Title: Sleepless Nights
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I don't own a thing, these characters belong to the usual suspects (network, creator, writers, actors and actresses).
Summary: Rossi can't sleeping thinking about all of the changes in his life recently. But it awoken by an unexpected surprise by Missus Rossi the fourth.
Notes: This has been burrowing in my brain for a while. It's just a quick stand alone. I have another couple ideas up my sleeve, but work and life are nutty at the moment so it might be a while before things are ready to be posted.
David Rossi was trying to fall asleep, but his mind was restless. Normally he would be thinking about work, but lately his mind was elsewhere. He stared at the bare back of the woman who was lying next to him. He wanted nothing more then to wake her with a tender kiss on her shoulder blade, but he knew she needed her rest. One of his favourite places on her body was her left shoulder where the tattoo of the word "dreamer" was written. It was simple and elegant just like the one whose skin it marked. Ever part of her body intrigued him but that night he was fixated on her back. Rossi knew that she would tell him it was likely because it was one of the few parts of her body which hadn't changed in the past months.
Although he tried to reassure her on a daily basis that her pregnant form was just as beautiful as she ever was she didn't tend to believe him. They had spent many nights discussing the changes in her body. She was usually horrified by them, while he thought every one was beautiful. Normally those talks would turn into his kissing and caressing those parts of her body she claimed to hate, and then hours of feverish love making. They both knew this would change when their new addition arrived, so they both took advantage of the time together while they could. As much as he knew that she needed her rest there were times where he needed to taste that woman as much as he needed air in his lungs.
Although he had been married three times previously he had never felt as strongly about any other woman he had been with. There was something very unique about the woman who now shared his bed, and had taken possession of his heart. He had never wanted to be a father before he had met her, but almost the second he had seen her he knew that if any woman was to be the mother of his children it would be her. It had taken them a long time to get to that point together, but he was glad for the journey. Rossi couldn't resist any longer. His lips gently brushed the back of her neck. She shivered at the brush of his beard against her skin.
"David," she sighed.
"Si, Stella Mia?" he asked before trailing kissing down her spine.
"I'm exhausted."
"I'll do all the work."
"You always promise me that, and you never deliver. I told you when we decided to do this you would have to accept the fact that there would be times I would have to tell you no. So far I have been very receptive to you, but tonight I just can't. You should rest too. Our son is going to decide he wants to meet us very soon."
"You're too beautiful to resist," he told her kissing her right under her tattoo.
"Sweet talking is not going to get me to change my mind. Your son has finally stopped moving for the night and we are not doing anything to get him started again. Do you understand me Mister Rossi?"
"Loud and clear Missus Rossi, loud and clear."
"You need to rest too." She took his hands and placed them on her very pregnant belly. "Just relax and think about becoming a father before you know it."
He kissed her neck softly, knowing how much she liked it. "Ti amo Stella Mia."
"You need to stop Dave. I love you too, very much, but I need to sleep."
"Please bella, you are so beautiful tonight I can't resist."
"You have to options right now. You stop and sleep or you go into the bathroom and let me sleep."
He sighed loudly. "I'm not going to change your mind?"
"Not tonight, as much as it pains me, I'm just too tired."
He moved his lips over hers. She kissed him back for a moment. She then pulled away reluctantly. Let his hands move to her belly again. She sighed happily and her eyes began to shut. Rossi took a deep breath and pulled her as close to him as he could. Taking in her scent a mix of oranges and apples, the smell of apples come from her hair, and the oranges came from her body wash. There was another sweet scent he couldn't figure out that came from her skin. He let his eyes close but he still wasn't able to fall asleep; he couldn't seem to shut off his brain.
His mind first wondered to the night they had taken their friendship a step further. It first occurred to him that the he might have stronger feelings for her after they had worked with Sam Cooper's team. After the way Mick Rawson had pursued her Rossi knew he had to make his move before he lost her for good. He had never been so jealous in his life and he was going to make her see she was different. She had been of the most beautiful and unique women he had ever met in his life and he knew he would never find another woman like her. After that case he knew that he would have to show her that he had changed since his days of being a hopeless womanizer; for whom certain FBI fraternisation policies had to be implemented.
