Hi! Here's Chapter 6. I would like to thank those of you who review. I try to respond to the reviews but if I don't, please know that I appreciate them and I enjoy getting them. :). Again, I would like to thank flashpenguin for being my beta. She always does an incredible job with what I send her and with the mess of a document I just sent her I may nominate her for sainthood after I get the next few chapters back.
Chapter 6
"We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are." — J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)
"What makes you think that Garcia?" Emily asked.
"Before I tell you that let me tell you this: it has been incredibly tough following his credit card history because he's got like fifty of them, I kid you not. It makes computer goddesses like me have to actually work to do our jobs."
"Garcia, focus." Emily said, although she was trying to be stern she couldn't help but smile, Garcia was fun.
"His credit history is really hard to follow but…." Penelope paused dramatically; "I found the same credit card being used at the same places where the stabbings took place."
"And they were used at the same time as the stabbings?"
"I wouldn't have called you otherwise. I'm sending you the card info to you, talk to you later, I've got to go!" Penelope chirped, before hanging up.
"Bye." Emily hung up.
"We have a lead?" Dave asked.
"It's better than a lead. We have a possible UNSUB. Garcia found a possible link." Before she could explain further, her phone rang again. "Hello, Hotch."
"I heard from Garcia about the credit card lead. I've already got Morgan and JJ in Maryland dealing with the press about Annalise's death. Wellington Dayton is coming in later for questioning and since I have to leave early, I would like Dave to do the questioning. So, I'm going to need you both to get here as quickly as possible."
"We're on our way now," Emily replied.
"See you when you get back." Hotch disconnected.
"Let me guess, we have to get our order to go," Dave replied.
"Nothing like eating on the run."
They quickly got the rest of their lunch to go, and were on the way out to the car when Emily's phone rang again.
"Who could this be?" Emily asked, recognizing the number as a Virginia one, but not knowing who was calling. "Hello?" she asked after answering the phone,
"Hi Agent Prentiss, this is Jessica, you told me to call you if I thought of anything else about my stabbing?"
"Yes Jessica, what did you remember?" Emily asked her brain suddenly on high alert.
"I remember Michelle - my friend who kept calling - she said that there was a teenager with Wellington Dayton when she met him." Jessica paused, "I don't know why I remembered that, it might not help you at all."
"That's fine Jessica, any extra information you can give us is welcome," Emily encouraged. They exchanged goodbyes and Emily hung up the phone. Quickly she called Garcia.
"Hey Garcie," Emily said, she put her seatbelt on as she talked. "Does Wellington Dayton have any children?"
"Nope my love, he does not," Garcia said.
"Is the server in our building working again?" Emily asked surprised at the speed Garcia was using.
"Nope, I hacked into the server next door."
"Could you tell Hotch that we discovered that Wellington Dayton had a teenager with him when he was in Big Stone Gap?" Emily asked.
"Sure." Garcia said, they hung up and Emily began to update David on the teenager that had been with Wellington Dayton.
"I heard enough that I understand what's going on," Dave assured the female agent. He pointed to the GPS. "It's a three hour trip, but I can make it faster." He glanced at the gas gauge. "I need to fill up first though."
"Turn left at the next light and go up two blocks." Emily said absently as she fooled with her I-pod.
"You still going to try to find a singer I don't like?" Dave asked mouth twitching with a smile.
"Yep," Emily grinned at him and David felt his stomach drop. Get a grip on yourself Rossi; he chastised himself you're acting like you're a horny teenager. Of course, he mused, that's probably why I've been married and divorced three times.
"Are you okay, Dave?" Emily asked, as a female singer started to sing, the sound blasting out of the I-pod speakers. Emily quickly turned the sound down so she could hear his answer.
"I'm fine, just trying to decide what to get for snacks."
Emily gave him a look that indicated she hadn't believed him but she didn't push him on it. Digging through the bag at her feet, she pulled out a couple of snack bars. Handing them to Dave, she settled back in the seat. Soon they were on the road to go back to Quantico.
Nearly an hour into the drive, Dave glanced over at his partner, it looked like she had fallen asleep. Her body was relaxed and after making sure that he wasn't about to run the car into something he took a chance to really look at Emily once more.
A close inspection noticed some wrinkles just beginning to form around her eyes. Laugh lines, his mother had called them. He would be a liar if he didn't admit that Emily was quite possibly the most beautiful woman in the FBI. She had dark hair; it usually looked black but in the light shining through the car window, it looked more like dark brown. It was like her: indescribable and a complete mystery if you tried to analyze it without the facts.
He moved to turn the sound down as a violin started playing on the I-Pod song but Emily's hand reached out and grabbed his hand, stopping it from touching the dial.
"Please don't," she asked. "I like this song."
"I won't turn it down, if I get to keep holding your hand." There was a pause before Dave's eyes widened considerably as he realized that he had spoken the words aloud.
Emily cracked an eye open but didn't let go of his hand. "Beg your pardon?" she asked.
"Oh you heard me," Dave answered crossly. He wasn't cross with Emily, he was cross with himself; he knew the rules of the bureau. Heck, he was the reason they were implemented! He stared at the road in front of him and purposely didn't look at Emily.
"You uh-" Emily sounded nervous and Dave risked a look. Her eyes were open now and she was looking at him, a slight blush highlighting her cheeks "You want to hold my hand?"
"Yes," he groused.
Emily looked surprised and a little bit hurt. "Well what's the problem with that?" she asked, dropping his hand quickly, as if it burned her.
David sighed and began using both hands to drive. He thought for a moment and decided that honesty really was the best policy here. Even though the entire team had promised not to profile each other he knew that Emily would go against that promise if he was dishonest to her. "Because you deserve better than me."
Neither one spoke as an uncomfortable silence filled the space between them. Michael Buble began singing about wanting to go home.
"For what it's worth, I-" Emily started and paused. "I would be willing to ignore the rules and see if there's anything between us."
"You would?" This was news to him. Hell, it was wonderful news to him.
"Yeah," she said quietly.
Dave chanced another glance in her direction and melted inside when he saw her eyes. They were vulnerable, much more so then usual. He wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms and never let go.
"If Erin Strauss even so much as thinks that we are involved romantically then we're both fired." he reminded.
"I'm fine with that." Emily said. He looked at her in surprise. "For all we know Dave, the only thing between us is a mutual attraction that could burn out before it sparks into something bigger."
"What if there's more?" David asked.
"Then it's worth quitting for." Emily said simply.
Dave gave Emily a long look, before bringing her hand to his lips to gently kiss it. "Once we get back to Quantico, we'll have to keep this really under wraps since we work with profilers."
"I'm okay with that."
Dave couldn't help but smile; he kissed her hand again and clasped it in his own. "Okay." He had never been known for his restraint before, but he had waited long enough for this moment. And if a little restraint got him the prize, then restraint, thy name be Dave Rossi. But first he had to do something.
"Time is very slow for those who wait, very fast for those who are scared. Very long for those who lament . Very short for those who celebrate. But for those who love time is eternal" — William Shakespeare
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