A/n:
What's up my dudes! I was originally planning on publishing this on Easter but I got a migraine :(

Here it is now though!

Word count- 3512 words

Warning- reader gets injured, gunshots, all of the classic criminal minds stuff but I'm guessing you're okay with that if you're here

Note- this is a soulmate AU! In this one the reader and the character (Rossi) have a string attaching the two of them

Enjoy~

* * *

Your POV

     You were never a patient person, so when you had to wait an hour for your new coworkers to arrive you couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed. You knew it wasn't their fault that the plane had to leave late due to weather—flying was a part of the job, the job that you would start tomorrow.

Strauss advised you meeting the team before your first day so that you could get to know them before you were on the field with them. With every minute that you watched the hand in the clock, you could feel yourself grow more annoyed and anxious. You leaned back in your chair, and as you did so you watched your string move into your vision.

     It didn't take a profiler—what you were about to be as soon as you started tomorrow—to figure out that your soulmate liked to travel. For years now you watched your string head right up towards the sky and into the horizon. A few times you even watched it go straight over you and into a plane, wondering where they could be heading. You enjoyed that they too liked to travel, that's part of the reason why you wanted to become an agent: to see places all across the States, and maybe even the world. It was probably a shared interest of the two of you, which probably was part of the reason why you were each others partners.

     The red string suddenly made its way over your head, moving at a fast place (like it did when you were nearby or they were moving very fast, like in a plane). You didn't bother checking where it was heading when it soared behind you, so you wouldn't have noticed the string coming to a stop just behind you. You also were so focused on the clock that you didn't notice that the string had made it's way back into your line of sight, that is, until it was right in front of you.

     This has to be some sort of optical illusion, you thought. There's no way that they are here.

     The door of the elevator in front of you opened, and you were proven wrong; you could see the piece connecting the two of you so clearly.

     It connected to a middle aged man, probably in his fifties. He had a dark olive complexion with black hair and facial hair to match. He was dressed well—expensively so—and had dark eyes that met yours.

     "Sorry we're so late," A different man said. He was taller than your... soulmate, but he also had dark hair and eyes. "Team, this is Agent (l/n)."

     A series of 'hellos' and 'nice to meet yous' made their way though the small group. You smiled back slightly.

     "Let's go to my office. I'll get you ready for your first day tomorrow," The man, who introduced himself as SSA Aaron Hotcher, said.

     So the two of you made your way to his office, but not after you stole a look at David Rossi, your soulmate. He seemed to be avoiding your gaze, which made your stomach drop. Quickly turning in a different direction—Hotch's office—you missed that he looked towards you just a moment after.

     Hotch and you talked for about half an hour before he called it a night. When you exited the room you noticed that David Rossi was nowhere to be seen. It had been half an hour since you had went into the office with Hotch so you didn't expect him to be there, but that hadn't stopped a part of you from hoping that he was.

* * *

     You hadn't expected that the first day that there would be a case, so when you were put into the Bullpen as soon as you entered the building, you couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

     A tackle of a hug took you by surprise, nearly knocking you over. "You must be our newest member!" The voice of the person nearly squeezing you to death said. They pulled away to reveal a woman in her twenties. She was dressed in bright colors and wore nearly as much jewelry as you owned in your entire collection. "I'm so happy to have another girl on the team. Eeek!"

     "Garcia, focus," Hotch warned, but couldn't help but smile.

     "Sorry, sir." She smiled at you as you took a seat. Turning around, she continued and said: "Eight people have been found dead in New York. You may be thinking, it's New York, that's not too many people that have been found dead, but it's the way they were killed that makes them stand out."

     She pulled up a picture of both a man and a women that were stuck on lampposts close to one another. "As if it weren't already disturbing enough, their hearts were cut out as well," She said.

     "All victims were aged between 22 and 28, and they all were on the site FindMyMatch."

     "The soulmate site?" The girl nicknamed JJ said.

     "Exactly. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, there's a site out there that exists for the purpose of finding your soulmate. It's like any dating website except that you put in times and dates where you noticed that your string seemed closer, like when you go overhead in a plane. It matches your results with other people's and then you can chat away."