He had started with simple gestures like getting her a coffee when he would get his own. After a few weeks of doing that he would sneak in seemingly harmless gestures like touching her hands, or putting his arms around her shoulder when he got the chance. It hadn't been easy to make the moves look casual at first, and it was not long before she had gotten wise to what he was doing. She finally called him out on it on the jet on the way back to Quantico one night when the rest of the team was asleep.
His heart still raced when he thought about that night. He had even been able to sneak a kiss from her on the plane, and no one had been the wiser. Their first kiss had been tentative and very nervous but it was a moment that was etched into his brain. He still remembered the way she smelled, the way she tasted, and the tiny moan that came out of her mouth the second he touched her. He remembered how she seemed to melt in his arms as soon as they touched. The only reason she had told him she'd pulled away was that she didn't want to get caught kissing a superior.
After that night their relationship had stalled slightly. She would go out of her way to avoid him when they were working. She would ask to work with Reid or Morgan before Hotch could hand out assignment. Any time they were alone she would excuse herself to the washroom. Finally after three weeks of playing cat and mouse, he decided to take matters into his own hands. David Rossi was not a man who balked at a challenge, and she was his biggest challenge yet. They were on a case in Iowa he had actually followed her into the ladies room.
He still smirked when he thought about the look on her face. She looked half shocked and half content. It was as if she had been testing him to see how long it would take for him to make such a bold move. The second they locked eyes his lips were on hers, and he practically slammed her against the counter in a fierce embrace. All she could do was succumb to his will. Their tongues were soon at battle, and had she not accidently set off the hand washer they probably would have ended up in their first sexual encounter on that very counter top.
After that case had wrapped he followed her home. As soon as they were inside her condo their lips were all over each. Clothes were flying everywhere, and he had shown her just what she had missing when it came to him. Those first few encounters had been so heated and passionate. He still thought that they were fairly passionate but there was something very exciting and unique about getting to know a new lover. The two of them had agreed that it would be best if they kept this new turn of events from their co-workers.
Of course, working with a group of the world's best profilers came with one very large flaw; it was impossible to keep anything from them. It was less than two weeks before the team knew about them, and confronted them wanting to know the truth. It took a few more months for their superiors to get wise to their changing relationship. After a few months of evaluations and observations by more government officials than they thought existed they were given the news that they were allowed to continue their relationship so long as it did not change the calibre of their work.
Section Chief Erin Strauss had made it very clear to Rossi in a private meeting that when, and she stressed the fact that it would be when and not if; he slipped up with this "Agent Prentiss matter" he would be forced back into retirement with no questions asked. The threat of being a retired man dating a much younger woman was enough for him to change his attitude toward this relationship. He had worked on his relationship with Emily Prentiss more than any other relationship he had been with in his life.
After six months he knew that she really was different from anyone he had ever dated before. He had taken her out for a nice dinner at her favourite restaurant. He had been able to talk to the chef, and had gotten him to agree to put the ring on her dessert plate, knowing that she could not resist chocolate dipped summer strawberries. Rossi had never gone to any great length to propose before. Normally his proposals would come after many months of listening to a woman wonder when he would make an "honest woman" of her. Prentiss had never once mentioned that. She seemed to be very happy where their relationship was. Still, Rossi needed to take the chance.
Rossi still remembered being nervous that night, as he waited for the desert to arrive. He knew that this was going to change everything. He had never been nervous before when he had asked a woman to marry him, because he knew the answer already. Prentiss was different there was no guarantee that she would agree. When the desert was placed in front of her it took her a moment to realise one of the berries was not dipped in chocolate and had a simple white gold emerald solitaire placed on it. She had looked up at him, uncertainty in her eyes. He tried to reassure her, and didn't even remember asking her the all important question. All he remembered was her answer, and placing the ring on her finger, where he knew it would stay for the rest of their lives.
Their wedding had been simple, which just the team in attendance at a small church which Rossi was a parishioner of. Prentiss had walked alone down the aisle, while their closest friends watched from the front two pews. She had worn a simple white halter gown and a tiara instead of a veil. Garcia had openly cried through the ceremony while JJ tried to be more discreet. They were congratulated by their team and were soon off to their honeymoon in Rome. In true Italian fashion Missus David Rossi the forth had come home for her honeymoon with child. He had never thought that finding out he would be a father would be so memorable, but he could not forget it.
