"Somebody's certainly in a cheerful mood this morning," Morgan commented with a grin, as soon as he got off the elevator. He could smell the thick pheromones in the air.

Spencer acted like he hadn't heard Morgan and started doing the paperwork that had been left in his inbox.

"So who is she?" Morgan asked, as he sat on the corner of Spencer's desk.

"Why do you want to know?" Spencer asked instead, pretending to be busy with paperwork.

"Well, so long as they don't do you any harm them I'm very happy for you, if they do however, I guarantee you they'll regret the day they were ever born. I've known for awhile that you were ready to settle down, but I didn't figure that you would be courting this fast as you just bought that house a few months ago and it's still being renovated."

"This is exactly why I didn't tell you or any of the others in advance Morgan," Spencer said, finally looking at his friend. "I knew at a minimum Garcia would be doing a background check. I wanted to go to this first date on my own without telling anybody, as I knew very well how you, Prentiss and Rossi would react, but mostly you. I love you for that protectiveness Morgan, but there are some things I need to do on my own. I didn't want you threatening my date until I could test the waters. It might not turn into anything. In this case, I don't need to be coddled."

Morgan looked rather upset and Spencer was sorry for it.

"Normally, I don't mind being coddled a little Morgan and I know it helps you and the others Alphas instincts calm down, but in this case it was not necessary. You're my family and I love you, but there are some things that you need to let me handle myself."

"Alright then," Morgan said once he had thought about what Spencer had said. "I will let you do it the way you want, but the minute I think you're in trouble expect me to show up."

"I would expect nothing less, Morgan," Spencer said.

"So now that we've got that settled how did it go the other night?" Morgan asked.

"It went just fine and both of us enjoyed ourselves. The dinner was very good and then we talked a lot," Spencer said. "I thought it was a very good first date."

"So are you going to give me the name of your suitor?" Morgan asked.

"That depends on what you plan to do with information," Spencer said. "While you warning her to treat me right will probably be accepted with good grace, I still don't want you to do that, at least until we see if our relationship is going anywhere."

"None of us will interfere so long as you're happy," Morgan promised.

"Alright then," Spencer said. "Her name is Safina Hotchner."

"The only Hotchner I know about is the one that runs that big business empire," Morgan said after a moment.

"That's the only one I knew about as well," Spencer said. "Then again Safina's never been in the limelight and is not a public figure. It turns out that Aaron Hotchner also has a brother, as well. She went to college under her mother's maiden name of Nicholson, probably to stop others from saying her brother bought her grades or from bothering her for inside info on her brother or his company. They are apparently only half siblings."

"So she's also an Alpha," Morgan said Spencer nodded.

"A very strong one, but so far I haven't noticed any signs that she's going to try to take advantage of me. I've only heard good things about Aaron Hotchner, so we'll just have to see where things go, as it was only the first date after all. I've already determined to have a talk with her and her brother after we've been dating for awhile and explain that I have no intention of giving up my job or my freedom. It might not be necessary, but it's better just to make sure."

In the past, Alphas had forced Omegas to become what was called a House Omega. While this had happened more to females, who were kept constantly pregnant, it also happened to men as well, just not as often.

"I think for now though we really don't need to worry about it, because it was only a first date and we might not even be courting by the point that it's necessary," Spencer added.

This was true, Morgan had to acknowledge and he knew that his friend would tell him if things started heading in that direction.

Just like Spencer he had only heard good things about Aaron Hotchner and he suspected that he would never allow his sister to mistreat Reid. From all reports Hotchner was a very strong Alpha, but he used it to help others, instead of badgering them into submission, like so many did and if that was true then he had Morgan's respect.

"I hope it works out. I want you to settle down have a family," Morgan said.

"I would love to and I'm hoping it works out too," Spencer said, "But if anybody needs to settle down Morgan it's you. You are several years older than I am."

"It's not like I don't want too," Morgan acknowledged.

"Well then, you better get busy, stop playing the field so much," Spencer told him seriously. "Playing the field is no way to find someone to settle down with. It's okay for a few years, but you're not getting any younger you know."

"I know," Morgan acknowledged. "So is this Safina beautiful?"

