Diana went to make sure that her daughter was in bed, after seeing her oldest son out.

"Why does Spencer get so upset about the teasing," Emilia asked a mother once Diana had tucked her in. "It's not like I mean anything by it."

"It doesn't matter if you mean anything by it or not Emilia," Diana told her daughter gently. "You know that your brother doesn't like to be teased about that subject and yet you took it to the point that you hurt his feelings."

"But why doesn't he like it?" Emilia asked confused,

"Everybody has different things that upset them, sweetie," Diana gently explained. "My ex-husband wasn't very nice to his son, so he has some serious hangups and his eidetic memory doesn't help. Spencer remembers every nasty thing his birth father said to him all untrue, but just like you, he was only a child. In fact, he was a lot younger than you are now, when his birth father said all those things to him. He was only seven when my ex-husband left and as a child, you believe what you're parents or any adult figure, tells you. Spencer may have been very intelligent for his age, there's no denying that, but he had not yet learned that human beings are flawed. His birth father really did a number on his self confidence and while he's overcome that, he had to see someone for a few years to help him get past it. If it wasn't for the psychologist that Dave and I made him see he might never have dated anyone at all. His birth father often told him he was worthless and that he'd never get married because no one would ever want him for any sort of permanent relationship."

"But that's not true," Emilia protested, "Spencer is one of the best guys I know."

"Of course, he is and he loves you, just because he's mad at you doesn't mean he doesn't, but you're going to have to learn sweetie, that the world is not a fair place. Just think of all those students at the school you go to and how those girls were deliberately nasty to you just to make you cry."

Emilia nodded, because those girls had hurt her feelings deliberately. She had always known she was sensitive and paid more attention to peoples words then she should. She got upset when people were so nasty to her, but it had never occurred to her that her older brother could have his feelings hurt, which was just stupid or at least naïve, because he was human after all just like she was.

"While I know you didn't mean your teasing maliciously, it doesn't mean that it doesn't affect your brother," Diana continued. "Spencer is very sensitive about that subject sweetie and you might turn him off dating completely if you don't stop. He might just decide to remain alone for the rest of his life, that dating isn't worth it or having a family. Your brother is trying to teach you a lesson about teasing someone no matter how it is meant. You go to far and you don't know when to quit, which is a problem you're going to have to solve or you're going to get your feelings hurt once you're out on your own by people who won't just ignore you, they will respond a lot of times nastily with the intention of hurting your feelings. In his own way, he's trying to teach you that lesson now, before you're out in the real world and realize what a cruel place it is. Those girls that deliberately said untrue things are just an example sweetie, and mostly that's due to their immaturity, something they will likely grow out of, though there are no guarantees."

"I didn't mean to hurt his feelings. I never do mean too," Emilia said quietly.

"I know you didn't and so does your brother," Diana told her. "But you have to realize that everybody has something that will upset them and a lot of times they will react with violence at the one that did so. Spencer is trying to teach you that teasing someone about something, especially keeping it up when someone starts to get annoyed or angry is not the way to go. You just kept poking at him about his girlfriend until he blocked you out entirely. You've got to learn when to let it go, as a lot of people would have reacted very differently then Spencer did. Spencer would never hurt you deliberately, never yell or hit you, but that does not mean that others would not, whether that's with words on some other way."

"What can I do to fix this?" Emilia asked her mother.

"You know what you have to do sweetie," Dianna told her daughter. "It's what you have to do every time this happens."

"Apologize," Emilia said resignedly. She hated to apologize to anyone, even her brother, but she had hurt his feelings deliberately or not, so Spencer deserved to hear an I'm sorry from her.

"And also promise him that you won't tease him ever again about that subject," Diana told her daughter firmly. "You know he doesn't like being teased about his girlfriends, so you will either quit doing so or he'll only get annoyed with you again. It's also partly my fault for questioning him about his girlfriend over the dinner table. I should've brought it up after you and your brother were in bed. It was my mistake that caused Spencer to be annoyed at you, as I know what you are like when it comes to that subject. I know better, I just wasn't thinking, I just need to have more patience. I would like to see him settle down with a good wife, have a family, but most people aren't married by his age. I was several years older myself when I met Spencer's father and I think we're both well aware how that turned out. I suppose, I rushed into marriage, but at least I was luckier the second time. I know very well he has to be careful, because a lot of women would like to marry him for his money, not because they love him."

"Okay," Emilia whispered, feeling really guilty now that she had hurt Spencer's feelings. "I'll apologize next time I see him."

