After several days of trying to convince our OTP to come out and play with me, I finally took a long and leisurely stroll down the #ErinStrauss tag on Tumblr. Instagram makes me want to buy things, Facebook makes me hungry. Apparently, Tumblr inspires me to write.

Warning: I don't have a plan for this story at all. I planned 45 Seconds or Less, but this thing here is an exercise in 'winging it.'

The bedroom was dark and cool, the blackout curtains parted just enough to cast a shadow from the afternoon sunlight. "Come sit down and talk about it," Dave said, patting the mattress beside him. He thought about leaving the room and letting the mother tiger lick her wounds, but he was up for a challenge, and leaving her alone to stew on this wasn't going to make things better.

"Why did you come up here?" Erin asked, pacing the floor, her arms crossed over her chest. "To tell me that I'm being irrational? She glanced over at the bassinet, watching Carlo breathe. "I'm sorry if anyone got their feelings hurt, but I didn't do anything wrong by going to get him." Her newborn was screaming, what was she supposed to do?

"That's what I told the team before coming up here."

"You did?" She met his eyes, looking at him like she'd never seen him before. "You defended me?" She asked, reaching for the lamp on the nightstand. She turned the knob with trembling fingers, plunging the room into sudden light, but it wasn't bright enough to wake the baby in the bassinet.

"Of course I did. You're his mother… not to mention…" he paused, gathering his words carefully. "Tesoro, you're traumatized… you're scared," He was scared too. Afraid of losing her, above everything else.

"You don't think I overreacted?" She stopped pacing, to stand over the bassinet, her fingers trailing over Carlo's chest.

"Hell no." Dave stepped across the room, the scraps of paper crunched under his shoes. "Penelope and my mother were just trying to help you… they wanted to give you a break."

"A break?" Her voice shook, "I had my break when he was kidnapped. It was… a nightmare."

"I know."

"Do you?" She turned on him, anger flashed in her eyes.

"I was there too, Erin." He said flatly.

"Then why aren't you dealing with it?" The words dropped from her lips like a rock. "How are you pushing through it?" She asked, "We've just had the worst two weeks of our lives and you're acting like it never happened."

"That's not it," he said. He thought about that day, every time he looked at Carlo, he wondered what he could have done differently to protect him. "But I'd rather blame the kidnappers."

In the lower level of the Rossi house, Morgan, Garcia, Hotch and Mama Rossi were huddled around the coffee table. Ignoring the plush and leather furniture, they crouched as close to the baby monitor as they could. As if it were a radio and the only source of viable information about the outside world. Thankfully, the camera was pointed to the bassinet. The group had a great view of the baby, but nothing else.

"This needs to stop," Derek Morgan reached for the monitor again. "This is bordering on creepy."

"Shh!" Carmelina held one finger to her lips, the expression on her face dared anyone in the group to make a sound. She listened closely and tried not to breathe, lest she be overheard on the baby monitor upstairs.

Erin sat on the bed, but she didn't relax beside him. "What if she's right?"

"She's not," Dave said quickly. He resisted the urge to defend his mother. "It was just a stupid Poker game. It doesn't matter what she thinks. You're Carlo's mother. He's safe and healthy now and that's what's important."

She shook her head, looking down at her hands. The taste of metal lingered on her tongue. "It is my fault Carlo was kidnapped." She brushed away her tears with her fingertips. "I put him in the NICU." Her words were hot, flat and final. He recognized the expression in her eyes, don't question me. Don't get in my way.

"Erin…come on, don't do this to yourself." He begged her to see the other side of things. "Our kid is safe and we caught the unsubs. Don't sabotage our win, based on a stupid Poker game."

"It's not all on me." She plucked a note off the floor and read it out loud, "I should have been there…. You're right, you should have been there to protect us." She shuffled through the pile, Dave's notes were on white paper, his mother's were blue. Erin grabbed a white one and read it. "Oh look, this one has a headline." Her tone was mocking and mean. "Bargaining. Carlo would be healthy if he weren't kidnapped."

"Stop reading these!" Dave demanded, embarrassment flooded his system. He snatched the page out of her hand. "They were private, I was supposed to throw them away-"

"You put them next to my bed, while I was sleeping-" she shot back. "I have a right to know."

"You were in the shower," he reached for her, pulling her in.

"Stop!" Her palm shoved into his chest. "Semantics, David! You and your mother blame me for this. I don't want a hug from someone who thinks so horribly of me." She picked up another note, out of sheer disgusting curiosity, she read, "My son gives her everything… she couldn't even keep my grandson safe." Her voice broke, "I'm a gold-digger now." She gave a sardonic snort. "A mother-in-law is the gift that keeps on giving. Jesus," she looked down at her left hand. "She can't stand me and we're not even married yet." The diamond and alexandrite ring shimmered in the dim light.

