A/N – This is my offering for the Christmas Challenge on Chit Chat on Author's Corner, a present for the wonderful Tonnie2001969! My prompts were: Rockin' around the Christmas Tree, eggnog, tinsel & ringing bells and the pairing was JJ/Rossi. Hope everyone enjoys!
Let the Christmas Spirit ring -
23rd December SSA Rossi's office, BAU Headquarters
He sat there trying vainly to finish the last file so that he could head out and start the holidays but his mind was refusing to cooperate as it kept reliving the scene he had encountered exactly one year ago.
He thought that he was the last one to leave, everyone else having left to start their Christmas celebrations, but he had been caught out by his publisher phoning to check that he was still ok to deliver his next manuscript after the holidays. Dave picked up his briefcase and locked up his office, smiling as he looked at the small Christmas tree Emily and Reid had put on Morgan's desk as he walked towards the elevator. It was then that the streak of light caught his attention, frowning Dave turned around sharply and walked towards the door, believing that JJ had forgotten to lock her office door in her rush to get home to see Will and Henry. His frown lines only deepened as he caught sight of JJ sitting at her desk, her head in her hands and the sound of quiet sobbing hit his ears. Dave didn't stop to knock as he quickly walked into the office and wandered around to where JJ was sat, placing his hand on her shoulder as he bent down beside her.
"JJ what's wrong?"
JJ sniffed loudly as she tried to stop the tears from flowing, she turned and looked at Dave sadness enveloped her face.
"I'm sorry Rossi, I thought everyone had gone."
"Don't apologise JJ just tell me what's wrong."
"Will's left me."
JJ bit her lip hard as the words came out and saw the shock on Dave's face, she took a deep breath before she explained herself.
"He's been seeing someone else, his childhood sweetheart, he finally confessed last night and then flew back to New Orleans this morning, apparently Henry and I are not enough for him!"
JJ managed a small laugh as she finished but she saw the anger in Dave's face as he slammed his fist hard onto the table.
"I'll kill him!"
Dave couldn't stop the words from coming out, his anger had boiled up and over flown, not just at the gall of Will leaving JJ but the timing of the whole thing absolutely stunk. Will had not only ruined that Christmas for JJ and Henry but every Christmas from then on as they would always associate the holiday with Will's abandonment.
It hadn't taken much for Dave to get a hold of everyone else and they changed their plans without a second thought, gathering at Dave's cabin to take JJ's mind off of Will and to ensure that Henry had a fun and memorable Christmas.
Dave worked hard to ensure that JJ was happy and it was around April that things had started to intensify between the two of them. Dave had spent more and more time away from the office with JJ and Henry, weekend days out and evening meals turned into nights at her house and weekends at the cabin without either of them really stopping for thought as everything just felt right between the two of them and the most important thing was that Henry was happy.
Dave shook his mind away from the previous year and back to the present time, he wanted to make this Christmas special for JJ and Henry, it was their first one together and the first one of many. Dave focused in on the file in front of him, he had to finish this so that his plan would come to fruition.
Garcia tapped firmly on the door, she didn't wait for a response as she burst in causing Dave to quickly bring his gaze up and he instantly had to bring his hand up to his mouth as he saw the red tinsel that was holding her pigtails up as well as the matching red tinsel around her neck and finally it was topped off by a red tinsel belt around her yellow skirt.
"Time Rossi, Time!"
"Ok I hear you Princess, are you seriously going to look after Henry with all of that?"
Dave grinned widely as he waved his hand theatrically at Garcia.
"Of course, my darling godson loves tinsel and it will be a good way to get him into the Christmas Spirit!"
Dave smiled as he walked into the office, the door had been ajar so he knew that he would be welcome and that she hadn't been on an important call.
"Are you ready?"
JJ blinked her eyes as she lifted her head up from the file she had been annotating.
"Ready?"
"Come on cara, you're done here for the holidays."
Dave wiggled his eyebrows as his grin grew wider, moving swiftly around the desk before he stood behind JJ's chair, his hands resting gently on her shoulders.
"I've got to finish these files before I go Dave!"
"Oh no cara, I've spoken to Hotch and I'm free to whisk you away!"
Dave moved his hands down and pulled JJ's char away from the desk, causing her to squeal in protestation which only made Dave laugh harder and louder.
"What about Henry?"
