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A/n I've made up a little of the back story or William and Dianna Reid. Please enjoy and thnak you all for your kind support.

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"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Las Vegas and thank you for flying American Airlines. Please remain in your seats until the airplane comes to a full and complete stop at the gate."

Reid stared out the oval shaped window at McCarran International Airport as they taxied slowly forward. As usual, the sun fell in harsh lines against the sand of the deserts of Nevada. The blue sky was so light, it was nearly white and it hurt the eyes to look at. He pulled on his sunglasses and faced forward as the plane turned right toward Terminal 2.

"Looks like we made it in one piece," the passenger next to him commented.

He glanced over at the man in a light grey business suit that sat on the aisle seat. The middle seat was empty so they'd both had some elbowroom. Unfortunately, that had just encouraged, Albert, "Just call me Al," Lambert, to talk Reid's ear off for the last five and a half hours.

Albert had a head shaped like a honeydew melon, with a hairline that began at the back, an extra forty pounds around his middle, and a square cut, ruby ring on his right pinky finger. He also had a multitude of pictures of his kids and grand kids and the first car he'd every sold. Al, it seemed, was a successful car salesman, although not one of "those," car salesmen he had hastened to assure Reid, as if he were afraid Reid would stand up and point to the other passengers, and scream "He's a used car salesman, get him."

"Yeah, I guess we did."

"Well, it was great getting to know you."

He stuck out his hand. Reid took it reluctantly and endured a rigorous handshake that rattled his teeth. "Come see me while you're here in Las Vegas. I have just the thing for you to replace that ancient Volvo you're driving. I promise you'll love it. A cross country drive in the pretty lil' convertible I have in mind for you is just what you need."

"Um yeah, I'll think about," Reid said noncommittally.

He smiled in relief, when the plane finally pulled up to the gate and his seatmate disembarked. He waited until almost everyone had left before standing up. He winced, almost stumbled and groaned at his knee, which had stiffened up on the trip.

"You okay sir," a voice said from behind him.

One of the flight attendants stood there, smiling at him as though they shared some wonderful secret. "Sir?"

"Yeah, just a bad knee. I was just going to get my cane out of the overhead bin."

"Why don't I get it?"

She handed him the cane and his messenger bag. "Here you go."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I hope we'll see you again."

"Yeah," he squeaked. "Um, thanks."

His limp was worse than usual, as he followed an old woman hunched over a walker out of the aircraft and up the sleeve to the gate. The fact that she was moving faster than he moved was extremely depressing.

By the time he got his bag and pulled it awkwardly to the exit, he was dripping sweat. Still, when the doors slid open and he smelled the familiar air of his home, his spirits lifted a little. For the first time in four days, he felt some of the weight he'd carried around rise off his shoulders.

"Spencer."

He looked left and saw his father sitting at the curb in a white sedan with a layer of dirt on its paint job. William Reid waved at him and smiled. He jumped out of the car and hurried around to help Reid into the passenger seat. He hefted Reid's bags and his cane into the back as a cab honked at them.

"Thanks for picking me up, dad. I know you're busy."

William pulled back into traffic and arrowed the car into the exit lane for the airport. "Don't worry about it. I've got the next three days off. I'm all yours."

"You didn't have to do that."

"No, but I wanted to spend time with you. This is the first time we've seen each other since the last time you were here."

Reid glanced over at his dad, who was merging into traffic. "You mean when I thought you assaulted and killed Riley Jenkins."

William flicked his eyes over to Reid. "I don't hold that against you, Spencer. You were doing your job and -"

"I accused you of murder to your face." Reid squeaked. "I hated you so much I was willing to see you go to prison for the rest of your life. How can you not be mad at me?"

William reached over, touched the climate control, and turned on the interior fan. It was warm for December. The air whirled on, ruffling Reid's hair until he adjusted the vent.

