CHAPTER TEN: ANNIHILATOR ANNIHILATED !

13x15

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IT'D ONLY BEEN LESS THAN TWO DAYS SINCE CASEY WAS "FIRED" FROM THE BAU. She had been trying to adjust as much as she could. So, here she was, making breakfast for her son as he sat on the table and watched TV from the kitchen table.

Casey would often make breakfast on her days off for Chris, even thought it was a rare occurrence. Casey had tried her best to pretend that everything was normal for the sake of her son — despite drinking a whole bottle of wine last night to cope.

          Casey had made eggs, bacon and sausage for Chris and herself. She puts the eggs on first - sunny side up, like he liked them and the bacon on the sides of the plate and the sausage right in the middle of it so it looked like a smiley face. She grabbed a fork and took the plate over to Chris and ruffled his hair as she did so. "Here you go, bud. And don't forget to take your meds." She places a prescription bottle in front of Chris with the cap already undone.

          Ever since Chris's cancer cleared up, he was now required to take medicine to prevent anymore cancerous tissue from coming back. Along with that, he took vitamins. 

         The woman then made her own plate and brought it over to the breakfast table and sat next to her son and watched whatever he was watching. He was watching Arthur and Casey got flashbacks to her own childhood. But usually, she was by herself watching the cartoons, Gideon and her father would kinda just leave her alone.

           Chris looked at his mom and knew this usual routine would only happen on weekends and her days off. But it was Tuesday, she should be at work by now. He would've expected his Auntie Leah or his Uncle Isaac to show up by now. School had a day off today and tomorrow due to parent conferences for the older grades.

            Continuing to eat, Chris spoke: "Hey, Mom?" He asked and Casey looked at her son as she bit into her bacon. "Yeah?" Chris looks at his mom. "Why aren't you at work?" He asks curiously. Casey saw this one coming. And Chris was a smart kid, there was no fooling him.

             Instead of choosing to ignore the question and change the subject, she decided for the next best thing. She didn't expect for the conversation to be brought up like this. "Think of it as vacation time," Casey stated with a small smile on her face so as not to worry her son. "You know, your mom needs one every now and then."

            Chris furrows his brows and Casey can tell that he knows something's off. "But you never take vacations," He tells. "You're always working." His eyes then widen. "Did you get fired?"

            Casey pauses and she looks at Chris. This wasn't how she wanted to tell him for starters; she was impressed with how fast he came up with that conclusion. After all, Christopher Reid was the offspring of Spencer Reid and Casey Willows.

           Casey curls in her lips and takes a breath, knowing that the truth was gonna have to come out sooner than later. "Yeah, bud, I got fired." She reveals sadly. Chris gasps at this news.
          "But-But you get the bad guys! Why did they fire you?! You're the best of the best! Next to Dad, of course." Chris questions.

          Casey shakes her head and takes another breath. "I know, but they don't need me right now. They've got the best of the best, your dad, Aunt Emily, Uncle Dave. Besides, this gives us more time together, right?"

           Casey ruffles her son's head as he nods, "Right." Casey knows that he's a tad disappointed with the news and Casey can't handle the look on his face. "How 'bout this?" Casey begins. "You probably don't wanna spend time with Mom and you wanna spend it with your friend across the street, right?" Casey wonders.

          "He said we could play video games until 11pm at his house!" Chris gives in and Casey fake gasps. "11pm? I need to up my game. How about you call him and ask if you could spend the night after breakfast, okay?"

           The boy's eyes light up. "Really?" He asks and Casey nods, "Yeah, really." Chris smiles, "Thanks, Mom!" He begins to eat his breakfast a little faster now.

Casey admires her son, wondering how the hell he'd grown up so fast on her. JJ was right about time flying when it came to kids. And now that she wasn't at the BAU, she could have this time to spend with him but she was more disappointed with all of this nonsense about those papers never being signed, she felt like her own son would no longer look at her as that hero he always had but as a disappointment. And it was silly to think that way but it was always her biggest fear since Chris was born. She hated that look in his eye when she told him she was fired. Taking a breath, she smiled at her son and finished off her breakfast.

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Things at the BAU were just as bad. With Emily and Casey gone, the team had return to their caseload and no one had been more disappointed than the BAU's very own Penelope Garcia. And that much was proved as she presented their latest case with a sad expression on her face. And it wasn't just from the case.

