rausllyDixiechick You are up next! (I created a fake last name for ya haha) I was worried about how I was going to do this one but as soon as I started typing I couldn't stop! I know it's not exactly as you asked but all the same I hope you don't mind and you find it to your liking!

Natalia ran her fingers through her hair and puffed her cheeks, letting out a blow of air. Spencer Reid was just beaten up for the third time in the past two weeks and she was *this* close to punching someone in the face. Preferably the stupid officials who placed him in this correction facility and not in the protected one he was supposed to be in.

She stood outside the 'nurses' office where a cut on Spencer's forehead needed some taping. Once he was done and cleared, Spencer left, only giving her a nod before he left, leaving her to watch him go, her mind a bit more at ease.

Natalia had been working at this jail for nearly ten years, taking over after her father had to leave due to the injuries he had sustained while on duty. Personally, Natalia was thankful he was home with her mother because the number of threats he had been getting was starting to worry her.

But even after all her years of working here, Natalia had never, not once felt any sort of sympathy for these scumbags of the earth. That is until one of them walked in and in a heartbeat, she knew he didn't belong here.

Fear wasn't the first thing he saw in his eyes when he walked through the gate. She saw resignation and contemplation. He took everything in. Nothing scared him. He didn't look away when the gang leaders stared him down. He didn't yell, kick, or scream about how he didn't deserve this. Instead, he was quiet but his mind sure wasn't.

From that moment on, Natalia Benson knew she wanted to know what was going on in that buzzing mind of his. She knew she had to keep an eye on him. He had to be protected. But she had to make sure it wasn't too obvious.

First, she would make sure he got the cleanest linens. Second, she rearranged the chores so he didn't ever have to clean the bathrooms. It quickly became apparent that the other inmates were picking on him with new cuts and bruises showing up from time to time. So, Natalia made sure he was seen by the nurse as often as he needed. Then she used the skills she had learned while working there to schmooze her way into getting some extra food, sneaking it into Spencer's cell or on his tray.

