"Hmm. Kill Bill, Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line, endless femme spy TV shows and… more WWII drama's…" Rossi finished reading the many titles stacked neatly in the cabinet. Emily was blushing a little, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. "Emily. Where are your romantic dramedies?" He looked up over his shoulder with a wicked grin. "I think you know me better than that." She covered her embarrassment with her glass, full tilt.
"Gone with the Wind. That's the only romantic drama in here. An excellent choice, of course." He plucked it from the shelf and set about figuring her entertainment system out.
After a few painful seconds of watching him fumble around with the multiple remote controls, she kneeled down beside him. "Here. You are no Garcia…" He allowed her to show him up and smiled openly at the slight. Getting up and mentally cursing his age at the pain in his knee's he made himself at home on the obviously well used portion of the couch. The DVD started to play and she had adjusted the volume, only hesitating a millisecond at her shock that he was in her favorite spot on the couch. Of course. She sat next to him, in the middle, away from her favorite arm rest where she laid her head most nights until she fell asleep. Unconsciously she reached behind her for the throw blanket that was neatly folded between the window seal and the back of the couch.
Another world treasure. Looks Celtic…Maybe from Ireland. He boldly grabbed the other end of it to share. Emily couldn't decide if she was horrified or pleased, so she settled with a half grin at the TV. Dave noticed, out of the corner of his eye, which made him grin at the TV too.
One of the first few scenes with Scarlett O'Hara and her father arguing about her love interest had Emily grinning and almost forgetting her coworker sitting under the same blanket in her living room, drinking her wine. She almost forgot until she became aware of his eyes on her. "There, there, it will come to you, this love of the land. There's no getting away from it if you're Irish." Gerald O'Hara was comforting his daughter. "She's kind of a brat." He stated simply. Emily gave him a look and smacked his knee. "She's fourteen! Give her a break!"
Emily Prentiss, you have no idea how dangerous that was. Rossi was having a hard time concentrating on the movie. On breathing evenly. He wasn't close enough to her. He wanted to be closer. He could smell a strong mixture of her perfume and shampoo all around him. Must be this blanket… He moved the blanket closer up his chest. Yes… that's all Emmy…
Mammy came on the screen: "What gentlemens say and what they thinks is two different things, and I aint noticed Ashley askin for ta marry ya!"
At this, Emily audibly snorted.
"Always, even in these old movies, us men are the brunt of bad, mean jokes." Rossi waved at the TV indignantly. "But there is truth in that statement. And it's because men are swine, in general." She gave her best know-it-all look.
Still holding her eye contact he pointedly asked "Is Tyler swine, then?" She was visibly caught off guard, her mouth slowly opening then closing again. "That isn't fair, Ross." "You're right. I'm sorry." Finishing his glass, she took the opportunity to do the same to close the awkward gap. "For my part," he took her empty wine glass and stood. "I am part swine." He smiled lopsidedly and she couldn't help but smile back. He retreated to the kitchen, probably to find more wine. A small alarm went off in the back of her head. You have probably had enough to drink… God his smile…Why would he call himself swine? Does it have something to do with whatever he's dealing with tonight? Self guilt perhaps? He is so beautiful when he smiles like that… he couldn't be swine. Not my Ross. She startled herself with the my. I can't say my… he isn't mine. He never will be. He's here tonight to talk to a friend, he's just edging around something… she felt the boil starting up again. He came back with two full glasses. The movie was playing the scene at the barbeque, enter Rhett Butler. She felt timid as he sat next to her, maybe a little closer than before? He didn't pick the blanket back up to put over his lap. She felt irrationally disappointed at this.
