Chapter XXXI
"Now I know what a ghost is. Unfinished business, that's what." ~ Salman Rushdie
Easter found Rossi in the waiting area of the hospital. The older agent's eyes were fixed at his palm. He was holding Gloria's cross, judging by the chain hanging through his fingers. His eyes were swollen by worry, cry and lack of sleep. He took the seat beside him.
"How's Emily?" Rossi asked in a hoarse voice without looking up.
"She is OK, just shaken up, but she would never admit it," Clyde spoke quietly.
"That sounds like her."
"She worries about Ria. Any news?"
Rossi shook his head to a no.
"They couldn't stabilise her on the way here. She barely responded to the Narcan, she still couldn't breathe on her own... And it's been five hours. I... I don't know..."
"Ria is a tough cookie. She is going to be all right," Easter reassured him.
David took a deep breath and sat up a bit.
"The only thing they told me is that if the paramedics were moments late, she wouldn't have made it at all. If we were late… How did you assume that they were going to be in that building? It was a long shot and you knew it."
"And you trusted me," the blond man said simply his eyes falling on the cross Rossi was holding.
"Gut feeling," he admitted.
Easter smiled to the side. Some things in this world could never be explained.
"How did you know?" Rossi repeated.
"Her cross had fallen on the map right on it, perfectly."
David turned to him completely surprised. That was all? How?
"You probably already know, that despite my mistakes in Rome at least I found Ria still alive," Clyde carried on, "She was completely out of her usual ways. If it had been only up to me, I would have never ended up in that alley, not in time."
"What do you mean?" David got confused, sure that another surprise was coming.
"I called her that night and the phone was turned off, so I went to check on her. When I came out of that church she had developed the habit of going to, I had no other clue where to look for her. Then I saw the shadow of a man wandering around. It felt familiar, like when you see someone you know from afar. I followed it and the shadow was gone only for me to find Ria unconscious, cut open from behind," the blond man exhaled through his nose, witnessing his colleague hurt again had brought up awful memories.
Yes, Gloria could be a pain on the ass and a headache at the same time, but he cared for her, even if he had a strange way of showing it and he had failed it.
"There was so much blood. It was a miracle that she still had a pulse. She coded twice in the ambulance. It was a miracle that she made it to the hospital. And it didn't end there. Her body was already exhausted, the wounds were infected and got infected later again, there were repetitive complications; she didn't end up with this muscular and neurological damage only from the cuts. In any way, it was a miracle she survived the whole ordeal. And I never found the junkie that interrupted the man attacking her and I had convinced the police to question every drug user they could find in the city. I seriously doubt that that junkie ever existed, I mean in reality..."
Dave raised his eyebrows.
"Agent Rossi, once a dying man made me promise to protect Ria from herself and I failed, terribly. When I found her, she had the cross that he had given her in her palm. To me, he had taken the matters in his own hands. Tonight when I saw the cross so neatly placed on that spot, I thought that it was placed like that on purpose."
Rossi was beyond shocked.
"Have I left you wordless?"
"I am not really used to listen to SIS officers talking about miracles and ghosts."
"Me neither," Clyde smiled to the side, "I'm British, though, aren't I?"
Yeah, British have a reputation of believing in supernatural stuff.
"In that farm, I lost a brother, not in blood, but a brother," he revealed.
"I'm sorry."
"Me too. But you trusted me about that place without knowing any of it all. I think that finally, my friend will get some rest."
Silence fell for a bit. David stared at the cross in his palm.
"Have you ever told Gloria any of this?" he asked.
"No. I'm a former SIS officer. How am I supposed to talk about miracles and ghosts?" Clyde said simply.
Rossi snorted. Clyde still had to manage cases and people unbiased by emotional issues. He was never going to change.
"What's going to happen with Blackmore going on trial? He still can jeopardise Gloria's missions, expose her," Rossi voiced what he feared since Blackmore surrendered.
"We'll see about him," Clyde replied calmly.
Then the doctor eventually appeared.
"Are you for Gloria Paterson?"
David literally jumped from his seat, approaching quickly the tall and thin, grey haired woman. The doctor's face was calm. She didn't have that so common expression the doctors have when they are about to announce bad news and David thought that maybe he would be able to breathe again.
"How is she, Doctor?"
"She is finally stable. It was the cocktail of drugs she was given that created the challenges in her treatment. Once we had the exact type of them we were able to fight their effects. She even came out the ventilator and regained consciousness. There are no organ failures, no allergic reactions to the drugs, either."
"So will she be OK?" Rossi got impatient.
"She has extensive injuries all over her body, mostly severe contusions, three broken ribs, a sprained right shoulder and a concussion. There are some hematomas in her abdomen and her heart is still experiencing arrhythmias. She has to stay in the hospital for a couple of days so we can keep an eye on her. But, honestly, she made it till here, I don't think she will have any problems, she will be more than OK," the doctor smiled.
"Thank you, Doctor," David let a deep sigh of relief, "Can I see her?"
"Are you David?" she scanned him through her round glasses.
"Yes."
