Caltech, Los Angeles, CA, fall semester 1999:

As usual, the room in Mead Lab, where sections ten and eleven of Dr. Owens Chemistry 101 class met on Wednesday nights, was empty when Dr. Spencer Reid walked into it. There was still fifteen minutes until the class met for the lab portion of the class, but Spencer always made sure he arrived early, thinking it important that he set a good example for the students in the class.

As seemed to be the norm for him, Spencer Reid was the youngest TA at Caltech and probably the most educated. While most TA's were working toward a Master's degree, Spencer Reid was working toward not his first but his second doctorate. While he hadn't been required to TA this year, his academic advisor had felt it would be a good experience for him, giving him more time in front of a group, something that even now, after being a TA for two other classes, he found difficult.

Placing his bag on the table at the front of the room, Spencer took out the lab manual, notebook and a pencil. He placed them on the lab table, and then put the messenger bag on the floor next to his stool. Opening the lab manual to the day's experiment, Spencer started setting things up, putting out the chemicals that the students were going to need for this particular experiment. As he worked, he was aware of students coming in, most walking in with a least one friend, many of the others in groups.

Spencer heard her voice before he saw her. The TA recognized the voice of the girl he had spilled the soda on Friday night. Looking up, he saw her walk in with one of the guys that she had been with that night. As the two of them headed to a lab table in the middle of the room, the guy said something that made her laugh. Amer's laugh filled the room, sounding like music to Spencer's ears. As she sat down at the lab table, Amber looked up at the front of the room, meeting the TA's look. Spencer felt his face flush and went back to setting up for the experiment.

At six o'clock, Spencer tentatively called for the class's attention. A few near the front listened and stopped their conversations while the kids in the back continued to talk. A second call for the students attention stopped even those conversations. When he finally had the class' attention, he began to give an overview of the experiment. It didn't take long for him to get into the subject and have his enthusiasm for the subject come through. One of the things he enjoyed about being a TA was that at least some of his students had a genuine interest in the subject. Those who didn't usually at least had a passing interest in that they wanted to pass the class, thus given him a fairly attentive audience.

As he finished the overview of the experiment, the students got started on the experiment. Spencer stayed at the front of the room for a few minutes, giving the students time to get started. Once all the groups had the needed chemicals and were beginning the experiment, Spencer started walking around the room, observing what was going on, answering questions he was asked. This was the easy part of being a TA, being able to deal with the students on a more personal level rather than addressing them as a group.

Reaching the back of the room, Spencer spent some time helping a pair of two girls, Amanda Charles and Vicky Ullwater, with the experiment. He knew the two girls by name because they tended to show up at every office hour session that he held. Sometimes they came in together and others times they came in separate. Either way, the two of them always asked a whole bunch of questions and he also spent quite a bit of the lab session with them. While the two girls had enthusiasm for the class, Chemistry didn't come easy to them, and so far their grades were just borderline passing.

When the two girls had their experiment back on track, Spencer headed back up toward the front of the room, his path taking him past the lab table where Amber and her friend were working.

"I think he's interested in you," Vince was saying as he measured out one of the ingredients for the experiment.

"You need your eyes checked," Amber replied.

"You just don't want to admit that someone might be interested in you. News flash, Amber a bunch of the guys in my dorm have asked me to set them up with you. You're pretty. Guys are attracted to you, whether you believe in love or not."

"That's not love, it's lust," Amber shot back, as Vince added the powder he had measured out to the beaker.

"Call it what you want but I saw the guy's face when he looked in your direction. I'm a guy. I hang out with guys. I know what the signs are when we see a girl we like."

"Just pay attention to what your doing," Amber told him, as Vince was looking at her and not at the beaker. She didn't want to have to restart the experiment or have it not come out right, because the right amount of the powder didn't get into the beaker.

