A/n here's the eagerly awaited next chapter.

Disclaimer: see my profile

Warnings: see my profile and the first chapter.

"Actually, that was Mai… She has some news for us."

His face went white, and then red, so fast it was as though someone had pumped him full of red food coloring. He pulled out the only other chair from the table and dropped into it like he'd been shot.

"Um… So, ah what did she say?" He was squeaking and it was so endearing that Emily almost cried with relief.

"I'm pregnant!"

His face drained of color, like someone had pulled a plug inside of him. His hands were clasped on the table in front of him and were white at the knuckles.

"Reid?"

"Yes."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah… I'm fine. Um, I should be asking you that." His face cleared and he gave her a shy smile.

"I'm fine… I'm great in fact. I'm so happy and it's all due to you."

She jumped out of the chair and dashed over to him. He rose to meet her and she threw her arms around him. He stood very rigid in her embrace which made her regret her impulsive hug. Then, he put his arms around her and hugged her tightly. Her thoughts went back to Colorado and the happiness that had surged through her so fast, she'd got light-leaded at the sight of him and Morgan coming out of the burning building.

The spell was broken when he suddenly pulled away from her. "I guess we should go back. The others will wonder what happened to us." He said and he looked very unhappy to her. "Don't worry Emily. I'll keep my word. I'll play the part of the loving uncle. He or she will never know I'm their father."

"Reid…"

"I need to get back to the geographical profile."

"Sure, but wait just a minute."

He turned back from the door with a very guarded face. "Thank you," She said.

He gave her a small smile that made her release the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "You're welcome. I really am very happy for you."

He turned back to the door again and again she stopped him. "Reid… I don't want to tell anyone but Hotch. I want to get past the first trimester before I tell the rest of the team."

"I won't say anything Emily. I promise."

"I know you won't… I trust you more than anyone."

He gave the same shy smile that didn't touch his eyes. "I need to get back."

He left the room and she stood staring at the door after it shut behind him. This news was so much different from the moment over twenty years ago when she'd stood in the bathroom next to her bedroom looking at the pregnancy test she'd taken as a frightened seventeen year old girl.

This time, she wanted the child that would be growing inside her. Still, there was something missing from the moment. What was it? She had everything she'd ever wanted now. There was no reason to think of needing something to fill a gap in her life. Still, something was missing from the picture leaving her feeling disappointed and a little empty.

She shook her head as if to clear it and opened the door. She better get back to work before the others got suspicious.

----

The jet was a welcome sight after three days of intense work. Thanks to a Garcia tracing an email sent to a reporter in Springfield, and Reid's work on the geographical profile, they had found the last victim and the man that had taken her. The girl would be alright with time and the support of her family.

Reid boarded the plane ahead of them and stretched out on the bench. He was asleep before the others had stowed their gear. Emily sat down in a chair that faced away from the sleeping form of the father of her child.

Don't you mean sperm donor. You confuse it in your mind, and pretty soon…

It was better not to go down that road.

Morgan sat across the way from her and pulled out a book. He read until the plane was in the air and Rossi was asleep. Jordan and Hotch were at the back of the plane. Hotch was deep into writing his report and Jordan was looking at their next case.

Emily had leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. She was drifting into that place you go to between sleep and awareness when Morgan's voice penetrated her almost escape.

"Emily…"

She refused to open her eyes.

"I know you're not asleep."

"Go away Morgan."

"I can't go anywhere… we're thirty thousand feet in the air."

She opened one eye. "That's funny. I'm trying to sleep here."

"What do you think is bugging Reid?"

"Nothing."

"How can you say that?"

"Leave him alone Morgan."

"I'm concerned!'

"No, you're nosy."

"Emily…"

She looked at him and was nearly convinced by his concerned eyes to spill everything. Almost!

"I'm going back to sleep. Why don't you get some rest too? It's going to be after midnight by the time we get home."

"Emily!"

"Good night Morgan."

She shut her eyes and let the sandman sprinkle his dream dust over her till the plane landed several hours later.

---

The foyer of her mother's home was wide enough to allow two cars driving side by side to traverse it. The floors were a light pink marble veined with gold. A white pedestal sat in the middle of the room between two wooden staircases that curved up to the second floor. There was a crystal vase in the precise center of the polished marble that held a single pink rose that matched the floor. Other smaller pedestals stood to either side of the staircase and held flowers of white and pink. The perfume of the flowers was subtle, yet sweet and inviting.

Her mother descended one of the staircases and crossed the foyer. Her heels clacked on the floor and she didn't look happy to be interrupted. She wore her hair down in dark waves around her face. Her dark blue suit was tailored to show off a body that was still trim despite her age. She wore a simple gold chain around her neck and small round diamonds in her ears. She smelled of the jasmine that Emily remembered from growing up.

"I'm very busy Emily. What is so important that you couldn't tell me on the phone?"

"Can we go to the library and talk?"

"Emily please…"

"Mother, I want to have a private talk with you. It won't take long!"

