Sally POV
It was a few days after the whole foetus stealing psychopath incident and my side was feeling slightly better. I was lay in a hot bubble bath with the blinds almost closed, a vanilla candle on the go and my classical music playlist playing softly. I was rinsing the lather from my hair when an unwelcome noise penetrated my bubble of serenity. Somebody was knocking on my front door. I got up, patted my hair dry quickly and wrapped a large towel around myself. It was probably Ellen, my sister I thought as I made my way to the door. When I opened it, I got the shock of my life, it definitely wasn't Ellen. I needed to check the peephole before opening the door in the future.
"Uhhh... Dr Reid... I'm in a towel... I thought you were my sister" I stuttered. Crap. I was in a freaking towel half naked in front of a man who was nearly ten years my senior and who's mind made my legs go wobbly.
"I... Uh... Can see that. I'll just go" he rambled. No. I reached out and grabbed his arm before he could turn away. I let go of my embarrassment and looked him in the eye. His eyes were blazing.
"No… Come in" I dropped my gaze "I'll just go and get dressed and I'll make some tea" I said softly, he came in and shut the door behind him. I gestured for him to sit and held a finger up to show him I'd be a minute as I ran to my bedroom to throw on some clothes. I went with my academy sweats because it was comfortable, and I put an old t-shirt around my head before running back down the hall. T-shirts really were better for curly hair. I switched the kettle on and grabbed some chocolate muffins from the storage box on the counter. I hightailed it back to the living room and sat across from him in my spot on the couch.
"So, what brings you to my humble abode Spencer?" I asked as happily as I could in my current state of self-loathing.
"I wanted to check you were okay after you got hurt in Texas, but we've been on a case and I didn't want to ask you while we were on the line with Garcia and the others, so I came in person" he explained simply. Despite being laid up for two weeks, it didn't stop me from helping Garcia out on the last case when the team was overloading her with work. As magnificent as she is, even she struggled to trawl through the backgrounds of every cancer patient in such a large area. The only time the team had really spoken to me was on conference with Garcia, so I could understand his reticence but I was still taken aback by his concern for me, so much so that for the first time in a long time and much to his as well as my own dismay, I was hugging someone.
"Thank you, Spencer... Thank you" I whispered into his chest before I removed myself and went to finish the tea. I brought in two cups of steaming hot tea and two chocolate muffins on little plates.
"For your sweet tooth" I smiled as I handed him his cake.
"So, when was the last time you hugged someone like that?" He inquired; I was shocked by his forthrightness but relieved to talk about it with somebody.
"The last time I hugged someone 'of the male persuasion' like that was about six months ago" I answered honestly. I took a bite of my cake; happy it had turned out so well.
"Why?" He asked, he looked sad for me, but I didn't want his pity. I thought for a moment, but my train of thought was briefly derailed when I heard my playlist was still on in the bathroom.
"I split up with my boyfriend because we hadn't had sex or been anywhere near intimate since I was abducted. I hugged him like that when we split up because it only caused me to be a little uncomfortable. It was my way of saying goodbye" I replied sadly. My ordeal had cost me a lot of things. I shifted uncomfortably, my eyes darting around the room.
"Oh... I hear music" it was like he knew I didn't want to talk about it any further but what else can you expect from a profiler. The music changed as one of my favourite songs came on, it was louder than the rest and didn't fit with the remainder of the playlist, but sometimes you need to feel a certain resolve and this song did it for me. I focused on the words to the song as it drifted through the air.
The snow glows white on the mountain tonight
Not a footprint to be seen
A kingdom of isolation,
And it looks like I'm the queen.
I got up, unsure if what I was about to do was wise, but I did it anyway.
"Dance with me Dr Reid"
Reid POV
"Excuse me?" I replied, feeling confused and a little bashful at her request. She looked into my eyes; her hand extended towards me waiting for me to take it.
"Dance with me" she repeated. I don't know why I did it, just as I didn't know why she'd offered but I stood and took her hand. We were still for a moment until she came closer to me and I put my hand on her waist.
"I don't dance..." I mumbled, highly aware of how close she was to me.
"Neither do I" she laughed, and we were off.
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried!
We were twirling and spinning and winding our way round the small living room. My eyes were focused on hers.
Don't let them in, don't let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know
Well, now they know!
The look of childish wonder in her eyes reminded me that she had been through so much in her twenty-one years. But in that moment, she looked truly happy.
Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn away and slam the door!
She began to sing as we span around the room wildly. Her voice was beautiful, I'd never heard anything like it. She was exhilarated and free.
"I don't care
What they're going to say
Let the storm rage on,
The cold never bothered me anyway!"
Time slowed down in the oddest of ways. I could see nothing around us, it was just her. She dominated my view of the world in a way I hadn't experienced before.
"It's funny how some distance
Makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me
Can't get to me at all!"
I knew so much about this woman. Everything from her date of birth and social security number to the fact she adored doctor who and owned almost as many books as I did. But what did she know about me?
"It's time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me. I'm free!"
Let it go, let it go
I am one with the wind and sky
Let it go, let it go
You'll never see me cry!"
I just listened to her sing; my mind empty until it suddenly dawned on me, I was beginning to feel something for this amazing, broken woman who had thrown herself in front of a knife to save JJ, but she would never feel anything for me. After all she barely knew me.
"Here I stand
And here I'll stay
Let the storm rage on!"
My power flurries through the air into the ground
My soul is spiralling in frozen fractals all around
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast
I'm never going back,
The past is in the past!"
Those thoughts saddened me deeply, but it was the truth. I was almost dizzy from the spinning, but I had an anchor. She was keeping me in time with the music and gave me something to focus on.
"Let it go, let it go
And I'll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone!"
Here I stand
In the light of day
Let the storm rage on,
The cold never bothered me anyway!"
The song ended and her eyes turned defiant with the last line before she broke into laughter. As soon as it came, that sweet sound was gone. She was looking me in the eyes. I stared right back at her and before I was even fully aware of what I was doing, I was inching my face toward hers. Time slowed once again as I closed the gap, but quick as a flash, she let go of me and turned away.