Author: Ren Kayashima
Genre: Family/Thriller/ Mystery
Rating: T
Summary: A look into one of Rossi's ex-wives reveals a big surprise.
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that were created for the purpose of CBS's show Criminal Minds. So sad… I do, however, own Rori and her friends, so that should be good…right?
0o0o0o0
Prologue:
Christine Rossi liked to think of herself as a good person. She was polite to people when having a conversation, even if she disagreed with their personal beliefs. She was an Irish-American, and was raised Catholic, even if she didn't go to church on a weekly basis. She went when she really needed to, but found that the comfort of at-home prayer to be more relaxing than that of a church atmosphere. She had long black hair that fell in slight ringlets, and piercing blue eyes that she used every time she stepped foot in a court room.
She liked her coffee black, and she almost always doused the caffeinated beverage with spoonfuls of sugar before she would even put the hot liquid in her mouth. It was at a coffee shop that she had met her first and only husband.
She had married David Rossi believing that the love that she felt for him could surpass any obstacle that would come the couple's way. However, like most of the wives who had a husband in the FBI, she dreaded that day she would get the call. The phone call that told her that David had died in the line of duty.
She never wanted to get that call, and that was the reason she found herself in an expensive law firm. She and her husband were seated in a conveniently soundproof conference room looking at each other. Christine kept her poker face in place, as David sat confused, and just a tad angry.
"Why can't we just work this out?" Dave asked suddenly. He wasn't about to let his second marriage fall apart like the first one did.
Christine wasn't going to work anything out. She couldn't do it anymore, and she had tried to explain this to Dave. "Dave, I can't be the wife of a man who chases serial killers and rapists," Christine stated with an angry sigh. "I'm not strong enough to stomach the thought of being a widow this early in life. I'm sorry, Dave," she said looking at her hands. "I'm not asking for anything, I just want a divorce, and then I'm going to move to California."
"I can go into early retirement," Dave said. This was the last chance to stop Christine from walking out on him.
"I was offered a partnership at a really good firm. I'm taking it." Christine said. "Dave, I hate to admit it, but you belong at the FBI as a profiler. You're probably the best the FBI has seen in a long time. However, I can't be the wife of the best. I really wish I could be, but I can't. I can't sit at home wondering if you're going to come back to me," she had started to cry. She quickly wiped her tears away with a flick of her finger, and looked at him. "Please just sign the damn papers."
Dave shook his head and grabbed a pen off the table. He couldn't believe that he was getting another divorce. Maybe he should throw all thoughts of being married away. His soon to be ex-wife's lawyer slid the life changing document across the table. Dave flipped through the pages and looked at the last page somberly. As he began to sign, Christine stood up and left the room.
When Christine's lawyer left the room Dave turned in his seat to look at his friend and representation. "I don't get it. A month ago, we were good, great in fact. I thought she was happy. I was happy."
"Yeah, and three weeks ago you dodged yet another bullet from one of those criminals you chase," his lawyer pointed out. Dave called him in two days after that when Christine had served him with divorce papers.
Dave sighed as he leaned back in his seat. "Thank you, Mason."
"No problem, Dave. Take care," Mason smiled as he closed up his briefcase.
Dave left the conference room and watched Christine's elevator doors close. It would be the last time he saw her.
0o0o0o0
Christine sat in her doctor's office. The stress of the divorce had caught up to her and she was starting to feel sick. She was looking around when her doctor came in.
"Well Mrs. Rossi-"
"Miss Morre. My divorce was finalized today."
The doctor looked at his papers once more and nodded. "You might want to talk to your ex then. It isn't stress that's making you sick. You're pregnant, I'd say about six weeks."
"Excuse me?" Christine asked slowly. That's not possible. Six weeks ago we didn't… date night. She sighed as she realized that it was entirely probable for her to be pregnant. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," the doctor laughed. "You're most certainly pregnant. Congrats."
"Thank you," Christine said after a moment. She blew her bangs out of the way. "I can go now?"
"Yes, I want you to get some prenatal vitamins. Have a good day, Christine."
Christine left the clinic and found her much younger sister, Kate, waiting in the parking lot. Like Christine, Kate had the same black hair and blue eyes. "So, what's the verdict?" Kate asked laughing at her own humor. It was always fun to remind Christine that she was a lawyer with simple cliché statements.
Christine sat down in the passenger seat tiredly. "I'm pregnant."
"What?" Kate asked. After a minute she shook her head and sunk back into her seat. "Holy shit sis, you have to tell Dave."
"That's the last thing I'm going to do. I don't want him trying to make something work that will never work. I'm going to California just like I planned. As long as I'm alive, I'm not telling David, and neither are you."
"But he's the baby's father," Kate argued. She didn't feel comfortable with this. A part of her wanted to run to the Academy and tell her brother-in-law. Well, ex-brother-in-law.
"I don't care," Christine stated angrily. She hated how her sister tended to be the one who would call her on her action. This time Kate's plea wasn't reaching her. She was going to keep this secret, even if it killed her. "I'm not telling him. I'll raise this child on my own if I have to."
"You don't have to do that," Kate sighed as she turned the key in the ignition. "You have friends in California. A couple of college professors, right?" she asked.
Christine nodded. She had gone to college with them, and they moved across the country as soon as they graduated. "I have to get some prenatal vitamins."
Kate nodded. "Okay," she said. "I don't like this. I don't like this at all," the younger sibling stated as she shook her head.
Christine crossed her arms and looked out the window. "You don't have to."
