Counting Stars // Spencer Reid (ON HOLD)

Chapter 5

They walked to the front door of the house. Eliza carried the homemade cake while her notebook sat in her bag. She was excited to meet little Henry. Spencer knocked on the door and Will answered.

"Hello Spencer and Eliza, come on in. You can bring the cake into the kitchen," Will told them. "JJ is feeding the baby."

Eliza left the cake in the kitchen and went over to where Will and Spencer were seated in the kitchen. A game was on the TV. Spencer was stating statistics about how likely each team was to win. Eliza was entertained watching them both interact. She sat right next to Spencer and joined in on the conversation with her notebook. She found out that Will was from Texas and thus the accent along with how he and the team met.

"I'm so sorry your father is dead," she wrote.

"It's alright, it was hard a first but you get used to being on your own after a while. I have JJ and Henry now," Will replied. "So tell me are the two of you dating?"

"Not at the moment although her parents believe so," Spencer replied.

"That sounds very complicated" Will told them. Elisa laughed.

"It is, but it'll work out in the end," Spencer reassured him.

"Alright then, I'll start heating up dinner. Feel free to make yourselves at home."

Eliza got up and went over to the nursery. Spencer followed in pursuit. JJ has just finished feeding Henry and was about to burp him.

"Oh hi Spencer, I was just about to burp Henry. Would you like to try?" JJ asked him.

Eliza raised her hand. "Uh I think Eliza wants to burp him actually," Spencer stated.

"Alright just be careful with his head." Eliza expertly held Henry and began to lightly pat him on the back. "Wow, she looks like an expert with kids. Where did you find her?"

"Bookstore. She actually, um, works with kids. She loves them."

"I can tell. So Will told me he helped her move into your apartment any reason in particular?"

"Her apartment flooded and she needed help. Nothing else."

"If you say so. I should put Henry to sleep," JJ told him.

Eliza nodded her head and Spencer knew exactly what she was trying to say. "I'm sure El wants to put him to sleep. Why don't we move into the kitchen and help Will?"

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

JJ and Spencer stood at the doorframe as Eliza rocked Henry to sleep. They moved over to the kitchen and JJ grinned at him.

"What the matter with you?" He questioned.

"You two are so adorable. I can just see you togehter with her," JJ gushed.

"I told you I wasn't the only one," Will chimed in.

"Well this is going to be an interesting dinner."

"So why did you drop by unexpected for dinner?" Will questioned.

"She wanted to meet Henry. He is my godson and she loved children. Simple enough."

"So is the team ever gonna meet her? I mean if you two become a thing," Will asked.

"Maybe, possibly, I never really considered it an option. I know JJ didn't tell anyone about you until you showed up during one of our cases and that was at the last possible moment."

"That is correct. Well ultimately it's up to you. I just expect to be invited to the wedding," Will commented.

"I'll keep that in mind Will."

Eliza walked into the kitchen a few minutes later and signed, "What's going on in here?"

"Uh we're just talking about life. How the team learned about Will and JJ," Spencer replied.

"Well I'd like to hear this story," she wrote.

The dinner went off without any problem. Both JJ and Will were understanding about Eliza's situation. Neither wanted to make her feel uncomfortable.

"You know if I knew Spencer had someone you could have been Henry's godmother," JJ teased.

"Maybe if we decide to have a second child then maybe," Will added.

"Well I'm not letting Henry grow up without learning ASL. Did you know that baby ASL helps a toddler communicate before they can even learn to talk?" Eliza signed and Spencer translated. Eliza decided to just ignore their comments as they weren't true.

"Uh that was all her, not me for once, just to clear that up," Spencer told them.

JJ laughed. "So Eliza teaches ASL to kindergarteners."

"Most parents start to teach their deaf kids as soon as they can so I build on their vocabulary and the fundamentals of their education. It's a learning process for both the parents and the children. I help guide them on the first step to their education."

"Do you teach ASL classes for adults?" Will was curious.

"Not formally although I did teach Spencer."

"So that's what he's been doing with his hands. When he's nervous or reading over some thing his right hand makes these different gestures," JJ said in realization.

"I didn't realize I signed the ASL alphabet as a nervous habit."

"Not to be rude or anything but do you ever plan on speaking ever again?"

"Maybe someday if things change but I'm happy for the time being."

The two adults found themselves in their shared apartment a few hours later. They went to their respective rooms as it was late and they were both tired. The next morning was slow as they had slept in.

"Reid," Spencer said as he answered his phone.

"We have a case, be here as soon as possible. Briefing will be on the plane," Hotch told him.

"Got it, I'll be there in 30," Spencer told him before hanging up.

Spencer threw clean clothes into his go bag and got dressed. Eliza had prepared a light breakfast of a breakfast sandwich for Spencer. "Come back home safely," she signed.

"I'll try, thanks for breakfast."

He ran out of the apartment and into his car. Eliza sat down to eat breakfast at her leisure with River. That Sunday would be a regular day for her as she would head to the bookshop to chat with Alice.