       "Last night in St Louis, four roommates were killed in a rental home in what police are calling a robbery turned homicide." Garcia explained. "It's brutal." Luke tells. "Yeah, looks like the two sides of his brain were fighting with each other. Left side wanted to rob the place, the right side wanted to cause some destruction." Matt agrees.

       "Yeah, but both sides got exactly what they wanted." Rossi told. "What was taken?" Spencer asked. "Nothing traceable," Garcia answered. "A computer, tablets, cash, jewelry, and the like."

        "How long was it before local PD called us in?" Tara questioned and before Garcia could answer, the she-devil disguised as Assistant Director Linda Barnes, walked in. Right now, she was the team's biggest enemy than anyone they've ever faced.

        "They didn't," Barnes spoke as she settled herself in Emily's seat. Emily's seat. "I called and offered our services to them, because this is exactly the kind of case the BAU takes from here on."

           That caused for Spencer to look over at the empty seat Casey would've taken next to him. Barnes was the reason Casey and Emily were both gone. And he hated seeing this room without them.

          "Maybe it's just me, but I need a little help understanding our new case selection criteria." Rossi told. "We want cases with good optics that are also quick and easy to clear. Here we have four victims, young upstanding professionals, all of whom the public can emotionally invest in. The crime itself is contained, and the motive appears to be determined."

         The team bit their tongues around the woman. She focused more on the media side of things rather than the cases themselves. She didn't know what the hell she was talking about.

         Deciding to continue, JJ looked down at her file. "The MO is pretty straightforward. Their hands and mouths were duct-taped and they were stabbed repeatedly."

        "I see the unsub left a knife. Were there any prints?" Matt asked. "Negative." Garcia answered. "With this many victims, it could be a team." Luke assumes and Spencer nods along, "Right. Shouldn't rule it out."

         Everyone looked at one another and felt like they were walking on eggshells around this woman. She'd taken two of their best agents out, of course, they wanted nothing to do with her.

        "You're right," JJ said. "Okay. Wheels up in 20." Everyone stands so they can head towards the jet to get out of this infiltrated room but the second Barnes says: "Meet you on the tarmac." everyone freezes.

        They all look at her like she just swiped the last piece of pie. "You're going into the field with us?" Tara questioned. "Yes." Barnes nods, not seeing anything wrong with it. "No offense, but you're not a profiler." Rossi reminds the woman.

         Barnes nods, "True, but I have worked in the field, and a fresh set of eyes might be useful." She can tell no one in the room likes her but she could care less about that. "I know you think I'm the enemy, but I'm not. I can be your greatest advocate if you'd let me."

         "Now, you've had some poor leadership in the past, next to poor partnership, I think they just let anyone in nowadays, but I know I can help right the ship—" Everyone is taken aback by her comments about Casey and Emily even if she didn't explicitly say their names. Garcia's jaw drops, JJ and Tara exchange a look and then Spencer speaks up, surprising everyone.

       "No. You're wrong. Emily Prentiss is not a poor leader. She defined what a unit chief should be. And Casey Willows may have an "attitude" but she has an attitude that's needed on the field and she's one of the best profilers we have, no matter the connection she has. I'm not going to stand here and let you destroy their careers like this." Spencer told, staring right at Barnes as he spoke. "If you're going, I'm not."

        And with that, Spencer walked out of the BAU room. Rossi is quick defend Spencer's outburst. "You know, the kid looks a little flush. Needs a sick day, don't you think?"

       "Anybody else need a sick day?" Barnes questions and everyone looks at her and doesn't say a word. "Good. Then as Agent Jareau said, 'wheels up in 20'." Barnes grabs her things and leaves the room.

        As soon as she does, JJ scoffs and then takes a deep breath. "Okay." She looks around the room. "Come on, guys. We still have a job to do. These people deserve justice."

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         Once Chris's friend said yes to a sleepover and Casey talked with the friend's mom, Chris had begun to pack for the sleepover. This was usual, ever since Chris started going to school, he had made lots of good friends.

          Casey had entered an old office room next to the living room that she'd left untouched. It was small, kind of like a shed house but it was a place stocked in between the living room and kitchen. Leah said that her mother often did her work in this office space and Casey figured it'd probably be time to set it up for future resumes or that type of stuff. Maybe she could help Leah open up that bar she talked about. Yeah, that'd be good and it would help pay the bills.

