The Sounds They Hear
"Great job Rory, continue with Concerto No. 5 in E Flat. You got the interlude which is considered to be the most challenging portion. I'm just gonna step out a moment, I'm getting a call."
Reid took his cell phone from his pocket, not even having to guess who it was as he answered, "Dr. Spencer Reid. Mhmm. Okay, I'll be right in."
He went back to his study where his Grand was being put to good use by one of his students who looked up as he entered the room.
"Work?" Rory, a middle schooler learning piano asked knowingly.
"You guessed it. Sorry we have to wrap up early again." Reid grabbed a few things to throw in his messenger bag as Rory grabbed his music book.
"I guess it just comes with having an awesome FBI agent as a piano teacher. Thanks again, and I'll see you in a few weeks?"
"You got it. I'll walk you down." He locked his door and lead the way. "Are you going straight home?"
"Yes mom." Rory rolled his eyes playfully turning to the stairs leading to the subway.
"Alright, alright." Spencer held his hands up innocently. "FBI agent remember?"
"See you later Reid!"
Once again the team was on the plane ride home from another miserable case. Four victims had been found six days apart in the Portland, Oregon area. At the time each body was found, music had been playing at the scene. When Spencer and JJ had crashed what was soon to be a fifth homicide scene, their unsub slit the throat of his final victim. More than enough blood had been spilt to line the floors with words of poetry as had been the unsub's signature before Spence had shot him.
"I didn't mind band in high school." Emily started up a conversation with the group right away.
"Well it's a good thing Pretty Boy here could read sheet music at least." Morgan chimed in, a goofy grin on his face as he teased the youngest.
"Hey now, I'm sure Reid probably grew up playing the clarinet or maybe a recorder?" Emily shot back, eyebrows raised.
Spencer who had otherwise been sitting quietly looking out the window, chimed in souring the mood that was lightly being lifted. "Actually, band was too expensive so I never got the chance. And then I was in college so I didn't really have much time to learn or play."
Unbeknownst to him, his teammates all shared a look of dismay at just another reminder of what life was like for their boy genius. Spencer went back to looking out the window, while JJ who had also been particularly quiet settled into her seat a bit more for the restless journey home.
After getting back to the office and writing out arduous reports the team gathered to hand them in and say goodbye for the afternoon. Hotch had come down with Rossi to be around the agents' desks. "Alright, good work again. Now go. I'll see you tomorrow." Spencer handed in his report first amongst them and promptly left. Garcia who had just joined them was just about to invite him over for the evening when she saw a paper fall from Reid's bag as he entered the elevator.
"Oh no!" Garcia jumped up and went after him but the doors were already closed when she picked up the note. She read it quick and brought it back with a small smile to the waiting group.
"What's that Baby Girl?" Morgan asked, stepping closer to see.
"This fell out of Reid's bag. He was in such a rush to leave I don't think he noticed."
"What's that smile for?" JJ asked, noticing right away that something was up.
"You'll just have to read it to find out." Garcia handed the slip around to give them a chance to read it.
"April M., 3:30p, My apartment. It's not much to go on." Rossi chimed in.
"Maybe our Junior G Man has got himself a lady friend."
"That he meets at three in the afternoon?"
"Nevertheless! He dropped this…should we…?" Garcia started, unsure about what they should do.
"I mean he does have a perfect memory." Morgan said.
"Doesn't mean other things aren't on his mind." Emily added, referring to the tough case they were just on.
JJ finally put in her two cents, knowing how Spence might just want to clear his head from all things BAU for a while. "He deserves his privacy."
Everyone quietly looked at each other and then subconsciously to Hotch. "Go." He said with a sigh. "Call me if he needs anything." He gave them each a stern glance hoping to keep them in line as much as he could. He really was worried about Reid and knew if anyone would be able to help him through a bad case, it'd be their team.
"I'll drive!" Morgan said right away and they all rushed to gather their things and follow after him. Rossi and Hotch shared the briefest of smiles before they both returned to their offices.
After they all squished into Morgan's SUV they arrived at Reid's apartment, heading up to the fourth floor. As they clambered to the top of the stairs, they heard music getting louder and crisper.
"Music?" JJ asked the group.
"Yeah, sounds like he has some Bach or maybe Debussy playing." Emily took a step closer to the door.