Funny thing was she hadn't spoken a word to him. But, for some reason, Natalia felt like she didn't need to. With just one glance she could almost feel his confusion at her kindness, his gratitude, but also his warning for her to either back-off or stop completely. But she wouldn't have it. Natalia wasn't someone who gave up easily, especially on people who deserve better.

~~~~

Spencer appreciated everything Officer Benson was doing but he couldn't help but be very worried, not only for his interactions with her but what repercussions could happen to her if they were found out. He has accepted his fate. He knows he will be stuck here for a long time and though he looked forward to seeing her every day, he knew this, whatever "this" was, wasn't going to last forever.

And he planned on telling her so.

Spencer knew of a small corner in between cell blocks five and six, big enough to hold two people with enough space to stand.

He knew there was a break between shifts after dinner on Tuesdays so when Officer Benson walked by, he placed a note in her hand as she dropped a role onto his plate. Spencer had thought about passing notes to her but wasn't sure how she would react. But his fear over her safety out weighted his fear of looking like a middle schooler.

After dinner, Spencer made sure the guys around him assume he was going to the bathroom, not having a rendezvous with a cute guard. He hurried to the tucked away corner, his heart hammering. Despite all the scenarios he had imagined, Spencer's eyes widened and he gocked for a second as he spied Officer Benson standing there, her hands on her hips, her long black hair out of her usual ponytail now laid cascading down her back in a river of onyx. She was a head shorter than him but as she turned he knew that no matter how tall a guy would be, she could easily level them with her stare, her brown eyes deep and unwavering. But he watched as she recognized who he was and her eyes immediately relaxed, forming warm pools of chocolate that he would have easily lost himself in had they not been pressed for time.

"Officer Benson," Spencer greeted with a quiet tone but a small smile.

Natalia blinked, pleasantly surprised by his gentle voice. "Hello, Spencer Reid. Reminiscing the middle school days?" She held up the slip of paper between her fingers, noting the blush on his cheeks.

Spencer cleared his throat as he drew closer, nodding to the far corner where he knew they wouldn't be overheard. "I wasn't sure how else to get in contact with you."

Natalia laughed lightly, nodding. "No, no. I think it was a good idea. Wish I thought of it first."

Spencer shrugged. "Well, you don't' have an IQ of 187."

Spencer didn't notice how close they were until he looked down at her, her stoic but slightly critical expression looking up at him. She hummed, nodding again, looking down at the paper in her hand.

"I'm sure there is a lot of things you have that I don't. Like a reason for why you wanted to talk. I thought-"

"You need to stop helping me," Spencer winced as he whispered harshly, cutting her off.

Natalia blinked. Getting cut off was one thing but being told by an innocent inmate to stop helping them...she was confused.

"But I thought...I thought you were the one who didn't do anything wrong," she whispered, her eyes searching his face.

Spencer shrugged. "I don't know that for sure anymore." He looked down and away from her, retreating.

Natalia shook her head, taking a step closer. "What? From what I have been hearing, you believe you are the one who killed that woman?"

"We don't have anything against it."

"No, stop. Stop right there. I have met plenty, PLENTY of men that have come through this facility who have all been in various degrees of wrong. You are so different from them, Spencer. How can you even allow yourself to think that even for a second that you-"

Spencer cut her off again, his face pleading. "Officer Benson, Natalia...please. I don't want you to get wrapped up in what I'm involved in. I don't want you to get hurt." He moved a hair out of her face and off her shoulder, his voice lowering. "Or get attached."

It was Natalia's turn to blush, her neck prickling with heat. "Tell me what is going on. Let me help you."

Spencer shook his head as he backed away, noting the time on her watch. The next shift was about to switch. He gave her one last look, his smile gentle as he gave her a small wave.

"You are safer doing your job."

Natalia's shoulders dropped as Spencer rounded the corner. "But keeping you safe is my job."

*I have no idea how long he was in jail. No amount of searching gave me the right answer and I didn't feel like looking up the episodes and watching them to make an estimated so I'm just guessing. If you know the right amount of time please don't hesitate to comment it hahaha 

Seven months. Seven months Natalia had to do her best to help the young doctor without ticking him off in the process. Having no contact with his BAU members, she was finding it difficult to do much of anything else than what she was already doing. But in those seven months, she learned a lot about him. Since their little meeting, she couldn't keep her heart from fluttering every time they made eye contact or when their hands brushed when he passed her notes. She was thankful he was willing to keep talking with her though.

Natalia made sure that she was never assigned to anything more than his outside time so no one would think she favored him in any way. Unfortunately, that left her in the dark about a lot of the things going on with him, so when she heard he had stabbed himself she had to know why. So, once he was able to, she made him meet her in their secret corner for the second time to talk in person.

Spencer knew he was in trouble the moment he got the note. All it said was "Now" and he knew where to meet her. But he wasn't blind either. He could tell something was bothering her, that she was hiding just as much as he was. This time when she saw him approach, her eyes grew hard and she shook her head as he came to stop in front of her.

With every word she spoke, she poked his chest. "You. Are. An. Idiot."

Spencer nodded, finding it hard to keep his smile back from seeing her so frustrated. "I had to."

"I'm not dumb Spence. Just because I don't have your IQ doesn't' mean I can't tell when things are getting worse. How did everyone know you were a BAU agent?"

"Former agent. And it's a long story."

"Then tell me! I want to help you and I can't do that when you keep doing stupid things like getting in fights, talking with the wrong guys and stabbing your freaking leg." Her eyes were wide with more than frustration, utter worry.

Spencer sighed, rubbing his face taking note of his need to shave. "I can't Natalia. Not because I don't want to but because things are getting taken care of."

Natalia was starting to understand, nodding. "And if I were to intervein, it'd be more of a hindrance than a help."

"Yes, but you would be attached to my case and there are some very dangerous people attached to me and my work."

Natalia almost laughed out loud. "You do know where I work, right?"

Spencer shook his head, stepping forward and placing his hands on her shoulders. "I know but that's different. Kind of. I just need you to trust me and believe me when I say I'll be fine. Things will work out."

Natalia looked up at Spencer, searching his face, holding his gaze with her own. He did trust her, that much she knew. But seeing that small glimmer of hope in his eyes made her suddenly feel like smiling. Instead, she nodded, reaching up and placing a hand on one of his that still rested on her shoulders.

"Alright. I trust you. But let me be the one to contact your BAU supervisor and lawyer this time."

Spencer narrowed his eyes, his head tilting to the side slightly, enough to make his long hair bounce. "Are you sure? I thought we said no picking favorites?"

"I know. But I want to help you one more time before you shut me out completely, get released and I never get to see you again."

Spencer let a corner of his lips pull up into a half smile, his Adam's apple bobbing with a suppressed laugh. "I'm not sure about all of that but sure. Just this once."

Satisfied, Natalia stepped back, pleading with her heart to calm down. She brushed passed him but before she turned the corner she looked at him, her own smile on her lips.

"I mean it though. I don't want you to forget me after you leave."

Spencer shook his head, crossing his arms. "Impossible. I couldn't even if I wanted to." He took a step forward, his brows furrowing. "Are you going to be alright here?"

Natalia paused, her breath hitched. She knew he was going to see some of the things she had to deal with, not only as an officer but as a woman while working at a jail. But she buried her feelings, swallowing the lump forming in her through. She was the one supposed to look after him, not the other way around.

"Yeah. I'll be just fine."

The young BAU agent watched as the woman he unknowingly came to care for left, his mind reeling with ideas on how to get out of here and how he was going to see her again without it looking extremely suspicious.

