AN: Sorry this took so long. I just couldn't decide how I wanted the conversation to go. It's not the best, but it helps set the track for future chapters.

AN2: I'm sorry about the formatting issues. I've never had this problem before, so I didn't think to check it after posting.

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"This is part of what a family is about, not just love. It's knowing that your family will be there watching out for you. Nothing else will give you that. Not money. Not fame. Not work." -Mitch Albom

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Rossi walked down the steps with a purpose. It was a slow day, so he had about an hour for lunch. Rossi was going to use his hour wisely. When he was walking through the bullpen he made eye contact with Emily. Thankfully she got the message to follow him. Emily waited till the elevator doors shut before speaking. "If this is about last night I'm really sorry."

Rossi allowed a small smile at the thought of a very drunk Emily being extremely giggly. "This isn't about last night. How's your head by the way?"

"Fine, Clyde had pain killers ready when I got up this morning," Emily replied.

"That's kind of him considering he threatened to shoot us last night," Rossi stated with his voice neutral.

Emily looked up shocked; she didn't remember that. "He did?"

"You were pounding on the door, and he started fussing about waking Chloe up," Rossi explained.

"I'm sorry," Emily stated then moved on to the current problem. "If this isn't about last night then what are you doing?"

Rossi grinned. "Taking you to lunch."

Emily crossed her arms. "Why?"

"Because I like to learn things about the new agents," He stated, "JJ is very good at soccer, Morgan flips houses in his free time, Garcia runs a support group for families who lost love ones, Reid can beat almost anyone in poker, and Hotch doesn't smile much unless he's around his son Jack."

"What about you?" Emily inquired.

"I like cooking."

"And what are you hoping to learn about me?" Emily asked.

"Whatever you're willing to share," Rossi replied.

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Rossi and Emily were seated a dinner waiting for their food. "So you met Mattea?" Emily asked.

Rossi nodded. "Briefly."

"Well Mattea is my oldest daughter, then Chloe, and lastly Elise," Emily told him.

"How old are they?" If Evie and Emily were the same Rossi knew she was in her early thirties and Mattea looked almost grown.

"17, 6, and 3," Emily replied. Something about Rossi just made him easy to talk to. It wasn't often she got to be the proud parent and talk about her kids.

"Erin told me she ran into them at the store the other day," Rossi told her.

"I've heard. Chloe can be very hyper, and I'm yet to find a sport she likes. I think swimming is next on my list of things for her to try. Mattea was easy, for she has always loved dancing. Elise is very laid back and quite," Emily explained.

Rossi paid attention to anything Emily was willing to share. "Mattea is very grown-up."

Emily frowned. "I know. I wish things could have been easier when she was younger, but I can't help but be proud of who she's become."

They fell into a silence as they started eating. The silence didn't last too long, for Rossi still had questions. "Where did you work before the BAU?"

Emily didn't know how to answer that question. "I've done a variety of things before joining the BAU. I tried waitressing once, but it didn't go very well," She admitted. Next she smudged the truth," Other than that I mostly have worked desk jobs for different agencies."

"I'm surprised you would try something like waitressing when you're the daughter of an ambassador," Rossi commented.

Emily rolled her eyes and scoffed. "When 'you're a disgrace to the family' your political mother kind of writes you out of her life. I haven't spoke to mother in eighteen years."

Rossi frowned. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's fine," Emily told him. "I got over my mother's ways along time ago."

"Still no parent should disown their kid," Rossi spoke with a hidden sadness.

Emily looked up with a question on her tongue, "Do you have any children Rossi?"

Rossi let out a long sigh. "I had a daughter many years ago. She would be about your age now."

"What happened?" Emily asked before she could help herself.

"She was abducted at the age of three from our front yard," Rossi explained.

"I'm sorry," Emily whispered.

"It took me a long while, but I eventually learned I can't change the past. I'll never stop thinking what if though."

Emily nodded solemnly. "What ifs are what keep the mind awake a night."

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You know, parenting is so personal. And we're all afraid that we didn't quite get it right. And it feels like the stakes are so high. By we - what if we made a mistake?

Amy Chua