Daphne walked into the kitchen and found Jessica sitting at the table, her eyes glazed as she stared at the wall over her morning tea. Daphne glanced at the wall and tutted. "He really isn't that hot. You're just going gaga because he's the first American man to talk to you."

"No he isn't." Jessica continued to stare at a uninteresting spot on the wall. "It has nothing to do with the yummy accent, though he could lure me into his apartment with that alone. He's a FBI agent, and a Doctor, that means brains. Intelligence is sexy."

"Oh please." Daphne buttered her bagel and brought it to the table. "My office if full of intelligent men. They are as one tracked mind as every other man." Taking a bite from her bagel she wagged a finger at her cousin. "Don't go near his apartment. I'm telling you he's weird. Just because he says he is an FBI agent doesn't mean he is. He could be a crazy person."

"You sound like the crazy person. Spencer-"

"Spencer? You spoke to him for two minutes and you're calling him Spencer? You sound like a creepy stalker. I mean it, we're not in England anymore. You could vanish here and no one would notice."

"Oh thanks."

"You know what I mean. Of course I'd notice you not coming home, but I bet no one out there would be able to pin point it. DC doesn't even know you exist."

"Well DC might not but our neighbours do. Mr Jennins always stops for a chat and the lady at the end with the three kids always says hello."

"I don't know who you are talking about so I'm going to ignore what you said. Until you know more about him stay away." Daphne put the remainder of her bagel in her mouth and dropped her plate into the sink. Removing her bagel she looked at her cousin. "I'm just looking out for you. Now, I've got to shoot, I have meetings all day. Might be late. I'll ring if I'm gonna make dinner."


Jessica spent the following days by the large window in the living room looking out over the street. From her perch she knew Spencer must start work between the times of eight and nine. He often came home past nine suggesting long days, then there were the evenings he did not return and the following mornings where he did not leave. So his job must consist of travelling.

She found herself in front of the computer one evening searching his name. Being a FBI agent, she had not expected to find anything, and she was right, what she read rarely mentioned his job. He had written lots of papers and it was clear from the fact that she was reading pages of meaningless words that he was extremely clever. Her heart sank slightly, the chances of him being anything more than polite to her was a pipedream. She kept at it though, it was like a obsession, she needed to know more about the handsome neighbour.

It was a surprise when the phone rang. Looking at the clock on the desk she stared at the time. It was gone one in the morning. Daphne appeared in the living room doorway.

"You go-na answer?" She yawned.

When Jessica did not make a move Daphne walked to the corner table and picked up. "Hello?..What?…Oh hang on." Daphne looked at Jessica. "Congratulations. The FBI has found you. Creeper."

Taking the phone Jessica slowly put it to her ear as she watched her cousin leave the room. "H-hello?"

"This is Penelope Garcia, Technical Analysis for the FBI. Just a courtesy call to ask why you are doing extensive searches on a Dr Reid?."

"Er…You can see that?"

"You better believe it Miss British Accent. Are you working for Scotland Yard? Or the Queen? Because she can't have him, he's our master mind."

"I'm just his neighbour! I just live next door and thought he was…interesting."

"You think he's hot!"

"What? No! No!"

"Oh you so do." Jessica heard a chuckle on the other end before it went dead. Placing the phone on the desk Jessica turned towards the computer screen and stood up when she saw the message on the screen.

I'm watching. P.G

Turning the computer off Jessica hurried to bed, trying to forget the odd phone call. There were all the English thinking the Americans were just paranoid. Her skin was crawling at the fact that she had been spied on so easily.


Weeks passed and Jessica soon forgot the phone call, She began seeing less of Dr Reid and spent her days looking for a job. She was not after anything big just yet, just something to keep the bank manager happy. She managed to find herself a job in a twenty-four hour coffee shop.

It was the second week of October and her shift was about to finish when she heard the door of the shop go. Looking up she saw Dr Reid enter and smiled. "Hello, what can I get you?"

"I normally have a coffee, but I'm wondering if I should try something-"

"What's the occasion?" Smiling Jessica wiped at a spot on the counter.

