Paranoia - s.reid

Act of Service

 The case was local, but it didn't make the negative outcome hurt any less.

Liz lingered by an office window, attempting to smile at Emily who approached her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "It never gets easier, Lizzy."

"I know. And it really has a way of making me think of my own life, what I'm doing to prevent anything from happening to the people I care about."

Emily nodded sadly. "I know there are parts of this job you can't take home. So if you need anything, I'm here for you as your best friend, not your boss. I want to hear everything, from cases to who wins your weekly family game tournaments on your days off."

She chuckled dryly. "Margie actually won the last one. We didn't even need a tie breaker, she won chess, twister, battleship, uno and guess who."

"Smart girl." Aware of Spencer waiting for her in the car, they walked towards the elevator hand in hand, the younger agent pausing. "You're not going down?"

Linda Barnes' request lingered at the back of her mind. "I'm going up, actually."

"Right, you're meeting with Barnes."

"Should I be worried?"

Emily shrugged. "Not as long as I'm in charge."

Sucking in a deep breath, Liz took her own elevator up, messaging Spencer and promising him she'd be done soon. Taking slow, uncertain steps towards the office, she straightened her blazer. "Good evening, Agent Reid."

She pursed her lips, shaking the woman's hand. "Assistant director Barnes."

"I'm sorry for the sudden urgency in having to meet tonight. However, effective immediately, SSA Emily Prentiss will be placed on administrative leave pending an internal review. And so you will be the acting unit chief of the BAU."

Her mouth was left gaping. "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

Barnes didn't seem phased by her confusion. "If you wouldn't mind leaving your cell phone out here, we can talk in my office." She doubtfully complied, leaving it in the small box before entering the office, sitting down. "My apologies for the cloak-and-dagger routine with the email. I needed a reason to bring you in that would ensure a certain confidentiality."

"What do you mean, Agent Prentiss has been placed on administrative leave?"

"I've been looking over your work, and I think you're doing an excellent job. Why do you think the brass didn't give you a shot at unit chief when Agent Hotchner elected to leave?"

Liz narrowed her eyes. "I'd made it clear that I was happy in my position, because it also gave me enough time to be with my children and husband. Becoming unit chief would've ruined my home life and Prentiss was the natural choice. She had seniority."

"You're aware this month marks the one year anniversary of Dr. Reid's arrest in Mexico?"

"Of course I'm aware of that."

"When something like this happens, it's standard operating procedure for the director to initiate an internal audit. I've been asked to go over the BAU's caseload to make sure that you're following protocol."

She cleared her throat, pushing her little 'mishap' in Mexico out of her mind. "We work by the book. Always."

"Then this should be a fairly painless process."

"Of course."

"As team leader, Agent Prentiss will need to give a full account of the BAU's actions. That's why effective immediately, you will be the acting head of the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Pending further review, you and your team will remain on active duty. Agent Reid, as a courtesy, I chose to inform you first. I'll be speaking with Agent Prentiss in the morning, so I'd appreciate it if you'd keep this between us until you hear from me."