Prentiss had been acting strangely since they had been back, and upon Hotch's insistence she had gone for a medical examination. Rossi had gone ahead on a custodial interview that had been set up for a death row inmate in Texas with Reid. When he had gotten home he was surprised to find an envelope taped to the door. He feared the worst as he went inside, but was glad his key still worked. Inside the envelope was a sonogram picture and a note from Prentiss telling him she was in their bedroom.
Rossi tried not to think about that night because he knew thinking about it would make him want to wake his sleeping wife. He knew that if he woke her again he would order himself a one way ticket to a very lonely night on the couch. Instead he tried to focus his attention on the future. He kept thinking about spending time with his future son playing sports, or if he had a daughter reading to her. The baby had been stubborn and was not in a position to tell the sex in any of the sonogram pictures that were taken. Rossi was just falling asleep when he felt his wife bolt upward in the bed.
"Dave," she gasped.
"What's wrong?" he asked, the colour draining from his face.
"I think it's time."
Prentiss was slowly getting up from their bed, while Rossi was looking for the phone to call the doctor. She changed into a maternity dress as quickly as she could, while Rossi pulled on a pair of jeans and t-shirt. He picked her hospital bag while she slipped on a pair of shoes. Rossi put his own shoes on then opened the door for her. When they got outside he also opened the car door for her. She eased herself into the car, taking deep breaths as they went toward the hospital.
Rossi was trying not to break every traffic law in the state as they went to the hospital. The whole thing seemed surreal to him. He couldn't believe that she was actually in labour, that their son would soon be born. Getting to the hospital had been a blur, until they were in the maternity ward and Prentiss was being hooked up to the monitors, since she was considered high risk. He watched the baby heart monitor, and was amazed by it. He was trying to help his wife, but mostly he felt in the way. He had promised her that he would be next to her through the whole delivery and he was going to keep that promise.
The doctor and nurses were running around trying to make her more comfortable. All he could do was hold her hand, and encourage her that everything was going to be fine, to try to distract her from the pain. He told her stories about the things they had done together, and tried to make her remember her own father. He hated to see her in so much pain, but they both knew that it would be worth it. The whole ten hours of labour all blurred together until he heard their son's first cries. It took him a moment to register that those were the first cries of the new life.
"Mister Rossi would you like to cut the cord?" the nurse asked.
"Yes," he said. The nurse showed him where to cut and he did it.
The nurse then laid the newborn on Prentiss' chest. There were tears falling down her cheeks. Rossi kissed her forehead softly, amazed by the tiny life that was in her arms. He gently touched the newborn's cheek. The new parents marvelled at the baby for a few long moments before the doctor had to take him to be examined. Rossi took his wife's hand as the doctors left. She laid her head against him and waited for the doctors to return with their son.
"Are you sure about the name?" Rossi asked her.
"Yes, Callum because we both like it, and neither of can think of an unsub or serial killer with that name. James for my father, David for his, and we agreed to hyphenate his name. If you back out now I'm never going to hyphenate my name.'
"All right Stella Mia, our first son will forever be known as Callum James David Prentiss-Rossi, and may god help him when he starts kindergarten."
She smiled at him. "I think it's perfect, just like him."
The doctor came back in, and gave the baby back to his mother. He told them his birth weight, and the results of all the tests they had done. All Rossi heard was that he had a perfectly healthy son with the woman he loved. The couple swooned over the newborn before their friends and family began to arrive, enjoying the time alone with him to get to know who he looked like, and wondering what he would be like. Every time Rossi tried to kiss his wife Callum would begin to fuss; which Rossi thought was adorable. Although it had taken him a long time to get to that point he knew he had had his first child with the right woman. As far as David Rossi was concerned his son was perfect and no one who valued his life would say anything more. He finally understood the bond between father and son, and knew that he had made the right choice in Emily Prentiss.
The End
Notes: Did anyone else catch Rossi put his arm around Prentiss while they were landing in Alaska? It kind of made this idea become a real plot bunny! Thanks in advance for any kind words, I hope you enjoyed.