Disclaimer: see my profile

Warning: see my profile and the first chapter.

A/n hey all... I just wanted to thank you all for your continued support of this story. Also, a big shout out to my excellent beta REIDFANATIC, who keeps me honest and on track. Here's the next chapter for you. Enjoy and have a great weekend.

Emily pushed the button on the remote for her DVD Player. The screen went blue, and then displayed the terse warning in black and white from the FBI that proclaimed copying, or showing the movie in public for profit, was illegal and so on. She arranged the pillows Helga had brought down for her behind her head and one behind her back. The glass of milk on the coffee table was full and a plate of chocolate chip cookies, warm from the oven smelled like summer to her.

Helga rattled dishes in the kitchen as the opening credits played on screen. Emily looked around the brownstone, which was in pristine order thanks to her new housekeeper, which Reid had hired without telling her. She grinned to herself, thinking of how angry she tried to be at his interference - then Helga had cooked for her and it was all over - as she knew Reid had planned.

"I'll be leaving now, if there is anything else ya need before I go? Helga said behind her in a voice of slightly accented German.

Emily jumped in surprise. The woman could move very silently for her size, which were six feet tall and over two hundred pounds. She wore a crisp grey uniform that hugged her impressive curves and matched the color of her eyes and hair. The smile she always wore for Emily was as warm as her eyes. Her face was round with rosy cheeks and lips. She patted Emily's hand with her large one.

"No Helga… Thank you very much."

"Gut… I vill be going. Tell the handsome Dr. Reid that I vill bring him some strudel next week, ja?"

Emily bit back a laugh. "Sure!"

"He is too skinny. My grandmother would be very angry, God rest her soul, if she were here and saw Dr Reid. She would say "Helga, he is too skinny, feed him." He is very gut looking though."

Emily smirked at the television. This was great blackmail material if he began to annoy her again. "I'll tell him." Emily promised.

"Watch your movie and rest. You must also drink your milk and eat ze cookies. Then the baby will be strong and healthy, and beautiful." She beamed.

"Yes ma'am…" The urge to laugh was nearly overwhelming.

Helga finally left, locking the front door behind her. Sophie came out of hiding from the downstairs bathroom as soon as the door locked and it was safe. She jumped up on the couch and lay down next to Emily's feet.

"Why do you get to hide and I have to deal with her." Emily asked the cat who ignored her.

Emily made it halfway through her favorite old movie, "Desk Set," before a brief knock on her door and a key in the lock made her heart leap.

Sophie jumped down and ran to greet Reid with a loud meow. She wove around his ankles and Emily tried to get up from the couch.

"Stay put!" He commanded.

"You just missed Helga."

"Oh," He went to the bookcase and ran a finger along the top shelf.

"Spencer!"

"What?"

"Don't play innocent with me. Helga's a perfectly good housekeeper."

"I didn't say anything."

She narrowed her eyes at him and he shifted uncomfortably. "What do you call running your finger over the shelves like you're a drill sergeant in the army? She came with excellent references and passed your background checks. What more do you want?"

"I just want you to be safe."

"The only thing I'm in danger of is gaining fifty pounds from her cooking."

He dropped his bag on the floor and sat down. "I can talk to her."

"Right… She calls you leibchen, and makes you eat every time she sees you. I don't think talking to her is going to work."

He blushed crimson and picked up Sophie who inserted her claws into the material of his dark blue sweater vest.

"She told me to tell you she's making more strudel for you next week."

His eyes lit up like stars. Then at the look on Emily's face, he decided to look anywhere but right at her.

"She thinks you're too skinny."

He rolled his eyes. "Everyone says that."

"It's true! So," she decided to change the subject. "Why are you here? I thought we had a case."

"We do… I have a couple of hours and I wanted to show you something.'

"Spencer, we just saw each other this morning. You don't have to make excuses to talk to me."

"I know, but ever since you went part time, I've missed you."

"I miss seeing you too. Nothing is going to change for us just because Hotch bullied me into cutting down to half time.

"I know!"

"What did you want to show me?"

Reid's eyes lit up again. He opened his messenger bag and pulled out a stack of pamphlets. The colorful brochures fanned out on the table where he dropped them. Sophia jumped from his arms to the table and sniffed at the slippery paper. She meowed at Reid.

