Title: Little Moments
By: Daisyangel
Pairing: Prentiss/Reid
Rating: PG-13
Series: 1) In Midnights in Cups of Coffee, 2) Shut Up and Kiss Me, 3) Here Comes Peter Cotton Tail
Summary: It's the little things, Spencer reflects.

***

It's the little things, Spencer reflects. It's the little things about Emily that he loves. Both the little things about her and the little things she does. An example of one of the little things about Emily comes to his mind as he watches her sleep. No matter how cold or how warm it is outside, she always has to have at least a sheet covering her. On this particular morning, the temperature is a sultry 65 degrees and yet Emily is snuggled under a sheet and a blanket. He asked her about it one day. -

"Hey Em?" Reid wondered.

"Yeah what is it?" Emily responded.

"Why do you always have to have a sheet or something covering you even when it's summer?"

"I get cold easily. Even as a kid when we would camp outside in the heat of August I had to have a blanket."

"I'll keep you warm," he promised pulling her into his arms. Smiling up at him she kissed him before snuggling back against him.

"I have no doubt that you will, Spence," she whispered just before closing her eyes. -

Meanwhile back in the present. A chuckle came from the young genius's mouth as he remembered another one of Emily's 'little 'moments as he was calling them. Turning on her side she regarded him with sleepy eyes.

"Mornin' what's so funny?" she asked softly.

"Just remembering when you accidentally backed my car into the light pole," Reid explained. Blushing Emily ducked her head.

"Have I told you I'm sorry about that?"

"Dozens of times, sweetheart. It's fine, really. I was more shocked at the word that came from your pretty little mouth then I was the fact that you'd hit a light pole with my new car."

"You've heard me swear before," she protested.

"Yes, but not that word," Spencer answered.

"I was so afraid you were going to be mad at me. I'd taken your car to the store because mine wouldn't start. I swear I looked behind me when I started to leave the parking lot. That pole wasn't there when I pulled in," she argued.

"Don't worry about it. It was just a little ding and the paint job fixed it. No harm, no foul," he assured her kissing the tip of her nose. It was Emily's turn to giggle.

"Do you remember last month when I burned your birthday cake?"

"Yes I do. You were so mad it was so hard not to laugh at your expression. The only reason I didn't was because I knew how hard you'd worked on it." Both of them smiled, remembering the day. -

Walking into his apartment Spencer frowned. The smoke detectors were all going off and he could smell smoke. He knew Emily had taken off early from work and that she was supposed to be preparing dinner for his birthday. Hurrying into the kitchen he looked around. No Emily, but he could see smoke billowing from the oven. Opening the door a wave of heat and burned food hit him. Glancing into the pan he recognized a lump that had originally meant to be a cake. Understanding came and he removed the ruined cake with pot holders before closing the oven. At the lack of smoke the smoke detectors ceased. Still unaware of the location of his girlfriend he called out.

"Emily, honey? Where are you?" Hearing Spencer's voice Emily hurried from where she had been drying off after her soak in the tub. Grabbing Spencer's robe from the back of the bathroom door she hurried towards the kitchen. She'd almost reached it when she sniffed the air and noticed the smoke. Her eyes widened as she ran the rest of the way and came to a stop in the doorway, observing her surroundings. She saw Spencer standing by the stove the remains of the birthday cake she'd made him on the counter next to him.

"Oh Spencer, I lost track of time. I was soaking in the tub. I completely forgot about the cake. I'm so sorry," Emily rushed out. Moving forward Spencer reached out for her. Glaring angrily at the cake Emily allowed herself to be pulled into her boyfriends arms. Spencer wanted to laugh at her angry expression but he didn't. He knew how hard she'd worked on the cake. His heart broke as her anger melted into an expression of sadness and she looked as if she was about to cry.

"Don't cry, Emily. It's okay, I don't need a cake for my birthday. All I need is you. I know you put a lot of thought into it and I appreciate it," Spencer soothed.

"But I wanted this evening to be perfect. I made an asian pasta dish that's cooling in the fridge and there's a bottle of wine breathing on the counter. The cake was the final touch."

"It's still perfect. As long as I have you, that's all I need," Spencer swore.

"You're so sweet. Well, we're lucky, though. We won't go without dessert completely. I made something else this morning before I left home," Emily explained, revealing a container. Taking it from her hands Spencer opened it and looked in. Staring back at him were a dozen homemade chocolate chip cookies. -

"That was definitely a birthday I will never forget," Spencer whispered as he pulled himself into a sitting position guiding Emily back with him.

"I still can't believe I lost track of time and burned the cake," Emily said in embarrassment.

"It all worked out okay as I remember," Spencer replied.

"Yes it did. I can't believe we've been dating for almost nine months," she said softly.

"Me either, at least your sense of direction has improved," Spencer teased. Emily groaned in embarrassment as she looked up at Spencer's smiling face.

"You're never going to let me live that down, are you?" The young genius shook his head.

"Nope, not planning on it."

"The directions said to turn right not left, I know they did."

"Whatever you say," Spencer responded. -

"Are you sure the directions said to turn right?" Spencer questioned.

"Yes, I'm sure," Emily answered. It was their three month anniversary and they were walking to a new art gallery that had just opened. Both of them appreciated art and wanted to visit this new gallery. Emily had printed off the directions, but they apparently weren't accurate. For the last fifteen minutes or so they'd been wandering aimlessly hoding hands and scanning street signs.

"We're back where we started," Emily noted with frustration.

"Can I see the map?" Spencer requested. Nodding Emily handed it to him. After studying it a minute Spencer smiled softly and tried hard not to laugh, but wasn't successful.

"What?" Emily wondered.

"The mapWas upside down," Spencer explained. Blushing Emily grabbed for the offending piece of paper.

"Give it here," she demanded taking it from his hands. Sure enough it had been upside down.

"We need to turn left here," Spencer said. Making the necessary turn Emily tried to stay annoyed at him but one look at his smiling face and she couldn't. Both of them started laughing as the gallery came into view. Gazing at him lovingly Emily smiled softly. Taking a deep breath she spoke.

"I love you, Spencer Reid. Happy anniversary." Giving her a similar loving smile Spencer said.

"I love you to Emily Prentiss. Happy anniversary." The two of them had been leaning in and the moment Spencer had finished his declaration there lips met in a kiss that spoke of the love they shared. -

"At least we found it the next time we wanted to go there," Emily commented returning to the present.

"Mmm hmm," Spencer murmured in agreement as he wiggled his fingertips trying to bring feeling back into the arm Emily was leaning against.

"Arm falling asleep?" Emily asked. He nodded silently. Moving so she was settled beside him instead of leaning against his numb arm Emily reached out and began rubbing it. "I seem to remember a time when you let me sleep on your arm even when it had fallen asleep."

"Yeah, but you looked so peaceful. I didn't have the heart to wake you up." -

Watching the credits roll across the screen Spencer glanced down at Emily. They were on her couch enjoying a quiet evening of dinner and a movie. A soft smile crossed his face when he saw that she'd fallen asleep. Unfortunately for him, so had his right arm. Even though it was tingling and numb he didn't have the heart to move it and wake his Emily. Sighing he settled back on the couch relaxing and doing his best to ignore his arm. She looked so much like an angel that he didn't dare move and risk waking her up. -

"You woke about a half an hour later."

"Yeah, and I asked why you were rubbing your arm and you told me what had happened."

"There have been a lot of little moments so far, haven't there?" Spencer said.

"Yes, there sure have," Emily agreed. "I hope there are a lot more to come."

"I do to," Spencer answered softly.

Finished

Next story in series - Emily, you got some 'splainin to do.