I do not own Criminal Minds. My thanks to my sister for being my beta. Please Read and Review.

Also please do not forget to vote in the People's Choice Awards under Chit Chat on Author's Corner in the Forum.

As well the book, "52 Recipes to Heat Up Your Sex Life" was written by Dr. Gabrielle Morrissey.

Chapter #39

Ashley flipped down the visor one last time as Reid pulled up in the parking lot of the Café Du Parc. She still wasn't sure about the midnight black sleeveless dress with the low scoop neck, but it was only dress that was clean and covered her bandages. At least her makeup covered her bruises nicely.

"Quit fussing, you look beautiful," Reid said as he pulled into a parking spot. She still looked at him. He wore an eggplant purple shirt with a ink black tie and charcoal grey sport jacket with matching slacks. She pushed up the visor.

"Considering this is the third time. First time was at the bar after the fight, second time was in the hospital where I was black and blue. Now, there are no excuses," she said waving her index finger at him.

"This is the last chance of making the first impression with your family." She leans back on her seat. She twisted her gold ring with her left hand as Reid backed his Volvo out of the spot and pulled back in, straightening out his car.

"But I am just wondering why they want to meet us at this fancy place?"

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "I have no idea, but it will be ok. I told you, I will be with you every step of the way." She blew out a breath, knowing that sooner or later, his team, family, will know about her past. Might as well bite the bullet. She just hoped it was after dinner.

He set his car in park and turned off the ignition. He walked around to her car door and opened it for her. She stepped out, setting a black purse that she was able to borrow from one of her friends, on her shoulder and wrapped her self with a charcoal black metallic shawl. He took both of her hands, holding them in his, gently kissing her.

"I love you," he whispered. She smiled, kissing him back then wiping her lipstick off of his lips where she smiled. She was happy that she was doing the little things that couple do, with Reid.

"I love you too," she said. Reid let go of her right hand and lead her inside of the restaurant.

Café Du Parc was a four star French restaurant which also had a scotch bar and a jazz band at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington D.C. . She still wondered about the place. To be honest, she would have been ok if they meet at Subway or any inexpensive place. Although Reid did look very handsome in his suit and his brown hair brushed back and set in place with gel.

"They told me to meet them at the bar first, have drinks, then dinner," he said as they walked together.

She nodded her head, "Do you want me to drive us home," she asked. She had a feeling that Reid would need a good stiff drink or at least, he would be having one for her.

He shook his head no, "I'll be fine." She held his hand tighter as they walked into a bar called The Round Robin Scotch Bar. Sure enough the same bartender that Ashley dealt with in her past was there, serving drinks to other people.

"It's ok, he is not going to do anything until you give him the money," he whispered in her ear. She nodded her head, but she still avoids looking at the bar. This was their night and she wasn't going to let her past ruin it for them.

The bar was slightly smoky where they can easily smell the cigars and pipes. This place was definitely a man's hangout with dark teak wood and rich red leather booths and furniture. The walls were spruce green with prints of unknown people hung on the wall.

Live jazz music could be heard throughout the bar which Ashley knew there was the band was playing behind the deep green curtains which lead out to the larger seating area. Café Du Parc was above the bar. She knew that the bar held old scotches and fine wines. Reid pushed the curtain away from them as he led her inside.

"There they are," Reid said as he raised his chin up. Ashley looked up, seeing his team sitting at this large booth at the corner. Reid gave them a small wave as they approached the table.

Hotch, Rossi, and Prentiss were sitting in the booth against the wall while the empty booth facing them was empty which she assumed that were her seats. JJ was with a man that she didn't recognize, Morgan and Garcia were sitting in chairs placed around the table. Ashley saw empty champagne flutes on the table with the team's individual drinks. There were two silver ice buckets with two bottles, sitting neatly beside the table.

"Hey Pretty Boy," Morgan said as he stood up to make room for the couple to sit in the booth.

Ashley raised her eyebrows, "Pretty boy," Ashley asked looking at her boyfriend.

"That is what my big chocolate supernatural being on earth calls him." OK, she thought, another of Garcia's nicknames.

"Umm, I don't think you have meet Hotch," Reid said as he pointed to his boss.