"Erin-" He paused, deciding his next move. He wanted to take her in his arms and tell her to forget all about it. Everything would work itself out, but that probably wasn't true. Her feelings were genuinely hurt and Dave didn't blame her. "I'm sorry you're hurt," He said. Wincing at the sudden sharp impact on his chest. He looked down at the carpet, Erin's diamond ring laid at his feet.

"Please get out of here," she ordered. "I don't want to have this conversation right now."

"Why?" He picked up the ring and laid it on the nightstand. "So you can sit here and lick your wounds? Stew on this until you've convinced yourself that you don't deserve him?"

She looked up at him, "is that what you think?" She gave another humorless laugh. "You think my feelings are hurt? Dave, I'm Public Enemy Number 1 in my own home."

"Not to me," he said quickly. "You and I are the only people who matter in this equation and I want to marry you. That hasn't changed."

"Maybe it should."

"Why?" He stalked over to the dresser and yanked the charger for the baby monitor out of the wall. "Everyone in this house right now is traumatized over our kid's kidnapping. You're not anymore to blame than we are."

She eyed the cord in his hand, a cold, embarrassed shiver slipped down her spine. "Why did you unplug that?"

"Just a precaution. When I'm trying to save a relationship, I like the conversation to stay between me and my partner."

He didn't realize that the baby monitor had backup batteries and the group downstairs wasn't affected by Dave's sudden outburst.

"She better not call off that wedding!" Mrs. Rossi threatened, pushing to her feet. She was ready to bust into her son's bedroom and explain herself.

"Shh!" Penelope hissed, grabbing her arm. "Listen."

"What if we didn't get married?" The tears in Erin's eyes were for them, for how far they had come and how far they were falling.

"What?" Dave's eyes widened, there was a pain in his chest like he'd taken a hit to the solar plexus. "Are you saying you don't want to marry me? You don't want to be…." He paused to take in a breath, everything seemed to move in slow motion. His mind was unwilling to comprehend what she was saying. "You don't want to be with me?"

Erin stood up, she needed to put some space between them. "I don't want to marry someone who resents me. I'm not marrying someone who blames me for Carlo's kidnapping. There's nothing you can say that I haven't already thought of."

"I don't!" He tried again, stalking toward her. "You don't get to decide how I feel about you. I love you, Erin, and if you didn't love me, we wouldn't even be having this conversation, because you wouldn't care enough to fight about it."

"Of course I love you!" She said, her voice shaking. The undercurrent of fear pulsed under her skin, fear that he would wake up one day and see her for who she was and change his mind.

"Why?" He asked the question and crossed his arms stubbornly awaiting his answer. "Tell me why you love me."

She froze, her feet were suddenly rooted to the carpet. "You're lovable… you make good decisions, you make me feel safe…"

"But I didn't do a good job of that the day Richard and Blake kidnapped you…" she was nearly killed because he put her in the car with someone he'd hired to protect her. "I failed you and Carlo that day. That doesn't mean that I don't deserve to be happy. You didn't even make a mistake that day. You took a nap after 7 hours of hard labor."

Erin went to him and put her hand on his arm. "Is that really what you think? Do you really think you failed us?"

"Sometimes," He sat down on the edge of the bed and stretched his leg. His knee ached. "When I think about how I found you. You were covered in blood, beaten, fluctuating in and out of consciousness. They'd poisoned you… stolen your sobriety again. I didn't protect you as I should have."

Hotch grabbed for the monitor on the coffee table. "Derek's right, we don't need to hear this."

Everyone ignored him.

Mrs. Rossi pressed her fingers to her mouth, she didn't know about the warehouse. "Poor thing." She stood up and moved away from the monitor. "I never meant to hurt her feelings. Oh…" She let out a heavy sigh. "My poor children… how they've suffered." She went over to Dave's cabinet and pulled out the crystal decanter and a set of glasses. She sloshed a measure in each glass and passed them around.

"This is awful," Penelope said, wiping her eyes.

"I need to talk to her," Carmelina said, then took a sip of her scotch. "I hurt her and I have to make it right."

"I wouldn't go up there," Hotch said, pushing back from the table. "Erin will think we invaded her privacy. It won't go over well."

"What am I supposed to do?" Carmelina stuck both hands on her hips. "She thinks I hate her." Nothing could have been further from the truth. "Just because I wrote those things, doesn't mean…" she bit back another sigh. The damage was done.

