the great war, spencer reid [ 2 ]

080. family tree

Penelope, Bedelia, Spencer, and JJ are in Penelope's office and eating ice cream.

"Spill, why don't you? How was New Orleans?" Penelope asks JJ.

"Oh, it was wonderful." She answers. "The boys had a ball getting to know their cousins, Will reconnected with his old crowd, and I ate so many oysters, I'm pretty sure I have pearls growing in me."

"More like what's growing inside of you is vibrio vulnificus." Spencer says. "It's a bacterial contamination caused by eating raw seafood. There's 52,000 cases a year in the United States alone."

"I forgot we invited the fun police." Penelope remarks. "Ignore him. That's what lemon juice is for. You squirt that on stuff, and it kills the bacteria."

"I'm so glad you're not my primary care physician." Spencer says making Bedelia quietly laugh.

"Okay, that was gross and I'm gonna change the subject. Can the three of you keep a secret?" JJ asks.

"You sure can." Bedelia quips.

"They can." Penelope points between the couple. "I can't." She points to herself. "Tell us anyway?"

"Okay, so the field office down there has an opening. The job's mine if I want it." JJ informs.

"In New Orleans?" Spencer asks.

"Yeah." JJ nods.

"Wait. You're leaving?" Penelope asks.

"Didn't know you were looking at other things." Bedelia comments.

"I'm not. I put my name on the O.P. list there, like, years ago, and I completely forgot about it, but apparently my name has worked its way to the top." JJ says.

"Why... I don't know how to feel about this." Penelope says. "I mean, I should be happy for you, but that means you're there and not here with us. And what are we gonna do if you're not here?"

Bedelia keeps her mouth shut about how she's been considering leaving. She knew Spencer would hate her leaving, but they have a family and live together so there wouldn't really be a goodbye. But she forgot how Penelope would react.

The bubbly blonde's phone dings.

"And that's Emily. We have a case." Penelope says. She gets up, starting to walk out. "This conversation is not over." She tells JJ.

"I didn't say I was gonna take it." JJ says as she follows her out.

"You still considering anything?" Spencer quietly asks as the couple trail after the two.

"It's still an option." Bedelia says. "Can't wait to be on the receiving end of that." She remarks. "Ugh, she really makes me not wanna leave."

"Whatever you want to do." Spencer says.

~ ~ ~

"Sorry." Emily says, walking into the room.

"Deputy Director didn't beat you up too much, did he?" Rossi asks.

"Uh, no. Just the usual bumps and bruises." Emily says, sitting down. "Penelope?"

"Today's toke of ick has been brought to us by Beaumont, Texas, where a businessman, Tom Mitchell, was found last night in the dumpster." Penelope says. "Coroners say he was there for at least 3 days."

"Earlier in the week, the body of a prostitute named Elizabeth McBride was discovered in a shallow grave less than a mile from that dumpster." Emily informs.

"Why do we think the murders are connected?" Luke asks.

"Because both of them were missing their tongues and their ears... and their hands." Penelope says. "And can someone start talking so I can stop thinking about--"