A huge thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read this story, left a review, or sent me a PM. Your support over these last 49 chapters has been nothing short of amazing. You truly are the greatest bunch of readers a writer could ask for. Thank you.

Special mention to Annber03 and Shadpup who have been invaluable in their support and suggestions.

And to all my American friends - Happy Thanksgiving!

As always, happy reading =)


"It is much easier to become a father than to be one." – Kent Nerburn

I ring the doorbell and immediately begin to shake my head and chuckle as I hear the thundering footfalls of the Morgan children, accompanied of course by loud barks from their canine companion, Campbell.

"Mama! Mama! Mama!" I hear them yell before they press their faces to small window next to the door and grin up at me with their wide, toothy smiles. "Mamaaaaaaaaaaa! Uncle Dave here!"

"All right, all right. Back up, you hooligans! That means you too, Campbell!" I hear her playfully scold a moment later. "Hey stranger," she says as she pulls open the door and gives me a hug. But my warm welcome is interrupted as she pulls out of my arms suddenly and begins yelling, "Hey! Campbell, get back here!"

Matthew and Tegan giggle boisterously for a brief moment at their mother's actions before remembering my presence. "Uncle Dave!" they both yell and throw their arms around my legs tightly.

"Teganina! Istigatore!" I say as I wrap my arms around them the best I can. "I've missed you!"

"I see their love for you has not diminished," Emily remarks with a raised brow as she drags Campbell up the stairs and into the house, evidently having been successful in corralling him. She makes sure the door latches tightly behind her before letting go of his collar and shooting him a look of warning.

"Then they're just like their mother," I say with a smug smile. I lift one arm and open it for another hug, since our last one was interrupted. She leans over her children and wraps her arms around me carefully and gives me a quick peck on the cheek, which I return in kind.

"I'm glad you could come," she says after stepping back.

"Nowhere else I'd rather be, bella," I say seriously. And it's true. It certainly beats the alternative – sitting at home alone in that big house with only Mudgie to keep me company.

"Well we're all very happy you could make it. These two especially," she says gesturing to the twins who are still firmly hugging my legs, but have begun to bounce in excitement. "They have been going on about you coming over all morning since I reminded them."

"I'll say! They haven't said a peep to me all morning," I hear a voice from the kitchen exclaim.

Emily just laughs and gestures for me to hand over my coat.

"I brought just a little something for you, a token of my appreciation for inviting me into your home," I say holding out a bag containing two bottles of her favourite wine.

"Dave, you didn't have to-"

"But I did," I interrupt.

"Yes, you did," she replies, taking my coat and the bag holding the wine. "Thank you."

"Of course. Where's Derek?"

"At the office. He apparently put off his "I'll do it tomorrow" paperwork a little too long. Hotch threatened that if he didn't turn in the files by the end of the week he'd put him on desk duty for a month."

"And let me guess, he's just starting it today?"

She lets out a chuckle. "If he had his way he would be, but I've been nagging him all week about it, so he started yesterday."

"He can't have that much...can he? I mean, I'm not usually very quick about my paperwork and I'm not that swamped."

She arches an eyebrow. "This is Derek we're talking about. The only person who hates paperwork more than him is me."

"Ah, this is true. I must say, I don't miss your paperwork rants at all," I say with a wink. "Now, where are we off to?" I ask, looking pointedly down at the twins who are still firmly attached to my legs and grinning widely.

"Play!" they both yell enthusiastically.

"Matty. Tegan. You don't need to shout, Uncle Dave isn't deaf," Emily says pointedly, fixing them with a meaningful stare.

"So-wee," they say in unison, guilt written all over their faces, and their grins melting away.

"Thank you," she says with an encouraging smile.

"Mama, we play Uncle Dave?" Tegan asks, her brown eyes wide and hopeful.

"Why don't you ask him, Tee?"

Tegan swings her gaze up to my face and repeats the sentiment, "We play Uncle Dave?"

"Sure, Teganina. Let's go play," I reply with a warm smile. They both let go of my legs and take off down the hallway, half skipping and half running to their toys while giggling madly.

