Title: Arising From the Dark
Author: trista groulx aka dustytiger
Rating: T (like the show to be safe)
Disclaimer: I am still a poor barista (working more often) and unmotivated sales consultant please don't sue as Criminal minds belongs to its network, creator, writers, actors, actresses and countless other people who bring it to life weekly; I just like to let the characters I like play.
Summary: What happened after Prentiss went for her walk at the end of Demonology? I think she ended up on Reid's doorstep.
Notes: I watched this episode a few weeks ago and this wee little plot bunny formed. I was considering making this a prologue for a longer fic but the rest of the bits I've written don't have the same feel, and my heart wasn't in it, so this is what I'm going with. It's a stand alone, enjoy!

Emily Prentiss walked around for what felt like hours. She had always liked the snow, and found always found that walking helped her to clear her head. She had a lot on he mind, even before her old friend had come to tell her the bad news. It brought back a time in her life she wanted to forget, but knew she never could. Telling Rossi that she had had an abortion when she was fifteen made everything all too real, and she knew there was someone else she needed to tell about her past. She had been trying to avoid his street for the past twenty minutes but always found herself standing at one end of the other, trying to find the courage to go up to his building. Finally after the fourth time showing up on his street the cold got too much to bare and she buzzed up to his unit. He let her up right away and reality hit her when she saw him standing in front of her.

"You must be freezing," he gasped. "Why did you walk here?"

He quickly ushered her inside. His hands touched her cold cheek, but not in the way she needed him to touch her at that moment. He was looking closely at her face, and hands. She knew what he was doing but wished he would more often act like a boyfriend. She needed him to hug her, to reassure her after everything she'd been through, but he was too distracted by making sure she was all right to do that.

"I needed to walk, I needed to clear my head. I'll be fine, I don't have frostbite, stop looking for signs of it" she assured him.

"Uh- sorry Emily. Do you want some coffee?"

"I'm more in the mood for hot chocolate, if you have any."

"Of course, I can warm the milk with my espresso maker if you'd like."

"That sounds amazing, thank you Spencer."

"There's a throe blanket on the back of the couch, and you can sit in the recliner by the fire it's very warm and there are some books on the shelf, please make yourself comfortable."

"I've always been a bigger fan of using shared body heat to keep warm."

He swallowed a gasp. "Oh well I suppose that's a good idea as well, do you want your hot chocolate first?"

"Yes, I would and then you need to turn off the genius and be my boyfriend."

"All right, I'm sorry I'm still learning how to do this, with you."

"I know Spencer and I'm just stressed out."

"Understandable. I'll be right back."

Prentiss sat down on the couch and curled up under the blanket, taking in the scent of him as she wrapped the wool garment around herself. Reid came out of the kitchen a few minutes later with a mug in each hand. He handed her one, she grinned when she noticed he'd even added mini marshmallows to her drink. He sat down next to her, and pulled a corner of the blanket away to curl up next to her. He then wrapped the blanket around them both as they both sipped their drinks.

"Emily, I am sorry about what happened to your friend," he told her, pushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear lovingly.

"Thank you Spencer. It was just such a shock. It's not like I've talked to Matthew lately but no one expects to hear news like that about a friend," she explained.

He kissed her forehead softly. "It's always a shock when someone who is close to your age passes away, especially under such tragic circumstances."

"Seeing John again brought back so many memories. I made so many mistakes back then. I wonder sometimes if I really was a bad influence on he and Matthew when we were in Rome."

"You didn't force them to make whatever choices they made. Teenagers test their boundaries, it's perfectly normal. Maybe you gave them a reason to rebel, but you didn't cause them to change the course of their lives. Besides, you turned out well despite your past and they could have too."

She took a sip of her drink. "You're right. I think it's the timing of all of this that's really freaking me out right now. I don't know if I believe PG when she says that things happen for a reason and that universe always has a plan, but if it does then I don't like what I think it's trying to tell me."

He laughed nervously. "Maybe you have, what aren't you telling me, Emily?"

She felt tears stinging her eyes. "When I was fifteen I made some bad choices when it came to John. I just wanted someone to say they loved me, and to pay attention to me. Had I known what it would lead to I would have done so many things differently. One thing led to another and I ended up pregnant."

