Title: Au Natural (Part 22)
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: As always thank you for the support as always everyone. Heart. Reid and Prentiss need to talk after what happened.

After everything that had happened with his mother Reid knew that he should to talk to Prentiss about the women in his past. He had been putting that part of their relationship off but he knew he couldn't let it slide much longer. He knew it was important for moving forward and hopefully for Prentiss to understand why he hadn't told his mother the truth sooner. After they had settled in their hotel room he pulled her toward him. She smiled and kissed him softly.

"I told you last night it's the wrong time of the month," she reminded him.

"I know, I wanted to talk," he explained.

"All right, what are we gonna talk about?"

"I was thinking we should talk about our romantics pasts."

"Spencer," she warned him.

"I don't need all of the details, whatever you're comfortable telling me is fine, really. But after everything today I think I owe it to you to tell you about the women I have introduced my mother to in the past."

"All right, it did sound like there might have been more than I expected."

"I don't like to lie to my mother. I have introduced her to anyone I thought I could become serious with. After I introduced her to Lila I realised I was rushing things. I had to be comfortable in my relationship in order to explain my mother to a woman, or in your case tell her about our new relationship."

"How serious were things with Lila?" she asked.

"Not overly, honestly. She thought I was innocent and virginal and was looking for a conquest of sorts. After she found out that I had actually been with a woman before she lost interest."

"Who was your first?" she heard herself asking him without even thinking. She wasn't sure she was ready to tell him about her past and she wondered if it was fair to ask him those questions as a result.

"Her name was Dominique I was her tutor when she was in high school. I tutored a lot of people to help make money for my mother and I, and it gave me a chance to meet people my own age. I knew it wasn't the greatest idea because I didn't normally understand or fit in with people my own age, I still don't but I thought I owed it to myself to try it. My mother never liked her and usually we would study at her place. Her parents were never home and one night we were both curious and decided it would be better to try it with a friend. The next time she came over my mother somehow knew what had happened and things didn't go well after that. My mother accused her of all kinds of horrible things we hadn't even heard about at the time, thinking it was all her and I tried to explain myself but she didn't listen she just kept calling Dominique all kinds of different disgusting names it was awful. I don't blame Dominique for never speaking to me again after the things my mother called her, but you can't really make up for that sort of thing."

"I'm so sorry, Spencer."

He shrugged. "After I had her committed there was another woman Ashley, who I think I might have used to forget my pain after what I did to my mother. She asked me a few weeks into our relationship if she could meet my mother, and I agreed. She told her that she was not right for me, because she was too shy and meek. Needless to say that relationship ended shortly after. After that I didn't even go on a date until Lila. I also tried to introduce her to Austin and it went better than some of the others, but Austin realised that I or our children could end up like my mother and told me she wasn't ready for that. She contacted me a year ago, after she was hurt in a car wreck, but I couldn't see any kind of future with her after she had run off like that."

"You are more than worth the risks, Spencer."

He kissed her forehead. "Thank you Emily. I love you. It wasn't easy for me to get dates. Most women see me as a curiosity rather than as a viable mate. I had all but given up on finding happiness until this started with you. I didn't want to do anything for a long time because I needed your friendship. I knew you were different from anyone else I had met, but fear of history repeating itself is a very powerful thing."

"I understand Spencer. I wish my past were as short as yours."

"Emily I don't need to know about everyone. I only told you about the women in my past because they shaped who I am and my choice to finally be with you. The two men who likely most shaped your romantic compass I already know about."

"I guess John and Doyle are the two men who most changed me. But there are a few other men I should tell you about."

"You can wait if it's too hard. I don't want to rush you."

"I know it wasn't easy for you to tell me what you just did. I just need to collect my thoughts."

He kissed her forehead. "Nothing you can say about your past will change how I feel about you. It's your future I am hoping to get."

Her heart melted. "Spencer you are an amazing man. I don't think anyone has ever told me anything so sweet before."

"That's a shame Emily, although I suppose it ended up being my gain."

She laughed then yawned softly trying to hide it from him. She enjoyed getting to spend time like this with him, and she didn't want it to end. She wanted to tell him about who she needed to tell him about but it had been a long day.

"Emily we can talk about this another time. Today has been long and you need your rest."

"Are you sure?" she asked him.

"It's fine really. I only told you about this because of what happened with my mother today so that you might better understand why she acts the way she does sometimes."

"Spencer I think I understand better than any of those other women what you have had to face due to your mother's illness."

"I agree there, and thank you for taking the time to understand that."

"I love you Spencer, that's what you do when you love a person."

He kissed her cheek softly, touched by what she had just told him. He then went into the hotel bathroom to brush his teeth. She used the bathroom after him, and immediately curled up in the bed next to him. It didn't take long for either of them to fall asleep.

End Part 22

Notes: Well that was that… I hope you liked it hearts and hugz.