The smell of pancakes floated through the apartment while two toddlers giggled behind their mother. Spanish music played on the smart tv only a few feet away. And Spencer slowly drifted into consciousness from the sitting cushion on the living room floor. Sunlight lazily drifted along his face through the sheer dark purple curtains. Hazel eyes opened to see Livy and Ollie sitting on the countertop messily ladling pancake mix into individual mini pans under Ellie's supervision. Waist length hair in a messy bun and a black slip dress and black silklike robe, she looked like an absolute vision in Spencer's sleepy mind.
"Good morning, sleepyhead." She smiled at him. The twins were placed on the floor before they rushed over and tackled him. Olivia spoke quickly and excitedly as most three year olds do while Oliver tried to sign a similar conversation as quickly as he could. Elena set breakfast on the coffee table while lowering the music so conversation wouldn't be difficult. Pancakes, bacon, berries, orange juice for the twins and coffee for the adults. Ellie and Spencer sat facing each other while each twin sat between them, signing their plans for the day. Eating was the only time Livy didn't talk. Elena frequently joked that Livy spoke so much to make up for Ollie's lack of speech.
"So any chance of you getting called in today?" Ellie asked as she added an obscene amount of sugar to the coffee cup in front of her before passing it to Spencer.
Taking the coffee, he shook his head, "I doubt it considering how late we got back last night."
"So what made you sneak in last night instead of walking the three feet to your apartment? Livy, save some strawberries for your brother." Elena placed a couple on Oliver's plate so his sister didn't eat them all before he got some.
Reid looked down at his plate before quietly answering, "Let's just say I passed my gun qualification and I didn't want to be alone."
Ellie nodded, realizing that Spencer killed someone for the first time and he didn't know how to process it. She quietly took a sip of her coffee regular, thinking about how she could possibly help. Gun violence was a part of her past, but it wasn't like her previous "family" discussed the complicated feelings that came along with it. You shot someone, you partied, then you never spoke about it afterwards unless some drunk idiot bragged about it.
"Mommy, can we go to the zoo today? You said it's supposed to be nice today." Livy asked, poking at the nearly finished pancake in front of her. Ollie nodded while making the signs for animals and please.
Elena looked out the window. While it was late autumn, it didn't seem that cold outside. It was sunny with a minimal amount of clouds. "I don't see why not. But you can't be upset if some animals are not outside. Some only come out when its really warm outside."
Livy cocked her head and turned to Spencer as she did everytime this particular question was gonna come out of her mouth, "Why?"
Spencer launched into a mini speech about hibernation and warm blooded versus cold blooded animals. Elena signed along since she knew Ollie would also want an answer. Elena and Livy had the habit of always signing while talking so Ollie didn't feel excluded from conversations. Spencer hadn't fully accomplished the habit yet, but it had lead to the habit of talking with his hands while delivering profiles to various police departments. Ollie did attempt to speak every so often, it was just easier to talk with his hands. He already self conscious about the way he sounded. While he did wear hearing aids, Elena said that it was only fair to learn sign language instead of forcing him to talk. Livy liked the idea of being able to talk in school without getting in trouble in the future. She was shocked to learn some teachers didn't like kids talking in class.
Two hours later, the four in the zoo, looking at the exhibits. Livy was in fact disappointed that a couple animals were not lounging in their exhibits outside. There was a mini park in the middle of the lunch area of the zoo. Olivia and Oliver played for a bit while Ellie and Spencer watched from a bench a few feet away.
"So do you wanna talk about it while they aren't here?" She didn't have to look at him to know his face furrowed into his thinking face.
"I'm not sure what to say really," he said, "I thought I would feel someone about taking someone's life. Instead I feel nothing."
"Was it to protect people?"
"Yes"
"Would he have killed more people?" She asked these questions so easily that he wondered if she was also asking herself the same questions. She never said so, but Spencer always wondered if she had ever killed someone in her previous life.
He brought his hand under her chin and turned her head to look at him. His gaze softened on hers. "He was going to kill me."
Her eyes widened in shock. While she always knew the possibilities of his job, it still struck fear in her heart at something ever happening to him while chasing a killer. She pushed a strand of brown hair behind his ear and met his puppy eyes. "Good, otherwise I would have to."
Spencer could've sworn their faces were getting closer until a shriek forced them to break eye contact. Hearts beating quickly, they turned to see the kids giggling at some baby goats that escaped the petting zoos. Animals keepers rushing trying to round them up before the mothers got upset and tried to follow. The twins ran back to their mother, giggling and pointing.
"Mommy, Mommy did you see that?" Livy shouted excitedly. Elena smiled at her children, "Yes I did. How silly that they got out." Ollie signed asking to pet them.
"Let's wait for a little bit. They need to get settled back their mommas." Ellie turned her head towards Spencer with a small smile, praying he couldn't hear the thumping of her heart. What were you thinking? He's not into you. "Ready to continue?"
Spencer smiled back, wanting to kick himself for what he almost did. Stupid. Who do you think you are? "Yeah, Let's keep going."
The kids walked ahead, excited at what else they could see. Ellie and Spencer walked side by side, watching them and the surroundings, while conversing about anything, except what also happened a few minutes ago. Spencer kept his hands in his pockets, wishing he could take her hand in his instead. Maybe one day, he would get the courage to tell her how he felt. Unfortunately, that day was not today.
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A/n Hello everyone! I can't believe how many reads this story has gotten in such a short time and the rankings it keeps getting. Below is a link for the cushions in Elena's living room in case people don't know what I meant. I always find the concept of not having conventional furniture interesting. I hope you all know how much I appreciate each and everyone of you. All comments and criticisms are welcome. See you guys in the next chapter.
Disclaimer Again Oliver is based off of my son (Autism) and my husband (deaf) Please keep in mind this is how their behaviors present from them specifically. Autism is a spectrum, not a box. Please be kind
Sitting cushion
https://pin.it/3WYSY7ooG