     "So all of these people matched with one another on this site?" Derek Morgan asked.

     "Ding, ding, ding! Precisely! The first two people were named Anna Johnson and Dakota Peterson. They matched exactly three weeks ago and made plans to meet in Manhattan a week later. They were both murdered that night. Same thing happened to the other three couples, if we can call them that."

     "He must be using the site then to find the pairs," Rossi said. It was the first time you heard his voice. It made your stomach leap. You hoped nobody noticed.

     "Garcia," Hotch said, "look to see if there's a way that you can look at each others profiles and messages. We will talk more on the plane. Wheels up in ten."

* * *

     The only seat on the plane happened to be by Rossi. There was a strange feeling brewing deep in your gut that grew every time you looked at him. You felt like you needed to talk to him, but at the same time you wanted to run away. It was frustrating.

He wasn't saying anything to you, and hardly even glancing in your direction, which brought a mix of relief and sadness. You almost had a hard time talking about the profile the team was trying to make.

"There was something that I didn't have time to mention," Garcia said. "On every crime scene there was a piece of red string cut in half. If that isn't some symbolism, I don't know what is."

"So he really is going for soulmates," Morgan said. "Something specific had to happen to him for him to get the urge to do this."

"Maybe he lost his," JJ suggested.

"That would definitely be a trigger," You stated, talking for the first time, catching everyone's attention. You suddenly felt lucky that Rossi was sitting next to you and not somewhere else, for you could feel his eyes boring into you, but you couldn't see him directly.

"She speaks!" Garcia said, looking at you from through the screen. She gave you a big grin.

"We can't rule out the possibility that there could be another reason for his attacks, but that's our biggest bet right now," Hotch said.

* * *

It didn't take long to arrive at the Police Station once you landed, and once you did you only stayed for a brief moment before heading out to interview family members of the victims. You went with JJ to the family of the most recent woman victim. Upon arrival you realized that it would not be easy at all, as the mom was already in tears before you even knocked on the door.

"Ma'am," JJ spoke softly, "I know what you're going through is beyond devastating, but we will be able to do a better job if you calm down."

The two of you helped her settle her breathing. Now she just looked tired.

"I'm sorry," She said. "This was just so sudden, she was so young—" She looked like she was going to burst into tears once more.

"It's all right," You stated. "We understand. We just want to ask you a few questions about your daughter. Is that all right?"

The woman nodded. "Okay. Anything to get that man locked up."

"When your daughter found out who her soulmate was, did she tell many people?"

"A few," The mom said. "She was so excited she couldn't help but tell a few."

"Just friends and family. Nothing on social media?"

She shook her head. "No, just myself, her sisters and her best friend."

"Did any of you guys tell anyone?" JJ asked.

     "No I don't think so. I know my daughters and I didn't, and I'm guessing her friend didn't either."

     There wasn't much more to ask her. There wasn't much known about the UNSUB, especially since he seemed to be doing most of his doings online. After a few more questions the two of you headed back to the police station. Everyone else seemed to have the same amount of difficulty in finding out more information on the UNSUB, that was, until Garcia piped in:

"Tonight Peyton Linn and Dameon Collins are going on a date at Maestros Steakhouse—ooo fancy—anyway, they're the only couple in the area that has matched today. My bets are high that our not-so-great buddy is going to go after them tonight."

     "Thanks, Garcia." Hotch nodded.

* * *

     The date was scheduled to be at seven, so you guys all got to your spots a quarter after in case the UNSUB was already there; you didn't want to appear suspicious, and to help that issue more you guys split up into pairs and a group: Prentiss and Morgan went inside and posed as a couple (lucky bastards, you called them, earning a laugh from everyone), JJ, Hotch, and Reid went on surrounding rooftops, and Rossi and yourself parked in a car just outside of the door.

     Your heart immediately started to pound, and not because of the fact that you might have to chase down your first UNSUB, but the fact that you were sitting alone with your soulmate. It didn't help matters that you hadn't spoken a word to each other yet. Usually you weren't one to get anxious around people, or have much anxiety at all, but this was something completely out of your comfort zone.

