A/N: SORRY 4 the Long Update! School really takes a lot out of you, especially college. Anyway Enjoy!

…for Falling in Love or Parenthood?

"A man doesn't have to have all the answers; children will teach him how to parent them, and in the process will teach him everything he needs to know about life."

-Frank Pittman

Three Days Later…

Jordan Todd saw this coming from the day that pregnancy test came out positive. She and Spencer Reid had an on-and-off relationship way before she worked as temporary media liaison for the BAU. It was off this time but she'd came over to his apartment after a tough case two months ago. You can pretty much figure out what happens next. Now, the father of her child was ranting on in her apartment.

Well, I pretty much deserve it. Jordan thought.

"JORDAN!"

Jordan's eyes snapped up to look at Reid staring at her. It amazed her how scary the genius doctor is when he's pissed off. Even in crutches.

"I asked you a question!"

"What do you want me to say, Spencer?" Jordan said. "I was going to tell you, I just needed the right moment."

"And when would that be, huh? Seven months from now?"

"I said I was sorry, all right?" Jordan snapped. "You don't have to throw it in my face."

"I have every right to!" Reid argued. "You're the one who ended our relationship!"

"We were going to work in the same Unit! If Strauss found out that you and I were fraternizing…"

"We've been 'fraternizing' since the Academy!"

Jordan stood up from her seat. "I'm not having this discussion with you."

Spencer looked at his ex-girlfriend incredulously. " We need to have this discussion. This is my child too, Jordan."

"I'm not denying that, Reid. I'm just not having this conversation with you when you're this angry."

Jordan went to the front door and opened it, signaling Reid to go. Almost immediately, Reid's anger dissipated replaced with guilt.

"Jordan, I'm sorry." He said. "I didn't mean to lose my temper like that. Can we please talk about this?"

"I just want to be alone right now," Jordan replied. "Please go."

Reid looked at Jordan for a long time before grabbing his crutches and walking towards the door. He stopped to looked at Jordan, who refused to look at him.

"I've haven't stopped loving you," He said. "And I'm never going to."

Reid hopped out of the apartment and Jordan closed the door. The tears that were fighting to fall, flowed freely from her eyes. And Jordan sobbed openly in an empty room.

McLean, Virginia-Later that night…..

"So, how's your friend?"

He'll live. But his son has to move somewhere out of state, so he's pretty bummed about that.

Cassie Germand just finished her shift early at the hospital and Nadia was at Marisol's house so she decided to have a relaxing evening to herself with some wine and a chick flick. Then, she got a call from David, a man she met at a Health Awareness Convention in D.C. last year. They've been in contact ever since.

"Well, things always work out for good people." Cassie said. "What are you doing tonight?"

Working on my latest novel.

"How's that working for you?"

Not good. Keep having writer's block.

Cassie laughed. "Maybe you shouldn't quit your day job."

Very funny. So, are you alone?

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

I was just thinking I could come over and make you some dinner. Or you can come over to my cabin. Either way, we won't be alone tonight.

"David…"

Now before you refuse, I just want you to know that I'm not asking you to marry me here. It's just dinner. Like all the other times.

"I know."

So what is it? What's stopping you?

Cassie sighed. "You're the famous profiler, David Rossi. You tell me."

Well, I know you're not afraid of commitment. David explained. But you are afraid of getting hurt the way you're ex-husband hurt you.

"Well, you're pretty much right." Cassie said.

You know I won't do that, Cassandra.

"How many ex-wives have you had?"

David laughed. Touché. But that was a different time and I was a lot younger then. And I thought about settling down...having a relationship that actually lasts.

"I'm a 31-year-old ER nurse," Cassie said. "Who happens to be divorced and has a 9-year-old daughter. In case you haven't figured it out, I got some baggage."

Well, who doesn't? You just pointed out that I was married 3 times. And contrary to public opinion, I love kids. I got one at home.

"Your dog doesn't count."

Experts say that pets are often substitutes for children. David pointed out.

"Now, you sound like Spencer."

I forgot you and Reid went to college together. There was a brief pause before David continued. All joking aside, Cassie. I love spending time with you. And I would love to take our relationship further.

Suddenly, Cassie grew afraid. "How further are we talking?"

Let's put it this way: It's time to leave the friend zone.

Cassie was about to respond when she heard a frantic knock on her door.

"Um…someone's at the door." She told David. "I got to go."

Okay, I'll let you go. David said. But remember, cara mia, you only get one chance at true love and happiness. And I already wasted three of them.

"I'll think about it."Cassie decided.

That wasn't a yes.

"That wasn't a no either."

The knocks on the door became louder and more insistent. Sighing, Cassie got up and walked up to the door. When she looked through the peephole, she was mildly surprised when she saw it was Reid on the other side.

"Uh….Dave, can I call you back? Someone's at the door."

Is everything all right?

"Everything's fine. I just need to take care of this."

Okay. But don't think this conversation is over.

"Of course, old man. Good night."

Cassie hung up her phone and opened the door let her visitor in. He had a look of agony and irritation in his face.

"What took you so long? Do you know how long I had to wait?"

Cassie gave Reid a look. "Yeah, 10 minutes."

"Well, it felt like hours." Reid pouted.

"Just get your crippled ass in here."

She stepped aside to let Reid in. The doctor made his way to the living room, carefully sitting down on the couch. He placed the his crutches on his side. After a few moments of silence, Reid explained his reason for stopping by.

"I'm gonna be a dad."

"Are you serious?" Cassie gasped. "Who'd you knock up?"

"I didn't beat up anybody."

"Right, I forgot who I was talking to."