She shook her head, "This is my supervisor, Aaron Hotchner, and we all just call him Hotch." Hotch stood up and leaned forward to shake Ashley's hand.

"Well it is finally good to meet you," he said. "So how are you feeling these days?"

Ashley smiled, "I'm still a bit sore, but feeling much better now, thank you."

"Well if you need anything," he offered.

She smiled, "I will remember that when I move back to my place," she teased.

"Oh, this is my boyfriend Will LaMontagne," JJ introduced the stranger to Ashley where she too shook his hand.

Before he can speak, a cork popped which made Ashley jumped. Seeing it was Rossi that was already standing, holding a champagne bottle where she laid her hand on her chest, breathing out a sigh relief.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you," he said. "I thought we should have champagne to celebrate."

Ashley looked at Reid where he had no idea of what was going on, before muttering uh-oh. Reid seeing her reaction and still had no idea of what they were celebrating, "Celebrating what," he asked.

"Your engagement, silly," Garcia answered.

Ashley cringed, thinking, oh shit. "We are not engaged," she quickly said. Even though, the bar was noisy with the music playing and other people talking and laughing, you could still hear a pin dropped at the table from the silence. Now with the fear of feeling awkward fast approaching her, Ashley really wish that they started asking her questions about her days as a call girl. That would probably be a whole lot easier to handle compare to this.

"Honestly it's ok. Even though, Spencer and I do love each other and we are open to the idea of getting married, but we are not ready," she explained, trying to fix this.

"So we made a promise that night." She squeezed his hand tighter, hoping to have this embarrassment past quickly.

"Oh. We're sorry for the mistake. But when Spence called me and said that he had a surprise for you and I saw that ring box, I kind of assumed that he was," JJ started to explain.

"Going to ask me to marry him. Don't feel bad," Ashley started to say, as she waved her right hand in front of herself.

"After chasing that ring around the pool," she said, fondly remembers of how Reid caught the ring box before it fell into the pool. She could see the looks that Morgan and Garcia had when she said that, but she continued. If they wanted to know, they would ask.

"He got on one knee and I thought the same thing," she said. She looked up at Reid who again smiled sheepishly.

"It was a promise ring that I gave her," he finally said.

"Actually promise rings date back to the 16th century. Traditionally, the ring is called a "friendship ring" when there is no promise to marry and a "promise ring" when there is a promise. In those days, when a man could not afford to get married, he would often give his intended bride a promise ring as a placeholder until marriage became possible."

Ashley watched them, how their eyes glazed over before Hotch interrupted, "Reid, we understand. Why don't you sit down?"

She smiled as she slides into the empty booth seat, "I usually just kiss him when he does that," she said where everyone laughs which lightened up the mood.

"Oh, I got to remember that," Garcia teased where Ashley saw Reid raising his eyebrows up. She knew that he was thinking, oh no which made her to smile even more. She was really starting to like Garcia.

"So let us see," she said. Ashley held out her right hand where Garcia held it. It wasn't long before she heard Garcia giving an ohhhing sound.

"I was really touched of how you set up that guesthouse, it was wonderful," she said, waiting for Garcia to give her hand back. Finally she let it go where Ashley was able to lean back in her seat.

During that time, Rossi started pouring the champagne, but when he got to Ashley's glass, she covered it with her hand, stopping him.

"None for me, please," she said.

"Are you sure, it is Cristal, suppose to be the best champagne," Rossi boasted.

"I know it is. I had it on a few occasions."

"Uhh, Dave, she is in recovery," JJ tried to explained as she elbowed Will. He looked at her where he realized of what she wanted. He reached for the second bottle and started peeling off the gold foil. Meanwhile Rossi looked at Ashley where she nodded her head.

"Oh, I am sorry. Reid," he said, as he offered the champagne to him. Reid shook his head no; he didn't feel right of drinking in front of Ashley.

She looked at him, "It's ok if you want to have a drink," she assured him. He squeezed her hand underneath the table, letting her know that he was fine. Another cork popped where Ashley looked at Will.

"We also have sparkling cider," Will offer as he filled Ashley's glass. He then filled Reid and JJ before setting the bottle back in the bucket.

