A/N: Belated Merry Christmas to you all! Early Happy New Year as well!
Thanks for your patience in waiting for this update. Christmas got a little crazy there and the characters hit a little wall midway through this chapter but they scaled said wall as they always do and have continued on triumphant.
WARNING: There is a sex scene at the end of this chapter.
I had previously loaded it without the warning, so thanks heaps to MorganxGarcia for bringing this to my attention. I'm sorry if you've already read the chapter without knowing what was coming.
Just a reminder that I love reviews and I don't own Criminal Minds.
Thanks to those who have added my story to their alerts and also a special thanks to the following who have reviewed my story:
PrincessHotch
Anon
MorganxGarcia
And now on with Chapter 4.
Life As We Know It – Chapter 4
JJ jolted out of sleep as a particularly big pothole in the road threatened to tip the Explorer on its side. Yawning and stretching as much as possible in the confined space, she asked sleepily, "Where are we that it is so completely dark on all sides of the vehicle?"
Will grinned. "Hey beautiful. You have excellent timing. We are on the long winding drive belonging to the resort I called ahead and booked us into. I thought we might spend a few days here, accumulate a few much needed items and take some time to decide where we want to disappear."
"You mean we can't disappear here?"
"Not at these prices. At any rate, we are almost there; a sign a mile back said it was only another two to go. And it's not entirely isolated. The town is about 10 minutes behind us and there is another car a little bit ahead of us. I keep seeing their lights so we must be safe with other people around."
"Hmm, sounds good. I'll need access to a toilet real soon and sleeping in an actual bed again will be such a relief."
Will hummed his agreement and they fell silent as JJ turned to look at the children. They rounded another bend and the road opened up in front of them. Turning back to face front, JJ gasped and stared.
The sprawling expanse of the resort spread before them in twinkling lights, polished mahogany wood and classic cream-coloured brick. Four stories were dotted with balconies and massive picture windows. The majority of the upper three stories were sunk in darkness but sections of the lower floor were still alight to welcome guests. Beyond the lodge they could see the massive spread of the snow fields and the cable cars that would whisk you to the top of the mountain so that you could ski any of over a dozen different runs. Smaller chalets were dotted across the hills and a smaller budget lodge could be seen another half mile up the hill.
"Nice choice Will," JJ breathed in awe. "This is perfect."
Will smiled pleased and checked his watch. "We're just in time too; they said to be here by midnight or we'd miss out on checking in and would be stuck in the living area til six. We have a three bedroom suite on the top floor; all they had left at any rate."
"That's fine," JJ murmured as she yawned again. Her eyes started to flutter shut and she shook her head hard. Just a little while longer, she thought as Will pulled there car up beside the one that was idling there. Every other spot was taken.
They climbed out and set about shifting the kids out of the car. Accepting Lucy's weight from Will, JJ almost dropped her as a man walked towards the car next to them and then stopped dead.
"JJ? Will? Oh my god; I don't believe it!"
"Spence?"
New Section-
David Rossi and Aaron Hotchner stared at each other with death in their eyes as they waited to see what their pursuers were about. But the two men just stood there with the guns, as if waiting for something or someone else. Dave was wondering if they could surprise their attackers and win the upper hand or if they'd end up dead with such a foolish move when a gun suddenly went off, not once, but twice in rapid succession. He was sure time slowed down as he waited for death to come but it didn't happen and as he watched, the man behind Hotch fell sideways into the wall and a thud occurred not only in front of him but behind him as well.
He turned his upper body to look when the excruciating pain he felt in the wrenched muscles of his back caused him to very nearly pass out. Hotch moved closer and helped him ease into a sitting position.
"That'll bring the police in a hurry."
Hotch shook his head as he pressed a hand to his arm. As Dave looked, he noticed blood was fast pouring out around the younger man's hand. "You shot?"
"Missing a chunk of my arm, but the bullet is currently in the wall outside the chemist. And the police weren't there. I stopped long enough to try as I went past but there is no one there manning the fort. I would assume our adversaries were smart enough to distract them before they started firing."
"Speaking of firing, where is our saviour and why aren't we dead."
