Title: Au Natural (Part 20)
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: All right so the next couple parts are about Reid's mom. Enjoy!

Prentiss sat next to Reid on a hotel bed, running her fingers along his cheek. She was trying to be supportive. They were on a case in Las Vegas and they both knew they should visit with his mother; to tell her in person about their still new relationship. He had been debating what to do for the length of the case and now that it had been wrapped up they both knew they would have to make a decision soon.

"Spencer you need to tell her," he told her.

"I don't want to upset her. I've always told her everything and I've kept this from her for two months," he explained.

"Lying to her longer is only going to make it worse. We're here now I'll go with you and we can tell her."

He sighed softly. "I make no promises that she'll want a second visitor from someone she doesn't know. She still thinks that the government is trying to control her mind."

"We'll deal with that if we need to, but you should go see her and tell her what's going on."

He nodded. "I should. And I do want you to meet her if her doctors think she will be all right with that. I hope you understand."

"Of course I do. I've done some research into your mother's condition. It shocks me sometimes that you were able to deal with that when you were so young Spencer."

"I had to, she's my mom and she needed me and that's what you do."

It amazed her to hear him say that, it never occurred to her that he believed that what he did was just what a son should do for his mother. If it were possible to love him more than she already did she did at that moment it happened. He truly was the most caring man she had ever known. She took his hand and he brought hers to his lips and kissed it gently. Goose bumps formed on her body and she knew she needed to keep her emotions in check.

"Ready?" he asked.

"I am."

The two of them left the hotel and Reid drove until they stopped in front a building that looked more like an old hotel than a hospital like it was. He parked and they went inside. She reached for his hand to show her support and was relieved when he took it. It surprised her sometimes how comfortable he had become accepting small signs of affection, but it was exactly that they both needed in times of high stress.

"Doctor Reid!" the nurse greeted him. "You're here to see your mother."

"If she's well enough," Reid replied.

"I'll get Doctor Norman, have a seat he'll be with you shortly."

Reid directed Prentiss toward a seating area. He let her sit first then took her hand when he got comfortable in the chair next to him, taking his hand. Prentiss was looking around at the various people as they waited.

"Doctor Reid," Doctor Norman greeted him as he came toward them. "Your mother is going to so excited to see you."

"I was hoping she might be feeling up to visitors while we were here. I want to introduce her to my – Emily, this is Emily Prentiss," Reid stammered.

"I think she will be able to handle meeting her, but you know how she's reacted in the past."

"I know, although I realise now that introducing her to anyone in the past was premature. I can't keep hiding this relationship from her, she'll never forgive me."

"She's been having a good week so I won't stop you. It's nice to meet you Emily," Doctor Norman said extending his hand to shake hers.

She smiled. "It's nice to meet you as well."

"I'm sure you both want to go see Diana. She's in her room right now."

"Thank you," Reid said smiling.

He took Prentiss' hand and went to her room. He knocked on the door softly and Diana looked up from her book her face lighting up. Prentiss was amazed to see how excited she was to see her son. Reid had told her about how his mother was but she had never gotten a chance to see if first hand, and it was incredibly heartwarming. She instantly understood why Reid did so much for is mother, and was relieved knowing he would always treat her well too.

"Spencer!" she exclaimed.

He walked into the room and hugged his mother. Prentiss held back and looked around the room. It looked a lot like Reid's apartment. Diana caught a glimpse of the other woman in the doorway but ignored her for the moment, glad to being see her son. She looked over at the doorway and noticed that the brunette wasn't going anywhere.

"Who is that woman Spencer?" Diana whispered suspiciously. "Why is she here? What does she want with us?"

"Mom, that's Emily, she's my – girlfriend," Reid explained.

"Girlfriend? She's older than you Spencer."

"Age isn't relevant Mom I've always been friends with people who are older than me."

"Being friends and dating older people are entirely different things Spencer. Older women tend to date younger men for one reason Spencer."

"Mom!" he exclaimed. "Please don't do this."

"Do what Spencer? Worry about your choices. A mother is allowed to that it's part of being a mother. I just wonder if that woman is the best woman out there for you."

"Mom she understands my job, we've known each other for a long time, our age is irrelevant."

"It's not just the age difference Spencer. There's a lot of things that I worry about. I don't want you marrying someone else who does your job. It's so dangerous either of you could get hurt."

"If we worked other jobs we could walk out into the street and be hit by a bus. Emily makes me happy. Why can't you be happy for me?"

She sighed. "Spencer you could bring a queen here to meet me and she wouldn't be good enough for you. No one is as special and unique as you are."

"Mom you told me all the time when I was growing up that you wanted me to be happy and Emily makes me happy."

"I worry Spencer. How do I know she's not controlling you with her feminine whiles?"

"Mom!" Reid exclaimed. "Emily is still in the room."

"I don't see any point in being dishonest with her. I don't like you Emily. You're going to brainwash my son and then I'll never get to see him again, and I'll end up in one of those awful places instead of here."

"If I had any intention of doing anything like that Missus Reid Spencer would not have brought me here," Prentiss told her not wanting to upset her.

"Maybe you won't get him to place me somewhere else. But you are a woman, and my son is clearly very fond of you and I've never liked the idea of having to let him go."

"I understand that Ma'am but Spencer has been my friend for a long time and I know how much you mean to him. I would never do anything to damage that bond, and I would do anything to have Spencer in my life."

"People say a lot of things at the beginning of a relationship and things change. I don't trust anyone with Spencer. He has been hurt in the past. Even you hurt him. I keep every letter he has ever sent me and I know what you did, and that hurt him more than anything anyone else has done."

"I came back."

"That doesn't change the fact that you left. Arguing about this isn't going to change anything. It's very rare that I get to see my son."

"Mom," Reid tried to protest.

"Spencer it's okay," Prentiss assured him. "You visit with your mother, you have so little time with her, and call me when you're ready to leave and I'll come back to get you. There was a nice café down the street and I've been looking for a chance to catch up on some reading"

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Yeah, have fun, take your time just call me and I'll come get you."

He kissed her cheek softly. "I love you."

"I love you too."

She left the room and went to the car. She was glad that he had a chance to visit with his mother, but she had hoped she would get a chance to get to know her. She had done a lot of research about Diana's condition and knew that she might never be able to accept someone new in her son's life. She knew that she still wanted to be in Reid's life and hoped that he wouldn't pull away from her because of the way his mother had reacted.

End Part 20

Notes: Well that was that... There'll be a second part with Diana. Tell me if you liked it.