          She found two boxes worth of folders that contained her information in them, regarding her academy acceptance letters, her transfer and consultation for the BAU. This was stuff she never thought about going through.

          Finding the work chair and moving a box off of it onto the rickety table, she sat down carefully and began to check through the box. Casey had skimmed through papers and papers of old case files and junk she probably didn't even need.

          One that caught her eye had been her diploma from the FBI academy, stacked right next to her high school diploma. It didn't really have to be over for her, she would just have to start from scratch, properly this time. Maybe somewhere different than the BAU. There were often times she wondered why she was even still here. Spencer was right, once you turn 30, you think about the ways you could've contributed rather than what you've done.

             Casey should really tell Spencer about her moving. She looked over at the boxes down the hall she'd packed while Chris was busy packing for his sleepover. Knowing that she no longer had a job, she couldn't afford to keep this house. Maybe she'd take a vacation to Hawaii, or the Bahamas. Or maybe just travel down the highway during sunset with Chris in the car and Fleetwood Mac playing in the car. She could think about the times she'd said forever and rather driving past Spencer's street, she'd start anew, his voice would most likely linger in the back of her head. But she knew eventually, they were going to have to leave the place before they were evicted. And Casey promised herself she'd try and make the best out of this, if not for her, then for Christopher.

           As she ran her hand over to sandpapered roughness of her diploma, a voice chirped up. "Mom?" Casey looked up. "Are we gonna lose our house?" He asked sadly. Chris had seen the boxes she'd packed.

           Sadness filled her face but she wasn't going to let her son see that. "Come here," she called him over. Chris walks over to his mom and she pulls him to her lap and he sits right on her lap as she rocks him gently and kisses his head. She made sure to face him away from her so he wouldn't see her cry. "You don't ever have to worry about that, okay?" She told. "I will never let that happen. Nobody will. Now, don't worry. Mom will fix everything. Okay?"

          "Okay." Chris told. "Now, go pack the rest of your stuff up, okay?" Casey kisses his forehead one last time and he exits and Casey turns away as she fully tears up and allows herself to let out only a few sobs once he's turned the corner and out of sight. She completely wipes her tears and decided to keep it together.

           The doorbell rings and Chris announces, "I'll get it!" He grabs one of the chairs to pull over to the door and unlocks it. Chris then pushes the chair away and opens the door on his tippy toes and then Chris is surprised at who he sees. "Dad!" He cheers. "Hey, bud." Spencer plasters on a smile for her son, though his smile is always genuine for his boy. He kneels down and hugs him tightly. That was what he needed right now.

          Heading towards the front door, Casey is surprised at who she sees. "Hey." Casey says nonchalantly crossed her arms across her chest. Though she's confused at why Spencer's here in the first place.

        "Hey." Spencer spoke as he stood up. "What are you doing here? Oh, my God, is it your week with him? I—" Casey tries but Spencer shakes his head. "No, it's, uh, it's not." He then looks at Chris and then back at Casey. "Can we talk?"

         Casey nods, "Yeah, uh, I was just gonna take Chris over to his friend's house. Just give me a couple of minutes." She tells. "I can take him." Spencer offers. Casey raises her brows, "You will? It's just around the corner." Spencer nods, "Yeah." He looks at his son, running a hand through his son's hair. "You don't mind, bud?" He asks. Chris looks up at his dad and shakes his head. "I don't mind."

         Casey nods, "Okay." She puts on a smile for her son. "Go finish up." With that, Chris heads back upstairs to his room.

         Casey looks to Spencer as she begins to tidy up the apartment as best as she could. "Shouldn't you be on a case?" She asks, picking up a few toys. "Barnes is going and I wasn't about to do that." Spencer told truthfully.

        "Wait, she's going out on the field?" Casey raises her brows. "Claiming she could be our greatest asset." Spencer tells. Casey scoffs as she hears the words coming out of Spencer's mouth. "Kudos to her." Casey sarcastically stated.

         Spencer nods and then looks over at the boxes near the office room. "What's this?" He points, walking towards the box marked 'CASEY' in big letters with marker. "Uh, that's—" This was definitely not how she wanted Spencer to find out.