Another gun blast suddenly rent the air. The two men jumped and then jumped again as a body slammed into the ground a few meters to their left. Dave wished the gun sitting down near his foot was closer as a shadow detached itself from the dark across the road and moved cautiously towards them, gun tracking the skyline continuously. As he watched, they avoided a streetlight and came over. His entire body jerked with joy as he recognised who it was.
"Emily," he breathed hoarsely.
She shot him a smile and a wink, handed him the gun from near his feet and moved around to the other dead guys. She handed another gun to Hotch and pocketed the third weapon.
When she was again standing in front of them she placed her hands on her hips and said dangerously, "Right then; who of you is injured, how are you injured and how bad is it?"
New Section-
JJ and Reid stood there for several minutes just tallying up the changes in the others' body before they almost fell into the hug they found themselves in. Will looked on, though his attention left them when a young woman got out of the other car and shivered.
Ever the gentleman, Will shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.
"Thank you. I'm Austin Reid."
"Will LaMontagne Jr. That's my wife JJ."
"Oh yes; I remember Spencer telling me about JJ right after we first met about 6 years ago."
"Are you staying here?"
Austin shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. Spencer was trying to get us a room."
Reid pulled back from the hug and wiped his eyes discreetly as he turned to his wife. "We'll have to go back to town. They don't have anything available out here though they think the pub may have a room left."
JJ and Will exchanged looks. "Do you guys have kids?"
"Only one and he has his port-a-cot."
JJ beamed at them. "We have a three bedroom suite booked. The kids get the room with the single beds and we'll take the master room, but that leaves a room with a double bed that you are more than welcome to share with us."
Reid grinned relieved. "That would be such a relief. We can trade the why's of what is happening and see if we can come up with a reason why the WPP left us hanging in the wind for anyone to find us."
JJ agreed with this but yawned. "After I check out the bathroom and get a good night's sleep though."
They all decided this was best so they turned to unpacking the children and gear they had with them.
New Section-
Emily continually checked her rear view mirror to make sure they weren't followed. She turned into the parking lot for the lodge content that they were clear of anyone else who may have still been in town looking to kill them.
After demanding a rundown of additional injuries, she'd left the two men sitting on the corner, shaking her head at the stupidity of it all. Caitlyn had her hands full as it was and now there were more people to divide her attentions. She'd been careful as she'd moved back to the car and driven it back to the corner. Since she was annoyed at both men for them having been in harm's way, no matter how innocently it had started, she'd loaded them both into the backseat. No one had spoken; the moment wasn't right for explanations. She'd been extremely amused to note that Hotch's bag of chemist items was near where he'd fallen; even being shot at the man had intended to pull free of his pursuer's and get what his wife needed to help Derek. It would have been cute in anyone but Hotch. In him it was just a display of his stubborn streak; this was familiar and in a strange way, comforting.
Noting that there weren't any parking spots that she could see, she drove towards the main entrance and parked in a disabled spot. She'd collected the chemist's bags and run them upstairs and was back at the car opening the back door to help the guys out when a familiar, slightly squeaky voice called, "Emily?"
She turned her head and started in shock. "Reid? JJ? Will? Oh my god guys this is so strange."
She rushed over to embrace them then returned to the car as they continued on to check in before they missed out. Emily returned to the car and pulled Dave out, bracing him as Hotch got under his arm on the other side. They made their slow way into the lobby and by the time they reached the lift, the others had checked in and were right behind them.
"Which rooms are you guys in?" Emily asked curiously as they all ascended to the fourth floor.
"330; apparently right in the corner but we only booked it this afternoon so we shouldn't complain if the view is less than spectacular. Reid and Austin will take the second bedroom in our suite since there wasn't anything else available. What about you guys?"
"Hotch and I are sharing 328. Hotch, can you take his weight?"
"Got it."
Dave opened his mouth to query the room assignments when Emily moved quickly down the hall as the door opened and the plaintive cries from inside the suite became even louder as Kevin stepped out the door with the child in his arms. Dave gaped as he looked at Kevin and Kevin gaped right back at the group making their slow way toward him but quickly handed the crying baby over.
"I didn't know what was wrong but she just kept crying and since Pen isn't moving along very fast now I was tasked to try to comfort her. I'm afraid I wasn't very good at the comfort party."
"Not your fault; it's been a very long 48 hours, hasn't it sweetheart." Tammy stopped crying the second her little arms wrapped around Emily's neck. Emily pressed a light kiss to her forehead and continued to murmur to her as she turned. Reid had taken over supporting Dave since Austin had the baby.