Derek said, "Wait till Dave comes back down, tell him we overheard and let him decide what to do."

Everyone nodded, that was as good a plan as any. They went back to the table, if they weren't going to do anything with what they heard, they might as well keep listening.

"That thought never crossed my mind," Erin took a deep breath. "I think you did the best you could."

"Then why can't you give yourself that same grace?" He asked the question with a raised eyebrow. "Come on, Babe. You have to let yourself off the hook on this one."

"I see your point." She took another breath and held it, trying to decide what to say. "I stayed alive for Carlo." She shut her eyes, forcing back tears. "Every time I thought it was over," she walked over to the bassinet. Her fingers trailed lightly over Carlo's sleeping form. "He'd move and remind me that he was there too. He was suffering, right along with me. I fought so they would stop hurting him. I was alone there… there was no one else to protect him."

It made total sense when there was no one else, Erin and Carlo only had each other. Erin's survival was wrapped around the baby. "But you have to know that you're not the only person who can protect him, now."

"Logically," she nodded, biting her lip. "I hear you and I'll work on it," she meant it. "In a few weeks, when I feel like he's settled in. I'll loosen the reins."

Dave nodded, it was more than he expected from her. "I can live with that." He kissed her hard and long, as if he could make her see and make her feel the love for her that emanated from his bones. He held her tightly in his arms, crushing her against his body. If he held her tight enough he could bring all of their broken pieces back into alignment with the force of his affection. "Please," his voice was husky with pent up emotion. His hand cradled her cheek, brushing the pad of his thumb over her bee-stung lips. "I need you to stay, Erin. If you love me like you say you do, then I need you to put my ring back on your hand and stay." He reached for the ring on the nightstand, holding it between his thumb and forefinger. "Let us have the life together that we deserve. Carlo and the kids need us both, don't let one day destroy the rest of our lives. I know you're scared because of what we've been through, but I'm more afraid of you walking out on me, than I've ever been."

From the living room, everyone was still huddled around the monitor. Except for Hotch, who sat in a leather recliner closest to the staircase. He was far enough from the group that he could hear what was going on, but he could pretend to be innocent when they were inevitably caught. He kept himself busy, with a cigar and a lighter. He cupped his hand around the cigar and carefully lit it, rolling the tobacco in a circular motion.

"Ooh…" Penelope rubbed her hands together. "She better listen to him."

Erin let her hand run along his jaw as she stared at him, his soulful brown eyes seemed to drill holes into hers. She couldn't imagine holding anyone else like this, in the quiet space of their bedroom. There were no more places to be. She had nowhere to run because she was already standing in her safest place. All of her dreams were built around David Rossi and the family they were building together. She pulled in a breath, "Why would I walk out on you?" She asked.

"I have three ex-wives," he answered. "All of them woke up one day and decided that I couldn't make them happy anymore. I'm not a perfect man… but I've put in the work and I'm doing the best I can." He paused, looking down at their entwined hands. "When you tell me that you love me, I can feel it in my bones. It lingers in my soul. I know that you have my back, even if you don't agree with me. I know that I'm free to be who I am, with you."

"Because I do love you," she said. "I knew who you were back then… you've worked hard to be the man I fell in love with."

"Then don't leave me, Babe. I need the security of knowing that you and I are solid. I need to know that we're legally and morally bound to take care of each other."

She kissed his lips gently. "I don't want to be anywhere else and I promise that I will never leave you alone. When faced with the option, I will choose to love you. When I have to challenge you, I will remember that we love each other, before anything. When we disagree, I will lead with my love before my pride."

"That sounds a whole lot like a wedding vow."

She pecked his lips again, stroking the stubble on his cheek with her knuckles. "Well, I've had a lot of time to think about it."

He took her hand, then knelt down on one knee, brushing a soft kiss against her knuckles. "Please marry me, Erin. That's all I really need out of this life. I'd rather spend the worst day of my life, with you, than my best day without you." He slid the ring in place on the finger of her left hand, just in time. Carlo fussed in his bassinet and a loud, whooping and chaotic cheer erupted over the baby monitor.

"I think they heard…" Dave said.

Her eyes went wide, but her mouth turned up in a smile. "They heard every word."

He used the edge of the bed to push himself up to his feet. It took a few tries to get his bearings, but he did eventually stand up without help. "We should get back down there before Hotch smokes all my Cubans."

"You need an MRI," Erin said. She watched him wince slightly at the stiffness in his knee. "You won't pass the Bureau's physical."