       "You're leaving?" Spencer questions, a sadness lingering in his eyes and his already broken heart breaking even more at this realization that he's losing Casey. Again. "Not forever." Casey answers.

       "But you're still leaving." Spencer told. Casey then deflected, not wanting to discuss this with him right now. "I don't see how that's any of your business."

       Spencer's eyes linger over to the box marked 'CHRIS' with marker. "It's my business if you're taking my son with you to—" Spencer then pauses. "Where are you going anyways?"

         Casey shakes her head. "I don't know yet. Okay? It's just there until I figure it out. I was thinking... maybe Hawaii? At least a vacation. I won't be going away forever. And I would tell you if I was." Casey admits and Spencer knows she's genuine. She wouldn't up and leave him like many people have done their entire lives.

       "But considering I lost my job and the entire time I thought I had a job, I really didn't, so... I deserve this. It's time for me to move on." Casey told. "So, you're just giving up?" Spencer questions, walking to Casey.

        "I'm not giving up. I'm just..." Casey sighs as she looks down. Above her eyes, Spencer has approached closer. "... Tired of fighting. I don't really have anything left anymore." She told, as if it were some reminder for herself. Spencer hated when Casey beat herself up like this.

         "I'm ready!" A voice chirped up as Chris headed downstairs, his backpack looking bigger than him and dropping his pillow down the stairs.

          Casey broke from her sad voice and smiled for Chris. "You got your nightlight?" She asked. "Yeah." Chris answered.
        "Your toothbrush?" Chris nods again.
        "Your pajamas?" Chris nods once more.
        "Nighttime book?" Chris nods.
        "Monster under your bed?" Casey chuckles causing Chris to laugh at the question. "Yeah, we're not scared of monsters here. Monsters make us laugh and we kick their butts, right?" Chris nods vehemently, "Right!"

          Casey stands after kneeling and looks at Spencer. "I'm gonna take him but... we're gonna talk about this when I get back." He tells and Casey sighs once Spencer walks out that door with Chris.

After that, ten minutes later, Spencer had been back and Casey had preoccupied herself with a glass of wine on the couch as she stared at her graduation photo from when she graduated at the academy. If only that poor girl knew her life would turn out to be a lie in ten years.

Casey allowed herself to have this pity party for herself. She figured she needed it after everything she'd been through. Spencer walked through the door as if it was his home and subtly rolled his eyes at the fact that Casey was drinking. But he knew if he were in the same situation, he'd do the same thing but he knew Casey would try and help him out of it — I mean, at least before he started pushing her away.

"What's in Hawaii?" He started. Casey shrugged, "The sun. The skies. The beach." She puts the frame down. "And if you ask me, this fair skin of mine needs a bit of a tan." Casey jokes.

There's a brief pause before Spencer speaks. "You can't give up." He told. "I have nothing else, Spencer. This job was the reason I stayed. I would've been gone a long time ago if I knew Hotch didn't really sign those papers."

Spencer sits down in front of Casey on the other couch. "I mean, it was just the BAU. You still graduated from the academy. You can—"

"What? Start over as an intern again? Been there, done that. Or I guess I didn't really do that considering none of it was real. It's like... everything I went through was for nothing." Casey told.

Spencer knew what that was like. He was almost ten years sober before he got taken to jail. And now he had to start all over. He knew this better than anyone.

"Am I nothing then?" Spencer asked, causing Casey's head to perk up. "Is Chris nothing? Are all of the people that you saved nothing?" He doesn't break eye contact with Casey. "Keri Deszmond. Kathy and Jessica Evanson. Jordan Fern. Ellie Spicer. Abigail Edison. Angel Suarez. Rachel West and... Lennox Vega. Those are all of the people you have saved over the years and that's just a few I named off. I can go on."

"You've changed their lives by having this job. And even if you have to start over, there are more lives you can change. I just..." Casey can tell he's getting choked up, mostly because she is, too. He was trying to tell her this job should mean something to her regardless on if it was real or not. Spencer was trying to help Casey realize that these last ten years of her being at the BAU should mean something even if she no longer thinks that way. And this conversation helped her realize that none of this was for nothing. It was everything for the people she saved and helped. There were so many good things that came from this job and she was too blind to remember any of it.

