Friends and Family

The only positive thing about the next day Reid could have mentioned was the fact that it seemed to be over quickly. Soon, it was the end of the last period (a very boring Physics lesson), and he finally made his way to the meeting point where he'd join Robbie for the tutoring.

"Hi, Spencer! How was your day?" – The eager teenager asked, looking more excited about doing Calculus than anyone, in Reid's opinion, had any reason – or right – to be.

"Fine. Where would you like to go to study?"

"Let's go to my house; my father doesn't like it if I don't head home right away when school is out."

"All right."

Robbie's family lived a bit farther from the city center than the apartment complex the undercover FBI agents were currently residing in. The Cains owned a family house in the suburbs, surrounded by others that all looked exactly the same in a street that looked just like all the other streets in the area. Reid wondered how people managed to find their own homes in the evenings when they returned after work…

"That's where we live." – Explained Robbie quite unnecessarily while opening the front door and stepping inside. – "I'll introduce you to my parents; they should be both at home. Ahm… You don't mind if they'll ask a few questions, do you?" – He asked a bit sheepishly. – "They like making sure I'm in the right company…"

The genius raised a confused eyebrow but didn't get the opportunity to say anything because right then, a tall, bony woman approached with a decidedly fake smile plastered on her toadlike face (it actually resembled a grimace more than anything else), holding out her hand for him to shake.

"Hello, Mr…?"

"Rossi, mom. He's my new classmate, Spencer Rossi."

"Mr. Rossi. My son told us you'd visit today. Please, come in and sit down. Would you like something to drink?"

Reid carefully took a seat, feeling very self-conscious under her roaming gaze. Her curious grey eyes felt penetrating.

"No, ma'am, thank you very much."

I big and very stern-looking man approached, also holding out his hand. The profiler had to forcefully hold himself back from jumping up and running out of the house at this cold, businesslike greeting. Instead, he just stood to shake hands, trying not to think of all the germs that he might have acquired in these last couple of instances. ('It's okay, they can't see what contact does to you. Pull yourself together, man!' – He chanted mentally to himself.)

"Thank you, young man, for helping our son. I'm afraid he's not very smart. I don't know why though, we've certainly done our best…" – He lamented, upon hearing what Reid was there for in the first place.

Spencer gulped.

"Well, it's not a question about being smart. It could happen to anyone that they don't understand something and need a bit of help. It's fine." – He defended the other boy, feeling more and more sorry for him by the minute. – "I happen to like calculus a lot but I have trouble with other things I'm sure he'll be able to help me with."

Robbie looked so grateful, it made his heart hurt.

"Oh, I don't know, he's not really outstanding at anything." – Sighed the mother matter-of-factly. – "What do your parents do, young man?"

And here they were: the questions Robbie had been referring to. Reid knew he was being probed and he had to concentrate on getting the answers right because these people would be checking for sure.

"My mother died around half a year ago." – He recited their fabricated story. – "And my father travels a lot because of his books. We recently moved here so that his publisher would be nearby." – He explained, trying to sound sincere. – "He's a retired FBI agent and a writer now." – He added.

"Oh, a writer!" – Mrs. Cain's eyes took on an excited sparkle and Reid instantly understood where Robbie got his gleam from. – "Do I know him? Is he famous? What's his name?"

The genius had to fight the urge to throw up.

"His name's David Rossi, ma'am."

"David Rossi!? THE David Rossi!?" – Gasped Mr. Cain. Mrs. Cain was still unable to utter a word. So, they did know Rossi… Great… Just great… - "Robert, do you even know who your friend's father is?" – He turned towards his son accusingly. – "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't-"

"You're incapable of doing anything right, boy!"

Seeing that the other boy was about to begin crying, Reid quickly spoke up:

"Mr. Cain, really, it's all right! We're friends with Robbie, I don't think it really matters who my father is-"

"Nonsense! With a father like that you shall be treated adequately too…"

"No! Really-"

"… Laura, do we have something to give to that young man? I'm sure he's hungry after a long day at school… Maybe-"

"No, but thank you! It's very nice of you, but I'm afraid we should begin with the homework… Come on, Robbie, let's start!" – He said, grabbing his classmate's arm and pulling him to a standing position.

The boy gratefully led him upstairs into his bedroom and closed the door behind them, before apologetically turning to his friend.

"I'm so sorry for that, Spencer. My parents are… well…"

By any other occasion it would have been comical to see someone behave even more awkward than him, thought Spencer. But, right now, it was only heart-wrenching.