"She was mumbling your name when she came around," the doctor smiled again, "I have to say, Agent, the dose of drugs she tolerated is medically considered lethal. She held on and got help just in time. You have a strong and lucky woman in there."
"I know..." Rossi breathed.
"She is going to be asleep for a few hours but you can stay with her. She is in room 212."
"Thanks!" he replied and turned to Easter, restraining himself from flying to her room instantly.
"Go, Agent Rossi. I'll let the others know," Easter reassured him and David was surprised to see him smiling.
David rushed through the corridors and finally found the room.
Gloria was sleeping on her back. The skin that wasn't in any shade of red, purple and black was still paler than her normal. An IV was attached to her arm. But her chest rose and fell steadily, breathing in the oxygen the tube around her head provided. The spikes of the machine monitoring her heart silently were stable as well. He approached her side and kissed her now warm forehead letting a deep sigh of relief. He smiled remembering the doctor's words. Yes, Gloria was strong. He didn't know about the lucky part. But she was loved. Love was a luck by itself, wasn't it?
He left the cross on the nightstand and brought the chair close to the bed. He sat down, he took her hand in his and his own eyes finally closed.
At the crack of the dawn, Hotch sat on the chair by Emily who was still sleeping. He had insisted on her staying in the hospital just to be sure that she and the baby were OK. They had spent last night's hours holding on each other. She had been too scared for Ria. He had been worrying, too, but at the same time, he had been trying to convince Emily to think positively. He wasn't given the full story, though, and it hadn't really helped. Thankfully, Clyde had knocked on the door and informed them that Gloria had made it. Emily had fallen straight to sleep, given the stress of all those days. Hotch had slipped out for a bit, to instruct Morgan on dealing with the finally captive Blackmore and to call Emily's parents, to let them know that she was fine and whatever case had brought him to their doorstep was over. Of course, he didn't say to them anything about the pregnancy, yet.
Emily was pregnant with their child, he thought as he watched her. They didn't have the chance to discuss it at all and they had some serious talk to do...
Emily squeezed her eyes waking up, bringing her palms up to rub them, in that way that Hotch always found cute. Her eyes met his stoic ones.
"Hey..." she whispered, "Is Ria alright?"
He nodded.
"Dave is with her. I passed by the room a while ago. They are both sound asleep. How are you?"
"I'm fine," she replied sitting up and he stood up to tidy the pillows, trying to make her comfortable.
Emily could already tell from the shadow in his eyes that a million of thoughts were racing through Aaron's mind and she guessed why.
"Aaron, I didn't know I was pregnant when I decided to play Lauren Reynolds all over again. I would have never started it if I had known," she started hesitantly after a pause.
"Last night you said that the only reason, Gloria got into that situation from the start was you, to keep you both safe. How did she know if you didn't?" he asked.
His voice was neutral, not aggressive. But he was firm and really serious, deep in thought. His heart believed her but he needed to know everything.
Emily saw his eyes darkening and she dropped hers.
"I got dizzy in front of Garcia once, honestly thinking that it was from the stress or because I haven't eaten. Penelope got some ideas that she shared with Ria. Then Ria got certain by herself. You know her. She jumps to conclusions," Emily said the half-truth, leaving her friend's personal story out.
"But at some point you were certain, you too, and you didn't walk away. Emily, we are having a baby and I had to learn about it from your almost dying colleague and while you just came out of a situation that could have killed you. Do you realise that?"
Emily looked back at him. Under his severe expression, she could see the pain she had caused to him. What if everything had happened differently? What if she had lost that baby? What if she hadn't made it and Hotch had learned about it in a completely awful way? She would have never forgiven herself and maybe he wouldn't have, either... Tears came to her eyes.
"I do... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."
Her tears startled him and he rushed to hug her. He softened immediately feeling guilty. He just wanted to set some things in place for the years to come. It was never his intention to hurt her.
"Hey-hey... I didn't say that accusingly, sweetheart... I am not blaming you of anything."
"You should... You should be..." she said between tears, "We were so close to the end. It was just the delivery of the guns to Brooder. I never thought that she would want me with her... If I had known, I would have never carried on... Ria had to trade unspeakable things... And they hurt her, they hurt her so badly, because she was trying to keep Blackmore away from me... for the baby, for our baby... I should have never put our baby in that situation..."
Hotch had finally learned the part of the story he had already guessed.
"Shh... Take a breath," he soothed, "First of all, the baby is fine and Gloria is okay. You took her out of that place. She will be fine, too."
"I risked everything that matters to me. I risked our baby's life, my life and Ria's. I risked your trust... You have every right to be angry..."
"Listen to me. You managed it, you are all safe and it's over. I'm not angry. I got too worried and scared. I still am, but not for what has already happened."
"But every time Lauren Reynolds comes into the picture I screw up... I made mistakes back then..." she carried on still crying, "I got too involved back then..." she started to mutter.
"Emily..." he cut her off kindly, bringing her face in front of his, "You don't need to say anything about this story."
Aaron didn't want her to continue. Whatever emotional burst he had provoked was about to bring up some old nightmares. He had already understood that the whole ordeal with Doyle was far more complicated than his initial thoughts.