"What did you do?"

"Please don't hate me for not telling you sooner. Matthew took me to have an abortion. He was amazing to me, he was by my side through everything. It's not something I forget about but I don't often think about it, but with everything that just happened it was hard not to think of that time in my life. Penelope talks so much about the universe giving signs, and just the timing of losing Matthew brings up so many regrets about aborting my first pregnancy. I didn't have a lot of choices, but now I just wonder if maybe someone is trying to tell me I shouldn't have children." There were tears falling down her cheeks.

"Emily, you were young you weren't ready then. I could never hate you, I love you too more than I thought I could love anyone I understand, really, that's your past and I want your future."

Prentiss felt like she had been kicked in the stomach when he told her that. When they first started their weekly movie night she never thought things would turn out like they did. After everything they had seen, and been through together it seemed natural that they do things outside of work. Reid had told her that when he kept himself busy he didn't worry about a relapse no matter how hard a case was, and Prentiss' geeky side loved watching old horror and sci fi movies it seemed like a perfect fit. Neither one knew when their feelings started to change, but they started watching classic romantic movies. One night in the middle of their movie night their lips had found each other, and for the rest of the evening they made out like teenagers.

After that night Prentiss was sure that everything had changed between them, but when they returned to work it was like nothing had changed. Prentiss wondered if she had simply dreamed up the amazing night she shared with Reid, until their next movie night ended the same way. Weeks went by where they acted like nothing happened at work and then on their movie night they would be all over each other. As time went on their movie nights became more frequent, and without warning they stopped watching movies at all and would spend the evening in each other's arms. They had taken to talking and building a relationship but at work they acted like nothing had changed between them. Prentiss knew that after this evening nothing would be the same again and she was as prepared for that as she could be, but she could not keep her emotions in check.

"Spencer I'm so sorry," she whispered, tears pouring down her cheeks. "I know you said you didn't want kids because of your mother and the way you grew up. I'll understand if you don't want anything to with me, or – the baby. I'm so sorry, but I'm pregnant. I can't live with the guilt again, I can't abort another pregnancy at this point in my life. If you want me to leave I will. I won't even ask you for anything or tell anyone who's baby she is. I just needed you to know that I am pregnant, with your baby."

"Emily," he told her, for the third time and she finally stopped talking. "I would never doubt your unborn child was mine. I didn't say I didn't want children, I only said I wasn't sure it would be a something I would seek out."

"Spencer we can't undo this. I'll be fine on my own, really. Don't get me wrong I'll miss – this I'll miss you and what we've shared because it's been amazing. If you don't want to be a part of our lives I'll learn to live without you. I don't want to force this on your, or make you feel like you're trapped."

"Just because I'm nervous about children doesn't mean I would abandon my child, nor that child's mother. I would never do what my father did to me. I was shocked when JJ asked me to be Henry's Godfather, just as I am surprised by this news. We are going to have a child together I hear you. Despite everything I thought I might feel I know that I want to be a part of this. Getting to be a part Henry's life thus far has been both terrifying and one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I'm sure that getting to be a part of child's life every day, as a parent, would only be more rewarding. I do want this Emily I just never thought before that I would."

"Spencer, are you saying you want an active role in our baby's life?" she asked.

"Of course I am. I suppose I didn't really give any indication before that being a father was something I wanted but that's only because I had never thought about it before now. I will have to do more research on pregnancy, of course and I can't promise you that the baby kicking will not freak me out but I want to be there for you, and for our baby in any way you'll let me."

She ran her fingers along his cheek, tears still falling down her own cheeks. "Thank you Spencer. That's what I needed to hear. I want us to do this together. I love you."

"I love you too, and Emily, I do want to be a part of the rest of your life if you'll let me." He reached into his pocket and ring box appeared. "Do you- maybe… want to marry me?"

"Spencer I don't want to get married just because I am pregnant."

"There are hundreds of reasons why I want to marry you, I can begin to list them for you if you'd like. You telling me that you're pregnant and about your past simply gave me the courage to finally ask you. If this was a spur of the moment proposal I wouldn't have a ring for you." He opened the box.

