Goodbye halcyon days

Chapter 2. Birthday boy

Notes: SORRY FOR THE LAST! I have no excuse, so sorry! I'm so thanked for the 11 follows and 8 favorites! THANKS, THANKS, THANKS! I couldn't wish for anything else!

A special thanks to KlausCarolineLover, Ari FitzSimmons and CatsTheEnd for their reviews! You're amazing :)

Based on…: s01e04 Plain sight

[REID IS 9; JOSEPH IS 13; AIMEE IS 7]

To hide himself from the arguing of his parents, the little genius boy had been forced to accept Lara's invitation to "The ultimate birthday party of Joseph James" –at least that was the name she had put it in the piece of paper he had received two weeks ago. To say Spencer and Joe –as Lara called him the most part of the time- were close-friends was a little bit overrated. Both of the boys enjoyed the silent and the non-obligation of exhausting the most typical used conversation topics of the world history, they spent the hours reading each other's books. No talking, no asking, no seeing anything more than the pages of an old book. Spencer could count with the fingers of one hand the words Joe and he had shared. So when Lara had come two weeks ago to invite the little genius boy to the "ultimate party", Spence could have been more perplexed.

Even though this was his official first invitation to a birthday party, he was very prepared for it –reading everything about "birthday party protocols" had helped him a lot.

Spencer was waiting outside the house; carrying Joe's present with both hands –an old edition of A study in scarlet by Sir Arthur Connan Doyle, feeling nervous. His skinny knees shook as swallowed his own saliva, Spencer's skills for social interaction were far from be controlled and dominated.

"I'm coming!" Lara's voice came from the inside and seconds later the door swung open. The middle-age woman was wearing a pink flowered dress –one of her favorites- and a sweet smell of roses hit the genius's nose, the red haired mother reminded him a wood nymph –he had read a little bit about that mythology creature's long time ago. Always happy, always flowered, always so full of positive energy. "Oh, Spencer! Gad to see you here, little bud!" He couldn't help but smile to her. "Ready for the fun?"

If he was ready, Spencer didn't say it.

Lara was the kind of opposite from her son, Joseph. Her exuberant and careless personality distanced from Joe's introversion. The little boy was quiet, silent, he didn't waste a word –like they were so value he had to be careful to not waste too much in a day. Lara could talk small for hours and hours and hours…

"Joe! Joe! Your friend came to the party!" Lara shouted to the stairs as she closed the entrance door. "My husband is finalizing the last preparations for the party, you can help him if you want… I'll get Joe to the big event!" Her red lips curved into a tender smile. "My son is not into this… kind of things, don't you know? –even if the event is his birthday party! Can't you believe it?" In fact, Spencer could believe it. He wasn't a birthday lover too –and for god's blessing, his mother wasn't up for parties as Lara. Reid's family spent the birthdays as a normal day in their lives. "But don't worry, he'll be ready on time!"

"But the invitation says the party starts at five o'clock." Then Miss James's lips frowned.

"It's an approximation, Spence." She said like it wasn't the first time she had to deal with that kind of questions. "Don't think about it too much." And she went upstairs, disappearing from his point of view.

As much as Spencer couldn't believe she was going to force her son to attend to something he totally would hate, he couldn't understand why the preparations were unfinished when it had called to be the "ultimate party". It was going to be a disaster, he knew perfectly. However, he made his way to the living room where, supposedly, Mister James was finalizing the details. But clearly, he wasn't. Spencer could see the man outside, standing up at the garden, smoking a cigarette –not caring about the party at all.

Who was hanging a big Happy-Birthday-banner was Aimee. The little seven years old girl was trying to stay balanced as she reached for tying the banner to the wall with the help of an adhesive tape. The living room was full of green balloons and yellow garlands… a nightmare. "You're here." He looked up, staring at the little girl. "You're here." She repeated it to process it. "I thought no one was going to come…"

Despite the fact that Joe wasn't the most sociable person in the world, Spencer couldn't believe his ears for a second. Just him? No one was going to drop by to attend to the ultimate party? He never felt so perplexed in his life, and horrified too. Now it seemed Spencer was the only guest to the show, Lara was going to focus on him all over –and that terrified him a lot.

