Spencer closed his eyes as he listened to Ryan's heart beat.

"Thank you for letting me stay here tonight. My house seemed so...empty."

Ryan continued to run her fingers through his hair. "It's fine, Spence. You don't have to thank me."

Spencer opened his eyes again, playing with the hem on the woman's t-shirt.

"Have you ever thought about cutting your hair?"

Spencer looked up at her. "My hair?"

"Yeah, you'd look good."

"I don't look good now?"

Ryan chuckled and kissed his temple. "You look good now. I didn't say that."

Spencer turned, resting his weight on his elbows as he looks at her. "You want to cut my hair?"

Ryan pushed his hair out of his face. "It'll grow back."

Spencer stared at her. "You promise not to mess it up?"

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Are you really worried about your hair? I didn't know you were so vain, Spencer Reid."

"No. Did you know that in many religions-"

Ryan kissed him. "You can tell me everything you want to if you let me cut your hair."

Criminal Minds || Viva Las Vegas

Grey grinned. "Goldilocks, what happened?"

Spencer ran his hand through his hair."Ryan."

Elle chuckled. "She's got you wrapped around her little finger. It looks good. It's...like when I first met you, yet...stylish instead of nerdy."

Grey laughed. "You look good, Doc."

Ryan entered the floor, seeing Spencer, Elle and Grey. She smiled, walking up to them. She ran her hand up the man's neck, tugging slightly at the back of his hair, now much, much shorter.

Spencer turned to look at her. "I still state it's too short."

"And it'll grow back." Ryan said and kissed his cheek. "You look great."

Grey grinned at the two of them. "You two look good together, just don't ever have kids."

Ryan gave him a look. "What?"

"Your kids will have crazy curly hair, like insane afros."

Spencer looked at Ryan who looked amused. Her hair was completely curly. Their two recessive genes would definitely end up with curly hair.

Elle watched as Spencer seemed to retreat inside his head. "Any way..."

Spencer looked at them before shaking his head. "I'll be in my office."

Ryan looked at the two before following the man. "Do you really hate it?" She asked, looking at him.

Sarah looked up. "Wow, Dr. Reid. I like your haircut."

Spencer smiled at her. "Thanks, Sarah."

Sarah looked between the two and sighed. "I'll go see if...something."

Ryan laughed, looking at her as she left. "Do you think she gets sick of getting kicked out of her own office?"

Spencer leaned against his desk, looking at the door. "Yeah. most likely."

Ryan took a step, wrapping his arms around her neck. "I really like your hair." She said, teasing the back on his neck.

Spencer looked up at the clock. "It's 7:59."

Ryan rolled her eyes. "Yes, boss." She kissed his lips. "See you at lunch?"

Spencer smiled and kissed her again. "Going to see my mom at lunch. We'll get dinner."

Ryan kissed him, tugging at his tie. "Your place."

"My place. Now get to work."

Criminal Minds || Viva Las Vegas

Spencer sat next to his mother as she stared out the window.

"Mom."

He glanced at her as she continued to stare. He sighed, turning to stare at the trees as well.

"Henry's my son."

Still nothing.

Spencer turned to look at her.

"I really need your advice, mom. I... I want.. I need to be a good parent and I'm not sure if I'm doing anything right. You always pushed me to be who I was, to use my gifts and... is that the right thing to do?"

He shook his head, knowing he wasn't going to get any answers.

"I watch him as he sleeps and I wonder about the things he'll go through. I wonder if he's going to be happy. I wonder if making him go back and forth is the right thing to do or if I'm being selfish. I wonder if he'll get picked on and abused. I worry that he'll be called a freak and..no one will want to be his friend."

He looked down at his hands. "I worry that JJ will leave...even thought I know that's ridiculous. She loves him so much, Mom. She's... she's a great mother. You were a great mother too, I'm not saying that. You are still a great mother and I'm very proud to be your son. I wouldn't change anything about what happened. If anything, I wish I could have taken better care of you.

I understand it wasn't your fault and I think, somewhere I know that...Dad did the best he could too... I just... I want my son to have better. Is that... wrong? I don't want him to have to worry about all this. I just want him to...enjoy as long as he can. I want to protect him from everything. I don't want him to be me, Mom. I don't want him to have to go through all that stuff. He deserves to have friends and know... things other than statistics and chemical reactions and 15th century literature."

Spencer looked at his mother one last time before standing up. "I should go, though. I'll see you later."

He paused at the door, before looking back at her. She had barely moved the whole time he had spoken. "...I love you, Mom."

Criminal Minds || Viva Las Vegas

"You really like my haircut." Spencer said, looking to his side. Ryan snuggled into his chest.

"I do. You going to tell me what was bothering you yet?"

He kissed her temple. "Do I have to?"

She looked up at him, her fingertips against his bare chest. "I'd like to help."

"I visited my mom today and she was catatonic."

Ryan frowned and kissed his chest. "I'm sorry."

Spencer shook his head. "It's.. I'm used to that. It's part of her illness and the medications."

"So why were you upset?"

"I wasn't upset, I was...thoughtful."

Ryan moved more so she could see his eyes. "Thoughful, huh?"

"What were your parents like?"

Ryan laid her head on his chest. "My parents? Well... My mom was Georgian. She was born and raised in that country and then came to America in her twenties. She was an excellent cook. She was always cooking. She was a vegetarian and always would cook delicious vegetarian foods and my dad...hated it and would always make steak. He was a real New Yorker, you know the type? A real strong man who loved me and Max."

"Your brother?"

Ryan nodded. "His name was Maxare, which is Georgian. It was my mother's father's name."

"Who are you named after?"

"My mother's brother."

"His name was Ryan?"

"He was born in the US. My Grandma left my mom and my grandfather in Georgia while she came to the US to give birth to my Uncle. She wanted the best for her kids and being a US citzen...was better than being a Georgian citizen, I guess."

"Well Yeah, It would have been under Russian's control due to World War Two."

"Yeah, exactly. Forgot you know everything."

Spencer smiled at her. "Was your mother kind?"

Ryan smiled. "My mother was strict, but very kind. She was the disciplinary, but she would always give us a choice of corporal punishment, or something like taking away my Barbies for a week."

Spencer smile grew. "Barbies?"

"Shut up." She grinned at him. "She taught me music. My mother was a very good singer, but she'd only ever sing in Georgian."

"Like the lullaby."

Ryan nodded.

"And your dad?"

"My dad was my hero. He was everything I wanted to be, you know? He saved people and he... he was warm and loving and tough. He was a big guy, like 6'3 and massive and could be really loud and obnoxious, but he'd hold me and tell me stories, and I felt... completely safe. Like nothing could ever hurt me. I never thought he'd ever... I thought he was impenetrable. Unbreakable, you know?"

Spencer wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer when he heard her voice crack.

"They sound amazing. It sounds like you had a great childhood."

"I did."

"I hope Henry can someday look back on his childhood and his recollections be more like yours than mine."

Ryan looked up at him. "Henry's going to look back on his childhood and think that his dad is awesome."

Spence smiled a little. "Awesome, huh?"

Ryan kissed his lips. "Don't question my word choice. You inspire admiration for the things you've done and will do. Awesome is a wonderful word."

Spencer kissed her. "You're awesome."