yet it had seemed like they were now two totally different people since then.

'Well if you shove your tongue down the media liaison's throat, then of course it's going to be different' his brain told him, but all he answered JJ with was an "Okay, I'll be there as soon as possible". After hanging up the phone, he sighed. It had been a long week. He had been exceptionally tired yesterday and when JJ had come into his office to give him a term paper on recently caught unsubs, he had grabbed her face and kissed her. He still had no idea why.

It had started to become heated fairly quickly. Her legs were soon around his waist and their lips mashed together in a long, wet, passionate kiss. His hands were running down her large breasts and he was dropping kisses down her neck. Neither had noticed Hotch at the door, an astonished look on his stoical face. When the two had broken apart, they were both clearly embarrassed. Yet, this reminded Dave of the time when something like this had happened to Hotch and Emily. He had walked in on the two of them making out on top of Hotch's desk in his office about two weeks ago.

Yet, that time had been passed over. Both Hotch and Emily had done it on impulse when they were horney and no longer had feelings for each other, at least he thought so. This time, his feelings for JJ were real, true and something he couldn't just put behind him.

Sighing again, Dave flipped through the most recent cell phone calls. He frowned when he saw fifteen calls from the same person. The number was unfamiliar, but the name of the caller rang a bell in his head. It was Raymond Fester, local news reporter that always busted Dave's horns whenever he released a new book. Sometimes, he would think that Ray was just an over obsessed youngster who was trying to make a living, yet sometimes, the reporter would just get on his nerves.

Dave played his voicemail messages back to hear what Ray wanted from him now. Clicking on one of the fifteen messages, Dave pressed the phone to his ear and became alarmed when he heard the fright in the young man's voice.

"David Rossi? It's Raymond Fester, that reporter from the Daily Author's Times. Okay, I admit it; I used to drive you bonkers all the time and I'm sorry. But listen, I'm in a little bit of tight spot here. I know that you are in the FBI or whatever and you have that team of profiler's that work with you, right? Well, I need to tell you this really quickly because he is coming back; the man who took my family and me. We were kidnapped and were taken to a vacant building. This creep tied us up and is holding us hostage. I really need your help. I am on 1515 DaLone Lane in the center of Quantico in some forest somewhere. I'm in a cabin. Please, help us, if you get this message. Thank you".

Dave pulled the phone away from his ear. Probably Ray was playing a joke on him. Yet, his gut told him to think otherwise. He remembered one of his ex-wives, Caroline, had told him that the gut always spoke the truth. Sighing, Dave played the other messages and realized that they were similar to the first one that Ray had left him. He decided to; at least, mention this case to the team. Maybe they could at least look into it.

*~OoO~*

"Stop it, Hotchhh" Emily moaned while Hotch kissed up and down the brunette's neck. She laughed softly and caught her supervisor's soft, sweet lips in a long, slow kiss. Neither noticed Dave standing in the doorway of Hotch's office door.

"I thought you two were long over each other" Dave spoke lightly, breaking the kiss between them. He rolled his eyes at the two brunettes before speaking.

"I was taking a little trip here in my limo and I got an interesting call from this reporter that always busts my horns whenever I release a new book. His name is Raymond Fester. He left me multiple voice mail messages, alerting me that he and his family have been abducted".

Emily pulled away from Hotch to look at Dave. "Did he leave any info on where he is; an address, something like that?"

Dave nodded, pulling out his cell so that his friends could listen to the frantic voice mail that was on Dave's phone. When it was finished, Emily and Hotch exchanged worried looks with him and each other. They could tell that this was a serious problem.

"Get Garcia to find out the directions to where that address is. We'll go there now" Hotch announced. Emily scurried back to her desk to grab her gun and badge while Dave headed to Garcia's office to get directions.

*~OoO~*

When Dave reached the lobby, Hotch had rounded up the entire team to get ready to go. Morgan was slipping his gun into its holster, Reid was stuffing his wallet into his pocket, JJ was hanging up on her cell phone and putting it back in her pocket, Emily was looking at a map and Hotch was pulling the keys to the SUV out of his pocket.

"Ready to go?" Dave asked. "I got the directions from Garcia so we can find our way there. I called Ray Fester's job. He never came into work today and neither did his wife. His kids never arrived at school either".

Exchanging looks, the team headed out to the SUV's in the parking lot. Emily slipped into the passenger set of one, Hotch next to her while Reid and Morgan sat in back. In the other SUV, it was only JJ and Dave.

*~OoO~*

Dave could feel the discomfort hit him since last night with JJ. Trying to ease the awkwardness, Dave made small talk with the blonde, discussing the most recent case and instructing her on how to reach their destination. Finally, Dave couldn't take any more of the uncomfortable silence.

"JJ, listen. About last night, I didn't just kiss you on impulse. I kissed you because I like you a lot. I feel horrible about ruining our friendship as it was".

"Dave, what are you saying?" JJ piped up from the driver's seat. He glanced at the blonde and continued the conversation, knowing that this was a touchy subject to talk about.

"I-I guess I just want a chance with you. Please, Jen. You mean a lot to me. Please don't criticize me by my bad dating and marriage record".

JJ had to smile at the stuttering older man. "Of course Dave, I would like that. We can meet at say…8 tonight?"

"It's a date" he replied with a smile. Touching her hand, they both smiled and were invited into a steady conversation with each other.

*~OoO~*

Upon arrival at a small cabin in the woods, the agents parked the SUV's in the trees and snuck around the cabin. Dave and JJ snuck around the side, Morgan and Reid in the back and Hotch and Emily in the front. Hotch nodded and all the agents kicked down the doors and entered the cabin.

JJ heard a small sound and saw a little boy of about four laying on the ground, eyes closed and body not moving. JJ found a pulse on the child and carried him out the door. Emily and Hotch took the storm cellar while Dave, Morgan and Reid checked all of the bedrooms.

Emily heard a piercing scream come from the cellar and spotted a dark haired woman lying in the ground, covered in blood. Hotch spotted the unsub with a gun pressed to the head of a little girl of about the age of seven.

"Put the gun down. We can talk about this" Hotch called to the man with the gun.

"There is nothing to talk about, agent. She's going to die and that's it" the unsub roared. The back door of the cellar suddenly opened and Dave entered. When the unsub turned to look, Hotch ran forward, tackling the man to the ground and after ripping the gun out of his hand, pulled his hands behind his back and handcuffed him.

The little girl squealed loudly and ran into Dave's open arms. Picking up the dark haired child, he carried her out the doorway and into the night where JJ was standing, talking to a group of cops. A couple of seconds later, the unsub was escorted into a cop car in handcuffs.

Morgan found Ray unconscious in a closet, a huge bump on his head and slices on his arm from being grazed with a knife. The kids had been slightly harmed and the wife had beating marks, bruises and needed a couple of stitches, but otherwise she was okay as well.

*~OoO~*

"So, how about that dinner?" JJ asked with a grin when the team arrived back at the BAU to get ready for home.

"You're on" answered Dave playfully. He saw Reid on the phone, Morgan was talking to Garcia and Hotch was entering his office, Emily shutting the door behind them both with a smirk on her face. Smiling, Dave could already tell what that would be leading to.

Taking JJ's hand, he was surprised when she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him chastely on the lips before pulling him into a hug. Dave than realized at that moment that pursuing something with JJ was the smartest thing he had done in a long time.

*~OoO~*

"A woman knows the face of the man she loves as a sailor knows the open sea".- Honore de Balzac

*~OoO~*

I enjoyed writing this! I hope that you all are

having a wonderful 4th of July. Please take the time to leave

a well appreciated review!