Author's note – Well friends, it's been a super long time since I've updated! I am sorry, I've just had a lot on my plate. I won't bore you with the details though. I've finally decided on which way I want to take the story… so here's another chapter to whet your appetites! Or something like that anyway haha!… This chapter is in Rossi's P.O.V. If you don't like it, just let me know and I'll have to have a re-think! Thanks again to all readers and reviewers etc. Stay safe.

Disclaimer - Criminal Minds is not mine. No tootin' way. LOVING the new series though! I'd have had Prentiss shoot Ian Doyle in the nuts, personally, but that's just me!

Once upon a time, David Rossi had been a young man. He'd been in love and he knew how it had felt when he'd had to choose between Emma and his job. The BAU was in its infancy, and his contribution was going to make or break it. He'd chosen to be a profiler instead of a boyfriend, fiancée or husband… and even now, well into his fifties, he regretted it. But he knew that if he had to make the choice again, he'd always make the same one. Profilers never got to have a complete life… it was either family or work…. You just had to look at Hotch for the typical example.

He'd never known anyone be able to balance the Bullring with the 2.4 kids and white picket fence life… but then Emily and JJ had found each other. Okay, so they probably weren't going to have the kids or the quaint house with the pointy wooden fence, but they really had something. Through all the horror and despair they found themselves in the middle of, they had created a life for themselves… a life together. And he was damned if he was going to let some cop who'd never met them mess up their careers.

He drummed the fingers of his left hand on the surface of his desk, whilst pressing the phone in his right a little harder to his ear as it rang on the other end for what seemed like a good few minutes. Finally, there was a click and a female voice with a soft southern accent floated down the line.

'Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, Gibson speaking, how can I help?'

'Hello, this is SSA David Rossi calling from Quantico, could you put me through to Sheriff Breslin please?'

'Certainly Agent, please hold whilst I check he's in the building.' There was another click, and the annoying sounds of 'on hold' music blared through the earpiece.

Rossi resumed his finger tapping once more as he waited, and looked out of the window of his office. He could see down into the bullpen, and he watched as Hotch exited the room next door, and hurried down the stairs towards where Morgan and Reid were sitting at their desks. He'd left Prentiss and JJ alone in his office, and Rossi's stomach twisted as he imagined the conversation they would be having right now. The line clicked on again, pulling his attention back inside the walls of his office.

'Agent?'

'Yes, I'm here.'

'Thank you for waiting, Sheriff Breslin was just finishing up another phone call, I'm putting you through now.'

'That's fine, thanks.'

Rossi straightened up in his seat, posturing in an official way, as though the Sheriff would actually be able to see him.

'Good afternoon, Agent Rossi, how can I help you?' The Sheriffs voice was calm, his tone pleasant, he must be having a good day, Rossi thought to himself.

'Good afternoon Sheriff Breslin, I hope I'm not disturbing you.' Rossi replied. He needed to keep the man on good terms. When they'd been in Arizona the previous week, the Sheriff had been a fair and, at times, jovial man, but he'd had a tendency to become angry quite quickly.

'Not at all Sir, not at all. And please, call me Steven. After what you and your team did for me recently, you can call me whatever you like!' The Sheriff laughed.

'Yes, well it was all in a days work, Steven. How is Maria Schaeffer coping now? Is she out of the hospital yet?' Rossi asked. He was referring to an intended murder victim of the un-sub they'd caught in Maricopa previously. She'd been attacked by him but had managed to escape, even with a nasty cut to the head and a fractured wrist.

'Yes, she was discharged three days ago. They say her wrist will take a few months to heal but apart from that she'll be fine. Physically anyway. I can't see her being able to sleep with the lights off for a while after what that bastard tried to do to her.' The Sheriff's tone was graver now as he spoke.

'People are resilient though,' replied Rossi. 'We see it all the time. Victims recover and move on. They have to. If you dwell on it, that's when the un-sub has won. Maria seemed like a great girl. I'm sure she'll be alright soon enough.'

'Yeah, I really hope so. Thanks for your help once again. Now, what can I do for you Agent? Unless you just called to check on Miss Schaeffer?'

Rossi cleared his voice. 'Ah, no I didn't. I actually wanted to talk to you about one of your men.'

'Oh? Really? Who would that be then sir?' The surprise was audible in Breslin's voice, and his tone was inquisitive.

'Goodman.' Replied Rossi with a slight forcefulness in his voice that was involuntary. 'I wanted to talk to you about Goodman. Are you aware of the complaint he lodged at Quantico regarding two or our agents?'

There was a deliberate pause on the other end of the line, like the Sheriff was trying to make up his mind about how to reply.

'Yes, Agent, I am aware of the situation. I don't understand why you need to talk to me about it though.' Breslin's voice was clipped… like there was something he wasn't mentioning. Rossi noted the change in his voice, and seized on it.'

'Well, I was wondering what kind of officer he is? If he has any ongoing investigations or complaints against him… that kind of thing'.

'Oh I see, so you're trying to dig up dirt on him. And you expect me to help you try and prove one of my own men wrong. I'm sorry, but I won't.' The Sheriff's tone was curt now, as if he was offended… but Rossi sensed there was still something else there.

'No. I'm not trying to 'dig up any dirt', just merely gather some information on the man. Look, I can tell there's something you haven't mentioned, so please, just tell me what it is. Either that or put me through to Goodman and I'll speak to him myself.'

There was another pause on the line… and Rossi gripped the phone tighter with his hand as the other man spoke again.

'You can't talk to Goodman, Agent Rossi. He isn't here.'

'Well that's fine Sheriff, just ask him to give me a call when he gets in.' Rossi's voice mirrored the Sheriff's now, he didn't appreciate being spoken to in a such a defiant way.

Another pause.

'Goodman won't be in for a while,' Breslin began. 'He's… been suspended.'

Rossi felt his mouth fall into a little 'O'. He leaned forward onto his desk and gripped the phone tighter still.

'I see, what for?'

The Sheriff sighed. He could obviously tell Rossi wasn't going to give up.

'There's an ongoing investigation. It's alleged that he's taking bribes to look the other way by some drug dealers.' The Sheriff said with a hint of disgust in his voice.

'Sheriff,' Rossi replied, his voice steady with intent, 'I want you to tell me everything about him.'

Author's note – Sorry if you hate it! Bit of a cliffhanger! Just let me know and I'll have to change it… tune in soon to see what happens next!