"I'm asking you not to give up. I'm asking you... to stay." Spencer said quietly but it was loud enough for Casey to hear. And she knew what he was doing and he was too damn good at doing that. Even when they were married.

There's a long pause as they both take a breath and Spencer leans back a bit. "How do you do that?" Casey questions. Spencer furrowed his brows. "Do what?" He asked.

"Talk and actually make sense?" Casey laughed, wondering if he was just born with that way or if he taught himself to be that way. Spencer chuckles right along with her and Casey decides to stand up and Spencer follows and Casey wraps her around his shoulders.

Spencer hugs back, wrapping his long arms around her torso and thinks back to the last time they'd hugged like this. This was a foreign feeling and he didn't want it to go away. "Thank you." Casey told and they both pull away.

The two stare at each other and Casey feels him inching towards her and she inches forward as well but Spencer is the one to retreat. Maybe that was best. Casey thought in her head.

Of course, Casey didn't break up with Spencer because she didn't love him anymore. There was always something there for him, though she couldn't admit it without someone thinking there was a chance for them again. And Casey liked to hope for the future that maybe they'd be okay again. But as of right now, things were just a little haywire.

"I think we should go give a pep talk to Emily, too." Casey tells. "You think we should?" Spencer asks. "She's the real unit chief of the BAU. You guys need her." Casey told. "You gotta get her to come back."

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          Emily was surprised to say the least when both Spencer and Casey showed up at her doorstep. "Spencer, oh, my god. What did you do?" Emily questioned once Spencer told her why he was here.

        "I had to." Spencer stated. "No, you didn't." Emily told. "Life's too short for people like Linda Barnes." Spencer said. Emily sighs, "Spence..."

        "I wasn't gonna, you know, go with her and help her dismantle the team." Spencer told. Emily steps forward. "Thank you for standing up for me. I appreciate you coming to the house for support, but what you did was reckless. The BAU is under the microscope right now, and the last thing you should be doing is giving Barnes more ammunition. You're making her job easier."

        Emily starts heading to the door to let Casey and Spencer out but they exchange a look and and furrow their brows. "Why are you trying to get rid of us?" Spencer questioned and Emily looks at them dumbfounded. "What?"

        "Ever since we got here, you've been trying to keep us out of..." Casey looks towards her living room and furrows her brows but then sees it. "Emily." She tells and Spencer rushes over to where Casey is looking. Emily's things are being packed in boxes.

       "No, I just, uh... no, I wasn't expecting anyone and the place... guys, stop!" Spencer turns to Emily. "It's been less than two days and you're already leaving."

        Emily sighs, "I'm... I..." Casey looks at the woman. "Okay, I don't want to sound like a hypocrite because I was trying to leave too, but what the hell?" She questions.
      
       "Okay, look." Emily looks at the youngest members of the team. "Barnes wants somebody to take the fall for what happened in Roswell. I'm willing to be that somebody if it will help stabilize the BAU. You're in good hands with JJ."

       "There's no guarantee that she won't replace her the minute you're gone." Spencer stated. "I think that if I go away for good, she'll leave you alone." Emily told.

      "You can still fight this. We can still fight this." Spencer persuades but the look on Emily's face looks like she's given up. "Maybe I don't want to." She tells. Casey looks disappointed. Her own reason for leaving was valid, Emily had to stay. For the team. She had to.

      "Well, now who's making it easy for Barnes?" Spencer questions, staring hard at Emily and Casey crossed her arms and sighs as she looks at Emily's awards on the table. "Hey, at least she's saying goodbye to us this time, right?" She jabs.

        After that, Emily had explained her reasonings for why she was leaving as Spencer and Casey listened to her. But all they heard was excuses. Spencer's determination to get her to stay was on high gear and he wasn't going to stop until he fully did.

      "This is the right decision for me," Emily told as she was beginning to pack her stuff up. "I need you two to support that."

      "What's your plan? I mean, where are you gonna go?" Spencer questions. "When I left Interpol, they said the door was always open to return. I like London. So..."

       Both Spencer and Casey exchange a look and Casey encourages him to talk to her with a swift nod. Spencer then nods. "Well, if you really want me to support you, just answer me this one question. Why is it not okay for me to walk out on the team but it is for you?"