"Let me know if you need a break," Emily offers apologetically. "I know the two of them are a handful."

"Are you calling me old, young lady?"

She laughs heartily. "No, no," she says putting a hand on my arm. "But I think "distinguished" seems appropriate," she adds with a smirk.

"Emily? You asked me to remind you at 3 about the potatoes," I hear the voice from the kitchen call out.

"Right! Thanks, Fran. I'll be right there," she calls back. "C'mon, you can't keep those two waiting or they'll be back to drag you in there," she says with a smile.

"Your children? Impatient? I'd never have guessed."


The doorbell rings and I hear Campbell start his usual barking routine as he sprints toward the door. I watch as the twins scamper to their feet quickly to follow, abandoning our rather elaborate plastic food feast.

"Mama! Mama! Gamma here!" I hear Matthew call out from the foyer.

"Do you want me to get that, Emily?" I call out, knowing she's probably got her hands full with the food prep and likely didn't hear Matthew's declaration.

"Thanks, Dave. It's probably my mother. Just send her in here, if the twins don't pull her away first," she replies.

I make my way to the front door and grin as I watch the twins greet the guest the same way they'd greeted me – their faces pressed to the window next to the door, and legs squirming in excitement.

"Don't let Campbell get out!" I hear Emily call out in a slight panic.

"Cook your food, Emily!" I shoot back.

Once I've got a tight hold on the canine's collar, I open the door and greet the guest, who, as Emily predicted and Matthew announced, is indeed her mother.

"Ambassador Prentiss, please, come in. Emily's a bit tied up in the kitchen at the moment."

"Dave, how many times do I have to tell you? Please, call me Elizabeth," she says as she's nearly knocked over by the force of her grandchildren clamouring for her attention. I close the door, but keep a hold of Campbell, who seems to be a bit too excited by another guest appearing in the house, and I'm guessing Emily's mother wouldn't take kindly to being knocked over by the 70 pounds of dog that would no doubt barrel straight for her.

"Gamma! We play!" Tegan says as she grabs her hand and begins to pull her toward her toys.

"Yeah, play!" Matthew echoes, skipping alongside his sister and grandmother.

Leaving the two children in the capable hands of their grandmother, and having successfully prevented Campbell's excitable nature causing any havoc, I take the opportunity to sneak into the kitchen.

"Mrs. Morgan," I say warmly, pressing a kiss to each of her cheeks. "Wonderful to see you again."

She blushes lightly as Emily chuckles. "Agent Rossi, always a pleasure. And please, call me Fran."

"Only if you'll call me Dave."

"You've got yourself a deal," she replies with a smile.

"You ladies need any help in here?"

"Absolutely not," Emily says quickly as she turns away from the pot simmering on the stove. "Definitely not."

I frown.

"No way I'm letting you into my kitchen, Dave. Never again. Pour yourself some wine, indulge Campbell a little, and help my mother distract those balls of energy I call my children."

I can't help the smirk that forms on my face, recalling our last foray into cooking together. We may have worked well together in the field taking down unsubs and could work a profile together like few other people could, but we definitely did not get along well in the kitchen. We agreed mutually to never interfere with each other's cooking.

"Okay, okay," I say, holding up my hands in surrender. "I'll get the wine. Does your mother prefer red or white?"

"Red."

"Let me know if you need any help..."

"I swear to God, Rossi, if you don't get out of my kitchen..." she warns, holding a spoon up threateningly.

"I'm going, I'm going!" I say as I grab two wine glasses, a bottle opener, and one of the bottles I'd brought. I escape quickly out of the kitchen and into the great room where Elizabeth is completely engrossed with helping the twins build an elaborate set of train tracks.

I set about opening the wine and pour out a small amount, making sure it lives up to my standards. Having passed my tests, I pour out some wine into the two glasses and deliver one to a surprised Elizabeth.

"Thank you, Dave," she says, accepting the glass. "Mm. This is wonderful," she says after taking a sip.

"Like mother, like daughter. That's Emily's favourite," I explain after noting her confused expression.