     You looked down at your hands. Your string was coiling tightly around your left hand. Following it with your eyes, you could see that it was doing the same thing on Rossi's right hand. It looked like the string wanted to keep tightening until it pulled your hands together. You swallowed and inhaled, trying to stay focused on the case.

"So," Rossi said, drawing all of your attention away from the restaurant in front of you and back to the butterflies in your stomach, "how's the first day going?"

"Interesting?" Is all you could think of to say.

"It's never not interesting, I guarantee that."

"I'm okay with that. I wasn't cut out for an office job."

"Neither am I. I think we did a pretty good job at picking a good career then."

You smiled. "Yeah, I agree." There was a pause in your conversation. In that time you decided to turn your body so you could face him. You knew that you were supposed to be keeping watch for the UNSUB, but your desire to talk to Rossi was getting too strong to ignore.

     He smiled back when you shifted your body. He had a great smile.

     "How long until I get a hang of this because boy—" you exhaled "—it has been a crazy first day."

     "I think you're getting the hang of it already, (l/n)."

     "(Y/n)," you stated. "It's (y/n), at least for you it is."

     "Well then, since were in this first-name basis, call me David." His eyes twinkled. You felt like you could have stared into them for longer, but your gaze was drawn to the string tying the two of you.

     Usually the piece of string stayed petty taught—forming a straight line between the two of you, for the exception of when it tied around your hands occasionally. But the string suddenly seemed to grow, wrapping itself around your bodies in wave-like motions. It was beautiful.

    The moment was broken when a man came to the passenger door, swung it open, and grabbed you roughly, pulling you onto the sidewalk.

     "David!" You called.

     "(Y/n)!" He shouted as he got out of the car, putting a hand to his gun.

     "Watch out!" You shouted, seeing another man come up behind him. David turned but it was too late. The man swung his fist into the side of David's head, knocking him out instantly.

     You gasped and fought against the man who was grabbing you. Your phone was so close, but yet out of reach. You looked around. Somehow there was no one around, even though you were in Manhattan.

     That was just your luck.

     The second man quickly came up to you and wrapped a cloth around your head, making sure it went into your mouth and gagged you. He put a bag over your head too. You knew how to fight due to your training, but it was extremely difficult while tied up. It was pointless as soon as you got a fist or an elbow to the face though, not that it mattered which one, because as soon as you were hit you were out.

* * *

Rossi's POV

     Rossi woke up to a throbbing in his head. He strained both in pain and to remember what happened, but when he looked at the empty passenger seat it all came rushing back to him.

     He had been put back into the car, and he had his gun back too. Everything was the same, other than the fact you were gone. That was, until he noticed the piece of cut red string on the seat you had sat on.

His heart began to race and he immediately called Hotch.

"Hotchner."

"Someone just came and took, (y/n)."

"Was it the UNSUB?"

"I'm not sure. There were two of them."

"All right. We will all be at the Police Station in a few and will make a new plan."

* * *

Rossi made it before anyone else, which gave him time to pace around, wondering if you were all right. He wondered how they were going to get you back and what was going to happen. He looked at his string out through the nearest window and into the street until it disappeared into a wall. He knew what it meant when the UNSUB left a piece of string, and the thought of it happening to you made him dizzy.

"Oh Rossi," Prentiss said on entrance to the room he was in, "what happened? Are you hurt?"

"Naturally I got knocked out." He tried to be lighthearted, but it was seeming to be easier said than done at the moment.

     "That doesn't make sense," Morgan said. "Why would the UNSUB suddenly shift from his signature? Could we be looking at a different person?"

    "No," Rossi took a deep breath, "he didn't break his pattern."

     "But that would have to mean—" Prentiss started, but Rossi cut her off:

     "Yeah, she's my soulmate." He turned to look out the window, gazing upon the string that tied the two of you. "That means I know how to find her."