"It's so… Beautiful!" Lara claimed, clapping her hands with excitement as the joy replaced her worried expression. "You did a great job, Christopher James!" Mister James was now at the living room, Spencer hadn't noticed he had rushed on but now Lara's husband was there, standing up with an indifference expression. "Congratulations!"

"But mom—" Aimee jumped up from the chair, she had climbed to hang the banner, to protest. "—I did it! I did everything!" Lara glanced at her, confused, and then she started to giggle.

"Oh my little jealous girl! Of course you helped your daddy…" Lara stepped the distance between them to hug her tenderly, but the girl refused the contact and escaped from her when she had the opportunity. Aimee's hazel eyes stared at Spencer, begging for his support –he had seen her trying to hang the banner, not her father. But he didn't say a word. Her eyes narrowed, very angry. "Come in, Joe, no one is going to bite you."

As silent as his father, Joseph James was there, watching his family and friend from the darkest corner of the living room. "Spencer." The birthday boy said in a whisper as a greeting, coming closer but not so much with his eyes looking down like he was ashamed for something.

"I'll bring the cake!" Lara rushed off really quickly, excited to show them her latest sweet creation. Spencer took a step forward, tending the present gif to Joseph.

"Oh." He was surprised, his green deep eyes flew open and, just for a second, Reid saw a little smile on his lips. "You shouldn't-" But he took it anyway, couldn't wait to find what the present was.

His mother and his father had given to him a new microscope and a few clothes he didn't ask for –Joe knew Lara had chosen them because all the fabrics were too much girly for his taste. His little sister's present was a home-made birthday card; Joe had thrown it to the garbage can instantly.

Spencer's gif was like a fresh air, something he knew he was going to love it since the moment he saw it. "Awesome." He paused, and then added as an afterthought. "What you do in this world is a matter of no consequence. The question is what can you make people believe you have done." Joe quoted the book and Reid smiled knowing he had chosen the best present ever.

"It's full of dirt." Aimee whispered, disgusted, pointing the book. The covering was full of dust but Joe didn't care at all. It was an old edition; it didn't matter a little bit of dust. "And it smells weird…"

"You're so ignorant, it kills me that we're related." Even Joe was talking to his little sister, he glanced at Spencer –the genius boy couldn't say why, it was like Joseph was asking for something. For his support? For his opinion about his sister's stupid-ness? He was not going to take part of it. "But you understand me well."

"Oh my god, Spencer!" Lara had showed up with the cake –a big one made of chocolate. "It's really… nice!" Her lips trembled, trying to stay smiling at him. "But it's really… Old." Aimee nodded, supporting her mother. "Oh, I mean… It's perfect for Joe… Don't you worry about it, I know he's going to love it… But… I just… There wasn't an actual edition of the book? This looks very… Fragile." Lara was talking with not stopping, nervously. Without a doubt, she was thinking she had screwed it up when she had said the book was old. But Lara couldn't help, she loved the new things. Her actual motto was New is always better. "Oh, uh, Joe, wait, please!" Her son was going out of the living room.

"Just leave the kid, Lara." Christopher said, sitting down to the couch, lighting up another cigarette. "He's tired of your… party. He's tired of your constant wanting to change him, he's not who you think he is. Just let him be!"

"That's so easy for you to say." She replied, putting her arms on the hips, annoyed. "He's growing up, Christopher! Joe is not a little boy anymore!" Reid and Aimee's eyes met again, but this time something had changed. They shared the same feeling: the awkwardness to find themselves caught in the middle of that conversation. "Just look at this party, Chris!" And without thinking twice, she pointed at Spencer with disappointment. "There's only ONE! And he's not even…" She shut herself up, turning around to see her daughter and their little neighbor. "I'm afraid the party is over, little bud."

