Criminal Minds Fic- Life with Its Papery Wings
Title: Life with Its Papery Wings
Author: mingsmommy
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Rossi/Prentiss
Summary: Written for the cmrossiprentiss. Family Picnic Summer 2010 ficathon. My prompt was Dave's mother. So, I cheated a bit...but with microgirl8225's permission. This is an Easter egg from Chapter 2 of A Hinge in the Air.
A/N: I don't have the words to say how fortunate I am to have such amazing betas as smittywing and smacky30. They did this at a moment's notice...all mistakes are mine.
ETA: I forgot to say I outright stole several lines from smittywing...she's very generous.
"Emily, will you be all right on your own for a few minutes?" He hates to leave her alone since she doesn't know anyone, but he can't pass up a chance to dance with his mother.
Of course, Emily doesn't hesitate. She nods at him with a soft smile and he has the impression she knows why he's leaving her on her own.
He stands, offering his hand to his mother. "May I have the honor of this dance, beautiful lady?'
Angela Rossi rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "I'm way past your sweet talk, David Rossi." But she puts her hand in his and allows him to escort her to the dance floor.
He purposely waited for something on the slow side; every time he sees his mother she seems a little slower, a little frailer. Though, he concedes, not nearly as fragile as a lot of people he's seen at her age. He only hopes, God willing, he's still as active and sharp if he lives that long.
"So, tell me about your girl."
Speaking of sharp. Dave winces internally.
"Emily's not my girl, Mama." He squeezes her hand gently. "You're my only girl."
Angela beams up at him, but there is a light in her eyes that says she is neither fooled nor all that flattered. Still, she touches her cheek to his chest in a gesture tender enough to make his throat feel thick.
When she looks back up at him, the look in her eyes is both determined and amused. "I'm not trying to relive your teens by starting an argument, but if she's not your girl, why did you bring her?"
He gives her a look that has had many a man cowering, but his mother just keeps smiling at him. Finally, he sighs. "We work together; she came with me because I needed a date."
"You needed a date. Really?" Angela questions slowly. "You've been coming to weddings and barbeques and parties without a date for years. I haven't seen you with a date since before you and Sonia split. How many years is that?" She looks up at him and cocks an eyebrow. He is well aware the question is rhetorical and waits for her to continue. "Now, suddenly, you feel the need to bring a date?"
Dave feels his lips twitch. "You are a mean, mean woman."
"This is not news, David." She laughs up at him. "You think you grew all those smarts and that talent out of nothing? Please. You got a lot from your Pop, but I'm no slouch."
He's grinning down at her, trying not to notice how delicate she feels under his arm. "Anybody that ever thought you were would be making a serious mistake."
"It's one thing when somebody doesn't know me, but you? You should know better." He's sure the look she gives him is supposed to be severe, but there's nothing she can do about the light dancing in her eyes. "Don't make me pinch your ear."
Dave’s face contorts in painful memory. "Yes, ma'am," he says dutifully.
"So. Your girl." She grins up at him, daring him to correct her. "She's beautiful."
Dave glances over at the table where they'd left Emily. She's - crap - talking to Rose. No good is going to come of that. "She is," he agrees.
Angela arches an eyebrow at him. "Are you going to marry her?"
Dave laughs but his chest feels tight. "I don't think she’d have me," he admits, feeling a twinge of regret.
Making an incredulous noise, Angela shakes her head. "You say she's not your girl, but you admit she's beautiful. You're obviously good friends, but you say she wouldn't have you." She tilts her head inquisitively. "Why'd you bring her, really?"
It takes a minute for him to sort through all the things that shoot through his mind. Reason and want and regret and fear all jumbled up together. He breathes through it, feeling his mother waiting with him until the truth settles over his chest and he speaks it simply. "Because I wanted you to meet her."
Angela looks up at him, eyes wide and solemn. "Oh, Davey." Once again, she rests her cheek against his chest. When she speaks, her voice is a little muffled. "You...have you tried?"
"No." He's surprised at how scratchy his voice sounds and he clears his throat. "No...the job...it's too complex and I can't mess the work relationship up."
Angela draws back and gives him a severe look. "Who says you'd mess it up?"
"Ma..."
"Don't you 'Ma' me." She gives his arm a little shake. "When you try, you're irresistible and you know it. I can’t think of a girl you couldn’t charm."
He feels like he’s fifteen, getting scolded by his mother again. Then he thinks about all the times his charm has led to a broken heart for him or somebody else and he feels more than fifty-four; he feels ancient and tired. “It’s too important. I can’t risk it.”
“I -” She leans her head back and she’s no longer the frail ninety-year-old of a moment ago but a haughty and fierce mother. “- Did not raise you to be afraid.” She frowns at him. “Either try or let it go. But don’t pine, David.” His shock must show on his face, because she softens her expression and her tone. “Life’s too short to continually stare at what you want and not try to have it.”
They're silent for a moment, letting the music, voices and laughter flow over them.
Finally, looking down at her, he tries to cajole a smile. "You just haven't given up on more grandbabies."
"It wouldn't break my heart," she admits with a small smile."Dave." He feels her sigh. "I just want you to be happy.”
He looks across the room and sees Emily, face flushed, but smiling slightly at whatever Rosalie is saying. “I’d like that, too, Ma. I’d like that, too.”