"I'm not mad at you because none of what happened was your fault. Now, why don't you tell me why you're here? I know you didn't come here because you wanted a vacation. Something's bothering you."

"It's nothing, I'm just tired. We've had a rough few weeks, and its Christmas. I wanted to spend the holidays with you and mom even if we can't all be together."

William nodded, "Well I'm glad you came out here, son. It's good to see you. I wish you'd take me up on staying at my place."

"Dad I-"

"You're right, I'm pushing too hard."

Reid looked over at his father's profile. "It's not you, dad. I'm just…"

He threw up his hands and turned his head to stare out the passenger window. He definitely didn't have the words, or the will to find the words, to tell his dad.

"Spencer?"

He turned back to meet his father's eyes. "I'm sorry, dad, I really can't talk about it."

William smiled, "its okay. If you change you're mind, I'm here."

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The sun was beginning to set, by the time Reid arrived at Bennington, turning the sky bright gold in the west. He left the cab at the curb and limped inside.

His mother was sitting in the day room writing furiously in one of her journals. She wore a white sweater and the setting sun in the window made her short, blond hair glow like a halo around her head. He stood there for a minute and was about to speak when she looked up at him.

"Oh, Spencer, what are you doing here?"

"I came for the holiday."

She looked around at the Christmas decorations, and the tree in one corner with lights and decorations that looked hand made by some of the patients. There was a real string of popcorn twisted around its branches and all the ornaments were paper.

Dianna Reid dismissed it and gestured to the chair across the table. "Sit down, baby, you look exhausted."

He pulled out the chair and sat with the thump, stretching his aching leg out to one side. "Hi mom, how are you?"

She waved her left hand. "I'm fine. How's your knee?"

"It hurts, but the doctors say I'm doing well."

"I'm so glad." She reached over and squeezed his hand. "What's wrong, baby?"

"It's nothing, mom, just a couple of bad cases."

"I know when work is troubling you. There's something else in your eyes."

He looked out the window, and away again because the light of the setting sun blinded him. One of the aides walked over at the same time and pulled the shades. The shocking absence of light had him blinking more than the blinding light. Having no other place to look, he dropped his eyes to the floor.

"It's nothing," he repeated resolutely.

"Spencer, I don't like to see you so upset."

"Mom, I can handle it. It's not that important."

She squeezed his hand again. "Alright, you don't have to tell me."

He sighed. "It's just a problem at work."

"Is it about a case?"

He rubbed at his knee and grimaced. "No, just a little problem with someone on the team.

His face began to flame so he returned his eyes to the floor. Dianna studied him, trying not to smile at the faint blush on his cheeks.

"Would this problem be with the one you always talk about in your letters?"

He picked at his sleeve and wouldn't look at her. This was so embarrassing. "Mom please, I really don't want to talk about it."

"It's okay… I understand, but perhaps you might consider talking to your father."

He looked up at see her dark eyes dancing as she watched him.

"It's not funny, mom."

"Why don't we have a game of scrabble? You need something to take your mind off your troubles and I'm in the mood to win."

He found his head was nodding in agreement and he couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. "Don't be so sure you'll win, mom."

"Just get the game, Spencer, I'm feeling lucky."

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Two days later, Christmas Day was dying in a riot of red, orange and purple on the western horizon. Reid stood at another window watching it go down while his dad set up the long unused chessboard in one corner of the room. Reid pulled his purple sweater around his middle and limped over to the table.

"It's been a long time since we played together."

"I missed it," Spencer said honestly.

"Me too."

"Thanks for going to Bennington with me. I know mom was happy to see you."

Reid's eyes drifted down to the wedding ring his father had never taken off in the last twenty years. William followed his eyes down to this hand. "I never stopped loving her."

"I know," Reid said softly. "I wish…"

"It's alright. I realized long ago that your mother and I were never destined for the white picket fence, and all the other things that others take for granted."