"And promise never to tease him again about his girlfriends," Diana reminded her daughter.

Emilia sighed, but knew it was fair, no matter how much she wanted to protest. She had hurt her older brother's feelings and had done so every time she teased him about his girlfriends, so it was not the first time. She was getting older though, so Spencer wasn't just going to continue to forgive her, as that would teach her nothing. She had teased him about his personal business and Spencer didn't really appreciate that, but then, nobody probably did. Emilia was well aware that her oldest brother was a very private person and didn't like to have his personal business discussed, even in front of his family, particularly his siblings who teased him mercilessly. Growing up was so hard Emilia thought aggrieved.

"Growing up is hard," Emilia told her mother.

"It's meant to be sweetie, it's how we learn," Diana told her daughter with a gentle smile. "Childhood is supposed to be difficult, particularly the teenage years. Now go to sleep, you know your brother will forgive you, as he's not one to hold a grudge."

Emilia closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep just a few seconds later.

Diana turned and saw Dave in the doorway. He had heard at least part of the conversation with their daughter.

"That was well done," Dave said quietly.

Diana walked to him and the two left their daughter's room together closing the door gently behind them.

"Spencer is right, she's got to learn not to tease people, not even her brother," Dave added once they were down in the living area. "Spencer loves her, so he would never harm her, but someone else might, even if that's just with words."

"I know," Diana said. "It's all about growing up, learning how to act to not offend people, even accidentally. We know that her teasing was not maliciously meant, but she also needs to learn when to stop. Part of the problem is Emilia doesn't know Spencer's whole history and I'm not sure she would understand it if she did know. She's intelligent certainly, but she is only 14 and fairly innocent. She's going learn soon enough that the world is not a fair place. We can tell her that it isn't all we want, but in some things you have to experience it for yourself."

"She's already had a small taste of the world not being a fair place," Dave said, remembering when his daughter had come home in tears, because of some of the girls of the school had deliberately been cruel towards her, said untrue things. Emilia had always been a sensitive child, but almost any child would have believed their words, because they weren't yet confident enough in themselves not to.

"Yeah, she has and that's only a small example of the cruelty of the world. We won't always be around to protect her from it, so she has to learn to deal with it and to watch what she says," Diana said.

"She's intelligent, she'll learn," Dave said. "And it's better if she learns it here at home instead of out in the big bad world, just as Spencer told you in the kitchen."

Diana was not surprised that Dave had heard at least part of the conversation she had with her son, as he had his finger on the pulse of his family. He was an excellent father and husband, certainly better then William Reid ever had been. He actually cared about his family instead of just himself and Diana knew she had been very lucky when she had met Dave when she had taken her son to that concert in Las Vegas.

"Yes, she will and hopefully, she learned a lesson tonight," Diana agreed. "We'll have to see how it goes."

"Well that can wait until tomorrow at least," Dave said. "It's time for bed."

