Mabelreid's given me another idea for a short series--music. This chapter's brilliant, hope you enjoy!
Usual disclaimers.
"While we're young, Reid!"
Oliver had turned in his seat to watch the tall, thin man fold his lanky body, a giant silver mug of coffee, a green bag with 'Barnes and Noble,' printed in gold letters on the side, and a white paper bag, into the back seat next to Jack.
Reid put the insulated mug with the 'Barnes and Noble' logo on it in black letters, into the cup holder. He pulled a book out of the green bag and tossed the bag over his shoulder. The white bag went on the floor between his legs. He looked up and smiled at the sour look on Oliver's face.
"We waited for you to buy coffee and a book of Sudoku puzzles." He said, looking at the giant book of advanced puzzles. It was easily the biggest book of puzzles he'd ever seen. In fact, the title read "The Big Book of Sudoku, Black Belt."
"If I'm going to spend ten hours, or eight depending on how you drive, in this car with you guys and I can't talk about statistics, I need something to keep my brain occupied."
"I would have thought that call you got from Austin last night wishing you a happy New Year would've still fried your circuits."
Reid went pink in the cheeks and Hotch said. "Can we get going, please?"
"Fine with me," Oliver threw the car in gear, drove sedately to the freeway entrance and then punched it. "Time, Santa Claus, and rare ice cream wait for no man or the caffeine johns of nerdy FBI agents."
"That whole transaction took less then ten minutes. I don't understand why you're so upset. They know me in there."
"Why doesn't that surprise me?"
"Don't make me make you pull over." Hotch said mildly and Jack laughed.
"I'm not the one that let us pass by five different Starbucks before he decided he needed coffee."
"Again, I'm stuck in this car for ten hours. I need this coffee, and I get a ten percent discount with my card."
"Goodie!"
"Oliver, you're both giving me a headache."
"Daddy hurt?"
"Don't worry Jack. Soon we'll be in the land of Santa Claus." Oliver said.
"What else did you buy?" Hotch had turned around in his seat to look at the young agent who was removing a pen from his messenger bag.
"Oh nothing, just a snack," Reid wouldn't look at his boss."
"Reid!"
"Okay," He picked up the bag and opened it. Inside was a plastic container with a slice of Godiva double chocolate cheesecake.
"Wonderful," Oliver had glanced back as well. "Why didn't you get enough for us all?"
"Eyes on the road if you don't mind," Reid squeaked.
"I'm not Morgan."
"I know, but you're not exactly going the speed limit and I want to live to see the end of this contest."
"Spoil sport. It's okay for you to get hopped up on sugar and caffeine and I have to drive slowly."
"I'll have you know that my metabolism burns very fast. I'm not going to be 'hopped up,' as you put it."
"I dare you to say that to any of the ladies in our group."
Reid went white, Hotch pinched the bridge of his nose and Jack laughed. "This is going to be a very long day."
---
"Oliver is right though, the ladies hate it when guys say stuff like "I have a fast metabolism," Reginald observed over the huge sandwich in his hand.
"What of it?" Charlene demanded. "Human men are always saying that to women and then they wonder why they get smacked."
"Will you two be quiet? I can't hear what's going on."
"Stanley is going to freak when he finds out that Oliver has a bit of a lead foot."
"At least he isn't as bad as Morgan."
"Don't let Connie hear you say that Charlene."
"I'm not afraid of her. The rumor is that she had another session in Stephen's office."
"Good, maybe it will do her good."
"Will you two stopping chattering like a couple of cats and watch the screen?"
"At least it looks like Dr. Reid might make it through this challenge."
"I'm playing to his strengths this time. It's much easier to inspire his brain instead of his hormones."
"Just because you think that everyone should be a Don Juan, doesn't mean they can. He's very shy and a sweet man."
"Why Charlene, are you developing a crush on the good Dr. Reid?'
"Shut up Reggie… I'm simply saying that not everyone is like you. Thank God."
"Enough!"
"Gina's right, I want to see how long it takes for these three to start sniping at each other like a bunch of old ladies."
---
Come on Oliver, stop switching the radio station. My headache is getting worse."
Jack was asleep in his car seat; having finished the cartoons he'd been watching on the portable DVD player Hotch had set up for him.
Reid was halfway through his puzzle book and seemed to be oblivious to the arguing going on up front. He was beginning to hum under his breath with the song on the radio.
Bob Seger was singing "Main Street." Reid put a nine in one corner of the puzzle he was beginning. He started to sing along with the song, softly at first and then more loudly as the song reached the chorus.
And sometimes even now, when I'm feeling lonely and beat
I drift back in time, and I find my feet
Down on main street
Down on main street
The next verse began and Oliver once again looked back at Reid. "Hey, I thought you didn't like to sing." Reid's off key tenor was making Oliver's eyes water.
"I don't like to sing in front of people, there's a difference."
"I'm surprised you'd know the words to this song."
"Why?'
"Well, because you're...you."
"What does that mean?"
"Oliver!"
"I'm just saying that I never figured Reid for a classic rock fan."