Back in the kitchen Rossi had found the reserve bottle of Cabernet she had forgotten about, under the kitchen sink. A Christmas present from years ago by the looks of the green and red ribbon around it and the layer of dust on the top… Now to find a cork screw. Randomly opening kitchen drawers he bemumsedly found her "junk drawer". Everyone has one. Half juiced batteries, old Christmas cards, chords that might be chargers of old cell phones, glittery pens that reminded him of Garcia. No cork screw. As he was about to close it, something black caught his eye. A jewelry box. He knew he shouldn't look but even as he was staring at the inanimate thing his heart was sinking to depths he hadn't felt in years. To hell with it. He grabbed the thing and flung it open and his worst fears confirmed: A large and very glittery solitaire diamond ring shone up at him. He felt his gut wrench and he knew he was wearing a tortured look on his face. Goddamn you, Rossi, you're too late. That prick isn't celebrating a fucking promotion he's celebrating an engagement. But then why isn't she wearing it? She was at work today, of course she wouldn't have been wearing it. Okay, David. Suck it up. Straighten up your face. She can't know you've been snooping around. And she'll never know how much you love her either. She's going to marry that son of a bitch. It's what she's always wanted. To be married. To have a family. Let her have what she wants. Let her be happy. Don't meddle in her happiness. Back off. You shouldn't even be here tonight.
"I found your reserve Cabernet. Excellent year." He raised his glass to hers.
"What are we toasting?" She was trying to look anywhere but the loose side of the throw between them. It wasn't like they were actually any closer when he was under it.
"Oh I don't know. Swine getting the pearls or something like that." His smile seemed sad.
Clinking the glass she couldn't help notice he didn't take a drink right away. That is bad luck, she wanted to say. Instead, looking forward at the movie she willed her thoughts away from the throw. Time to zone out a little bit, relax her mind that was in over drive. Focus on the movie. But she couldn't focus. He still hadn't taken a drink from his glass, in fact he had set it on the in table next to him and was now rubbing his forehead like he might have a headache. "Ross? Are you okay?" She looks concerned. Don't make her concerned. "Think I'm getting a headache." He lied. She got up immediately and went for some pain killers. "It's fine, Emily, I'll be fine. I should get going soon." Emerging from her bathroom where she left the medicine cabinet open she held up two name brands "Which do you prefer?" he stood up and gently took the bottle in her right hand.
"Thanks. You don't have to do that." He smiled, again, sadly. What is wrong with him? Something is wrong… maybe he finally wants to talk about whatever is bothering him. So much for cuddling fantasies… oh god did I really just… "I'll get you some water. Sit back down." She said it more firmly than she meant, and he was a little taken aback, but he did as she said. When she came back from the kitchen with a glass of ice water her face was stricken. "Rossi. You need to talk to me. I can't be a good friend if I don't know what is bothering you." With a defeated look he took the water and downed the pills.
"Nothing is wrong with me. Really. Like I said, I just wanted some company." His smile didn't convince her. "You're a lousy liar." She leaned back into the couch, sideways, facing him and unknowingly pulling the throw blanket half back into her lap and half over him. Her knee's were practically in his lap. Relax, she's just trying to be a comforting friend… it means nothing… she thinks something is wrong… something IS wrong. She can't marry that prick. But she's going to and I have to accept it.
"Emily, I wanted to see you tonight. I could have showed up at Aaron's or Derek's just as easily but… you are… easy… to be around. I wanted some company. And I thank you for being patient with me tonight." He smiled deeply this time, like a friend with genuine gratitude. Just a friendly visit. Her heart was starting to ache. Through her knee's on his thighs she felt the heat of him and she wanted to be closer. He put a hand on her knee and turned up the TV a little. She couldn't breathe. She faked concentration on the movie for the rest of the night and his hand never moved and even when she had to use the bathroom she refused to move, because she needed that contact so badly it made her want to cry.
When the first disc ended she looked over at David and saw that he had fallen asleep, much to her disappointment. What did I expect? Did I really want… to… cuddle? To feel his arms around me… yes… that is exactly what I want… David, oh my god, David… please wake up and see how much I want you… a single tear rolled down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away. She couldn't have him, he considered her just a friend. For a brief moment she wickedly contemplated purposefully waking him up with some kind of "accidental" fall into his lap. But then she remembered with horrifying clarity that she was wearing flannel pajama pants and a tattered old academy tee. Oh my god, I must look so gross… turning off the movie she leaned back to the other side of the couch and let herself fall asleep.