"What's all this?" Emily asked the question Sophie seemed to be trying to ask.

"My research on schools for the baby," He said eagerly.

"Honey, the baby hasn't been born yet."

His beautiful eyes turned sad and defeated in an instant. "But, some of the schools have up to a five year waiting list so I thought we could apply now."

How am I supposed to say no to those puppy eyes?

"Okay baby, what did you find out in your research?"

"Um… the first one I thought we'd check out is "The Potomac Academy for Gifted Children." They have programs for gifted children that let them learn at their own pace so they don't have to conform to a graded system.

The school was founded in 1980. It was one of the first of its kind. The board has senators, doctor, lawyers and corporate CEOs. It's located on the DC side of the river."

"So you think the baby will be a genius like you."

"No. I hope it's not. I don't want any child to suffer like I did."

"Baby…"

"It's okay. We're going to do everything different."

"Yes we are! Our baby is going to be so loved that he or she will know that they can do anything they want in life."

His eyes embraced her and she felt warm all over as though a breath of warm sunshine had enveloped her. The baby kicked and it made her smile.

"So… Do you want to hear about the rest?" He asked.

She nodded and listened to him extol the virtues of seven more schools including two in Baltimore, one in New York and one in Vermont.

"Wait! I'm not sending my baby away to school."

"Um, okay," He threw four of the brochures over his back as she laughed.

"What if the baby only has my brains?" She asked.

"You're very smart. I won't have you run yourself down like that."

"Don't sound so irritated. No one is as smart as you." She reminded him.

"That's not true! There are many people out there with higher IQs than mine. Even if the baby isn't in that category, we need to pick a good school."

"I'm sure you found at least one appropriate choice."

"Yeah… I researched the private and public schools in this area. The best private school is The Montgomery Academy. Many government employees, diplomats and other upper class families send their kids there. They have the best academic program in the state for a graded school. The security is top notch. Hotch looked it over himself a few years back when there was word that one of the children had been targeted for a kidnapping ."

"If Hotch said its okay, you can't argue with that." Emily quipped.

She finished the last of her milk and took another cookie off the plate. "Hey, have a cookie or I'll eat all of them."

He leaned over to grab one of the huge cookies and she saw his eyes glance over her glass of milk. "Let me get you something to drink"

"No!" He reached over and pushed her back. "I'll get it."

Sophie was looking at Emily with eyes that made her think that the cat was laughing at her. "You think it's funny because you're not pregnant." Emily grumbled.

She watched Reid walk back into the room with a glass of milk, which was weird. He didn't drink milk in front of the team, just coffee. His grey cords and the cranberry dress shirt he wore with a dark blue tie were so geeky sexy, she almost attempted to get up and grab him. How could someone so attractive not know his appeal? He sat down on the couch, moving with a grace that most people didn't see.

She should just slide over on the couch and kiss him. Hm… What would his mouth taste like today? Would it be milk, or the coffee she knew he still drank when she wasn't around? His face would be smooth and silky to the touch. Her fingers could feel the smoothness of his tie as she pulled it off his neck.

There was a spot on the right side of his face at the jaw that was her favorite place to kiss him because he melted into putty.

You all but ordered him not to touch you the last time you were all alone together. He probably doesn't want you now.

"Emily?"

"What?" Her face felt hot. Was she blushing?

"Didn't you hear what I said?

"No, I was just thinking you're the sweetest guy I know."

He blushed and she grinned up at him.

"So what were you saying?" She prodded him.

"Well, I was saying that this dream of a good school might just be a dream. We're government employees. We can't afford tuition to any of these schools."

"Reid I…"

His phone rang, interrupting her. He answered it and by the look on his face, she knew their talk was over.

"That was JJ… There's been a development. I have to go now. Garcia will call you with the details."

He left his glass of milk on the table with a half-eaten cookie. He bent down and kissed her just as she had imagined before the phone had rung. It made her feel warm all over.

"I love you baby… Please be careful. "

"I will. I promise not to wander off on my own." He crossed his heart.

"Call me when you get there."

"Now who's nagging?" He laughed.

"I wish I were going instead of seeing mom tomorrow."

"It'll be okay. Just remember what we talked about, you're an adult and she isn't the boss of you."

Emily laughed and kissed him hard. "Easy for you to say… Get going before Hotch calls you again."