Title: Au Natural (Part 13)
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: Now for the fun part of the date! This part is the longest part of the fic. I could have split it in two but that would have been evil… so enjoy! Happies in my inbox after work today would be amazing... if only real dates went like this eh? I might be grr cause I went on a very awkward date this week lol

After they had eaten they got into the car and they started to drive. Prentiss wasn't sure what he was planning, and they drove for quite some time. She was surprised when they pulled into a national park, then drove toward one of the camp grounds.

"Reid why are we here?" she asked.

"There's going to be a meteor shower tonight," he told her.

"Oh."

"It's gorgeous Emily. This is one of the best places to see it without too much light interference."

"I'm just surprised that we're at a camp ground."

"I don't actually camp here. I have the space so I can see events like these when I'm in town. Most of the time there's a youth group I let use it. On the rare occasion they are here and there is a meteorological event going on I teach them about it."

Prentiss was a little surprised to learn that he spent some time with the youth group, teaching them about astronomy. She tried to picture Reid with a group of kids but it was hard. Normally kids didn't warm up to him. She couldn't help but let her mind wonder to what I might be like to watch Reid teach their child about everything he enjoyed. She pictured him getting excited and speaking faster and faster as he explained everything like he did when they were together. She shook her head, trying to remove the image from her mind they were nowhere close to that point in their relationship.

He parked his car, and got out as she day dreamed. He then went into the trunk and took out two large blankets. Prentiss followed him as he started walking from the parking space up a small hill toward a campsite. He looked around for a moment before he set one blanket on the ground, and put the other one, still folded on the ground. He then sat down and reached his hand for hers and she joined him on the blanket.

It was still early spring and it was cool so he pulled the blanket over them after they had gotten comfortable. Prentiss was very happily settled into Reid's arms and just took in all of the stars; she'd never seen so many. This was the perfect way to end their evening. She wasn't a huge fan of movies and had no desire to do anything that required a lot of energy. The sound of the woods around them was so peaceful she could almost fall asleep. Reid was also enjoying the peace and quiet; glad he wasn't going to be alone watching the sky that night.

"Did you ever learn about astronomy?" he asked her breaking a long silence.

"Not much," she replied. "I always lived in big cities so I didn't see many stars. This is beautiful."

"I can teach you some before it starts?"

"I'd like that."

He began to point out various stars and constellations that were visible. As he spoke she curled in closer to him, somewhat for the warmth but mostly just to be as close to him as she could. She knew a lot of people would get frustrated by his constant need to share information but she enjoy it. She always did. Getting to hear him tell her all about the night sky was amazing. He didn't sound like a genius when he spoke about something that interested he sounded like any other person who was excited to share something with a friend.

"I think one of my favourite legends about the stars is an Inuit one about two sisters who fall in love with the red and blue star men. When they decide to marry the star men they have to leave their lives behind. After many years of living happily with their husbands in the stars they look down at earth and see their parents are now old and need help. So they decide they must leave their new lives with their husbands to help their aging parents, knowing they can never return to the stars. Before one of them does however she decides to have a baby with her husband so he'll always have a part of her with. She called him North Star. She missed him terribly after she leaves and one night she was staring up at the sky and looked up and saw him in the sky. It's said that after the old woman passed away the most beautiful lights began to appear in the sky and legend has it that it is the sister playing with her child," he told her.

"That's a beautiful story Spencer," she told him then gasped when she saw one of the first light in the sky.

"It's staring!" he exclaimed.

The two of them got quiet and watched the astronomical event for almost an hour without saying anything, just waiting for the next flash of light to steak across the sky. She wondered how many other myths and stories he knew and for the second time her mind began to drift toward a future family with him. She imagined him telling stories to her belly as it grew and then to their child every night before bed. Until that moment she didn't realise just how much she wanted a family; now she wanted at least one baby genius. She thought about how amazing it would be watch a child like Reid learn about the world.

"Emily, I would catch one for you, if I could," he told her breaking her from her reverie.

She smiled at him and realised for the first time that what they shared was more serious than anything she'd ever been involved in before. As much as it made her feel like a teenager she couldn't even think about what might happen if things didn't work out. She was sure that they were going to share the rest of their life's journey together.

"I know you would Spencer," she told him. "You already put it back together for me, and that's the lucky part. I have it on my side table in my bedroom."

"Really?" she could hear the surprised in his voice.

She thought back to the day in the plane where he'd taken her puzzle and how she had reacted. She knew she'd hurt his feelings and wondered if that day had something to do with the delay in their friendship moving toward this. She moved and kissed his cheek softly, reassuringly. He smiled at her and ran his hand through her hair silently assuring her that it was fine. When she had gotten home with the wooden puzzle she immediately put it somewhere she would be able to see it before she went to bed and when she woke up.

"Yeah," she told him. "I know I teased you when you solved it, but the whole team was there and I was nervous. But it was probably the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me. Keeping it made me think that you might be interested in being something more, but you never brought it up again."

"I thought you were mad at me for solving your puzzle."

"Spencer I could never be mad at you for being yourself. Sometimes it can be a little annoying that you can just do something I've been trying to do for a long time without even thinking. But that's who you are that's how you work you don't do things like that to be irritating you just want to help. I thought it was sweet that you were able to solve it even if you didn't like the story that went with it. I didn't want my true feelings to come out in front of the team before I knew what you felt."

