AN: This story was written for flashpenguin for the CCOAC Christmas Gift Fic Exchange. Her wonderful prompts were – Song: A Christmas to Remember; Items: a last-minute tree, an unexpected snowfall, a homemade angel.
This will be four chapters. Flashpenguin, I really hope you like it, and that you have a truly blessed Christmas.
Chapter 1 - A Last-Minute Tree
As she made the drive out to David Rossi's beautiful home, Emily Prentiss reflected on how perfect the location was for the team's Christmas dinner planned for the following night. When he'd realized everyone had plans to spend the actual holiday weekend out of state, Rossi had proposed they all get together at his home on the Sunday before Christmas. Emily had offered to help him decorate and they'd planned for her to come over on Saturday afternoon.
Driving past houses covered in twinkling lights, Emily bit her lip absentmindedly. She found her mind wandering even more, the carols playing quietly on the radio not enough to hold her attention. So many things had changed in just one short year. She felt as though a dozen years had passed since the last Christmas, instead of only one. Still, she didn't want to dwell on the painful memories, preferring instead to focus on how much better this December was turning out to be.
As difficult as things had been for the team in the past few months, no one had done more than Rossi to try to keep them together. Not so much as a working team – they were professionals, after all – but more as a group of friends with a shared history. It had been a slow process, but it was working. Forced to confront some difficult truths, the team was becoming even closer.
Emily wished she could say the same about her relationship with the enigmatic senior profiler. Oh, they were definitely better friends; after all, Dave had confided in her when his ex-wife, Carolyn, had briefly re-entered his life. He'd spoken to her, Emily, of his hopes and wishes for his relationship with Carolyn. Later, he'd told her of the pain of losing Carolyn and of the utter heartbreak of losing his newborn son. He'd said he felt he could talk to her about it, because he knew she could empathize. Emily had understood his unspoken reference to her own loss, and had given him the support of her listening ear whenever he seemed to want it.
Still, an ache of a different sort had taken up residence inside her heart. Dave clearly still loved his ex-wife, and Emily understood it meant she could only aspire to being his friend. It was a painful thought, because she wanted to be so much more to him.
The rest of the drive passed in a blur of memory and misguided hope, and Emily made the turnoff into Dave's long driveway as she tried to shake off the slight sadness that, left unchecked, could overtake her hopes for a wonderful weekend. Stepping out of the car, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, relishing the chill in the air.
The sound of the front door made her turn around to see Dave waiting in the doorway with a slight smile on his face. He wore his trademark jeans, but the shirt and jacket were replaced with a navy blue sweater that emphasized his fit upper body. Emily's heart did a tiny flip, which she resolutely ignored as she walked up the front steps.
"Prentiss, you made it!" Dave greeted her with a quick hug and ushered her into the warmth of the house.
"Of course," Emily grinned as she slipped out of her stylish black swing cape and hung it up. "Couldn't leave you to do all the decorating by yourself, could I?"
Instead of responding, Dave let out an appreciative wolf-whistle. "Now that is a very good look on you, Agent Prentiss."
One eyebrow quirked as he took in her knee-high black boots, skinny jeans and fitted red sweater liberally sprinkled with tiny white snowflakes.
Emily could feel the blush heating her cheeks. To divert his attention from her embarrassment, she simply said, "Thanks. Now … what about that decorating?"
Dave led the way into the lounge. "Well, there really isn't that much to do … just the garlands for the stairs, the wreaths for the doors and" – he turned around to wink at her – "the mistletoe."
Emily laughed. "Uh huh … and who do you plan to catch with that little trick?"
"Who knows?" Dave smirked. "Could be anyone … we'll see who gets lucky."
In the lounge, Emily looked around while Dave went over to check the fireplace. There were candles and cards on the mantel over the fireplace; all that was missing was maybe some holly for greenery. The television was on, though the volume was low. Still, Emily could recognize one of her favorite movie scenes – Scrooge waking up on Christmas morning.
As she studied the room, Emily couldn't help feeling there was something missing, but it didn't exactly hit her until she took a deep breath … then she realized. There was no smell of evergreen … there was no Christmas tree.
"Where's your Christmas tree?"
"What?" Dave asked as he walked back towards her.
"Your Christmas tree." Emily repeated patiently.
"Oh … oh, I don't have one."
"What do you mean you don't have a tree?" Emily Prentiss was incredulous as she looked around the room again, as though expecting one to suddenly materialize.
"What's hard to understand about that?" David Rossi muttered, "I just don't have a tree."
"But … why? It's Christmas. You've got to have a tree. Christmas isn't Christmas without a tree!"
"I haven't had one in years. I just never saw the need."
"Well, you need one now!" Emily stated firmly. "Look at it like this … either we go out and get you a tree, or you spend the entire party explaining to everyone why you don't have one."
When Dave still looked doubtful, Emily added in a quiet tone that somehow gave her words even more impact, "Just imagine what PG would say."
Dave's eyes widened in horror. "Okay, okay … we need to go get a tree."
Laughing softly, Emily headed back to the foyer to get her cape. Snagging Dave's coat first, she tossed it to him, and then slid hers on and buttoned it up. "You're driving. We're gonna need the truck."
Five minutes later, they were headed into town to scour the lots for the perfect Christmas tree.