Title: Au Natural (Part 5)
Author: dustytiger aka Trista Groulx
Rating: T (like the show to be safe)
Disclaimer: I do not on CM. I am still poor. CM still belongs to its creator, network, writers, actors and actresses who bring it to life weekly.
Summary: Prentiss and Reid are getting married, but what brought them to this point?
Notes: This part is a little short, it ties up some lose ends. Thank you again for the support. It means so much to me hearts and hugz.

Reid decided to treat Prentiss to lunch as a thank you for going with him to the appointment and everything she'd done to get him there. They were waiting for their meals, having not said a lot since they had left the doctor's office.

"Reid, aren't you disappointed by the diagnosis at all?" she asked him finally.

"Honestly no. I'm glad it's not something more serious," he explained.

"But there might not be a way to get them to go away permanently. I thought if you were given a diagnosis you would get treatments options too."

"I had hoped for that too, but I have learned how to live with them. Emily I was starting to think that I might be developing a late onset schizophrenia, or even cancer. It may be difficult to treat but it's something that I can live with I have for two years now."

"Why didn't you tell anyone sooner?"

He shrugged. "I didn't want to worry anyone. I only told you in hopes that you would open up about your own secrets."

"I'm sorry that I didn't," she sighed. "But you have to understand…"

"I do Emily you wanted to keep us safe. It took me a long time to see just how true that was. But I am glad that I told you the truth about the headaches because without you I never would have found out what was wrong with me."

"Even if there might not be anything that can be done about them?" she asked.

"What I am suffering from has a name, that's all I wanted. I needed to someone to tell me that my pain was real. I heard so many times that what I was suffering from was psychosomatic when I knew that it was real. I was starting believe that I was going crazy until today. It might be difficult to treat what I have, but it's impossible to treat something no one believes is there."

"I am glad you got some answers but I wish there would have been better news."

He shrugged. "Out of the options I think that this was one of the better diagnoses. I'm glad I told you about it and that I don't have to do this alone this time. Thank you for everything."

"What are friends for?" She was playing with the straw of her drink. "Reid are you going to tell Hotch what's going on with you now that you know what it is?"

"I still don't want to. I think he knows there is something going on with me, but I feel like he would worry too much. I've learned more or less how to cope with the pain daily. It doesn't affect my work and if it starts then I'll reassess. I think that the rest of the team knowing might be more of distraction in the field. I have thought about telling them and I've decided against it."

"I think I understand, and you know I would never betray your trust, right?"

"Of course I do Emily."

She was about to say something else when their food arrived. Reid could tell that she was worried. He waited for the server to scurry away then gently touched her hand. She looked up at him and a small smile formed across her face. She did feel reassured by the simple gesture. Reid didn't pull his hand away the connection they both felt was so strong.

"I promise you that when the time is right I'll tell Hotch about this. I just don't want everyone asking me how I am feeling daily," he explained.

"They'd only ask because they care about you," she explained.

"I know. I'm just not ready for everyone to know. I haven't even told my mom about this before now I was afraid to worry her. Now that I know what this is I'm going to tell her I'm just not ready for anyone else to know."

"All right Reid. If you need anything you know you can ask me."

"Thank you Emily."

They began to eat their meals not saying much more. Prentiss was surprised that Reid trusted her so much. She never thought that his mother didn't know about the ordeal that he was suffering through. But she understood why he didn't want worry her before he knew what was happening. She was relieved she had been able to help him find the answers he needed but was still worried about him since he was still not going to tell the rest of the team the truth.

End Part 5

Notes: This is just kind of the wrap up of the last part. Thank you for the support and for accepting what I chose to be wrong with Reid.