Title: White Picket Fences.

Summary: This time is Jones' turn to find out one of Neal Caffrey's many hidden talents, and maybe something more.

Characters: Clinton Jones & Neal Caffrey.

Warnings: None.

Notes: None.

...

"Alright. Here we are," Jones announced unnecessarily as he looked through the window at the brownstone that housed the family of the man they were currently investigating. It looked just like any other along the street.

It wasn't usually his job to go out and interview people. That was Peter and Caffrey's job. Even Diana's. Most of the time when he spoke to witnesses or perps it happened in one of the interrogatory rooms in the FBI building, but he didn't have much choice this time. The clock was ticking and with Peter stuck at the office playing politics and Diana busy talking to the people at Michael Littleton's workplace, he was the only one with enough experience under his belt to do this. And he even had some company for this assignment.

Jones wasn't entirely sure if Peter had told him to take Caffrey with him because he thought he could use the conman's skills just like Peter did or because he wanted him out of his hair but still under supervision for a few hours. Both possibilities made perfect sense, and it may even be a combination of the two that prompted Peter's decision.

None of that changed the fact Jones was more than a little nervous about this.

He risked a glance in Caffrey's direction and found him looking out the window, fingers tapping against his thigh and clearly waiting for him to make the first move. Jones clenched his jaw and forced his fingers to ease their grip on the steering wheel.

"Let's go, Caffrey."

They exited the car almost at once, and Jones wondered if Peter and Caffrey usually worked out a strategy before an interview. He could imagine Peter trying to do
just that and Caffrey taking things in whatever direction he thought was best as soon as they were in. Not the most reassuring of thoughts when he was about to work with Caffrey on this one.

"Nice house," Neal commented with an appreciative look as they walked together.

"Yeah," Jones answered distractedly, his mind going over the details of the case and the questions he needed to ask.

They were standing before the front door when they heard the screams and cries coming from the house. They exchanged a look before Jones rang the doorbell, his right hand moving to his gun.

Almost a minute passed before the door was opened by an attractive woman that couldn't be much older than thirty, her blond hair pulled into a messy bun atop her head and a toddler resting on her hip. The screams and cries from the woman's other child turned even louder now that the door no longer contained them.

Jones held back a grimace as he flashed his badge. "Mrs. Littleton? I'm Agent Jones with the FBI. This is our consultant, Neal Caffrey. We're here to ask you a few questions about your husband."

"Ex-husband- or he will be soon enough." The woman looked more annoyed than surprised to see them. "And this isn't a good time, agents."

Jones risked a quick look at Caffrey only to find the conman smiling down at the toddler, one hand raised as he wiggled his fingers in greeting. Before either could say another word, a red-faced and teary blond girl of maybe five or six appeared at the woman's side, bringing with her loud sobs and even louder cries.

He had no idea what they were supposed to do now. Should they offer to come back later or insist on getting in and hope for the best? Jones looked at the girl and then back at the woman. They certainly didn't teach this kind of thing in Quantico.

Mrs. Littleton sighed loudly before turning to look down at her daughter. "Emma, I told you to wait in the living room."

The woman's voice was barely audible as they all looked down at the hysteric girl- even the toddler was staring at her with huge green eyes and fingers stuck in his mouth.

"Oh, that's a very nice bracelet you have there," Caffrey commented out of nowhere, smiling at the girl as if all was right with the world.

The girl, Emma, blinked her teary eyes at him, closing her mouth before another cry could escape. She looked down at the colorful beads of the bracelet wrapped around her wrist, her small chest still heaving.

"May I?" Caffrey asked, looking at the girl and his mother for permission. He crouched down a moment later, Emma's wrist held gently in his hands as he examined the bracelet as if it were a jewelry piece worth millions. "Nice. This is very nice. It even has a little ladybug there."

"I like ladybugs," The girl commented hoarsely, using the tiny first of her free hand to rub her eyes.

"Ladybugs are great. Did you know they can smell with their little feet and antennae?"

The girl's bloodshot eyes turned wide. "Really?"

"Really," Caffrey confirmed with a very serious nod.

Jones watched with growing disbelief the conversation taking place between the maybe-thirty-something ex-con and the little daughter of the man they were investigating for embezzlement. Honestly, he was just grateful the cries and yells had stopped even if he still wasn't sure how a comment about a bracelet made it happen.

"I have a coloring book Daddy brought for me, and it has lots of ladybugs. Do you wanna see it?"

"I would love to. Actually, I think I can teach you how to draw some very pretty ladybugs if you want. But only if your mom says it's okay, of course," Caffrey added, shooting a dazzling smile in the woman's direction.

Jones turned back to Mrs. Littleton and wasn't surprised to see her staring at Neal with heart in her eyes. No, that wasn't quite right. She looked like someone who had just found water in the middle of a desert. He felt like any moment now she was going to reach for her purse to hire Caffrey on the spot and never let him out of the house.

"Please, Mommy? Please?"

"I-" Mrs. Littleton looked at her daughter before turning to look between Neal and Jones. She looked more than a little dazed by the whole thing. It was reassuring to know he wasn't the only one befuddled by what had just happened here. "I guess."