He had met Declan one of the times that Emily visited him. As the kid grew older, asked more and more questions about his biological father. During that visit, Hotch had overheard by chance Emily talking to the kid about Doyle. She couldn't lie to him, having witnessed his father in handcuffs, getting shot by other criminals and the woman that claimed to be his mother getting shot by the FBI didn't really help, anyway. So she had to explain to Declan that Ian was a criminal and his faults. But what had strike Hotch that afternoon was that she was, also, able to say positive things about the man: how much he loved his son and wanted to protect him from the violence, how much loyal he was to his people...
As a person with knowledge in psychology and as a father, Hotch had thought that that tactic was excellent. The kid would learn that there's not only violence in his blood and that he wasn't the son of a monster but of a man of wrongdoings. He wouldn't idealise a criminal but he wouldn't hate him as well. It didn't matter if Ian Doyle deserved that kind remembrance in reality. The healthy psychology of a young boy did matter, though. Then the profiler and the man kicked in and Hotch wondered how Emily could even speak about Doyle's good aspects.
Very recently he had a discussion with Paterson about a high ranked gangster trying to find a way for an undercover agent to approach him. That 'consultation' was asked by Strauss and now that he knew about Strauss and Easter's communication regarding the British Agent, he understood the reasons. In any way, it was one thorough profile since they had a name and a face on the table. It had covered every aspect of the criminal and his life, bad and good. The positive sides were given as tools to gain the target's trust, extract information from them without them realising it; in general to be used for deception and manipulation. Emily had been into this type of profiling; that was the reason he had kept her in the team initially, anyway. So, of course, she could talk about Doyle's good sides, they were written down in black and white on some paper.
However, the man inside him hadn't really settled. Emily had guilt in her voice that afternoon. During that discussion with Gloria, it had hit him. That gangster had two children that he treasured, their mother killed by an enemy gang. Paterson had said very pragmatically that the position of the nanny was the best way to place someone close to him. 'Not violent, not risky infiltration, but tricky. The view can be very different from that side of the mountain,' she had added neutrally. 'He doesn't order cold-blooded hits around the kids. He is human, Hotch. You can relate to him,' she had answered to his raised eyebrow. And she was right. Hotch had just spent most of his career using the profile to hunt, not to live with the target. Emily had done that with Doyle, though, and even more than that. And she didn't have Paterson's habitual and coldblooded manipulative skills or her emotional issues that could keep her detached. Emily had a healthy psychology. In the end, she had no other option but to empathise with Doyle, even sympathise with him and that sympathy may have gone just a bit deeper. At the end of the day, Doyle was the only man before Hotch himself that wanted to build a home with her...
"I've told you before. I am here with you, with Emily. What has happened, it's the past. We are letting it go by adding something good, the best," his hand went to her tummy and he rubbed it softly.
Emily looked at him in question and surprise, her sobs subsided as suddenly as they started. There was a determination in his expression. Aaron didn't want and didn't need to listen about that side of the story with Doyle. He had figured it out and it was unimportant to him. Only she had to make to piece with that matter. She couldn't change the past. But she could build a better future and they were doing just that. Probably Ria was right, that past was a healthy reaction to an unhealthy situation. Probably JJ was right, too, Emily had to grow out of it, she already had.
"And what I was trying to say before is that we should agree that this family comes first from now on. My son paid a very high price the last time I put a case above myself and the people that mattered to me. The jobs or any case should never come above us and our kids anymore."
Emily nodded sincerely in understanding.
"Are you in this with me, Emily?" he needed her to say it out loud.
She placed her hand over his, still on her belly.
"Yes, Aaron. I am."
"That's all I needed to know, love," he smiled.
Emily smiled back with new tears in her eyes but those were from happiness. She hugged him and kissed him eagerly and he returned the same emotion.
"In the meantime, though, I'll have to put up with what seems like a rather emotional pregnancy," he joked kindly.
"You noticed, I see," Emily laughed.
"I am a profiler, right?" he raised an eyebrow and then he asked all of a sudden, "Emily Prentiss, will you marry me?"
"I think I'm already bound to you for life, Aaron Hotchner..."
Light slipped through Gloria's eyelids and she opened her eyes slowly. The sun was coming in through the window warming and lighting up the room. It should be a beautiful morning outside. Her head was cloudy. Her chest felt heavy and her body was stiff and ached dully, thanks to apparently some strong painkillers. She heard a soft snore and felt breaths tickling her fingers. She saw David sitting on the chair, his head placed on the edge of her bed, sleeping, never having let go of her hand. Her eyes wondered, fell on the nightstand noticing the cross on it and finally looked at the sky through the window. One new day had started.
She had woken up with the doctors and they had informed her of what had happened to her in between asking her who was the President of the United States and all the other questions the doctors ask to make sure that the patient's brain, even shaken, is still working.
