"All love that has not friendship for its base, is like a mansion built upon sand"

– Ella Wheeler

Garcia rolled her eyes,
"Just tell us already!"
Reid grew uncomfortable under the gaze of his friends. JJ observed the discussion from her desk.
"What makes you think I have a girlfriend?", he retorted.
Luke stepped up, and Reid knew it was to impress Penelope.
"You have been late to work twice in the last two weeks. You use cologne now. Your eyes seem deprived of sleep, yet you look happy and fulfilled. There's..."
Garcia interrupted him,
"Uh, no, newbie. He's just been smiling at his phone too often. Doesn't take a genius to know why"
Reid said, before the banter could advance,
"Fine. I am seeing someone"
"Ooh!", Garcia perched herself on his desk, "Details, please"
Reid grinned a bit, brushing the hair off his forehead. He told them,
"Her name's Monica"
"Mm-hm"
"We met at a library"
"Gasp! Do I hear bookworm wedding bells?"
JJ said in a warning tone,
"Garcia"
"Just joking", she said, "I'm curious about this hottie our Boy Wonder has managed to snag"
"I didn't call her hot"
Penelope winked at him,
"But she is, amirite?"
Reid tried evading,
"If you mean whether she is conventionally attractive and..."
"Spence", JJ grinned, "Just tell her"
He gave in. He lowered his eyes and smiled.
"She is more than that"

He was comparing autopsy reports on their latest case when his phone rang. He checked, found his favourite goofy smile on the phone screen. He had put that photo to her contact on purpose, to remind him of the warmth she inspired within him. Looking around, making sure he wouldn't be overheard, he answered.
"Hi"
"Hello, Dr. Reid. How goes your day?"
He smiled,
"Other than some gruesome stuff related to work, it's okay. How's yours?"
"Mine's a bit better after hearing your sweet voice", she said, "Anyway, I wanted to ask you something. I want to take you to my favourite bakery in town. When are you available?"
"I'm in Memphis right now"
"When do you think you'll get back?"
"I don't know for sure. I'll call you when I'm back. Is that okay?"
"Yeah. Hey, do me a favour?"
"Sure. Anything"
"Look after my boyfriend for me. When he gets involved in a case, he forgets to take care of himself. Make sure he drinks plenty of water, less coffee and eats on time"
He pressed a hand to his face, trying not to smile.
"Will do"
"Bye, Doc"
"Bye"
He hung up, breaking into an unrestrained smile at last.

