I know a lot of people are going to hate me for this story…and I understand. But I found that when the moment presents itself, you can't ignore it. A dear friend (whom I consider a daughter), got some bad news and I found myself feeling helpless because I couldn't be there for her. So, this story - partly based on an event in my life - came into fruition.

I don't own Criminal Minds.

Song prompt: "Come To Me, Do" by Chicago

Dedicated to Michaela…I love you, baby girl. I will always be there for you.

Come To Me, Do

Dave guided the car down the road slowly, his thoughts everywhere but on what was going to greet him when he got home. He tried to will himself to be strong, but at the moment, he was going thru hell. Of course, none of it compared to what his angel was going thru.

Hitting the steering wheel in frustration, he took a deep breath and willed himself to keep it together.

"Dammit, Dave, you have been on worse cases than this and kept it together," he berated himself. "This isn't the worst thing you've ever been thru…" No, it had been real life…his real life. Unexpected tears formed in his eyes and he tried to blink them away as the memory of Claire's cries replayed: No, Daddy! Please, don't take Mudgie! I promise that I will be good! Don't take my doggy!

"What am I going to tell her?" he asked to the empty car. "What can I say that can take away the pain?" Shaking his head, he turned the car down the dark street toward his home. Glancing at the clock radio, he sighed. How was it that only a few hours ago life had been good? What could he have changed…?

"Daddy?" Claire's soft voice filled his unconscious state. "Daddy, wake up!" she pleaded and shook him.

Coming awake, Dave rubbed his eyes. Glancing at Em lying beside him, fast asleep, he tried to focus on his daughter. "Claire," he greeted, his tongue thick with sleep. "What's wrong?"

"It's Mudgie." She tugged on his hand. "He was eating and then he fell down. I can't pick him up and he's crying. Come on."

Dave closed his eyes and said a silent prayer. He had known this day was going to come, but he had hoped it would happen while Claire was at school or her grandmother's.

"Mi piccola, I'm sure he's fine. He played really hard yesterday and might be tired," Dave replied and crossed his fingers. Not superstitious by nature, he felt the need to ward off any bad karma his lie might bring.

Claire tugged harder. "Come on, Daddy. I think he's hurt."

Sitting up on the edge of the bed, Dave tried to gather his thoughts. "Claire, go get dressed and I will be there in just a minute, okay?"

Tears filled the little girl's deep brown eyes. Her bottom lip trembled as she nodded slowly. Turning around, she left the room.

"You knew this was going to happen," Em's soft voice broke the silence and cut thru Dave's thoughts.

"I was hoping Mudgie would go quietly in the night or at least wait until she was gone." Dave got up and began dressing. Buttoning his shirt, his fingers shook.

"What are you thinking?" Em asked as she wrapped her arms around her husband's waist and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Honestly?" Dave replied, his tone flat, but his heart was breaking. "How being a parent really sucks." He fastened the last button and turned around to face Em. "I don't remember anything in any of the psychology classes about how to approach this…or what to do."

"Dave, it's a part of life…"

"This doesn't have to be a part of her life," he argued. "What if this totally scars her and she grows up to be a serial killer?"

"The odds of a woman serial killer are very low," Em gently reminded him.

"There are exceptions to every rule. It would be luck that I am an expert profiler and best selling author, and my daughter grows up to be a criminal because of me."

Em's eyes softened. "You are giving yourself too much credit. Just go downstairs and talk to her. Be as honest as you can."

Dave closed his eyes. "I don't know…"

"Do you want to call Hotch first?"

"No. I think I can do this."

"I'll be there for you." Em kissed him and took his hand. "Come on." Together they walked side by side to the kitchen. At the doorway, Dave paused as he took in the sight. Lying on the floor, helpless and whining softly was his best friend - the one who had been beside him as he went thru his third divorce and never criticized him for any shortcomings - his most loyal of companions…until he met Em. He tried to say something but couldn't.

Letting go of Dave's hand, Em went over to where Claire sat on the floor. Gently, the little girl stroked Mudgie's soft black fur.

"It's okay, Mudgie. Daddy will take care of you." She looked up at her father, her hero. "Right, Daddy? You will make him better."

"Claire…" Dave took a step forward. "I…will do what I can." Lowering his voice, he turned to Em. "I have to call the vet and let him know." Em nodded. Taking out his cell, Dave quickly dialed. After a brief conversation, he hung up. "He wants me to bring Mudgie in right away."

Petting the dog's head, Dave spoke soothing words. Mudgie whined plaintively.

"It's okay, boy," Dave assured the canine. "You'll be able to sleep peacefully real soon."

"What does that mean?" Claire asked, her eyes wide.

"What?" Dave asked, confused by her question.

"That he will be able to sleep peacefully?" Her lip trembled.

"Claire…" Dave searched for the right words and came up short.

"Let me go with you," the little girl pleaded.

"Sweetheart, I can't."

"Please, Daddy! I want to help Mudgie get better. He needs me. Don't you, Mudgie?" She laid her head on his warm body. The dog weakly thumped his tail.

"Claire…"Em began and tried to pick her daughter up.

"No, Mommy! Let me go with Daddy! I'll be good and I won't cry," she promised as tears broke free and ran down her cheeks. "I promise."

