Emily Prentiss One-Shots

Emily/Rossi

Title: Musing - Red_apples_only (AO3)

Summary - Emily and Rossi have a heart-to-heart. Mentions of the pandemic, motherhood, relationship breakdown, and a potential love interest.

Rating -  General

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Emily relaxed into the armchair in David Rossi's study. A large glass of wine in one hand and in the other, a freshly poured whisky - on the rocks. Rossi had arranged one of his famous cookery evenings for the BAU and distinguished BAU alumni. It was their first non-work gathering for two years, inconveniently paused by the pandemic and way overdue.

"I'm going to regret this in the morning."

"It'll be worth it."

"What is it again?"

"Single malt Scotch, aged for 30 years." Emily grimaced at the aroma, "so, do you want to talk about it?"

Unbeknownst to her, Dave had given Emily a different arrival time to everyone else so that they could put the world to rights before the cooking commenced. It had become clear that she and Andrew Mendoza were not trying long distance, and had split sometime before the BAU had gone back to Quantico and were no longer consulting on cases remotely. If she didn't want to talk about it - fine - but he was there to offer a listening ear.

"The others will be here soon, maybe another time." She shrugged.

"They're not coming for another hour." Emily raised an eyebrow, "well I figured we could have a talk. I could see something was bothering you. I thought it might be Andrew. It's alright if you don't want to talk, I just thought I'd give you the chance."

Emily cracked a smile, "we wanted different things in life, that's all."

"Don't we all?" Dave reasoned.

She took a swig of the whisky and put it down, picking up another coaster for the wine and placing it beside it. "A baby?" Emily raised an eyebrow again as Dave swallowed hard and tried not to show any reaction. She took another sip and continued. The liqueur had loosened her up. "My period was late," she paused. "Sorry, you don't want to hear this, do you?"

"Emily, I've had three wives. None of this is anything new to me... he opened the whisky bottle to top up her glass."

"No thanks... so I told him... and he jumped to -"

"Pregnancy?" Dave enquired.

Emily leaned forward, "this was, what, two years ago? So I was 49. The menopause is to be expected, right? Well that's what I thought. But he lights up like a Christmas tree. He was overjoyed." Dave rubbed his brow as Emily recanted the awkward story. "In the end he realised that another child was something he wanted. And that was not something I could give him." She necked back the whisky, "he suggested adoption and we went around in circles, and I ended up here." Emily motioned to her surroundings. "I moved back to my apartment in September 2020 and, well, you know the rest."

Dave paused and let Emily have a breather once she got it all off her chest, "adoption, huh?"

Emily reached for the wine and mumbled something about regretting mixing her drinks, "you've known me a long time Dave."

"I have."

"For years I wondered if I'd be a good mother."

Dave leant over and topped up the wine glass, "you can have my opinion if you want it Emily."

She smiled but continued. "I remember years ago, JJ saying that she could imagine me having kids. And you know, I thought about it. I thought about it so much. I thought of what I'd do for childcare arrangements, I researched pre-schools, I bought a three bed apartment and looked at sperm donors." Emily took another sip of her wine. "And then I realised that I don't want to be a mother."

Dave raised his brows, "that's a conclusion only you can come to."

"Andrew couldn't reconcile the fact I didn't want to be a mother with me having a good relationship with his daughter. I don't want my own children but I can still be maternal."

Dave nodded, "you are very good with children, Emily."

"Keely was a teenager... God, I miss that girl."

He smiled, "I'm sorry that things didn't work out for you."

Emily put her head down, "it's been almost two years now. It doesn't feel that way though. The pandemic has made me lose all sense of time."

"You can say that again."

"I'm just glad that life is getting back to normal. This evening is way overdue." Emily steered the conversation away from her love life but after taking another sip of wine, continued; "Deep down, honestly, I'm scared." She wasn't vulnerable, but rather matter of fact.

"Of what?"

"The unknown. I don't know if I'd fuck it up. If I had a child, I would be scared of being a terrible parent."

"I know you wouldn't be."

"At least when I've had boyfriends with kids, it's their child. Not mine. God, I must sound awful."

"You don't," Dave reassured her. He took her now finished wine glass and filled it up. "The others will be here soon, he said as she sat back down in his seat."

"Let me help you prep."

"All done." He smiled. "But..." he waved his finger, "let me ask you one thing. Are you seeing anyone special?"

"Am I dating again? No, god, no... Wait, if Ringo is single, I am available."

Dave smiled, "Mr Starr is happily married."

"Damn it."

"He's too old for you."

"Geez, you sound like such a dad." Emily smirked. "Paul?"

"Also happily married... I was thinking more closer to home. That's if you're interested."

"I'm going to politely decline becoming the fourth Mrs Rossi."

"Very funny. Besides, I don't think the incumbent Mrs Rossi would like that too much." They erupted into laughter. "Forget I said anything."

"No, Dave, come on. You have to tell me now. Who did you have in mind?" Emily became playful when drunk, "is he rich? Handsome?"

Dave swirled the whisky around his glass and looked thoughtful, "I've always thought that there was something there between you two."

"Who?" Emily racked her brain. "Tell me," she whined.

"Aaron."

There was an awkward pause, "Hotch?" Dave nodded. "No."

Dave shrugged, "forget I said anything." Emily's playful smile left her face. "Really, forget I said anything."

"Nothing could happen between us," her tipsy twang had instantly left her voice.

"Maybe before. Things are different now."

"Nothing can happen."

The doorbell rang and Dave stood up from his seat, and began walking towards the door. "Take it from me, an old man, who's on his fourth go at marriage; if there's a seedling of something there, take it, nurture it, and it might just grow into something special."