Breathless | David Rossi

Chapter Thirty Two

Leaning back in the chair, you fold your arms across your chest and cross your ankles, growing impatient with each passing second. The team sit around you, occasionally glancing toward you but keeping their mouth shut. They can see how tense you are, though you are just eager to have this ordeal over with and be back at home with Rossi. He thankfully doesn't come in until tomorrow, Strauss wanting it to be done privately.

You can't help but want to be there with him, but you know he won't let you. He won't even tell you what happened between him and Angelo, and it pisses you off. When it comes to you, Rossi does everything in his power to comfort you and help you to the best of his ability, but when it's him, he shuts you out and you can only wait and hope that he lets his walls down before it swallows him whole.

The door into the large conference room opens, Hotch walking out with a grim look. Strauss stands in the doorway, her eyes locked on you. You're the last one left. Getting up, you stand toe to toe with the section chief for a moment, before she steps aside.

Taking your seat opposite hers, you resume your previous position, a bored look on your face. "Agent Y/L/N," Strauss starts, resting an arm on the table. "It's from my understanding that once Unit Cheif Aaron Hotchner removed you from the case, you retaliated and went rogue, is that correct?"

You tense your jaw, forcing your body to visibly relax and not bite her head off. You don't answer, staring blankly. No matter what you say, Strauss clearly has her version of events and is sticking by it.

"Then, you covered your location by bouncing the signal off multiple towers across the globe, making Penelope Garcia's job harder than it already is. From here, it's blank, no one knows of your whereabouts up until you found Agent Rossi. Why don't you fill it in?"

There's a moment of silence, as you ponder your next choice of words. "I reached out to Ingram Luxe-"

"You criminal brother." She interrupts.

You bite back a sneer, opting to twitch the corner of your mouth in annoyance. "If anyone would know how to find Angelo Balducci, it was him. Ingram informed me that Angelo was seen back in Los Angeles, prompting me to fly over. Not long after my arrival, did I receive another video of Agent Rossi. We were able to pinpoint the I.P Adress of which the video was sent, and we knew it was Angelo's 'meth' lab. When we arrived, the lab had exploded and our best lead was dead."

You observe her reaction, smirking on the inside as she buys your lie.

"I was able to distinguish Angelo's Underboss, Danilo Russo, as it seemed some of the men tried to escape though they died from the blast. We retrieved Russo's phone, where we found text messages exchanged to Emilio Calvano, Angelo's Consigliere, detailing his arrival to the Long Beach Marina at ten p.m. That's when I followed Calvano, who led me straight to Angelo's estate. And you know the rest."

Strauss sighs, leaning forward. "We both know the cameras are not fitted with audio, Y/N."

Whilst you left the hospital room, Rossi demanded to know everything that happened, forcing Hotch to tell him what he saw on the cameras. Rossi barely remembers what happened, his focus going in and out as he slid off the chair. But he does remember the conversation before hand.

Hotch was forced to give Strauss the footage before the interviews began, much to his liking. "Tell me, Erin," You lean forward, resting your elbows on the table. "What would you do if someone took the man you love?" Strauss doesn't answer, trying to profile you. "If your past came back to bite you in the ass?"

"What are you trying to say, Agent Y/L/N?"

"I'm just simply asking you a question." You keep your tone calm and your expressions none existent. "Angelo Balducci took Agent Rossi to hurt me, to make me feel the pain he felt as he blamed me for the death of his love. I didn't kill her, someone else did, but he was hellbent on destroying me. And he was close to doing so."