Work Text:
Seven-year-old Reese Shepard glared at the piano in front of her. She didn't know why this couldn't come quickly to her like the pattern dances she did with her dad. She loved the sound of the piano. More so when her mother played. When her mother played, it seemed magical. When she played, it sounded like she was murdering something. She pouted and pulled her knees to her chest.
Reese looked over when her mother, Caroline, sat down on the bench next to her. Caroline moved some of her daughter's hair behind her ear. "What's so wrong? Ray-ray." Caroline asked.
Resse sighed. "It sounds all wrong. Every time. It's not even a complicated song." She buried her head in her arms.
Caroline smiled and moved her hand to lift the young girl's head. "You just need to practice more. Here turn this way."
Reese sighed and turned. "you don't have to practice."
Caroline laughed. "Oh, sure I do. I practice all the time. I used to practice for hours and hours every day back when it was my job to play."
Reese looked at her. "You did; it didn't just flow out of you."
Caroline smiled again. "It does; after I practice so much, my fingers know the keys locations without looking down. When a song has been in my head for so long, it's just bursting to come out. You will get there, little dove." Caroline kissed Reese's head. "If you want to."
Reese nodded her head. "I want to be able to play like you. Soldiers can make pretty music right. Daddy can sing."
Caroline nodded her head. "Yes, soldiers can make pretty music. Here I'm going to give you drills ok for your fingers. They are like the pattern dances your daddy teaches you."
Reese nodded. "So my muscles know what to do when my brain can't keep up with the action around me."
Caroline nodded. "Exactly."
Reese smiled and adjust her eyes on her mom's hands. "Ok, I'm ready." She stopped and turned again, looking at her mom. "Why do you not want me to be a soldier. I heard you yelling with Daddy last night."
Caroline sighed and turned as well. She pushed a piece of Reese's hair behind her ear. "I don't want you to get hurt. It's selfish."
Reese made a face and nodded. "Like Daddy's hurt knee."
Caroline nodded her head. "Yea, or worse. Daddy got lucky. He only hurt his knee, and then he got to come home to us. Some people's daddies didn't get to come home."
Resse nodded her head and bite her lip. "But being a solider is a good job. You say you are proud of him. He is a hero."
Caroline sighed and pulled the little girl into her arms. "It is a good job. And, I'm so proud of him. But when he was in the war, and I was stuck on earth. I was so scared I would never see him again."
Reese nodded her head again. "Cause he could get hurt so bad he couldn't come home."
Caroline nodded her head again.
Reese sighed. "He said, Soldiers, get hurt, so people like you don't. He said some people have to be the shield, and some people have to be the heart."
Caroline smiled softly and kissed the top of her head. "And why do you think you are the shield?"
Reese sighed. "Cause at school, some of the littler kids play with me. Cause when Matt comes to pick on them, I stand up, and he remembers the time I threw him in the snow. So he walks away. I shield them."
Caroline smiled at that and hugged her daughter tighter to her. "And shielding them makes you happy?"
Reese smiled her head. "Yea, it makes me feel proud." She looked up at her mom. "Is that ok? If it makes you sad, I won't do it. I'll tell daddy no more pattern dances."
Caroline sighed and shook her head. "No, baby, you do whatever you are called to do. And I am proud of you always."
Reese turned and snuggled close to her mom. "Promise?"
Caroline nodded her head. "Promise." She kissed Reese's head again softly then let her go. "Ok, let's do those finger drills. So when you become a soldier, and you are far from me. You can make pretty music and remember your heart, yea?"
Reese smiled and nodded her head. "Ok."
~~~~
The Thirty-two-year-old Reese Shepard stood inside her new apartment. Reese stared at the piano and walked to it, sitting down. How long had it been since she touched a real piano and not a virtual one. She slid her hand over the keys and did one of the cord drills with her left hand. She was a little rusty, but it came back quickly.
Drills turned into songs. Reese adjusted to put her mother's sheet music in the stand from her omni-tool. The virtual paper showing her the music her mom used to play. Again it took her a little bit to get the hand movements right. The calm of it settling her overworked nerves. The sounds from the piano calming over her racing heart. This war was too brutal sometimes and this small gesture. This slow remembering of a time so long ago helped.
Two hours later, Reese sighed when she got a buzz on her computer with a message from Joker. Maybe this shore leave would be ok. Perhaps she could bring Liara here and remember her heart. She swallowed and wiped her eyes before standing and walking to the computer in the back.