A/N: Thanks to an idea from a friend, it sparked inspiration that led to part of this chapter. I had planned on ending this series with Chapter 16, but there was still one more chapter I had to finish, from Shudder and Burn. The "inside man" chapter. It fit so nicely with this time jump, I had to use it and see it through. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I had, writing it.

me

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Chapter 17 - Lights

"You're not my favorite person right now." Suzie stood in the bathroom doorway with her hands on her hips, glaring at Spencer. He pursed his lips, trying not to laugh. When he heard her shriek in the dimly lit bathroom, he sat up, ready to leap out of bed and run to her aid, until she swore at him. He knew exactly what he had done and decided if he apologized profusely, she'd show him mercy. It had been nearly a year since he had been released from prison once his teammates had proved he was innocent of murdering Nadie Ramos and he and Suzie were still making up for the three months he was locked up. Finding out they had conceived their second child while making up for lost time was a joyful part of that.

"Oops?" He grinned sheepishly. "I'm so sorry. Do you need help?" Thankfully, she laughed, shaking her head.

"I should make you sit down in the toilet bowl... see how you like it," Suzie muttered as she tied the cord around her robe, over the top of her belly. "I'm going to check on Liam, to see if he woke up."

"How about a nice, warm shower when you come back? And I promise I'll remember to always put down the toilet seat."

She left the room only to return a minute later. "He's out like a light. That kid would probably sleep through a wrecking ball knocking the walls down."

"Hmm. Speaking of, why didn't you turn the lights on in the bathroom?" He pulled the covers back for her, and she made her way over to him on her hands and knees.

"Oh. So it's my fault now? I used the nightlight, thinking it would help me fall asleep faster when I came back to bed." She was pushing her voluminous blue robe out of the way in order to lie down. Spencer held her arms gently, moving her so that she was straddling his upper thighs.

Loosening the cord on her robe, and pulling it open, he held her closer, mumbling something as he held her hips, kissing her neck and down between her breasts.

"Hmm?" She slid the robe off, letting it fall behind her in a heap over his knees as her arms looped over his shoulders.

He looked up at her, grinning. "I said, 'since we're awake...' but I guess that depends on... if I'm forgiven... or not?" He gave her his best 'puppy dog' look.

"How could I not forgive you? Just... I need some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a big day."

"Are you sure you want to go through with it? There are going to be some... unhappy people."

"People who deserve to be exposed. Don't you want to find out who all was in on it?"

He ran his hands over her back, down to her hips, pulling her robe out of the way and tossing it over the footboard, smiling as she trembled. "We can finish discussing it over breakfast..." As his hands settled over her lovely bottom, he kissed her. "There's another... more... um... urgent matter needing our attention." Feeling her fingers gliding over the back of his head and her body pressed against his, he kissed her again, slowly, thoroughly.

Seven-year-old Liam sat on the stool, finishing his cereal as Spencer poured a mug full of coffee and set it down on the counter to stir some sugar in. He sat on the stool next to his son and took the book out of the boy's hand, holding his finger in it. Turning it around, he read the cover.

"Contemporary Abstract Algebra? Aunt Liz will be taking you to school today. She should be here in a few minutes. Remember?"

"Yeah. Are you sure I can't go with you guys? There's gonna be a light show. Mom said so."

Spencer glanced over as he set the book down on the counter. Suzie walked into the kitchen from the other side, adjusting the tie on her wrap dress, stopping by the refrigerator. Opening the door, she reached in and pulled out a container of yogurt. After tossing the lid in the trash, she took a spoon out of the drawer.

"Well, in theory. The programming worked in a simulation. It was wild."

"Hmm. I'd rather this was done... quietly, but I was outvoted." He shrugged at Liam. "Has your mother ever done anything quietly?"

Liam laughed so hard he snorted. "No. Hey Mom? You're still gonna use that song I told you about, right?"

"Of course." She leaned her hip against the end of the counter, eating her yogurt. "It works perfectly. Sweetie, make sure and rinse your bowl out before you put it in the dishwasher." She said it just as Liam was setting the bowl in the sink behind her. He sprayed the bowl for a couple of seconds, then opened the dishwasher and slid it into the top section.

"I'll leave it open for you."

"Thanks. If you haven't brushed your teeth yet, do it now. Lizette's gonna be here in a few minutes to pick you up."

"Okay." The boy sighed on his way out of the kitchen and from the sound of quick thumping, he was running up the stairs.

"A light show?" Spencer's eyebrows arched. "Really?"

"Barbour approved it. It's gonna rock." She set the empty container in the sink and, hearing the doorbell, turned around. "Must be Gator." By the time she got to the front door, Lizette was opening it. "Right on time. Liam's almost ready."

