Sometimes the most urgent thing you can possibly do is take a complete rest

-Ashleigh Brilliant

"How well did you know him?" Dave asked, from over his makeshift mug.

Alex shrugged, "We worked on the Amerithrax case but after that, he transferred to Kansas."

"That whole case went to Hell in a hand-basket, a lot of people lost faith in us after that," Dave said, draining the last of his coffee.

"Well, we're making up for that now," Alex tossed her cup in the trash and stood up. "Let's get out of here."

"I'm right behind you, I need to call Erin's kids-"

"Dave, it's two in the morning. Do you really want to wake them with this?"

"It is?" He ran a hand over his hair and the back of his neck, "Right, it can wait."

Hotch looked around at his team of exhausted agents, Reid paced the room to stay awake. J.J. kept rubbing her eyes and Penelope dozed in her seat, startling herself awake every few minutes. Only, Derek, Dave and Alex seemed fully awake. Hotch pulled out his phone, the hotel they were staying in was now a crime scene. He knew he would have to force Dave to check into a hotel but the rest of the team needed someplace to sleep.

He looked up when he heard the ping of the elevator doors. Moments later, Alex walked into the waiting room.

"How's Dave?" Hotch asked, before Derek had the chance.

"He's taking it pretty hard and he's lost all concept of time-"

"That's to be expected, he won't sleep anytime soon but the rest of need to get some rest. We've got rooms on standby a couple of blocks from here. Derek, it might be best if you drive."

"I can drive," Reid perked up, rubbing his eyes.

"I got this, Kid," Derek said, moving to stand next to Penelope, he rubbed her shoulder "Baby Girl, wake up."

"What is it?" She mumbled.

"Hotch got us rooms not far from here and I'm driving."

Penelope groaned in the darkness of the hotel room, she couldn't sleep no matter how drained she was she couldn't shut down her brain. Reaching for her purse, she pulled out her phone she needed to check on Rossi. She needed to get the weight off her chest.

"Hotch is with him, you know," J.J. said, from the bed across the room, she flopped on her back staring at the ceiling.

"I know- I just-I can't get them out of mind. I've never seen him so- I've just never seen him like this."

"Hotch is looking out for him, there's nothing we can do now. We should just roll over and try to get some sleep."

Penelope rolled her eyes, "Of course, we have beds underneath us and we can't sleep."

She rolled out of bed, and began to pace the floor, "It's just-she was finally on our side and now-now Rossi's going to lose her. And he doesn't deserve that, not after Carolyn-"

"Garcia-" J.J. Tried to interrupt but Penelope kept talking.

"And what about her kids, Jayje? Did we even know Strauss had kids! How wrong is that? We've worked with her for eight years and know ab so-freaking-lutely nothing about her! Did any of us even think to ask? No we were so caught up in the fact that she's our boss and kind of a pain. Big freakin' deal!"

"Garcia!" J.J. Snapped, standing in front of her, taking her shoulders, "You have to calm down, Penelope." J.J. said, gently, "We're all worried about Rossi but you can't get so worked up. Everything is going to be okay."

"J.J. You don't understand," Penelope dropped her voice she was suddenly aware of Alex sleeping in the adjoining room. J.J. sat down on the bed and Penelope sat beside her.

"Remember when Reid and I went to that Doctor Who convention and we ran into Kevin-"

"Of course-"

"This must be kept strictly between us, Jayje. Reid hasn't told anyone and they obviously don't want anyone to know-" she rambled.

"Okay-" J.J. held up her hands, "Whatever it is, it's just between us."

"See across the street from where the convention was being held, there was a really nice hotel. We're talking, five-star. Reid and I ran into Rossi outside-"

"You ran into Rossi?" J.J. asked in disbelief.

"He said he had been at some cigar slash whisky function and made a joke about going to bed when it was like 9am. I thought that maybe he had been up all night playing poker or something, but then as soon as his car was out of the parking lot, Strauss walked out and it was like the walk of shame-or something," Penelope said, most of her words coming out in a rush.

"Did she see you?"

No, she got in her car and left and it was never spoke of."

"They were all over each other at my wedding."

"I know right, I think he danced with Emily once the entire night-"

"If there is something going on between them, that would explain why Rossi is taking it so hard."

"What can we do? We can't just leave him-"

"Hotch is taking care of him, we just have to be here when he says he needs us," J.J. said, squeezing Penelope's shoulder.

"Hotch probably knows better than anyone what he's feeling now, huh."

J.J. nodded sadly,"He does."

Dave sat with his head in his hands, thoughts of Erin's kids plagued his mind; they didn't deserve this, who was he trying to fool? No one deserved this. He pulled himself to his feet and headed to the elevator; Hotch was going to try to talk him into leaving, that was the last thing he wanted to do. He'd already left her at the mercy of that bastard and he wasn't about to do it again. The elevator doors opened and he stepped into the silent hall. He turned towards the patient wards when Hotch's voice called from behind him.

"I sent the team to get some sleep, I told them you were on your way."

"Go on. I'll get a cab."

Seeing the look of skepticism, he added, "Hug Jack, kiss your girlfriend, "I'll be fine." He let his gaze drift down the hall where Erin resided.

"Dave- there's nothing you can do here, God help me, I've been right where you are but, you can't fix this-"

"Don't profile me, Hotch!" He snapped, taking a step forward, "You have no idea where I am!"

"Get in the car, we're going to the hotel and you're going to sleep."

"I'm not leaving-"

Hotch dropped his voice and fixed Dave with a glare, "That's an order, Agent Rossi, get in the car. If I see you anywhere near this hospital in the next twelve hours, you're fired."

"Fine," Dave huffed.

They entered the elevator when Dave said,"Threatening to fire me was a little dramatic, don't you think?"

Hotch shrugged, "I've learned from the best."

For the first time that night, Dave smiled.