A/N: Ugh, it's been over a month since i've updated anything! Darn schoolwork, and darn migraines, too. I got a boatload of schoolwork that I haven't finished, so after posting this, I'll probably be pulling an all-nighter. Since I got a project and 2 quizzes, all due or being taken this week, that's what I'll have to do tonight. As for CM, am I the only one who thinks Rossi has a bit of a deathwish after this week's episode? I'll try to be better with the updating, but its not easy. Least it was my bday yesterday and I was able to relax a little from the crazy college life. Enjoy!
Chapter 9- Memories
September 1st, 1992.
Ruby Ridge, IA.
He leaned against the car, staring at the agent next to him in disgust.
Agent Erin Strauss, like Rossi had quickly risen in favor among the higher-ups of the FBI. Unlike Rossi, it was because she did everything her superiors wanted.
In Rossi's opinion, the 35-year-old agent was a diplomatic ass-kisser. She made the decisions that would get her higher up the political ladder.
They had once been the same, but after the last week and a half, he couldn't be that way.
Not after witnessing everything unfold at Ruby Ridge.
"I don't understand you, David," said Strauss. "We got everything resolved. We should be celebrating in the hotel with some champagne… and some fun that I've been wanting to have since I've met you… my being married doesn't bother you, does it?"
"After what you did during the siege I'd rather die than sleep with you," Rossi growled. "You told the cops to shoot at anyone who was a threat and said it was an order from me. A mother was shot holding her baby as a result. I don't even want to look at you right now."
Fairfax, VA.
David Rossi got home that night to find his second wife gone and a message on his answering machine.
"David, it's Evelyn. I saw the news. I guess I don't know you as well as I thought I did. I can't be with you after you got that woman killed. Your niece's First Communion is coming up, right? I'll get my stuff out and have the papers drawn up then."
To say he was angry was an understatement. The woman had thrown himself all over him after he had divorced Caroline, and now when things had gone bad she wanted nothing to do with him.
He took his wedding band off and scowled at the inscription Evelyn had insisted on. He wouldn't even be able to pawn it. He would've liked to do that.
He noticed Evelyn had left hers behind on the dresser in what had formerly been their bedroom.
He was about to flush them when the phone rang again. The minute he heard Angie's voice he picked up the phone.
"Hi," said Rossi.
"Hey Uncle David," said Angie. "I saw the news… are you okay? Did you get hurt?"
He wasn't sure how to answer that question. He knew he'd never be the same again after Ruby Ridge.
However, getting the phone call from Angie had helped him feel better in the wake of realizing he would be going through yet another divorce.
As they talked on the phone and he realized she didn't think he was at fault for anything, he knew he couldn't allow himself to miss her First Communion.
She was there for him, and he needed to be there for her too.
September 4th, 1992.
Chicago, IL.
"I hate this!" said Angie.
"Angela Dahlia Rossi, hold still!" said Katherine.
"You guys are poking her," said Juliet.
"They're pinning her mantilla on because my mother wanted her to wear it. I can still remember the torture that was my own First Communion!" said Olivia. "Ma poked me with a pin and I almost bled all over my dress."
"It was a – hold still, Bambina!" said Marie.
"Ouch!" said Angie.
"I think David's here," said Juliet.
"He is!" Veronica yelled. "Uncle David's here! Uncle David's here!"
Angie was annoyed. While her grandmother was pinning the mantilla on her head, she wasn't going to be able to run outside and see her uncle – unless she did something drastic.
"Grandma! The Virgin Mary is right behind you!" said Angie.
Marie looked behind her and Angie ran out the door.
CRIMINAL MINDS
Rossi watched both his nieces run out the door and noticed that his mother and sister-in-law had gotten Angie into her First Communion outfit.
"Uncle David! Don't let them keep pinning this thing on me!" said Angie.
He noticed his mother had pinned her mantilla from her wedding on Angie's head.
"I don't hate it… I just don't want to wear it until Sunday," said Angie.
