Title: Matters of the Universe: Let's Hear it for the Boy (Part 15 of 15)
Author: Trista Groulx aka dustytiger
Rating: T (same as the show to be safe)
Disclaimer: I still do not own CM, it's a pitty really, it belongs to many people, writers, directors, actors, actresses, creators, network types none of whom are me. I also do not own the quotes at the beginning. They belong to the people who wrote and preform them, and likely SOCAN as well.
Summary: Reid and Prentiss meet in a bar one night before she joins the team, but things don't go how she plans. What happens when they have to work together?
Notes: The prompt for this one was "Prentiss and Reid officially declare their feelings/love for each other" I got a reminded this past week why I usually have my fics done before I post them. I had this last part in a notebook and kept putting off typing this out, and then there was a poop storm in my life. I got it done but if I had done this the old way I prolly would have left you all hanging for a long time. Thank you so much for the kind words, you have no idea how much it's meant to me. I love all of you who taken the time to say even a few small words. Thank you.

"I'm alright, 'cause I have you here with me, And I can almost see, through the dark there is light, Well, if you knew how much this moment means to me, And how long I've waited for your touch, And if you knew how happy you are making me, I never thought that I'd love anyone so much, It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me, It feels like I'm all the way the back where I come from." Chantal Kreviazuk (Feels Like Home)

Prentiss couldn't believe that everything that had happened was real. She was lying next to Reid in a king sized bed in a honeymoon suite in Las Vegas. He was currently brushing his fingers through her hair not saying a word. She enjoyed the fact that she could make him speechless like that. She sighed softly enjoying the feeling of being alone with him. They both knew it was only a matter of time before they were pulled away from the cocoon.

After their friends had tracked them down, and discovered the truth about their trip, and had interrupted their celebration they were ready to agree to just about anything in order to get back up to their room. They had agreed to let the rest of the team join them for a late lunch to announce their news. They hoped that telling the rest of their friends before going back to work would make it easier for them to accept why they did things the way they had.

"Are you all right?" he asked her, running his hand along her cheek.

"I'm fine," she assured him.

"You're not mad that we did this?"

"No, of course not, Spencer, I wanted to this." She moved so she was facing him. "I'm just very happy right now."

"Oh, I'm glad. I know that sometimes women dream about their weddings their whole lives, and I never wanted to deny you that."

She laughed. "I was not one of those girls, I swear. Sure I've thought about how I might get married, and I never thought I would do in Las Vegas, but I always knew I would elope."

"Really?" he seemed surprised by this statement.

"Yes, my mother is a career politician, she knows hundreds of people she would feel should be at her daughter's wedding, and that's never what I wanted. I have been to too many of those weddings in my life, and it all seems like a lot of stress and fuss and the couple never seem very happy. Sure, they smile because it's their wedding day, and they are happy to be married of course; but they don't have fun. They have too many responsibilities to their guests. I decided a long time ago when I found the man I wanted to marry I wouldn't put him through that. Your wedding should be about you and your soon to be spouse not about keeping up appearances. The fact that you grew up in Las Vegas made me realise it was a viable option and it was a good choice."

"Oh, when you did think about your wedding, where did you think it might be?"

"I guess I thought I might get married on a beach somewhere, but honestly this made me happy, Spencer."

"You could have told me that you would have liked that."

"I know, and I didn't want to. When you said we should skip everything and just get married, that's all I wanted. I wanted to be married to you as quickly as possible with the least amount of questions. This way was the best for us." She walked her fingers up his bare chest. "I love you, and I loved our wedding."

"All right, Emily. I suppose when we get back we are going to have a lot of questions to answer."

"We will, but it should all be worth it." She moved in and kissed him softly. "I love you."

"It will be. I love you, too. Are you ready to tell our friends?"

"I'd rather just stay here, with you," she ran her fingers down his chest. "Naked, and preferably sweaty."

He laughed. "I would as well, but we both know that Morgan will show up at our door again, and we should tell our friends, no matter how much fun it is to just be the two of us."

Reid got up slowly, then held his hand out to help her up as well. She smiled at him, the moment she was on her feet again her lips were against his. He groaned happily and relaxed into the embrace for a long moment. He then pulled away and began to get dressed. She sighed loudly but soon had gotten dressed as well. Their lips found each other's again before the left their hotel room, not really wanting to leave. They went down to the hotel restaurant and were greeted by the rest of the team, other than Gideon who was on a leave of absence. There were not many other patrons in the large restaurant.

"So I hear you have some news, Spence," JJ said. "Stop keeping us in suspense, although I'd say it has something to do with Emily."

"You're right, JJ it does. Emily and I have been dating for a few months now, and yesterday we decided to get married."

The whole team was quiet for a long moment, as they processed the information they were just given. Reid and Prentiss both knew that no one had had a clue that they were dating, let alone this serious about each other. They were both surprised they had been able to keep such a big secret from a group as close the BAU who were more like a family. Prentiss was glad that Gideon wasn't there to hear their news because they both worried about what Reid's mentor would have to say about everything that had transpired; the rest of the team was just genuinely happy for the couple. Even Hotch didn't seem as mad as they thought he would be. They knew that this would be a nightmare to deal with bureaucratically but the off hours side of their boss was certainly coming out stronger at that moment.

Hotch shook his head half out of frustration and half out of amusement. "While I'm happy for both you, truly I am, this is going to chance the dynamic of the team. My superiors will never approve of two members of the same team being married, there's too much risk involved."

"What if those two people had been dating almost the entire time they worked together?" Prentiss asked.

"This isn't the kind of thing you want to lie about, Emily."

"It wouldn't be lying. Spencer and I met the day before I joined the team, and went on our first date within a week of my transfer. No one knew we more than friends in that entire time, and I thought the rules were put in place to protect a team's dynamic and success rate. The proof is already there, our relationship doesn't affect our jobs."

"Would'ya listen to you Missues Genius!" laughed Garcia. "You have all the answers!"

Prentiss couldn't help but smile. "I guess we've both thought about this, and if we have to we know what our choice would be, but we think we can make everyone see that we can make this work. Besides, right now let's focus on celebrating something good for a change."

"Agreed," Morgan said, holding up a glass of water,

The others were holding up their water glasses as well, making a toast their friends, wishing them good luck. Everyone seemed genuinely happy about the news, and no one was angry they had kept their relationship a secret. Both Reid and Prentiss knew that they still had many questions to answer but they knew they would be able to move forward together. Neither of them really believed before that things could be meant to be, but after everything that had been through together they were listening a little more closely to what the universe had to say.

The End

Notes: Well I got it typed, with um, zero time to spare. So glad I had it done tho... First I found out my sister got evicted. Then I had her two cats living in my furnace room for two days which broke my heart. Then we had a huuugee fight in the middle of restaurant, and now apperantly she's moved back home. Peachy. To top it all off I found out a friend of mine from high school passed away over the weekend. Normally these are the kinds of things that you get as reasons for fic delays, but in this case it's just so that if it seems like not my usual work, my heart wasn't in it as I typed out the last bit. I hope it still makes sense and all.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart and hugz and kissez for taking the time with this fic, and this idea I had with Fanatical writer. It has been so much fun to write, and to read what two authors can come up with using the same outline and basic plot summary. My next few projects are on hold for a week or so until my life is back to kilter. Thank you again and goodnight.