Working on two stories at once, while working extra hours and split doubles is really starting to catch up to me. This, and the last update to my PERSON OF INTEREST story may be the last ones for a bit. I know you guys will understand. That said, I left this chapter with a slim grasp of hope for our hero, and I can reveal that the next few chapters are going to be more positive and less dramatic. Enjoy!
The Last Unbroken Heart
No moon, but the stars still littered the black sky. There was a slight chill in the air, but Dave didn't care as he leaned back in his Adirondack chair on his spacious back porch and smoked his expensive cigar. Beside him lay Mudgie.
Taking a puff, he let the fragrant aroma roll over his tongue and fill his lungs. He didn't have many pleasures he over indulged in, but his cigars weren't one of them. They were his refuge from the stress the job brought. He closed his eyes and tried to relax.
No music, no wind, just silence. And Dave didn't mind. In fact, he welcomed it. He invited the quiet so he could forget the horror of California. And that, once again, he had been rejected by the woman he could no longer contain his feelings for. What was it going to take to make her see? He wondered with a heavy sigh.
He almost jumped out of his skin as he felt a hand touch his shoulder. "Are you asleep?" Emily's soft voice broke the quiet still of the moment.
Opening his eyes, he turned his head. "Emily." Instantly he sat up and stubbed out his cigar. "You're home early. I thought you were going to stay late."
"I read your report. I'm so sorry, Dave." Emily tried unsuccessfully to blink back the tears that raced down her cheeks. She had gotten the news about the abduction – that had turned from a rescue to a search and recovery - of the two little girls. Though she had read Team Bravo's reports detailing their murder and sexual assault, it was Dave's report that drove home the brutality of the crime.
"It's okay, Em," he comforted. Taking her hand, he pulled her down beside him. "We got the son of a bitch."
"I know." She wiped the tears away. "I guess I'm just hormonal. This isn't the worst crime we've ever been involved in."
"Anything involving a child is the worst crime, Em," Dave corrected gently. "It hurts to know that we weren't there in time."
Emily's breath was shuddered as she tried to keep her feelings under control. "I know. It hit pretty close to home, I guess."
Dave covered her hands with his and gave a loving squeeze. "At least that bastard is never going to hurt anyone ever again."
"Pfft! Some silver lining."
"It's the only one we have, Em. And we have to hold on to it." Hesitantly he laid his hand over Emily's abdomen. "We take our victories one at a time."
Emily nodded, bit her lip. "I know."
"I missed your birthday," Dave remarked softly. "And I missed your prenatal appointment. I'm not living up to my role as a good husband," his smile was wry.
"It's no big deal. I will have other birthdays, and trust me, there are a lot more appointments coming up."
"I'm not going to miss any of them."
Emily tried to ignore the implication of his words. She knew as well as he did that by May of next year they would be divorced and only have visitation to bring them together.
"We'll play it by ear," was her only reply.
"Well, there is one thing we can't play by ear. I know you've been busy, but Thanksgiving is right around the corner. What are we going to do?" he asked.
Emily tried to consider a response, but came up empty. "What do you mean?"
"Celebrating it, of course. Do we stay here? Do we go out of town? Do we go out to eat? Do we eat here? Do we have the BAU over?" he ran down the list of options.
"What do you usually do?"
"Well, until I came back to the BAU, I usually spent the long weekend hunting and fishing at the cabin. Later, I spent it with friends. But I never hosted a Thanksgiving dinner here."
"Poor Mudgie has been denied Thanksgiving scraps?" Emily feigned mocked horror. At the mention of his name, the Lab raised his head and whined. "Poor baby," Emily cooed and petted his head. "Your daddy denied you."
"He eats better than most humans," Dave protested. "Trust me, he hasn't been denied."
"He deserves to have Thanksgiving." She rubbed Mudgie's head. Jumping up, he placed his front paws on her lap and gave her a kiss. "Ugh!" Emily tried to wipe the slobber off her face. He leaned in to give another.
"Mudgie, terra! Piede!" Instantly the canine obeyed. "Here," Dave handed Emily his handkerchief.
"Thanks. So…what do you want to do?" she asked, wiping her face clean.
"Do you want to go out to the cabin and relax? We don't have to hunt or fish," he supplied quickly to keep her from changing her mind.
Emily shook her head. "The weather looks as though it might be bad. So, no. Let's stay here."
"Big dinner? Little dinner?" he kept fishing for any ideas that might help him grab on to the life line and bring her closer to him. He liked parties and the chance to mingle with people. He loved to talk and converse and hear what people had to say. But most of all, he loved to profile people. Parties were the best, indiscriminate way to hone his skill. Emily, though, was more clubs than parties, and viewed socializing as a death sentence. There had to be a happy medium.
"If we're going to have dinner, we may as well invite the team. JJ is going thru hell right now, and I think she needs to have a good holiday," Emily said with a sigh. Her heart was heavy for her friend.
Dave's eyes were kind. "So do you. It's a plan, then?"
"Freya won't mind?"
"Freya is going to be on vacation. I'll be doing the cooking," he boasted.
Emily rolled her eyes. "God help us. Don't tell me you become one of those people who set boundaries and won't let anyone tread on his territory, while decked out in his 'Kiss The Cook' apron."
Dave pretended to be wounded by her description. "Hey, I resemble that remark. I will have you know that I cook a mean turkey, and I don't need any help in the kitchen."
"I will believe it when I taste it."
"You and me and the team for Thanksgiving, here?" Dave proposed.
"Sure."
Dave took Emily's hand and held it. "About what happened today… I didn't mean to cross any lines…I missed you," he confessed. "And though our marriage is anything but idyllic – by my standards – I miss seeing you in the morning and hearing your voice."
"As much as you pissed me off with the Diane thing, I…missed you…too," she grudgingly admitted.
"Dare I believe that there might be some affection growing below the surface for me?" he asked.
"A little."
"You know you can talk to me about anything. The door is always open," he offered.
"I will keep that in mind." Emily stood and stretched. "I've had a long day and I think I'm going to turn in."
Dave was instantly on his feet. "Have you eaten? I can make you something…"
Emily waved him off. "I'm fine. Seriously, I meant it when I said that I don't have much of an appetite since the morning sickness eased. I'll have something for breakfast."
"Emily—"
The sadness from earlier replaced her happy expression. "Don't, Dave. Please. I need to be alone right now."
She didn't, he could tell just by looking in her eyes, but there was nothing he could say without causing her to become angry and ultimately losing any ground he'd won.
"Okay." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "As I said earlier, my door is always open."
"I'll remember that." Bending down, Emily rubbed Mudgie's head. "Good night, Mudgie. Is the nursery safe to enter?"
"I'd give it another day," Dave replied.
"I'll check it in the morning. Finish your cigar. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Em." He watched as she disappeared into the house. Mudgie whined. "Go be with her, boy," he ordered. Instantly the dog raced to follow his mistress. Settling back on the chair, Dave twirled his cigar around his fingers, but he didn't light it. Instead, there was a smile on his face.
Emily had called him Dave.