"Looks like all the gang's here now."
Emily nodded. "Do you mind if we all come in for now? Hotch has lost a chunk of his arm to a bullet and Dave's got a really badly sprained ankle that may or may not be broken in addition to a sore back."
"Of course. If you're right here though I'll return to Pen's side. I really don't want to miss the birth of my first child."
She shooed him off and gestured the rest of the group into the large living area. Katie was curled in the corner of the couch watching her with huge eyes and tears rolling down her cheeks. When she realised Emily had spotted her she wailed and threw her small body off the couch and at her mother. Emily staggered just slightly but held her place as she crouched down to cuddle the girl. As soon as everyone was in the room, she let the door shut and turned to the room's occupants.
Hotch and Dave had settled onto one couch. JJ was just coming back from the direction of the bathroom and was settling on a single chair with her little girl in her arms; even as she watched them, they both fell into a sound asleep. Reid, Austin, Will and Henry stood behind the second couch and watched everything going on. A sudden scream followed by cursing and threats made everyone jump and brought all eyes in the direction of the hall. JJ started awake and rubbed her tired eyes. "Is it just me or did that sound like Garcia?"
"She's scary mama."
Emily grinned at Katie as she sat on the edge of the spare couch. "Our teams honorary aunt is about to become a mother for the first time."
Caitlyn's voice floated from the bedroom. "I urgently need a pair of hands in here."
Emily's grin faded and she sighed. "Okay babies, mama needs to go help Miss Caitlyn."
Katie whimpered and upon hearing that noise, Tammy started crying again. Will offered to take the little one and follow her so she could still see Emily. Once Will had Tammy in hand, Emily scooped Katie up, walked across the room and deposited the girl in Dave's lap. Dave stared at her like she'd grown a second head before looking at Katie and blinking slowly as he lifted a hand to stroke her hair gently. She then crouched down and gently shifted several strands of sweaty black hair back from her cheek.
"Baby, do you remember the photos by my bed?" Once Katie had nodded, Emily smiled and gently turned her daughter around. "Katie, meet daddy. Dave, meet Katie." She placed a light kiss on the top of her head, a hot, open-mouthed kiss on Dave's lips and then sauntered out of the room, leaving behind a group of stunned people. Even Will was too stunned to follow but since Katie had stopped crying, Tammy stopped crying too.
"Well damn," Aaron muttered as Katie and Dave studied each other curiously.
Dave smiled suddenly as he gently cupped his daughter's cheek and wiped away a few stray tears. "You are so beautiful, just like your mother."
Katie sniffled, wiggled forward in his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck, placed her head on his chest and sighed softly.
And Dave fell utterly and irrevocably in love for only the second time in his life.
New Section-
"How's it going in here?"
Caitlyn sat back and smiled tiredly. "I think he might just pull through but I need to stitch his wound closed again now that I'm certain I've got everything out and it's been properly irrigated. Can you hold a bright light directly overhead for me?" Emily did this easily as fascination wound through her to watch thread close the open wound. She then watched as Caitlyn bandaged the wound and effortlessly wrapped a bandage around his waist for added support. "There, all done for the night. He seems pretty tenacious and I know Carrie was happier to know he'd woken up for a minute. When she returned to Pen, she was humming happily."
"And how is Penelope?"
Caitlyn grinned. "Last time I asked Carrie that, she mentioned the usual threats and something about making sure there are no sharp implements about for use in the act of castration. I thought I might head back this way after she said that."
Emily grinned. "I think I terrified the poor male nurse who held my hand through my first labour. Not only did I scream constant abuse at him, but I threatened all male-kind with a permanent loss of their equipment and I somehow cracked two bones in his hand. I did put in a glowing report on him on my way out, but I wouldn't be surprised if the boy changed specialties."
Caitlyn laughed. "I'll make sure Aaron is close at hand when I have our second son in about four months. Do you think you could do me another favour and rustle up a couple of guys to support Derek while I change the bedding?"
Emily nodded and moved to the door. "Reid, Will, could we borrow you both for a couple of minutes?"
