I have exciting news to share with you, thanks to you guys The Power of Love TIED with The Marvelous Mad Madam Mim's story No Good Deed, it's a great read as winner of Best Rossi\Strauss in the 2014 Profilers Choice Awards! Kudos to you guys and congratulations to all the winners, runner ups and to the nominees!
Love is patient and kind, it does not envy, it does not boast.
-First Corinthians-
Erin lay back in the hospital bed, her fingers ran gently across her belly, fishing for movement. The ultrasound alleviated her fears that something was horribly wrong with her baby and left her impatient. Two babies meant twice the kicks and she wanted to feel all of them. A bored sigh escaped her lips. "You really won't kick for me...?"
The nurse had taken the TV remote when the doctor decided to observe her for another night. She picked up her phone, maybe Dave could come back? Or she could talk some sense into Mark. She knew immediately that the battery was dead. Completely drained.
"Alright...fine...I guess I do deserve the silent treatment considering I didn't know there were two of you." A gentle flutter passed under her fingers and she smiled when the knock at the door brought her out of her reverie. "Come in,"
"I come bearing gifts," Dave said peeking around the giant teddy bear in one hand and a shopping bag in the other."
"How the hell did you sneak in here with that thing?" She asked, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"Eh," He sat the bag on the floor and the bear in the chair. "I have my ways. I told the nurse I was a candy-striper. She didn't buy it."
"Oh, please don't make me laugh," she said holding her ribs.
Gesturing to the adorable dark brown teddy bear, in a bowtie. "I thought you could use the company tonight. How are you feeling?"
"Sore," she answered simply, "and my phone is dead, I need to call the kids."
He reached in the bag, "Here, don't let the nurse catch you."
"My hero! Did they frisk you?" Erin joked accepting the charger She plugged her phone in and turned it on. How did he know exactly what she needed?"
"Nope, the guards let me pass free of charge."
"Shocking," she rolled her eyes until her head hurt. "I don't understand why I'm so restricted-"
"So you can rest without interruption-" he held up one hand, "that's what the nurse said when I called."
"Until someone comes in to interrupt. I can sleep and screen my own calls at home."
"You could, "he pretended to think it over, "but you wouldn't have my bedside visits. Or this," he pulled out a square box from the bag.
"You wouldn't come to see me?" She asked softly in mock hurt. Flipping back the lid with one hand, inside lay the biggest and most sinful slice of double chocolate cake she had ever seen.
"Well," he sat down and passed her a fork. "I would, but you would have to share the cake."
"Is that hospital issued?" She wouldn't mind sharing the hospital's dry, chocolate colored cardboard with the nurse who screened her calls.
His eyes sparked, "not in the slightest."
"In that case, "she speared a bite, the decedent morsel melted on her tongue. "We can't have that: This is delicious."
"Well, thank you,"
Her eyes widened, "David Rossi bakes?"
"And cooks, my mother left me a few of the old world recipes." Nodding toward her tray, "including that cake."
Touched by his gesture she asked, "Why would you bake an entire cake just for me?"
Shrugging he said, "My sweet-tooth wouldn't let up and I needed someone to share it with. It looks like I wasn't your only visitor," he said eyeing the bouquet of tulips on the nightstand.
"I sent Paige to the cafeteria," Erin yawned and said, "I can't wait to get out of here. I need a shower." She didn't want to think about the amount of grease that had built up in her hair.
Scratching the top of her cast, "my arm itches like hell!"
He pointed to the cast, "How long do you have that?"
Scratching the palm of her hand, trying to reach under the cast. "Eight weeks, I can't complain too much at least it's just my wrist. The cast was a precaution. Have you heard from Aaron?"
"Jessica picked him up earlier, Jack could have floated away from all the balloons they brought in."
"That's sweet, "Erin said with a smile.
"I thought so too, until she lit into him. It was like listening to Haley all over again."
Erin shook her head, "that's a terrible thing to say, David."
He shrugged as if to say, 'well it's the truth.' "Jessica gets more time with the kid than Hotch does as it is."
"She's holding on to the only thing left of her sister and I can't say I blame her. You saw her at the funeral... I'm sure she was just worried that Jack would lose his only parent."
"Hotch can't share the same air with his son without her second guessing him. I don't see why he puts up with it."
"She did step up to take care of Jack so Aaron could come back to work. That has to count for something, Dave."