Her mind hadn't forgotten anything and her memories weren't only about the events. She remembered the cold, the darkness, the looming of death. She remembered the light and that known voice telling her that she wasn't alone and it wasn't over. She had seen the light before while bleeding out in that alley in Rome. Her scaring last conscious thought back then wasn't that she was going to die; it was that she was going to die alone, a lonely end to a lonely life. She had pulled the crucifix out of her blouse. For comfort? For hope that at least after her death she won't be alone? She didn't know. As she passed out, that light had appeared and not knowing if it was life, death, relief or all them together, she had stayed close to it – or had the light stayed close to her? She had heard no voice, though. Were her hallucinations mixed with her consciousness telling her that everything was different last night? Or the voice wasn't induced by her drugged mind at all? It had sounded a lot like a fulfilment of a promise... In any way, it was the reminder she had needed, and what it had reminded her was what had kept her in life...
She looked back at David and smiled weakly. She softly ran her thumb over his knuckles. She didn't want to wake him but after a few minutes, David's eyes flew open.
"Tesoro, you're up!" his face lit up, "How do you feel?"
"Like I was drugged and ran over by a truck but I'm okay," she replied hoarsely, her throat was sore and she had to cough a bit to clear it, her broken ribs sending sharping pain.
David got the glass of water from the bedside table quickly and brought the straw to her lips.
"Shh... It's from the tube," he soothed caressing her cheek, "It's OK... Shh..."
Gloria drank the water and breathed deeply to ease her chest.
"Let me call the doctor," David stood up but she held his hand.
"She's gonna come by herself at some point. I'm alright."
"Are you sure? Has the pain stopped?" he asked anxiously.
"Just stay here. Please," Gloria nodded and smiled softly again.
David complied and sat at the side of the bed. Even with her face half-purple, she looked... serene. She hadn't let go of his hand, either. It was the very first time she was holding it consciously. He found himself getting nervous. Did she remember what she said to him? Was she OK with her words? Suddenly the legendary Agent Rossi felt like a sixteen-year-old boy around his crush.
"What happened with the case?" she asked.
"Black Cross is shut down. Malone is getting warmed up to talk. And Blackmore is in custody. We arrested him while he was getting away from the warehouse."
"Good..." she murmured.
Blackmore was caught, about to face justice for everything he had ever done. Mission accomplished. But there was a thought in her head since she realised that he knew too much about at least one operation of hers. No matter the accusations, he was still a man with power. He would be out there for many years. He could stir problems in the long run. The new day may be bright but there was still a dark cloud in the sky...
"Gloria, he'll get what he deserves. He'll never come anywhere near you," David got closer to her face, suspecting what she was thinking, "Don't worry about that man anymore."
She nodded again. She had to believe him. There was no other option left, anyway.
"What was that with the tunnels? I didn't even know what I was talking about."
"There are tunnels underneath the FBI building, some worst-case scenario security stuff. Along with fifteen men planning to get in the building through the gates, they caught around six people trying to place a bomb down there."
"That was a long shot."
"It was. Emily had sent the same info to Hotch and Sutherland had mentioned the tunnels when I talked with him. Otherwise, we wouldn't have convinced the uppers."
"Did Michael come in and speak with you?" her surprise turned into shame, dropping her eyes.
"Hey-hey... It's OK. You did what you had to do," he replied softly, "And he is OK. He'll make sense of it eventually."
She looked back at him. There was only care in his eyes. Still, Gloria couldn't fully understand his acceptance. But she needed it. If she wanted her survival to have any meaning, if she wanted to get any better days finally, she needed it. He had accepted everything she had ever done. Then probably she could forgive herself, too...
Her hand reached his face. He looked exhausted and she knew she was the reason.
"I'm sorry I scared you... I'm so sorry for everything I put you through..." she said softly.
"There is nothing to be sorry about. You are here. Gloria, you survived against all the chances. You fought hard. I'm proud of you," he replied, catching her hand and placing a soft kiss inside her palm.
"I was afraid, petrified..." she whispered, "If you hadn't been there, Emily, the others... you... You, David... I... I meant it... I meant it all."
She knew what she told him last night. In that fog of the drugs, the truth had surfaced. Yeah, the 'L' word was absolutely true. Just all that time she couldn't voice it clearly not even to herself. She didn't want to admit it due to fear, not of rejection – she had that for sure in her mind – but of hurting him, of putting him in a difficult position, of losing him or of bringing to him any of the bad fortunes that were pursuing her. She remembered her words and she had to come clear to him. She owed it to him.
"I want you to know. I can understand if… I mean…"
"I said the same back," he replied quietly, his eyes watering and a soft smile lingering on his lips.
She did remember that, too. His words had been a surprise while she was at the brink of death. They were still a surprise then. She didn't want to process more. Instinctively she tried to pull him softly by her hand still on his face. She just craved for his lips.
He came closer to her face but didn't comply immediately with what he knew she was asking and he wanted more than anything.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
Her eyes dropped and her face saddened. Immediately he caressed her cheek. He didn't want to upset her. But he was about to kiss her in a hospital bed after a drug-infused confession. As it seemed they would never have normal conditions for this and they had to have that conversation.
"I'm the one that should be asking this…" she replied, "I'm…"
"You are perfect," he cut her off, "And you are going through a lot. I am the most familiar face and you want to hold on to someone. Whether I should or shouldn't, I got enticed and I encouraged it. I couldn't and can't stay away from you. But..."