Reid glowered at her, which made Cassie laugh.

"Okay, okay." She said. "I'll be serious. Who is the mother?"

"Jordan Todd, my FBI partner."

"She was also in the hospital with you, right?"

Reid nodded and Cassie gave him a teasing smile.

"Dr. Spencer Reid!" She squealed. "I didn't know you had jungle fever!"

Reid looked confused. "Jungle fever? I'm not sick."

"It's a song, Spencer." Cassie explained. "It's about interracial relationships."

"So basically having 'jungle fever' means I like girls of another race."

"Well, the song was made in 1991," Cassie shrugged. "So, how long have you guys been together?"

"It's an on-and-off relationship that spans 7 years, 5 months, 89 weeks and 145 days. We knew what we were getting into when we started: the hours, late night calls, canceled dates, arguments; but we didn't care. We were in love." Reid laughed mirthlessly. "But everyone has a limit. Jordan always reached mine."

"So why'd you always come back?"

"Because I still love her. No matter how many arguments we had, complications we faced and controversies we'd endured, I'm crazy about her."

Cassie fell silent for a brief moment. She was in awe of the young man sitting across from her. It was a very stark contrast from that awkward little boy she knew from college. She came over to Reid and put her arms around his neck, squeezing him.

"Aww, my little Einstein is in love!" She squealed. "And you're going to be a dad. You're all grown up!"

"Cassie," Reid wheezed. "Can't…breathe."

"Oh, sorry." Cassie released her grip. "But I don't understand why you're at my house and not Jordan's."

"I was at her house this afternoon. But it turned into a huge fight and every bad feeling I had seven years ago came back rushing to the surface."

"Oh God, Spencer. Don't tell me you got pissed off at her."

"I was so angry at Jordan for not telling me, I forgot about everything else. I really screwed up."

"Yeah, pretty much." Cassie agreed.

"Hey!" Reid whined. "You're supposed to be my friend."

"You're right. That makes me entitled to tell you the truth: Stop whining and get over it! Jordan is having your baby, plain and simple."

"But I'm not ready to be a father! I'm 27 years old!"

"I was 21 when I had Nadia." Cassie argued. "Did you think I was ready to have a kid? I didn't even start nursing school yet. I wasn't ready to have a child, either. To be honest, I was scared."

"What did you do?" Reid asked.

"What do you think?" Cassie replied. "I stepped up and took responsibility. Of course, I wanted to take the easy way out but I wanted to raise my baby. To this day, I never regretted my decision."

Reid looked at Cassie. She was always the strong one between both of them. She provided for her family in Nebraska, paid for her own college tuition and raised a daughter mostly on her own. Reid admired and respected her. Cassie was the big sister he never had. Reid sighed as he rested his head on Cassie's shoulder. Cassie put her arms around Reid and rested her chin on top of his head.

"I'm not ready for this, Cass." Reid whispered.

"No one really is, Spence." Cassie replied. "Being a parent is like being on a never-ending roller-coaster. The important thing is that you have to be strong enough to stay on that ride."

"That's a nice analogy."

"Thanks."

"What do I do now?"

Cassie lifted her head up to look at Reid. "You know, for a genius, you're pretty clueless."

Reid rolled his eyes. "I meant about Jordan!" Do I call her? Go back to her house or what? I need to set things right with her if we're ever going to…"

Cassie shushed him by placing her index finger on his lips.

"Do what you think is right," She said. "And it will all fall back in place. You can stay the night if you'd like. It's getting late and I'm going to bed."

Cassie kissed Reid on the forehead and started to go upstairs to her room when she heard him call her name.

"Who were you talking to on the phone?"

"A friend." Cassie simply answered.

"A friend friend or a lover friend?"

"He's just a friend. That's all."

"But he wants to be something more?" Reid suggested.

"How did…" Cassie looked surprised.

"Profiler, remember. It's all over your body language."

Cassie sighed. "I met him last year at a convention in western D.C.," She explained. "He offered me a ride to my hotel and there happened to be a restaurant down on the way so we had some dinner. Needless to say, we've been having dinner ever since."

"Whoa," Reid whistled. "And I thought my life is complicated. So he's your boyfriend?"

"No. He's a good friend… who happens to do things for me."

"Okay, I'm not an expert on relationships. But I'm pretty sure that constitutes as a relationship."

"Don't make me break the other knee, Spencer." Cassie threatened. "He's just very sweet; it's in his nature. And now while we were talking he asks if I could come over to his house or he could come over to mine and cook."

"So what's wrong with that?" Reid asked.

"I wanted it. I never felt this way about anyone since Brad and that scares me."

"If you ask me, you deserve better. I knew that Brad was a jerk from the moment I laid eyes on him."

"You're going to say 'I told you so'?"

"Nah," Reid smiled. "All I'm going to say is that you deserve better, Cassie. Actually, you deserve the best. All your life you've taken care of people: your dad, your brothers and sister, your daughter, even me. You're a nurse for God's Sakes."

"What's your point, Dr. Reid?" Cassie urged.

"My point, Nurse Germand," Reid concluded. "Is that it's time someone took care of you for a change."

Cassie took a moment to let that sink in. For once, Spencer makes some sense, She thought to herself. Cassie thought back on the times she and David spent together. Not once did he tell her to pay the restaurant bill or let work interrupt their time. He was very attentive to her. Reid was right, Cassie did need someone to take care of her. She just didn't realize it.

"The formula for achieving a successful relationship is simple: you should treat all disasters as if they were trivialities but never treat a triviality as if it were a disaster."

-Quentin Crisp

DON'T 4GET 2 REID N' REVIEW! I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT! :D