He noticed someone else come outside. It was Juliet, his sister's longtime partner. Even though she had been living in the United States since the 1970s, Juliet still had a British accent due to being born and raised in London.
"Try not ta get dirty, girls," said Juliet.
"Mum! Uncle David's here!" said Veronica.
She ran back inside the house just as quickly.
"She's been hyper all day," said Juliet.
"What's with the hat?" said Rossi.
Juliet was wearing a black hat with a huge feather on it. To Rossi, it looked like an entire bird had crawled on it and died.
"What happened to your wedding band? Did I win tha bettin' pool this time?" said Juliet.
Olivia joined Juliet at the door and glanced at Rossi's left hand, which was bare.
"Yeah, you won," said Olivia. "Ma! Juliet won!"
"You bet how long my marriage would last?" said Rossi.
"Course. We had nothing better to do," said Olivia.
Rossi rolled his eyes.
CRIMINAL MINDS
It took nearly half an hour for Marie and Katherine to get the mantilla out of Angie's hair. The minute the last pin was removed she took off. Veronica followed her.
"Nice going Ma. Now she has a hostage next time," said Olivia.
"Then it's a good thing your brother's here. He's the best hostage negotiator the FBI has," said Johnny.
Everyone except Rossi laughed. He then heard running. It was Angie and Veronica. Angie was in her Girl Scouts uniform, but it looked different.
"I'm a Brownie now," said Angie. "What do you think?"
"That's great Angie," said Rossi.
CRIMINAL MINDS
September 5th, 1992.
"Evelyn left, didn't she?" said Olivia.
"Yeah," said Rossi.
"I told you she would," said Olivia. "She's a cunt. Good luck making sure she doesn't get your balls in the divorce settlement."
The two of them were interrupted by the roaring of a motorcycle and yelling.
CRIMINAL MINDS
"Michael Rossi you stop that right now!" Katherine yelled.
Rossi noticed his little brother popping a wheelie on a motorcycle and laughed. When Michael rode closer to his older siblings, Rossi noticed Angie was on the back. She was laughing.
"Do it again Daddy!" said Angie.
"I think your mother's had enough," said Michael.
"David! Get over here!" Katherine yelled.
Rolling his eyes, Rossi went over to Katherine and tried to remember the last time he had seen her in a good mood.
He couldn't.
"What is it?" said Rossi.
"He won't stop with the bike! He bought it a month ago and refuses to get off it! Keeps giving Angie rides and I don't like it, David. It's too dangerous. She's only a little girl," said Katherine.
"I'm not little," said Angie.
"You're only seven," said Katherine.
"I'm not little," said Angie. "Babies are little. Not me."
She then took her helmet off and ran to the garage to put it away.
"She's more responsible than girls her age, Katherine," said Olivia.
"Aren't either of you going to side with me on this?" said Katherine. "David, he listens to you. Talk to him."
"She's not in any danger providing she has a helmet on and Michael isn't speeding," said Olivia.
"She's not scared," said Rossi.
"No, I'm not," said Angie.
Rossi and Michael laughed, Angie giggled, and Katherine rolled her eyes.
CRIMINAL MINDS
"Michael! Come back!" said Katherine.
"I have to work tonight if I want tomorrow off, sweetheart," said Michael.
CRIMINAL MINDS
Rossi got Angie into the kitchen and away from an arguing Michael and Katherine. Didn't they know it wasn't good to argue in front of the kids?
"Since your mother is too busy to make dinner, I'll let you help me," said Rossi.
"Really?" said Angie.
"Yeah," said Rossi. "Eggplant Parmigiana, your favorite."
She had such a happy and excited look on her face as Veronica ran into the kitchen giggling.
"I was naughty!" said Veronica.
"What did you do?" said Rossi.
"She spat gum in Katherine's hair," said Olivia.
"That's why you never should've asked Ray Finnegan to donate his sperm," Rossi whispered.
"Watch it baby brother, there's children present," Olivia whispered.
"Mom deserved it," said Angie.
