LOTS of revelations in this chapter! Em and Dave's paths are about to cross and the consequences to follow will change their lives forever. Don't worry; no matter what happens, it's not over…yet! Enjoy!

Do It For Love

Emily Prentiss sat in the bride's room and tried to think about how her wonderful day had gone to hell.

Absolutely nothing had prepared her for the letter she found on the desk when she arrived to change into her gown. Thinking it was from her mother, she had ignored it while JJ and Garcia helped her into her gown. Looking at her reflection, Em tried to accept that the woman in white looking back was her.

Since the ceremony was about to start, she sent her two best friends back into the sanctuary to wait. She needed a few minutes to gather her thoughts together. This was the day she had been looking forward to for the longest time. Or at least she thought it was.

Actually it was the Ambassador's day and Emily agreed to go along. If she had had it her way, she and her fiancé would have eloped. Hell, at thirty-eight, she thought she was a little too old to play dress up. Well, at least she wasn't paying for it. That was the bright side to the coin.

The letter was the tarnish to the other side of the same coin.

Sitting down, Emily was prepared for everything…except for the neat, crisp script on cream colored paper.

Dearest Emily,

Sometimes things happen out of our control, and other times, things can be controlled. I'm not sure where this falls, but please know that I never meant to hurt you. Of all the women I have met in my life, I felt truly blessed to have met you- despite the fact that you dropped a book on my head. Talk about your first impressions!

Let me first say that I love you. I always will, and asking you to spend the rest of your life with me was never a mistake. I really hoped to spend the rest of my life with you. Unfortunately, last night, at our rehearsal dinner, it dawned on me that although I love you, I am not in love with you. And I suspect you feel the same about me.

I won't deny that I didn't notice the change in you after you resigned from the FBI. And although I know that you were never personally involved with any of your co-workers, I know that you were involved with your job. That is your passion, your life-force, and that you would give it up for me is something that I will never be able to appreciate. But on the other hand, I am glad that you did give it up. See, I'm torn about you. I can't imagine any man who's ever loved you NOT being torn over you. You are truly a talented and remarkable woman. But after you confided your secret a couple weeks ago, I realized that I cannot be with you. I know what and who you were at fifteen has no bearing on who and what you are right now, but what you did- no matter how well meaning your intentions- cannot be dismissed as a youthful indiscretion.

Please understand that I have tried to look at this from every angle and all I know is that I can never spend the rest of my life with a woman who has such little regard for human life.

I wish I could have told you to your face instead of taking the coward's way out. I never wanted to break your heart. Please know that I am truly sorry. Somewhere out there is a man who can love you and be in love with you and your job. I just wish I could have been that man.

Always,

Todd

P.s. I will inform my parents of my decision. Please tell the Ambassador I am sorry.

The pieces of paper fell from Em's hands as her body began to shake. It wasn't the words that hurt, so much as the underlying implication. He never actually said it, but she knew what he meant. She should never have told him. No one knew. Not her parents. Not her co-workers. Not even her closest friends…okay, one person knew, but he was sworn to secrecy.

This isn't happening, Em told herself, as she looked around the room hoping that something would materialize to tell her that this was all a bad dream. This is just a bad dream. Too much champagne last night and not enough sleep. Close your eyes and count to ten.

But when she opened her eyes, the letter was still on the floor, and she was still in her wedding dress, standing in an empty room. The nightmare was all too real and now it felt as though the walls were closing in. She had to get out of there.

Gathering up her purse and keys, she tried to take a calming breath when there was a knock on the door. Startled, she spun around. Oh God! The Ambassador! This isn't happening!

Frantically she looked around for an alternate exit. Three windows located approximately four feet from the ground beaconed her with sweet promises of escape. Hesitantly, she looked at them when another knock brought her back. Knowing there was no possibility of escape and that the truth was going to have to come out eventually…even if she didn't say anything, when she was standing at the altar by herself reciting only her half of the vows…well people were going to suspect.

Taking the deepest breath possible, Em turned the handle and opened the door and then gasped. Rossi?

"Dave," Em sputtered.

Scanning Em from head to toe, Dave drank in her loveliness. "May I come in?"

Em shook her head. Of all the people to be on the other side of the door, she definitely wasn't expecting David Rossi. "I don't think that would be a good idea."

"I understand, but please, Emily."

Stepping aside, Em let him come in. Soundly she closed the door. Standing with her arms across her chest, she sized him up. She was sure he had something up his sleeve and she would lay good money that the BAU ladies had found out and sent him in to help her deal with being jilted.

"I don't know why you're here or who sent you, but I'm fine."

Dave gave her a blank stare. "I have no doubt that you are." He studied her body language and tried to gauge her. "You look beautiful." She did. How could he have been so blind for so long?

"Thank you," she answered simply giving nothing away. "May I ask what brings you here…today? I'm wondering because you didn't…"

"Respondez s'il vous plait?" Dave finished. "I know; the Ambassador already grilled me over my lack of manners and protocol."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because I need to talk to you."