Lizette stretched one arm behind her. "Ugh. I'll be glad when this kid's out next month. My back is aching. How're you doing?"

"Doing fine but ask me again in three months."

Liam flew off the last step and slid halfway to the front door. "Ready! Mom, can you record it on your phone? Please? Love you. Bye." He gave her a side hug and patted her belly gently. "Bye, little alien." Grabbing his backpack off the table by the front door, he pulled it onto one shoulder, turning to Spencer, who had strolled into the foyer with his coffee mug in his hand. "Bye, Dad. Have fun today."

"It's gonna rock... apparently," he mumbled. "You too."

"If you really want me to have fun, take me with you? I could help. Please?"

Spencer pointed to Suzie with his nearly empty mug. "It's fine with me, but don't waste that 'puppy dog' look on me. That only works on your mother."

Suzie rolled her eyes, smiling. "Sure. I'll call the school on the way and tell them... something."

"Well, damn," Lizette groaned. "Now I wanna play hooky and go with you but I have a meeting this morning." After she left, Spencer pulled on his jacket and book bag as Suzie picked up her purse from the shelf below the table.

During the drive to Quantico, Suzie told Spencer and Liam what was supposed to happen.

On the 6th floor, Spencer went to the bullpen, and Suzie took Liam with her to Garcia's office. She rapped her knuckles on the open door frame. "Knock, knock."

Penelope turned her chair around and smiled. "Hey, you brought Liam!" She hugged the boy, planting a smooch on his forehead, then wiping off the lip print with her thumb. "You're getting cuter every day. Susan, I'm so glad we're doing this today. Tomorrow I'm off to the west coast. My brother is going to testify in a parole hearing and I'll be there... for emotional support. So, anyway, the program is ready to go and I've already let everyone in the building know to turn on, but not log onto their computers until 9 am and that you'll be there for tech support." She logged onto the network system, and when Susan gave her a 'thumbs-up' she typed in the word 'run' and pressed the enter key. "Thar she blows, hurricane Phoebe. Let's go see what kind of havoc she wreaks."

As they headed down the hall, Suzie said, "Well, in about five minutes, we should see some computers freeze up and my phone should start ringing. Then we'll know. Ready?" Liam opened the glass door for Penelope and his mother, following them into the bullpen and up the stairs, joining Emily Prentiss and Dave, to stand at the railing.

Prentiss glanced at the clock. "Okay, everyone. You can log on, now. If your computer freezes up, let Susan know." What she didn't tell the other agents in the room was the LEDs in the computers and phones would light up red, of those employees who had, through emails and phone calls, conspired with Linda Barnes, in targeting the BAU. She knew about Agent Anderson being involved, but not anyone else in that office. She also didn't tell them that any phones that were bugged would also light up and blink in several colors.

After logging onto their computers, the agents carried on with their usual duties, unaware of what was about to happen. Five minutes ticked by. Nothing happened. Spencer glanced up at Susan and Liam, seeing the disappointment on their faces and he almost felt relieved. Perhaps the information Phoebe found was wrong.

At 9:06, a song started playing full blast on Anderson's computer and the screen blazed a bright red. He tried hitting the escape button, then Ctrl, Alt & Delete. Nothing helped. Then Agent Ramirez's computer did the same and Wilson's computer joined in. Several phones, including Spencer's and JJ's, lit up, blinking like a Christmas display. Emily and Dave's offices lit up, the lights on their phones showing through the partially open slats of the window blinds.

Ted Ramirez joked, "Hey Reid, I think your wife's new firewall fried our computers... and the phones." He added sarcastically, "Good going, pal."

He would have said something but looked over to see his wife trying to hide a smile and his son's foot tapping to the music.

Suzie's work phone rang, and she held it up to answer it. "Union Security... Yes... I'm on the 6th floor, in the BAU office... Sure, I'll have one of my techs take care of it." As she ended the call, she lowered her voice, and said to Dave and Emily, "Assistant Director Barnes. Her computer froze up on a red screen, and won't stop playing an annoying song. Actually, it's Fall Out Boy's, My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark. Pretty cool, huh?"

Dave tilted his head and shrugged. "Eh. I'd have preferred Light My Fire, by The Doors. But yeah, pretty cool."

Later, after Suzie unlocked those computers in the bullpen, the screens filled with incriminating email after email. As OPR agents handcuffed Wilson and Ramirez, leading them out of the bullpen, Agent Holcomb, from OPR, led a handcuffed Anderson away from his desk, and past Prentiss.

