Disclaimer: Did I tell you guys that I bought the fifth season on DVD a bit back, but that's as close as I get to owning everybody's favorite crime show.
Author's Note: And Kitty is back with a new Sperek multi-chapter! Who would have thought :O You should know that Rayne McKenna played a starring in role in the process that was writing these seven chapters, which I have finished writing and edited and stuff. I literally wrote this just so I could have her fawning over how good it was. And she did. So now you'll get a piece of it too :) I don't know at what rate I'll update, it'll probably depend a lot on the response it receives. So yeah. (it means that if you want to get the next chapter sooner you'll have to review, I'm not saying that I won't post until I get a certain amount of reviews, but y'all know it's nicer to update if someone actually reads your stuff).
I'll stop now.
Please read on!
It was everything Spencer had expected it to be.
The walls were that sort of white that probably had a fancy name and didn't hurt your eyes if you looked at them while they were sunlit. The couch was big enough that someone could sleep on it and not be too uncomfortable and sported a neutral sandy-color that matched the armchair and the patterned cushions. There was a big bookcase filled with books and DVD cases. He had read about half the books, the non-fictional ones but hadn't seen any of the movies.
He put his almost empty messenger back on the coffee table and looked around in the living room of his new house with a silent resigned sigh.
"I'll leave you then," said a man behind him and Spencer turned around with a reserved smile. "I'll be waiting for your call. Eight sharp or you'll be in trouble."
Spencer nodded and followed the other to the front door.
"I'll see you around then, Jasper," the man said with his gaze firmly fixed on Spencer who nodded again and straightened his posture slightly.
Jasper. He was Jasper now. Jasper Gordon.
"See you, Bob," he said and closed the door. He watched Bob walk to his car through the window next to the door. Bob stuffed his hand in his pocket and fished out his car keys. He made a certain move and for a moment Spencer could see the gun holster at Bob's hip. He looked away, noting that his heart was beating faster than usual.
He went into his living room and picked up his bag from table before starting to explore his new 'home'. The kitchen was a lot bigger than what he was used to or needed, but the coffee maker looked brand new and when he opened the cabinets he found several bags of his favorite coffee brand.
The bathroom had green and white tiles and green towels. The guest room was light blue, with a single bed and a small dresser. There wasn't much master over the master bedroom, only a bigger than usual bed and a wall of closet doors. There were a mirror on the inside of one of them and clothes stuffed on every shelf.
He had watched it be put there when they moved him in.
He hadn't participated actively, only by shrugging when asked where he wanted things and signing all the papers Bob had brought him.
The bedspread had a Zen-like pattern in gray nuances and the mattress was soft when he sat on the bed. The bag hit the floor with a soft thump and Spencer flipped to his stomach and inhaled the smell of clean bedding.
It smelt just that – clean.
Just like the entire house.
He left the bed and walked to the kitchen where Bob had left two letters and a folder with all the details to Spencer's new life. Everything was in it, a description of his new job at the local library, the deed to the house, a driver's license, a full description of his past.
Everything was just as perfect as the house.
The coffee maker stood a few feet away and tempted Spencer with its virginal look so he found one of the bags of coffee and started making the first cup in his new home, in his new life.
He took the cup with him when he retraced his first step in the new one floor villa. He went to stand at the window in the living room and looked out at the street and the houses surrounding his. All so neat and tidy. All with perfect lawns and well-kept flower beds.
He didn't know if he hated it or loved it.
He didn't know for how long he'd stay.
He didn't feel like a Jasper.
xXx
Every detail was on a sheet of paper in the folder so Spencer actually knew everything his kind neighbors told him when they visited him to welcome him to the neighborhood. It was different, though, when people told it. He found that he preferred being told than to just read it.
He still knew more than they thought he did.
Jennifer "JJ" LaMontagne had given up her successful career to take care of her and her husband, William LaMontagne's son, Henry after he was born. They were Spencer's neighbors to the right.
To the left lived Eric Spicer and his daughter Ellie. Ellie's mother had abandoned the small family to travel around Europe. She now lived in California. Eric didn't know that.
On the other side of Will and JJ lived Kevin, a tech assistant at a big firm in downtown DC. He had a crush on Penelope Garcia, who was Spencer's new colleague at the library. She happened to also JJ's best friend and Henry's godmother.
Across from Spencer lived Emily and David Rossi. Only Spencer knew that David was in fact twenty three years older than Emily and that he had made a fortune on writing crime mysteries happening in suburbia. Emily was a cop and had meet JJ through her old job. They had girl nights out with Penelope every other Friday.
And the Rossi's right lived the couple Elle and Louise. Elle was having an affair and Louise was actually from Canada and married to a man she had met when she was in her twenties.
To the Rossi's left lived the Hotchner's. Aaron preferred to be called Hotch and worked at the same police station as Emily. He was also in love with her. Haley, Hotch's wife, was busy denying the truth and taking care of their son Jack.
The person Spencer liked the most was probably JJ, who had a motherly air that comforted him with an ease that some times unnerved him. A close second was Penelope Garcia, who seemed to have a new pet name for him every day.
He had felt very perceptive when he realized Hotch's unfortunate infatuation. It wasn't in the profile in the folder like most of his secret knowledge was, instead he had noticed Hotch's behavior during a small garden party JJ had thrown to invite Spencer to the neighborhood (she had even made a cake saying 'Welcome Jasper' to which Spencer had been seconds away from asking who this Jasper person was) and after thinking about it for a while it all seemed so immensely obvious.