"Dave, look," she cut him off softly, "you don't need to explain yourself if there's someone else..."
"Listen to me," his finger went to her lips to shush her, "There is no one else. It is you. It was always you. And you are beautiful, clever, brave, special. You are young. And I am old. I am thrice divorced. I have far too many dark stories and angry women to pursue me. I told you, you are my star, Gloria. I don't want to harm you, to hurt you, not to be able to give you what you need or want. I love you far more than that."
Gloria knew he wasn't rejecting her. His stare had so much love in it that it was melting her. He just wanted her best even more than the fulfilment of his own desire. She took a breath. For one time she had to speak clearly.
"I know what I feel, David. I know it till the third night we went out for a drink in London. Deep down, you know I didn't just need 'someone to treat me like a lady' back then."
"I know," yes, he knew, the way she had responded, the way she had shivered, the way she had said his name over and over, "You wouldn't have let me touch you for just that."
"And you wouldn't have insisted for just that," she said bringing his own feelings into the conversation, "I love you, David. Let me. Trust me. That's enough for me. Is it for you?"
Dave looked into her eyes. Her eyes were crystal clear and glowing. The woman he loved was telling him to trust her and her feelings. And to that question he could only give one answer:
"More than enough, stella mia. It's everything. It's even more than everything."
His mouth touched hers softly as a feather. Her lips were bruised and scraped, he tasted a bit of dry blood, he didn't mind. Her tongue though sneaked for his eagerly and Dave smiled in the kiss. Despite her lying on a hospital bed battered and bruised, her sparkle was already back.
They were so lost in each other that they didn't hear the door of the room opening. Hotch was coming in with two coffees, one for David, one for him. He had assumed that by that time his friend would be up, so he got him a coffee. But his hands were full and he didn't knock. The covers of the cups were finished in the coffee shop and his attention was on not spilling the hot liquid. A thing that he didn't avoid when he raised his eyes and saw the two kissing.
"Sss...sorry for the interruption," he said as a couple of fallen drops burnt his fingers.
They split smiling at each other and David cleared his throat.
"It's OK, Aaron," he replied and stood up to help him with the coffees.
"How's Emily?" Gloria asked.
"She is fine. They are both fine. We'll go home tonight," Aaron replied and raised an eyebrow to Dave who moved like he had tripled his vitamins, not just doubled them.
Gloria smiled widely.
"Congratulations, Hotch."
"Dad for a second time. Buona fortuna, Aaron," David patted his back.
Hotch looked at the floor and his smile could literally reach his ears.
"Thanks. And we will get married soon, too."
"Then the first thing we do when we come out of here is to look for Em's wedding dress!" Gloria laughed.
Hotch looked up at her again and he turned a bit more serious.
"Gloria, thank you. Thank you for what you did for Emily and the baby."
"I did what I had to do, Hotch."
"You did far more than that and I'm more than grateful. But it's time to stop these stunts."
Gloria nodded, her hand reaching for David who took again his place on the side of the bed.
"I will. This time I am formally finished."
"Good," Hotch said.
He watched the couple in front of him smiling. Who could tell him that the woman he once met in London and gave him those bad vibes would do everything to keep his family safe and who knew that she was his best friend's love?
Garcia got into the room rushed. She was whispering but there was urgency in her voice.
"Sir! Sir..." she started but she saw the redhead up and she left whatever she wanted to say to give her a big, soft hug, "Glory! I'm so happy you are well! You got us so worried!"
"I'm OK, Pen," Gloria replied.
"What is it, Garcia?" Hotch asked.
"Oh..." Penelope hesitated, looking at Gloria, "Turn on the TV."
Rossi frowned and Hotch turned the device on. The news was on CNN.
"Charles Blackmore has been confirmed dead by the Washington Police. The well-known man planning to run for Senator in the next elections, who was arrested just yesterday in accounts of a conspiracy to terrorism, was shot dead by a sniper while he was being transported from the Washington Federal Building to Quantico. It's still early but there are no leads on the shooter," the journalist said.
Hotch ran the information in his head. Probably there were people that didn't want Blackmore to start talking with the police. But that was too quick. There was, though one person that had supposedly already left for London... He looked over at Rossi.
Dave brought the British man's words in his mind. 'We'll see about him." He didn't fail to notice that Blackmore's killing happened while everyone else was at the hospital and Gloria knocked out by the medicines. No one would dare to ask a single question. Clyde Easter had taken care of everything. He may haven't protected his friend's woman from herself in Rome. But he had saved her life at the end by doing what he could do best, avenging his friend's death. David turned back to Aaron with a silent warning not to raise any subject. He was sure though that the BAU Chief would never even care about who gave Blackmore what he deserved.
Gloria watched the exchange of looks, but she knew already who had such a great aim and at the same time had the purest motive to execute this. She thought of when she was with Blackmore on the floor, hitting him, wishing to kill him. Someone else took up that task and burden very much willingly. Blackmore was for sure punished for a murder from a long time ago. He would never be a risk to anyone else or her ever again... Charles Blackmore wouldn't take any more of her life and soul. She instinctively leaned to Dave's side. He turned to her instantly and hugged her, as she hid her wet eyes at the side of his neck.