"No she didn't," said Rossi.
"She's always mean to you," said Angie.
"Angie's right," said Olivia.
Angie laughed as Olivia and Veronica left the kitchen.
"You being a wise guy?" said Rossi.
"No… I'm being a wise gal," said Angie.
Rossi laughed as the two of them began to make the eggplant parmigiana.
CRIMINAL MINDS
"Something smells good in here," said Olivia.
"We're almost finished cooking the eggplant!" said Angie.
"Did my little brother burn anything?" said Olivia.
"Uncle David is a good cook! He never burns anything!" said Angie.
Olivia rolled her eyes.
"What?" said Rossi.
"Nothing," said Olivia.
"Don't say anything Uncle David!" said Angie. "It's a trap!"
Olivia and Rossi laughed as the timer went off signaling that the eggplant parmigiana was ready to be taken out of the oven.
"Angie, I have to talk to your uncle. How about you do me a favor and track down your mother, Aunt Juliet, and Veronica for me?" said Olivia.
Angie gave Olivia a hug and took off. Once Olivia was sure Angie was out of earshot, she slapped Rossi in the back of the head.
"Ow! What was that for?" said Rossi.
"You know how much she loves having you around… and you never are. Besides, not my fault that you used the head-slap on your friend and he decided to use it again on you," said Olivia.
Their argument was interrupted by Michael walking into the kitchen.
"I thought you were at the precinct," said Rossi.
"Case I got called in for was a false alarm," said Michael. "Smells good in here, when can we eat that?"
Olivia and Rossi exchanged an annoyed look with each other as they slapped Michael in the back of the head.
CRIMINAL MINDS
Mostly everyone was talking about Angie's First Communion that was going to take place the next day.
"I'm nervous," said Angie.
"You'll do great, sweetie," said Katherine.
Angie nodded and went back to eating her eggplant. After dinner was over, conversation drifted towards what to do next.
"Let's play some music," said Katherine.
She tried to get up, but all three Rossi siblings ran for the record player in the living room.
"It'll probably be Dean Martin," said Juliet.
"Cool! I wanna sing!" said Veronica.
"Me too!" said Angie.
"You mind singing with your grandpa?" said Johnny.
"You can sing with us!" said Angie.
"Yeah! Sing with us!" said Veronica. "Mom said you used to be a famous tenor!"
"I was," said Johnny.
CRIMINAL MINDS
Marie, Katherine, and Juliet stood to the side and watched everyone else sing. They knew they weren't good and didn't want to make fools of themselves considering the amount of wine that had been consumed by everyone, except the kids.
Juliet grabbed a video camera and filmed the other four drunk adults, her daughter, and her niece singing "Mambo Italiano".
(A boy went back to Napoli because he missed the scenery)
(The native dances and the charming songs)
(But wait a minute something's wrong)
('cause now it's)
Hey mambo, mambo Italiano hey hey mambo mambo Italiano
Go go go you mixed up Siciliano
All you Calabrese do the mambo like-a crazy with the
Hey mambo don't wanna tarantella
Hey mambo no more mozzarella
Hey mambo mambo Italiano try an enchilada with a fish baccala
Hey goomba I love how you dance the rumba
But take some advice paisano learn-a how to mambo
If you're gonna be a square you ain't-a gonna go anywhere
Hey mambo mambo Italiano hey hey mambo mambo Italiano
Go go Joe shake like a tiavanna
E lo che se dice you get happy in the pizza when you
Mambo Italiano
Hey chadrool you don't-a have to go to school
Just make it with a big bambino
It's like vino
Kid you good-a looking but you don't-a know what's cooking 'til you
Hey mambo mambo Italiano
Hey hey mambo mambo Italiano
Ho ho ho you mixed up Siciliano
E lo che se dice you get happy in the pizza when you
Mambo Italiano…
CRIMINAL MINDS
September 6th, 1992.
Mostly everyone was taking pictures of Angie in her First Communion dress, but Olivia and Marie were arguing.
