Chapt 6: Seeing is Believing

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Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid was positively buoyant when he arrived in the bullpen the following morning. A state that Morgan could not let escape without comment. "What happened to you, Spencer? You are way to chipper today. Hey Elle, check it out."

Reid merely smiled knowingly at his friend as he set his satchel by his desk and asked, "Boss in his office?"

Looking more than a little lost at Spencer's reaction, or lack thereof, Morgan replied, "uh, yeah, I think so."

Nodding Reid headed for Gideon's office.

Pointing a finger at Reid's retreating form, "What just happened?"

"I think he blew you off," Elle patted his shoulder sympathetically, but didn't attempt to hide her humored smile, "and you said 'chipper'." As she returned to her desk, and more importantly her coffee, she could hear Morgan mumbling in response- probably wondering how long it would take him to live it down.

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He could see Gideon was in his office, but as always he knocked anyway.

"Come in," Gideon responded before even looking up from his papers. Upon seeing Reid and taking in the obvious excitement he was barely containing, and his quirky smile that could've lit the room, "I take it you found out her name."

"Ashlyn," as he sat down he added, "it means dream."

Gideon clasped his hands in front of him, half hiding his own broad smile- his protege was growing up, again. Less than a year ago he hadn't even had a proper date; now he was sitting in his office talking about a girl and looking like the cat who swallowed the canary. "Appropriate." Gideon patiently waited for Reid to offer further information.

"She's a student at Catholic, working on her MLS." Sheepish self-consciousness was beginning to overtake Reid as the lower part of his face began to turn a soft pink. "We're having dinner tonight."

Reid was graced with one of Gideon's pleasant lopsided grins as he slowly nodded approvingly. "Let's hope nothing big comes up then."

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Thankfully for Spencer and the world at large 'nothing big' did (or rather didn't) come up. The biggest challenge he faced was Morgan and his persistent inquires about Reid's mood; it was a challenge he was more than up to. It gave he a bizarre pleasure to be able to keep Morgan at bay.

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Reid was lost in paperwork when Gideon approached him, "It's after 5; go home."

He tore himself from his papers when the older man spoke. "I was going to…"

Gideon raised a hand cutting him off and dismissing the comment. "It'll still be here Monday. Now get out of here and enjoy yourself."

As he strode off, Gideon began whistling and Spencer couldn't suppress his laughter or the flush consuming his face as the tune hit home- "Dulcinea" from Man of LaMancha.