      "Because you and I are different." Emily reasons. "We're not," Spencer stated. "And if the situation was reversed, you wouldn't give up on me. And you know what? I happen to know that for a fact because you didn't. When I was in prison, you did everything in your power to get me out."

        This time, Emily and Casey both exchange a nod. They knew what happened in prison and what Emily did. Spencer didn't and maybe it was time he did know.

         Spencer notices the look that Casey and Emily exchange. "What?" He asks.

         Emily looks down and then back at Spencer as she stands in front of him. "Yeah. I did do everything. I needed to believe that you were innocent of killing Nadie Ramos."

       "I was innocent." Spencer told and this is where Casey speaks up. "That wasn't obvious at first." She admits.

       "Like when we talked in that Mexican jail. Do you remember?" Emily asks and Spencer begins to think. "No," he answers. "I know I was drugged and everything was fuzzy."

       "I made a deal with the local cop. I told him I needed to go at it alone with Casey, I promised I'd give him the recording. I was trying to find any evidence that you didn't do it. But what you told us was that you remembered holding the murder weapon." Emily explains and Spencer furrows his brows. "I did?" He asks.

       "The more you talked, the more you incriminated yourself." Emily nods. "No," Spencer shakes his head. "I looked through all the case files after I was exonerated. There wasn't a single record of—" Spencer pauses and sees the guilty look on Emily's face and concludes: "You deleted it."

        Emily nodded, "I did."
       "Why?" Spencer asks.
       Another voice chirps up. "Because I told her to." Casey admits and Spencer turns around and faces her.

       Casey now has a guilty look on her face. "I told her to delete the recording," She can tell Spencer's looking for an explanation. "I was thinking of us," she admits. "I was thinking of Christopher. I couldn't let you take the fall for something I know you had no part of. I was trying to protect you. So I told Emily to delete the recording. Barnes knew and that's why we're in this situation. This is also my fault." She explains to him.

       "No, it's not," Emily speaks up now. "I crossed a line I swore I never would. Barnes called me out on it. And that's when I realized she was right. I do hold this team above the very laws we are supposed to uphold. You know, you were innocent, and you deserved to be reinstated as an SSA. That's why it's wrong for you to quit. But me, I've lost the privilege to run this team."

        Emily began to pack everything up and Casey and Spencer exchange a look and Casey decides to pull Spencer aside, urging him to come over to the kitchen. "I think you need to do this on your own." Casey told in a quiet voice. Spencer furrows his brows. "What do you mean?" He asks.

         Casey looks at Emily. "You're the only one that can get through to her. Just like you did with me. You have to. You can get through to her because you have a way with words." She told.

        "So do you." Spencer tells and Casey shakes her head with a sympathetic smile. "Not like you."

        Casey turns back over to Emily. "So, I'm gonna go get us some coffee and you're gonna get her to stay. You have to tell her to stay. Because this team needs her. And they can't function without her. And I trust you to take care of that." She finished telling Spencer and excused herself to go on a coffee run since she knew Emily lived down the corner from where she would go and get coffee.

         As she made her way down the street and block, she saw a vacant building. She remembered what her sister said about opening a bar. Taking a photo of the lease number, she decided to send it to her sister to see if she was still up for the idea. She went inside the coffee shop and ordered Spencer and Emily's usual, along with her own. She was suddenly brought back to her intern days, always bringing in coffee for the team. Turns out, she may have to go back to doing that anyways. She kept that thought in the back of her mind, maybe she'd do it, maybe she wouldn't.

        After that, Casey made her way back to Emily's apartment and as she arrived, she'd seen Spencer and Emily hugging with Emily's eyes full of tears and Spencer nodded to Casey, indicating his work was done.

       "Seriously?" Casey said in disbelief. "That took like, fifteen minutes. Told you you had a way with words." She smirked as she placed their coffees on the counter.

        Spencer looks at Emily and Casey then. "Let's call the team and get back to work."

       "I'm suspended." Emily tells.
       "And I'm... not really an agent." Casey adds.

       "Well, I'm not suspended and I am an agent so if you just so happen to hear what I hear, then so be it." Both Emily and Casey nod and Spencer sets it up, file by file on Emily's counter in under ten minutes and with help Garcia sending the files over.

         Spencer decided to call JJ to see what was going on with the case. "Hey." JJ greeted and Spencer greets back, "Hey, Jennifer."