"For Pete's sake, Ma! You wear black to funerals, not this! Go – go change before my brothers let their imagination run wild and piss themselves during Mass!" said Olivia.
Marie left to change. Juliet walked up with the video camera in a bag before giving Olivia a kiss.
CRIMINAL MINDS
The entire family sat in pews, waiting for the line of children to proceed up the middle aisle of the church.
Everyone in the Rossi family watched with pride when it was Angie's turn.
CRIMINAL MINDS
Dinner was at UNO's. Rossi and Michael had had a few beers too many and had begun making jokes about Olivia's age because she had turned 40 several months ago.
"Soon you'll both be there, and I'll be teasing you both even worse," said Olivia.
"Mom, tell Uncle David about the plan!" said Veronica.
"Plan? What plan?" said Rossi.
"It's a trap!" said Michael.
Katherine and Juliet laughed. Michael put his arms around his wife and kissed her.
"What's going on?" said Angie.
"I found a lady friend for your uncle," said Olivia.
Michael laughed so hard beer squirted out of his nose. This sent Angie and Veronica into giggles. Rossi couldn't help but notice how close his nieces were. They were more like sisters than cousins.
As for his own sister, had she really just said what he thought she said?
"No!" said Rossi.
"Quit bein' stubborn," said Olivia.
"I'll be as stubborn as I want," said Rossi.
Rossi's words got more laughter from Angie and Veronica.
"You two wanna see a cool trick?" said Rossi.
"Yeah!" said Angie and Veronica.
Rossi took Evelyn's wedding ring out of his pocket and tossed it into a shot of whiskey he had just ordered.
"Don't try this at home," said Rossi.
He downed the shot – wedding ring and all.
CRIMINAL MINDS
After everyone was back at Michael's house, Angie found her uncle sitting outside on the back porch.
"You shouldn't have done that," said Angie. "You'll get sick."
"I won't get sick," said Rossi.
He was certain with the amount of liquor he'd drunk at the restaurant that he'd throw up the wedding band tomorrow morning.
"Come sit, I got something for you," said Rossi.
Angie took a seat next to her uncle. Rossi took his dog tags out of his jacket pocket and handed them to Angie.
"I want you to have these," said Rossi. "You're my niece and my goddaughter, and its time I passed them down to you."
"Thank you, Uncle David," said Angie. "I'll wear them every day."
June 24th, 1997.
Chicago, IL.
That had been five years ago, but to David Rossi it felt like an eternity had gone by. He had married a third wife and divorced her almost as quickly. They had all gotten older, and now the trio of mischievous Rossi siblings was down to two. Michael's death would've been bad enough without Katherine being murdered shortly after.
Then there was Angie. A few weeks shy of twelve, but injured badly enough that no one knew if she would get through the surgery being performed to save her life.
Rossi watched Olivia walk inside the chapel.
"Just peeked through the window of one of the doors leading into the OR," said Olivia. "She's not out of surgery yet."
"What were you really doing?" said Rossi.
"Seeing if the surgeon was rehearsing what he had to tell us," said Olivia. "I know all the tricks, Dave. I've done them. It's like poker and profiling. There's always a tell."
"Bullshit. There has to be times when there isn't a 'tell'," said Rossi.
"Only in one scenario," said Olivia.
"Which one?" said Rossi.
Olivia sighed. She hadn't wanted to disclose this to her brother.
"When the surgeon has a blank look on their face, it means… it means things didn't go well, that there were complications," said Olivia.
"Enough with the doctor talk! Just tell me!" said Rossi.
"It means the patient died on the table, Dave! Is that what you wanna hear when we both know you're scared shitless right now?" said Olivia.
The minute the words left her mouth, she realized she had driven her younger brother to tears. Olivia began crying herself.
"I'll be back," Olivia whispered.
She went back to the waiting room. Just as she arrived, the double doors swung open.
"Are you all waiting on Angela Rossi?" said the surgeon.
"Yes," said Olivia.
Song is Mambo Italiano by Dean Martin.