Reid touched the white queen in front of him, with one long finger. "I always wondered why you never divorced her. You could have found someone else and had another family. "

"I love her," William said with a shrug of his shoulders. "When you love someone, it's not logical. You can hurt each other in ways you never thought you were capable of, because there's so much in your heart, it's overwhelming."

Reid dropped his eyes and tried to concentrate on his first move instead of the image of Emily's face in his mind. He pushed forward one of his pawns, but her face wouldn't go away.

"What's wrong Spencer?"

"Dad," he began slowly, "What would you do if a woman you trusted, a friend, sort of took advantage of you at an emotionally and psychologically vulnerable moment."

William looked up with raised eyebrows. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

"Well, I have this friend at work. Her name is Emily Prentiss. We had this case and it was late, and I was in my hotel room. She just knocked on the door and -"

He couldn't look at his dad because his face was so hot. It was too embarrassing. "Never mind, dad. It's not -"

"I think I understand," William said. "Tell me what happened."

"It's so embarrassing, dad."

"Hey," Reid looked up at the slight command in his dad's voice. "You know I'll never judge you. I don't have that right after what I've done."

Reid found himself spilling out the whole story as his face got hotter and hotter and he couldn't look his father in the eyes. His mind tried to tell him to stop, that he shouldn't trust William Reid, while his heart knew it was the right thing to do, the only thing.

"Well," William said when Reid stuttered to a stop.

Reid looked up again, and saw that it was his turn to make a move, and he had better make it a good one or his dad was going to win in another three moves.

"Well," Reid repeated.

"Do you love this Emily Prentiss?"

Reid flinched at the blunt question. "I guess I must if my subconscious is shouting it from my dreams."

William chuckled at Reid's dry tone.

"It's not funny, dad."

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to tease you. It's just that you have an opportunity for something amazing."

"What?"

William moved his remaining knight after long consideration. "I just mean that the love of a good woman is the greatest blessing a man can have."

Reid frowned over the board. It looked like there was only one way out of the trap his father was laying for him. He moved a pawn forward one square.

"Is that what you thought about mom?"

"Yes. Your mother and I had three good years before she got sick. Even after she changed into someone I barely knew, I still loved her. If I could go back and change what happened, I would, but I can't. All I can do is try to make it up to both of you for leaving."

Spencer tapped the board as he watched his dad think about his next move. "Did you know right away that you loved mom."

"Oh God no, I liked her of course, from the first moment I met her. She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever known and she was brilliant and passionate. Still, I was afraid to make a lifetime commitment to her. I guess I was right to be afraid, because I didn't stick for the long haul.

He finally made his next move, taking Reid's last rook and grinned at his son. "I think you're in trouble."

Reid perused the game with a deep frown, and then he smirked. "I don't think so, dad."

He moved his king and made William narrow his eyes at the board. "Don't crow too loudly. I think I see a way out." He moved a knight, sprung his trap and said. "Checkmate."

"Wait, how did you do that?"

William laughed. "Come on… Let's make a snack and you can tell me more about Emily."

An hour later, Reid said, "What do I do dad? I can't just pretend that everything's okay."

"No, you can't pretend that everything's okay, but if you love her, don't let her get away. Just take it one step at a time and don't put so much pressure on yourself, or her."

Reid took a sip of the rum free eggnog his father had bought at the store and sighed. "I'm sorry to drop all that on you."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I like helping you if I can. You're my son and I love you."

"I love you too dad, I always have, it's just that -"

"I understand, more than you know," his father assured him. "You don't have to explain anything. I hope you'll forgive me one day for everything I did and for my jealousy over your relationship with your mother. I should have been happy you two were so close instead of wishing you'd be more like a normal child."

Reid nodded. "I'm not going to say its okay, but I think I understand better than I did even a year ago."

"Does that mean you'll visit more often?"

Reid grinned. "Yeah, I think I'll visit more often. Merry Christmas, Dad."

"Merry Christmas, Spencer."