Author's Note: I don't own Criminal Minds so please don't sue me!

Chapter 18 All Together Now

Olivia stood at the front entrance, glancing at her watch. She was still waiting on Morgan before she could start the tour. The rest of the BAU members were there with their "dates". Garcia had brought Kevin along, although Olivia had a slight feeling Kevin was terrified of being so close to the tigers. Maybe it was because he let out a cry of fright when she mentioned they would be able to feed the cubs. Hotch brought his son, Jack, who was jumping up and down with excitement. Hotch had told Olivia Jack loved tigers and couldn't wait to pet one.

"I wanna feed one too!" Jack said joyfully and Olivia chuckled.

"Tell you what, you can be my assistant for the day," she said.

"Really?" asked Jack, his eyes wide in amazement.

"Really, really," said Olivia and Jack looked like he was on cloud nine. Hotch gave Olivia one of his rare smiles as Jack began running around, reading the information on the posters.

Rossi was leaning against the wall while chatting with his date, a beautiful dark-haired woman with bright green eyes and lively personality. Apparently she was his newest girlfriend named Amy. Olivia liked her and hoped it would work out between them. Emily had brought her mother and they were standing there in an awkward silence. Sure, they were getting along better than before but that didn't mean they were best friends just yet. Olivia hoped this would help the mother and daughter become closer. She couldn't imagine not having a good relationship with her mother. J.J brought her son Henry and her husband Will. She told Olivia that Spencer had given her his extra ticket so she could bring them both.

"I thought they should enjoy this as a family," said Spencer quietly and Olivia told him it was a great idea.

"Can't we just go without Morgan?" Garcia asked, impatient to get going, "He's ten minutes late already!"

"No way, I want to see who his date is!" said Emily, "Morgan hasn't said a word about her all week and he would usually jump at the chance to brag. She must be someone special."

"We'll wait another five minutes and then we'll go, okay?" Olivia said just as Garcia opened her mouth. The technical analysis sighed, but agreed.

Olivia leaned back into Spencer and sighed contentedly. Spending the holidays with Spencer had been so much fun. The Christmas party had been amazing and hilarious (watching Morgan trying to cut in on Kevin and Garcia's dancing had them all in stitches), and even going out to Las Vegas to see Spencer's mother was fun. Mrs. Reid seemed like a very nice lady and it was obvious she loved her son very much. She loved the letters she received from him and kept them all in a box. Olivia remembered Spencer mentioning that her box was getting to the point where it wouldn't close without wrapping a rubber band around it so, for Christmas, Olivia got Spencer's mother a new box for her letters. The older woman, who had been wary of her at first, smiled widely at the gift. When Spencer left to talk to one of the nurses, Mrs. Reid patted the chair next to her for Olivia to sit in.

"This is a beautiful gift," she said, looking at the carved mahogany box in her hands, "It was very thoughtful of you."

"It was nothing, Mrs. Reid," said Olivia kindly, "I just wanted to make sure you could keep all of your son's letters together."

"My son is a very special boy," said the older woman, fingering the carvings nervously, "He's all I have left really."

Olivia shifted uncomfortably and said slowly, "Ma'am, if you believe that I would ever try to get between you and Spencer, I can promise you not only would it be impossible, I would never do that. Your son loves you more than I can say in words and I would never get between that."

"I know, I can tell," she said with a small smile, "Spencer's happier around you. There's something in his eyes when he looks at you." She looked up at Olivia and, seeing her doubtful expression, continued, "My dear, I may be in a sanitarium but I am not stupid. I'm his mother, I know these things. And besides being a mother, I'm also a woman and I know that look you give him when he's not looking."

Olivia looked at her hands and blushed furiously. "I…I-I do love your son, Mrs. Reid," she stuttered, "Very much actually."

"Well good, because I know he loves you too," the older woman said happily, setting the box on the desk, "Now, I want to know the minute he proposes to you and-"

"Mother!" said Spencer, who had just come back into the room to hear his mother talking about wedding plans, "The nurse said that it's time for the doctor to come and check up on you."

"Very well," said Mrs. Reid as she rose to her feet and looked her son up and down. She turned to Olivia and asked, "Do you cook much, Olivia?"

"Yes ma'am, I love to."

"Great, because my son is all skin and bones. He could do with a few good home-cooked meals," she said with a smile and left the couple blushing a bright red for several moments before leaving for their hotel.

Olivia smiled at the memory and snuck a look at Spencer. He was watching Hotch kneeling down to read something to Jack, a wistful smile on the young doctor's face. She was just about to ask him what he was thinking about when the door opened and Morgan entered, alone.

