It takes Two to Tango
Ch 7
Thanks to all the wonderful reviews! Sorry I have not personally replied to all of them, but three boys and ball season make for a very busy life!
DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!
Spencer was nervous for the rest of the day, he was trying his best to not let on to Penelope that he was anxious, because knowing her mother hen aspects; she would rush and tell Morgan that something was fishy with her boy genius. "Um! Penelope, I was wondering, I mean, you, being the all powerful one of the internet…" Spencer knew that Penelope thrived on positive remarks, and even thought they had agreed not to profile each other, he was going to bend the rules a little just to see if he could get her to give him the information he needed.
"Why thank you, my little G-man for noticing that!" Penelope said with a huge grin. "Hey! Wait a minute, what are you fishing for?"
"Me!" Spencer asked with an air of disbelief. "I am BORED! My brain needs to have some sort of stimulation or it will turn to mush. I have one more week of the injudicious, unjust, archaic punishment. Please just let me learn something new!" Spencer pleaded with his best puppy dog eye look. Many people thought that this was just Spencer's way of looking; they never knew he used it as a manipulative tool.
"Ok, my mistreated puppy, what do you want to learn?" Penelope said as she pulled her laptop out and was ready, willing and able to help Spencer out.
"Well, I have noticed that we are having to deal with more and more security systems, and that if I can read and learn about the basis and precepts of multiple systems, then I can put this to use in the field. It might even speed up our response time when entering a facility that has been alarmed." Spencer said as he watched Garcia open a wide database of all the recent alarm systems and there specifications.
"Well, then who am I to prevent someone on my team from becoming more useful, dig away my sweetie." Penelope said as she gave Spencer her laptop, and then turned to continue her work on her computers. Little did Penelope know that she was aiding Spencer in his quest for freedom tonight.
Spencer randomly looked through multiple systems, just to make sure Penelope thinks that he is doing a system wide database search. He only scans over the specs he needs middle way through his search, quickly enters the info into his eidetic memory and continues on. He does not want her to become suspicious. After 90 minutes of scanning and memorizing, he turns to Penelope and remarks. " I think I need a break to use the facilities and refill my coffee, can I get you anything?" Spencer asked.
"No, no, but thanks! Hurry back, don't want the Bossman to think that I am letting you run free. Nope, I will do as he instructed and make sure you remain grounded." Penelope said as she turned back to her computers.
"Ok." Spencer exited her office and made a beeline for the men's room. He did have to use the restroom, but he also needed to alert Abby to his plans. Entering a stall he quickly pulled out his phone and he quickly texted her. H alarmed, found way , what about u, need code? While waiting for a reply he used the restroom and flushed, hoping to conceal any sound that his phone might make.
Abby was in her lab when her phone vibrated in her pocket. Scanning to make sure she was alone, she opened her phone and read text. She answered, Yes..G new ..Critect 1200..Thx ;p.
Spencer received the text, and sent back what he had learned about bypassing the system. He will never understand the whole semi colon p thing, but turning it sideways it did kind of look like someone sticking out their tongue. Shaking his head, he closed his and headed toward the lounge.
"Hey there, bro! What's going on?" Morgan asked as he quietly walked into the lounge, hoping to catch Reid off guard.
Spencer jumped at the stealthy entrance and abrupt question, spilling his beloved coffee. "Damn it, Derek! Give me a break!" Instantly realizing just how that sounded he quickly back pedaled. "Sorry, um…you just caught me off guard." Spencer didn't want to give away any inkling of nerves to Morgan. He could read Spencer like a book, and that did not bode well for his adventure tonight.
Morgan had a suspicion that Reid was trying to hide something, so he thought he might just poke a stick at Reid and see what he got. "Whoa! Sorry, bro. What has got you all in a tizzy? Trying to sneak out of here?" Morgan did not realize just how close his words were to the truth.
"Me, sneak! After my last encounter with a pissed off Hotch, I can assure you that I have no intention of being put in that situation again. I mean, between you and Hotch, I still could feel that ache for two days. I mean, I know that corporal punishment was an acceptable way of punishment in the day, but now in this time it is frowned upon by popular society, in fact Dr. Anna Krustensky just published a report that stated that…" Spencer knew that he could deflect the suspicion of Morgan, just by starting to spout any facts or published articles, and as usual it worked.
"Oh, Oh! Ok, Reid, don't go all cerebral on me, just checking on ya'. Don't want you to get yourself into any more trouble, clear." Morgan asked as he walked to Spencer and put his hand on his shoulder.