She was standing in her kitchen, and Tyler and Rossi were both standing there glaring at each other and whatever scene she had just appeared in was about to get ugly. "Why did you come to Emily's apartment in the middle of the night! What kind of a co worker does that!" Tyler was shouting at Rossi who was making a face between glaring and bemusement at Tyler's reaction. "Answer me you son of a bitch! What do you want with my fiancé!" Emily had her hand on his chest "Tyler! Calm down! He's just a friend! We had a rough case…" but Tyler shoved her hand away. "I don't believe you! You love him! You wish it was him who gave you that ring!" Tyler was now edging closer to her, anger and pain and jealousy all over his face. She was backing up, backing up in her tiny kitchen when Rossi grabbed Tyler by the back of the shirt and effortlessly flung him like a rag doll through into the living room. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to raise your voice to a lady?" Rossi's voice was silky, low and dangerous. Like a hiss. Emily now put her hand to Rossi's turned shoulder. "He would never hurt me, Ross. He knows. He knows. He knows." She started sobbing uncontrollably at the impossibility of everything going on in her and she was horrified that they were both watching her cry and try to speak incoherently through her tears. Putting her ringed hand to her face she sobbed even harder seeing it there. It was too late. "He knows. He knows. He knows!"
With a jolt, Emily woke up to David Rossi's face just inches from her own and both his hands forcefully on either shoulder, having just been trying to shake her out of her nightmare. Shocked, she quickly took mental inventory. She was soaked in the face, she must've been crying, and maybe even speaking? I was telling you that he knows… half still in the dream and half out of it. "Emily…." He looked so concerned. Where was Tyler? She looked around the living room, where he should be from when David threw him… but he isn't….
Slowly, understanding dawned on her and she closed her eyes and wiped away the wetness. "Just a stupid dream. I'm fine." Oh my god how horrifying. How long have I been crying and sleep talking? What did I say? What does he know? Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What did I say?
"I'd qualify that as a nightmare." Rossi replied dryly. He reached for a glass of water for her.
Drinking greedily and wondering why she was so thirsty, she avoided looking him in the eye. "What did I say?"
"Not much that was coherent, except 'He knows.' … what does that mean?" his eyes were dark and she could see he wasn't going to let her get away with a half-assed answer.
"Secrets. One of those horrible nightmares when someone finds out your secrets. That's all." She kept drinking, but now only to avoid having to speak further.
"You said my name. Did I find out your secrets?" his eyes narrowed at her.
She pressed her eyes shut in dread. I can't… I can't tell him… this is too much right now. She concentrated on his hands still on her arms. Mmm. He is so warm. "Can you turn off that lamp? The light is really harsh at this angle…" he dimmed it, and gently moved her on her side to lay next to her. He could hear her breath catch. "Emily, please talk to me. You woke me up and scared me to death, I pulled my gun. You were sobbing and I thought something had happened to you." He pulled her close to his chest and she didn't resist. She burrowed her nose deep into his Italian silk button-down.
"I don't know how to….how to…tell you." Her words were mercifully muffled.
"That you're engaged?" His words were flat, biting.
She lifted her head to look at him but couldn't see much in the dark. At her slight gasp he came clean.
"I was looking for a corkscrew, I'm sorry I didn't mean to snoop. I saw the ring. I… I'm sorry. Congratulations." There were no inflections of celebration in his voice.
"I didn't… I didn't say yes. I told him…. I needed time to think…. It's a big deal…. It… is kind of soon… I think… with the promotion… he just…. See's his future… and …." She wasn't pulling away from him and he was trying not to let out audible relief. He wanted to laugh, he felt so relieved. Tell her now, this is your second chance. Tell her now. But he felt cowardly, or maybe over confident now.
"I see." There was a minute or two of silence, at which she was totally grateful. She didn't dare move, this was so wonderful. Smelling him, all the smells of him. The cologne, the cabernet, the earthy, wonderful smell of him.
"What does 'he knows' mean?" goddamnit, you don't let things go. She raged.
"Rossi leave it alone please. Let me sleep." She sounded more irritated than she had meant. She wrapped her arms around his torso and nudged closer to him, and he let his hands rub her back, up and down. She wiggled around getting closer to him until she was nearly suffocated. He smiled and closed his eyes, totally content for the moment. He'd pursue that later. Right now he had her in his arms where he wanted her. And it felt so right.