CHAPTER 6: Coda (Season 6, episode 16)

Character(s): Reid

A/N: Slight episode spoilers within, as per usual. Brief reference to the episode "Catching Out" as well.

"You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance." - Franklin P. Jones

His long, slender fingers traveled across the keys over and over and over again. The slow, melancholy tune floated through the apartment, out the window, a perfect nighttime ballad for any lingering passerby who might hear it. Presuming the music wasn't drowned out by the usual bustling city noise, that is.

Reid had played that piano melody twenty-four times within the past two days. Every time he'd tried to move on to attempting something else, his fingers would inevitably wind up tapping out that same old tune. The music appeared to have a calming effect – the book on migraines Reid had been carrying around with him as of late now rested on the bookshelf. He hadn't looked at it once since returning home from the case in Louisiana.

The case also seemed to help on that front as well. Reid had been so caught up in helping Sammy through all the stress and fear he was dealing with that he didn't have time to focus on all the things that had been bothering him in recent months.

His thoughts began to drift back to the young boy. His strange drawings. His fear of touch. His strict routine. But there was so much more to Sammy than that. His drawings were designed to be clues. His routine made it easier for the team to figure out a timeline. He could play piano, and had even managed to speak. Only a few short words, but still, it was something. Reid had sympathized with his social difficulties, was able to be patient with him, and Sammy in turn trusted Reid and was willing to let him in.

Reid couldn't help worrying about how the boy was dealing with his father's death. Whenever a case didn't turn out exactly the way he wanted it to, Reid always found himself stewing over that a bit. But seeing Sammy reach out to his mother, seeing her embracing her son for what was probably the first time…that memory had lingered with him all the way home. He figured it balanced things out a bit. Reid had been a bit surprised at how much this case seemed to be affecting him, but pleasantly so. It was a nice change of pace.

The team used to often joke about what they referred to as "the Reid effect" – Reid himself had even remarked on it a time or two. For the longest time, children and pets never seemed to warm to him, and vice versa. Perhaps it was his awkwardness, perhaps they could sense the tension, sense the worry over screwing up, upsetting the child or animal somehow.

But then JJ had Henry, and had, to Reid's surprise, chosen to make him the godfather. Her faith in him seemed to be all the push that was needed, apparently. He relished being able to teach his godson basics like the ABCs and 123s, along with other, bigger educational concepts, much to JJ's exasperation and amusement ("Easy on the physics, Reid, he's only a year and a half…"). The two of them would practice magic tricks every chance they got. They'd take walks through the park and go to the zoo together. Henry clearly adored his godfather, and the feeling was definitely mutual. There were times Reid would notice JJ quietly watching the two of them having fun, the pleased smile on her face seeming to say it all.

At the thought of JJ and Henry, a short, old conversation found itself creeping back into Reid's mind:

"You considering it?"

"Considering what?"

"Having baby geniuses one day?"

Emily had posed that last question to him back when JJ was pregnant, and at the time, Reid wasn't sure how to respond, nor did he ever wind up doing so. But were she to ask him now? He felt he could give her a more definitive answer.

"Emily…" he murmured aloud. The mention of his dear friend's name quickly changed his demeanor. He'd been concerned about her of late. She was acting increasingly strange, furtive. Snipping at people. Something was clearly bothering her, but Reid wasn't quite sure what that something was, or why. I should set aside a moment to talk with her again. Just the two of us.

Reid blinked, shaking himself out of his now completely jumbled thoughts. He immediately pinched the bridge of his nose. Twinges of pain started to flicker through his head.

After a moment, he glanced at the keyboard. With a deep breath, and his fingers on the keys, the song started up once more.

"Children make you want to start life over." - Muhammad Ali