The epilogue to the "Soul Search Series". It's the big day for Emily and Dave. As each one prepares for their walk down the aisle, they will get a surprise visit from an unlikely source who will change their life and their day with never before revealed information.

I don't own Criminal Minds.

Song prompt: Miracles Happen by Myra

Miracles Happen

A small army seemed to have invaded the bride's antechamber. Emily tried to get her thoughts together, but gave up. She found it easier to let everyone do the work since they had done all the planning. She was merely the spectator. A spectator at her own wedding.

From the moment she announced that she and Dave were getting married along with the arrival of a bundle of joy, the wheels were set in motion to make sure the day went off without a hitch. Pen was more than eager to take charge and give Emily the best wedding possible. As secretive with the nuptial details as she was with her hacking skills, Emily could only imagine what the reception was going to look like although the vision of papier mache bells and garland hanging from the ceiling danced in her head.

On the day she was to buy her dress, a familiar face walked thru the doors of the BAU. Jennifer! Emily was so happy to see her best friend that she burst into tears. Embarrassed at her public display of affection, she blamed it on hormones. Jen replied she knew the feeling.

Together they caught up on news as they shopped and bought everything Em was going to need for the big day and even bigger night. JJ confessed to what happened between her and Dave and wanted to know if there were any hard feelings. How could there be when Jen confirmed everything Dave had told her? At that moment, Emily felt that her life was finally coming full circle.

Now the big day had arrived and even though Emily had yet to walk down the aisle, she was already exhausted. Between her hair getting done, to the application of make-up, Emily swore she must have seen no less than twenty hands…which was perplexing because she wasn't sure she even knew twenty people- much less twenty women- personally. Probably friends of JJ and Pen.

Suddenly she wanted her bouquet. She didn't know why, but she wanted something she could hold on to and call her own while the rest of the day was ripped from her control. But she couldn't find it. Looking carefully at first, her search became more frantic as the bouquet had mysteriously disappeared. Not that it was anything special- it was just a design Dave had ordered for the big day- but it meant everything to her.

On the verge of tears, Emily felt herself starting to melt down. It was on the tip of her tongue to order everyone out when a familiar voice cut thru the chaos.

"If everyone will leave for a few minutes, I would like to be alone with the bride. We need to have a talk."

Emily felt her stature go erect as the authoritative command bounced off the walls. Quickly and quietly the room emptied.

"So, you decided to take the plunge with the irresistible David Rossi?" the raspy dulcet voice Emily knew so well asked with a laugh in her tone.

"Mother?" Emily blinked. It was impossible that her mother, the Ambassador, was standing in the room. But it was real. "I thought you weren't going to be able to make it."

"I managed to rearrange some things on the schedule at the last minute and flew out last night."

"You must be exhausted," Emily threw over her shoulder as she resumed looking for her bouquet. Elizabeth Prentiss watched with amusement as her only daughter flitted from space to space.

"The flight from Canberra was uneventful…until we hit Honolulu…Emily Marie, what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry Mother, but I can't find my bouquet." Turning around, her petticoats rustled. "Where is it?"

Stepping over to her daughter who was on the verge of tears, Elizabeth laid her hands on Emily's shoulders. "Emily, it's going to be okay. Sit here and I will look for you." Guiding Emily to an empty wingback chair, she made her sit. "Now tell me what it looks like."

Emily brushed a tear away. "I don't know."

"Why the frantic search?"

"Dave had it made for me."

"Ah!" Elizabeth replied in the understanding tone only mothers could do. Eyeing the room, Elizabeth narrowed down the possible places, eliminating them one by one until her eyes fell on the box tucked in the corner by the door. Picking it up, she took it over to her daughter. "I suppose this is what you were looking for."

"Thank you Mother."

"Are you going to open it?" Elizabeth encouraged.

Emily carefully untied the bow and lifted the lid. Biting her lip, the tears streamed from her eyes. Instantly worried, Elizabeth was beside her daughter. "What's wrong?" she asked. Emily could only shake her head. "Emily, I'm your mother; tell me what's wrong? Is this the wrong bouquet?"

"No. It's perfect. He's perfect." Carefully she lifted the bouquet of red, white, and yellow Tulips mixed with Irises.

"Honey, I don't understand," Elizabeth comforted while admiring the uniqueness of the design.

"He really does love me."

"Yes, he does. Very much."

"How do you know?" Emily asked, her tears suddenly stopping with the knowledge that it was a fact that nothing got past the Ambassador.

Elizabeth lifted Emily's face to meet her look. "I know all there is about David Rossi and a man does not go thru that much effort unless he is ready to settle down for good."

Emily swallowed. "What do you know exactly about David Rossi?"

Elizabeth's laugh filled the room. "Emily Marie, I am after all an ambassador with contacts. You think you're the only investigator in the family? I called some close contacts to get me the scoop on my soon to be son-in-law…and father of my grandchild…and he's quite the interesting Casanova."

"Mother!" Emily exclaimed.

Elizabeth tried to look contrite but failed. "I was using Casanova because I didn't think it proper to say Lothario in a place of worship."