"Chasing after the ring," Prentiss asked. Again Reid smiled sheepishly where he explained of how he dropped the box and it nearly rolled into the pool before he was able to catch it. Everyone at the table smiled and a few of them let out a little laugh.

"So Ashley, Reid told me that you teach arts and crafts to children and sing," Prentiss said.

"Well I am a back up singer and write most of the songs there. I also teach scrap-booking to adults. I am also a hair dresser, uncertified and a welder, uncertified as well."

"So you can probably give pretty boy a haircut," Morgan joked. Ashley smiled as she watched Reid brushing a strand of his hair away from his face.

"I'd offered."

"Uncertified," JJ asked where Ashley turned her head to her.

"Basically I have to go back to school to get a certified so I can work. Without it, I can't be insured and the places kind of like having their employees insurable," she explained.

"So why don't you go back to school and get them," Reid asked. She turned her head to him, giving him a strange look; she knew that he knew that she couldn't go back with Julian running around.

"I can't afford it," she answered, not daring to go into this whole Julian mess. He nodded his head and gave her hand another squeeze, assuring that she was doing good, before he let it go.

"So who asked who," Garcia asked.

Everyone turned toward her, "Come on, we all have been thinking about it." Ashley let out a laugh, as she was about to slip of her drink.

Setting her glass back down, she looked at Reid, waving her index finger between them, "Our first official, that is what you call it," she asked him. He nodded yes, where she turned her head back to the rest of the team.

"Spencer did and it was dinner."

"That's my man," Morgan boasted as he leaned back in his seat. Ashley just burst into laughter, finally taking a sip of her drink. She leaned back in her seat.

"Wait, wait, you said official. There was another date," Garcia asked.

Reid leaned back in his seat, crossing his leg over underneath the table, "We ran in each other at a bookstore."

"Literally," she said, where she could see them wondering of what she meant. She raised both of her hands up, and then clapped them together, showing them that they literally bumped into each other at the bookstore.

"We apologized to each other and then Ashley asked me out for coffee," Reid said. She smiled, nodding her head in agreement.

The band started playing a slow song where Reid stood up, offering his hand to her, "OK, I think . . . Uhh . . . Do you want to dance," he finally asked.

She nodded her head, "Yeah, excuse us."

Reid led her to the dance floor where he held her in his arms as they danced in a small circle. "So how am I doing?"

"Alright, I just thought that you might need a break."

"I'm ok. I was just remembering that date, that is where I finally learned your last name," she teased. Reid smiled as he danced with her.

"Honestly I thought I had to explain how I had that champagne on an instructor's salary," she said as she looked up at him.

"How expensive is it," he asked.

"At least $1000.00 per bottle."

"Wow," he said as he moved his hand down her back, avoiding her wounds. She was still sensitive from her accident. She silently winced in pain, where she guided his hand over to the left to where it was more comfortable.

"Sorry," he apologized.

She smiled, "It's alright. I am getting better; just need a little patience for it." She laid her head on his chest as they dance.

"You know that you were put through the ringer with Harry and everyone else. This is a tiptoe through the tulips here."

Reid laid his cheek on top of her head, "I know that they are curious about your past, I am just hoping that they don't ask about it tonight."

"If they do, I will answer them, honestly."

Ashley peered over his shoulder, seeing his friends, his family watching her. "Don't turn around," she said.

"Why?"

"We are being watch and once you turn around, they will either give you a thumb up or something." He smiled.

"I am going to get tease either way. Besides JJ and Will are right behind you, dancing and she is giving me a wave."

With her heels, Ashley was able to reach up and play with his hair at the back of his head, "So grabbing your butt right now is probably a bad idea."

He smiled, "Probably," he said before laying a soft kiss on her lips. He pulled her closer to him. He closed his eyes, enjoying her warmth of her body close to him and her scent of her shampoo as they danced together in silence.

Ashley pulled out a book off a shelf, looking it over before putting it back. She glanced at her watch, realizing that she had an hour before she had to go to practice and there wasn't much else she can do.

She honestly didn't see the point of going back home, only to stay for a half hour before getting back on her bike and heading back to Quantico.