"I understand but I did feel guilty for solving it after."

"Why?"

"I thought that you had hoped it was someone else who would have solved it for you after. I know I made fun of the story but it was because I didn't I didn't want the team to think that was the reason I solved if you didn't feel the same way."

She laughed not believing that after two years they were finally in a position to tell the other the truth about that moment. She wondered how much time they could have saved and where they could be now if they hadn't skirted around their feelings. She pulled the blanket closer to them and then kissed him softly to assure him that she wanted more.

"I can't believe you kept the puzzle," he sighed. "I had no idea it meant anything to you."

"It meant more than I realised at the time. It's one of the few things I brought to Paris with me."

"Wow," was all he could say he was dumbfounded to learn that she had had feelings for him too for so long and neither of them had done anything about it.

She nodded. "That puzzle made me see that I might want to change our relationship."

"I had hoped it would. Why didn't you ever pursue it?"

"Because I wasn't sure," she admitted. "I was afraid it might change our friendship and I couldn't risk losing you before."

"What changed?" he asked.

"After I came home and I found out just how much everything affected you. I knew that you wouldn't have reacted that way if you didn't feel the same way. When I was in Paris I missed everyone but I missed you most. At first I didn't understand it. I had left everyone I loved behind but I found myself thinking about you the most. I thought at first it was because you had been abandoned before so I worried I'd never get your friendship back. Then I realised I wanted more. The night we all went to Rossi's and you almost didn't show up I knew that there was more to it. I was so relieved when you came in. I knew I hadn't lost you completely."

"Emily I'm sorry about the way I treated you then."

"I deserved it Spencer. I abandoned you like so many other people had but you forgave me."

"You came back though. You are the only person who came back, and fought to be back in my life. I was horrible to you and still stayed."

"I wanted you to know that I wasn't going to let you go, again, Spencer. I didn't leave because I wanted to I did what I had to do to not lose you and the rest of my family."

"I do understand that now Emily," he assured her, running his fingers through her hair.

She kissed him softly. "I'm glad you do. I promise I will do everything I can to make it up to you."

"You already have Emily. The worst part about when I thought you were dead was that I realised I had never told you how I really felt. I thought I would never get a chance to. When you came back a part of me was so angry. I had thought you were different and then I realised you did it to protect us. I also realised you gave me something no one had before – a second chance. I was afraid if I tried to tell you what I've always known that I might lose you again and I couldn't do that. That's why I pulled away until you came to check on me. I had hoped you would be the one to come over, to be worried about me and at first I thought it was a dream. When I woke up and you were gone I was sure that's what it was- then you helped me…"

She could tell he was trying to tell her more but he couldn't find the words. She ran her fingers along his cheek. "That's one of the many thing I love about you Spencer Reid."

Reid stared at her for a moment amazed that she had said it first. He wanted to be honest but he couldn't find the right words before. He was terrified that he would tell a woman how he felt only to not have his feelings returned. He wasn't sure if he had been in love before but he knew had never been able to tell anyone those powerful words before.

"I – I love you too Emily," he told her barely above a whisper.

"Have you ever told anyone that before?"

He shook his head, no. It amazed her that he had never felt that way before. She knew he'd dated before and always wondered how serious it was. Now she knew. She leaned in toward him kissing him softly. He moaned softly and quickly deepened the kiss, gently pushing her to the blanket covered ground. She wrapped her arms around him pulling him closer to her. They shared a frenzied embrace for a long time before she pulled away.

"I think we should head home," she whispered. "It's getting late."

"You're probably right," he agreed, running his fingers along her cheek he leaned in and kissed her again.

She lost herself in the embrace for a long moment. This time it wasn't as intense as before. This time it was just gentle, and loving. He pulled away again when her hands began to tease the hemline of his shirt. She was surprised he had such self control but was glad he did, she knew she didn't want their first time together to be on the cold ground of a camp ground, she just hoped things still felt so electrified when they got to her place.

"Let's go home," he told her, handing her the keys.

She went to the car as he folded the blankets up. They barely spoke on their way back to the city. She was surprised that he was going toward her apartment since they usually spent time at his place. His right hand was on hers when it wasn't on the wheel. He parked in front of her building and got out of the car with her. He stood in the doorway with her, kissing her again. This embrace was intense and telling. She knew what she wanted and was surprised when he pulled way.

"Goodnight Emily," he told her.

"It doesn't have to be," she assured him. "Do you want to come up?"

"I want to, but I'm not going to."

"What?"

"This was our first date, and it was amazing, but it should end like this."

"Spencer, we've known each other for so long, and we both know how we feel this isn't like any other first date."

"I know, and it's because I feel like this that I have to say goodnight now." He kissed her cheek. "I love you Emily."

"I love you too Spencer."

She watched as he went back to the car. A part of her hoped he would turn around and change his mind but she knew he wouldn't. She sighed softly then went inside, where she was greeted by Sergio rubbing his head against her leg.

End Part 13

Notes: So that's the other half of their date. I hope you liked it. Some of you guessed it might be something like this so I'm glad it fits them. The legend Reid tells Prentiss is a story I heard at a puppet show I took my niece to called the Star Sisters. Also I love the star puzzle scene and I tend to work into my fic. I hope everyone enjoyed how I used it this time hehe... Let me know!