Title: A Simple Smilee
By: girl-from-a-small-town
Pairing: Reid/OFC
Rating: PG
Summary: Reid goes to a bookshop in order to find relaxation. Instead, he discovers a friend who isn't so different from him.

***

In Washington D.C. there's a little bookshop tucked away in a corner of the city. Not that many people were in there at a time, but that was probably why it was so attractive to those who did spend time there. The BAU was given President's day off, and Spencer Reid knew that he wanted to spend part of his day at this exact bookshop. A bell rang over the door when Spencer entered the bookshop, welcoming as it had done times before. The owner- an elderly old man- stuck his head out from the selves and smiled at the sight of the young man.

"Hello my boy," he greeted. "What brings you in today?"

"I haven't been here for a while," Spencer told the old man.

The man laughed. "You need to visit more often," he said. "I notice that you're walking with a limp."

"Long story," Spencer said not wanting to tell the man of his horrifying captivity. "Something happened on the job."

"You'll be well soon," the man declare. "One of the pleasures of being young. Tell me if there is anything that I can help you find."

"I will," Spencer said before unbundling himself and hanging up his coat. He went to the section where aging books by John Steinbeck rested in hopes of finding some new books to enjoy on the plane rides to and from the different cases. He could read a large book in ten minutes, but he absolutly enjoyed reading a book slowly so he could absorb all of the details.

Spencer was never a graceful child, so it didn't surprise him when he knocked several books out of place. He tried to catch them all, but several landed with a thud onto the floor. "Do you need any help?" a soft voice asked.

He looked up to see a young woman with soft brown hair and oval earth-color eyes looking at him from the end of the book case. "I-" She picked up the remaining books. "Thanks."

"You're into John Steinbeck?" she asked as she read the title of one of the books.

"Yeah, he's one of my favorites," Reid said.

"I read The Pearl a couple of weeks ago," she said. "The book is really great, but the movie…"

Reid laughed. "That bad?"

"I couldn't get through ten minutes," she said. "I'm Abigal Carson by the way."
"Spencer Reid," he said as she shook her hand. "So-what other types of books do you like?"

"All kinds," she said. "History, science, fantasy, science fiction, mythology… I don't think that I could name them all."

He smiled and started told her, "I couldn't either. Almost any book is a good book."

"People don't get that," Abigal said. "When I was in collage, no one ever understood why I read just for the fun of it."
"Collage? Have you already graduated?"

"Several years ago," she said.

"How old are you?"

"Ninteen," she said.

He smiled. "So you graduated early?"

"Yes," she said plainly.

"Did I mention that I have three Ph.D.s?" he asked with a smile.

"Did I mention that I have one too?"

"What to go for coffee?"

"I'd love to."

***

It was official; Spencer Reid and Abigal Carson were a couple. She couldn't help but tell her friends about the man with a charming smile. He had placed a picture of them on his desk; of course, Morgan had asked when did the genius get a girlfriend. They had only known each other for a few weeks before they saw that they understood each other.

"So, what about your family?" Spencer had asked her as they walked outside on a starry night.

She looked up and was silent for moment. "They're dead," Abigal finally said. "They're all dead. When I was six, a fire engulfed our entire house. My parents, my baby sister, and my older brother were all inside. I went to live with my aunt who I often call the wicked witch of the west." She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. "What's your story?"

Abigal knew what it was like to be truly alone. "My mother was mentally ill and didn't take care of herself so my father left. When I was eighteen, I put my mother in a faculty."

She stared at him for a long moment, a thousand thoughts running through her mind. "My mother lit the match."

"What?"

"I was walking home, and when I looked through the kitchen window, I saw my mother standing over the gas stove with a lit match. She looked right at me before dropping the match. Doctors had believed that she was bipolar, but she had been fine for such a long time. After my grandma died, she simply broke down overnight. I lost everything that I had ever loved."

After that, Spencer didn't doubt that they were meant to be together. About a month latter, the BAU were coming back from a case. "Reid man, do you think that you could give me a ride home? My car is in the shop."

"I have to make a stop," Reid said.

Morgan smiled to himself when the young doctor stopped at the jewelers. When he came out of the shop, he was starring into the little blue velvet as if whatever was inside would change his life.

"Did you get your girl a pair of earrings," Morgan asked teasingly.

"Not a earrings," Reid said as his face broke into a huge smile. He showed his college what was in the box.

"You're getting married?" Morgan asked. "Man, that's a serious commitment."

Spencer stared at the ring for a moment. "I know," he said. "I can't imagine my life without her. She doesn't see me as a kid or a skinny little nerd; she sees me."
"I don't see you as a skinny little nerd," Morgan said. Reid raised an eyebrow. "Well- not in a bad way. You are going to invite me to your wedding right?"

Spencer Reid had never been so nervous in his life as that Friday night. He couldn't help but think what if she says no? He took a deep breath before knocking on her apartment door. "Just a moment," she called out.

His breath was taken away when he saw her. She wore a midnight blue dress that flattered her frame perfectly, she was wearing her long brown hair down which was something she never did, and her eyes were simply twinkling. "You look amazing," he gasped.

"Thank you," she said. "Let me go get my coat."

"Let me," he said as he hurried to help her with her coat.

"Thank you. So where are we going tonight?"

He smiled. "That's a surprise."

He helped her into his car and started driving. Soon, they were in the part of the city that the middle class families lived. "This must be a surprise," Abigal said as she looked out the window.

Finally, he pulled the car into the drive of a blue house. "We're here," he said.

"Here?" she asked.

Without a word, he got out of the car, and helped her out. Arm in arm, he led her up the walk. Slowly, he took out a key and opened the door. "Let me take you on the grand tour." He showed her the master bedroom, a guest bedroom, two bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchen combined dinning room. "Do you like it?" he asked as he brought her out on the deck.

"It's a really cozy house," she said. "But-"

"How long has it been since you've lived in a house?"

"Since my parents died."

"I haven't lived in a house for years either, and I haven't had a home," Reid told her.

"Me either," Abigail admitted.

He took a deep breath. "I put a down payment on this house," he explained.

"Oh my gosh, congratulations!" Abigail said. "I'm so happy for you."

"I want to make you happy. I want to be happy with you," Reid said. He pulled the velvet box out of his pocket and dropped to one knee. "Will you marry me?"

Abigail stood in shock for a moment. "Yes! YES!" She jumped into his arms. "Oh, Spencer, you have no idea what you've given me since I met you."

"You gave me a reason to live."

***