Spencer nodded and made his way back to the exit after saying goodbye to Ms. and Mr. James, but when he crossed the hall his eyes caught up on something upon stairs. Joseph was there, glancing at him, and then he moved his hand –inviting him to come. In silent, Spence climbed upstairs, trying to be quiet to not disturb the James's conversation again. The little genius followed Joe to his room –the James's house and the Reid's had the same distribution as Spencer saw, Joe's bedroom was the same William Reid was using as his personal office.

As Reid rushed on the room, he saw a couple of packed bags under the bed –it was hard not to see them even Joe had tried to cover them with the sheets. "I'm leaving." He said after seeing Reid's catching up on the bags. "But not today, just one day… Sooner or later."

"Where…?" Joseph shrugged his shoulders, not caring. "Why?"

"Family." He answered and sighed after that, a weary sound. "I thought I was adopted…, but I had to reject that option after the DNA parenting test arrived last week." Spencer opened his mouth, perplexed. He did what? Joseph saw the confusion on his eyes. "You had seen them. Lara is living in her own world, wishing for an eternal happiness without responsibilities. And Christopher… I wonder if he wanted to have children or had to deal with it after Lara's pregnancy."

"And Aimee?" He asked as a beg for a second thought, Joe couldn't talk seriously… Leaving his family at the age of thirteen, leaving everything he knew behind him. Reid had his family's problems too –his father was exhausted, couldn't deal with his mother's temper any longer; but he never thought about the idea of abandoning them. That wasn't right.

"Aimee?" Now Joseph was the one who was confused. "What about her?"

"She is your sister…" Reid hadn't a brother or a little sister –he liked that way in fact, but he had the feeling something was wrong with his friend. Aimee could be a lot of things –talkative as her mother, annoying, less cultured, whatever Joe wanted to say about the little girl, but she was his family too. She had cared about his birthday party, she had done everything their father hadn't.

"Will you come with me?" Joseph was ignoring his asking for Aimee and Spencer noticed instantly, he didn't want to talk about her. "You know me well." Reid blinked in confusion, did he hear well? They didn't even talk five words at day! Of course, today was the exception to the rule.

"My mother needs me."

"She's exceptional." Joe paused, staring at him without blinking. "As you."

[REID IS 24; JOSEPH IS 28; AIMEE IS 21]

No matter how busy he could be, Reid always had found the time to call her –every week, without any exception. Sometimes their conversation hadn't been longer than a five minutes, but it was worth it –talking to him was worth it, every single word, every single second was worth it. She needed those five minutes per weeks like she needed oxygen.

So when the last week Spencer hadn't called her, Aimee had felt something had broken inside her.

"Brave yourself, James." She said to herself, trying to calm down. "He just forgot a single call, it's not the end of the world…" Aimee was looking the house phone, she had had the intention to call Spencer to say Happy Birthday… But couldn't even dial his number. "This is so stupid…" She took the phone with the intention of took the next step, but then the main door swung open and Aimee turned around to see his brother rushing on the apartment. "You're early!"

"I have a lot of work to do at home." He said, calmly, like he said it every day. Joseph James was carrying a pile of papers under his arms –as Aimee could see, they were test from his students. Students from Yale. She smiled, proudly, there wasn't a day Aimee wasn't proud of him, of his big brother. "Don't disturb me."

"Never." She swore, smiling, as he sat down at the sofa using his legs as a provisional table. "Can I sit with you?" She did it anyway, without waiting for Joe's answer –feeling close to her brother made her better, it was like finding a new way of calming herself down. Joseph completed her in that way, he gave her a little bit of peace from her thoughts. "Do you think Reid is tired of us?"

"Tired?" Joseph raised his eyebrow, staring at her. After all they had been through, Joe stilled a little bit rancorous of what happen in the past –Aimee was afraid that was the reason the two boys hadn't spoken in years.