"He's got his fairy godmother picking up from day care and judging by her appearance today, a trip to Santa's Grotto is in the offing, come on Jen I need your assistance at the cabin."
JJ craned her neck around and raised her eyebrows quizzically.
"Oh nothing like that Jen! Come on we'd better get going before Hotch changes his mind."
Dave raised his arms and put them around JJ's waist, helping her to stand before the two of them surreptitiously left the building and headed down to the car park where Dave's SUV was parked.
JJ looked across at Dave as he concentrated on negotiating the icy roads, unsure of exactly where he was heading given that he had forgone his normal route and was patently not going to explain his movements to her. Instead, to break the silence, and to at least get herself into the holiday mood, JJ grabbed her iPod and quickly scanned through the screens until she found the song that she wanted, seamlessly she plugged the device into the vehicle's stereo system and turned the volume up.
"Rockin' around the Christmas Tree, at the Christmas Party hop..."
Dave quickly shook his head and tried not to crash the SUV as JJ suddenly burst loudly into song.
"Uh cara?"
"Oh sorry, I was just a bit bored and thought that I'd try and get into the Christmas Spirit!"
JJ grinned widely before she saw Dave's frown grow deeper.
"Well we're nearly here."
"The 7-11?"
"Yes, I need to get a few things for the party later."
JJ closed her eyes it dawned on her why she was going to the cabin.
"So you want me for my eggnog recipe?"
Dave grinned as he stopped in the car park, he had hoped that this would be her reaction, it would only make things sweeter later on in the afternoon.
"Only because it is the best, plus there is the buffet to lay out and you always moan how useless I am in the kitchen..."
"So you told Hotch that it was in the interests of the team's health that I left early?"
"He is sensible man, I always trust him to make the right decisions Jen!"
JJ shook her head as she got out of the vehicle, she was only slightly mad with her lover, he had managed to spring her from work early and it was a rarity that the two of them spent time alone without the team or Henry, so even though she would be stuck in the kitchen she would be with Dave.
As he finished carrying through the last of the plates of food into the dining room he stood and admired the spread that they had managed to put together, the eggnog was in the fridge and he could hear JJ still singing in the kitchen. Dave walked out of the room and into his study, he could feel his heart pounding fast as he moved the picture off the wall in order to gain access to his safe. It had been sitting there for a while, actually that was an understatement, it had been there for over two decades, given to him by his mother when his father had died. She said that she no longer felt comfortable wearing it and wanted him to give it to the one he loved, it was a testament to the woman in the other room that she had been the first one to receive this gift, none of the previous three wives had even come close. His fingers were shaking slightly as he took the small velvet box out and tucked it into his jeans pocket, quickly locking the safe and putting the picture back so nothing looked out of place. He walked anxiously back into the kitchen, the sight of her singing as she washed up soon put him at ease as he crept behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Rocking around the Christmas Tree, Let the Christmas Spirit ring...Jesus Dave you scared me!"
"Sorry cara, I wanted to thank you for helping me out."
Dave leant down and planted a soft kiss on JJ's neck, causing a moan to escape from her mouth as she turned around.
"It's not a problem, especially when you thank me like this!"
Dave closed his eyes momentarily as he took a long and deep breath, before he reached into his pocket and retrieved the small box.
"You know cara that this last year has been the best of my life, I truly cannot remember being this happy before, having you and Henry in my life..."
"Dave..."
"Shh cara, let me finish."
Dave reached up and gently placed a finger on JJ's lips as he opened the box, he felt her intake of breath against it as he spoke.
"Will you do the honour of marrying me Jennifer?"
JJ felt the tears instantly well up in her eyes, she found herself unable to speak as she nodded her head and threw herself into Dave's willing arms.
"Is that a yes?"
"Yes Dave!"
Dave breathed a huge sigh of relief as he held tight onto JJ, the song finished as the stereo went quiet, the silence in the room only interrupted by the fast and hard beats of their hearts.
"You know that we've still get forty minutes before our guests arrive?"
Dave whispered softly in JJ's ear as she pulled slightly away from him and looked at him, as he took the opportunity to gently slip the ring onto her finger.
"Come on then, let's celebrate!"
JJ winked seductively as she took a hold of Dave's hand and led him out of the kitchen and towards the stairs, the sound of bells ringing from the nearby church playing as they quickly shut the bedroom door behind them.
Fin.