"Yes! Come!" Emma reached for Caffrey's hand and tried to drag him inside.

The conman flashed the mother and toddler a quick smile as he walked past them, letting himself be guided inside by the excited little girl.

The woman looked after them for a moment before turning back to Jones and letting him in without another word. Jones accepted the invitation with a tentative smile and the hope that things would go smoother from there.

Thirty-six minutes later they were out of the house after a very enlightening conversation with Mrs. Littleton.

They watched as Emma Littleton waved goodbye to her new best friend from where she stood in the doorway by her mother's side with a grin on her face, tears and screams long forgotten. Jones, on the other hand, was still trying to figure out what the hell happened in there. Was it fair to say Caffrey had just conned a five-year-old girl, or had he just done what any adult with experience dealing with children was forced to do? He honestly doubted Caffrey was all that interested in ladybugs.

He made sure to keep an eye on the conman the whole time they were there (and the girl's mother had done the same, though with wonder and relief more than anything else). Caffrey had not only behaved himself, but he had also done a great job keeping Emma busy and happy while Jones talked with Mrs. Littleton, far enough away to have some privacy but within perfect view of the living room where Caffrey and the little girl were staying.

Neal smiled and waved one more time before getting into the car, his shoulders dropping slightly for a second or two before he looked at Jones with his usual smile tugging at his lips.

"Well? How did it go?"

His eyebrows went up a little in surprise. "You weren't listening in?"

"I heard a few things," Neal admitted as he put his seat belt on. "But Miss Littleton was very demanding of my attention."

"Oh, I'm sure she was," Jones teased as he pulled away from the curb. "Well, Mrs. Littleton apparently knows nothing about her hus- ex-husband's business, but she mentioned a few things worth looking into."

"Like the sudden trip to California six months ago."

Jones was grateful for the red light as he turned to stare at the conman and his little smug smile. So Caffrey hadn't missed the most important piece of information Juliet Littleton had shared. Of course he hadn't, he thought as he shook his head.

"Yeah, like that one."

They drove through New York's terrible afternoon traffic in silence for a moment.

"You did a pretty good job with the daughter," Jones commented, breaking the silence. He may not be the boss, but he always liked to acknowledge good work from the people around him. "That one of your many skills or was it pure luck?"

"Kids are easy," Neal confided with a smile. "They're never shy about telling you what they want, and even when they don't, they can be very easily pleased or distracted. And they're fun too, unlike most adults."

Jones chuckled softly. He could imagine Peter telling Caffrey he got along well with kids because he was one of them. He decided to keep that thought to himself.

"You ever thought about it?" Jones asked when a spot of traffic made them stop once again, curiosity getting the better of him. Caffrey turned to him with an arched eyebrow. "Kids."

Neal's body went stock-still, his expression freezing in place for not more than a couple of seconds before any reaction was wiped away, his posture once again turning loose and relaxed, and his smile turning even wider.

"Really, Clinton? You think adding kids to the mix would have been wise given my former career?"

Usually, the lack of an answer to a direct question could be just as telling as one, but Caffrey was a master of deflection and evasion, so it was hard to find the real meaning behind the words. Jones didn't press further. Kate Moreau and her story with Caffrey were a delicate subject, and besides, pushing didn't work with Caffrey anyway.

"I have."

"Really?" The surprise and interest in Neal's expression were genuine.

"Yeah." Jones couldn't hold back his own smile. "Not right now, of course, but someday, yeah. I want the wife, the two-point-five kids, and the white picket fence."

"Don't forget the dog."

"Oh, yeah. I want the dog too. A big one. Maybe two of 'em."

"A man who knows what he wants. I like that." Jones' only answer to the pleased smile he could hear in Caffrey's tone was a snort. "Well, I think that when the time comes you will be a great Dad."

His eyes flicked in the conman's direction. "You think so?"

"Of course! You're a good man, Clinton. You're upright but not too upright, and what kid wouldn't want a respected FBI agent for a dad?"

Jones watched Caffrey with narrowed eyes until the horn from the car behind them forced him to move forward. He couldn't help but wonder if the nice words were just a distraction or part of a long con. It didn't really matter if the meaning was genuine or not, the idea Caffrey may be using something personal, something he decided to share with him pissed him off...

But what if he was wrong about that?

In the end, Jones decided to take a page off Peter's book and give Caffrey the benefit of the doubt. What harm would it do to believe him this once?

"Thanks, Caffrey. And, you know," Jones added good-naturedly, "if you ever decided to give the kids thing a chance, I'm sure you wouldn't be too bad at it yourself."

"Not too bad, huh? Such high endorsement." Despite the words, there was an amused glint in Neal's bright eyes.

Jones tried to imagine Caffrey a few years down the road, all settled down and with a couple of cute blue-eyed kids at his side. Surprisingly, it wasn't as hard to picture as he would have thought.

...

a/n: This was supposed to be posted long before now, except I hated the ending, so I decided to give myself time to see if I could come up with something better. I believe I did, in the end, but I would appreciate it if you let me know what you think about it and about my Jones' characterization as well.

And wow, thank you so, so much to everyone who has taken the time to leave me a review. It's so rewarding to know people out there are reading and enjoying these old stories of mine. I hope you will continue to do so!