"About time Morgan!" said Prentiss, "Where's your date?"

"On the way, they drove and are parking right now," said Morgan, a knowing grin on his face.

"Morgan, I hate when you smile like that and haven't told me what you're planning!" Garcia said with a playful pout.

"Don't worry baby girl, you'll find out soon enough. Ah, here's my date!"

The doors opened and silence fell. Everyone stared at the figure before them. No way, it couldn't be…could it?

"Gideon?" Spencer managed to croak out, staring at his ex-boss with wide eyes.

Jason Gideon smiled and everyone ran over to the man, except Olivia, Morgan, and Spencer. Reid continued to stare as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

"How did you find him?" he asked Morgan.

"It took a lot of digging and I had to use up some old favors, but it was worth it I think," Morgan said happily, "I thought it'd be nice to get the old team back together."

"That was really sweet of you, Morgan," said Garcia, who had heard this and was staring at Morgan with an odd look on her face.

"You don't call me your dark chocolate for nothing, baby girl," said Morgan with a wink and Garcia blushed. Wait, she blushed? At something Morgan said? Olivia looked at Spencer and could tell even he was confused by this. Kevin noticed too but his face was oddly calm.

"Go talk to Gideon," said Olivia quietly to Reid, "I'm sure he wants to talk to you as much as you do to him."

"Do you think he'll…what I mean is…do you think he even wants to be here?" he asked in a whisper.

"Trust me Spence, Morgan isn't that persuasive, no matter how much he thinks he is," said Olivia with a smile, "If Gideon didn't want to be here, he wouldn't be. Go on, I'm just going to check on a few things and then we'll start the tour."

Reid nodded and took a deep breath before walking over to the man. Gideon, who had been talking with Hotch, stopped immediately once he saw Spencer making his way over to him. Olivia watched, holding her breath.

"Hello Spencer," said Gideon. He hardly ever called him Spencer so the young genius looked shocked at being addressed like that.

"H-Hello Gideon," he said awkwardly with his hands in his pockets. They stood in silence for a while before Gideon reached out and put an arm on his protégé's shoulder, a small smile on his lips. Spencer relaxed somewhat and they began talking about work. Olivia released her breath and grinned, going back into the room to make sure everything was ready.

When she returned, she found Spencer and Gideon still talking and Kevin and Garcia whispering back and forth, obviously arguing about something. She decided now would be a good time to head off.

"All right everyone, let's move out!" she said with a smile and the rest of the group followed her.

Olivia felt so at ease as she talked with these people. She had never led the tours at the zoos because she was too shy to talk with complete strangers and here, they didn't get many visitors. However she felt like she was talking with, dare she say it, her family. Yes, even though she wasn't a member of the BAU, they had always made her feel welcome. They listened to her with rapt attention and were just really fun to talk to.

Finally at the end, they arrived at the cub's play pen. Olivia let Jack go first, since he was jumping up and down with his hand in the air, and watched as the little boy patted the tiger cub's head gleefully. Everyone else lined up and got to hold the cub, except for little Henry of course. When it was Kevin's turn, he just shook his head and walked out of the room. Garcia rolled her eyes.

"Oh let him go!" she snapped, "God, he's worse than a toddler sometimes, I swear!"

"Um…well, we should get back," said J.J after an awkward pause, "It's almost Henry's nap time."

Everyone else quickly jumped on the idea and started filing out of the building. Olivia thanked them all for coming and promised to visit later. She turned to ask Spencer if he needed a ride home to find him talking with Gideon. The older man was handing the young doctor a business card and left with a smile. It was only Spencer, Olivia, Morgan, and Garcia left. Garcia pulled out her cell phone with a heavy sigh and Morgan caught the other two's eyes, silently asking them for a moment alone.

"Come on," Spencer whispered and took Olivia's hand, walking around a corner. He opened a door and closed it again, sneaking back to the corner so they could hear.

"Do you make it a habit of eavesdropping?" asked Olivia so quietly that she was sure Spencer wouldn't hear her. He just smiled and put a finger to his lips.

"You need a ride?" Morgan was asking and there was another heavy sigh.

"No, I'm good. I'll just call a taxi or whatever," said Garcia bitterly.

"It's really no trouble, you're only-"

"I said I'm good," she snapped and Olivia cringed at the harshness of her words.

"All right," he said and Olivia heard footsteps. Suddenly, they stopped and she could've sworn she heard him say, "God, that idiot lost something real special."

"I'm sorry?" Garcia asked.

"I said Kevin really screwed up this time," said Morgan, "I don't know what happened between you two but if it was me, I'd have apologized even if it wasn't my fault just because I wouldn't be able to handle loosing you."