Prentiss gasped when she saw the antique ring. "Spencer…"

"It was my grandmother's ring, it may need to be sized, but I do want you to have it. She gave it to me after my father left and told me to give it to the woman I knew I wanted the rest of my life with. I know having a child together will bond us forever, but I'd like something more than that. Any two people can have a child together but I want more than that with you. I want us to promise each other that will make this work, for ourselves and for our family, please Emily, think about it."

"I want that too Spencer, but I don't want to have a huge ceremony while I'm pregnant. I don't want this baby to look at our wedding pictures and wonder if we only got married because of her coming into our lives."

"We don't have to married any time soon Emily, I assure. I want us to be married the way that will make you happy. The ceremony is going to be however you want it to be, everything can be your way and I'll let you do that so long as you're smiling. I just needed to know that you want a future with me."

"I do want that Spencer, and the ceremony is just a formality. I want to marry you Spencer."

He grinned and went to put the ring on her finger. "It fits."

"This must be meant to be. Are you sure that this is what you want."

"I was hoping to do more research before I decided if I wanted to be a father, but I realise now that no amount of research would have readied me for you telling me you were pregnant. I will still want to do more research about pregnancy, and child care, of course but I always promised myself if I made a child with someone I would be there for her, and the baby."

"I needed to hear that Spencer," she whispered, kissing him softly. "This is going to change everything we are going to have tell a lot of people that we have been lying to them for almost a year."

"We haven't been lying to anyone. We work with profilers, they haven't noticed the changes in our behaviour to ask us any questions."

"I doubt they are going to see it that way Spencer."

"Our relationship was our business until we decided, together, that we wanted a future together. Now that we know we want to be married, and are having a child together it's time to share our news with our friends."

"I hope they will see that. Spencer you have to promise me that no matter what anyone tries to tell you our friends, or parents included that you will not force me into having a quick shot gun wedding."

"All right, I promise, but honestly Emily I think the details of our wedding ceremony are up to you I've never understood why a ceremony is such a big deal. The way I see it is that once I asked you and you agreed you became my wife. Our ceremony is something for our friends and family to celebrate with us because that is what is socially accepted. I don't care how long it takes us to get to that moment, you in a dress in front of all the people who care about us promising to love each other for the rest of our lives, because tonight was the night that mattered most to me. I am committed to you now as if we had signed a legal formality and stood in front of a church full of people; I now consider you my wife."

She hugged him tears starting to fall down her cheeks again. "Just when I thought I couldn't love you more you say something like that."

"Emily, why are you crying? Did I do something wrong?"

"Spencer you have so much to learn. I'm crying because I'm happy and an emotional wreck right now. Ten minutes ago I was sure that whatever we had was going to end, and now I know it's really just the beginning. I couldn't have dreamed that this would go so well, and I couldn't be happier, that's why I'm crying, and this isn't just the pregnancy hormones. I have never been happier or more excited for the future before."

He ran his hand along her cheek. "Oh, I'm sorry, I suppose I do have a lot to learn, but I'm glad you're the person who is going to teach me."

"Don't feel the need to apologise to me for being you are, that's one of the many things I love about you, Spencer. Can we wait until Monday to tell everyone?"

"I think that would be fine Emily."

"Good."

Her lips crashed against his in a deep kiss. He ran his hands through her long brown hair as they shared a sweet embrace, and one of the most loving they had shared. Her hands were around his waist pulling him as close to her as she could. She pulled away a moment later, and rested her head on his chest as he looked down.

"I love you so much, Spencer," she whispered.

"I love you, too, Emily," he assured her.

They stayed like that for a few long minutes before he found her lips again. This time the embrace was sweet and less frenzied. They stood in the living room for a few more minutes before moving to his bedroom. They both knew that everything was going to change soon, and they were both excited. Every touch and moment was charged with feelings they had never felt before and they knew together they could face anything that came their way.

The End

Notes: I have other ideas for this fic, but I also just really like this as a stand alone so that's what I'm going with. I hope you enjoyed it if you did, please let me know.