"I don't need a physical," Dave got to his feet and flexed his leg. " I passed this year with flying colors. So it won't be a problem unless you order one."

"Then, I'm ordering one." She said, suddenly all business.

He raised an eyebrow, "As my partner or my superior?"

She paused to think about it, "Which one will make you do it?"

"Neither, right now. We should go back downstairs." He walked over to the bassinet and picked up Carlo, who was not happy with the delay.

"Then, I'll make your appointment for Monday."

"Ya know, our kid is awfully unhappy today," Dave said quickly. Throwing the baby under the bus was a low blow, but he had to get Erin off his ass. He'd worry about his knee when there was something to worry about.

"He's an infant, David, what do you want him to do?" She asked, taking Carlo over to the bed and changing his diaper. "Write a dissertation about his first day home?"

"That would be a neat trick," Dave walked over to the dresser, pulled out a clean outfit for Carlo, and tossed it on the bed.

"His clothes are clean," she closed the dirty diaper, and put it in the trash can while Dave tied off the bag. "If you think I'm going to forget about your knee, you're wrong." She picked up Carlo and he curled up against her chest, sleeping angelically.

"Well, I want you to forget about it." Dave said. "It aches, but it's not serious." A soft but insistent knock on the door cut off Erin's reply.

Dave opened the door, his mother was standing on the other side, studying the carpet.

"Oh good," Erin dug in her heels. "Your mom's here, maybe you'll listen to her. Carmelina, please tell your son to have his knee looked at."

"What's wrong with your knee?" Carmelina asked quickly.

"Noth-"

"He twisted it when he was getting Carlo back from the kidnappers."

"It's fine-" Dave tried to argue, but was cut off.

"He could barely get off the floor-"

Carmelina gave a quick glance around the room, "why was he on the floor?" She narrowed her eyes at Erin, "you didn't-"

"I should have!"

Dave groaned, the women were going to be the death of him. "Erin didn't hurt me! It was a romantic gesture-"

"The point is," Erin put one hand on her hip, the other hand held Carlo in the crook of her arm.. "He couldn't get up. What happens when his knee goes out? What if he's holding our son, when it does?"

"She's got a valid point, Davy." Carmelina finally said. "You need to wrap it up and elevate it."

"I need a scotch and a cigar." Dave corrected. He kissed Erin on the cheek and she passed Carlo to him.

"Not around my grandson!" Carmelina said, pressing an affronted palm against her chest.

"I'll take it to the porch."

"That'll work," Erin said before Carmelina could argue. "We should go rescue the stogies," She took Dave's hand and let him lead them down the hallway.

The excitement in the air was palpable as they walked. They were getting married, nothing and no one was going to stop them. "She said yes!" Dave announced, he lifted their interlocked hands in triumph, like the royal couple addressing their subjects from the top of the stairs. A thundering of applause and wolf-whistles rang out. Party crackers popped, spewing confetti over the living room. J.J. and Reid stood awkwardly in the living room, among the crowd construction paper and craft supplies were stacked on the coffee table. A gold-colored 'congratulations' banner hung over the entryway to the living room, overlapping strands of handmade paper chains.

Erin whispered in Dave's ear, "do you think Penelope keeps party decorations in her car?"

He grinned, "I wouldn't doubt it." He gestured towards the staircase and passed her the baby, "ladies first." There were 14 stairs that led down to the main level of the house. He was standing on the 10th step when he realized there was a problem. He kept his hand locked around the polished wooden railing, then he reached with his left hand and grabbed it. Sidestepping down the stairs. He could feel his mother standing behind him, waiting for him to move out of the way. "Go ahead, Ma." He gestured for her to go around him.

Erin smiled, her whole face was suddenly alight with excitement for their future. "Are you coming, Honey?" She turned and looked over her shoulder.

He nodded, waiting for her to step off the staircase. "I'll be there in a minute." He took a cautious step downwards, his right knee buckled. The whole group seemed to lurch forward as if they could collectively catch him before he landed. Someone yelled out, "Rossi!" He tried to keep his grip on the railing; but he jerked forward, tumbled down the stairs, and landed on the carpet in the living room, face-first.

"Davey!" Carmelina shrieked, she stepped off the stairs to stand over him.

Erin handed Carlo off to the first warm body she saw and knelt down beside Rossi. All eyes were on her, as if the team and Dave's mother expected her to put her foot on his back. "David!" She laid a cautious hand on him. "Honey, can you move? Did you hit your head?" She pointed at Hotch and ordered, "call 911." Hotch already had his phone out.