Author: mingsmommy
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Rossi/Prentiss
Summary: Written for the cmrossiprentiss. Family Picnic Summer 2010 ficathon. My prompt was Dave's mother. So, I cheated a bit...but with microgirl8225's permission. This is an Easter egg from Chapter 2 of A Hinge in the Air.
A/N: I don't have the words to say how fortunate I am to have such amazing betas as smittywing and smacky30. They did this at a moment's notice...all mistakes are mine.
ETA: I forgot to say I outright stole several lines from smittywing...she's very generous.
"Emily, will you be all right on your own for a few minutes?" He hates to leave her alone since she doesn't know anyone, but he can't pass up a chance to dance with his mother.
Of course, Emily doesn't hesitate. She nods at him with a soft smile and he has the impression she knows why he's leaving her on her own.
He stands, offering his hand to his mother. "May I have the honor of this dance, beautiful lady?'
Angela Rossi rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "I'm way past your sweet talk, David Rossi." But she puts her hand in his and allows him to escort her to the dance floor.
He purposely waited for something on the slow side; every time he sees his mother she seems a little slower, a little frailer. Though, he concedes, not nearly as fragile as a lot of people he's seen at her age. He only hopes, God willing, he's still as active and sharp if he lives that long.
"So, tell me about your girl."
Speaking of sharp. Dave winces internally.
"Emily's not my girl, Mama." He squeezes her hand gently. "You're my only girl."
Angela beams up at him, but there is a light in her eyes that says she is neither fooled nor all that flattered. Still, she touches her cheek to his chest in a gesture tender enough to make his throat feel thick.
When she looks back up at him, the look in her eyes is both determined and amused. "I'm not trying to relive your teens by starting an argument, but if she's not your girl, why did you bring her?"
He gives her a look that has had many a man cowering, but his mother just keeps smiling at him. Finally, he sighs. "We work together; she came with me because I needed a date."
"You needed a date. Really?" Angela questions slowly. "You've been coming to weddings and barbeques and parties without a date for years. I haven't seen you with a date since before you and Sonia split. How many years is that?" She looks up at him and cocks an eyebrow. He is well aware the question is rhetorical and waits for her to continue. "Now, suddenly, you feel the need to bring a date?"
Dave feels his lips twitch. "You are a mean, mean woman."
"This is not news, David." She laughs up at him. "You think you grew all those smarts and that talent out of nothing? Please. You got a lot from your Pop, but I'm no slouch."
He's grinning down at her, trying not to notice how delicate she feels under his arm. "Anybody that ever thought you were would be making a serious mistake."
"It's one thing when somebody doesn't know me, but you? You should know better." He's sure the look she gives him is supposed to be severe, but there's nothing she can do about the light dancing in her eyes. "Don't make me pinch your ear."
Dave’s face contorts in painful memory. "Yes, ma'am," he says dutifully.
"So. Your girl." She grins up at him, daring him to correct her. "She's beautiful."
Dave glances over at the table where they'd left Emily. She's - crap - talking to Rose. No good is going to come of that. "She is," he agrees.
Angela arches an eyebrow at him. "Are you going to marry her?"
Dave laughs but his chest feels tight. "I don't think she’d have me," he admits, feeling a twinge of regret.
Making an incredulous noise, Angela shakes her head. "You say she's not your girl, but you admit she's beautiful. You're obviously good friends, but you say she wouldn't have you." She tilts her head inquisitively. "Why'd you bring her, really?"
It takes a minute for him to sort through all the things that shoot through his mind. Reason and want and regret and fear all jumbled up together. He breathes through it, feeling his mother waiting with him until the truth settles over his chest and he speaks it simply. "Because I wanted you to meet her."
Angela looks up at him, eyes wide and solemn. "Oh, Davey." Once again, she rests her cheek against his chest. When she speaks, her voice is a little muffled. "You...have you tried?"
"No." He's surprised at how scratchy his voice sounds and he clears his throat. "No...the job...it's too complex and I can't mess the work relationship up."
Angela draws back and gives him a severe look. "Who says you'd mess it up?"
"Ma..."
"Don't you 'Ma' me." She gives his arm a little shake. "When you try, you're irresistible and you know it. I can’t think of a girl you couldn’t charm."
He feels like he’s fifteen, getting scolded by his mother again. Then he thinks about all the times his charm has led to a broken heart for him or somebody else and he feels more than fifty-four; he feels ancient and tired. “It’s too important. I can’t risk it.”
“I -” She leans her head back and she’s no longer the frail ninety-year-old of a moment ago but a haughty and fierce mother. “- Did not raise you to be afraid.” She frowns at him. “Either try or let it go. But don’t pine, David.” His shock must show on his face, because she softens her expression and her tone. “Life’s too short to continually stare at what you want and not try to have it.”
They're silent for a moment, letting the music, voices and laughter flow over them.
Finally, looking down at her, he tries to cajole a smile. "You just haven't given up on more grandbabies."
"It wouldn't break my heart," she admits with a small smile."Dave." He feels her sigh. "I just want you to be happy.”
He looks across the room and sees Emily, face flushed, but smiling slightly at whatever Rosalie is saying. “I’d like that, too, Ma. I’d like that, too.”