Em shook her head. "No, Dave. We have nothing to talk about."

"I didn't say 'we', I said 'I need to talk to you'. There is a difference."

"I honestly don't think it would be wise. Not now."

"Well, I do." Dave tried to gather himself before baring his soul to her. If he failed, he would never be able to look her in the eyes again. "All my life I did what I wanted when I wanted. I lived by my own drummer. I had no problem with things coming and going in my life…until that one time I was given a one in a million opportunity and I let it walk away. I didn't say what was in my heart and mind when I had the chance and it walked away never to come back."

Dave felt himself nearing the edge and prayed for strength before he continued.

"I vowed that if I ever got the chance to say how I feel again, I would take it. But it never came along. I waited, and then I gave up. I told myself that I didn't need anyone." Dave looked down and then looked at Em. "Until you came into my life."

Em opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't find the words.

"See, Em, you threw me off my game and I didn't even know it. Or maybe I did because I did everything to make you think that I had it in for you. Which I guess I did." He took a breath and ran a hand thru his hair. "I suck at relationships. And I'm even worse at marriage."

Em drew her eyebrows together. "I'm not following you."

Dave paced the floor. "Those nights you waited by the phone for me to call…I wasn't out on 'dates'; I was sitting at home trying to figure out how to call you without violating the 'no fraternization' policy. After a while I guess I thought you were better off without me, so I stepped back. When you came into work and announced that you were getting married…I didn't know what to think. I knew that I messed up and there was no going back."

"Why didn't you say something?"

"Would knowing that I was sitting at home alone have changed your mind?"

"Is that why you asked me what kind of perfume I wore?"

Dave grimaced. "Yes."

Em shook her head. "I wish you had told me this earlier."

"I'm telling you now."

Em ran a hand over her face to maintain her composure. Twice in one day she had been hit with news that not only rocked her world, but managed to knock it off its axis. Dave went to speak, but she held her hand up to stop him. "No. I can't handle this. Not today." Her world was hurling toward the proverbial black hole and she was helpless to stop it.

"Emily…"

The tears threatened to fall but she held them back. She would not cry in front of him. Not today. Not ever. "Thank you for coming by. I really need to be alone now." She turned her back toward him.

Dave dropped his shoulders. "I understand; you have to finish getting ready." He walked toward the door. Opening it, he stopped then turned around. Closing the door, he spoke, "No. Not again. I passed up my opportunity back at the BAU to say what was in my heart and mind only because I wasn't sure. I'm sure now."

Staring at Em's back, he took a deep breath. "Never in my life have I loved a woman half as much as I love you. I think you could add everything I felt for all three of my wives and it won't come close to how I feel about you. I've done a lot of stupid things in my life and I've made mistakes that would make most people cringe, but all of that will pale in comparison if I let you walk out of my life one more time."

Em stayed silent. He realized she wasn't going to make it easy for him and he didn't blame her. He was ready to do the hard work. "I asked you what kind of perfume you wore because I didn't know how to ask you to stay. And even if I did, I didn't think you'd want to spend the rest of your life with a broken down old fool like me when you had him.

"When you looked at me with stars in your eyes and told me that he was fulfilling your dreams of being a wife and mother, I knew then that I didn't stand a chance. I had the house, white fence, and the dog, but I could never put those kinds of stars in your eyes and make you love me with all of your heart. And it hurt. It was then I realized that it would be best to let you go. You deserve only the best in life. He can give you everything…I can only give you a reputation."

Em's shoulders began to shake. Dave knew she was crying and as much as he wanted to touch her, he knew that she wouldn't welcome it. Why would she when she was getting ready to march down the aisle to marry another man?

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you when I had the chance. And I'm sorry that I left you waiting by the phone for a call that never came. Your mother asked me why you would want someone like me. I couldn't answer that because for the life of me I have no idea. She also asked why I would want you. I'm ready to answer that question now."

Dave stepped forward and touched Em's shoulder. Gently he turned her around. "The answer is simple: I love you. I know it's too late, and it probably doesn't mean anything to you, but I had to get it off my chest and do the right thing for once. Ironic that there is nothing between us and I do the right thing. Maybe that's a sign."

Leaning down, his lips hovered over Em's for a long second. He needed to taste her sweet lips one more time to last him through the rest of his days. He needed to feel his tongue mate with hers as he explored her sweet mouth. He wanted to hold her in his arms one more time. Just once…

Closer his mouth came, when at the last second he shifted and dropped a kiss on her cheek. Breathing in her scent deep so to sear in his memory, he pulled back. Looking in her eyes, his heart dropped…again. Those damn stars were in her eyes again. He had to get out of there.

"Godspeed to you and your husband, Em. May your lives be blessed…always." Walking briskly to the door, he yanked it open. As he stepped over the threshold, Em spoke up.

"Dave, don't go."