Reid and Will arrived a few seconds later and they lifted Derek up and moved out of the way. Caitlyn had found the necessary bedding and Emily helped get the bed changed in record time. Reid and Will headed back to the living room and the women stayed behind to talk while Caitlyn checked Derek over again one last time for the night.
When Caitlyn was certain Derek was adequately settled for the night, they went to check on Penelope, who was catching five minutes of sleep in a lull. Walking back into the living area, they found Tammy had been placed on the chair JJ had briefly occupied with a blanket and a pillow snugging her in to the back so she couldn't roll off. Jack was stretched out on the couch and sound asleep, also with a blanket. Will, JJ, Reid and Austin had disappeared with their children. Aaron and Dave sat silently on the couch as if they hadn't moved, but Katie had draped herself all over the older man and was snoring softly.
Emily smiled as she stopped in front of them. "Where is a camera when you need it?"
Katie stirred slightly at the sound of her voice but sighed in soft contentment as Dave stroked her hair. "There will be plenty of time for photos at a later date. For now I just want painkillers for my back and ankle and you under me. Or maybe over me would be the better option the way my back is cursing at me right now."
"Overshare," Aaron muttered, then yelped as Caitlyn doused his arm in antibacterial fluids in preparation for stitching.
Katie, Jack and Tammy started awake at the noise and looked around blearily. Emily walked to Tammy and soothed the baby back to sleep as she softly reassured Jack that his father was going to be fine. The boy nodded and went back to sleep and when she turned back to Katie she found the child was already sleeping again.
Caitlyn scolded Aaron for being a baby and finished stitching his arm and sent him off with Emily to get the area cleaned up before she bandaged it. She turned to Dave and smiled gently as she introduced herself.
"Back and ankle, if I remember correctly. What happened exactly?"
"I had to throw myself backwards into a stairwell to avoid the flying bullets. Twisted my back the wrong way as I fell and missed a step the hard way as I stood to run after my tumble. I kept forgetting I wasn't a young stud anymore."
Caitlyn smiled in amusement. "Easy enough to sort out. I'll give you a couple of painkillers now, then I'll check your ankle for broken bones and set it if need be; otherwise I'll just strap it. For your back I'll get you on the ground on your stomach and I'll massage the muscles into submission."
"Is that last something Emily could do for me?"
Caitlyn laughed. "I'm afraid to say you're stuck with me."
With no broken bones his ankle was neatly strapped. Emily took Katie back while Caitlyn bandaged Aaron's arm then she turned and dealt with Dave's back.
"I don't recommend lifting anything heavier than a kilo for the next 48 hours and while I know your male pride will baulk at asking for help, if you don't you could end up with permanent damage."
Dave opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by Kevin. "Caitlyn, Carrie says this is it and do you mind backing her up?"
Kevin bolted back the way he'd come and the adults followed. Penelope was bearing down hard, a silent scream obvious on her exhausted face. Dave and Aaron took one look into the room and turned around quickly. Emily snorted softly at their actions and set a now-awake Katie on the ground and moved forward to offer additional support to Penelope and Kevin.
As Penelope continued to follow Carrie's instructions, the women exchanged amused smiles as Katie peppered the men in the doorway with questions about baby's and childbirth. Emily made a mental note to sit down with Katie and correct some of the misconceptions Dave and her former boss were sowing in her little girls' mind as she quietly encouraged Penelope.
15 minutes later, Penelope's silent scream found voice again for a long minute before she finally collapsed back against Kevin and her child started to proclaim the indignities of being thrust from a warm, watery world into one that was cold and noisy.
Carrie laughed joyously. "You have a little girl. A beautiful, perfect little girl." She held the baby up as Emily eased back to give Kevin and Penelope a semblance of privacy. Remembering where Caitlyn had found the bedding, she collected some clean things and returned to wait for a moment that would be appropriate.
"I'm curious about something."
Emily didn't turn her eyes from the scene going on in the room as she said quietly, "I was in labour for 39 excruciating hours. Drugs didn't work for me at all and by the end of it the doctor was thinking he might have to send me up for a caesarean because I was so weary when Katie just decided to stop being obstinate and make her appearance."
"What's ob...obst...what's that funny word mean mummy?"
"It's pronounced obstinate baby and it means a stubborn refusal to change an opinion or action. You my lovely did not want to change a thing about your environment at the time and was strongly opposing all attempts from the outside to do so."
