It was the early afternoon of Boxing Day when team got called out. The case involved a family annihilator in Upstate New York who had decided to celebrate the holidays with a bloodbath. It was a bad case, even by BAU standard and, two days later, when they finally returned to Quantico, Hotch was adamant. "The paperwork can wait until Monday," he told the team. "I want everyone to go home and get some rest – No Arguments!"
He needn't have worried. Everyone on the team quickly headed to their vehicle, planning on a nice quiet weekend.
As Rossi pulled his car into the garage, the door into the house opened revealing a very pregnant Christine. As he got out of the car, Rossi had to smile. She looked just so – Right – Standing there waiting for him.
Sadly, Rossi shook his head. What was he thinking? Daydreaming about coming home to his pregnant wife? Years ago, he had accepted the fact that that was not to be his fate.
When he got out of the car, Rossi realized that Christine was holding a glass filled with an amber liquid. He suspected it was his favorite 18-year-old scotch.
"What's all this?" he asked, indicating the glass as he walked through the door and began taking his coat off.
"When you called to tell me you were on your way home, you sounded so exhausted that I figured you would need this," Christine traded the glass for his coat. "Why don't you go into the den and put your feet up? I fixed some snacks for you to nibble on while you relax."
Rossi didn't argue, and was soon seated on his favorite leather couch, feet propped up on a coffee table, drinking scotch, and listening to a play list of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Tony Bennett that Christine had made for him.
Christine settled in next to him drinking from a glass of ginger ale. "Bad case?" she asked quietly as she snuggled into his shoulder.
"Yeah," he never told her any of the details. She already knew more than she needed to about his work.
"Well, take a deep breath and relax." Christine, with difficulty due to her growing stomach, reached over and passed him the tray of snacks. "Sonia has dinner ready for us whenever you are ready."
When Frank Sinatra began singing about it 'being a very good year', Rossi kissed the top of Christine's head, and gently shook loose from her. He stood up and held out his hand. "Dance with me?" he asked.
"Are you sure you want to try this?" Christine asked as she stood up. "It will probably be like trying to park an 18-wheeler in a single car garage."
"I always wanted to be a truck driver," Rossi assured her as he took her in his arms and began carefully maneuvering her around the room in time to the music.
Neither of them noticed that Sonia had appeared and was standing in the doorway to the den.
"It probably isn't my place to say this," Sonia spoke when the song ended. "But, Dave, you need to marry her. Admit it, you have never been this happy in your entire life. And, Christine, every time you look at him, a blind person could see that you love him. You two need to get married!"
They stopped dancing and looked at Sonia. "There are – complications – " Christine told her, placing her hand on her very pregnant belly.
"Nothing a good lawyer couldn't handle," Sonia informed her firmly. "And, now that I have had my say, your dinner is in the warming oven and I'm leaving for the weekend. See you both Monday. Think about what I've said."
And, with that, Sonia turned and left.
Rossi looked at Christine. "What do you think – About what she said?" he asked cautiously.
"Are you happy?" Christine sounded hopeful.
"Yes!" Rossi quickly replied. And, after a brief pause, he asked, "Do you love me?"
Christine looked at him and took a deep breath. "Dave, remember the first day we met, when I picked you to work with?" she asked him. "I fell in love with you that day in Miss Lilly's office. But, you've never taken me seriously. You've always treated me like I was a pet for you to play with. So, I got involved with Spencer. I honestly believe we loved each other and could have been happy but, things happened and I changed, and then things couldn't go back to the way they were before. I've tried to find someone I could love as much as I love you but, obviously, that hasn't work out very well and I've made a real mess of things."
"What about Aaron and Spencer?" Rossi pursued the issue.
"Dave, neither of them has ever told me they love me," Christine told him sadly, as she returned to her spot on the couch. "I know Aaron doesn't, not really. He loves JJ. As for Reid – Well, he is always going to be in my life because of the twins. But, Eleanor and I both think he has fallen in love with Phillipa and is just too embarrassed to admit it. Besides, he doesn't need to deal with someone with my problems."
"Well, I love you!" Rossi declared. He paused for a moment. "I do love you!" He seemed pleased by the idea.
"What now?" he continued as he sat down next to her.
"There are 'complications'," Christine reminded him.
"I know a good lawyer. And, I can probably persuade him to come in on a Saturday," Rossi told her.
"He had better not specialize in divorces," Christine replied. "Because, believe me, you are never going to need another one of those again!"
Rossi leaned over to give her a lover's kiss and, later that evening, he slowly and carefully made love to her for the first time.