Garcia pulled out her cell phone. "Hey Hotch. Yeah, I think we're good here. Oh. Of course. Bye!" She put her phone back in her bag fully smiling now. "He's downstairs with Rossi and on their way up. He just wanted to make sure ya know." The rest of the team smiled at that. They really were a family.
"Look who's here." Morgan teased as Hotch and Rossi came into view from the stairs.
"And who are the ones standing outside someone's unsuspecting apartment, listening in?" Hotch fired back with a small smile.
Taking the cue, Garcia went up and knocked on Reid's door. The music stopped and all was quiet for a moment. Reid was smiling at something behind him when he opened the door. As soon as he saw his entire team outside in his hallway, his smile faltered slightly.
"What… what are you all doing here?" He asked, honest confusion in his eyes.
Garcia handed him the slip of paper. "You dropped this on your way out. We weren't sure if you would remember…"
Reid just raised an accusing eyebrow and scratched the back of his neck. The team could see he was thinking about whether he should slam the door or invite them in. The latter thought won to all their relief.
"You might as well come in. I don't want to endure all the questioning glances at work tomorrow." He opened the door fully now and ushered them in. As they filed in to the living room they were each surprised to find a teenager sitting at the Grand Piano in the corner of the room. The team each took a comfortable seat as Reid stood in front of them.
"This is April. April this is Emily, Morgan, JJ, Rossi, and Hotch." The sixteen year old with long brown hair braided to one side smiled and waved back, greeting them all with a soft-spoken 'Hi'. "This is my 3:30p." Reid added, crossing his arms.
"Are you learning piano? We heard her playing she's great." Morgan teased, smiling at April who broke out in full laughter.
"Is he... is he learning piano?" She tried catching her breath after the laughter. "No, he's the teacher."
At that, everyone looked back at Reid who had become uncomfortable with everyone's attention. He squared his shoulders and looked at April. "Why don't we show them what we got."
Eyebrows raised in amusement at his confident voice. He took his seat next to April who he was conspiratorially devising a plan with.
"I feel like we're about to be surprised." Emily said to her fellow agents on the couch.
April gave them a small smirk then started. It was a slow melody at first, much like Debussy's 'Clair de Lune'. About a minute in when the tempo began to quicken, Reid joined in. The team watched on mesmerized at the ease their youngest team member was playing radically difficult and beautiful music. There shocked faces noticed the fluidity in his movements as he was moved by the music. April turned the pages out of habit, but the onlookers knew how unnecessary a book was. Not only did Reid have an eidetic memory but his eyes were closed and his fingers moved furious yet gently across the keys.
JJ looked over to see both Morgan's and Emily's mouth hanging slightly open. Garcia was smiling most outright while Hotch and Rossi had their eyes slightly wide as they took in the site before them.
When the chorus started winding down, April joined in again until Reid backed off fully so she could show off her skills solo. He in turn, kept the book on the correct page for her. The music slowed, until a final few notes graced the apartment into silence.
Both April and Reid stood, clasped hands, and bowed. Both smiling at the expressions on their audiences faces. JJ got up and gave Reid a hug.
"Spence, that was amazing." They were all beaming. "You too April, you have a great teacher."
"Yeah, we're pretty lucky." She said, as she grabbed her book off the piano shelf. "Reid, I'll remind Tommy about his lesson next Thursday but no promises." She lifted her backpack on her shoulders. "I won't take any detours." She mumbled under her breath at the look Reid slipped her.
"It was nice meeting you April." Hotch said, standing and shaking her hand. "You play really well."
"It's all thanks to expert over there." She pointed back at Reid who was now talking with Garcia and the rest of the girls. "Did you know he taught himself all that? In like a year too." She said off-handedly as she left with a quick wave. She didn't see the once again stunned looks on all the guy's faces.
"He really does always surprise me." Morgan said, standing now in a circle with Rossi and Hotch.
"It was so open. That was some fine piano playing." Rossi added.
The two groups that had been talking effortlessly merged into one.
"Reid, that was… I don't even know man." Morgan started, still smiling.
"Good thing I can at least read sheet music." Reid said beaming as the rest of the team laughed.
"All right, all right. I get it. I will not be assuming anything about you again. No promises." Morgan clapped him on the back.
Garcia hadn't stopped smiling since the first note played. "Hey genius, care to show us more?"
I love stories where characters have fun secrets that come into play. I feel like Spence would easily turn to creating and playing beautiful music to combat the darkness of their jobs. Music is math after all, but you need emotion to really make it true.