"I recognize those bookshelves," Reid commented a short time later as he sat next to Christine on the loveseat, sharing her snack.
"You probably also recognize all the pregnancy and childbirth books on them," Christine replied. "Thank you. I really appreciate your taking the time to find them and send them to me."
"I know the circumstances of your first pregnancy weren't exactly – ideal," he said. "I thought you might like a little more information this time. I see a lot of your old books there, too."
"I finally got up the nerve to start looking through my things," Christine confessed. "I periodically have Luis bring another box up from the basement for me to go through. It takes a lot of time because I have to take a break when the memories overwhelm me. But, I am making progress."
She looked closely at Reid. "What about you? How are you doing?"
"Just fine," Reid lied. "I have David and Diana to deal with and that, along with my work at the BAU, gives me focus. By the way, I never thanked you for giving them those names. My mother was thrilled when I told her, and Dave – Well, you know Dave."
"Your mother has met them?" Christine questioned, her attention diverted for the moment.
"Oh, yes, several times. Initially, she wasn't too sure about them; I think the fact that there were two babies kind of overwhelmed her. But, she has adjusted quite well to being a grandmother. She has pictures of them in her room and, when we visit, she really enjoys reading to them."
"So, the new medication is working out?" Christine inquired.
"Yes, it has really - How did you know about the medication?" Reid asked, surprised.
"I read about it on-line when the FDA finally approved it about two years ago," Christine told him. "And, it sounded like a good fit for your mother's condition. I just assumed you would have discussed it with her doctor."
"You've kept an eye out for my mother?" He trailed off and gave a big yawn.
"Spencer," Christine sounded reproachful. "You aren't sleeping, are you? And, don't lie to me! I can see it in your eyes."
"I am doing just fine," Reid lied again. "It's just that occasionally I - "
"I suspect the recordings I made for you are long gone," Christine interrupted him.
"I had them for 19 months and three days," Reid told her. "I was playing them for the twins, too. I could tell they recognized your voice. Then, one day, I asked JJ to watch the twins for an hour while I went out. When I came back, she told me she had accidentally ruined the recordings."
"Well, I will just have to make you some new ones," Christine declared. "Tomorrow we can go through Dave's library and you can decide what you would like me to read. And, when we go shopping, you can pick out a book the twins would like to hear. Then you can help me make the final recordings."
"You would do that?"
"Of course!"
Reid smiled happily for a moment, and then said, "I have something I need to return to you." He held his hands in the air and clapped them. A small package wrapped in tissue paper appeared, and he offered it her.
Christine looked at him, puzzled, as she accepted the package and began opening it.
"Spencer," she gasped when she saw the contents. "It's my shooting star necklace – I though it was gone forever! Where did you find it?"
"It seems George Wyatt collected trophies," Reid explained. "I found it with a collection of jewelry he had accumulated from the women he abducted, and convinced the police to turn it over to me. I thought that someday you might want it back."
Christine held the necklace up to admire it. "I can't take this, Spencer," she told him regretfully as she put it back into his hand. "It's not mine any more. The girl you gave it to is gone."
"But – I gave it to You!" Reid protested, trying to force the necklace back into her hand.
"You gave it to the person I used to be," Christine insisted. "She's gone!" She had put her hands behind her back and was sadly shaking her head. She hesitated, and thought for a moment.
"When she's old enough, give it to Diana," she decided.
"When will that be?"
"You'll know. And, when you give it to her, tell her the story behind it and let her know that it is to be a reminder to her to never let anyone take her dreams away from her – Ever! I lost my dreams and I lost myself!"
Reid watched helplessly as Christine dissolved into tears. Hesitatingly, he put his arms around her and drew her close to him.
When the sobs had subsided and Christine had raised her head, Reid asked curiously. "Did you mean what you said earlier about my having the twins instead of you? Are you upset about that?"
"Spencer," Christine took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. "Three years ago, I made a decision based on what I thought would be best for David and Diana. I had nothing to offer them and you had everything. I knew that my life was all messed up, and I also knew that you had spent your entire life dealing with someone with mental illness. I couldn't burden you with me, too. I still stand by my decision. It's just that – sometimes – I wonder about what might have been."
Reid remembered the threadbare apartment in Lake Tahoe that he and Rossi had traced Christine to, with it's second hand furniture and the inflatable mattress she had obviously been sleeping on.
"The apartment you were living in was – clean," he remembered. "And, you seemed to have everything under control."
"Appearances can be deceiving," Christine reminded him. "Do you know how I got the twins home from the hospital? All by myself on a city bus! Since I had had an 'uncomplicated' delivery, the hospital discharged me within 24 hours. I was still weak, attempting to handle two newborns all by myself, and trying to get them back to my apartment on a bus. I couldn't take any of the baby supplies the hospital had given me because I couldn't carry them and the babies, too. And, I knew that when I got to the apartment, there was nothing there and I would be all alone."
"I honestly tried to deal with it, but just getting up when they cried was exhausting. Plus, I realized that there were times when I was fading in and out. I knew then that that was not the way I wanted my children raised, so I let them go."
Instinctively, Reid pulled Christine close and began rocking her. Closing his eyes, he could smell her hair. It smelled familiar and comfortable and reminded him of – He recognized a familiar feeling as he felt himself beginning to get hard.
"This is so wrong," he thought as hugged her tighter. "This should not be happening!"
"Spencer, what's wrong? You are starting to strangle me!" Christine spoke up.
"Your hair smells so good," he told her. "And, I remember – "
"So do I," Christine agreed. As she moved to sit up, she realized what was happening and smiled at him.
"Do you think this is a good idea?" he asked seriously. "You are pregnant."
"Spencer, I am sure you read all those pregnancy and childbirth books you sent me," Christine told him. "And, I am also sure you remember what they said about sex during pregnancy, don't you?"
"Well -l - I - ," Reid wasn't sure what to say.
"However, you do realize that you will be lowering your batting average," Christine continued coyly.
Reid looked at her, puzzled.
"Spencer, you have been intimate with me two times, and both times I have ended up pregnant," she explained seriously. "This time, I am already pregnant."
"My batting average can go to hell!"