Anderson screamed at her. "FIVE TIMES I asked to join the upper ranks of your precious team and every fucking time, someone else from the outside was brought in. OVER ME. If Barnes had succeeded in taking you down, I would have gotten my chance. THIS is all YOUR fault." A trail of spittle ran down his chin.

Several people went back to their work afterward, while others followed the OPR agents taking the disgraced agents to the elevator. When the doors opened, they joined an embarrassed, and also in handcuffs, Linda Barnes, and the OPR agents escorting her out of the building. All four were being taken to central processing.

OPR's S. A. C., Dell Warner, stayed behind to talk with Assistant Director Barbour and Prentiss in the conference room. They came out, shaking hands.

Barbour gestured towards the bullpen. "Warner will have his techs do a thorough sweep for any more listening devices and collect those computers for the investigation. Which means, Agent Prentiss, everyone in here gets the rest of the day off." When she smiled, he added, "Except you. At least until you sign off on the evidence logs." He chuckled. "Now, get your people out of here, so the techs can get it done today." As he passed Suzie, he stuck his hand out. "Good job. You should be proud."

She shook his hand, nodding. "Thank you, sir. It was a group effort and yes, I'm proud of the work we did."

His eyebrows rose as he let go of her hand. "A group effort?"

She smiled, holding up her hand with her finger and thumb an inch apart. "A small group, 'need to know' only, and sworn to secrecy." Barbour seemed pleased with that answer, and left, taking the elevator back up to the 7th floor. Garcia offered to stay behind to assist.

Prentiss shook her head. "You told me earlier you still need to pack for your trip. Stop procrastinating."

Penelope looked offended. "I'm not. There are a few things I need to finish up on before I go."

"As long as I'm here. Once I leave for the day, you're leaving too. Understood?" Prentiss gave Garcia her best boss look.

"Yes, ma'am." With her hands on her hips, she turned to Liam, who was giving Emily a hug. "My turn next, you little heartbreaker."

The boy grinned. "I would never break your heart, Auntie Pen." He gave her a hug. As they started out of the bullpen, he asked his father, "So, Dad, what did you think?"

Spencer nodded. "Okay, that light show... rocked. And your mom and I can get you to school in time for... what, 3rd period?"

"Aw, Dad... oh, wait. Can I tell my friends what happened? That would be cool." He turned to Suzie, then Prentiss. "Can I?" They looked at each other and shrugged.

Suzie said, "Barbour wanted me to keep it quiet beforehand. He never said anything about keeping it a secret after. How about this? Tell your friends it was a glitch in the new firewall that caused computer screens and phone lights to blink. And you were with me, here to..." She looked at Spencer. "... to visit your dad at work. Okay?"

"I'm okay with that," Emily said, nodding. "Sure, tell your friends that. Completely innocuous... and yet believable." Spencer agreed.

When they signed him in at the school office, Liam hoisted his backpack onto his shoulder. "Thanks for today. That was fun... and I have a great story to tell at lunch." As he opened the door leading out to the quad, he turned around. "And it fits perfectly with the video I got on my phone. Don't worry, I stopped recording before those agents got cuffed. Later. Love you guys." He went out the door before either of his parents could ask to check the video.

"Do you think he timed it that way?" Suzie asked as they walked back to the car. "I mean, that's what I would have done..."

Spencer shrugged. "We have the rest of the day off and four hours until he gets home. We could think of something to do..."

"I have a great idea," Suzie said, grinning.

"Hmm. Great minds think alike."

"You were thinking about how ice-cold water would feel on your butt, by sitting in the toilet bowl?" She laughed. "Ooh, ice-ticles."

He playfully narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't dare." Spencer opened the passenger door for her, closing it after she got in, then went around to the driver's side. After he closed the door and fastened his seat belt, he started the car. "Let's go home. I'm sure we could find something else to do. Something... fun."

"You got it. Hmm. Something fun. Either I get to pick a movie for us to watch... or the position for us... to do." She gave him a naughty grin and a wink.

Spencer leaned over and kissed her before driving out of the parking lot. "I'm feeling generous. How about... both?"

The end

Author's note:

That's it. I hope everyone enjoyed it. I had the idea of Agent Grant Anderson being the inside man back in Season 12. I imagined he would have wanted to climb out of the role of support staff and join the upper echelon with the team. And when the team wondered who had given Lindsay Vaughan the information on Spencer, naturally I considered Anderson. After Season 13, with Linda Barnes, I decided I didn't like her character either. My sub-conscience remembered that detail as well and added her to the story in the role of the lead conspirator.

So, that's it. I'd love to hear what everyone thought of this series. Even a word or two. And if you find any errors, plot holes, or ideas for future stories, I'd love to hear from you all. Thank you for reading my work!

me.