Avid

She didn't like any of them being out there where bad guys and unsubs and idiot California drivers and random lightening bolts and God knew what else, maybe aliens from another universe or crazed drug addicts or killer penguins, could get them. Even though that was the job they all did.

But Dave, like Morgan, had one itty bitty annoying tendency, and that was to run headlong and bulldogged into whatever madness was brewing with nothing but a handgun and a flak vest. It made her beyond crazy, sitting snug in her bunker chewing her nails-on which she spent much time and money-while they stormed the castle.

Like now.

The team was at a takedown right then, chasing an unsub with whatever sick problem he had. And Dave was in the thick of it, no doubt, and forgetting simple things like 'ducking' and 'avoiding random bullets' and 'don't let Morgan drive if you want your spleen in the same place when you reach your destination'.

He said he'd call when they were done. He promised.

He hadn't called yet. Maybe something was wrong. Maybe someone was hurt. Maybe he was talking someone into going to the hospital, like Hotch. Maybe he was trying to hold back someone else, because someone was loosing so much blood, and they had to get to the hospital and that one person-maybe Morgan-wouldn't let the paramedics do their job and someone else-poor Reid, or Emily, or hell even Hotch-was there in some smelly unsub-type place, and-

She jumped when the phone rang and picked it up before it had finished.

"My loves?" she asked, breathless.

"I thought I was your only love. Now you're cheating on me with the whole team?"

It was Dave, warm and rough.

"God, you sound like caramel," she told him. "Is everyone okay?"

"Yes, my dear. Except for Reid's ankle. He tried to kick in a door."

"I thought only Derek kicked in doors?"

"You call him Derek? Now I know you're cheating on me. And with a younger man, too. I may as well just go and kill myself."

"You are just melodramatic. And what took you so long to call? I've been worried about you, you great lump of green government-issue cheese curds."

"So you do love me!" "David Andrew Rossi, so help me God I will reach through this phone and strangle you!-"

"And I called you not ten minutes after all the shooting stopped, missy. My gun isn't even cooled off yet. I'm watching smoke curl off the barrel as we speak."

"It felt like hours since you called to say you were going in."

"Twenty-six minutes since I said we were after bad guy ass. Exactly."

"I have to dye my hair again because of all the grey."

"There is no grey in your hair."

"Ah-ah-ah, you are not here with me so you don't know what color my hair has turned in your absence. So there."

"Sweetie, I promise you are as lovely as I left you when I went to get this sonofabitch. And I need to stop now because Reid is making gag faces."

"Is he okay?" she went into mother hen mode, sitting up ramrod straight.

"Yeah, but I guess I'm being way too lovey-dovey for the great analytical mind of Doctor Spencer Reid."

"I can fix that."

"How?"

"Talk dirty to me," she used her sultriest voice.

Dave laughed. "I think he really might throw up if I started talking about kissing you on your-"

"Okay, I was just kidding."

"You should see the look I'm getting now."

"From Reid?"

"No, from Hotch."

"He'd probably jealous because I won't talk dirty to him."

"You talk dirty with Hotch? Ouch, shit-Aaron!"

There was scuffling and grunting and general male thumping before Dave came back on the line.

"Sorry, honey, I was just nearly killed by Hotch and had to have Morgan help me escape certain death and dismemberment."

"I'm sure he was excellent help. Dave?"

"Yes, cara mia?"

"Get some sleep and come home soon."

"Go home and get some sleep."

"I just said that."

"Different order."

"And if I go home to your place?"

She said it to be saucy. His answer was so low she had to strain to hear it.

"Then I will come home a very happy man."

She shivered and told him good night and asked to speak to the others.

When she left the BAU, she drove to Rossi's house. In his bedroom, which had several of her stuffed animals and a lot of her clothes, she snuggled under the covers and went to sleep, her purple bear in one hand, and one of Rossi's used dress shirts in the other.