~~~~~

Spencer was released two weeks later and

Natalia looked between Officer Cooper and an inmate she only knew by the name of "Rusty" attributed to the rust-colored teeth behind his sneering lips, as they slowly made their way over to her. She had just gotten out of the restroom having parted ways with the other female officers. Now she was trapped in one of the many laundry rooms, this one being under construction.

Placing her hand on her taser, Natalia looked between the two advancing men, her mind devising a plan but she needed to stall them. "You guys are insane. What makes you think you can get away with this?"

Standing closest to her, Officer Cooper laughed darkly. "We made a deal with the head supervisor. And his cronies. After we were done with you they-"

Bile rose in her mouth. She heard enough.

Kicking a broken bin at Rusty, Natalia pulled out her taser and aimed at Officer Cooper but he was faster. Her body convulsed as she let out a shout of pain. But as she fell to the ground, Natalia could have sworn she saw someone else come in from behind Rusty but she didn't trust her eyes.

Spencer rushed into the room, catching Natalia before she hit the ground, letting Luke deal with the officer while another two officers came in and took Rusty back to his cell block. Yanking the taser cords off her middle Spencer noticed she wasn't wearing all her security vests. He held Natalia to him as he brushed hair out of her face, cupping her cheek lightly.

"Hey, hey, you're safe."

Natalia blinked, her body was seizing but slowly started to relax after the jolt of electricity. Her brown eyes met warm caramel ones, her brows pinching as she spoke.

"Spencer?"

"Hey, Nat. Are you alright?" He nearly cooed at her, smiling down at her confused expression.

She didn't answer as she moved her head back a bit to get a better look at him. "Did you get arrested again."

Spencer chuckled as he helped her up to her feet, keeping an arm around her waist. "Yup. I couldn't stand not seeing you every day."

Natalia snorted through her nose. "I have a life outside of my office hours you know."

Spencer lead her out of the laundry room. "I do know that. I also know you have a three-day weekend."

Natalia looked up at him, not minding that he was taking them out of the facility. "I take it you have some plans?"

Spencer looked down at her as they entered the sunny outdoors, a squad car waiting for them, Luke in the front seat.

"Spaghetti, right? And raspberry iced tea, if I remember correctly. I know the perfect place that has both and it just so happens to be your favorite too."

Natalia raised her brows as she leaned her head on his chest as they walked to the car. "Impressive. Let's see if you remember anything else from my files you so kindly but completely illegally looked in to."

Spencer opened the door for her and bowed. "Bring it on." Then he winked before joining her on the other side.

Both of them looked like idiots, smiling wide and stealing glances. But what turned out to be Natalia's favorite dinner ended up being the first of many wonderful dates.

I'M BACK! Whew! Christmas break, am I right? I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and had a wonderful start to your new year! Bring it on 2018, we are seasoned veterans by now, we are strong sons of birches.