After a few days, the team had managed to catch their unsub. The man had some serious mom issues. On the plane ride back, Rossi was treating the others to his stories from the days when members of his family had run-ins with the mafia. "And the whole cement shoes thing?" he stated, as the rest of the team nodded. "Completely true. I mean, what better way to weigh a man down?"

Alvez looked at Rossi from over her glass, "mmhmm. Someone's been spending too much time in the mind of an unsub," she twittered, causing the others to laugh. "Honestly," she continued, "with what we do, we'd make some really good serial killers. We have access to some really good medical equipment and advice," she added, nudging Zara who was sitting on her left.

She smirked, "Yeah. I think I'm gonna stick to just being a potential security threat," she laughed. On the way back, at the airstrip, the officers were quite extensive of their search of Zara's bags. The woman was polite enough, until they were heading into the Jet. She made a violent hand gesture to the backs of the officers, causing Alvez to laugh.

"Doesn't that bother you?" Prentiss asked, as she sat down with her fresh cup of coffee. "I mean, it takes forever to go anywhere."

Zara shrugged, "Is what it is. I don't remember a time where I didn't have to do all that kind of stuff. It's always just been normal."

"But it's not right," Reid stated, his voice slightly aggravated. "You should file a government report about it."

Zara looked at Reid warily. "You work for the government. Surely you know how many reports get ignored. This'll just be one of them. For now, I'll just stick to carrying a copy of my schedule and explaining that I really don't have time to join ISIS."

Alvez shook his head, "honestly, with a big mouth like that, one day you're going to get yourself arrested." He got up to grab some peanuts, and tossed a bag to Rossi, who caught them with a wink.

Reid opened up his book and began to read. The entire case had wrapped up easily enough, but he still looked bothered and stressed. His mother's involvement with the Alzheimer's study was not doing so well. The study was doing alright, but in recent weeks, he couldn't help but notice a slow decline in his mother's health and memory. There were times when he would speak to her, but she would not recognize his voice, and there were times when she was perfectly fine, but the former outnumbered the latter by a tenfold. He tried his best to keep himself busy, looking over all the research Savannah had been providing him with, as well as doing some of his own, but there was nothing he could possibly do to prevent the continuing decline.

He felt a slight tap on his ankle and looked up. Zara was peering at him from across the table. "You okay?" she mouthed.

Reid nodded slightly, returning to his book, but unable to focus on the words in front of him.

It took five minutes for him to turn the page. I'm telling you there is something bothering him," Zara told JJ and Garcia as they tried on shoes at Nine West. Garcia shook her head and zipped up the ankle boots she was trying on.

"Spence doesn't usually talk about his feelings that openly," JJ replied, as she gave Garcia a thumbs up sign. "He's more of the silent brooding type, if anything," she added. "When's he's got a problem he'll let it fester, and then once its eaten up a large enough part of him, he will talk about it."

"Why? What's wrong with sharing?" Zara replied. "Like, I know he's introverted. But you guys are his family. Surely, he'd tell you something. Someone that young should not be that stressed out."

"He thinks we're going to baby him if he does tell us," Garcia said as she placed the shoes back in their box and added them to the stack of several that she was about to purchase. "It's because he's always been the youngest of the team - until you joined, that is."

Zara nodded, "mmhmm. But isn't there anyone he talks to about his feelings?" She thought back tot he conversation she had with Reid in Boynton Beach, in the car on the way to the coroner's office. "He mentioned his mother, but..." her voice trailed off as JJ hushed her.

"Spence is going to kill me if I tell you, but-" She began, but Zara hushed her this time.

"If he's gonna kill you, don't tell me. Don't wanna get yourself into a mess of crap just for some tidbits of info," Zara replied. "He's talk if and when he wants to."

Garcia, who'd gone to go pay in that much time, joined the two women, her arms laden with shopping bags. "If he's gonna talk to anyone its gonna be Morgan. The two of them are like brothers."

Several weeks later, the team entered Rossi's mansion, having a lovely dinner cooked for them by the host himself. Rossi had made sure to break out the best wine and fine china for the team, as he usually did. It was the first time Zara had ever been to the man's house, and from where she was standing, he'd done quite well for himself. The place was huge, and she was waiting for the tour to begin.