"Claire…" Dave moved forward to grab the dog.

The little girl wrapped her arms tightly around Mudgie in a vise like grip. "No!"

"You have to let him go," Dave commanded gently.

"No! I won't let you take him!" Claire tightened her hold as Em worked to untangle the little girl. "NO!" She struggled against her mother's arms as Dave picked up the dog. In pain and unable to understand what was happening, Mudgie snapped at his master. Claire's cries increased in volume.

"Claire! That's enough!" Dave snapped. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he bit his tongue.

Her eyes widened in shock and anger. "I hate you!" Claire yelled and stomped her foot.

Dave petted Mudgie's head. "Come on boy, let me help you." Bracing himself, Dave lifted the dog and tried to balance him.

"Go now, Dave," Em ordered as she held their daughter back. Dave looked helplessly at the two women he loved and the friend he loved as equally. "Go," Em repeated. Call me, she mouthed.

Dave barely remembered going out to the truck as Claire's weeping followed him outside. He barely remembered getting Mudgie settled and driving to the veterinarian's office. In a moment that he was sure had to be the most surrealistic moment of his life, as they took Mudgie to a room. Twenty minutes later he was called in to the room and swore that he was having an out of body experience as he held on to Mudgie's paw and whispered words of comfort while the vet inserted the IV.

"It's okay, boy. I'm so sorry," Dave whispered, as he tried to blink back the tears. Mudgie whined and thumped his tail. "I love you. Em loves you. And Claire loves you." Mudgie thumped his tail again. "I'm going to miss you."

"Mr. Rossi," the vet broke in, "let me know when."

Dave closed his eyes. A single tear broke free. "Please forgive me," his voice choked as his hand stroked the furry head and tried to burn that feeling into his brain. "Please forgive me…" He nodded to the vet. As the syringe was inserted, Dave felt Mudgie tense. Then, at the last moment, Mudgie gave Dave's hand a weak lick. Then the light faded from his sparkling, brown eyes…forever.

"He's gone," Dave choked, his throat thick with emotion. "He's gone…" The tears raced down his cheeks. Wordlessly, the vet left him and Mudgie alone for one last time. Burying his head in the Lab's fur, Dave wept…

Dave pulled up in the long driveway and turned off the ignition. What was he going to tell Claire? What could he tell her?

Looking up, he saw that her bedroom light was off. It was still early in the afternoon, but Em had told him that Claire had locked herself in the bedroom and refused to come down when he called home.

Sighing, he got out of the truck and made his way inside the house. Em greeted him.

"She's upstairs."

Dave nodded and climbed the staircase. Standing outside the pretty purple door decorated with Disney memorabilia, he raised his fist and knocked.

"Claire? Are you in there?" he asked. "Could you let me in?"

"Go away! I hate you!" she cried.

"I know. I have something to tell you." Silence was the only response. "Please let me in."

What seemed like a lifetime, Dave heard a soft click. Waiting a moment, he turned the handle and stepped inside. Adjusting his eyes, he looked around at the pretty, feminine room decorated to his daughter's unique taste. He made out a lump under the purple comforter.

Sitting down on the edge of the mattress, he reached out to touch his daughter but stopped. The silence stretched painfully.

"Claire…" he began slowly.

"You took Mudgie away, and he is never coming back."

"I know that you don't understand what happened today, but someday you will."

"I won't ever understand," she sobbed.

"Maybe that's true, because even I don't understand." Dave fiddled his thumbs nervously.

Claire pulled her head out from under the covers and looked at her father. Tears sparkled in her eyes, her lashes lay in spikes. "Why, Daddy?"

"Mudgie was very sick. Nothing the doctor did was going to make him better."

"I could have made him better!"

Dave shook his head. "No, sweetheart, you couldn't have. He needed to be with God."

"No he didn't. I loved him," she wept unashamedly.

"I loved him too." He shifted and held out his arms. "Come here," he offered softly.

Throwing herself in Dave's arms, Claire wept her heart out over the loss of her best friend. Dave stroked her long dark curls. Finally, her sobs decreased.

Pulling back, she wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "Did it hurt?" she asked softly.

"Did what hurt?" Dave asked back.

"When Mudgie…died. Did it hurt?" Her eyes searched his for the truth.

Dave shook his head. "No, honey. The doctor made sure of that. Mudgie was a good dog."

"I never got to tell him that I loved him," Claire choked as fresh tears began.

"I told him," Dave replied, his chest tight…so tight he thought he might die himself. "I told him that Mommy and I loved him. And then I told him that you loved him too."

Claire struggled not to cry. "And…" She took a deep breath. "And w-w-wha…what did he say?"

Dave cupped his daughter's soft cheek. "He told me to tell you that he loved you too and that he was going to miss you."

"Really?" she whispered.

Dave nodded. "Really."

Flinging herself in Dave's arms, Claire held on tight. "I'm going to miss him," she sobbed.

"I know. I'm going to miss him too." Dave held her just as tight.

"I'm sorry that I told you that I hate you."

"I know you are."

"I love you, Daddy," she whispered, her body shaking from sobs. Dave felt the tears break free and fall from his eyes to land on Claire's head.

"I love you, too. I love you, too."

In memory of Dharma Gail…Momma misses you every day.