"I can see why," she says, taking another sip. "It's lovely."

I smile and disappear back into the kitchen, the second filled glass and the bottle in tow. "For you, bella," I say, holding out the glass.

"I will let your presence in my kitchen go without punishment, but only because of that wine," she says, pointing a finger at the glass before taking it and inhaling deeply. "Mm. I've missed this."

"Fran, would you like a glass?" I ask, gesturing to the bottle in my hand.

She smiles. "I'm fine for now, thanks. Maybe with dinner."

I grab another glass from the cupboard and slip out of the kitchen before Emily can berate me any further. I settle on the couch and am a bit surprised when Matthew looks up from his trains and gets up quickly. He grabs a book, climbs up onto the couch next to me and looks up at me with his wide eyes.

"Sto-wee?" he asks.

"Sure istigatore, let's read a story," I say. And for the next 20 minutes we do. We read about Curious George's adventure while Matthew animatedly points out the things he recognizes. By the time we get to the end of the book, his eyes are beginning to droop and he's quickly losing the battle to stay awake. A quick glance over to Elizabeth confirms the same for Tegan. An exciting morning has led to something of an energy crash in the afternoon, which may be beneficial considering the late night they're sure to have.

"I'll get Emily," Elizabeth says quietly. "I'm not sure if she wants them to nap or not."

"I'm not sure she'll have much of a choice in the matter," I reply, after glancing down at Matthew's sleepy form.

A minute later Emily exits the kitchen and her features soften at the sight of her children fast asleep.

"Do you mind carrying him up?" she asks quietly before gathering Tegan into her arms.

I shake my head and slowly begin to get up. He shifts slightly at the movement, but eventually settles his head on my shoulder and wraps his arms tighter around me in his sleep. We make our way up the stairs quietly and once we reach the top Emily points me in the direction of Matthew's room. I push open the door to his room and smile at the jungle theme. With his love of Curious George, I can't say I'm at all surprised by the decor.

As I gently lay him down, I unconsciously hold a breath, praying he doesn't wake up. His eyes flutter for a brief moment, but he doesn't wake. His body curls up in the bed and I pull his blanket up over his slumbering form. He begins to shift around and seems somehow uncomfortable, leading me to worry that I've done something wrong, especially since my experience with children is pretty limited. Nevertheless, I reach out a hand and tenderly stroke his head, pushing his hair out of his eyes. He seems to settle at my touch, and I breathe a sigh of relief. When I'm certain he's asleep and comfortable, I stand up and am suddenly overcome by a sense of what could have been. I can't help wondering what my life would have been like if James hadn't been taken from us so soon after we got him. I can't help but wonder if I'd look at him the same way Emily looks at Matthew and Tegan, or if I'd have been a good parent. I think of all the moments Carolyn and I were robbed of – first steps, first word, high school graduation, grandchildren...

I lean over and press a gentle kiss to Matthew's forehead before turning to exit the room. I had been so absorbed in my own thoughts and making sure he was comfortable that I hadn't noticed her form in the doorway. She's leaning against the doorframe, her arms crossed, and a loving expression on her face. I walk past her and she steps into the room quickly to press a kiss of her own onto Matthew's head and pull up the blanket he's already kicked off. When she steps back into the hallway, partially closing the door behind her, I notice Campbell has taken up his post between the two bedrooms.

"They're so beautiful, Emily," I say, unable to adequately express just how amazing they are, but wanting to try anyway.

"Yeah. They are," she says quietly. "It takes my breath away sometimes and I can't believe that Derek and I made these two children who are so beautiful and whole and innocent. And when they look up at me with those big eyes that have no capacity for hate..." she trails off, the rest of the thought staying hidden in her mind.

But I have a pretty good idea how she would have finished it. Her expression gives away the deeper meaning in her words. I know how much her abortion as a teenager weighed on her, especially when the subject of her and Derek having kids came up, so it isn't surprising that she's still a little in awe that she isn't being punished, and that her children don't hate her.

"I know you had your reservations, but motherhood suits you."