"There's no need to get upset." She walked away from her daughter and down the hall to a door set in the middle of the hallway. Emily followed as though she were a servant attending to the queen.

"Okay… Now that you've pulled me away from the Ambassador of France…"

"Mother!"

"Yes dear," She went to the wet bar set into the wall next to the windows that looked over the south side of the large estate.

"I'm pregnant mother."

Elizabeth Prentiss stopped in the act of sitting on a long black leather couch her husband had insisted on installing in the room despite the fact that the Ambassador thought it made the room look like a den. Emily sat down on the other end of the offending piece of furniture and was reminded by the squeaking of the material of her father.

"I hope you didn't get me down here for jokes Emily." She finished sitting down and the space between them was so much more then the distance provided by the couch.

"I'm pregnant. I thought you'd be happy mother. You're the one that's always wishing for grandchildren."

"Yes… I had hoped for a son-in-law first."

"We can't always get what we wish for."

"There's no need for sarcasm."

"Mother…" Emily turned and faced her mother directly. "I'm not a teenager anymore. I'm a grown woman that knows what she's doing. Granted, I don't have a man in my life, but frankly I don't need one. My child will have all the good male influence it needs from the men on my team."

"It's not the same thing!"

"I know that! But, I'm not going to run out and marry the first guy that shows the least bit of interest. The deed is done mother, and you'd better get used to it."

Mrs. Prentiss put down the glass of brandy she'd poured on the mahogany table that had been polished to a mirror shine, just like everything else in the house. "I don't suppose you'll tell me who the father is."

"I had an artificial insemination procedure done. Yes," She held up a hand to stop her mother's next comment. "I know who the father is. It wasn't an anonymous donor. However, we decided to keep it between the two of us. I won't betray him by telling you."

"Well I must say that I'm disappointed that you've given up on finding someone to love. You should have that in your life."

"Mother!"

"Alright… I obviously have no say in this. Is it alright to ask when the child will be arriving?"

"I'm due on the sixteenth of October."

"I'll tell the cook to expect one more for the holidays."

"That's not funny mother!"

"Can't a mother be happy for her child?"

Emily eyed her mother who got to her feet and was approaching. "Get up and give me a hug." She ordered her daughter.

Emily stood and gave the hug, but there was a gap that was more like a chasm that couldn't be bridged by good intentions and proper behavior.

---

Reid sat at the chair in his kitchen. The small wooden table was littered with crumpled pieces of paper and a paper plate that held half a slice of the combo pizza he'd ordered. The smell of onions, pepperoni, and cheese didn't permeate the haze of thoughts that swirled around in his head.

He couldn't get what he wanted to say down on paper no matter how hard he tried. It just wasn't something you could put into a letter. He picked up a clean sheet of paper and began to write. "Dear Mom… I have some news to tell you. You're going to be a grandmother."

He picked up the paper and crumpled it up. Some of the failed attempts lay on the floor around his feet. He added this endeavor to that pile and tried again. Why was this so hard? It's not like he was telling her face to face what he'd done.

Maybe you're having trouble because telling your mom will probably freak her out!

That was true enough! How did one tell his mother that he had agreed to a scheme involving donating sperm to impregnate a fellow employee?

It should be easy enough. Just write down:

Hey mom, it's me Spencer. Not much new going on here. We caught some bad guys. I had to call maintenance to fix the furnace last week. I nearly froze to death. Morgan has a new girlfriend and oh by the way… I donated my sperm to impregnate a friend. How was your week?

Yep, that would go over really well with a woman suffering from schizophrenia!

He pushed the paper away and put down the pen. The pizza was cold when he picked it up. It felt greasy, but he ate it anyway. What was a case of indigestion compared to the letter he couldn't right?

He picked up the pen again and took a clean sheet of paper from his notebook. He'd just right about his day, just like always and send it to her. She'd never see the child anyway… He'd made a bargain after all. He would stay away. Kids didn't like him anyway so it was no chore.

Dear Mom,

Do you remember how you always used to tell me that friends were the most valuable of all possessions? You used tell me that helping a friend was the best use of my time and energy. I know your proud of me mom. It took me a long time to realize if, but I believe it. I hope you'll still be proud of me when you read this letter.

So I'll just tell you… You've never met Emily. She replaced Elle on my team at work. She's a wonderful woman and very pretty. She's several years older them me, but I don't' really realize it when I talk to her. She's very smart and a great profiler.

She decided that she wanted to have a baby. She isn't married and she just got tired of waiting to find someone to love I guess. I don't understand because I think she's great.

Anyway, she decided to have artificial insemination done. She asked me to be her donor and I agreed. She's pregnant mom. The baby is going to be born a week before my next birthday.

I love you mom. I hope you understand that this is something I had to do for a friend. I hope one day you'll be able to meet your grandchild.

I'll write more tomorrow.

Love,

Spencer

He read over the letter. It was as good as it was going to get. So why did he feel so empty?