The Most Life Changing Thing

Reid and Prentiss

Chapter Fourteen

December 2010

When Reid returned to the hotel room he was happy to find Emily was awake and looking much better than she had earlier. He had been disappointed when she got sick during the flight to Vegas, knowing she had no problems with air sickness so it must be a virus.

He didn't want their trip to his hometown ruined by her being ill, plus he hated to see her suffer.

She might not realize it but she made him incredibly happy- all because she treated him like a grown, capable man who she was turned on by. It took nothing more. Still it felt miraculous. He had found other women who saw him that way before during his life but none who inspired him to feel so comfortable with her.

All his life he worried that the new people he met would find him strange or odd, even women who wanted to date him. With Emily, she already knew all his idiosyncrasies. She knew he was different but she must like that because she was the one who kissed him first, who said she had fantasized about him for months, who was happier now that they were dating than he'd ever seen her before.

And she made him feel the same by just treating him as the man who was all she wanted. He'd never felt that way before, never had any eyes look at him the way Emily's did.

He found her that night on the hotel room bed, dressed in a pajama pants and a t-shirt, watching Christmas movies. She lit up when she saw him and cried "Oh, you got back in time for the best part!"

He looked at the screen and saw a little boy with his tongue stuck to a frozen pole. "What is that?"

"You've never seen A Christmas Story?"

"No."

"It's a classic! Get over here and watch with me."

Reid peeled off his coat and kicked off his shoes, before joining Emily on the bed. They cuddled and watched the movie. During the commercial she asked "So how was seeing your mother?"

He smiled. "She was having a good day. We talked about what she's reading now and she bugged me about changing jobs before telling me I need to eat better because I'm too skinny. Do you think she's right?"

"You do have strange eating habits. You know your lactose intolerant but you just can't stay away from cheese."

"You're right, I can't. Its too good. Its not a big vice to have anyway, all things considered. My mother said she'd confuse me with a bean pole if she wasn't properly medicated though."

She chuckled. "Well I'm glad you had a nice visit with her. So what time did you tell her we'd be by tommorow?"

"The facility's Christmas program starts at three."

"Sounds good. Maybe I can get in some gambling before we head over there."

"Do you think that's wise?" he teased.

"Hey, I beat you more often than you beat me when we play poker so don't go getting cocky," she teased back.

"Actually I win eighty one point six percent of the time."

"I seriously doubt that."

"As a certified genius with an eidetic memory, who should know better: me or you?"

"Ha. You think you can fool me by playing the genius card, don't think so."

He smirked at her. "Are you saying you think I'd lie to you?"

"Rather than admit I regularly kick your ass at poker, yeah, I do."

"You're right. I probably would but I'm not."

"Sure. I believe you." She laughed. Wrapping her arms around his neck she teased some more "Will it crush your fragile male ego when I win more than you at the tables tommorow?"

"Nope cause statistics are on my side."

"You keep telling yourself that," she joked with him before bringing her lips to his for a kiss.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Emily stood in front of the mirror, dressed in a silk blouse and black skirt, and appraised her appearance critically. Reid walked up behind her and said "Don't worry, you look great. You always do."

She smiled a little. "Thanks." She took out her dangling earrings. "I think I'll wear the studs instead."

"It doesn't matter."

"Maybe not to your mother but it would to mine."

"Appearances are important to your mother. Intelligence is important to mine- and honesty, kindness. She thinks all her doctors are idiots and out to get her. If she says anything like that to you...or about you...don't let it get to you. In fact, don't try to dissuade her. I'll handle it. There's a certain way you have to speak to my mother in order to not set her off."

"It'll be okay."

He crooked an eyebrow. "You reassuring me after you've spent weeks dreading this? My mother would appreciate your desire to comfort me and so do I, Emily." They left the room shortly after and drove to the facility.

Before they exited the car Reid told her " No matter how this goes, I know it wasn't a mistake to bring you along on this trip. I need my mother to know you. All my life she worried if I'd ever be okay. I want her to meet the woman who made it so I am."

Emily titled her head to the side and gave him a dreamy look. A long moment passed.

Reid asked "Are you ready?"

"Kiss me for good luck."