"Oh. But you still loved me, right mummy? You said you did like WHAM!, right between the eyes when you first saw me. Even though I was that stubborn word?"
"Most definitely despite your obstinacy."
Katie beamed at her and nodded once firmly as Hotch and Dave chuckled before moving in to see the baby.
"Who comforted you while you struggled to give our daughter life?"
Emily smiled just slightly as she kept an eye on the topic of conversation. "For a while I entertained thoughts about all the ways I could have told you I was expecting and how my pregnancy would have advanced if you'd been there throughout it. Then when the pain and exhaustion started to become too much, I started to plot how I could kill you for inflicting this on me and then being absent when the chips were down. In the end, they sent a young trainee obstetrics nurse named Ken in to me. His only job was to hold my hand, comfort me with words no matter what I said to him and to blot my brow with a cool damp cloth.
"Despite the bones I cracked in his hand and the curses I heaped upon him and his family, he never shouted at me, never ceased to wipe my face and he never tried to retrieve his hand. I seriously doubt whether he stayed with that specialty but if he had, I'd be requesting him in a heartbeat if I was ever back there again."
"And the little girl out there on the couch?"
Emily's smile turned sad. "Did they tell you why they were moving you two years ago?" When Dave shook his head, Emily sighed. "Someone leaked my location and I had a dozen bad guys land on my doorstep. They tied Katie up to a bed, gagged her and gave her over to one of the guys who liked little girls."
"Is that man still alive?"
Emily tore her gaze from Katie and took in the fury on Dave's face which mirrored the coldness of his voice. She lifted a hand and pressed it to his cheek. "No my love; when the cavalry arrived to rescue me, I slipped the paramedics and my keeper just long enough to get my hands on a gun. I shot him first in the groin and watched him suffer until agents burst through the door at my back and then I shot him in the head. Shortest minute of that 24 hour period, I'm sorry to say."
Dave relaxed not a millimetre. "And you?"
She flicked a look at Hotch and shook her head just slightly. "If as my boss Hotch must read or be privy to what happened to me I won't be the one telling him. Ask me again when we are alone and I'll go into more detail then what I glossed over before. Let's just say for now that Tammy was not conceived willingly but is no less loved than her big sister."
"What of the man who raped you?"
"He is very dead as of just over 24 hours ago."
"You mean he found you and came for you again?"
"They found all of us," Kevin said as he approached, baby in his arms.
"How do you mean?" Hotch asked quietly.
"Pen said someone within the Marshal's office sent our details out; she thought she'd caught it with a virus and destroyed it, but they obviously have someone ubber-talented working for them to put it all back together. Does someone live in this town?"
"That would be me," Dave said.
"Then they'll know soon enough what went down here and they'll send more. We need to get away from here and disappear. Pen and I can easily redo everyone's identities and then it's just a matter of whether we stick together or split up again."
Emily shuddered. "Every time I get moved around I get found again and someone comes to harm me and mine and the times between the moving and the being found become shorter. I'd rather not go through that again if I can help it. There's also nothing anyone can say that will convince me to split up my family now that we are all together again."
Dave looked pleased as he added, "I'm thinking safety in numbers would be a good idea. Better protection for the children and backup for each of the adults. We always did work better as a team anyways. But even if everyone else would rather we split up again, I'm staying with Emily and my daughters."
Emily felt warmth and love explode in her heart as Dave's easy acceptance of not only Katie but Tammy as his children washed through her. She moved her body into his personal space and found no hesitation as he pulled her close as he'd always done when they were close enough for it.
Hotch nodded slowly. "I have to agree with that assessment. JJ, Reid and their families had been driving all day so they went to bed. We arranged to meet for a late breakfast at ten; we can easily discuss what we want to do then. We should have that much time at any rate and we should move on by midday no matter what we decide."
"I easily speak for both Pen and myself when I say we'll stick with the two of you," Kevin said looking at Dave and Emily. "We don't carry conventional weapons but we can easily wield our computer smarts for anyone needing to use us and this gives us the added protection of being around someone who can protect us if necessary."
"So four of you with your kids definitely together and the rest of us to decide. I like the notion but I don't make my decisions on my own anymore so I'll wait to see what Caitlyn wants to do."