Emily tried to hide her smile. "You just did."

"I'll blame it on jet lag when I go to confession on Friday. But I'm pretty sure the priest knows about David Rossi too."

"Mother!"

Elizabeth patted her daughter's arm soothingly. "Emily, once I explain to the priest that David has been made an honorable and honest man of I'm pretty sure I'll get off with one or two Hail Mary's." She winked knowingly at Emily.

Emily burst out laughing. This day was too perfect.

"What's so funny?" Elizabeth asked as she picked up the bouquet and examined it.

"You. This. Everything. Everything was crazy and you walk in the room and suddenly everything settles down and I can think."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Care to explain?" Carefully she put the bouquet back in the box and set it on the nearest table.

"I never dreamed that I would be sitting in a bride's room with you discussing my soon to be husband's sordid past. And I would be laughing."

"Tears on a wedding day are just an old wives' tale. It doesn't bring bad or good luck; it just makes your mascara run. And I have an image to protect so I can't have my only daughter walking down the aisle looking like a raccoon." Her eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Mother!" Emily blushed.

"I also want you to be happy. You deserve that much. I know that growing up as my child wasn't easy and I wasn't always there for you. I dragged you from place to place with each new assignment and never gave you a chance to settle in and make any real friends. Or even have a real childhood. I know you tried to rebel, and though I didn't understand it back then, I've come to an understanding." Gently she smoothed Emily's curls. "I wonder if that is why you decided to pursue a career with the FBI after receiving your Masters instead of going into politics or teaching."

"I wanted to make a difference in the world. Besides, I can put my education from school and my travels to use in the FBI. I know that I was angry at you for making me stay in Saudi Arabia, but it worked out; it's come in handy many times. I never thanked you for that."

"I always wished for you to follow in my footsteps; you would have made such a great ambassador or a cabinet secretary."

Emily laughed bitterly. "I hate politics."

"Honey, the FBI is just another branch of politics."

"True, but at least here I can shoot the bad guy. I don't think I could sit across the table and make small talk with a dictator without feeling the urge to leap over the table and slap handcuffs on him."

"I've had that emotion more than once."

"Mother, you?"

"Being an ambassador doesn't mean I check my common sense and sense of right and wrong at the front door of the dirt bag's palace." Elizabeth patted Emily's hand. "And here all this time you thought you got your attitude from your father."

"I can't picture you holding a Glock." Emily shook her head at the image.

Elizabeth chuckled. "I can't picture you being a wife and mother." Emily's face fell. Immediately Elizabeth pulled her into her arms and comforted her. "That came out wrong. What I should have said was that even though I can't picture you as a wife and mother, I know that you will do your best to prove me wrong and end up showing me a thing or two."

Emily relished in the feeling of her mother's arms around her. "You weren't that bad of a mother."

"I would like to think that I did the best I could." Elizabeth gently stroked her daughter's hair as she realized that this would be the last time she held her baby girl like this. Where had the time gone? Her eyes filled with tears. She tried to mask the sniffle, but failed. Emily pulled back and looked at her.

"Mother, what's wrong?" Emily had never seen the Ambassador cry, much less sniffle.

Elizabeth bit her lip. "It's a mother thing- something you will understand soon." She wiped a tear with fingertip. "I just realized that it seems like yesterday they were handing you to me in the hospital- after your abrupt arrival at Buckingham Palace."

"I've been known for my timing. Or lack thereof."

Elizabeth gave a small laugh. "Of course. But they handed this tiny little baby girl to me, and I just looked at you with your head full of dark hair and beautiful doe eyes and I thought you were my little miracle. Now you're here in a church getting ready to walk down the aisle with the most handsome eligible bachelor in the world and soon you're going to be a mother yourself and…" The tears slipped out faster. "It hit me that my little baby has grown up to be an intelligent, beautiful woman. And I missed it."

Emily felt her eyes tear up. Getting up from the chair, she blindly searched for a box of Kleenex. Pulling a handful out, she gave some to Elizabeth while dabbing at her eyes.

"Mother…" Emily didn't know where to begin or what to say. Once again, her mother managed to leave her speechless.

Standing up, Elizabeth took in her daughter. "Is it too late to tell you that I love you and I'm proud of you?"

"No," Emily choked out. "I love you too Mother."

Elizabeth opened the box on the table and took out the bouquet. Carefully she handed it to Emily who took it and held it close. Her heart nearly burst with pride as she watched the look of love on her daughter's face.

Emily looked up and saw her mother staring at her. "What?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "It's nothing."

"No. Tell me what's wrong."

"I was just thinking about how lovely you look right now and how I'll never forget this moment as long as I live. And how David Rossi is the luckiest man on earth." Elizabeth looked at her watch. "I think we need to let everyone in so we can get you ready."

Emily took her mother's hand and squeezed. "Thank for you coming."

"Thank you for giving me a second chance."

For the first time since she could remember, Emily didn't mind being Elizabeth Prentiss's daughter. And she had David Rossi to thank.

Elizabeth opened the door and called the attendants in so they could finish dressing Emily. Then she did something totally out of character: she stood back and watched.