Chapter 2: Remembering

Once David Rossi had been checked by both the doctor and nurses, he settled back into a calm sleep for the first time since his arrival in ICU, Erin's coin secure in his hand. Doctors still had no idea what was causing his symptoms. Once the medical staff left his room, Joy and the others returned to set with him. At first the charge nurse protested to so many being in the room, but Dr. Stevens told her it was fine as long as Dave rested and they didn't disrupt anything. He told her that these were the people closest to Rossi and it would be good for him to see them when he was awake.

Settling into the same chairs they had vacated almost an hour earlier, everyone seemed to be lost in their own thoughts. Joy sat holding her dad's hand, while Hotch sat on the other side of the bed, keeping a close watch on his best friend. Garcia leaned into Morgan, who was seated next to Joy, while JJ, Reid and Kate sat near the foot on the same side as their unit chief. Cruz had left to fill in some of the brass.

Joy watched Hotch for a long time before asking, "Aaron, what are you thinking about so hard?"

"I was just thinking about what a good friend Dave has been and how he seems to be able to bring me back when I let my ego get in the way."

"Care to elaborate, Hotch?" Morgan asked.

Sitting back in his chair, "When we were in Boston trying to catch the reaper, when he killed all those on that bus, I blamed myself. If I'd only taken the deal, I felt like I'd killed all those people myself. Dave talked me into telling him what I was feeling, when I did, he handed me his gun. Told me to go ahead, that the team would get him without me, that if I wanted to blame myself to go ahead. He then, told me the voice in my head wasn't my conscience it was my ego. He made his point, and I pulled it together. I told him that he was a little dramatic. He told me his ex always said he had a flair for the dramatic. When I asked him which ex he said all three. I remember we laughed about it."

"Mom told me after I found out he was my father, that he was passionate about things." Joy said.

Smiling Hotch continued, "Another time I remember Dave being a great friend, I was doing the FBI triathlon. I needed someone to stay with Jack and get him to the event. Dave offered, even though he had to get up and be at my place before 5 AM. Anyone that knows Rossi, knows Saturday morning are his day, no movement before 10, but he was there. "

"When did Jack start calling Rossi, Uncle Dave?" JJ asked.

"Not long after Haley died, Dave took Jack and me away for the weekend. He thought we both needed a chance to get away from the real world. We went to Disneyland, Jack loved it and it helped him get his mind off everything that had been going on. One of the waitress asked Jack if Dave was his uncle, he looked at us both told her yes and he's been Uncle Dave since." Aaron smiled at the memory. "Jack adores him and he loves Jack."

Smiling Joy looked over at her father's closest friend. "Yes he does, he's always talking about Jack and Henry." Turning to JJ, "Henry is your son, right?" JJ just nodded.

The room was quiet for several minutes then Garcia began to tell her tale. "Do you remember the case we had in Virginia when the kids were kidnapped from the school bus?" Seeing everyone nod, "That case was draining for all of us, and I was having issues with Kevin. Rossi met me at the elevator, asked how I was. I asked him if he ever just wanted to unplug from everything, literally. He opened his briefcase, took my phones and tablet. Then he took me to his house. Erin ordered pizza and the three of us spent the evening eating junk food, listened to Tony Bennett on vinyl. Rossi taught me to drink 18 year old scotch while Erin sipped on tea laughing at all the faces I'd make as I drank with Dave. I spent the night at their place and the world seemed better the next day. That was a night I'll never forget. He made me feel special and that's the night I think he and I truly became friends."

"You never told me that!" Both JJ and Morgan said at the same time.

Garcia shrugged, "No need to tell it before now. It was a moment between, Erin, Dave and I."

Morgan went next…"I remember one of the first cases we worked on with Rossi; I asked him to talk to a priest and let me talk to the parents of the murdered girl. Of course he threw me under the bus and gave me the priest to interview. When he came from talking to the parents, he tilted his sunglasses up and gave me that smirk he's famous for. Later he and I talked about it and he told me he was giving me a chance for personal growth. I told him, I got him. He wasn't a mystery to me. They said he couldn't interview serial killers…He did. They said he couldn't put together a profiling team…He did. They said there was no way in hell he would ever come back here…he did. It's in his nature. It's who he is. Then he asked me if I knew all that why I told him I didn't want to talk to the priest. I couldn't think of anything to say so I told him I was giving him an opportunity for personal growth. We both laughed and that was the beginning of our friendship."

"My mom told Dad could be a real smart ass when he wanted to be." Joy chuckled.

"That he can be, it's a side only his closest friends see." Hotch told them.

JJ leaned forward in her chair a bit running her hand along Dave's lower leg. "Joy did you know that Dave threw my wedding?" She continued as the younger woman shook her head. "It was a complete surprise. We'd had a rough case, where Will was shot and taken hostage. Dave took me to the hospital to see him and stayed with Henry in the waiting room. I guess he heard me tell Will to ask me again. The first couple times he asked I said not yet, but after almost losing him I knew it was time. He asked again and Rossi heard him. He planned the most beautiful wedding in his backyard in less than 24 hours. He even flew my mother in."

"He's done so much for each one of us. Some of them big things some of them small, he helped me when Maeve died. He let me talk and told me it was okay. That there was no time limit on grieving, but I had to let myself grieve. Then when Gideon was killed he helped me through that. The man has so much wisdom. He doesn't judge or make you feel like you're bothering him. He listens when you talk. I know when he first came back to the unit, I had to get on his nerves. I was so in awe of him, but he always took the time to guide me and teach me." Reid added.

"Someone had to teach you youngsters how it was." Dave croaked as he tried to sit up, fighting Hotch as he tried to get him to lay still.

Standing Joy noticed his temperature was up. "Relax, Dad. I'll get the nurse." Before she could get the nurse, Rossi was back to sleep.