AN: How can a mere 4 hours of orientation turn my finely tuned mind to mush? After over 4 hours of recovery, I'm finally ready to write. Hope I can bang this out in a timely manner so I can post it tonight as I promised!
MN: She wants to write. I wants to nap. Damn her for controlling the body, she wins.
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"What do you mean we have a problem, Derek Morgan?" Emily tried not to laugh as Garcia stared down Morgan as he leaned in her doorway.
"I mean, we have a problem with the accommodations I promised you for Prentiss this morning." He looked tired to her. She'd have to corner him later and find out what the deal was.
"Define the nature of the problem. And you better talk fast, Hot Stuff." Garcia was holding her pen so tight that it looked like it might snap in her hand.
"It's not my fault, P! My Momma just called and informed me that she and Sarah and Desi are already here! Let herself into my damned house and took over! Told me they wanted to surprise me."
Garcia choked out a strangled laugh. "Oh, I'd say it worked. Surprised. But with them there, you'll be on your own couch. Where are we supposed to put Em?"
Emily shook her head. She didn't understand what the big deal was anyway. She had planned on getting a hotel from the get-go but Garcia and JJ had insisted otherwise. She opened her mouth to say as much but didn't get the chance.
"She can stay with me." The deep voice that seeped in from the hallway behind Morgan could only belong to David Rossi, and a moment after he spoke he slid into the room past the younger man.
Garcia looked momentarily relieved before shaking her head. "There is no way you have any more spare rooms in the cabin of yours. You're full to the brim with JJ and Will's families."
Rossi barked out a laugh. "You think I'm crazy enough to be staying there myself? Oh no. Until this is all over, I am firmly parked in my condo fifteen minutes away. And there, I do have extra space."
Stuck in a confined space with him wasn't exactly where Emily wanted to be, but seeing as she knew Garcia would never let her stay in a hotel, she didn't feel like she had a choice. "Thanks, but I don't want to impose."
He turned from Garcia to look at her, his distinctive half grin crooking onto his lips. "It wouldn't be an imposition. Gives me a reason to spend less time at Little Creek. So, actually, you'd be rescuing me."
"It's settled then. You can swing by and pick her up on your way out. Now, I have miracles that my babies and I must get worked. Be gone, menfolk!" Emily laughed as Garcia punctuated her words with a wave of her hand.
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Emily finished brushing out her long, damp hair and set the brush on the vanity before walking back in to the bedroom adjoining the bathroom. Normally she would have insisted on helping Rossi with dinner, but after the long international flight and fighting the time change for several hours now, the hot shower he suggested had sounded perfect.
She exchanged her towel for a pair of pajama pants and one of her well-worn FBI t-shirts. She returned the fluffy fabric to the bathroom and turned off the light before heading back downstairs.
One thing she could say for Rossi, the man had taste. This was a place he generally only visited to sleep and it was still packed with simple luxury. Extra plush carpets, expensive mattresses with Egyptian cotton sheets, soft leather chairs and sofas, and a Jacuzzi tub in the master bath. She planned on borrowing that before she had to leave again.
She found him, as expected, in the kitchen. The simmering saucepan on the stove smelled divine and her stomach rumbled audibly, attracting his attention. You're just in time. Taste this."
He raised a spoon from the pan, cupping his hand under it as he stretched it toward her. She took a couple of steps toward him and he brought it to her lips. The creamy tomato sauce tasted even better than the scent had suggested and she couldn't help the small hum of appreciation that slipped from her as she swallowed. "What is that? It's amazing!"
She caught the smile on his lips as he turned back to the stove. "It's a family secret. Mama Rossi would have me taken out if I spilled the beans. Sorry. But the good news is: it's ready. There's a bottle of wine on the table if you want to pour. Let me just toss this with the capellini and asparagus and I'll be right there."
She wandered from the kitchen to the dining room. He'd already set the table and uncorked the wine. She poured them each a glass and slid into a chair. There was already a basket of warm crusty bread on the table. How he'd managed to put together a gourmet meal while she'd showered and changed was beyond her. Cooking was definitely not her thing and with the hours she worked…
She was still trying to figure out when the last time she'd had a home cooked meal was when he entered the room, a steaming bowl of pasta in his hand. "You didn't have to do all this, Dave. Thanks."
He was smiling again as he sat next to her at the head of the table, setting the bowl on the dark wood. "I know. But I also know the last time you had real food was probably that last night before you left for London."
Now it was her turn to smile, but the action felt sad.
Rossi had insisted on hosting her going away party. Garcia had laid down a firm rule for the evening that no one was allowed to be sad, and they hadn't. They'd all pitched in to make dinner, even Jack and Henry. Then they had eaten, laughed over glasses of wine, and chatted for hours. It wasn't until Reid had yawned that anyone had realized it was nearly 2am.
JJ and Will had exited first, Will carrying their son to the car while she hugged JJ tightly. Neither of them had cried, both only managing the feat because the other had. Then Hotch and Beth had gone. Thankfully, that goodbye wasn't as emotional. Probably because they both shoved their feelings into matching little boxes before they said a word.
Morgan, Garcia, and Reid had left together. And that had been when she'd lost it. Reid had bailed when he started tearing up after hugging her, but Morgan had to practically drag Garcia away. As for herself, she'd closed the door behind them before moving from tears to full-fledged sobs.
Rossi had been the pinnacle of understanding in that moment. Instead of trying to calm her so he could shoo her from his home, he had comforted her. His hand had grasped her gently and led her back to the couch, sitting then pulling her down in his lap. And then, he'd cradled her while she cried, saying nothing.
When she'd exhausted her supply of tears he'd continued to hold her until she was ready. He'd walked her to the door and pulled her into a tight hug. "Buon viaggio."
She'd simply nodded at his wish for her to travel safely, afraid that if she'd spoken she would lose control again. She leaned up and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek before mumbling her thanks and turning to leave.
In reality, that had been the hardest goodbye for her. She knew she would hear from the others often, even Hotch. He wouldn't be able to resist his brotherly urge to check up on her. But she and Rossi never had communicated much outside the confines of the team. And it was that thought that made her pull over on the road halfway home to cry again.
She'd been right. While the others had called, texted, and Skyped with her, she and Rossi had exchanged short, casual emails. Nothing extremely personal had ever been discussed. And that in itself was odd to her. He was the one person who knew more about her than any other, yet they discussed things like the weather and work.
"Emily?"
His voice made her realize that she'd been completely lost in thought, so much so that she hadn't noticed him fill her plate with food. "Sorry. I was thinking. I'm pretty sure you're right."
He chuckled as he raised his wineglass. "I usually am."
With a smile, she raised hers to tap his. "That you are." She took a sip of the wine, closing her eyes for a moment to revel in the taste before setting the glass down and reaching for her fork. "Now, about this pasta…"
She knew he was watching her as she scooped up a bite, taking care to get both a piece of chicken and asparagus on her fork. She put the food into her mouth and groaned at the flavor. She chewed slowly, savoring the bite. When she finally swallowed, she glanced back over at Rossi. He was staring at her oddly. A look she had caught on his face from time to time over the years but it never lasted long enough for her to figure out, and tonight was no exception.
"I take it you approve?" He took a bite of his own as she chewed a second bite.
"This is almost enough to make a girl reconsider moving four thousand miles away."
He paused, fork halfway to his mouth and hitched one eyebrow upward. "Almost?"
She grinned at him. "Add the bread and it's definitely worth pondering." She crunched into the ciabatta as he laughed.
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AN: There, as promised, finished tonight. Now it's time for me to get to sleep. Will try to update again tomorrow.