Hotch threw a look at Gloria's bruised knuckles. He had seen the matching injuries on Blackmore. He was aware of what had run through her head. He had taken once the same thoughts and actions to the end. It was good that she didn't manage to, that they remained different in that way. She had already enough to recover from. He took out his phone, it would start ringing soon, and he moved towards the door, wanting to give them some privacy. Garcia understanding his intention followed him after giving the other woman a short caress on her shoulder.
"Shh... It's finished," David whispered in her ear and he pulled her head back, wiping the wetness below her eyes with his thumbs.
"Yeah... I don't even know why I'm crying..."
"It's the relief. It's over, bambina... It's over..." he said quietly not holding back his own few tears of relief, all dark clouds finally lifted...
After the Doctor's visit and check-up that thankfully reassured them that everything was going well, Gloria was healing and her heart rate seemed to have been regulated, Emily passed by the room. She was completely fine. She wasn't going to stay rooted in the bed until the afternoon.
"Ria? Dave?" she said quietly from the door.
"Em!" Gloria greeted her.
"Hello there! Congratulations! All the best, kiddo!" Rossi hugged her warmly, with everything he didn't have time to pass from her room.
"Thanks!" Emily returned and turned to Gloria, "Hey you... They tell me you are doing fine."
"I am. I'll probably follow you out of here tomorrow or the day after. How are you and your little peanut?"
"Perfect, even if the little one seriously disagreed with the hospital breakfast...!"
"For sure he or she is strong headed. This child has no choice really!" Gloria joked.
"Oh yes!" Emily laughed.
David sat on the chair by them rubbing his forehead. Gloria watched him tenderly. In spite of his uplifted mood, the poor man was in pieces.
"David, go get some rest. I'll be fine," she said softly.
"She's right, Rossi, go get something to eat, freshen up, sleep a bit. I'll stay with Ria till you come back," Emily agreed.
The truth was that Dave couldn't remember the last time he had gone home.
"Are you sure, tesoro?"
"Yeah..." Gloria nodded.
"OK," they exchanged a peck on the lips so casually like they had been doing that for years, "Call me, if any of you two need anything," he finished and left.
"You have to tell me at some point what history you two have," Emily, who had been smiling playfully the whole time, spoke.
"Let's just say we didn't just socialise when we first met in London..." Gloria looked at the sheets shyly.
"And it didn't end there, right?" Emily looked at her with amusement.
"No... We kept talking, saw each other when he was in England or I was here. The last time actually he was called in. You had a case in Alaska if I remember correctly."
Emily tried to remember that and when she did and laughed. Gloria got slightly confused with the reason.
"That evening that Rossi appeared in a tuxedo and terribly annoyed with the fact that he was seeing us way too much, was he actually with you? And you said that you would never be into guys in posh tuxedos!"
Gloria laughed a bit, as much as her ribs could allow her.
"He had suggested we go somewhere nice..."
Emily remembered also something else about that evening. She remembered Morgan's tease about Rossi working on wife number four. Unconsciously maybe he did.
"That Rossi's charm..." Emily said.
"Thank you, Emily," Gloria spoke softly suddenly, "Thank you for coming back, for taking me out of that place, for saving me..."
"I should be the one thanking you, Ria. You risked far too much in that warehouse..." Emily replied sincerely and she carried on before Gloria had the chance to say anything that would have been like 'I would have done it again if needed', "And that story, that cruel circle had to stop. It would have never happened if we hadn't come out of it together."
"And if we hadn't worked on it together..." Gloria added.
"Maybe. It's over, Ria."
"It is..." Gloria breathed looking at the window again, "And it feels like it was always out there, you know... Now it's finished and it isn't anymore."
"You had questions left unanswered. Now they are."
"They were answered, wrongly but they were... I don't know... It was like there was always a shadow around. And when this case started, even since the day we first talked about it, since I went to London, it got bigger..."
Emily just listened to her friend but didn't say anything. Possibly it was Gloria's instincts telling her that the initial reasoning was wrong. She could sense the danger and the free murderer out there. Who knew? Emily had witnessed enough of her colleague's senses during those last days to consider it possible. To lighten the moment she remembered Gloria asking 'how is 'she'?' while asking about the baby. Was there any possibility that the baby was actually a girl?
"Anyway, I'm practically still high and I make no sense," she looked back to her.
"You do, don't worry," Emily rubbed her arm, "The fact is that it is now gone and you have to rest and heal and enjoy..." she winked.
Gloria smiled and nodded.
A soft but firm knock came from the door and Erin Strauss came in.
"Chief Strauss," Emily greeted her, "Aaron is in his way to Quantico to debrief you and the Director."
"I know. But he can talk with just the Director. I am already aware of what I need. I just passed by to check on you both. I'm very glad that you are OK, Agent Paterson."
"Me too... Thanks, I mean." Gloria replied alerted.
