The Long Way Home

Emily and Spencer

Part Two

They were waiting for their food to come and she was doing that thing where she stared at him with a dazed look on her face. Spencer used to hate that. Not so much anymore though.

Emily said "So, Reid, what is it you wanted to talk to me about in private? Something about our last case maybe? That was a rough one."

He raised an eyebrow. "Did I say I needed to speak to you about work? I don't recall saying that."

"Well we're here for some reason and I just figured it was work related."

"Nope."

"Oh, well, if its something that has been bothering you lately you can share it with me." She leaned closer.

"I wouldn't say I'm bothered exactly. Actually, I have never felt better. Strange, isn't it? What a change in perspective can do for a person."

"Yeah, um, yeah it is. Its strange." A pause. "What are we talking about again?"

"Do you know why I cut my hair?"

"Your dry cleaner told you to."

"She said it would help me get a date."

"And then you learned she's gay. Sorry about that. It happens sometimes. I dated a gay guy once. Back in college. He came out right after dumping me. Now that was embarrassing but when isn't my dating life embarrassing? Its like one long embarrassing, embarrassment parade. Anyway....you picked the right person to speak to about this. Me and you, Reid, we're kinda in the same boat when it comes to this stuff."

"We are?"

"Compared to the rest of the team, yeah. Look at them. JJ is in a serious, long term relationship. PG same thing. Hotch and Rossi have both been married so obviously they had successes in love even if they later got divorced. And Morgan, well, he dates enough to make up for both mine and your lack of it."

"I guess you're right there. It often feels like everyone does know more about love than I do but I happen to know more than people think."

"I knew you did more on your time off than play chess," she teased.

"Yes, I also read."

Emily laughed. "That was a joke, right?"

"Right."

"Its so hard to tell sometimes."

"I'll work on that."

She gave him a soft smile. "Hmm, this isn't half bad. Me and you...us having lunch alone together...what took us so long?"

"Many things."

She gave him big eyes because the question had been rhetorical but he answered seriously. "Right." She smiled nervously. "Sure."

"So," he said, dragging out the word "there is something I would like to ask you and it didn't felt right to do it in the office or during a case."

"Fire away."

"How do you feel about David Copperfield?"

"Say what?"

"The magician."

"I don't feel anything about him. Why?"

"Because I'd like to invite you to join me at one of his shows."

"He's coming to DC?"

"No. He plays six nights a week in Vegas."

"In Vegas? You want us to go to Vegas to see a magic show?"

"Yes, very much so."

"Why?"

"I think it would be enlightening and enjoyable."

"Enlightening?" she asked saying the word very slowly "And enjoyable?"

"Yeah. Think about it. You can get back to me later with your answer."

Their food arrived. After the server left Emily leaned across the table "So...um....when would we go, if we went, which I'm not saying I would go yet but...uh...when?"

"I'd leave that up to you. Whenever we have the time off. As soon as possible or months from now. Whatever you would be comfortable with would be agreeable to me."

"But I just got a cat."

"Cats can stay home alone for short periods of time. That's what makes them an ideal pet for someone with our work schedules."

"I know that, Reid. Ugh! What I meant is....I just got a cat!"

"What? So a cat equals that you've now resigned yourself to living the rest of your life without companionship."

"Companionship? Who says companionship anymore?"

"I do. Would you prefer I say sex?"

"Ugh!"

Her being flustered he now found adorable when before he only found it confusing and wondered why he kept misreading her- because he used to tell himself the signals she sent were in his imagination and even if they weren't she was wrong to think they would be good together. Now he was starting to believe, more and more each day, that for once the genius of the BAU had been wrong for way too long.

They could be great together. It was at least worth trying and finding out. He wanted to be able to touch her as much as he wanted. And to do that he would have to convince her to open up the heart she had closed.

"You like Atlantic City. Well Vegas is a much better version of Atlantic City and warmer."

"I know what Vegas is like. I still remember the hangover I got there the last time we worked a case out there."

"I remember that case all too well."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up."

