A/N: Hello again! In this chapter, we meet Dr. Spencer Reid and his longtime friend and fellow professor, Emily Prentiss. There are mild references to sexy times, both m/f and m/m, just FYI.

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Chalk in hand, Dr. Spencer Reid stood at the blackboard in his Caltech classroom. He had just finished writing out a long and complicated formula, and was now looking expectantly at his students. There was dead silence.

"Oh, come on. No one? Not one of you, uh, future nuclear physicists and artificial intelligence designers can tell me what's wrong with this formula? Wow. And, here I was, counting on one of you to create the perfect animatronic girlfriend for me. What am I going to do now?"

Several of the girls giggled and a couple of the guys groaned.

Spencer sighed hopelessly. "All right. Make sure you've written it down correctly and get out of here. Tomorrow, I expect you all to be able to tell me exactly where the error lies and why. I don't care if you cheat, just don't, you know, come in here sounding like a tenth-grade remedial math class. It really deflates my ego."

Some members of the group were still frantically writing while the others stood up and gathered their things. Dr. Emily Prentiss was standing in the doorway, arms crossed and a bemused smile on her face. As the students began to leave, she walked over to Spencer, shaking her head.

"You're a cruel man, Dr. Reid. That must be why I like you."

"You like me because I'm still a sucker for those pretty brown eyes of yours and can always be counted on to buy you a cup of expensive coffee. Speaking of which, want to go get some?"

"Sure. I'm done for the day. Let's get out of here."

Spencer gave her a big smile as he slung his messenger bag over his shoulder. "Good plan. So, what did you think of my lecture, Miss Former-TA-who-sleeps-with-her-students?"

"Shhh! As I've mentioned many times before, you were the only one I ever slept with, and as for your lecture, I didn't understand a word that you said, and I don't think half your class did either. Oh, and that bit about the robot girlfriend? Cute."

"What?" He shrugged innocently.

"Come on, Spencer, when are you going to come out of the closet? I was the last girl you bedded, and that was, let's see-over three years ago?"

"Yes, and thanks for reminding me." Spencer sorrowfully raised his eyes to heaven as they strolled down the bustling Caltech hallway. "I don't know, Em, I think you ruined me for other women."

"Yeah, apparently I sent you right into the arms of the other... gender."

"Oh, whatever. You'll always be my best girl."

"I think I was your only girl..."

"You were my first girl, and I still entertain the possibility that there might be a second one. Someday."

"Maybe, if you got drunk enough. Get real, Spence. You like boys."

"Yes, well, I'm afraid my track record with either sex is pretty abysmal."

"I don't know, for a while, you seemed pretty happy with what's-his-name."

"Ethan? Oh, God, that was a long time ago."

"Yeah, what's the deal? It's not like you don't have plenty of attractive men making eyes at you all the time."

"I'm too picky, I guess." They came to an exit and headed toward the neighborhood coffee shop. "And, anyway, Ethan kind of broke my heart. I'm not ready for another soap opera just yet."

Emily glanced at her friend's face and saw vestiges of the old hurt in his eyes. "I thought you dumped him?"

"I did. I came home one day and found that he'd brought some work home with him, in the form of one of the football players he was supposed to be tutoring."

Emily stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. "You never told me that!"

Spencer stopped as well, and shrugged. "You were out of the country, remember?" He turned, and they began walking again. "By the time you got back, I'd sort of repressed the whole thing. I was so... humiliated. Devastated. I just wanted to forget it ever happened." They reached the shop and he held the door open for her. She headed inside, a thoughtful frown on her face.

"And, that was what, two years ago?"

Spencer nodded as he pulled out a chair for her. "Yes, but, it isn't as if I've been completely idle since then. Don't forget, I cleverly followed up the Ethan fiasco with Toby-"

"Ah, yes, Toby-the-messed-up-drug-addict, I remember him well. He's in jail, now, right?"

"Uh-huh. It's a pity they didn't catch him before he sold my signed copy of Einstein's 'Relativity' for thirty dollars..."

"What? That bastard."

"I know! Then, there was that interesting period where I was trying to snag the head of the physics department, but just kept ending up at drunken faculty parties with some senior professor trying to get my pants down in a back bedroom..."

"I remember. Lots of frantic two o'clock phone calls-'Em, come get me!' Boy, do I miss those days."

Spencer grinned at her sarcasm. "Well, I've been reflecting on my unerring knack for finding the perfect mate, and I've officially decided to give up on the idea. In fact, I'm thinking of joining a monastery. One where you don't have to talk. That seems to be where I get into the most trouble. You want your usual?"

"Yes, thanks." When Spencer came back with their order, Emily returned to the conversation. "Well, you don't have to go for another serious relationship just yet. You've learned some stuff, you're a little more mature-what's wrong with playing the field until the right guy comes along? As I recall, you were pretty fond of good old-fashioned sex." Emily's eyes twinkled as she pursed her lips and blew a cooling breath into the hot coffee.

Spencer blinked. "Wow. Way to make me uncomfortable, Prentiss."

"I'm just recalling those hot nights in your dorm room-"

"Hey, now-"

"You, all sweaty and naked-"

"Don't go there-"

"Me, moaning and pleading-Yes, Spencer! Yes! Just like that! Oh, baby-"

"You do realize that I was a randy eighteen-year old virgin at the time. I've calmed down a little since then."

"Oh, what, and now you're a 22-year-old celibate monk-to-be? You've got to be kidding."

"Don't pick on me, I don't see you rushing home to some hottie from the Foreign Languages Department."

"In the first place, have you seen the guys in the Foreign Languages Department? Trust me, hotties are a rare commodity. And, second, I'm a tad bit older than you are. In fact, I think I've reached my expiration date. I have to beg construction workers to make catcalls at me, now..."

"Nonsense, you're as gorgeous as ever. More so, actually."

"Oh, you better put up or shut up, Dr. Reid. It's been weeks-"

"It's been over a year for me, so I'd suggest we change the subject or I might have to ravish you in a stall in the Starbucks bathroom."

"Do you hear me saying no?"

They grinned at each other, then sipped their coffee.

"No, really, Em, I'm just-on hold, for some reason. The casual sex thing's not for me. I keep thinking I'll meet the right guy, settle down, and you know, be one of those happily-ever-after types, but... I'm dreaming, right?"

"I think, if you want to find Prince Charming, you have to actually make an effort to go out and meet him. When's the last time you had a vacation? Or, a day off, for that matter?"

"I like to work. Speaking of which, I have some news."

"Ah, I was wondering what all the mystery was about when you called last night. Go ahead-spill it."

"I'm going to be a tech advisor on another movie."

"That's news? You do that all the time."

"Yeah, but this is a big-budget deal. Uh, what's his name-oh, Damon Steinberg." Spencer stirred another packet of sugar into his coffee, then looked up to see Emily staring at him, momentarily dumb-struck.

"Damon Steinberg? Oh, my God-that's huge! He's, like, the biggest name in Hollywood, how'd you get a gig like that?"

"I was recommended because of my work on the M-2 project last year. Steinberg wants everything as authentic as possible. He doesn't want a bunch of fan-boys ripping the science on some sci-fi blog or other."

"Wow. That's incredible. You know, you finally might be able to afford a new car."

"I know, funny, isn't it? Being a geek might actually pay off."

"You're a cute little geek."

"You want another cup of coffee, don't you?"

Emily held up her cup and smiled winningly. "Please?"

Spencer rose and went to the counter for a refill.