Rossi, who had cooked himself into a corner in the kitchen, turned to the team. "Guys, who don't you give this lovely new team member of ours a tour of the space. I might be here a while."

"Are you sure you don't want any help?" Prentiss asked as she looked at Ross from over the massive island, which was already laden with food. The older agent was continuing to produce dish after dish from the massive oven, keeping an eye on the several pots boiling way on the two gas stoves.

"Prentiss, how good are you with plating" he asked cheekily, turning and giving her a wink. Prentiss threw her hands in the air, "nevermind, I guess," she said with a laugh.

The group led Zara out from the kitchen and into the large dining space, where the rest of the cutlery had already been laid out. "So this is where Rossi eats. Nice little space, isn't it?" Alvez said with a laugh. From behind them, they heard Ross mutter something in Italian, most likely aimed at the young agent's joke.

"Quite a humble abode," Zara replied, earning herself a little response from Rossi as well. They headed out through the large french doors, and into the garden, where a beautiful fountain sat, bubbling away. The garden had to be a fair few acres, and there wasn't a fence in sight.

JJ pointed to a large gazebo in the middle of the garden. "That's where Will and I got married," she said, beaming at the spot.

"You guys got married in Rossi's backyard?" Zara asked, incredulously. She knew that they were all friends, but letting someone get married in your yard is something else.

"Yeah. We were working one hell of a case, and Will got dragged into it by the unsubs. The team managed to work together to save him and we got married that same night. Rossi planned the whole thing. Even flew my mother out here with her wedding dress as well," JJ replied, her eyes tearing up as she reminisced on one of the happiest days of her life.

They led her further into the garden and showed her the magnificent little bubbling brook which led to a nearby river. Then they took her back into the house, where Rossi was currently, plating their dinners. "Still not done!" He called from the kitchen.

"Take your time, I wanna see the rest of this joint," Zara replied, as they headed to the left wing of the house, where Rossi's garage and office were. Zara was unsurprised to see several luxury vehicles parked in the garage. On the far left there was something small, covered with a cloth. "What is that?" she asked, pointing to it.

"Ah, that-" Tara began, remembering her first time in Rossi's house. "Is Rossi's most prized mode of transportation." She threw the sheet back and Zara gasped, almost passing out.

"Is... is that an Ecosse?" she asked, staring at it wide-eyed. She hesitated for a moment before drawing nearer. "It's beautiful," she murmured, coming close to tears herself. Alvez tried to hide his smile as he helped her up. "What other pieces of beauty are there hidden in this wondrous home?" she asked, staring at the ceilings though she could sense Rossi's smoke room above.

As they reentered the house, Rossi placed the last few things on the table. "Ah, magnifico!" he said, grinning to himself. He turned to Zara, "liked the Eccose?" he asked with a smirk.

"It's marvellous. Do you ever take it out?" she asked, as he led her to her seat, which was right next to his. "It's got the smoothest transmission and dont even get me started on the alignment."

Rossi shook his head, "I used too, but now it sits here. I think Joy wants to get her license but I don't know how comfortable I am with letting her on the road. Its too dangerous," he explained, as he poured Zara some wine.

"That's exactly what my father said to me when I first got my license," Zara said, thanking him with a nod as she drank some of her wine. "But then I showed up on his doorstep a month later with a bike and a helmet and he was more excited at the prospect than I was."

Rossi shook his head in amusement. "So, why did you become a coroner. I realize that we've known you for just over a year now, but I can't help wonder why you'd choose such a profession. It's a bit depressing, isn't it?"

Zara considered this for a moment. "I mean, it wasn't that I couldn't become a doctor. I just, I hated the bureaucracy of it all. Working in hospitals and what not. The residencies are terrible and you barely get a moments piece. You're under so much stress and, I just didn't want to deal with it. At least if you're a coroner, the people are already dead and gone, so what more can you possibly do to them?" she replied, cutting into her chicken.