There was a pause before Garcia said in a shaky voice, "He got angry after the Christmas party because you kept trying to cut in and I defended you. I told him you were my friend and I had just as much a right to dance with you as with him. He freaked out, saying he's put up with our flirting even though I've told him a thousand times that it doesn't mean anything. He just got so controlling and…and I guess this was the final straw. He didn't want me to come just because he's scared of wild beasts, but I couldn't just not come! Olivia's my friend and I was really excited to see what she does."

"Stupid pansy," Morgan muttered and there was sniffling. Olivia heard Morgan cross the floor and him whisper, "It's okay baby girl. Any man in his right mind would know that it doesn't help a relationship by being a controlling son of a…anyway, he should've known better and, frankly, it's his loss. One day, you'll find some great guy and you'll get married, having nineteen kids and counting…"

Garcia let out a laugh and said, "Oh God, going into labor nineteen times would be absolutely horrible! Thanks Morgan, I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'd still be the same amazing woman you are now, I just make you laugh more," said Morgan.

"All right, enough of this meaningless flirting. I need to call a cab."

"Whoever said I didn't mean it?" said Morgan quietly, "Garcia, I always mean every word I say to you. You are my sunshine, my queen, my baby girl."

"W-What do you mean?"

"Man, you would think being called a lady's man would mean I was good at this," he said and took a deep breath, "Penelope, I…I've always liked you, okay? And, well, you're the only girl that I've liked more than for their looks, though I'm not saying that you're not extremely attractive. I mean…dammit, I sound like Reid right now!"

Olivia turned to Spencer and found him rolling his eyes. She just grinned and gave his hand a squeeze, turning back to the conversation.

"See what I mean? I've never gotten tongue-tied around a girl before and yet here I am! What I'm trying to ask is, would you like to go out with me tomorrow night?" he asked.

There was a pause and Olivia held her breath. Finally, Garcia spoke and said, "Derek Morgan, you have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you say that and really mean it!"

"So is that a yes?"

"Of course!" Garcia squealed.

There was silence and the two eavesdroppers poked their heads around the corner to find the other two lovebirds locked in a passionate embrace. Olivia felt Reid grab her hand and lead her through the door to an office, closing the door behind him silently.

"Well about time!" he said with a huge grin on his face, "It took them long enough."

"Have they really liked each other for that long?" Olivia asked, leaning against the desk while Spencer casually leaned against the door.

"Oh yeah," he said with a chuckle, "They were just too afraid to say anything to each other, kind of like someone else I know."

Olivia looked at Spencer with confusion but saw his look and blushed, knowing he was talking about her.

"I didn't think you'd like me back," she muttered, "Obviously I was wrong."

"Totally and completely wrong, but I'll forgive you as long as you answer one question," said Reid, his smile fading and he stood up straighter. Olivia nodded and he continued, "I know we haven't really put a "label" on our relationship and I was wondering if…well…um-"

"Yes," she said, not waiting for him to ask because she knew exactly what he was going to say, "How could you think I would say no to being your girlfriend?"

He grinned and closed the gap between them, holding her tightly to him. Olivia sighed happily and felt herself relax in his arms. This was what it was supposed to be like, this was what it was like to love and be loved in return. All the times Emma had tried to explain love to her, Olivia had just written it off as something she would never have for herself. Every guy she ever knew was either a complete jackass or strictly a friend. Olivia had thought she would never find the "perfect guy", that he never existed. However she was wrong, and it took a horrible situation for her to realize how wrong she was.

"I love you Spencer," she whispered into his chest. She felt him kiss the top of her head and smiled.

"I love you too, Olivia," he said.

Her mother's words when she found out she had cancer were ringing in her mind: When God closes a door, He opens another. The life she had always known was gone now, but now she had a much brighter future to look forward to. A future that would, hopefully at least, include the man in front of her.

Author's Note: Aw, gotta love a little fluff every once in a while! So my next update will be my last chapter. I know, I know, I'm sad too! I've enjoyed writing this so much and the response to this story has been fantastic. The next chapter will just be a nice little-wrap up full of laughs and, of course, an awkward Spencer! Why will he be awkward you may ask? I'm not going to tell you because you'll find out soon enough. Hehe! My next update will probably be in a few days just because I need to write it up. I have it all planned out, but no time to write! Grr, stupid school…I hate college applications! But fear not, I will do my best to have it posted before the end of the week or at the very latest, by Sunday evening.

Thank you all for your lovely reviews, having me on alerts, and putting me in your favorites! This will be the second to last time for me to ask you this but please PLEASE leave your thoughts and comments in a review! I promise that I do read them and even answer you back! Thank you! :)