She wandered around the bookstore with no particular destination in mind. She was completely blocked on her writing, nothing was making sense and lately, she wasn't really inspired. She hoped maybe her band could help her out.

She came in to pick up a magazine and maybe look at new journals although they were expensive. She could easily pick up a notebook at a drugstore at a cheaper price.

She made her way to the clearance table, scanning over a few titles and summaries of the books where she noticed Reid walking out of an aisle, with a book opened and going into the next aisle.

She glanced back at the table where she managed to find a blank notebook for a few dollars. It was this horrible green color with bright pink flowers, no wonder it was on clearance. Either way, it would be good for her song writing.

She glanced back at the aisle where Reid had disappeared, trying to remember his name. Steven, Sam, Sterling, oh what was his name? Because of the NA meetings, she only knew his first name and he was a consultant.

Either way, he was cute and had this particular obsession with all of these sweater vests as if he had came from Mr. Roger's garage sale. She tapped the notebook in her hand, thinking.

"Destiny doesn't control you. You control destiny," she muttered to herself. It doesn't hurt to say hi to him and take it from here. What was the harm? What could go wrong? He could be happily married with kids or be gay. She shut her eyes, refusing to let her mind wander to other worst case scenario, making her to chicken out.

She found another book on the clearance table which had 52 recipes to something, she wasn't sure and at the moment, she didn't really care. She quickly picked it up without really looking into it. She could never resist a sale.

She headed over to the aisle where she saw Reid was standing there, now looking at the books in the aisle. She glanced up the title of the aisle section where she saw Science Fiction. He is a Star Trek fan, oh goody.

She wandered over to the next aisle where she pulled the clip out of her hair, letting it fall down before gathering it back up again. She was grateful that her clothes didn't have any stains and her jeans made her butt look good. Then she bends down and fluffed up her breasts which she quickly realized that she just did that. That was just dumb and it was more dumb that she was now fussing over her looks and thinking of how great her butt looked in her jeans.

"Just do it," she muttered to herself, pulling out a book which she glanced and relieved to find it was one of Sherlock Holmes' stories. She walked to the other side of aisle where he was still there and reading another book with his first book was tuck underneath his arm.

On the other side of the aisle was erotic writing. With her experience as a former prostitute, she could write a novel on her experience. She really didn't want to read anyone else's experience and picking out a book in front of him was the worst thing that she can do.

She opened the book, pretending to read it and started wandered down in the aisle. And before she knew it, she literally bumped into Reid. She loses her balance where she bumped into the shelf, hitting her bad hip, causing her more pain. That wasn't what she had in mind.

"Are you alright," he asked, offering his hand to her.

"I'm ok, I'm so sorry for bumping into you like that. I guess I shouldn't be reading and walking at the same time," she joked, realizing that was a lame joke she came up. She took his hand and he helped her up.

Despite the pain in her hip, she stood on both legs, and hid the discomfort from him. She had years of experience of doing that. They both bent down; picking up their books, while Reid looked at the second book that she grabbed at the clearance table where she realized it was "52 Recipes to Heat Up Your Sex Life." Oh shit. She watched him raised his eyebrows as he glanced at her book and was he blushing? That is so cute.

He handed the books back to her, "You're Steven, right," she asked.

"Spencer," he corrected as he recognized her from the meetings. Ashley tucks a imaginary stray piece of hair behind her ear with her free hand and smiles, a bit embarrassed.

"Spencer, sorry. Umm, would you like to go for coffee or something? I mean, I don't have long before I have to leave, but I would like to have coffee with a friendly face." He agreed.

The young couple sat in a corner where they ended up talking for over an hour. They would have continued to talk all afternoon if one of her band members didn't call her and wonder where she was.

She ended up giving him a brochure of Dougherty's Bar and inviting him to the concert the following Friday which he attended. He handed her his business card which she was surprised to find that he was FBI and a doctor.

Ashley smiled as she fondly remembers their first meeting as she danced with him. The song ended far too soon in her mind where she pulled back, looking in his eyes.

He took her hand, "Ready," he asked. She nodded. Ashley didn't know that Morgan and Garcia were also dancing with JJ and Will as well until she turned around to see them walking back to the table. They followed the other two couples back to their table where they all sat back down.