Strauss was a matter she had wished to face at a later point, to be honest. She had pushed it a lot the last time she met that woman in her office before launching undercover. And that wasn't the only issue...
"I know it is not a good timing, but there is one matter we have to discuss," the older woman spoke professionally to the English agent.
"OK..." she got curious and not just her, but Emily, too.
"I should probably give you some privacy," Emily said and stood up.
"There is no problem. Actually, you have to be informed of what I am about to say," Strauss replied and turned back to Gloria, "You may not be aware but there was a position within the FBI that Clyde Easter was trying to influence your name on."
"I didn't know that. And what's the problem?"
"After the recent events and actions and given your not properly specified agent status, this position is off the table. You can guess the complexities. You understand the politics very well, Agent."
Gloria's confusion was turning into concerns. 'Please, don't tell me you are filing some complaint with Interpol and you are sending me packing back to London the moment I step out of this hospital,' she thought.
"I do, even if most of the time I don't care," she said.
Emily would have smiled if Erin wasn't there. Even beaten up, her smart-ass friend was already surfacing back. But she gave Ria a side glance to warn her off.
'Well, blame it on the drugs and medication...' Gloria returned the stare. However, was that a side smile on Strauss' lips?
Emily noticed it too. To be honest there was someone else in the BAU used to having the exact same motto...
"Well then, given that, your set of skills and the bravery you showed with this case, if you want to work for the FBI, I can recommend the leading of a Red Cell. You know what a Red Cell means," Strauss carried on unfazed.
"Yes... Teams straight under the Director that operate on the side..." that was turning into the surprise of the day.
"Exactly. There are a couple of Red Cells overlooking undercover operations, joint or of our own. A new one is about to open for the West Coast, Washington based. It will be a small one, no more than four to five people. You will have to prove your leadership and team working skills. But you will never be asked to go undercover, just auxiliary supervision and intervention when needed. And given the nature of a Red Cell, there is no issue with your agent status as long as it is resolved in the near future. MI6 has no objections to liaise you to the FBI, given that you will be onto their own cases, too. And there is no problem with your nationality. Has Interpol any matters to raise?" she turned to Emily.
Emily was taken aback as equally as her agent. That was the last thing they both expected. But it was a great opportunity.
"It's completely up to you, Ria. You have my support for any decision."
"I... Can I think about it?" Gloria asked it was too much to process.
"Sure. I just wanted you to know the opportunity so you have the time to consider it. I wish you a quick recovery, Agent Paterson," and she headed for the door.
"Chief Strauss..." Gloria called her with a sincere tone, "Thank you."
That 'thank you' had multiple layers to it, even a layer of 'sorry' for the initial disliking that the agent had shown to her to almost blackmailing her to let her jump into the case and to what had happened with David. Erin could understand them. She turned towards her. The British agent had done far too many things in her life that to the regular person would be unethical, extreme and reckless. But it was true, Strauss had learned all that she needed to know: the reasons for her latest stunt, Blackmore's history, even almost everything that had taken place last night. The younger woman was troubled. She wasn't bad. That didn't mean that Strauss would start liking her, not at all. She had to acknowledge her value, though. She gave another side smile, a more obvious one that time.
"You are a very competent agent with a rare set of skills. It is a post you very well deserve. The FBI would be lucky to have you in its force," she paused, "And one last thing. As long as you disclose your relationship, there will be no problem at all, since Agent Rossi works for a different team."
And with that Strauss left, leaving two completely dumbfound faces behind, not turning back for a second, even though their surprise had started to amuse her...
Emily didn't leave Gloria's room almost at all. Soon enough she was joined by Hotch. Rossi came back having had a shower and changed in a pair of jeans and a red sweater, followed by the whole team. They laughed and joked about the upcoming wedding and baby names, what terrible had happened the previous days, even that same morning left behind.
David noticed that by the end of their visit Gloria had become quieter, but she had a smile on her face all the time, looking around at all those people that had come to keep her company, that cared so much for each other and now for her, too, accepting her fully into a warm family. She had the expression of someone living an experience for the first time. Indeed it was the first time in her whole life that she had so many friends, that she had a family, Rossi thought sadly.
On the other side of the Atlantic, it was deep at night. Clyde sat at the tables outside a pub overlooking the Thames. Everyone was gone, the closing time well past. The Interpol Office, where he was planning to spend the rest of the night, was at a short distance at the opposite bank of the river. He had just landed, many hours later than the Interpol jet where he was declared as a passenger. He had flown on a normal flight under an alias of his.
Easter had been a frequent visitor to that pub back in those days when he used to come with his friend and discuss work, share stories or just talk over some Irish beer. He placed a beer bottle on the wooden table. It was that same brand. He opened the cap by hand and took a big gulp.
How many things had changed? He hadn't been to that place for almost a decade. He hadn't just stood by it to remember those times if he had ever passed by. He had never had that same beer. He couldn't even remember a conscious decision for all of it... Cases had carried on, files had kept piling up. And that was his life eventually: cases and files, impartial decisions, politically correct movements, friends getting lost in the battle, other friends for whom he had 'soft spots' moving on because for him it was unprofessional to try to pursue those soft spots.