Spencer didn't hear Vince's reply, if there was one, as he moved out of hearing range. He felt a feeling of disappointment as he stepped behind the table at the front of the room. A disappointment that he couldn't explain. Was it because of what he had overheard? That was crazy. It shouldn't be any surprise that other guys found Amber attractive. Besides, even if no one else did, he wouldn't stand a chance with her nor would it be appropriate. Right now, she was one of his students. He was sure there was something in the Caltech behavior guidelines that prohibited relationships between TA and students, without even needing to look it up.

"I am so about ready to strangle Vince," Amber said as she came into the dorm room she shared with Maria following her lab session that evening. She pushed the door closed behind her as she strode into the room, tossing her backpack onto the top bunk.

"What did he do now?" Maria asked, as she stopped typing the paper she was working on and looked back over her shoulder at her friend.

"Vince seems to think that the waiter from Friday night, who also happens to be my chemistry TA, has a crush on me."

"So?"

"So? He's crazy. He's reading things into something that aren't there because he knows how I feel about relationships and wants to drive me crazy."

"Looks like he's doing a good job to me then" Maria responded, as she turned sideways in her chair. Amber was now leaning against the top frame of the bunk bed, left foot crossed over her right leg, arms folded across her chest.

"You're not helping," Amber said, exasperation evident in the tone of her voice.

"Both Vince and Mark are always teasing you about guys liking you and most of the time, it's the truth. Face it Amber, you're a pretty girl and guys are going to find you attractive whether you like it or not. Not wanting to be involved in a relationship doesn't change any of that, however it does isolate you from quite a bit of things that the rest of us experience. No, relationships don't always work. People fight, argue, and hurt each other. It's just part of life. If you try to protect yourself from those feelings though, you're isolating yourself from a whole other range of feelings. A sense of being loved. Of belonging. Of being with someone who thinks you can make no mistakes."

"I don't need any of that."

"You keep telling yourself that. Meanwhile, you're missing out on a whole lot. Besides, I still hold to what I said Friday night, I think you like the guy."

"Yeah, go ahead. Side with, Vince."

"As I think he's on the right track this time, I will thank you," Maria said turning around to face her computer once again.

"I think you're both crazy," Amber replied, as she climbed up onto the top bunk.

"And I think you're in denial," Maria shot back, as she went back to working on her assignment, seemingly ready to put an end to the current conversation. The one thing she had learned about Amber Rossi was that her best friend had a major stubborn streak. Though she would listen to what you had to say, if it went against what she thought, she wasn't going to accept it until she was good an ready to.

Amber, however, wasn't quite ready to let the conversation rest.

"He's a TA. Even if the two of you are correct, and I'm not admitting to anything, nothing can happen between us. I'm not about to get kicked out Caltech because of a sexual harassment complaint or anything in the ball park of that. Just because my father chases anyone of the opposite sex, doesn't mean I have to be like him," Amber said, as she settled herself against the wall, her legs stretched across the width of the bed. Her dad may have only been married three times, but she had lost count of the number of women she had seen him with. Not to mention the few times she had heard the topic of sexual harassment charges being brought up by her mother during one of their numerous arguments over the years. She hadn't asked either of her parents for details as she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"From what you've told me, you have a long way to be anything like your Dad in that department. I will tell you one trait you I think you share with him," Maria replied, having met David Rossi a few times when he had visited his daughter, both back in highschool and since the two had come to Caltech. "You're as stubborn as a mule. Once you get your head set on an idea its going to take a force of nature to get you to consider any other possibilities."

Amber didn't reply. Instead she reached into her bag for the book she was reading for her Philosophies of Life class. The same class which Maria was currently writing the paper for, her roommate having finished the reading assignment the night before. Amber was close to being done and the paper wasn't due until Monday. She still felt like she had plenty of time to write the paper, though she did want to finish the reading tonight.

Amber grabbed her pillow, placed it behind her and settled back against the wall again. She opened the book to the place where she had left off, and was about to begin when Maria spoke up once again.

"I just want to say one more thing. He's only going to be your TA for this semester and I'm sure there are no rules against talking to a TA. Maybe you should get to know him before you write everything off. Maybe the two of you are ever only friends but maybe it goes further. A guy like that, I'm sure he could use a friend or two."