"Why do you want to know? It's not like you're going to try to steal her from me, as you would never do that for one thing, and for another she's a very strong Alpha and you would clash constantly."

"I was just curious," Morgan said.

"I just bet you were," Spencer teased him, his good mood restored. "And yes, to answer your question, she's a very beautiful woman. She looks a lot like her brother, despite being only half siblings. Long black hair, dark brown eyes, a lot of the same general features and she's also tall, especially for a woman and Aaron Hotchner is well over 6 feet. However, while Hotchner is very broad at the shoulders, much like you, Safina is much slenderer. I'll have to take a picture and show you sometime. I recognized her once we had met again."

"Where did you meet?"

"Remember that physics lecture I gave Georgetown a few years ago?" Spencer reminded Morgan who did vaguely remember that and then he got clearer once he thought for a minute.

"Now I do, though I had forgotten about it until you reminded me," Morgan said.

"Well, she was still a student at the time, as she's a few years younger. The age difference though, really isn't all that much, just four years. While she's intelligent she went to college at a normal age, so she's only 26. She was apparently very intrigued with me, even though I didn't notice that kind of thing while I was lecturing. I don't pay attention to that kind of stuff while I'm teaching someone. I totally block out that kind of thing. I only remember her, because she asked several intelligent questions. She has apparently started working as a physicist for her brother's company."

"Well, it looks like maybe she can match you in the intelligence department," Morgan said.

"That's not what I'm worried about at all Morgan, as I know very well not many people can match me in their intelligence. What I'm worried about is that she will treat me like an equal, that she won't try to force me to quit my job or make me a House Omega, because I'll never accept it if she does, even if I love her, at the same time. However, I realize that if she does then she doesn't really love me at all."

"I wouldn't worry about that right now, because as you said, it was only the first date," said Morgan. "I would just enjoy the courting process and you can talk to her about your expectations when you think the time is right."

"That won't be for awhile," Spencer acknowledged. "We better get to work, as a team will be in any minute."