It was a Saturday, and he was dressed his best. Monica made for a picturesque companion in her little sun-dress. She smelled great. And she truly seemed to find him...
"Fascinating", she said.
He said,
"Well, it's no more a surprise when people mistake Bluebook to be a fairytale collection"
At her laugh, he couldn't help but say,
"This is the first time that someone has understood the reference"
"Your references are kinda hard to get. I found one of your research papers online the other day. It went right over my head. I mean, it was obviously well-researched and your hypothesis was proved in the end, but it was really technical. And more importantly", she turned to him, "That paper was published in 2010. The author is mentioned as Spencer Reid, Ph.D. When did you get your Ph.D.? In high school?"
"Of course not", he explained, "I had all three by the time I was 24"
"I'm not surprised. If anybody could have three Ph.D.s in their twenties, that would be you. But, if you were around 24, or say more, in 2010, how old are you now?"
"I'm 37. You didn't know?"
"It never came up, I guess. We usually don't talk much about each other, do we?"
"We don't", he wondered why.
"But seriously, I thought you were younger than me. You dress like an overgrown student from a private boys' school. You don't look 37"
He shrugged, chuckling a little.
"It's a genetic trait, I suppose. My mother doesn't show many significant signs of ageing either. In a dermatological sense, of course"
Monica said,
"Good for the Reids. My Mom looked fifty when she turned forty. It's a British thing, she says"
"Your parents are British?"
"My Mom is. I was about to mention her - you referenced her work in your paper I just told you about. The title was something like Criminal Components of OCD Behaviour? I'm not sure"
Reid quickly scanned the contents and references of the paper in his mind. He stopped walking and turned to Monica.
"Your mother is Dr. Victoria Fleming?"
"Yep"
"Her research on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is revolutionary. I have read all of her work"
"Yeah. She's pretty badass", Monica smirked.
Reid observed his companion for a moment. Those large doe eyes, that ever-present smile and the gentle, carefree manner. Did she bear any resemblance to one of the greatest minds in the field of psychology?
"You don't look like a psychologist's daughter"
She laughed,
"What would that look like?"
"I'm not sure. But mostly, children of successful parents resent them for it"
"That may be true. But I love my parents. My Dad is just your regular, lovable American Dad. My Mom's a wonderful mother. She raised five kids, but gave none of us anything to complain about"
"You have four siblings?"
"Uh-huh", she looked at him for a long moment, "You're an only child"
"Yeah", he smiled, "What was my tell?"
"Just a guess. I'm not an expert profiler like you"
"It's actually quite improbable for someone to be an "expert" at profiling"
"Because profiling is such a volatile process? To be honest with you, I don't buy the whole profiling thing. More serial killers have been caught through mere coincidences - I mean yeah, the universe is rarely ever so lazy and yada yada but..."
"Wait. You started watching Sherlock?"
"Yeah", she gave a little laugh, "I wanted to hate it so bad. I believed nothing would ever do justice to the original but Cumberbatch won me over"
She said after a beat,
"As I was saying, most serial killers have been caught by chance alone. Profiling as a science has been widely discredited in the criminal psychology circle"
She added hastily,
"Sorry. No offense"
"None taken", he shrugged, "I'm not saying profiling is a sure science but it's an important tool in my line of work. In fact, it's the most important one. We have caught so many serials on the basis of a good profile"
"I'm sure that's true, but I'm just saying. You can't always predict criminal behaviour based on precedent"
He observed,
"For a botanist, you have some particular opinions regarding a sub-field in criminal psychology"
"You know I only read about psychology for pleasure. I'm happy with my plants"
They walked a few steps further, when he turned to her with a mischievous smile.
"Hufflepuff"
She grinned,
"A proud Hufflepuff. And what are you? A Ravenclaw? No, it would only seem so initially. You're definitely a Gryffindor"
"How did you know?"
She bumped his arm with her shoulder,
"You're not the only one who knows stuff"
"Of course not. I couldn't name all the plant phylum in that sing-song way you do"
"Yeah?", she laughed and turned to him.
With the sun beaming down upon them, he could see the colour of her eyes and the trees reflected in them. The tiny dimple on her cheek, the tan lines revealed by the neckline of her dress.
Something in her manner, in her affectionate ways, made Reid blush. He liked her. And she seemed to like him back. That didn't happen too often with him. He didn't know how to respond.
Monica hugged his waist, still looking up at him.
"My friends tell me I'm like a quokka. I have no sense of personal space when I like someone"
That was an admission. An outright declaration.
Yet another thing he appreciated about her. She said what she meant. The world could take a page from her book on that, save him and countless others the task of interpreting social cues.
When he kept staring at her face, she grinned.
"I chose the perfect lighting so you would find me irresistible"
"You are mistaken if you think I can resist you under bad lighting"
She looked pleased but said,
"If this is making you uncomfortable, you can tell me"
"You have touched me before"
"Not in a public place"
"I don't mind"
"Then kiss me, Dr. Reid"
He tried to tease her by prolonging the moment before contact.
"You know you can call me Spencer"
"I prefer Dr. Reid. You earned that title with your three PhDs"
He checked her face for signs of sarcasm. But she seemed incapable of it. There was a sweet smile on her sweet face. And she looked genuinely happy to be with him.
He was suddenly very aware of her lips, and his own.
"Where would you like to be kissed, Dr. Knight?"
She seemed to catch her breath before saying,
"Don't make me jump you in public"
He grinned and met her eyes again. Resting his right hand on her waist, grazing her cheek with his left, Spencer brought his lips to hers. They met in a deliciously gentle rhythm. It was not the first time they had kissed, but it made his heart flutter just the same. Monica had begun to smile even before their lips parted. She gazed at him through hooded eyes, full of adoration. Reid dropped his hand from her face to her bare arm.
"We have to get to the bakery", he gently reminded her.
"Like I could deny you anything after that"
He felt silly for smiling so often when with her, but that's what she did. Took his arm and took his worries, throwing the latter in an abyss far away from him.

"Here we are"
Monica came to a halt before the bakery. She turned to him,
"What would you like, Dr. Reid? In addition to the cinnamon rolls. You have to have those. The cinnamon rolls here are to die for"
He stepped up next to her and gazed at the assortment of baked delicacies. She was already chatting away with the owner.
"Who's your friend?", the owner asked her.
"This is Dr. Reid. Dr. Reid, this is my good friend Paula of Paula's Little Bakehouse"
"Hi"
"Hello"
They were amidst a waft of the sweet smell of baked goods. But he could still faintly smell Monica's perfume. It was something floral and fruity. A hint of...
"Dr. Reid, what will it be?"
He answered,
"I'll have a cupcake, thanks"

The date had ended with another kiss at Monica's door. But it stayed with Reid throughout the weekend. He came into work on Monday morning and found JJ standing by his desk.
"Morning", he greeted her with a smile.
"Morning", she smirked, "Had a good weekend?"
"Yeah. You?"
"Not as good as yours, I think"
He gave her a quizzical look, while putting his bag away. JJ looked around once before stepping to the side and revealing what was on his table.
Reid almost stumbled over his feet to get to it. It was a little basket with two cupcakes and some cinnamon rolls.
JJ explained,
"I didn't read the note but I guessed who it might be from. I was guarding it till you got here. Couldn't let Penelope see it first and have her call you Mr. Monica again"
He gave her a sheepish smile, tearing open the envelope,
"You're a true friend"
JJ left him alone with the note that filled his morning with joy.

'I would have sent you more cupcakes if you had given me more kisses.
Next time though.
Love,
Monica'