Reid felt a twinge of guilt, manipulating Derek into forgetting about his suspicions, but he knew that he was over this whole 'discipline' act and was ready to spread his wings and fly. He quickly went back to Penelope's office and finished pretending to read more security specs. He did not want her to think that he was oriented to just a few, he wanted her to think that he was really learning all the different systems. The rest of the day passed quickly, and Spencer was in the middle of reading his latest Psychology journal when Hotch knocked on the door.
"Ready, Spencer." Hotch asked as he looked at Penelope for any signs of misbehavior out of Spencer.
"Yes, I am ready to leave day care, and for your information, no. I did not cause any problems, ask away though if you need be." Spencer said as he tossed his messenger bag over his shoulder and stomped out of the office. He was soooo over this whole paternal/son interaction.
Hotch was caught off guard by the curtness of Spencer's actions. "Spencer Reid, you head into my office, NOW!" Turning back to Penelope, Hotch apologized. "Sorry about that Garcia. He just…"
Penelope interrupted. " He is just a young man, who is being held accountable for his actions for the first time in a long time. He will balk and push, but what did you expect. Your involvement and commitment to following through with this punishment has set him on the edge. He really did not think you would follow through, and now, sir, that he sees you are serious. He is feeling scared and nervous. Give him some time." Penelope said as she turned back to continue her work that Strauss was pushing her to finish today.
Hotch turned to leave when he asked one more question. "Do you know if he has had any contact with Abby? I find it highly unnerving that they would just totally ignore each other?" Hotch noticed Penelope start to chew on the end of her pen, it was a tick she never realized she even did, and she only did it when she was trying to figure out whether to tell the truth or lie. "Don't lie for him, did he?"
"Ummm. Well, maybe once I think.." Penelope did not want Spencer to spill her secret, but she knew she was cornered.
"Ok, well, when you have a free moment, don't take any time away from what you are doing, can you run me list of his messaging and calls." Hotch said as he turned and closed the door.
As silently Hotch stalked towards his office, he heard Rossi call out to him. " Hey, Hotch.."
Hotch leaned into Rossi's doorway and answered. " Yes, David."
"Heard Reid's little outburst. Looks like he's not taking this whole laying down the law thing that well." Rossi questioned.
Hotch looked up and took a deep breath. "I know that this has to seem weird to you, I mean, back when we were solo profilers, we would have just fired the one who was irresponsible and then find a new one. I can't do that, we…., this team…..is different, and I am sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, but…" Hotch was building steam as his frustrations with this whole situation were weighing down on him.
"Wait one minute here!" Rossi said as he stood up and walked towards Hotch. " I know that when I came back to this job, I noticed just how much things had changed. I mean, I could clearly see there was a tighter bond than just co-workers here." Hotch started to interrupt him, but he threw his hand up to stop Hotch. "But, let me finish. I was caught off guard by our Dr. Reid. At first, he was just plain annoying, I mean like a little toy dog, that just won't let go. He was so eager to not see all the blemishes in my past and accept me as a mentor. And sadly, I hate to say it, I may have pushed him away. But, now I see just how much of an asset he is to this team, or should I say family. I realize just how gifted he is when it comes to any information you need, he is basically our walking reference guide." He said with a smirk. "But, after how he acted on the Owen kid case, I can see that he still needs a firm hand of guidance every now and then. I could not tell you just how badly I wanted to strangle him, when we found out that he had purposefully sent us on a wild goose chase." Rossi ran his hands through his hair as he remembered the feeling of dread that filled him as he saw a unarmed, unprotected Reid, talking to the unsub, who at the time was armed with an assault rifle. " The sheer panic that I felt when I saw him purposefully block our line of fire at that unsub knocked me for a loop. I have never felt that kind of gut wrenching fear for a co-worker before. But it wasn't until after we have apprehended Owen, that the fear was replaced by anger."
Hotch nodded as he knew exactly the emotions that David was talking about, he had felt them also. It was the first test since Gideon had left and he had wanted to grab Spencer and hug him and then strangle him also. "I felt the same."
"It was at that moment, that I realized that this team is more like a family, and in this unique dynamic, Spencer is youngest and needs the most guidance. I let you deal with him the first time, but I realized that if you did not deal with him this past incident with Abby, them Uncle David was going to, and it was not going to be pleasant." Rossi said as he remembered the panic that filled the group when they realized that they could not locate Spencer.
"I can guarantee you one thing, when we caught up with him, it was anything but pleasant." Hotch said.
"Oh, I know, I saw how Reid gingerly sat down the next day. Glad to see you grow a pair and deal with him. But, remember this, you are not alone in this. Reid has never been held closely for so long, so just remember that he is probably thinking he is never going to see daylight again, so to speak." Rossi said with a smirk. " This little outburst was just a true reaction of just how frustrated he is with this whole punishment. Maybe he will remember this before he does something else stupid?"
