The Fourth Time is Forever
Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds nor do I have anything to do with what actually happens on the show. If I did, Erin Strauss would still be alive and well and in a committed relationship with David Rossi. We would have also seen them at least hug and share a passionate kiss if I owned the show or had any creative input. I have been working on a story that is a possible AU, can't really say it is an AU yet as Season 9 hasn't happened and I am hoping they somehow bring her back but in my story, as told from Erin Strauss herself, there were other's involved besides John Curtis and so her death was faked, and when they have the last person who was involved in the crimes in custody, they bring her back and she looks at him and says, "In the words of the famous Mark Twain – Rumors of my death, have been greatly exaggerated". I am keeping my fingers crossed that one day, the story will be finished. Hey it could happen, after all last season was the one where they were 'replicating' things so why not replicate the situation where they faked a death until it is safe for the 'deceased' to return. Long live Strossi. Hopefully in Cannon also but if not, at least in Fan Fic.
A/N: I have not written the next part yet. This has been written for months and I am not exactly thrilled at where I left off but the characters insisted that that is all the story they wanted to share at that moment. They wanted to keep the next part private but said if you are reading this then they were sure you were old enough to use your imagination.
A/N 2: This was originally entitled Wedding In Vegas but I just couldn't see either one of them planning a wedding there. I mean, I could see them going there on Vacation or maybe a case and deciding to get married while there were there but I can't see Rossi planning it as a surprise wedding venue. I then considered the Bahamas, but you can't have your own minister marry you there according to my research. It says you can have them help but that is not what I think David and Erin would want. I don't see either one of them being comfortable being married by someone that was a total stranger to both of them. I next thought the Caymans, but it seems like we may have the same issue with the Officiate. So unless something changes, I am thinking that the wedding if there is one, takes place on a Private Island owned by Rossi. Since he came back to the FBI, maybe there is some deal he has with the government to make it a protected territory with Sovereignty or something like that so it is not seen as any type of conflict of interest with his job.
A/N 3: I am not Catholic. I have researched it for a previous story and I researched it for this one and I know for traditional Roman Catholics, the marriage must be performed in the church for it to be sanctioned. I know there are weddings that can be performed with varying degrees of the Catholic ceremony, i.e. with our without the full mass. David wants to have an outside wedding, so for purposes of this story we are going to go with some of the research I read that if your priest has known you for a long time and if he can get permission form from his Diocese, he may agree to perform the ceremony outside or if it can't be a traditional Catholic Ceremony, marry you as a person who is authorized to perform marriages in that State/Country (Which requires a fee and paperwork), I.E. it would be a religious, non-Catholic ceremony not ordained by the Church but you could should you decide later get your marriage blessed by the Catholic Church through a vow renewal or Convalidation . Also David and Erin have both been divorced so that might be a factor that would normally prevent them from being married in the church but for purposes of my story, on Rossi's first marriage to Carolyn was performed in the church, so that would be the only one that was valid in the eyes of the church. His marriages to wives number two and three I would in my universes have been performed by a JP or a non-Catholic Clergyman. Therefore when Carolyn died, that would leave him free to marry with the full rights of a Catholic Parishioner. As for Strauss, they have never alluded to her religious affiliation or even if she is religious. I see her as religious, even devout in her faith but not necessarily an every Sunday Church goer. Maybe she had a crisis of faith and that is when she turned to the bottle again as Rossi stated she struggled with it all her life. I see her journey to recovery rebuilding the foundation of her faith and Rossi knowing being married in the church, even if not by a person of her faith, as she is still searching for a Church home, as being important to her, even though he knows if she thinks he wants a simple wedding at the courthouse, she would "be fine" with that. I can't see him marrying the woman he love at the courthouse, not after he wouldn't let JJ get married there. Even if He hadn't thrown JJ a wedding, I can't see him marrying Strauss at the Courthouse. She means too much to him and I think he would equate a wedding by a JP to his mistaken marriages to wife number 2 and 3. I think he would want his wedding to Erin to be special for her. He would want it to be something she would always remember with joy in her heart as something special he did just for her. In short, I think he would want to give her the wedding that other women would envy. Rossi in my opinion, would want this his final marriage, to the woman who has had his heart for decades to be blessed by the Catholic Church.
As to his choice of Wedding Officiate, I can see him not wanting anyone else to do it. He trusts him and knows that he will be there for him if he should need guidance in the future as David loves Erin and wants this to be forever. As usual, my A/N's are longer than my story so I will shut up now.
The Fourth Time is Forever
You want to do what? Married did you say? Um what put that particular flea in your ear? Did you all of a sudden forget about the fraternization rules?
"Nope" but you know what. I don't care anymore. If it means I have to retire again, I will do it in a heartbeat, as I am sick of it, Erin. I want us to be together in every way.
We are together in every way.
No we are together in secret and that ends now.
You're serious. I can't believe you are serious.
Better believe it sweetheart as I intend to be your lawfully wedded husband before the weekend is over.
Now I really know you are certifiable. There is no way with our work schedules and today being Thursday that we can pull that off.
Wanna Bet?
David even a simple wedding in front of the Justice of the Peace would take more planning than that.
Who is talking a JP? I want us to be married by Father Jimmy.
Um, I know you are a bit of a lapsed Catholic, but surely you remember that the Catholic Church has a bunch of classes you have to take before a priest can marry you.
Surely you have forgotten that the man you are in love with is named David Rossi.
I hate to burst your bubble, wait no I don't, but not even you have the power to make the church bow to your will.
Not trying to. With all my arrogance, I am not pompous enough to. And you should know me well enough by now, to know I never say I am going to do something unless I have hedged my bet and know I can pull it off. Apparently I have been bemoaning my heartaches and heartbreaks over you for the last 5 years so much that my old buddy knew before I did that we would be at this point someday. He told me over a year ago, when I decide to take my head out of my backside and finally ask you to marry me, he would be delighted to perform the ceremony. Yeah he took great joy in cackling over your treatment of me. Told me he had never seen a woman get under my skin as deep as you, not even Caroline and that you were good for my ego too, deflating it every chance you get.
I think I am going to like this Father Jimmy, chuckled Erin.
You two can have a ball getting better acquainted and exchanging quips about my short comings at the reception after he has married us. I don't know if I want the two of you getting together and comparing notes beforehand, as I don't want you changing your mind about marrying me.
Um, I don't recall saying I would marry you in the first place, David Rossi. Did I blink and miss the moment I said yes to your proposal.
Nope toots, but you didn't say no either. When I told you our time line, you response was we can't do it that quick not no, we are not getting married. That told me all I needed to know, my dear. So stop playing hard to get as you know as well as I do, I successfully stormed the castle a long time ago. We both know you still pretend to put up a token protest out of old habit. You Erin Strauss, soon to be Rossi, love me as much as I love you. I am as certain of that as I that the Sun rose in the East this morning.
Erin moved close enough to wrap her arms around his neck and brought her lips to his and gently kissed him. I am glad you know that. I wouldn't want you to ever have any doubts about my love. That might lead to you doing something utterly stupid, like seriously looking at another woman and then I'd have to kill you and I'd hate to do that. It would deprive me of my favorite toy she said reaching down between them and giving him a light squeeze.