"Why not? You can learn a lot about pop culture and human nature from rock and roll."
Oliver looked at Reid in the rearview mirror as they passed into Ohio. The drive had been long and there was still a ways to go. This might be a conversation worth having.
"Okay, I have to hear your explanation for that statement."
"Take the lyrics to this song for instance:"
remember standing on the corner at midnight
Trying to get my courage up
There was this long lovely dancer in a little club downtown
I loved to watch her do her stuff
Through the long lonely nights she filled my sleep
Her body softly swaying to that smoky beat
Down on Main street
"Now I'd say the guy is white, early twenties, probably not very attractive and shy around the opposite sex. There's a woman in his life that controlling him and making him feel like he's not a real man. So he goes downtown and gets a voyeuristic thrill looking in the window at this dancer. Notice that she's probably about the same age as him. He's too awkward and shy to go in there and try to approach her."
Reid looked up at the silence in the car except for the ending of the song. "What?"
"Sounds familiar to me."
"Oliver."
"Sorry Hotch," Oliver looked back at the road, but couldn't keep the smile off his face.
"Anyway… the next verse says:"
In the pool halls, the hustlers and the losers
I used to watch 'em through the glass
Well I'd stand outside at closing time
Just to watch her walk on past
Unlike all the other ladies, she looked so young and sweet
As she made her way alone down that empty street
Down on Main street.
"See, he looks at her like someone he wants to be or thinks that he is if he could have her. He hasn't followed her yet, but he probably will. If she rejects him then -"
"Reid, there is a small child in this car."
"Sorry Hotch," He snuck a look at Jack who was waking up.
"Where Santa?"
"We'll be there soon Jack."
"I guess this means no more profiling rock music."
"You and Reid can get together some other time and talk about it."
---
"JJ… Do I have to do this?'
"I'm not letting you skip out. Don't worry, this is a classy party. You won't get molested. They're Josh's friends, for God's sake."
"I know that… Can't this be a belly dance routine instead, and just say I did it."
"I em ashamed of you Mees Emily. Belly dancing eesn't the same as streepeng."
"I know that Josh. It has a bad rep, but at least I don't have to take my clothes off."
"Come on, the quicker you get in the cake, the sooner you'll be done and we can get on to our group challenge."
Emily climbed into the cake and knelt on the platform inside. "Remember to wait till the last chorus of happy birthday."
"I know!"
JJ shut the top and Emily closed her eyes. This was going to be so humiliating. She was sure that JJ was going to tape it. What about when the rest of the team watched the tape? The cake moved and she heard some guy talking for what seemed like ages before the music started.
When the last chorus of "Happy Birthday," echoed away, she jumped up through the break away top of the cake. Josh and JJ were right in front of her and smiled encouragingly. If she could keep her eyes on them and forget about all the foreign men and Americans that Josh knew, she'd be okay.
Now, to get out of the cake without falling off the six inch clear stiletto heels she'd let JJ talk her into. The purple lacy dress that barely covered what was essential looked great with the gold sparkly heels. The music started, she pushed open the side of the cake and stepped out to the floor.
The music JJ had picked had the strip club bump and grind that made Emily want to smack her friend, but it was necessary to the challenge. Now, if she could just figure out whose idea this was, she'd know who to kill when they all got back together to compare notes.
She began to dance, trying to copy the moves she'd seen in movies and in real life when they were forced to go into strip joints for the job. Her feet didn't seem to want to cooperate. Then she tripped over one heel and fell right down on one knee. She could hear JJ say something and the laughter of men that were well on their way to getting drunk. She climbed back to her feet, she was in this for the duration. That thought of all that money kept her body moving to the music and made her hands take off the dress to reveal pasties and a g-string that matched the dress.
"She es doing very well."
"Yeah, never thought I'd see the day when straight-laced Emily would take it off for a bunch of Washington types. How did you put this together so fast?"
"Eet was very easy. Robert's birthday ess next week. I just convinced hem to move eet up one day."
"You're very devious."
"May I haf the something besides this "junk food." as you say?"
"No, not for another two hours."
"Very vell."
They watched Emily finish her dance after taking another spill at the end of the table and landing in the lap of a Senator. The man grinned at her and stuffed a one hundred dollar bill into her g-string. Emily slapped him and climbed off his lap. The senator said something to his companion and they roared with laughter.
---
"Oh boy Reginald isn't going to like that at all."
"Are you taping this?"
"Of course I am."
"Well, I gotta say, she's a stand up girl."
"Or a fall down one, whichever the occasion calls for," Peter observed.
"That's very funny, Peter."
"Hey--I wasn't the one that was so engrossed in the show that you let her fall twice."
"Right, and I suppose you would have ignored the almost naked woman and kept her from falling too."
"Of course, I'm nothing if not professional."
"Sure you are," Terrence agreed amiably.
"Well, now that that's over, what's next?"
"The group challenge."
"Oh, this should be interesting," Peter said. "This is one of those time I wish I could really take to a charge and congratulate them on a well thought-out challenge. Do you think they can handle it?"
"Let's get back to watching and find out." Terrence said.