SSA Scottley - A collection - S.R.

Believer

Episode: 13x22

The case had been a long one. It had also been a weird one. With Spencer winding up a bit too personally attached to their victims during their time together - with Agent Quinn while he interrogated the man and even Theo, the son of two of the members of the cult they had found with their help - and the result of their search for their cult leader ending far too quickly and too easily, Lily still had a bitter taste in her mouth about this case.

But as she gathered her stuff to leave, all she could really think about was how she wanted to spend her weekend with Spencer and Alec, so, really, she chose to ignore the weird feeling in the pit of her stomach about the case.

"May I have everyone's attention?" Emily called from the railing after she just left her office to look out into the bullpen. "Metro PD and the Bureau have been made aware of The Believers and possible activity following their leader's arrest, but taking Theo at his word... Well, we arrested 3. There's probably more out there."

"But if they follow cult dynamics, they'll break down without The Messiah." Luke said, as Tara nodded.

"Typical cult." She said. "You think it's a cast of thousands, when really it's just 4 wackos sitting around in the dark."

"I think we deserve some decompression time, and Rossi is kind enough to host." Emily smiled as everyone cheered and smiled at that.

"And I have some top-shelf wine picked just for the occasion." Rossi smirked a little.

"Yes! Ok, I have to do a systems check." Penelope announced, already heading back to her lair, eager to finish her check as quickly as possible. "Please do not have too much fun without me."

Lily smiled a little, picking up her bag, all set on heading to Rossi's for a while before finally going home with Spencer, but before she could even start walking out of the bullpen, her fiance grabbed her by the hand and spun her around so they were facing one another.

"Unfortunately, I don't think I'm gonna be able to make it tonight." Spencer said, as Lily sighed, already knowing he would need to have some closure with Agent Quinn and Theo after having been in such proximity to him.

"Tell me not to worry." She pleaded as Spencer just smiled softly at her.

"Don't. I'm good. I'm really good." Spencer nodded. "You go have fun, okay? As soon as I'm done here, I'll head home to see Alec."

"Okay." Lily nodded, even if a little disappointed Spencer wouldn't be joining her that night. "Well... It's not family without you there."

"I know." Spencer nodded, looking down at his phone when it dinged with a new text. "There's another family that could use my help right now."

"Okay." Lily nodded, squeezing Spencer's hand gently in her as a small goodbye gesture. "I'll see you later, then?"

Spencer nodded then, with a small smile.

"See you."

***

Lily sat beside Tara as Matt and Luke sat on settees next to their small couch in Rossi's backyard. Lily had a glass of gin and tonic in hands, enjoying the taste of the drink after the long case and laughing along with Matt and Luke at something Tara had said. Lily was about 90% sure it was all a lie, but Dr. Tara Lewis had said it with such conviction it had been almost enough to make Lily buy it.

"It's true." Tara insisted, taking a sip of her martini when she noticed not one of her three friends believed what she had just said.

"Shut up." Luke chuckled.

"It's true!"

"There are actual sexual positions that produce ugly babies?" Luke repeated Tara's words from earlier as Lily snorted a laugh. Turning to the younger woman, Luke sent her a look. "Come on, little genius. Is it true or not?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Lily smirked a little into her drink.

"Well, I wouldn't know." She teased. "My children are beautiful."

They all laughed at that as well and Lily winked at Luke as he scoffed at her little joke.

"But it is true." Tara insisted. "It's been proven."

"Well, by who?" Luke asked, causing Tara to smirk again.

"Your mom." She said, as Lily and Matt gasped before breaking off into a loud laugh.

"Oh ho!" Luke breathed out, half offended and half surprised. "All right. You want a war? I will bring it."

"It's on." Tara nodded at him then. "Come at me, bro."

And as the two of them bickered and Matt just laughed at their expanse, Lily patted Tara on the knee gently as she stood up, moving to stand next to Rossi, Emily and JJ instead when she noticed the rather tense atmosphere surrounding them.

"Emily, please." Rossi said, as soon as Lily stopped beside JJ. "Let it go."

"I know." Emily sighed. "Maybe it's the curse of being team leader, but something is bugging me about this."

"Well, I'll tell you what bugs me." JJ said. "We found a cult leader but no cult."

"That's not it." Emily shook her head. "I mean, that's it, but that's not it."

"Well, what is it, then?" Lily asked, already invested in their conversation, knowing full-well they were talking about the case. "Because I also don't feel well about how this whole thing ended."

"In the warehouse where we arrested The Messiah, there were these Petri dishes on the floor filled with hydrochloric acid." Emily said.

"Perfect for burning off fingerprints." JJ said. "I mean, that's what the drug lord El Chapo did in Mexico."

"And based on the two dead guys in the subway, maybe that was their initiation." Emily continued. "You want to join, you burn off your fingerprints."

"Where are you going with this?" Rossi asked.

"It's just one nagging question." Emily said, as Lily nodded, having been asking herself the same thing for a while now.

"Why did they burn off Quinn's fingerprints?" She voiced the question as Emily nodded at her.

"Well, they tortured him." JJ offered, as Emily shook her head.

"With their initiation rite?" She asked. "I mean, maybe, but... Or maybe we somehow misread Quinn all this time. Maybe there was cult programming Theo didn't know about. What if they did convert him?"

"And we left him in the building where The Messiah is being held in custody." Lily said, as realization hit them all straight in the face.

"All right, I'll call Spence and Garcia." JJ said, as Emily nodded before turning to Tara, Luke and Matt.

"Guys, we need to get back to Quantico right now."