Diana did not argue, as she already knew what Dave had on his mind and she wasn't about to object. She and Dave might be older now, but that didn't mean they stopped making love before going to sleep.

~~~Spencer and Emily~~~

"This is really nice, Spencer," Emily told her boyfriend. The two of them were having dinner at one of the best restaurants in San Francisco. Emily had watched Spencer perform from backstage just getting lost in the music. Spencer was very good on that violin and was probably considered a genius when it came to music. She could listen to him play for the rest of her life. She was actually beginning to think about having children with him and hopefully, at least one of them would get Spencer's musical talent. Emily didn't want to say anything though, because it only been dating a short time, just a couple of months which really wasn't all that long at all, especially considering Spencer travelled a great deal.

"I'm glad you think so," Spencer said smiling.

"Of course I do," Emily said. "I could listen to you play all night. I've always really loved music in general, but I really like how you play."

"I'm glad you do," was all Spencer said.

Spencer believed he was falling in love with the lovely Emily Prentiss, but it was much too soon to say anything. Still, he had never offered to take any of his girlfriends to one of his concerts that was out of New York, so that ought to tell Emily that he really liked her, as she was an intelligent lady. It was a good thing she was, because Spencer couldn't put up with an airhead for the rest of his life. He knew very well that a lot of men took trophy wives and that sometimes they had the brains of peas, but he couldn't put up with someone like that for very long at all. Someone who could hold an intelligent conversation was a big plus with him. The fact that she loved music in general also resonated with him. He didn't necessarily have to marry anyone who loved music, but it would be a big plus, Spencer thought. He would be able to practice without his wife complaining that she should be spending the time with her.

The two chatted, as they ate their dinners

Spencer mentioned his sister and Emily listened, as her date told her what a his sister had done.

"Learning how to quit is just part of growing up, Spencer," Emily said. "I know she hurt your feelings and everything..."

"It's not so much that, not really," Spencer said. "Emilia, has always been a sensitive child, and she takes others words to heart. She's going to have to learn that the world is not a fair place and that it can often be cruel and heartless. I'd rather have her learn that lesson at home then out in the big bad world. By me ignoring her instead of yelling at her or losing my temper she will hopefully, learn a lesson about not teasing people, even if she doesn't deliberately mean to hurt their feelings. Everybody has different things that upset them, makes them mad or sad or happy. Not everybody is just going to ignore her when she teases somebody about something that will cause them to react, whether with anger, or disgust or sadness and at best say something very nasty to her, which will then, hurt her feelings. She's always been very sensitive emotionally, but she also has to be prepared for the consequences, if she pokes at someone until they react."

"I see," Emily said better understanding why Spencer had done what he had.

"I know I hurt her feelings when I ignore her, but then, she apologizes and things are better. She's been told often enough that teasing me about my girlfriends only upsets and angers me and even Colton has learned that lesson now. Yes, she is young, but she will eventually grow up, go to college, start a career and really, that day is not that far off, less than four years."

"She's just immature," Emily said and Spencer nodded in agreement.

"Yes, she is and hopefully, she'll grow out of the stage where she pokes at someone until they react, even if that someone in her family. I don't mind most teasing, but that's subject is off limits and Emilia knows that."

"It's partly mother's fault for bringing up me at the dinner table," Emily said. "She had to know how your sister would react when she found out you had a girlfriend."

"Yes, it is and she admitted that to me, that she should've waited until both Colton and Emilia were in bed, before bringing the subject up. She is not one that can't admit her mistakes. While I can understand mom's motivation for bringing it up, she should've waited. She wants me to settle down and give her grandchildren, but I'm only 31, so I have plenty of time. She admits that she fell for William Reid and that they should've dated longer then they did. William Reid walked away less than eight years later, which ought to tell you he was lousy father material. I'm not under the same time constraint that a woman is, because I can't give birth to a child, and a man's junk is always viable."

"Your mother only wants you to be happy, though I won't say you giving her grandchildren isn't a consideration," Emily said.

"I know that very well, but I'm not going to be rushed. I will not repeat my mother's mistake. I am much more careful and meticulous then mom was when she was younger. You can thank my experience as a young child for that. I don't want to go through the same experience my mother went through and see my marriage break up when there's nothing I can do to prevent it, because the woman in question isn't willing to cooperate and just wants to be difficult. That is one reason I'm so careful about who I date."
"I've had some of the same problems," Emily said understandingly. "Men can be so demanding."

"And so can woman," Spencer agreed. "I want something like mom and dad have. They have a very harmonious relationship. I won't say they don't argue at all, but they hardly ever do."

"That's what I want," Emily said wistfully. "Someone that isn't going to argue with me over pointless things. I don't want someone that is going complain about not having dinner on the table or someone that wants to know where you are all the time."

"Yeah, it would be very unpleasant be married to someone like that," Spencer said. "Men can be just as difficult even if in different ways. If the woman I marry ever starts pulling that kind of crap, well, they'll be divorce forthcoming, if they don't immediately straighten up. I'm not going to put up with the same kind of crap that my mother did when she was married to my birth father. You know William Reid had me convinced that I'd never get married or have a family because I was too weird or to boring or to plain. I was only a kid though and that you automatically love your parents no matter how crappy they may be didn't help."

"I'm glad your mother got away from him them," Emily snorted. "He really does sound like a bit of a bastard."

"Oh, he was and I'm sure he still is. He might have even convinced another woman to marry him. I might even have a half sibling for all I know, though I don't see him having more than one so long, as it's a son of course. I don't really care, though I pity any child that grows up with William Reid as their father, as I very much doubt he would pay them anymore attention than he paid me, which is probably a good thing come to think of it."

Emily tactfully changed the subject and she and Spencer talked about anything, except Spencer's birth father William Reid. William Reid was best regulated to the past where he belonged, as he had given up any rights to his firstborn son decades ago, just by being a dick.

~~~Spencer and Emily~~~