So here's another story that has been on my mind lately. Once again I have to thank Kate aka flashpenguin for all of her help and interesting conversations. This story and the title are somewhat inspired by "The Only Exception" by Paramore. Keep an eye out for the next two parts of this story, cause I'm gonna try to finish this because I have to start packing. Much Love!

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For once in his life, David Rossi knew what he truly wanted more than anything else in the world, he wanted Emily Prentiss. He wanted a life with her; she meant more to him than any other before her. She didn't believe it, how could she, he had been married three times after all. Deep down, he knew Emily felt he wasn't serious, that this is just a whim, but it wasn't. His intentions were genuine but her fears were real.

She saw how unhappy her parents were while she was growing up; she had seen many a good- even wonderful- love go bad. It's not that Em didn't want Dave, she did. She just can't handle surrendering herself fully to another person. Her reasons were legitimate though but Dave's feelings were too.

For a man who was married three times, Dave Rossi should know his feelings, but now he was more confused than ever. He loved Emily, he knew that, he wanted her to be a part of his life, would she? They had never really talked about how they felt, and now that Dave felt that it was necessary, it might be too later. Of course he had doubts- all healthy relationships should at some point- but they never talked about them. Now he wanted to clear his doubts but lately Emily was drawing herself away from him, and he wondered why.

He had briefly wondered if a smart, beautiful woman like Emily Prentiss would want someone like him, would want to be with him, and would hopefully want to be a bigger part of his life. For once in his life, he didn't rush into the idea of love, it rushed to him. By their third date, he knew that Emily was the final one for him. He didn't rush into the idea of settling down either, much like he had before in all his past marriages, he put a lot of thought behind it. He wanted to be with Emily Prentiss, so one day he decided that he was going to tell her of his intentions, but her fears got in the way.

"I don't get it Em!" Dave shouted raising an eyebrow as well as his voice. "Really, I just don't."

"What's there not to get Dave?" Emily replied throwing her hands about in frustration.

"I want to be with you, is it that hard to believe?"

"Dave, you have been married three times; you are a world-class Lothario, you can't be serious."

"Damn it Emily! That's not me anymore!" Dave argued, furrowing his eyebrows in anger.

"That isn't true," Emily replied shaking her head slightly as her voice dripped with venom.

"Fuck! It is! That isn't me! This is me, right here right now."

"Don't try to placate me David," she said through clenched teeth.

"Damn Em, I care about you! Don't you know that?" Dave shouted.

"I know you do. And I think that deep down inside you may even love me. But that's not what I want. That's not what I need. Not from you." Emily replied in a slightly hushed tone.

"What do you need Em?" Dave asked stepping towards her.

"I'm sorry David. I can't do this. It sounds so cliché, but it's not you, it's me. " Emily said grabbing her purse and heading for the door. Dave stood there in his anger, confusion and rejection, watching silently as Emily Prentiss walked out of his door for the last time.

As soon as the tumblers clicked in the door, Dave was already pouring himself as glass of scotch. Dave knew that the scotch wouldn't take away the raging emotions but it could at least take the edge off the pain. So that's what he did, he drink just enough to forget, just enough to take the edge off. He also knew that the memories would come back in the morning, no matter how much he drink, so he sat alone in the silence of his house holding his empty scotch glass in his hand, staring at the bottle on the table.

Dropping her purse on the ground by the door, Emily shifted across the room towards the couch, where she planted herself and she finally began to feel sorry for herself. She thought about the things she had, the things she would miss, but she never once thought her decision was a mistake. She wished that things would be different and they could have worked out, but it couldn't, not between them.

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Sitting in his office, Dave glanced down at the beautiful brunette who was once part of his life outside of the team. She was happy, it had been months since she told him that 'it's not you, it's me', how long before he could find happiness too? Some profiler he is sometimes, little did he know, everyday at work, Emily put on a front, a false face, she wasn't happy, she was confused, had she done the right thing?

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"Rebecca Pruitt, 25," JJ started as the face of a pretty redhead popped up on screen, "was found yesterday morning in the prostitution district of LA. This is the 11th prostitute that has turned up in the past 2 months. All of them were raped, and stabbed multiple times. The Unsub also shaved their heads." JJ pressed the clicker as another picture came up on the screen.

"Well, he definitely has a type," Emily pointed out.

"He also has a signature," Dave added.

"Interracial rape crimes are rare, so we know that he is a Caucasian male between the ages of 20 and 40," Hotch observed before standing from his chair. "Wheels up in 30."

"Once we land, Reid, I want you on victimology with Garcia. Dave and Prentiss, you two go and interview Rebecca's parents. Morgan, you and I are going to the crime scene," Hotch said before everyone scattered to their respective spot.

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Dave and Emily sit in silence as they drive towards the Pruitt residence in Valley Village- a subsection of North Hollywood. Rounding the corner, Dave took a glance at his partner and tried to judge her mood. He had to ask her an important question and it was now or never.

"Em, I know how you feel about me, but I need to know that you have my back. I have to know that you can set aside our personal problems and will be there if I need you. You're my partner and I need to know that you trust me with your life. Can you do that Em?" Dave asked as the SUV came to a stop at the curb.

"Yes, it's my job." Emily opened the door and climbed out without a second glance at Dave.

"Emily! I'm serious. You have to put it aside." Dave said grabbing Emily's hand pulling her to a stop.

"I have put it aside Dave, everyday for months. I can do it," Emily replied as a wealth of emotions crossed her face. Then she pulled her hand away from Dave's.

He watched as Emily slipped back into Prentiss mode, for which he was glad, she was compartmentalizing, which was good for both of them.