(takes place during "Zoe's Reprise")
Rossi and Hotch continued to fight their attraction for each other. It was not easy, especially when they were forced to room together, which sometimes happened when they were away on cases. What saved them was that neither man was aware that the other was fighting the same attraction.
Rossi decided to take some annual leave time. It was the 10th anniversary of his first book, and his publishers wanted to re-release it. That meant going on a book tour. Normally he may not have fully embraced the idea, but he needed to get away, clear his head. Things were going well until he met Zoey at one of his book signings. She was a fan who was studying criminal justice and thought there was a serial killer in her Ohio neighborhood. He dismissed her theory. He gave her his card and told her to "don't give up. Keep searching until, you find the answers you're looking for." The next morning, she was dead. She had gone to a crime scene, resulting in her becoming a victim. Dave felt terribly responsible. He called in the team to find Zoey's killer.
Hotch knew the minute he saw Dave that his friend was a wreck. Dave was so upset, that he couldn't be present when the team offered a profile to the local police. Hotch found him sitting on a bench, he had never seen him so vulnerable. He sat next to Dave and listened to him express how responsible he felt. "If I hadn't dismissed her, she would still be alive." Hotch wanted to wrap Dave in his arms and comfort him. He hated seeing him hurting. But he remained professional. Together they worked through the case and formulated a plan. They were able to piece the case together and find justice for Zoey and the other victims.