      "Did you guys look at the file?" JJ asks. "We did, yes." Spencer nods. "I think a validation strategy looks like the best way to handle Justin, engage him by building up his ego." JJ told.

      "That's exactly what we were thinking. Never insult him, never mention the others." Spencer said. "It's all about him and how great he is. One bruise to an ego and then all hell breaks loose." Casey agrees.
      "Matt and Dave are headed to Justin's place now. Luke, Barnes, and I are heading to his office." JJ told.

      "What did Barnes think about your theory?" Emily questions to JJ. "Well, you know, she's on board with whatever's gonna solve the case the fastest. Glad to hear your voice, Emily. Even though you're not really there."

      Both Casey and Spencer both smile towards Emily. "It's great to be heard, even though I'm not really here." Emily nods. "You too, Casey." JJ said. "And there's something you should know, Garcia and I... we've been doing some digging and we think Barnes may have tampered with your files and that's why she had reason to fire you."

      Casey takes a deep breath. A part of her had hoped that Garcia could find a right answer in there somewhere but a part of Casey just didn't want Garcia to even bother looking. "JJ, I appreciate you guys looking, really, I do, but I don't wanna lean towards questions that are just gonna have dead ends." Casey told.

       "We're still looking for you, Casey. Plus, it's all the more reason to get her fired." JJ stated. "Well, then, by all means, look. I at least want this to mean something." Casey told.

       When the team had announced to Spencer that they solved the case, Spencer and Casey began to help Emily unpack her apartment. "Where do these go?" Spencer asked, holding a stack of books.

      "Uh, on the shelf over there." Emily points. "And where do your awesome awards go?" Casey questions, holding the trophies up. "Over there." Emily chuckles as she points towards the other shelf on the other side of the room.

       Spencer then speaks up: "Did I ever told you about that guy in California who only has—?"
      "78 things." Both Emily and Casey chime in. "Yeah, just a few times." Casey chuckles.

      "Well, it just so happens that I just read an article that says he's down to 75. You want to know what they are?" Spencer questions and before he can even get into it, Emily's cell phone rings. "Oh... saved by the bell."

        As Emily takes the phone call, Spencer looks towards Casey when she says, "75, huh? Decided 78 was too much?" With that, Spencer began to explain to Casey the things the owner had and for a minute, it felt like they were just co-workers again. Like their marriage didn't exist, like the only things they could talk about were coffee. And Casey felt the nostalgia as Spencer spoke about the 75 items.

━━━━━━

         Spencer had Casey and Emily enter as his visitors into the BAU. They walked through the office and decided to gather a few things they'd left behind at Emily's office and Casey's desk.

        Once Garcia saw them, it was hard to hide away. "Ohh! Shut the front door!" She exclaimed as she walked into the office with the rest of the team. "You feeling better, kid?" Rossi asks Spencer, who nods, "Much better. Thank you."

       "Wait. You're suspended and you're gone. How did you get... did you sneak in? Did you do a secret ninja-type move? Tell me. I have to know." Garcia pries and Casey chuckles, "Relax, Pen. We're not ninjas."

      "We have one of these." Emily holds up a visitor's badge. "We both do," Casey nods, holding hers up as well. "We're Reid's visitors."

      "Oh, well, welcome to the BAU, visitors." Tara told. "It's a great place you've got here." Emily plays along and chuckles. "Did I hear something about drinks?" She asks and Casey chimes in, "If so, I am definitely in."

      "Yes, you both heard correctly and I am buying the first round." Luke offers and Casey chuckles and Garcia turns, "You heard the ma—" She pauses and everyone's smiles drop and a dark pit grows in Casey's gut once she makes eye contact with Linda Barnes.

       "Agent Prentiss, Agent Reid, I'm happy to see you." Casey shakes her head since she wasn't even acknowledged by the woman and Barnes' eyes gaze to JJ. "Agent Jareau, I didn't get the opportunity to tell you how much I enjoyed your speech on the jet. But you're wrong that I'm here to shut down the BAU, because I'm not. This unit is the crown jewel of behavioral profiling. I couldn't shut it down if I wanted to. But I can help restructure it. The director watched the airport video, and he felt, as I did, that we were in public and your validation strategy was failing."