The team members exchanged dark looks, as they knew exactly what kind of weird shit people did with dead bodies. Ignoring his immediate instinct to comment on that, Reid pipped up, sitting across from Zara. "But Los Angeles?"

"It was a spur-of-the-moment thing. I mean, the FBI office was looking, I was applying -it was a perfect match. I also thought that I'd see some celebrities there too. On or off of the table," she added.

Reid cracked a small smile, and Zara felt a little flutter in her stomach. She quickly reached for her wine, needing something to do to cover the small smile that was beginning to play on her lips. "What about you, Mr. David Rossi?" she asked, turning the tables on him. Rossi lent back in his chair and gave her a look that read, "ask away."

"So, I just want to clear the air, but exactly how many times have you been married?" she asked. "I just want to know my competition," she added, making him laugh.

"Well," Rossi began. "I've been married three times, and they were all wonderful women," he concluded with a grin.

Zara nodded, before leaning in, "are they here?" she asked, earning a nudge from Rossi as she continued to eat her food. "I do know one thing. They made a huge mistake. I mean, the food is excellent." She was currently making room on her plate for another side of chicken parmesan, when her phone started to beep away. She quickly excused herself, "I am so sorry." She ducked into one of the several washrooms on the lower level of the house. The number wasn't familiar but she answered it anyways. "Hello?" she said.

"Hey... Zara... um...it's Mandeep," said deep male voice from the other end of the phone.

"Mandeep? Why're you calling me?" Zara asked, confused. She and Mandeep had been friends since they were kids, and the pair of them were supposed to get married, before Zara decided she wanted to pursue a medical degree. She really did it to buy some time, and while in Med school, she met Adam. The pair didn't fully start going out till they were nearly done, and at that point, she'd already decided to go back home and tell her parents she was not about to marry Mandeep. Mandeep had taken the news quite well, but his parents had become hostile to Zara's family since then.

The man sighed before sighing. "Do you mind coming over to see me? I heard you might be coming to Saabi and Jeet's wedding and... I really need your help," he finished, breathlessly.

Zara paused, unsure of what to say. "I... what is it you need help with?" she asked. "I'm not about to agree to anything blindly. Last thing I need is an ambush from your parents -no offence," she added.

Mandeep was quiet for a while, making Zara unsure if he was still on the line. "I've been having some health problems and I could really use a second opinion. I don't want to go to the doctor. If I do, Satveer will think there's something wrong."

"What kind of health problem?" Zara asked.

"I've been...using..." Mandeep muttered, clearly ashamed. Zara could practically see him running his hands through his hair in frustration.

"I'll meet you at the brink. This coming Wednesday," she said. Mandeep agreed, and she hung up the phone. Zara took a moment to rearrange her facial expressions from worried to happy. She muttered a small prayer and quickly headed back out to the dining room.

As she drew nearer, she heard her name.

"-Zara's unprofessionalism rivals even that of Garcia's and I didn't even think that was possible," Alvez said with a laugh. Garcia chucked from the other side of the table.

"Yeah, but she manages to figure a lot out, even from photos. Hell, she's spotted things that Reid hasn't been able to," Rossi added.

She could hear Reid's mouth open as he was about to interject, when JJ spoke. "Yeah, but Reid's been focused on something else lately, haven't you?" JJ replied coyly.

"I...what?" Reid stammered from his seat. Zara flushed slightly, unsure of what to make of this conversation.

"C'mon Reid, I'm not blind. Even I know she's pretty," Alvez said bluntly.

"I didn't say that she wasn't," Reid objected. "I'm just busy..." he faltered.

Zara could hear Tara scoff. "Busy? Really Reid?" she asked pointedly.

"She's offering to take us to her cousin's wedding. You could offer to be her date?" Garcia suggested.

Zara's stomach practically dropped to the floor, and she quickly went back to the washroom, not wanting to hear Reid's answer. She made a bit of an effort to be noisy as she closed the door, and marched back towards the others. Luckily, as she drew nearer, they had already quietened down, the subject abandoned completely. She smiled as she sat back down, and continued to eat her food, not at all feeling as hungry as she did before.