"What do you mean, a guy like that?"

"Well, think about it. He's either our age or younger yet he's already got at least one doctorate according to Vince. Somehow, I don't think being that smart is conducive to a lot of close friendships. Not only is he younger than his peers, but people probably feel threatened by him. And he's obviously awkward in social situation, we all saw that on Friday. My brother was only to happy to poke fun at him, and I can assure you, Mark probably isn't the only one. Chances are he has few, if any friends, and even less around here."

"I think you've been reading my father's books too much," Amber replied, seeing the truth in her friend's words but not wanting to admit to it.

"You're the one who introduced me to your father's books, back when we were seniors in highschool."

"Obviously a mistake," Amber replied briefly.

"I don't think so. If I hadn't read the books written by the legendary FBI agent David Rossi then I probably never would have decided to be a criminal justice major which I'm absolutely loving by the way."

"Great, but how about you don't use my father's book on profiling to profile me."

"I'm not profiling you, I'm profiling our waiter from Friday night. Someone who you keep claiming you have absolutely no interest in."

"Don't you have a paper to write," Amber said, wanting to put an end to the conversation. She lifted the book in her hand, and started reading.

Maria watched Amber for a few moments, and then with a smile turned back to her computer. She knew she had gotten through to her friend enough that Amber would think the situation over on her own time. Maria was sure that given time, Amber would see the truth of what she had told her. The question was, if Amber would allow herself to admit to that truth.

Following her conversation with Maria, Amber Rossi soon found herself looking for Spencer on campus in places other than the lab session or when he was at work. Both places were too crowded and inappropriate to bring up a casual conversation. She thought about going to one of his office sessions and asking questions about an assignment. Afraid that the ruse might be seen through held her back from trying it. Amber understood the things that were being taught in the class and her grades reflected that. She was pretty sure her chemistry TA would realize she really didn't need answers to any questions she might think up.

And so the weeks passed, and she had little contact with Dr. Spencer Reid. Sure she saw him in the lab or at the Sun and Surf Café but that was it. She never saw him outside of those settings. Not at the home football games she went to, to support Mark. Not in the library when she was looking for books for class projects. Nor as she walked around campus on her way to classes or swim practices. Not even during the time she spent on the beach while on duty as a lifeguard.

It was approaching the end of October. Halloween was less than a week away. There had been talk among Amber's group of friends of going to a huge Halloween party on campus this coming Friday. Though she had thought it would be fun, Amber had declined. The party fell the day before her first scrimmage swim meet. Somehow, she didn't think her coach would appreciate her being out late the night before. Mark was in the same boat, having an away game to go to the following day. The group had decided to skip the party and instead do their own celebration the following Tuesday, which was Halloween.

Talk of the party was all over campus. What costumes people were going to wear. Who was going with who. By the time her last class got out at three o'clock on Thursday afternoon Amber was ready to escape all of that. Changing into some workout clothes, grabbing a bottle of water and her cell phone, she had got in her car and headed for one of the Las Angeles beaches. She tried to job at least four times a week along with swimming laps every other morning, though since swim practice had official started she had cut back on her own workouts. She normally hung around campus when she jogged but as the afternoon was beautiful and she didn't have anywhere to be that evening, she opted for a change of scenery.

Even in October, the beach wasn't completely empty. Couples strolled along the beach, paying more attention to each other than what was going on around them. Mothers watched little kids who were enjoying building a sand castle or other endeavor in the sand. Out in the ocean, surfers in wet suits rode or attempted to ride the waves in. That was one activity that Amber had attempted one time right after coming to LA. One of the other lifeguard candidates during rookie school had tried to teach her, and though she had made numerous attempts, she had never been able to successfully get to a standing position. After being rescued by a lifeguard, who also happened to be helping with the rookie school, after one failed attempt when she had hit her head on the board when she fell off, she had sworn never to try it again. There were also numerous other joggers enjoying their work out on the beach.