Her brow furrows slightly and she tilts her head to the side, asking the silent question.

"You've changed a lot since you left the BAU," I offer in explanation, but I know that it doesn't really answer her question so I continue quickly, "You embraced a part of yourself that you'd locked away long ago and hadn't told many people about. You were terrified, but you didn't try to fight or run from it. You embraced it. You're still the tough Agent Prentiss I met all those years ago, but you're more than that now. You're also a mother, and I've never seen you fit so seamlessly into a role."

Her eyes have widened at my words.

"I..." I trail off, taking a deep breath because I'm honestly not at all sure what I'm trying to say anymore. The point of my explanation had shifted at some point, and now I find myself overwhelmed with thoughts of James. "I never got the chance to be a father to James, and seeing you with Matthew and Tegan makes me wish I'd had another opportunity," I finish sadly.

"You did."

It's my turn to look at her questioningly, my head tilting to one side.

"With me," she says softly, her eyes staring into my own. "I know it probably isn't how you imagined it would be, but...you've been more of a father to me in the years I've known you than mine ever was to me. I wasn't kidding around when I asked you to walk me down the aisle, Dave."

I want to respond and thank her for her kind and eloquent words, but I find I can't. Everything I want to say gets caught in my throat and I can only choke out, "Emily, I..." before I'm rendered completely speechless.

"I'm sorry you never got a chance with James, I really am. I think you would've done an amazing job. But you've been a wonderful father to me, and you're a wonderful uncle to Matthew and Tegan. They adore you, and that's not accidental."

My eyes and mouth are wide with shock. Since I'd gotten the chance to really get to know her, I'd seen Emily as something of a daughter, but to hear it from her makes it so much more real. Sure, I'd walked her down the aisle on her wedding day, but I chalked that up to her asshole of a father not recognizing the gift he'd been given and me swooping in to save the day. And sure, she'd trusted me with things she hadn't told anyone else, but those were mostly admissions of necessity, whether for a case or to gain back trust. To hear that I mean so much to her and to Tegan and Matthew – it honestly warms my heart and helps to begin to repair a small part of my soul that hasn't been whole since I lost James.

I realize I've been silent for a few moments and focus my gaze on Emily once more, who is looking at me with her own wide eyes that convey love and gratitude. I smile broadly and blink quickly to stem the moisture forming as a result of her words. Emily and I are similar in that regard – we don't usually like to let others see our weakness, and yet this is the second time this woman has openly brought tears to my eyes. I pull her in a tight hug and whisper "Thank you," into her ear.

Her only response is to tighten her hold on me, and in that moment it's never been clearer to me that I am a part of a family.


"Showtime!" Derek says dramatically as he slides out of the kitchen, earning giggles from Tegan and Matthew. "Emily has given the order-"

"DEREK!" I hear Emily yell from the kitchen.

"Ah, Emily has asked that we take our seats," he corrects, throwing a wink to his mother.

"I promise I raised him better," she says with a groan as she turns to face Elizabeth, who just chuckles.

"Seats, people!" Derek says in reminder. "Before Emily takes away my dessert privileges!"

We make our way to the table which is surprisingly free of plates. Cutlery and glasses are set out, but the plates sit in a pile on a nearby surface. I frown and try to work out exactly what's going on, because this isn't like any Thanksgiving I've ever been to.

"Rossi, you're right here," Derek says, gesturing to one of the chairs. "And Mama, as requested you're squashed between the troublemakers over there. Elizabeth-"

"Liz," she corrects, shooting a distinctly 'Prentiss' look to Derek, who cringes ever so slightly in response. I hold in a chuckle, knowing he's probably been on the wrong end of hundreds of those looks.

"Sorry, Liz, you're on the other side of Matty, who asked specifically for you." I watch as a smile grows on Elizabeth's face at this piece of information.

"Gamma! Up!" Matthew says impatiently, tugging on her hand.

"Matty," Derek warns. "We talked about this, little man."

"Gamma, up pwease!" he amends, looking a bit sheepish.

"That's better, my man."

