Author's Note: Just a short story to promote the Profiler Choice Awards. Check out the info at the end!

Scared

"Emily?"

"Hello, Dave," she muttered from where she sat on the kitchen counter. "I hope you don't mind that I let myself in."

Rossi moved his arm, only to stop after a few inches, almost as if he had wanted to reach out to her, but thought better of it. "What are you doing here?"

Emily rubbed her palms in circles. "I have to talk to you."

"You have to talk to me? Now?" Rossi's eyes burned with fury. "You fly in, all the way from England without a word to anyone three months ago and we have the best weekend I've had in a long time, possibly ever! But then you! You leave in the middle of the night without a word! You won't return my phone calls, my e-mails, my text messages! But, now, NOW, you want to talk?!"

"Yes," she replied, quietly.

Rossi threw his hands up. "Then talk."

Emily studied him. "I'm sorry... for leaving you... like that. I'm sorry for leaving you like that."

"Why did you?" he asked, pointedly.

"You scare me," Emily mumbled, staring at the ground.

Rossi stepped in front of her, raising her chin with his finger. "I scare you?"

She nodded, tears in her eyes. "I've had lovers and I've had friends. I have never had anyone that I could put in both categories before. Even in the... relationships that I've had in the past, I've held a piece of myself away. But you, you know all of my secrets. You have seen my highs and my lows and you're still here with me. I found myself, for the first time, falling for someone, for you, and I know, I know that if I started something with you, it would be everything. And yes, that scares me."

"You should have talked to me about it." Rossi cupped her cheek, brushing her skin with his thumb.

"I can't think when I'm around you," Emily whispered. "The blood rushes to my head and I can only concentrate on the feel of your lips on mine."

He moved even closer, his face mere inches from hers. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

Emily licked her lips. His scent overwhelmed her senses and she felt a little light-headed. "It is when I don't trust myself."

"Do you trust me?" Rossi growled in her ear. Emily nodded, unable to speak. "Then, trust us."

"Okay," she sighed, blissfully."

Rossi leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. He nearly stumbled backward at the intensity of the kiss. Heat raced through his veins and he struggled to not rip her clothes off and have her right there on the kitchen table.

"Wait! Wait!" Emily protested, pushing against his shoulders.

Rossi jumped, pulling away from her. He left his hands on her knees, unwilling to completely break contact with her. She seemed to have the same issue as she kept one hand on his arm.

"I-" Emily shook her head. "Shouldn't we talk about this? Where we're going? How this is going to work when we're thousands of miles apart."

"I love you, Emily. I let you get away once and I'm not letting it happen again. If that means quitting the BAU and chasing you halfway across the world, then that's what I'm going to do," Rossi told her. "You're stuck with me. Got it?"

Emily nodded, a smile breaking out across his face. "Got it. Oh, and I love you, too."

Rossi grinned. "Good. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to the kissing."

"I don't mind at all."

END

NOMINATIONS HAVE STARTED FOR PROFILER'S CHOICE CRIMINAL MINDS FANFIC AWARDS! Calling all CM readers and authors! Join us for the annual Profiler's Choice CM Awards on! Help us choose the best of the best of the CM stories on, and let your voice be heard. Please check out the nomination ballot and rules at the ProfilerChoiceAwards2013 Forum. All rules and information are on the forum. Nominations are due October 31st. All entries with ten or more categories filled out are eligible to win one of two Amazon gift cards!

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