Disclaimer: see my profile

A/n here is the last chapter, friends. Thank you all for your kind support and many thanks to my beta REIDFANATIC for her friendship and for her wonderful suggestions that always improve my prose. Please enjoy.

Reid finished stacking books into his bookshelves and creating neat piles near his desk. He moved one stack meant for the library closer to the entryway table next to his front door. He sighed and studied the living area. Tidying his apartment didn't help his state of mind as he waited for Maeve to arrive. He went to his tiny kitchen and instead of pouring out a cup of coffee, he removed a new bottle of water from the refrigerator. It tasted cold and surprisingly refreshing as he chugged it down and tossed the container into his recycling bin.

Ten minutes later, a knock sounded at the door. Reid hurried to open it, and he swept Maeve into his arms before she had a chance to greet him.

"Hello," she said after he kissed her until he couldn't catch his breath.

"Hi."

"You okay," Maeve wondered.

"Yes, I was – concerned," Reid admitted as Maeve removed her jacket.

"Babe, I'm doing well. The session helped, tremendously."

Reid stroked a hand through her long, wavy brown hair and across her temple. "I'm glad therapy is assisting you in recovering."

"It is," Maeve reiterated. "I can't believe a month's passed since that night. In some ways, it's flown by, and in others – "

"It's like yesterday," Reid concluded.

"Yes."

Reid shifted in his seat and reached for her hand. "Hotch asked me about you after our last case."

"Did he?"

Reid smiled at the interest in her voice. "Yes, I think he understands us because he has someone."

"When do I get to meet Beth?" Maeve asked as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Soon, I hope," Reid chuckled.

"Speaking of meeting important people, did you finish the letter?"

Reid bit his lower lip, then sighed into her hair. "I finished it. I hope mom understands."

"I think she will," Maeve assured him. "She loves you and wants you to be happy."

Reid shifted again and turned to face Maeve. "I hope you're right. I want you to meet her, desperately."

"I know you're concerned that her condition might mean she won't react well to meeting me."

"I am," Reid admitted. "I know you are well versed in the caprices and quirks of her disease, but – I want you to know her for the person she is underneath the schizophrenia."

"I want it, too. I already know much about your mom."

Reid stared at her. "How?"

"Because I know you, Spencer. You're kind, gentle, loving, compassionate. You gained such qualities from your mom."

"I suppose –"

"You did," Maeve argued. "You told me that she went off her meds to carry you to term. I can't imagine the strength of mind she had to accomplish such a goal. She loves you, Spencer, more than her life and sanity."

"I don't know what to say," Reid whispered. "She gave up nine months of relative calm and emotional stability to finish a pregnancy. How can I repay her?"

"You don't need to repay her, Spencer. She understands that you love her very much. She'll understand your letter and soon, we will meet."

Reid smiled at Maeve's resolute expression. "You amaze me."

"Why?"

"You're so confident and hopeful after all that's happened in the last few months."

"I have you," Maeve said. "You give me strength that I never imagined."

Reid hugged her tight to his chest and reveled in the feel of her body and the beat of her heart. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Reid left her and went to his desk, he pulled the letter from a stack of papers and held it up. "Time to mail it."

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April sunlight kissed Reid's cheek as he and Maeve stepped out of the Nevada desert and into the front doors of Bennington. He squeezed her hand tight as they made their way to the front desk.

"Dr. Reid," said Lucy, one of Dianna's nurses. "It's good to see you again."

"Thank you. It's good to see you. How are you?"

"I'm good," she cradled her six-month baby belly with one hand. "This little guy likes to kick in the middle of the night, but I love it."

"It's a boy, that's cool," Reid said nervously.

"Yeah, we're over the moon."

"Um, I almost forgot, this is Maeve."

"Hello," Lucy extended a hand. "It's nice to meet you."

Maeve took in the nurse, dressed in pink scrubs with her blond hair in a ponytail and white tennis shoes on her feet. She stood at about five seven and had green eyes that crinkled when she smiled. "It's nice to meet you, too."

"Is she having a good day," Reid asked, hope in his beautiful eyes.

"Yes, she's outside with her journal and a book. I hope you don't mind," Lucy said as they followed her down the wide hallway to the common area.

"No, we don't mind. The weather is perfect for outside. I'm glad spring is finally here," Reid said.

"Me too," Lucy agreed. "There she is," The nurse pointed out the window where Dianna sat in a porch chair with a white straw hat on her head, a thin pink sweater over a blue skirt and slippers on her feet.

"Let's go," Reid said and tugged Maeve through the door.

Dianna looked up as they approached and smiled. "Spencer."

"Hi, mom." Reid crouched and hugged Dianna tight. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. I brought someone to meet you."

Reid gestured to Maeve, who stepped forward. "Hello, Mrs. Reid."

"You must be Maeve," Dianna asked and took Maeve's hand. "It's lovely to meet you, my dear."

"It's nice to meet you, too. I've heard everything there is to know about you from Spencer."

Dianna winked at Reid, who turned pink. "I'm sure you have. He likes to brag about me."

"Mom."

Dianna laughed. "Let's go inside where we can all sit."

"We didn't mean to drag you back indoors," Reid protested as Dianna picked up her book, and journal.

"Honey, don't worry about me. The nice part about this time of year is that I can sit outside anytime I want. I'll go back out again tomorrow."

The group decided to go up to Dianna's room because she wanted to show Maeve her photo albums."

"Mom!"

Maeve smirked at him, and Dianna laughed. "Don't worry, baby. I'm sure Maeve won't leave you due to a few awkward photos."

"I don't know," Maeve teased. "I might."

"I like her," Dianna said to Reid. "She's a delight."

Reid finally smiled as some of the pinks in his cheeks receded. "Yes, she is."