"Yeah… Tired of us." She said again, narrowing her eyes. "He's so busy with… Well, everything. Maybe he's tired of wasting time with us. We're a waste of time." Joseph had left the pen to glance at his sister, Aimee was truly worried –thinking about the possibility of Reid leaving them behind. "Maybe he had found out new friends at the BAU…"

"Did you think about my suggestion?" That was something Joseph used to do a lot, changing the matter of their conversation –he had done that since he was able to talk! And it freaked her out. Aimee sighed, controlling herself, she didn't want to lose her temper with Joe –no when they had become so close lately. "It's not going to last forever." He had his mouth drawn into a thin line, it was hard for her to know what he was thinking.

"Should I take the opportunity?" He nodded, slowly, without thinking twice. "I don't know, Joe!" She stood up from the sofa, raising her arms with nervousness. "I-I-I have to call him."

"He's too busy for you, Aimee!" She heard him shouting from the distance and her heart her broke when she thought he was right. He was too busy for her.

He was losing his temper with the fucking candles. He blew and blew and blew… But they stilled there, coming back on every time. And to crown it all, he had been obligated to wear that stupid hat that seemed a cake. He looked totally ridiculous, even more than usual. "Make a wish!" Elle encouraged him with a smirk on her face and Reid blew again, one more time. But nothing happened, the candles stilled there. He narrowed his eyes.

"Come on, man!" Morgan clapped his shoulders, laughing. "Blow, baby, blow!"

"Come on, Reid!" Elle insisted, giggling at him.

"They're trick candles, Spence." JJ had stepped the distance, to join them. Reid looked up to see her, he felt confused and a little bit ashamed for keep trying over and over again. "They gonna come back on every time." She smiled to him, tenderly. His cheeks blushed as he felt her body too close to him –Elle was at the same distance from him… But it wasn't the same.

"Oh! Mommy to rescue you!" Morgan mocked and Elle laughed.

"Mommy…?" Reid whispered and his eyes turned back to JJ, who was reproaching to Morgan for buying the trick candles knowing Reid was too innocent to realize they weren't real. She always looked and talked to him in that way, in a way of caring… like he was her little brother. Reid sighed. Aimee's was wrong. What he felt for JJ was exactly the same Aimee would feel for Joseph, for example. A sister+brother relationship, nothing more than that.

And then his thoughts wandered around her, around Aimee. The last week, at Saturday, he had picked the phone with the intention of calling her –it was a routine for him since he had joined Hotch's team and hadn't too much time to meet her in person; but then a thought had come into his mind –corrupting all his good intentions: He was always the one who call. Always him. Aimee never had called him in the middle of the week asking for how he was, or for asking to meet at their favorite cafeteria. Never. And now he was waiting for her call, for her 'Happy Birthday, Doc!', but it wasn't coming.

He had waited the entire week, waiting for her to do the step –to call him. But it didn't happen. As he saw it, Aimee didn't care about their special routine of callings. "You're having fun?" Gideon's voice made him back to the Earth.

"Yes." He said, nervous. Gideon was an amazing, and maybe the best, profiler of the team… Was he capable of seeing his thoughts? His worries? Would he know what to do next? What to say? What to do? "Definitely…" A part of him wanted to know, to know what Giden would have say, but another one, a bigger one, didn't. Despite of telling him about it, Reid smiled with shyness. "I'm definitely having fun."

"Make a wished?" He raised one of his eyebrows, curious.

"Can I take this hat off?" He begged, pointing to the cake-hat.

"I wouldn't." Gideon's eyes returned to the team, Morgan and Elle were giggling while JJ was cutting the cake.

"Hey, Spence!" She said, raising a plate with a piece of cake. "First piece for the birthday boy."

Reid looked at Jason and he added in whispers. "Do you know she's the only person in the whole world who calls me 'Spence'?"

/FIRST OF ALL, sorry for the grammar mistakes! D:

/AND in case you're wondering… This is a Spencer/Aimee fic :) But everything will come in time!

/Reviews? Please?