       "You already met with him?" JJ questions. "Yes. I've known him a long time. He answers my calls." Barnes nods. "I haven't even had a chance to file my report." JJ told and Barnes ignored her, continuing her tangent. "He agreed that events should have unfolded quicker, and because they didn't, the suspect died. Now we need to ensure that mistakes, likes the ones you made today, never happen again."
      "Mistakes we made?" JJ questions.

       "That said: Agent Prentiss, your suspension is lifted." Casey turns to Emily as she tells her good news. "You'll be reassigned within the Bureau. Your new post has yet to be determined." Casey furrows her brows. Reassigned?

      "What?" Garcia asks.
      "What does that—?" Casey is interrupted as Barnes continues.

      "Agent Lewis, you will also be reassigned." Barnes then turns over to the man next to Casey. "Agent Reid, you will be a full-time professor with our exchange program." Barnes turns to the senior agent. "Agent Rossi, the FBI deeply appreciates your service, and the director wishes you nothing but the best in your retirement." Rossi has a sour look on his face, but he also knew that he should've expected it. Casey shook her head at what was going on. "Agent Simmons, Agent Alvez, you will remain here at the BAU." Barnes delivers their news just the same. "Garcia, your loyalty to the team is appreciated, but it feels like a fresh start in a different department would be best."

        Garcia had tears filling her eyes and she shakes her head. "Fresh start? I don't want a fresh start. I need... I need to be here."

       JJ speaks up as Barnes. "I'm fired, aren't I?" She guesses but Barnes shakes her head. "No, you're the conditional unit chief of the BAU. Congratulations."
       "There's no such thing." JJ tells.
       "You're right. There wasn't. But I was able with the director's approval to create a new position just for you."

       Barnes then turns to what seems to always be her main target — "Miss Willows," She speaks and Casey turns to her. "I believe you're trespassing on federal property." Casey furrows her brows. "Trespassing?" She questions.

        "You're hereby banned from the BAU, setting foot within it or at least 100 feet of it. That being said, for your professional misconduct as well as standing on the ground you are trespassing on, you are going to be charged."

        "Charged?" Casey questioned and as of on cue, two police officers walk in on either side of Barnes. "Miss Willows, we appreciate your service here at the BAU but due to your crimes of selfish term, you will be residing in the Central Virginia Regional Jail."

         Everyone's jaws drop at this news. "Jail?" Emily questions.
        "Hold on, what?" Casey questions.

        "Agent Barnes, you can't be serious." JJ tells. "Oh, I am." One of the officers takes out his handcuffs and begins to recite Casey's rights to her.

        "Agent Prentiss, you once told me that the reason I didn't have you arrested was because I wanted something. And I did. I wanted this." Barnes tells.

        "I didn't even do anything! Let go of me!" Casey tries to struggle against the handcuffs but she knows it's no use.

        As Spencer watches her struggle, he begins to try and follow the officers to try and have them let go of Casey but Luke and Emily pull him back from doing something stupid. "Hey—"

       Casey has a million words to say to Barnes but she can't figure out the right ones. "I—" Barnes looks at the woman in utmost disbelief. "What's the matter? No words?" Casey scoffs as they begin to take her away to jail.

      "Let go of me." Casey looks over her shoulder. "Spencer! Spence!" She tries to call for Spencer but she's already out into the bullpen by now.

       "You won't get away with this." JJ spits.

        Barnes seems to excuse her own actions and starts again. "I won't be going into the field with you anymore, but you will run every decision past me, big and small, before you act. Unless you all want to end up like your colleague, ex-agent Willows." With a smug, evil smile, she says: "Good night." With that, Barnes exits the office.

        Garcia has full on tears streaming down her face. "This can't be the end. Can it?" Everyone stands in utter disbelief of what just occurred, not only had their reassignments turned a full 180 but their colleague and friend was just taken to jail for something she didn't even do.

          All hell just broke loose.

😈😈😈
i'm evil i am aware
but ✨ character development ✨
wait and see what i'm talking about hahahaha

anywayssss
how are we feeling????
i'm sorry btw

everyone reading this like:

my writing is literally so bad here
anywayssss this was the 13th part of the book and it's friday the 13th🤭

thank you for reading
wait until you see what's next hehe
i love you all
again i'm sorry
-mya </3