First Christmas-Chapter 1

~This is set in the 'Family Ties' Universe and it takes place 4 months after the end of that story. It's not essential you read Family Ties first, but this story will make much more sense to you if you do.

~Thank you to everyone who voted for me in the Profiler's Choice Awards! Family Ties won best drama!


David Rossi was immersed in paperwork when he was interrupted by a knock on his open office door. He looked up and was not entirely surprised when he saw his one-time lover and current boss standing in the doorway; after all, their daughter had been at headquarters for over an hour and she'd yet to come and see her. Because of that, Dave knew she must have been stuck in a meeting.

"I heard she was here," Erin Strauss said as she came into his office before hearing his official invite. "What's wrong? It's the middle of the day, why isn't she in school?" Even though she was speaking to him, she was staring down at his office sofa at their fourteen year old sleeping daughter.

"She's had a cold for the last couple of days and she asked if she could come here after lunch instead of running around in gym class and then sitting through choir and study hall," he said from his desk. He caught her worried look and tried to reassure her. "It's just the tail end of a cold Erin, she's fine."

"Are you sure that's all it is?" She asked, concern flooding her voice as she knelt down and felt her daughter's forehead. "She feels warm, David!"

The profiler rolled his eyes; he knew it was hard on Erin not having Katie with her full-time, but she did not need to get worked up over a simple cold. "Of course she's warm Erin," he said, trying to keep the mild annoyance he felt out of his voice, "Maintenance has been keeping this place like an oven lately. Hell, she could be lying there in shorts and a t-shirt and still feel warm."

They both stared down at their daughter who was slowly waking up. "Hi mom," she said sleepily as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Hi honey, how are you feeling?" Strauss asked as she sat down next to her on the sofa and rubbed her back. "Your dad told me you've been sick?"

The teen nodded, "Yeah, but I feel better now." Her statement would have been somewhat convincing if she hadn't ended it with a coughing fit.

"You need to see a doctor," Erin said in a tone that left no room for argument.

"What?" Katie said as she tried to catch her breath. "No I don't! Daaaaaadddd!"

Dave heard the pleading and whining in his daughter's voice and sympathized with her; they both HATED going to the doctor. "It's the tail end of a simple cold Erin; I'm not dragging her into the doctor's office for just that. If she's still coughing at the end of the week I'll take her in, but not before then."

"Fine," Erin grumbled, but deep down she knew she was over reacting. She couldn't help it; after having a daughter who was sick for the first nine years of her life, she tended to think the worst when her loved ones became ill. "Why don't you try to sleep some more, sweetie? I need to talk to your dad for a few minutes." She put the pillow on her lap and helped Katie lay down again. Almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, the teen's eyes closed and soon she was dozing.

"There's been a slight change of plans for Christmas," Erin said after a few minutes of watching her daughter sleep.

Dave raised his eyebrows; the BAU had managed to get Christmas Day and New Year's Day off and both he and Erin were using some of their banked vacation time to spend with their kids during their school break. The plan was for Erin and her daughters to join him and Katie at his opulent cabin for the first two weeks of their three week holiday break. He wondered what had changed.

"Timothy's parents called me yesterday," she continued. "They would like to see the girls for a few days during their Christmas break." Timothy was her psychotic ex-husband who had kidnapped her and Katie and had held them captive for a day before shooting her and injuring her daughter. He had been killed when the BAU had stormed the garage he had been holding them in.

"Oh," he said nonchalantly, but inside he fervently hoped that she wasn't going to change the plans too much since Katie had really been looking forward to spending Christmas with both of her families.

"Yes and they have always been close to the girls and they've treated them well and I don't want the girls to lose that bond with them so they're leaving on Saturday and they won't be back until Wednesday."

"Okay," he said, "That's not so bad, the four of you can join Katie and I at the cabin when they get back."

"No," Katie said as she sat up again. She'd been dozing, but not very heavily and she'd heard her parent's conversation. "Can't mom come up with us on Sunday? Why should she be all alone here?"

"Katie, maybe your dad wants to spend some one-on-one time with you; it's okay, I'll be fine by myself." Erin was already planning on coming into work those days in order to take her mind off of the fact that her girls were away from her.

"But he gets to see me all of the time!" She protested. It wasn't as though she didn't love her father or the time she got to spend with him, it's just that she didn't see her mother as much and, when she did, her three sisters were always competing for equal time. It would be nice to spend time with just her mom.

"It's fine with me if you want to join us as planned, Erin," Dave said with a shrug.

Strauss just sat on the sofa in mild shock; if someone would have told her a year ago that she would be sitting in David Rossi's office with him and their daughter trying to convince her to join them on a vacation, she would have suggested they check themselves into the nearest mental facility. It was just over a year ago that the three of them were barely on speaking terms, but a lot had happened since then and she was pleased that they were comfortable enough with each other to get to this point.

"Okay," she finally nodded. "I'll meet you at your townhouse bright and early on Sunday so we can all drive together."

"Great!" Katie said enthusiastically before another coughing fit shook her. Dave could see Erin was looking at her with a worried expression again, so he jumped in before she could say anything more about Katie visiting a doctor.

"Don't you have a meeting with the director in 10 minutes, Erin?"

Strauss glanced at her watch. "I do," she affirmed with a nod of her head as she stood up. She gave her daughter a kiss to the forehead, helped her lay back down and then headed for the door. "You promise you'll have her see a doctor if she gets any worse?"

Dave held up three fingers. "Scout's honor," he promised.

Strauss snorted and left his office and he grinned as he heard her mumble her disbelief at anyone letting him into the scouts. Once Erin's voice was out of range, he looked over at Katie and found her grinning at him.

"Mom seems to have some doubts about your ability to take care of me," she remarked sleepily.

"Maybe I should remind her that you've made it fourteen years without any piercings, tattoos or visits to any jails."

"Do you really think that will appease her?" Katie asked.

"No," he said with a sigh. "I've got a couple more things to finish and then we'll be able to leave; can you make it until then, Belle?"

The teen nodded and snuggled down into the sofa," I'm fine dad." She quickly fell back to sleep except this time she had a small smile on her face.