They sat on Dianna's sofa and Reid perched in the edge of the bed. Maeve began looking at Dianna's photo album, and Reid fidgeted when she began to ooh and ah over the pictures. "You're so cute," she exclaimed.

"Maeve!"

Dianna chuckled and put aside the book after several minutes. "I'm sorry, son. We're done."

"Can we talk about something else," Reid asked.

"Of course, what do you want to talk about?"

"How are you? Is there anything you need?"

"Always worried about me," Dianna said as she leaned back on the couch. "I'm fine, son. All I need is you."

"Thanks, mom."

"Now, tell me about yourself, Maeve. Spencer talks about you in his letters, but I need more details."

Maeve smile nervously. "Well, I am a geneticist and –"

"I know all of that," Dianna interrupted, gently. "There is something my son hasn't told me yet. I can tell from the tone of your letters," she directed to Reid. "What's going on?"

Spencer glanced at Maeve who nodded. "A few weeks after we met, Maeve started received threatening letters and photos in the mail."

"A stalker," Dianna said.

"Yes, and she wanted to hurt both of us. Spencer was in some of the photos she sent to me."

"I assume you caught her," Dianna said calmly, but Reid saw a bit of fear and concern in her eyes.

"Yes, she's dead. She committed suicide."

"How awful, but I'm glad you're all right my dear."

"Yes, but that's not the worst part of the story."

Meave explained about Bobby and the showdown between him and Reid. Dianna listened and then hugged both of them tight. "I can't say I'm happy, but what you've suffered has made you stronger."

"I hope so," Maeve said.

"I know it has," Dianna said resolutely. "I can see it in your faces. You two remind me of my parents. They were married for fifty years, and they had an amazing relationship. I always wanted to be like them."

"I'm sorry if I brought up bad memories," Maeve said.

"It's all right. What's done is done."

Reid squeezed her hand. "I love you, mom."

"And I you," Dianna said. "You're the greatest joy of my life, Spencer. I'm so glad you found the right one for you.

Maeve and Spencer looked at each other and smiled. "I know I have," Maeve said.

"Agreed."

"Tell me more about how you met," Dianna requested. "I know what Spencer told me, but I want your first impression of him."

"Mom!"

Dianna ignored his protest and Maeve chuckled. "What do you want to know?"

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"Your mother is amazing," Maeve said two hours later as they drove back to their hotel.

"Yes, she is," Reid said proudly.

"She reminds me of you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's intelligent, well read, and she knows a good thing when she sees it."

Reid shook his head and chuckled. "I'm glad you hit it off with her. She likes you, I can tell."

"I like her," Maeve enthused as they turned into the parking lot and hurried inside to the elevator.

"What else do you want to do while we're here?"

"Right now, I'd like to give you a three-month anniversary gift."

"Maeve, you didn't have to buy me a gift. I don't need anything but you."

Maeve turned to him in the elevator and her sea blue eyes filled with tears. "I love you, Spencer Reid. You saved my life, twice. I don't want to think about the consequences of never meeting you. I might be dead, or worse," she shuddered, and Reid pulled her into his arms as the elevator came to a stop at their floor.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Don't worry," she shook her head as he reached in his pocket for the key to their room. "I'm sorry for letting my lingering emotional instability leak out again."

"Don't apologize," Reid admonished. "You know all about the nightmares I've had in which you die at Diane or Bobby's hands. I couldn't live if –"

Maeve kissed him. "Oh, Spencer. Let's not talk about it. We're moving on. You're doing well at work, my research is taking off, and it's Spring."

Reid smiled. "You're right. I'm worried for nothing. My mom is well, and you're here. I don't need anything else."

"You keep saying that, but I'm going to give you a gift, anyway."

Reid rolled his eyes, and Maeve smirked. "Wait here."

Reid went to the sofa in the living area of the small, but a nice appointed suite of rooms, Garcia had reserved for their stay in Las Vegas. Sun shone through the curtains on the windows and shed golden light on the chocolate colored carpet under his feet.

"Here," Maeve entered with a gift bag in her hands. "Happy Anniversary, Spencer."

He took it and pulled out the tissue paper. Inside stood a book. "The Narrative of John Smith."

"This is awesome," Reid said and opened the front cover. In Maeve's handwriting, he found a verse from John Merton.

"Love is our true Destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves, alone. We find it with another."

"This is wonderful, thank you, Maeve," Reid kissed her. "It's also awkward."

Maeve's happy smile disappeared. "Why?"

"Wait here."

Reid hurried away and when he returned he found Maeve paging through her gift to him. "Um, I decided to get you a gift."

"Spencer."

"You might not like it," he said and handed her a book with a golden ribbon tied around it.

"The Narrative of John Smith," Meave read the cover and began to cry.

"I'm sorry," Reid said, dismayed.

"No, it's not sadness. It's joy. I can't believe how alike we are. We both bought the same gift for each other. It's like our version of "The Gift of the Magi."

Reid smiled with relief. "I'm glad you said that. I was worried you'd hate it."

"No," Maeve said, and she opened the book. "I love it."

"Read the inscription."

Maeve read the verse he'd chosen, and she smiled with delight.

"In this world, it is too common for people to search for someone to lose themselves in. But I am already lost. I will look for someone to find myself in." C Joy Bell

"Thank you for helping me to find myself."

"Oh, Spencer. I love you, and I adore my gift. I'll keep it near me always."

"I love you, Maeve. I don't want to think about what my life would be like without you."

"I agree," Maeve whispered and kissed him.

Her lips were soft like the petals of a rose, and he found that once again, his busy mind ceased its endless revolutions, and peace settled like a mist over all he was and all he knew.

THE END