"That is a pretty shawl, did you make it," Garcia asked, breaking the silence. She nodded. "It's gorgeous."

Ashley smiled, "Thanks, I just did it while we watch movies," she said, pointing to Reid and herself.

"He is very good at winding up balls of yarn for me." She looked at Reid where he smiled.

"She is always crocheting something or doodling when we watch TV." Ashley look at him, where she can easily swore that he was beaming like a peacock that she couldn't just sit still and watch a movie with him.

"Did you make that necklace," Prentiss asked indicting her black and silver beaded necklace with a cameo pendant.

Ashley nodded again where she felt Reid touching her lower back, "She is very creative," he said. She smiled again.

"Well, I think it is time for us to go upstairs," Rossi suggested, looking at his watch.

Ashley pulled up the shawl over her shoulders, protecting herself from the chilly breeze as they walked out of the restaurant. Ashley found it more relaxing and less stressful when they were at the restaurant. She wasn't sure if it was the food that made it less stressful or the companion she was with causing her to relax.

"I think, I ate too much," she said, patting her bloated stomach.

"Me too," he said.

Still walking toward his car, "So how long has Penelope and Derek been dating," she asked. It took Reid a moment to realize that she was asking about Morgan and Garcia.

"No, they are friends who like to flirt with each other," he answered as he dug into his jacket pocket, looking for his car keys.

"Really," she said, sounding surprise. "I got the impression that they were close," she said, shaking her head. She was never wrong in reading people before. Maybe they just haven't realized their feelings for each other. Either way; it was really none of her business.

"So do you think that I passed?" She asked before turning to face her boyfriend who was still looking for his keys.

"Passed what?"

"Inspection," she answered as she stuck her hand inside his outer coat pocket, pulling out his keys. He smiled, taking them from her, but he still didn't understand her. She was amazed that after all of the stuff that he has seen, he still naive at times.

"They are your family and they love you. I would be extremely surprised if Garcia did not run a background check."

His face fell for a moment, "It is alright. I know Harry googled you." He slides his arms around her waist, pulling her close. He kissed her forehead before placing his forehead against hers; more of his hair fell in front of his face.

"Googled?" He asked as a smile escaped his lips. "I am dating you, not them. The dinner was great, ok." She nodded yes as she tucked his fallen hair behind his ears. He kissed her forehead again before pulling her in. They stayed together in the parking lot before they continued their way to his car.

Still Ashley could tell something else was on Reid's mind. He was about to open the door for her where Ashley touched his arm, stopping him.

"What's wrong," she asked. He straightened himself up and leaned against the car, looking at her.

"I can't keep anything from you," he said where she shook her head.

"I have been trained to read people," she said. "Something is bothering you, what is it?" He drew in a deep breath, looking down at her heels.

"Do you regret of not getting engaged?" He asked as he slowly raised his eyes up to hers. Ashley looked into his innocent brown eyes, knowing that if she wanted to be engaged, they would.

She shook her head no, "I love you, I love you for keeping me grounded and I love you for being normal. I would like to be Mrs. Spencer Reid, one day, but not today."

He took her right hand, gently rubbing his thumb on her gold Claddagh ring. He almost let out a breath of relief, but caught himself doing it. He did love her, but he too wasn't ready for marriage. She hasn't even met his mother whom he had no idea of how his mother would react to her or vice versa. Even though, she knew about it from his letters, but he was still concerned about meeting her and what if she wasn't having a good day. Even though the sex was fantastic, but they just started sleeping together. He had thought of asking Ashley if she was ready to start living together, live at her place once it was done. They couldn't live at his apartment because of Bailey.

"It's ok, I know you are not ready," she said as if she was reading his mind again.

"Did I tell you that you would make a good profiler," he said.

She smiled, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him closer to her, "Yes, several times."

He hugged her tightly, "I love you too, I love you for your free spirit and I love you for your passion of life."

He held her for a few moments before speaking again, "Since this one of our last nights together. I was thinking…eh, do you want to spend the night at my apartment and leave in the morning," he said. She stepped away from him, nodding her head.

He smiled, "Do you mind if we make a stop and pick up some food," he asked, remembering his fridge was empty except for coffee and baking soda.