"Nana...pwease?" Tegan says quietly, looking pointedly up at her chair.

While the grandmothers busy themselves getting the kids situated in their chairs, Derek disappears into the kitchen to procure some wine. Emily appears before he returns, carrying 2 packages of markers.

She spies my confused expression and begins to explain, "Right sorry, Dave. I forgot you weren't here last year. We have something of a tradition for Thanksgiving here. Before we eat, everyone draws a picture on their placemats showing what they're thankful for, and then we do a bit of show and tell."

"I went to a buddy's house for Thanksgiving one year during college and his family had this tradition, and I sort of always envisioned doing it with my own family," Derek adds as he steps back into the room.

So that's why the plates aren't set up. Huh. Interesting tradition. Bet the kids get a kick out of it.

"I'm afraid I'm not quite Picasso..."

"Me help!" Tegan says quickly with a grin.

I smile at her offer of assistance. "Well looks like I'm covered then."

Emily drops the markers onto the table and we all begin our pictures. A few minutes later, when we've all finished, we go around the table and describe what we've drawn (or, at least tried to draw). Elizabeth's depicts her daughter and she describes just how grateful she is to have her back in her life. Fran jokes that she's thankful for not having to pester Derek for grandbabies anymore. Tegan and Matthew both point out their mom, dad, Campbell, various aunts and uncles, and of course a token toy here and there. Emily and Derek predictably both draw their children and each other. Given how much emphasis Emily and Derek have put on involved their mothers in their children's lives, it's not surprising to me that all their pictures have an element of family in them. It is perhaps a little surprising, however, that my own picture shows the rag-tag group of profilers, an Academy instructor, a technical analyst, and the various nieces and nephews that make up my family.

"Okay, princess. Can we get this party started?" Derek asks, shifting his gaze to his wife once we'd made our way around the table. "I'm starving."

She glares at him for a moment before letting the smile that had been tugging at the corners of her mouth spread across her face. "Yes," she says with a chuckle and a quick nod. "Let's eat."


A few hours later, having finished dinner and dessert, and enjoyed some conversation and seemingly endless entertainment courtesy of the twins, I find myself saying my goodbyes. Fran had headed up to bed a few minutes ago and Elizabeth had left not too long before that. The twins had been put to bed an hour ago, so it's just Derek, Emily and me.

"Rossi, thanks for coming, it means a lot," Derek says sincerely, pulling me into a quick hug.

"Thanks for having me," I reply. "It was a great day."

"I'll see you on Monday?"

"Only if the hangover I'm sure to get from all the turkey and wine dissipates," I quip.

"Thanks for coming, Dave," Emily says with a smile, opening her arms for another hug. "I'm glad you came."

Remembering that she had not always been a woman fond of such displays of affection, I smile widely seeing the proof of how much Derek and her children have changed her, and definitely for the better. I'm reminded of the conversation she and I had not long after she left the BAU when I asked her why she chose to stay rather than take the job in London. She told me she was tired of constantly burying her emotions and wanted to be able to feel things again. I remember being a bit confused by that explanation, since she could have very well sought after that in London. But the fact that she let herself fall in love with Derek, embraced motherhood, and chased her own happiness for once rather than helping everyone else chase theirs says that she has let herself feel again. And nothing has made me so happy than to see her find her own happiness.

"So am I, bella. Thanks for letting me be a part of your family tonight."

She frowns slightly. "Not just tonight, Dave. I told you earlier, you're more of a father than I ever had growing up. You are family."


For those not familiar with Italian endearments - adding "ina" onto the end of something makes it diminutive in a really cute kind of way. As for Matthew's nickname: as far as I can tell, "istigatore" is akin to "troublemaker" or "instigator". I'm not fluent in Italian, so props go to Google for this one.

I sat for a long time trying to wrap my head around what my 50th chapter should be about, and what perspective it should be from. A very long time. But some wise words from a friend, and a few marathon writing sessions later, this chapter was (finally) born. I do hope you enjoyed it.

And lastly, of course I'd love to hear your thoughts on this conversation, and/or the story overall.