"Kisses can't convey any sort of mystical power that would bring you good fortune."

"Shut up and kiss me," she teased. He leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss, her hand caressing his face as he did so. After he pulled back she whispered "Lets do this."

They exited the vehicle, took each other by the hand and headed into the facility.

Soon they were seated with Reid's mother in the day room, where there would be a Christmas pageant before the facility served a buffet dinner.

Diana greeted Emily by giving her an appraising, suspicious look and saying "So you're the one who is taking Spencer's attention away from his studies?"

"Mother," Reid said quickly "she doesn't do that. I'm going to receive my next Ph. D right on schedule."

"After that I certainly hope you get a teaching job. You know you can't trust the government-"

"I know you don't but I do and I enjoy my job. Mom, don't you want to ask Emily about her interests? She came all this way just to meet you."

"You made her," his mother accused.

"No, I didn't. I can't make her do anything. She's here because she cares about me and that means she wants to know where I come from and that's you. You have been the greatest influence in my life."

Diana gave Reid a tender look. "That is a mother's role, to influence and guide her children." Diana peered at Emily sharply "Do you want children?"

"Me? Um, me? Do I want kids?" Emily asked nervously. "Yes." She gulped. "Very much so."

"Spencer doesn't want children because of my bad genes."

"Mom, that isn't why. I just think that I wouldn't be a very good parent with my work schedule."

Diana said "You would be a wonderful father. You're more than just extremely intelligent, son. You're also wise. A good father has to be wise." She looked at Emily. "Don't you agree?"

Her throat felt dry when she said "Yeah, definitely."

Diana asked "So, not to be blunt, but why are you two together if you so clearly want different things?"

"Emily doesn't want kids right this second so its not an issue."

"At her age, she can't wait much longer. You know me, Spencer, I do not sugar coat things for you. It won't benefit you in the long run if I treated you that way. Not that I'm saying I disapprove of this relationship, as I see it does mean quite a lot to you and it must also mean a good deal to her, since she came all this way to meet me, but I just want you to think of these things before you find yourself in a world of hurt."

Reid looked around and said "I think the show is starting any minute now. We should get seats." They all moved from the couch they were on to the rows of chairs that were set up.

After the lights went down and the show started, Reid looked at Emily and mouthed "I'm sorry," since his mother had been rather rude to her.

"Its okay," she mouthed back, feeling flushed and dizzy, a feeling she was used to now that she was pregnant. The bouts came and went, all she could do was get through them the best she could.

During the show they held hands. Later they ate dinner and chatted more with Diana. She started to warm up to Emily after Emily got her in a conversation about philosophy.

Before they left Diane grabbed Emily's arm and leaned close to her "Be good to my son. He loves you. I know that not just because he wrote me so in his letters but because I can see it in how he looks at you. He never loved any of the others. He said he did but he's a man. They often confuse love with the pleasurable feeling that comes from companionship and sex but love is more. Its sacrifice and commitment and knowing there's a chance you'd break if they left you. He loves you with his true and pure heart. Don't hurt him or I'll-"

Reid quickly cut in "Mom, she's not going to hurt me."

"I'm not going to," Emily promised. "I love him too. I love your son with all my heart."

"Its actually your brain that triggers feelings of love or disdain," Diana corrected.

"Right, right," Emily said.

Reid said "Lets get you back to your room." He helped Diana there and then came back to meet up with Emily.

She said "I see where you get it from."

"What?"

"Your personality."

"You think I have my mother's personality?"

"Sorta. Its cute."

He just gave her a strange look and sighed. "That didn't go very well."

"It went fine. I like her a lot."

"She's hard to deal with. I don't know why I thought this was a good idea."

"I enjoyed meeting her. It helped me to understand you better."

"It did? Like how?"

"Well when you met my mother did you see why am like I am?"

He thought about it. "Oh."

She smirked. "Oh." And then gave him a soft kiss. "Lets get out here."

"Want to go gamble some more?"

"Nope." She smiled as she took his hand and pulled him down the hall, toward the exit. "I have something better in mind." The tone of her voice told him that they would be heading straight to bed. His smile told her that was just fine with him.