Dave groaned in response. "Don't call 911." He swiped his hand over his mouth, his lip was split. He tasted blood. Dave rolled onto his back, the unfamiliar buzzing in his ears made his stomach lurch.

Erin pointed at her mother-in-law, who was frozen to the carpet. "Get him an ice pack and the first-aid kit under the kitchen sink." When Carmelina didn't move, Erin pointed towards the kitchen. "Go!"

"Are you alright, Davy?"

"I need a scotch," He slowly pushed himself up into a seated position.

"You're dripping all over the carpet." Carmelina tsked and went into the kitchen.

He swiped the back of his hand over his split lip. "Will somebody help me up?" A minute later, Hotch and Morgan had him on his feet and helped him to the couch.

"Thank God you handed me the baby," Erin said, following him to the living room. When he was seated, she sat down beside him. She kissed his cheek tenderly, "you're an excellent father."

"That'll be the last time you let me hold him," Dave quipped, looking around for Carlo, he was content in an armchair with Penelope.

"You can still hold him," Erin helped Dave put his feet on the leather coffee table to elevate his knee. She stuffed throw pillows behind his back and under his leg. "While you're sitting."

Dave pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "Please don't say, 'I told you so." His ego didn't need any further bruising.

Someone handed Erin an ice pack from the freezer. "I don't think I have to," she gently laid the ice pack over his eye, where it was already starting to swell.

Dave winced slightly at the sudden cold on his face.

"You need to have your knee looked at," Hotch said, suddenly serious. "Or, you're on desk duty."

"It was an isolated incident," Dave argued, holding his own ice pack. "I'm fine!"

"You could have a concussion, Davy." Carmelina argued, "you need to get checked out."

Dave rolled his eyes purposefully, this was getting ridiculous. "My vision isn't blurry, I don't have a headache. I'm not sick-"

"Concussion symptoms can kick in 24 to 48 hours after the incident-" Dr. Reid said. He walked over to Rossi, with a flashlight and assessed him. Shining a penlight in his eyes and watching the pupils dilate.

"See?" Erin moved to sit on the edge of the coffee table and flipped the first aid kit open. Then set to work with his leg, gently pulling up his pant leg. She prodded his swollen knee with her fingers. "You need an MRI."

Dave winced, " I need a scotch," he ground out.

Reid saw his opening to be the expert on everything. "Drinking with a concussion-"

"Stop that!" Dave barked, looking around the room. The stare of a dozen eyes lingered on him, his cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. Dammit, he really didn't need this today.

"Sorry," Erin pulled out an ace bandage and started to wrap his leg with nimble hands. "You have to keep it elevated."

He shook his head, "not you, Babe." He looked around the room again, as much as it annoyed him to be fussed over, at least Erin was trying to help him. She wasn't staring at him like he was the main event at the County Fair. "You guys get out of here-"

"Kicking us out, Rossi?" J.J. asked, with a sly smile. It was only then, did it become apparent that Hotch wasn't the only one indulging in the expensive treats found in the Rossi Mansion. Her speech slurred just slightly and there was a crystal glass on the table beside her. "The man has one fall and forgets about his friends."

"No," he waved her off, "just find something else to do." He turned to Hotch, because everyone would follow him. "Go to the store, get some steaks. Derek, can you grill?"

"Works for me," Morgan said with a smile. "Free food and a fire…."

Dave handed over his bank card, "I don't care what you buy, just get the hell out of here for a while;" his eyes fell on the crystal decanter that was less than half full on the side table. Usually, it was kept in a locked cabinet next to Dave's favorite recliner and it was always full. Nobody was drunk, but it was the principle of the matter. "For the love of God will someone please pour me a drink before you pour yourselves another."

When Erin was finished with his leg, she pulled down the leg of his jeans to cover the bandage, then got up and poured a heavy measure into a clean glass. He probably wouldn't drink it, but it was his scotch. If he wanted to hold the damn glass, she was going to let him. She put the glass on the table beside him, "I agree with Dr. Reid, drinking after a fall like that, isn't a good idea."

"Then it'll sit there until I'm ready for it." He grouched, proving the point that it was his scotch, in his house. He turned to Penelope and crooked one finger in her direction. "I believe it's my turn to hold the baby."

She grinned and brought Carlo to him." Yes, Sir." She laid Carlo on his father's chest and followed the group out the door.

"You didn't have to kick them out," Erin sat down beside Dave on the sofa. "I don't mind entertaining."

He settled his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "I didn't like being the entertainment."

Chapter 4 is in the works, it will pick up with the party after the team returns.