2 | GREEN LIGHT. [SPENCER REID]

SEVEN.

Quinn sat in Baldwin's office, mindlessly watching her dial Caleb Acker's former colleagues, trying to find as much information as she could about the one lead that they had. She had so many questions still left unanswered. Quinn almost wished that she had a way to contact them, begging for answers.

"I know that look," said Baldwin, interrupting Quinn's train of thought. The girl blinked twice, eyes meeting those of her friend's. Baldwin chuckled, shaking her head. "Stop thinking so much. You're going to get wrinkles from scrunching up your face like that."

Quinn widened her eyes, mouth dropping slightly. "I'm nearly thirty, Adeline, wrinkles are expected." She let a frown pull at her lips, eyes still sparkling with a bit of mischief.

"And yet, I have none," Baldwin teased, laughing slightly as Quinn rolled her eyes.

"Your head's going to go through the roof if you keep talking like that," said a voice as they entered the room. Connor grinned as Baldwin narrowed her eyes at him. Quinn smiled at him, eyes flashing to the bags in his hand, clapping as she saw the logo for the three's favorite restaurant.

"I'll forgive that comment because you brought lunch," Baldwin muttered, taking the bag from him. Connor laughed softly, taking Quinn's box out of the bag and handing it to her.

This was a weekly tradition that the three had. Every Monday, Connor would run from the tech room to the pub across the street and bring lunch into Adeline's office. They would eat, discuss whatever came into their minds, then part ways. It was a nice break for the three of them, escaping from the high stakes of their jobs, even just for a couple of moments.

Quinn felt Connor's eyes on her. She glanced toward him, already knowing what question was on his lips. "I'm fine," she told him, putting a french fry into her mouth.

Connor looked doubtful. "It's okay to say you're not, Quinn," he replied, frowning. "You don't have to pretend like you're fine around us. We know you pretty well."

"Baldwin apparently knows my 'thinking face'," Quinn said, shaking her head slightly. "But really guys, I'm okay. It's a lot to take in, but I'm okay." She forced a small smile. "It takes a lot to surprise me these days."

Baldwin raised her brow. "Speaking of surprises," she began, voice seeming almost sing-song. "You never told me that you had a boyfriend." Quinn groaned, shutting her eyes. "Seriously Quinn, we've been friends for two years and you don't have the decency to tell me about Genius Boy?"

"First of all, he's not my boyfriend-"

"Carson, he was looking at you like you put the damn moon in the sky-"

"-Secondly, I didn't speak about him because I didn't think that I was ever going to see him again." Quinn bit the inside of her cheek. "I didn't think that I'd see any of them again."

Baldwin's gaze shifted to Connor. She shook her head, a smirk pulling at her lips. "But they're here. You've seen him again. What are you going to do about it?"

Quinn shook her head. "Nothing," she muttered. Baldwin scoffed, observing the spark in Connor's eyes carefully. "Not only is it unprofessional, but it would make things strange. I can't do anything to jeopardize that."

"Give me a break," responded Baldwin. "The only thing you're jeopardizing is your chance at happiness." Quinn groaned again. "And as for professionalism, that's out the window. If your team didn't already know about you and him, you showed them with the moment you shared yesterday." Quinn looked at Baldwin. "That was intense, Carson. I almost threw up."