"Its fine." After a moment he said "Your food is getting cold and we need to finish up so we can get back to the office on time."

"Right, okay." Emily picked up a fry. "So...um...you and me going to Vegas...on some kind of....I take it...date. Wow. That's coming out of left field."

"No, not really. Besides, I think you're entirely too young to get a cat if getting a cat is a euphemism for giving up on ever finding a meaningful relationship."

She gave him a small smile. "Well you're right there. But you're always right about everything so that's no surprise!"

"Not always. There are times I'm way off base."

"Ha. When? You know everything about everything. Its rather annoying, to tell you the truth."

"I don't know much about this kind of thing though but I know enough to get by. At least I've been getting by before now."

She ate her french fry. "Did Morgan rat me out?"

His eyes widened. "If you're asking did he speak to me about the possibility of you and I spending more time together away from work then yes but he never revealed any confidences you may have told him. Did you tell him you'd be interested in that?"

"I told PG. Same thing, really."

"Oh. Yeah. I guess. Well she kept your secret this time, it looks like."

"Good." She ate another fry.

He reached out and stroked his fingers over the top of her hand. "Remember I'm a profiler too. So just like you I don't have to have things told to me to know them. Even when it comes to this, which I know everyone things I'm lost on but I'm just very....slow to realize....not oblivious...and even slower to act. Doesn't mean I can't act if I want to bad enough and this time....I want to."

Her dark eyes watched his finger moving over her skin, as her breathing quickened, and then she turned over her hand and caught his hand in her grasp.

And the gap between them closed completely. "Yeah, okay, lets go to Vegas, Spencer. Sounds fun. I'll beat you in poker again and this time for cold, hard cash."

"Good luck. I've been practicing online. I haven't lost once since our last game."

"Then its gonna sting even more when I break your streak."

He gave her a small smile. "Don't get overconfident. Cockiness can lead to making mistakes."

"You should hope I make a mistake because it's the only shot you have of beating me."

"The odds are in my favor. Being a genius comes in handy sometimes."

"Being a genius didn't help you any last time. I wouldn't count on that."

"You should prepare yourself to take a loss."

"Ha! That's good advice for yourself."

"Emily, I'm not going to let you win just because I'm courting you."

She laughed happily. "Courting me? Reid, you're a ....." They shared a long look before she finished with "good surprise. You kinda pulled a rabbit out of your hat today with asking me to lunch but I like it."

"Did you know that trick's first known origins date back to 1840 in England and was first performed by The Great Gagasti?"

"I seriously doubt anyone but you even knows there ever was a Great Gagasti."

"I'm sure David Copperfield knows. At least he should."

"Good for him."

"I've never been to his show in all the time I lived in Vegas."

"Really? Why not?"

"I don't know."

She laughed. "Well it will be a first for both of us."

"Yep, it will be."

"Wait a minute? You didn't ask anyone else to come to Vegas with us, did you?"

"No. Why would I? Should I?"

"No!"

"Oh. Okay. That's what I assumed."

"Good."

"This was easier than I thought to arrange. I don't know why I stalled on asking you when I first thought of it the other day. Except for that you did have that date with Rawson and I thought it best to see how it turned out."

"Yeah that went like I figured it would. It sucked big time."

"Lets hope that our date can measure higher on your scale than that one did."

"I'm sure it will."

"How can you be sure?"

"Rawson is a jackass and you're....Reid. And that makes all the difference. Now let me eat my fries because they are getting cold and cold fries are gross."

He let go of her hand and sat back. But his eyes stayed on her, lovingly admiring his friend who he was seeing in a whole new way lately. A way that made everything in him that used to be cold warm up for the first time in a long time. It felt like he was going home finally. Not home to Vegas though. To a home he had never known before.

But the only place he wanted to be now.

(I was so afraid of going under

but now the weight of the world feels like nothing.

No, nothing...

-x-x-x-

On the way down

I saw you

and you saved me from myself

and I won't forget the way you loved me.

-x-x-x-x

On the way down

I almost fell on through

but I held on to you) (Ryan Caberra)

THE END