"Sorry to interrupt, but Pen is going to take a shower now that all is done with her labour. Carrie will assist her if you don't mind keeping Britney-Ann with you Kevin?"
"Not a problem."
"That's such a pretty name."
"Thanks."
"Emily, would you mind helping me to remake the bed?"
"Easy."
"Aaron, you should take Jack back to his bed and get some sleep. Try not to lift him with your bad arm if you can help it. I'll be there in a bit. Dave, you should also go lie down on your back and get your weight off your feet. I'm sure Aaron can tell you which room Emily is using. Katie is again out like a light, so if you want to take her back to bed first and come back, you can."
Half an hour later, Kevin and Penelope snuggled into bed with their gorgeous new daughter between them with pillows on either side so she couldn't roll over. The three women had pulled the single seat from the living room to the bedroom so Carrie could be comfortable as she watched over Derek having flat out refused to sleep in the other room. Emily and Caitlyn had returned to their suite to find all were sound asleep.
Emily sighed. "I'd forgotten what a bed hog he could be if he didn't fall asleep wrapped around me," she muttered as they stood in the doorway to her room.
Caitlyn grinned. "I can help you move the chair in here too if you'd like."
"Oh no. I will sleep in that bed with him. I might just need to wake him up first."
A gleam of sexual glee appeared in Emily's eyes so Caitlyn said goodnight and walked down to her room to claim her part of the bed. Aaron shifted around as she settled and lightly kissed her neck before slipping back into sleep. Mentally working out when she could seduce him again without causing his arm any further damage, she fell asleep as her head hit the pillow.
New Section-
"I'm not asleep you know. I'm just following doctors orders by keeping my back flat while I wait for you."
Emily grinned as she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. "Well that makes seducing you that much easier."
He cracked an eye open, then closed it again as he settled his linked hands more comfortably across his chest. "Seduction huh? Are you sure that's going to be helpful for my healing back?"
Emily slipped silently out of her jeans and folded them before placing them on the straight backed chair near the door. She slipped out of her top and did the same, then sauntered forward in her lacy red underwear. She stepped up onto the bed with ease as her heart began to race in anticipation but her voice was nonchalant as she assured him, "Well I don't have to seduce you tonight if you aren't up for it. We could just cuddle up to each other instead."
Dave cracked his eye open again and felt his breath hitch in his throat and his heart stop in his chest at the vision standing before him. In a husky, breathless voice he said, "Do you know, I think I read somewhere that sex releases endorphins which can block pain. With my painkillers wearing off already, I can't help but think sex right now could only be a good thing. Seduce away."
Emily smiled. "I knew you'd see things my way."
She slipped to her knees straddling his thighs and murmured softly, "Just be honest if it becomes too much. I want you back in the peak of health soonest; you know there is only so much gentle loving we can stand before we need it hot, fast and heavy between us and I know it has been too long to be able to control myself for much longer."
Dave nodded as he lifted his hands. One hand fisted in her hair and tugged her closer while the other cupped one deliciously heavy and full breast and squeezed lightly. Emily sighed with longing and murmured encouragement as their mouths met in a tangle of lips, teeth and tongues. The years fell away between them and their hunger exploded in soft snarls, sighs, whimpers and more as their hands went crazy. While Dave happily allowed his hands to become reacquainted with the most perfect set of breasts he'd ever had the pleasure to know, Emily set to work getting him out of his shirt and gaining access to his chest.
She tossed his shirt over her shoulder and shook her hair out of the way as Dave removed her bra and tugged her back to him. His mouth took a perfect nipple into it's warm, moist heat and suckled hard and fast, drawing ever more of her in as he increased the pressure. He kept a hand at Emily's back to keep her close as she arched into him with a whimper and wriggled in his arms while his other hand slipped into the back of her panties and cupped her delicious ass, pressing her more intimately to his jeans-covered arousal. Turning his attention to her other breast he felt Emily grind herself on him in such a way that he had to stop them there.
"Baby, baby, baby; what you do to me. It's been five years and my control is shot to pieces. If you keep up with that, it'll all be over before it begins."
"Let it be then. Fast and furious now while I ride you and slow and reacquainting later once we've recovered. We have all the time in the world now to get it right."