"Not really." He said harshly, "Not when she tried to fight him for full custody. Hotch is a good man, he shouldn't have to go through this again."
Running her hand down his arm she said, "You can't fix everything."
He let out a breath, "I know, but I'm his best friend I can't sit back and watch. The sick part is, Aaron doesn't have another choice."
"How long have you held on to this?"
"Awhile." He looked at the clock, "I wonder what's taking Paige so long."
Erin picked up her phone "I need to call her."
"Give her ten minutes, she's probably chatting with the nurses. We had an interesting conversation yesterday."
"When?"
"I didn't tell you? I ran into her in the hallway outside your room before your ex manhandled her out of here. She's a smart girl, Erin."
Erin laughed, "and she hero worships you."
"Like I said, she's a smart girl," he boasted.
"I'm surprised she could form a coherent thought. With you around."
He grinned, "She was flustered at first but, like her mom, she told me exactly how she felt."
He would take the girl's fear of abandonment to the grave. He had a feeling if he breathed a word about it, that's where the two Strauss women would send him-to his grave-express style.
"That's the problem," Erin scoffed, "she's exactly like me. Too smart and stubborn for her own good."
"She's just scared, Erin," he intertwined their hands. "She's just a little girl trying to be a grown-up."
"I know that." She choked damn the tears that came without warning. She pulled her hand back to wipe them away but Dave beat her to it. The pads of his thumbs caught them as they hit her cheeks.
"Do you think I wanted this kind of pressure on her?" She said as his dark eyes met her gray ones.
"Of course not," he said gently. If only he had the power to take her fears away, not just Erin's but Paige's too. He could hunt bad guys all day everyday but what good did that do if he couldn't slay the monsters that haunted the woman he loved.
"She's 17 years old! It's no wonder she took off when she found out about the baby all she heard was, 'more responsibility."
"Who better to solve a problem with mini-you, than the two people who know you best?
"And who would that be?"
"You and me of course."
A knock at the door halted her response.
"Is-um- something going on here?" Paige asked
inspecting the scuff marks on the toes of her sneakers.
"Well, there she is," Dave said, sitting back in the chair. "No more tears, Mom," he teased to lighten the mood.
"The last time I saw you, your mom was parading you around the BAU in a baby sling."
"Hush up, Dave," she shot back, her tongue shot out at him. "That was not my finest moment."
"You seemed fine to me,"
Erin felt a blush creeping up her neck, "I said, hush up."
"Yes Ma'am."
"You two sound like an old married couple," Paige said with a smile. She leaned in and hugged her mom. "I missed you so much," she said just loud enough for Erin to hear.
"I know, I missed you too come here." Erin moved further on the bed for her daughter to sit.
"I want to come home." Paige said.
"Good, because I want you there."
Erin smoothed her daughter's long curls away from her face, the purple coloring was nearly gone. She'd missed the nights she spent twisting those strands into foam rollers to achieve those curls and she wondered with a stab of envy if it was Jamie who had rolled it last night.
"I want to put the last few months into the past, we need each other now more than we did before. I never meant to hurt you, Mom and I didn't mean what I said. Please forgive me?"
Erin nodded, "Paige," She said gently. "I'm your mother, I forgave you the minute you said it."
"But...why...everything I said, I was so mean. Mom, why-how could you forgive me?" Paige asked softly.
"Because..." Erin kissed her forehead, "that's my job."
"I'll give you ladies some time to catch up," Dave said, "call me when you're discharged and I'll come pick you up."
"Thanks," Erin said as he reached for the door handle, "for everything."
He looked over his shoulder with peace in his heart. Everything was falling into place.
"Anytime."
"Wait," Paige called, suddenly shy, her voice stalled in her throat.
"What's up, Kid?"
"I-um...I never got that interview. The project's finished now, but...maybe we could still...? If you're not too busy."
Dave couldn't hide his smile, he'd been waiting for this for too long to turn it down now.
"Too busy? Nah, not me. I'll tell you what, I have some vacation days that we can use. After your mom heals up we could all go to the aquarium. Or find something fun for your brother and sister to do while we talk. But it's not for school so don't worry about taking notes."
Paige's eyes widened in excitement, "can we, Mom, please!"
Erin threw him a look as if to say, 'I told you so'
"I don't see why not."
"I'll see you soon," Dave said with a wink and took his leave.