But he liked it. The people was pleasant and the surroundings were nice. Very neat and tidy. His job with Penelope – or Mistress of Public Library Software as she sometimes called herself – was fulfilling and while she took care of all things including technology he had quickly taken to keeping the rows of books and music organized.
He had the entire content of the library memorized by his second week.
Everything was so predictable and went according to plan.
He would get up at 7.45 each morning and do his morning routine before leaving for work where they opened at ten. He'd be home at three on the short days and seven on the longer and he'd always bring a stack of books that he'd stack in his living room and read when he had a vacant moment. At eight sharp every evening he called Bob and they would chat for a while before ending the call after which Spencer would do his night ritual and go to bed. With a stack of books. He turned off his lights at 11.45 and were mostly asleep by midnight.
He spent most of his weekends reading or going to DC to explore the sights and he had had dinner with LaMontagne's on a few occasions. JJ had taken to call him Jazz after gushing to him about a book series for a full fifteen minutes. Apparently one of the characters in the book series had the same name as him.
Spencer was very interested in having a talk to the person who had decided his first name. Last name too, after Kevin so kindly pointed out that he shared that with a brand of Gin.
Someone somewhere were having tons of fun on his expense.
And he still really didn't feel like a Jasper.
But at least he liked his life.
He was a sucker for routine.
Therefore it wasn't with the most fond feelings Spencer rose from his sitting position in the spot of sunlight on his porch one night a couple of months after moving in.
He had sat there for a good half hour with a new physics book lying untouched beside him as he tried to suck up the warmth bestowed upon him by the last sunbeams. It felt like the sun kissed his face in the warm breeze that would tousle his hair and make the leaves on his cherry tree rustle comfortingly. The air smelt like freshly cut grass and smoke from people's barbecues.
He was in the middle of contemplating going inside to fix himself some dinner when he heard something from LaMontagne's garden.
Now, Spencer wasn't at all what could be characterized as a nosy neighbor and it wasn't curiosity that made him stand and sneak up to the fence.
He did it because he had told Henry – who was shyly hiding behind his face in his mother's shoulder – happy birthday before they left to have dinner at a family friendly restaurant to celebrate.
He did it because he felt is as his duty as a good neighbor and a friend of JJ's to see if someone was trying to break into their home while they were away. He was a private person but she had been so heart-warmingly open and accepting of him and he just wanted to return the favor.
It still took a considerable gathering of nerve before he peaked over the edge of the fence and eyed the strange man who was doing something too technical with some planks for Spencer to know just exactly what.
It took mustering all his courage to clear his voice and say, "Just what exactly are you doing in Will and JJ's garden?" in a loud and clear voice.
The man jumped and dropped the power drill he had been operating.
"Shit!" He looked over at Spencer. "Damn, you really surprised me there,man," he said with a carefree smile. "Would you mind helping me out here? I can't let go of these to pick up the drill – they'll fall on me."
"Please answer my question," Spencer insisted, not moving from the safety behind the fence.
The man looked at the planks he was holding above his head and back to Spencer. "I'm building a swing set. What does it look like?" He had an attractive smile.
Spencer ignored it. "Why are you doing this in Will and JJ's garden?"
"Because they asked me to. It's a birthday present for Henry."
It sounded legit but Spencer couldn't help the nagging feeling of doubt that always got the better of him.
"How can I be sure you aren't lying to me?"
"Why should I lie?"
"Hey guys."
"Hey Kevin," Spencer and the man said simultaneously as Kevin passed them slowly with his bicycle.
"Kevin," Spencer called after him when he realized he had greeted both of them.
"Jasper?" Kevin said and stopped his bike.
"Do you know this man?"
"Sure, that's Derek." Spencer looked back blankly. "Derek Morgan? Works with Hotch and Emily down at the station? Penelope's best friend? Has a dog named Clooney?" Spencer shook his head. "How come you've never met before, Derek spends almost all his spare time at some house here?"
"I spent my vacation in Chicago."
"Oh... How's your mother?"
"Oh, she's fine. Actually she told me to say hi."
"That's nice of her!" Kevin and Derek seemed awfully friendly and Spencer felt a certain amount of heat creep to his cheeks. He hoped dearly that he wasn't blushing. "Well, I really have to go – they called for me to come fix a problem down at the office. Apparently one of the executives thought it was a good idea to check out a penis enlargement advertisement." Kevin waved cheerily before climbing back on his bike and resumed riding.
"I never understood his things for bikes," the man who apparently was called Derek said and smiled to Spencer. "I mean, with his fondness for electronics I would have pegged him for one of the hybrid-enthusiasts."
Spencer didn't reply but went into the garden where he picked up the drill on the ground. He very pointedly ignored just how tight Derek's black t-shirt were and how his muscled flexed when he accepted the tool.
"Thanks man," Derek said and smiled.
"No problem," Spencer muttered and went back to his house. He picked up the book and was just about to walk inside when he sighed deeply and turned back to look at the man working in the yard next door. "Sorry for scaring you," he called and Derek waved him of with a grin.
Spencer decided that he would forget about Derek and the surge of desire he felt when he had seen him for the sake of keeping things simple.