"Don't mention it, Robbie. So, what would you like to begin with?"

They spent the next three and a half hours occupied with Advanced Calculus, forgetting everything else for the time being. In the end, Robbie was nearly in tears from gratitude, for he had, for once in his life, finally understood the equations and problems they had been learning this year and also found out why he hadn't been able to solve them.

"Oh, it seems so simple now that you've explained it! Why couldn't I get it before?"

Reid was secretly very proud of his 'student' – and also of himself – for having reached that point already. He had thought it would take a few meetings to get through the whole material. He was either a very good teacher or – and that latter was also very probable – Robbie wasn't as dumb as his parents made him out to be. Maybe even both.

"You know, you really have a knack for Math. I get that you don't want to become an engineer, and I still think it's fine, but you could definitely be." – He praised the blushing young man. – "You just needed it explained without the stress of having to hurry up and without others watching you struggle. Sometimes, it's easier if there's not a whole class to witness while you learn." – It was true. He had tutored many people during his school years and then later when he'd been at the university (he had desperately needed the money after all), and it was his experience that shy students usually worked much better when it was only the both of them with nobody else around.

"I'm so happy! I can't say 'thank you' enough! – The boy answered.

"You don't need to thank me." – Laughed Reid, getting ready to leave. – "If you'll have any more questions later, just come to me. I'm glad to help."

They said their goodbyes (Robbie's parents tried to coax him into staying for dinner which he had politely declined), and he walked to the bus stop.

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It was nearly 9 PM when he got home and as soon as he opened the door, he found a livid Rossi waiting for him at the other side, looking as if he wanted nothing more than to throttle his wayward colleague.

"Where have you been?" – He shouted, causing Reid to cringe and take a step backwards.

A quick look around the apartment confirmed that the members of the Organized Crime Unit were all present as well. Oh-oh… That certainly wasn't good then… What had he done!?

"At a classmate's house, tutoring him in Calculus." – Explained Reid with a nervous shrug, not really understanding why it should be a big deal.

Apparently, it was the wrong answer. Simon and Ian shook their heads simultaneously, Walker made a face, Marshal and Dean shared a knowing look. And Rossi… shouted some more.

"I thought you were kidnapped! I thought you were being tortured! I thought you were dead!"

Reid blinked.

"You do know I'm not really a helpless sixteen-year-old teenage boy, don't you, Rossi? As a matter of fact: I never was. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself! Need I remind you that, normally, I live alone and usually work until much longer than that…? I sometimes get home after midnight without anyone to hold my hand or miss me if I get lost halfway!" – He said exasperatedly.

The older profiler didn't seem reassured by this piece of information at all.

"You could have called! You could have e-mailed! You could have at least used morse codes to tell me you were still alive, whatever! But did you? No, you didn't!" – He accused angrily.

"Actually, no: I couldn't have." – Rebutted Reid, getting angry at the reception himself now. – "Because I don't have a cell or any other means of communication; not even money to use a payphone. Someone thought it a good idea to keep us alienated from our lives, remember?" – He hissed. – "Never mind that I have a sick mother in a Sanatorium that I need to contact from time to time to make sure everything is all right. Never mind that, in order to do the job we've been sent to do, I'd need to actually be able to communicate with others. It's the 21st century after all, how do you think my 'classmates' will want to keep in touch if I befriend them, like you all…" – He pointed at the five agents. – "… told me to do!?"

There was momentarily silence. Rossi was still noticeably too angry to see his point but the others weren't; they had understood.

"You're right. I'm sorry." – Said Ian after a few minutes of thinking. – "We didn't have the right to deprive you of a way of talking to your families; and we didn't know about your mother. We're sorry. And you're also right about needing a cell phone and money in order to complete your tasks."

"I am?" – Hadn't it been too easy…?

"Yeah…" – Agreed Simon. – "We'll make sure Jasper provides you with everything you'll need."

With that, they silently left, Dean giving the genius' shoulder an encouraging squeeze, while Walker and Marshal tried to calm Rossi with a friendly handshake and some quietly murmured words. It didn't work, of course, and as soon as they remained alone, the senior profiler rounded on his young colleague again:

"So, you really think it's all right to disappear on me just because you're 21 instead of 16? Is that right, Reid!?" – He snarled dangerously.

"I-"

"I'm 61 years old, you won't convince me about your ripe age, boy!"

"Look-"

"You think it depends on age whether you're allowed to give me a heart attack or not!?"