Morgan nodded and headed for his office, because he knew that we wouldn't want to tell the others about his date and that someone was courting him until he was ready.

~~~Spencer and Safina~~~

One month later

"Why are we just now finding out that you're being courted?" asked Emily.

Spencer had just told to rest of the team that he was seeing someone and that it was pretty serious.

"Because I know very well what your initial reactions would've been," Spencer explained. "I am not naïve, nor am I stupid and you know I'm always careful. Your first reaction would've been to have Garcia do a background check, and while I appreciate an Alphas need to protect someone like me, I don't appreciate being coddled, especially in my personal life. I took precautions, just in case and I left you guys a letter to let you know where I was in a place that's easy to locate in my apartment. I accept being coddled on the job, as I know very well Alphas have instincts. I know I'm also the first Omega ever in the BAU and that I have to put up with certain things."

Both Rossi and Prentiss listened and they had to admit that Spencer was correct.

"You all know I bought a house, to indicate I was ready to start looking for a mate and though, I didn't expect to start courting so soon, it doesn't mean I'm unhappy about it. I told you as soon as I thought it was going somewhere," Spencer said.

"Why aren't you protesting, Morgan?" Dave asked. "You're the most protective of him."

"Because he already knew," Spencer said. "He was in early the morning after the first date when I had come in early to finish up the paperwork. I couldn't contain my reaction and he knew I was very happy for some reason. We had a conversation about being overprotective and he agreed to stay out of it unless I was unhappy."

"He hasn't been, because I've been watching him on and off," Morgan admitted. "He's been very happy, something you would notice, if you know what you looking for."

"I had noticed something," Dave said, "but I had no idea that he had started to court. Shows what a profiler I am, because I should have known, as it's not like Reid to be constantly cheerful."

"I just think you subconsciously decided not to interfere," JJ said having finally absorbed the news that Spencer was being courted by an Alpha. "If he had been unhappy you would've noticed more and asked him about it I'm sure."

Rossi had to acknowledge that, because JJ was right.

"So who is she?" Garcia asked looking eager for that piece of information.

"Are you going to do a background check on her if I tell you?" Spencer asked. "If you are, you're not going to learn who is courting me until she proposes and I accept or I don't."

"I won't do one unless you ask me to," Garcia promised.

"And that goes for the rest of you as well," Spencer told them seriously. "You will not have a background check done by anyone else either. I want your promises that you'll let me handle it. She's a good person and if she wants to tell me about any skeletons in her closet then that's up to her."

"I would promise, because he is not going to change his mind, as you know how stubborn he can be," Morgan said. "We all know he's a fine profiler and he would have noticed any sort of deception."

That was true, the others acknowledged especially Emily and Dave.

"You know her name," JJ said, looking at Morgan.

"Yes, I do, but I had to promise I wouldn't have my baby girl do a background check," Morgan answered. "I won't give you her name unless you meet Reid's conditions, because I won't betray him like that. He accepts my coddling with good grace, even if I know it annoys him a little. He's also not stupid or naïve, as he stated a few minutes ago and he would've been looking for signs that everything was not as it should be."

"I think he's being perfectly reasonable in his request," Dave said. "While he's an Omega he's also very intelligent and observant and really, he doesn't necessarily need a mate like so many do, because he's very strong mentally and emotionally and would do just fine on his own, if that's what he wanted. However, like most Omegas, he wants a family if at all possible, something that all of us can understand."

"He considers all of us family, it's probably why he puts up with the coddling from Morgan and the rest of us," Anderson who had been silent finally said, "But that's different from having children of his own."

"Alright, I promise," Emily said reluctantly, but she knew very well that everybody was right. Still, her instincts were warring within her. She wanted to do a background check on this woman, just be on the safe side, but also understood that Reid deserved his freedom to make his own decisions. If she still did a background check and Reid found out about it, he'd likely never forgive her or at least it would take a lot to get him too. "Just so long as you tell us if you think you're in trouble."

"I already promised Morgan I would," Spencer told Emily who nodded.

"So are we going to get to meet this woman?" Garcia finally asked.

"Eventually," Spencer said. "Her name is Safina Hotchner by the way and yes, I know that we only thought there was one Hotchner, at least in Virginia and Washington. She's been in college until the last couple of years. She is definitely Aaron Hotchner's sibling, because they look too much alike to not be closely related."

"So you had to have met beforehand if she started courting you," Dave said.

"We met when I was giving a lecture on physics a few years ago, though technically, we didn't really meet just saw each other," Spencer said. "She asked some very intelligent questions, which is the only reason I remember her at all, mostly because she was actually interested in the course material, which a lot of students are not. She's started working in the physics department in her brother's company."

"So that means that this Safina is around your age," JJ said.

"Yes, she is, because while she is intelligent she went to college at the normal time. She graduated at 24, which is pretty young to get two full degrees, both the bachelors and a masters, which just means that she is likely a genius and also that she concentrated on her studies instead of partying like so many college students do."

"Thanks to the fact, that Aaron Hotchner is considerably older I'm assuming she was either unexpected or late arrival in the family or that she's only a half-sister," Dave said.

"The second," Spencer said. "They do love each other very much though, as I've seen them interact. I know how some families don't like to acknowledge their mistakes, but Aaron doesn't seem to care. He genuinely loves her and supports her all the way. He adopted her under the Hotchner name, because it was his mother who is the parent in common."

"I heard that Hotchner was mated once," JJ said.

"He was," Spencer acknowledged. "I don't know all the details, but I suspect, that his wife cheated on him, as Aaron isn't the type to throw someone out for no reason. He does have a son and daughter and he made sure he got full custody."

"It's what I would do if my mate cheated on me," Dave said looking sympathetic. "I think her name was Haley and from what I heard she was lucky that Hotchner didn't kill her."

"That's what Safina said," Spencer admitted. "She said she was home for the Christmas and witnessed the event. She convinced her brother to go to the Council instead. It was at least a few years ago, so he might be ready to look for another mate, though that's not my place."

"Like that matters to you," Morgan snorted. "So long as we don't spread it around Hotchner will never know."

"True enough," Spencer agreed before changing the subject.

~~~Spencer and Safina~~~