Amber looked down at her watching she was nearing the twenty-seven minute mark of her jog, which was her goal time. Deciding to get a start back to the parking lot where she had parked her car, she turned and started back in the direction she had just come from, her footprints retracing the ones she had left there moments before. When she had reached her time goal, Amber slowed to a walk. Twisting the top off the water bottle she carried, she took a long drink of water, before twisting the cap back on. After walking a few minutes, she stopped to stretch. Following a short cool down jog and the walk back to where her car was parked, Amber's breathing was back to normal.

As she approached the path that traced the beach, watching for the roller bladers who were enjoying the afternoon, Amber noticed a familiar figure sitting at one of the outdoor chess tables that occupied the space between the path and the beach. Though he seemed to be concentrating hard on the game, he was playing alone. Without really thinking about it, Amber found herself walking in that direction.

"Whose winning?" Amber asked, as she came to a stop beside the cement table with the chessboard built into it.

"Well, as I'm really only trying to play out possible scenarios to see what will and won't work, no one is actually winning. However, in the conventional sense, I guess you could say that white is winning as the white pieces will have the black pieces in checkmate in three moves," Spencer Reid replied, without looking up to see who had asked the question.

"You always play alone?" Amber asked.

"Most of the time," Spencer said moving a black rook. "I don't often have someone to play against," he replied, glancing up. "You're Amber, right?" he said, the words sounding like the statement they were and not a question.

"That's right, Dr. Reid," Amber replied, feeling the need to use the guy's title out of respect for him being her chemistry TA and the fact that she didn't really know him that well.

"We're not in a classroom," Spencer told her. "You can call me Spencer if you'd like," he told her. She nodded and an awkward silence fell between the two of them. Spencer finally broke it. "Do you play?" he asked, indicating the chess board in front of him.

"My Dad taught me awhile back though its been sometime since I've actually played. He always won and I guess I got discouraged. I'm not even sure I remember all of the rules."

"I could go over them with you if you're interested," he told her.

Amber shrugged her shoulders. Maybe she could pick up some tips and the next time she went up against her Dad, she might actually be able to beat him. She sat down in the empty seat across from him as he started resetting the board. She placed the almost empty bottle of water on the table to her right, and listened as Spencer started going over the rules of the game. She was actually surprised by how much she did remember. After wards, the two of them started a game. It didn't take Amber long to figure out that she was totally outmatched. Still, she was enjoying herself as well as getting some practice in.

The two of them played two games, Spencer easily winning both of them. At the end of the second game Amber became aware of the fading light. She glanced at her watch. It was quarter six and the sun was starting to set on the horizon, sunset being around six o'clock. Though she didn't have anything to do, she was starting to get hungry.

"Do you work this evening?" Amber found herself asking as she helped Spencer pick up the chess pieces and place them in a ziplock bag he had taken out of his messenger bag.

"Ah, no. Not tonight."

"Want to get something to eat before heading back to campus? I mean if you don't have any other plans?"

"Um, yeah. I don't have anywhere I need to be," Spencer replied, nervously, managing to drop the bag of chess pieces on the ground. As he had already sealed the bag, none of them fell out. Leaning over, he retrieved the bag and stuffed it quickly into his messenger bag.

"Did you drive down here?" Amber asked as they both got to their feet.

"Ah, no. I tend to use the buses to get around," Spencer replied, placing the strap of his bag over his head and settling it on his left shoulder.

"My car is this way then," Amber replied.

As the two of them headed for where she had parked, Amber considered if they were crossing any TA/student barriers with this little outing. In the end, she decided no. She was just being friendly toward another human being. What was wrong with sharing a meal with someone? It wasn't like she had asked him out on a date or anything. They would share a quick meal together, maybe get to know each other a little and then she would drop him off where ever he was staying. Hadn't Maria said the guy seemed like the kind of person who could use some friends.

By the time they had reached her pick-up truck, she had decided not to over analyze anything and just enjoy the evening. With any luck, she wouldn't run into any of her friends while she was out, not wanting to field any questions or deal with any teasing that might come from them.