* * *

     Hotch drove while Rossi led the way. He knew that you were all right, as your string was still visible. He also knew that the UNSUB wouldn't harm you until he was there. The team knew that they were in a difficult position, knowing that as soon as Rossi entered the building that the UNSUB could do the same to you as he had done to the previous victims. They had to try though.

     The string led them to an old abandoned building. There was just a flicker of light coming from somewhere in the building.

     "Be careful," Hotch said. "There's a chance that those other two men could be in there, maybe more."

     Everyone nodded. They split into groups and went to different sides of the building in the hopes that they could all get to where you were and surround the UNSUB.

Rossi made his way in first, alone. It took him a few minutes to find where they were holding you. Just as they all suspected, the UNSUB was waiting for him, and you were at his side, tied up on the chair.

"David," You said softly. Rossi had to stop himself from trying to run over or shooting the UNSUB immediately. He had to wait.

"Hello, David." The UNSUB smiled.

"It's Agent."

He chuckled. "Attitude. Makes sense, this one here," he pointed at you, "has one too."

"And why does that matter?" Rossi asked.

"Don't play dumb with me, David. I know she's your soulmate."

"I don't know what you're talking about. You must have made a mistake."

The UNSUB suddenly gripped your hair, making you cry out. "I never made mistakes, not like this as least."

Rossi took a moment to respond. "How do you know?"

"Because I can see everyone's strings." Rossi gave him a blank look, so the UNSUB continued: "I've always been able to see everyone else's, but I've never had my own."

"Is that what this is all about?—you're killing people out of jealousy!" Rossi asked.

"Of course I'm not! I'm killing people because they never believed me." The UNSUB took a gun out. Rossi held his out in front of him, ready to shoot. The UNSUB gestured the weapon around as he talked and said: "I was bullied for it. Everyone said I was lying or stupid."

"But you could," Rossi said, trying to talk the UNSUB down. "You proved your point, isn't that enough?"

"You know, I was actually thinking about that..." He twirled his gun around. "I thought it would be, but this is so much fun." He smiled and walked around your chair. Rossi's heart jumped.

"She's a beauty." The UNSUB grabbed a piece of your hair.

"Don't touch me!" You hissed, jerking away.

The UNSUB laughed. "She's really something. If I couldn't see your guys string I wouldn't believe that you two were supposed to be together—she's so young and you," he stopped walking around your chair and stood in front of Rossi, "aren't."

"You don't have to do this."

"Actually, I do."

It was at that moment that the team began to fire. They had found and ambushed the men that had been waiting on the floor above, watching to see if anything went wrong.

"No!" The UNSUB shouted angrily. He quickly spun around, taking aim at your body.

"David!" You cried out just before Rossi took him down with a bullet.

His bullet wasn't the only one that fired though, the UNSUB managed to shoot too. He watched a look of pain wash over your face and could see a small patch of blood growing on your light-colored shirt over your upper arm.

Rossi holstered his gun and rushed over. "He got you didn't he."

"I'm-I'm fine, it's just a graze."

He knew you were lying. You would be totally fine, but there would be a wicked scar, as it was a pretty deep wound.

He applied pressure and you winced. "Ow..." You hissed. "We weren't exposed to anything like this in training."

He laughed. "Sorry."

He helped you up and the two of you made your way over to the ambulances that were called on scene. There was no need to rush you to the hospital, but your wound definitely needed stitches.

     It didn't take long for the paramedic to stitch you up but it felt like an eternity, because except for the occasional 'is that okay' or 'am I hurting you' from the medic, it was silent.

     As soon as the medic left though, Rossi sat down next to you on the bed inside the ambulance and began to speak. "That was my fault. I'm sorry."

     "What are you talking about?"

     "I should have been able to talk him down or shoot him down before..." He stopped when he saw your wound.

     "I'm okay I promise." You smiled. "But if you want to make it up to me you can take me out to dinner or something."

     Rossi smiled back, relived. "I think I can make arrangements for that."

     And the rest was history.

* * *

A/n:
That was a long one. I'm thinking of doing Prentiss next. How does that sound? :)

As always feel free to leave a request it would be much appreciated!

See ya next time, my dudes!

~Becca