"I did-"

"You think if you're an adult, I can't worry? Then nothing bad can happen? You can't be kidnapped if you're over 18? Or over 20? Or is 21 the magic age? Or WHAT!?"

"I would kno-"

"What would Hotch say? Morgan? Emily? JJ? Garcia? What would you tell them?" – He paused as if waiting for Reid to try to say something just to interrupt him again. To Rossi's immense surprise, the young man had changed tactics: he was listening intently, not even opening his mouth. The older profiler continued: - "What would Gideon say!? Hmmm?" – Well, that had been a low blow. A cruel one at that. – "If you don't care about anything else, at least care about that. Gideon would be horrified."

Rossi finished, panting heavily. Reid deemed it safe to try to talk again.

"I don't think he'd have any problems with me living my life, you know. He never had before… And it doesn't matter because he's gone. Not coming back."

"But I'm here, boy! I'm here and I nearly died this evening, waiting here for my son-" – He clapped his hands over his mouth and bit his tongue. – "I mean my teammate who's playing my son. For now. Yeah. That's what I meant."

Rossi was mortified about the slip; right now he was waiting for the boy to remind him how he didn't have any right to tell him what to do. That he wasn't really his father, just a colleague, and a new one who hadn't been very friendly in the beginning at all. Nothing more. If he argumented with that, the senior profiler knew he'd be right and he wouldn't be able to counter that. So, he just waited. And waited. And waited…

Reid studied him silently for two whole minutes, tilting his head to the side like a curious puppy when it was trying hard to understand the humans around him. In the end, he sighed.

"I'm sorry." – He said finally.

"I know I'm- Wait a minute… What did you say?" – Rossi was confused like hell. Had he heard right?

"I said: I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I promise to tell you from now on where I'm going and when I expect to be home. I'll also call you if my plan changes significantly."

"You will?" – The older man still couldn't believe it and kept waiting for the bomb to drop.

"Yeah. That's what parents expect of children in normal families, isn't it? I wouldn't really know; I was always allowed to do whatever I wanted. There was nobody to tell me differently… My father left us when I was little and my mother wouldn't even have realized if I had died in my sleep or something like that." – He admitted reluctantly. – "But I think that's what I would like my child to do, if I had one. To tell me where he or she is going and when they should be back. You know, to know when I have to start worrying."

"Oh… I guess…"

"You don't really want me to ask for permission every time I want to go out, right? I mean… I am 21…"

"No! No… It's fine. If you tell me, that is. And if you're careful. Don't forget why we're here; it could be dangerous. The others and I work all day to find something out but so far, we have nothing. I'll try it next week when I'll start giving lectures, but… It really seems like it will be up to you and all we can do is try to help you. And keep you safe. That's what we want."

"Okay… I think I'll go to bed now. Good night, Rossi."

"Good night, Kiddo.

The boy left as silently as a cat (though maybe, him being Reid, not quite so gracefully…), while the older man remained there, staring into the darkness for a good quarter of an hour, still not daring to believe he hadn't been told to mind his own business.

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They were just being told that last period of Friday would fall out, since their new PE teacher would only begin next week and there was nobody to substitute now. Reid wasn't surprised, he had of course already known Dean had his first lesson on Monday.

"I hope the new one will be good. I don't want an old drill sergeant…" – Mused a boy.

"I hope he'll be cute!" – Added a giggling girl, causing Reid to choke on the takeaway coffee he was taking a sip from.

"Well, maybe he'll be a she." – Chided her a boy, clearly disapproving of the topic. He was also trying very hard to get her attention but the girl just walked towards the entrance dreamily, completely unaware of her worshipper's presense.

"Maybe he's young and unmarried!" – She continued. – "Maybe he's a champion! A real Hercules!"

Reid heard the boy's groan before they both disappeared outside. He settled comfortably onto an armchair in the lobby with a book, waiting for Sydney like they had agreed.

She arrived right at the moment the bell started ringing after the last period, standing in front of Reid and waving to get his attention. He gasped and dropped his book in surprise.

"Oh! Hi!"

"What were you doing?" – She asked. – "I've been watching you; you couldn't have been reading. Not at that rate."

"I was… ahm… looking for a quote I'd like to use for an essay…" – He fibbed.

"In Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code?" – She asked baffled.

"Oh… yeah… it's for World History… We're talking about arts… Ahm… Shall we go?"

"Yep!"

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"Ro- ahm… Dad! We're home!" – Reid shouted as soon as they got into the apartment. Not surprisingly, he found Rossi in the kitchen, cooking spaghetti and baking Italian cookies. – "Ahm… Hi, Dad… This is Sydney, we go together to school." – He introduced her, watching warily as his 'father' wiped his hands and then approached them with a wide smile on his face.

