Natalie heard a knock on the door, she knew exactly who it was which made her smile.
She opened the door to see a handsome Reid standing in a blue button-up shirt with black pants. She looked him up and down, she pursed her lips together and a smile crept through.
"You look..handsome." She told him, a little shy, something she hadn't expressed before.
Reid looked down for a moment and a smile emerged across his face, "Thank you." He looked Natalie up and down. Natalie was wearing a fitting black dress with heels. Her hair down curled just past her shoulders. She had in silver stud earrings and a long necklace that overlapped a few times. Natalie characteristically didn't wear makeup to work, she had put mascara and eyeliner on along with red lipstick. He paused, he didn't want her to think anything of that. He started to feel a little panicky which made Natalie giggle.
"It's okay, Spence. We're going on a date." She put her hand to her mouth to try and quiet her giggles.
Reid took a deep breath, "You. Wow. You. You look wow." He stuttered over his own words, "I have more of a vocabulary than that."
She gave him an empathetic look, "Thank you." She said sincerely.
"I didn't really -"
She interrupted him, "Spence, that's a compliment."
He sighed a breath of relief, "Ready?"
She nodded, "Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise!" He said, excitedly. Natalie had no idea what he had planned but she hoped he thought of food as she didn't eat because she assumed food would be involved. She didn't consider that a date with Reid may be different than a traditional date. She liked that thought, that a date with Spence would be different. It fit him perfectly.
"Thank you for being such a gentleman, Spence but you didn't have to drive here," Natalie told him. Reid had taken her to a little hole in the wall in Quantico. Natalie had no idea it was even here. The inside was decorated in warm string lights. The menu was written in chalk, the art on the walls was different. The building foundation; a solid red brick.
"I know. I wanted to." Reid told her, truthfully.
Natalie smiled, she noticed her face starting to hurt from how much she had smiled lately, a good problem to have.
The waiter came and they ordered their food.
"How did you find this place?" Natalie asked.
"Garcia," Reid replied. "Do you like it?" Reid had to mention the date to Garcia because he needed her help, he hoped Natalie didn't mind. She didn't seem to.
"I love it. I love the atmosphere, we will see about the food soon." Natalie teased.
As the couple left the restaurant with stomachs full, Natalie was laughing so hard, she tried not to snort. Reid had been telling ridiculous stories of real people he'd met during cases before Natalie joined the B.A.U. Some people may find it uninteresting or something but she genuinely loved it.
Natalie and Reid's arms were interlocked as they walked, Reid turned his face to her,
"I do have one more thing to do. It's not something I've done or am any good at but I think it's something you will really enjoy and I want you to have the best time. I think if I do this activity with you, it might be fun. You make things fun."
He opened the car door for her,
"Thank you. Where are we going?" She beamed as she got in the car.
"You'll see," Reid told her.
"A surprise, again?"
"Do you not like that?" Reid asked, nervously.
"No. I love it! I'm surprised you are doing surprises." Natalie answered.
About 10 minutes later, they arrived at an old bowling alley in town. Natalie busted out laughing, she couldn't help it.
Reid frowned.
Natalie placed her hands on his arm, shaking her head.
"I love this. I really do. I am just so shocked you chose here."
Then it hit her. "Morgan chose here."
Reid gasped, "I'm sorry. I asked for his help. He didn't say anything to anyone else. You know, Garcia too."
She laughed again, "I knew Morgan knew. He talked to me about it before I left the B.A.U. tonight and I don't mind that they know. I don't mind that anyone knows. Let's go bowling!"
Natalie exclaimed, she was giddy as she practically ran out of the car.
"We're a little overdressed," Reid said, catching up to Natalie.
"So?" She put her hands up shrugging.
"You look so handsome, Spence."
They walked in, Natalie received her *gross* shoes, and each of the two chose a bowling ball. Reid wiped his down. Natalie noticed Reid had brought his own shoes. She shook her head at that, understanding his germaphobe tendencies would always be there but she appreciated his effort to come to something so horrifying to a germaphobe.
"Are you sure about this?" She had to yell over the music.
Reid laughed, "Considering how giddy you were outside, we have to do this."
She gently smacked his arm, a smile beaming from her face. Reid loved her smile, it was infectious as he couldn't contain his own. There was something so enjoyable about Natalie's joyful nature, it was different from Garcia's and it was a direct contrast to her upbringing. He admired Natalie, he bit his lip looking at her, she was absolutely stunning. He decided he should tell her,
"You are stunning." He tried to not yell but another couple overheard and gave him a soft smile which made him blush.
Natalie turned around as she had been putting their names into the monitor to keep score, "Dr. Reid, you are dashing." She replied. "Thank you for doing this. This is very sweet. I know it's not easy and I mean it, we don't have to but gosh, I just adore you, Spence."
"You're welcome. I'm doing this because I adore you." He returned the compliment.
They both bowled to their heart's content or Natalie's content really, Natalie continued cracking Reid up. He loosened up so much around her. She just knew how to help anyone have fun, even him. Natalie was extremely grateful for Reid's thoughtful nature to do this she wanted him to have the best time as he was giving her the absolute best time.
"This is the best first date I've ever been on." She told him right before her last bowl.
"Really?" He asked, surprised.
She giggled, "Yes."
"I'm surprised. You are absolutely gorgeous. I'd expect you'd-"
She put her hands to her lip to tell Reid to, "Ssshh. No other man is as thoughtful as you are, this is the best first date and the most fun I've had on a date. Thank you." She said, again.
"You're welcome." He replied, confidently, "Gutter ball, I predict."
Natalie glared as she turned to take her stance and bowl her first turn.
Strike!
"Oh, in your face, Dr!" She pretended to drop a mic which made Reid and a few others laughed.
They finished bowling and headed back.
Reid walked Natalie up to her apartment door, "So." He began.
"So." She returned his words.
"I had a great time tonight. This is only the second date I've ever been on. Well, first, I think?" Reid stumbled over his words.
Natalie raised her eyebrows, "You're going to talk about another date on our date?" She teased, she knew the first date he was talking about was with J.J. J.J. and Reid had both mentioned it to her before, so did Garcia since J.J. had roped her into going.
Reid's eyes bulged and he made that irked face that emoticons had perfected. "I'm sorry."
"I'm kidding!" Natalie interrupted. "You're cute, Spence."
His face turned a few shades of red as he looked down, smiling.
"I had a great time, Spence. You were an excellent date and so thoughtful." Natalie told him, again which made his face turn a shade darker.
"Thank you." He said.
"Thank you." She replied.
"You're welcome." He pursed his lips together as his face returned to normal.
He was so nervous he didn't know if Natalie wanted to take it slow or if he should kiss her, he decided to kiss her on the cheek but Natalie didn't read that right and he kissed her lips.
He decided to let it go and he pressed into her lips harder, not wanting to break apart but Natalie needed air and broke them apart. She pressed her forehead to his, they stood there in each other's eyes for a moment.
Natalie started to giggle, something she couldn't help, she was giddy.
She pressed her lips together and a smile emerged as did one from Reid.
"I'd like to go another date with you, Nat," Reid told her as he broke apart.
"Me too. You're pretty great."
"Thank you. You are too. I'll see you tomorrow." He kissed her forehead this time and walked back down the steps to his car.
The pair were both ecstatic thinking about the lovely evening they'd had together and could not wait for another date.
A/N: I'm partial to a Cat Adam's twin love interest for Reid but let me know your thoughts and I do intend on keeping it more PG-13 than other stories I've read. Go easy on me though, please. I'm really new to fan fiction but I've enjoyed this story so much!