Clyde remembered that night he had confronted Rich about the affair with his subordinate, a week before his death. Clyde had said far too many unflattering things while storming into that apartment. He had found Gloria there, too, and then he had said even more. Richard had made him shut up, only the year-long friendship saving Easter from a punch in the face, and the next day he had dragged him to that pub, made him sit in that same place and tried to explain to him that there was more to life than the files, the rules and the logic.
He hadn't understood back then. He saw it all those last days. There were friends ignoring orders, dangers, even their own physical weaknesses just to help each other. There were people falling in love and not even understanding their feelings fully. There were men accepting everything and offering to that "soft spot" friend of his the family she longed for but she was too scared to admit. There were ghosts coming to protect. Yes, there was more to life. There were feelings of friendship, love and passion overcoming all the boundaries, even those of reality.
"You made your point, mate," he murmured to the empty chair opposite him.
But the truth was that Clyde Easter would never really know about 'those' parts of life. Some people are like him, never even crossing to 'that' side of life. Even what he did in that morning without a second thought wasn't an act of passion. It wasn't revenge. It was vengeance. It was justice.
He fished a case of a bullet out of his jacket pocket. He squeezed it in his fist and with a swift move, he threw it to the water upfront. The silence heightened the light splash of the metal against the surface. He finished the beer and he stood up. He would never come to that place again. But he could see that volume of water from the Office. He would still be the one to know what lied at the bottom, that justice had been served and that at the very last moment he had risen up to the man-to-man promise he once gave...
"Do you think that he is glad?" Gloria murmured, once they were left alone.
"What are you talking about?" David asked confused.
Gloria threw a look at the cross still on the nightstand, letting a breath.
"Do you think that Richie is glad now that Blackmore is punished?"
David took hold of her hand.
"I think he is glad, but not for Blackmore. He is glad that you are alright, that you are safe, dolcezza," he replied simply.
He knew. He knew he would have been glad for that same reason, nothing else.
Gloria tightened her fingers around his.
"And that all of you were there on time for Emily, for the baby, for me... How did you figure out that place?" she whispered.
'He sent us there,' Dave thought but didn't say it. That surreal story was too much for the moment, probably for any other one. He just brought her hand to his lips.
"Educated guess I would say. But I will be thankful for it my whole life."
They looked in each other's eyes for some time. Dave was silently thanking that ghost that wasn't selfish to take her where he was, that had protected her, that had left her in this world, that had left her to him... Gloria was trying to guess what was running through his head, what he wasn't telling her, if it had anything to do with that voice she had heard in the midst of drugs, with that light she had seen twice in her life. But the truth was that it didn't really matter. Some things could be better left unexplained. Soon enough her eyelids felt heavy.
"This last medicine is making me sleepy..." she said after a while.
"And the team tired you a bit, didn't they?" he said tucking her covers, "We can be all over the place, I know."
"It's OK. I liked it."
"Good, because you have to get even more used to us."
"I would love that..."
Rossi smiled warmly, pressing a kiss on her lips. Her hand slipped in his hair keeping him longer against her mouth.
"You do know that most people would bear in mind that they still have a machine monitoring their heart," he joked tenderly.
"Let the doctor have her sassy comment of the day. And who said I'm most people anyway?" she smiled.
David adored her smile for some moments.
"No, you are not... Go to sleep. I'll be right here."
"David, you are not spending another night on a chair," she argued.
"Well, I'm not going anywhere."
Gloria scooped back on the bed patting the emptied space.
Rossi hesitated and Gloria thought that she said something wrong. He noticed her insecurity.
"Baby, you are injured."
"I'll tell if anything feels uncomfortable, I promise," she replied still uncertain.
The truth was that David Rossi could never say no to that woman. He finally kicked off his shoes and lied on his side in the space beside her and smiled more with her nesting her body against his chest.
"Good night," he passed his arm around her carefully.
"I love you," she breathed, instantly falling asleep.
"I love you, too, stella mia," he whispered back closing his own eyes.
What both didn't see was the short shining of the cross left on the nightstand. Its duty was done. A ghost could finally rest. No, not because a murderer was finally punished. You were right, Agent Rossi. The ghost could finally rest because his promise was finally fulfilled, the love of his life was finally protected and not alone. No, he wasn't selfish. He loved her more than enough not to put her in danger and he loved her more than enough not to let her come to him like that. He loved her enough to help her, even from where he was, get what he had wished to offer her and he wasn't given the time. His fate couldn't be changed. But it was worth to play around the limits between reality and eternity to change her own fate, wasn't it, Agent Rossi? No, he wasn't needed anymore. That ghost could finally return to the eternity that a vicious bullet put him in.
"What are ghosts if not the hope that love continues beyond our ordinary senses? If ghosts are a delusion, then let me be deluded." ~ Amy Tan
I know it has been a long time again… In any way, it is just the Epilogue missing and I'll try to finish it before the New Year. This fanfic will finish before Criminal Minds, I promise!
Please let me know if you are still reading this by leaving me a comment!