"Young lady, I'm so happy to finally meet you!" – He said, completely ignoring Reid who was wildly shaking his head behind the girl's back for him to stop talking. – "I've heard a lot about you, of course."

"Really? I'm happy to meet you too, Mr. Rossi." – She said politely, shaking the man's hand.

"Oh, just Dave, please. My son's friends are always welcome here." – The genius wanted to sink into the ground right then and there. – "Would you two like to eat? Everything is ready."

"No, Dad, I th-" – Began Reid quickly.

"I'd be glad to!" – Said Sydney at the same time.

"Oh… Well. We could eat, I guess…" – The genius shrugged helplessly.

Spencer set the table while Rossi led the girl to her seat before returning to the kitchen for the bowl of food.

"It's a real Italian recipe: 'pasta con pomodoro e basilico', I have it from my grandmother who had it from her own grandmother and so on. It's been in the family for ages. We, Rossis, value our food. I'm afraid my son might not have inherited this as much as I'd have liked too, but I still haven't given up on him." – He explained winking, while filling the plates.

"Oh, Mr. Rossi, this is delicious!" – Sydney exclaimed as soon as she tasted the sauce. – "I just love pasta but this is the best I've ever had!"

"Dad is a master of cooking pasta." – Said Reid who wasn't really hungry at all since he'd had lunch at school before.

"Pasta is best when it's not sticky and lumpy. I, personally, like it al dente."

"What's that mean?" – Asked Sydney curiously.

"That means it can be neither too hard nor too soft; it needs to be firm and 'bite-like'. Chewy." – Rossi explained, happy that someone cared enough to ask.

Reid perked up, not really having listened before.

"What about Chewie!? I like him too!"

Sydney and Rossi both rolled their eyes exasperatedly at that. They were already ganging up on him!

"Maybe I should give up hope and admit defeat…" – Mused Rossi and Sydney heartily laughed.

After the pasta, Rossi brought the dessert.

"Italian Rainbow Cookies, from my great-grandmother Rosa."

"These look divine!" – Sydney praised, taking an experimental bite. – "And they're just as good as they look!"

After dinner, the two youngsters retreated into Reid's room to study.

"I like your room! It looks very comfy." – She remarked upon entering. – "And your dad is the best. You're so lucky!"

"Ahm… Thanks."

They started preparing for her test the next week, practicing forming sentences in French.

"I just don't get it!" – She lamented after ten minutes. – "I'll never be able to conjugate French verbs normally!" – She was close to tears, pulling at her hair desperately.

Reid gently took her hands and pulled them away from her golden locks.

"I agree, it's really very difficult if you just try to memorize the conjugation tables without actually thinking about what you're learning. But if you want to know the language, to really know it I mean, then you do it differently." – He explained.

"How?" – She inquired.

"Well: you watch films in French. You read books in French. You talk to someone in French and write e-mails with them. That's how. You use the language for communication. That's what it is for after all."

"But how do I do this if I can't speak it properly? Everyone would just laugh at me!"

"No, nobody would laugh at you. You shouldn't worry about speaking 'properly'. You just do your best and you will improve rapidly."

"And with whom could I speak? There's nobody…"

"That's not true: I am here. I'll help you. Now we'll have to prepare you for the test, that's clear, but on the long run, I want you to really speak French instead of just wanting to get through mindless exams."

"That would be great!"

They continued for another two hours, and in the end, Sydney felt ready for the coming test.

"I can't thank you enough. I think I finally understand irregular verbs and may be able to use them." – She said gratefully while packing her things.

"There's still time until Wednesday, should you have more questions." – They left his room. – "Ro- Dad! I'm taking Sydney home!" – He called for Rossi who was now in his room. – "I'll be back in an hour."

Rossi came out to say goodbye to the girl. It was evident he liked her very much.

"You're welcome any time here, Sydney. Don't be a stranger."

An hour later when Reid returned, Rossi was waiting in the living room.

"I was not longer than an hour. Don't tell me, I worried you again!" – Pleaded the boy defensively, checking his watch again.

"I'm not saying that. I just wanted to make sure you get home in one piece." – He smirked. – "Or that you get home at all."

Reid screeched mortified:

"Rossi!"

"What? That girl is beautiful and kind and smart... You know, I don't think I'm ready to become a grandfather yet but she'll soon finish school and in a few years-"

"Rossi!"