"I can only hope. Thanks for the words, now to deal with him and head home. See ya tomorrow." Hotch said as he turned down the hall and entered his office.
Spencer had tried to catch bits and pieces of the conversation that was going of just one office down, he could tell the general message, but not the specifics. He knew if he wanted to succeed tonight, he was going to have to calm down Hotch. As soon as Hotch closed his door, Reid jumped up from his seat and stood in front of him. "I…I..am sorry, I blew up down there." Reid bowed his head and looked down, he knew from his experience that this movement was seen as an act of acceptance of wrongdoing. "This is just harder than I thought it would be. Won't happen again, I promise."
"Good, see that it doesn't. I was going to let you call Abby tonight and check on her, but for that little outburst, it will wait until tomorrow." Hotch was ready for a fight back, but did not receive one.
"I understand completely and will try my best to behave tomorrow to re-earn that reward." Spencer said meekly, hoping to fool Hotch into believing he was sincere.
"Ok, well that went easier that I thought." He said as he put his arm around Spencer's shoulder and led him out the door. Hotch had no idea that this was all a ruse to insure that Spencer could go to bed early and then sneak out.
The rest of the evening went smooth. "Hotch, I think I will just take a shower and then head off to bed. Nothing else better to do, so I will just read until I go to sleep." Spencer quickly grabbed his clothes and phone and entered the bathroom. Turning on the shower, he texted Abby. "R we still on?"
"Y r u?" Abby texted back.
"On." Spencer quickly showered and exited the bathroom in his pajamas. He stuck his head around the corner and yelled to Hotch "Good night!"
Hotch briefly looked up from his files, saw Spencer in his pj's and answered. "Good night!" Watching Spencer close his door, he quietly said. "This may not be so hard after all." Feeling at ease with Spencer's acceptance of the punishment, Hotch thought he might just retire for the night early also. He grabbed his files and headed to his room, he would continue reading the reports in his bed. Totally engrossed in reading, he looked over at the clock and saw that it read 2330. "Time for a shower and then sleep." But, a tiny feeling in his stomach made him go check on Spencer on last time. Walking quietly down the stairs and towards the door on the right, he silently pushed it open, just enough to see Spencer sound asleep facing the door. The nightlight of Jack's was giving off just enough light to ease Spencer's nightmares and for him to see he was still there. Hotch then closed the door, walked towards the alarm, set it and went to shower and then bed.
As soon as Spencer heard the water running, he knew it was time for his escape. Pulling out his phone, he dialed a cab, setup for a pick up at a local bus stop 2 blocks down. He stuffed his pajamas with pillows, pulled the cover up over his dummy and proceeded to bypass the alarm, sneak out and then have it automatically re-arm in 5 minutes. He knew he was free to be.
Too bad that Penelope was closing down for the night, and remembered the last thing Hotch asked for before he left. With the ease of a seasoned hacker, she opened up Spence's mobile account and printed off the last week's messages. She was scanning over the list as she closed up her office, and walked past Rossi's office. "Go home, Rossi, you need to rest. Toodles!"
"Thanks, kitten." He replied as he suddenly realized just how late it was. He closed the files and was shutting down his computer when he heard the most unusual words ever to come out Penelope's mouth.
"DAMNIT! SPENCER REID!" She yelled out in frustration.
David, curious as to what would cause such a response spoke out as he closed his office door. "What did our troublesome genius do now?" He asked with a laugh.
"He…He….USED ME! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON HIM….." Penelope now realized that Reid had used her to gain access to outsmart Hotch and aid Abby in escaping. "This…this…Look!1" Penelope yelled as she pushed the papers into Rossi's hands.
Rossi now realized what had made the usually loveable Penelope Garcia, seeing red. "You call Hotch, I will meet him there." Rossi said as he grabbed the phone and made a quick call to a Special Agent Gibbs.
Gibbs was downstairs working on his boat, Abby had went to bed 2 hours ago and he had not heard a peep since. He had installed the new alarm after the whole Paloma ordeal, and was putting it to good use now. He knew that Abby did not know the codes, since he had it set to change each time he entered in and set it. He was interrupted by his phone ringing. "This had better be good at this time of night, or else your ass will be mine!" He yelled into the phone.
"Agent Gibbs, this is SSA David Rossi with the BAU. Oh, believe you me, this is good." Rossi said as he started telling Gibbs of the little rendezvous their two little miscreants were up too. As he hung up, and started the car, he muttered. "You just wait, Spencer Reid, Uncle Rossi is dealing with you now!"
THANKS AGAIN FOR READING AND REVIEWING! NEXT UP...ABBY'S ESCAPE