He stared up into her eyes and felt such a depth of longing and love sweep through him that he knew she would see it because there was no way he could hide it. He saw the second she realised, watched as tears welled up and slipped down her cheeks and pulled her down and into his arms as she started to sob. Sex had ceased to be the goal and suddenly all he wanted in that moment was just to hold and comfort.
"Do you know how hard it was to watch them put you in a vehicle and know that I might never get to see you again? I actually felt my heart shatter in that moment. Every wall you'd painstakingly pulled down and destroyed over the years making me a better man went straight back up and I honestly thought I'd never be able to draw a full breath again. To never hold you, wake up beside you, share a meal or a conversation with you, to work with you or see you smile or hear you laugh; having all of that suddenly taken away from me made me feel like I was dying. I realised suddenly that I didn't tell you how I felt often enough for my liking; like I took you for granted. I hated that."
Emily pulled back enough that he could gently wipe the tears from her cheeks as she searched his eyes and realised he believed every word he'd spoken. "I never felt taken for granted and I always knew how you felt about me. It was in everything you did. Listening to me when I needed to thrash something out and choosing to work with me before any of the others. The little touches like a hug or a brush of your hand when I was having a bad day, the smile you reserved just for me and that light you'd get in your eyes sometimes when I just knew you were thinking of the last time we were together. Getting the door for me, and the bill when I couldn't beat you to it. The compliments and the encouragements. The kisses were when I knew the clearest how you felt because I always somehow felt as if I lost a little more of my heart to you in those moments. I never felt cheated though because I always felt like I gained a little bit of your heart too in that moment when we connected and the world fell away."
He tugged her head down gently and they kissed anew as their broken hearts mended in the love each of them could feel flowing from the other. As had happened many, many times in the past, the kissing seamlessly became something more as their hands remembered what time may have dimmed. The rest of their clothing disappeared and what might have been fast and furious another night became gentle and tender as they connected in every way.
Emily sobbed with relief as Dave slid slowly into her as she sank onto him. The fullness of the feeling was a joy as their hands linked. She leaned into him and kissed him tenderly before she pulled back and found a rhythm as old as time, squeezing him with the inner muscles of her core as he moved in and out of her according to her whim.
David Rossi figured he'd died and gone to heaven such was the sensation of being back within the warm, moist heat that was Emily's inner core. He'd all but forgotten how very tight she was and that the friction this caused only heightened what was already explosive. As she slipped into a rhythm on him that caused her delightful breasts to bounce and sway and brought a soft purr to her lips that somehow vibrated down the length of him bringing even greater ecstasy, he could feel what little control he had being shredded. Slow and tender was fast becoming a pace he wanted to leave in the dust.
He squeezed Emily's hands, bringing her glazed eyes open and on him as she tried to focus. "Pick up the pace baby, you're killing me here."
She smiled in a pleased way that somehow made him swell all the more where he resided within her heat and with a quick flex of her thighs and twist of her upper body she pulled up and slammed down hard and fast, impaling her body in such a way that she almost lost it right then, causing both of them to cry out at the rightness of the sensations washing around and through them. She sped things up considerably as she leaned in for another drugging kiss and then out of nowhere her orgasm lifted them both up and tossed them off the edge of the precipice. She managed another pump that increased the pressure and then Dave exploded within her, his ejaculation causing her to come again. Their screams and moans caught in the kiss to ensure they woke no one with their renewed intimacy.
Long minutes passed as they rested against each other. Their breathing gradually eased and shivering set in as the cold intruded on the cooling sweat on their still joined bodies.
Emily slipped off Dave reluctantly and shifted the bedding up and around them. He shifted onto his side and tugged her in close and she turned in to him, resting her head on his pillow so that they were face to face.
"I'm glad we found each other again. I love you David Rossi."
"No gladder than I am to be back here with you. I love you Emily Prentiss and more than anything I regretted, was that I never proposed to you like I planned to. Unless my apartment was ransacked, I still have the ring I bought five years ago. The question now is, will you marry me?"
End-
A/N: Wow! A proposal. I honestly didn't see that coming. Like I said, these guys are writing the story, not me. They obviously like to keep things in suspense.
I am feeling called to write a couple of other stories in amongst this one, so it might be a little bit before I come back to this one but I promise that I will have the answer to the proposal, and to what I am sure everyone would like to know how our fearless warriors ended up in WPP, within the next couple of weeks.