"Just a birthday."

"Just? I sure hope you're not referring to your own?" Her neighbour pulled a face and she guess that it was. "Well happy birthday! This is on me, go on knock yourself out."

"Oh you don't have to-just a coffee."

"No. Push the boat out. How do you like your coffee?"

"Sweet."

"Right take a seat and I'll bring it over."

"Take out, please."

"Sit!" Smiling at him she began putting his coffee together. "If you don't like it I'll grab that normal coffee for you." She called over the counter. She was just adding some ice cream to the drink when Sally came to take over from her.

"I'll finish that if you want?"

"No, I'll do it, I'm buying it for my neighbour. I'll pay before I leave." Moving around the counter she placed the drink in front of him. "If you don't like it I'll grab you something else." She watched as he took a sip and then raised his eyebrows.

"Wow. It's sweet."

"Too sweet?"

"No, just right, and is that ice cream?"

"Maybe. I couldn't possibly tell you that." Smiling at him she took a step back. "I hope you have a great birthday."

"Thanks."

Walking to the counter she took off her apron and passed it to Sally. "Can I have my usual. I'll just pop round back and grab my purse."

"Are you heading home?" Jessica looked over her shoulder and smiled. She noticed it was the most natural reaction, to just smile at him. "Yeah, shower, bed and enjoy my days off."

"I'm heading that way, we could walk together?"

"Sure. I'll be back in a second." Heading out back Jessica grabbed her coat and bag and returned to the counter to pay for the drinks. Picking up her hot chocolate she made her way to the door. He was already there and opened it for her. She looked up at him and felt her cheeks redden. "So, have you just got back from work?"

"No, I booked today and tomorrow off. Got up and felt like treating myself."

"Doing anything interesting?"

"I'm going to read a few books, then might head out for lunch."

"Books?" Jessica raised her eyebrow at him, had he really said books before lunch?

"I have three I want to get through."

Jessica stopped in her tracks and stared at him. "Unless they are Mr Men books I'm gonna take a stab in the dark that you're some kind of super master mind genius."

"Genius. I have an IQ of a hundred and eighty-seven.."

"Wow. Even if I was average-what is average?"

"Eighty-Four to a hundred.."

"Even if say I was a hundred, next to your a hundred and eighty-seven, I'd feel dumb. I'll make a mental note to never get tested. Ignorance is bliss, as they say."

"Thomas Gray. Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College. "Where ignorance is bliis, 'tis folly to be wise." Seventeen forty-two."

"You'd never guess you had a library in there." Pointing to his head she laughed. "It looks perfectly sized to me." Discovering that Dr Reid had a wealth of information locked inside his head Jessica spent the trip home questioning him about random things trying to catch him out. From what she could tell Harry Potter was his only grey area.

When they stepped out of the lift onto their floor Jessica spotted a group of people at the end of the hall outside her neighbours door. "I'm guessing from the presents they're holding you know them?"

"I booked today off because I thought they'd do something over the top this year. They forgot my birthday last year and I knew they would try and make up for it."

"I can throw my shoes at them and we could leg it. Haven't anywhere to go but, it's a idea."

Jessica looked at the group of people as they approached them. Blimey they all looked like models. The gathering consisted of three men and three women. Two of the men looked to be a lot older than the others. The third was a hunky African American. The three women made her want to scratch her eyes out. How was it fair? One was larger than the others but still pretty and clearly very confident by the colours she was wearing. Then there was the tall dark haired one, in tight black trousers and a black jacket. Jessica tried not to even think about the blond one, she was just gorgeous, plain and simple.

"Thanks again for the coffee."

"Wha-?" Jessica realised that they had reached their apartments and that Dr Reid had already greeted the people outside his door. "Oh yeah, you're welcome. It's not everyday a girl gets to buy a genius a birthday coffee. Have a great day." Getting out her keys, Jessica unlocked her door and waved. "Now no raving it up, some of us will be trying to sleep." As she was closing the door she heard one of the women talk.

"See Emily, JJ, I told you!"