A/N: This is still being edited so there may be some minor changes in the future. I'm still writing so the story may take time to update. But enjoy!
Also there is a block of material in the middle that is straight from Revelations (Episode 2.15). I obviously did not write that part. I'm just borrowing ;).
***** Approximately Two months after the end of State of Grace. ****
Chapter I
Spencer and Grace were meeting everyone at a local sports bar for a Super Bowl Party. Sports didn't really interest Spencer, but he agreed to meet the rest of the team because everyone wanted to see first two months of their relationshiphad been better than anything he could have ever imagined. At times he still marveled at the fact that the beautiful woman walking next to him was his girlfriend and that she loved him. Sensing Spencer gazing down at her, Grace turned her face to him smiling. In response Spencer raised their clasped hands and kissed her knuckles before opening the door to the bar.
Entering the bar he spotted Emily sitting with Hotch and Haley. Emily waved them over. "You two are running late tonight. There are some seats over near JJ and for those old enough to drink," Grace stuck her tongue out at Aaron at the last part, "the first round is on me," said Hotch. They thanked Hotch and found the table J.J had saved for them. JJ was nearby playing darts with two guys Grace had never seen before and apparently kicking the guys butts.
Garcia and Derek were nearby and when Garcia saw Grace she made a beeline for the younger girl."GRACIE! I'm so glad Reid is finally sharing you with us again."
"Are you complaining that I spend time with my girlfriend Garcia?" Spencer asked quirking an eyebrow at her as Grace laughed at the two of them.
"Of course not, but it is nice to see Grace. You have been hogging all of her free time lately."
"We're just making up lost time Garcia." Grace commented with a wicked smile and a wink.
Spencer nearly chocked on his drink. "Grace!"
"Yes sweetheart?"
Spencer was spluttering so badly that he couldn't even form a complete sentence. Grace took pity on him saying, "Simmer down honey. Garcia knows I'm joking. You know they are going to tease us anyway so we might as well get our own teasing in."
"Hey Lover Boy nice of you to finally let Grace out in public with us again."
"I give up." And with that Spencer turned in the direction of a group of people who he had heard arguing about Star Trek. Being in a relationship was new for him as was the teasing regarding said relationship. Sometimes, he discovered, retreating from the field of battle was the best course of action.
Grace chuckled at Spencer as he took a seat with the nearby group discussing Star Trek triva. Turning back to Garcia and Morgan, Grace smiled. "I don't think Spencer is still completely sure about how being in a relationship works."
"Pretty boy seems to be figuring it out though. No one has seen either one of you on our weekends off in the last two months. So things must be pretty good."
"Oh things are great. There are times I still can't believe things finally worked out for us. It's more when anyone teases him he splutters and turns red and eventually runs for cover if he can. Like he just did."
Morgan laughed and smiled at Grace's description of Reid's reaction to the good natured ribbing he had been getting over his relationship with Grace. The trio chatted for a time until Grace excused herself to go and sit with Spencer. Walking to where he was sitting still discussing Star Trek Trivia, Grace tapped him on the shoulder before sitting down and settling herself on his lap. Morgan grinned at the confused look on Reid's face as Grace sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. Grace was certainly forcing Reid out of his shell. His arm had instinctively gone around her waist to hold her close though, so the kid wasn't completely clueless. No matter how you looked at it, Spencer and Grace were good for one another.
The team had enjoyed the rare night off together, but their enjoyment was cut short by JJ's phone ringing with a call requesting their assistance in Georgia.
Grace decided because she had Tuesday off she would head out to Quantico to see if she could help Garcia with the case the team had left for shortly after the Super Bowl had ended on Sunday. The team had been in Georgia on their latest case for two days. She hadn't heard from Spencer, but that wasn't unusual when they were on a case. Grace knew he would call when he was able to.
Walking into the Garcia's office, Grace said, "Hey Hey Garcia, I'm here to . . ." She stopped speaking when she saw Garcia's face and the fact Garcia had a go bag and lap top bag in her hands. Grace knew something was wrong because Garcia very rarely traveled with the team. "Garcia what is it?"
"Grace I . . . " Garcia started, but she couldn't finish. She dropped her bags.
"Garcia somethings wrong and I know it. Don't try to lie to me. Just tell me. I'll call Morgan from your phone so he'll answer if you don't tell me," Grace said emphatically.
"Grace, sit down."
"Garcia!"
"Spencer's been taken."
"Taken, what do you mean taken?" Grace said sitting down hard in the chair Garcia had given her.
"Grace the unsub, he took Spencer hostage when he and JJ were at his house to talk to him. They didn't know he was the unsub when they went out. Grace, I'm sorry. Hotch didn't want to worry you. I wasn't supposed to tell you" Garcia said reaching down to take Grace's hand.
"Where were you going Garcia?" Grace finally managed to say.
"Hotch wants me there to go through the computers the unsub was using. The plane leaves in 30 minutes." Garcia told her.
"I'm coming." Grace said in a tone that left no room for argument.
"Hotch is going to kill me," was all Garcia said picking up her bags. "Let's go. I know you don't have a go bag so you'll have to make do with what you have on or in your purse."
On the plane Grace sat down and looked out the window thinking about everything she and Spencer had been through together the past nine months. She was terrified, but kept taking deep breaths to calm herself down.
Garcia sat opposite of Grace saying nothing. She opened her laptop and was turning it on when her phone rang.
"Hey," was all Garcia said.
"Hey mama, what's wrong? Are you on the plane?" Morgan said.
"Yeah, we're on the plane and airborne," she replied.
"We? Who else, Grace is with you. Garcia did you call her?"
"No I didn't," she retorted angrily.
"Put him on speaker Garcia." Grace said from her seat. Once she knew Morgan could hear her she said, "Morgan calm down and don't yell at Garcia. She didn't call me. I had come in to the office on my own. I had the day off from school. It's not her fault. Have you found anything yet?" Morgan was concerned about because Grace's voice was eerily calm.
"Nothing yet. Grace you know I'm going to have to tell Hotch you are coming down here, right?" Morgan told her.
"Do what you have to Morgan, but it's too late to stop me." Grace retorted before turning back to the window.
Garcia took Morgan off speaker when Grace turned towards the window. Getting up to go to the back of the plane so she could talk to Morgan more privately Garcia said, "Morgan I'm concerned. She's calm, I mean way calm. I've never seen her like this." Garcia said.
"I know I could hear it in her voice. You'll be here soon. She's going to break at some point. All we can do is be here for her when it happens."
"Ok. We'll see you in a few hours."
"Everything is going to be ok baby girl"
"But will Grace and Spencer be ok?"
"We're doing everything we can to ensure that. Later mama."
"See you on the ground."
"Grace you can't be here."
"What are you going to do put me back on the plane to Quantico Aaron?"
"No, but I can send you to the hotel and put a guard on you to keep you there." Her brother retorted angrily.
"You will have to physically pick me up and take me there. I won't go willingly. I'd be more use here than at the hotel anyway." She replied.
"Grace," Hotch said before Grace interrupted him.
"Aaron I don't want to debate this. Please I couldn't just sit back in Georgetown and I can't just sit at a hotel and do nothing." Her voice broke at the end. "I'm scared Aaron."
Aaron pulled his sister into his arms to hug her, "You are to stay in the computer room with Garcia, understand."
"Yes."
"Here, take this. You can read through it to see if there is anything relevant."
Grace took the journal Aaron gave her and joined Garcia. Garcia had started her work on analyzing Tobias Hankel's computer system shortly after they arrived.
"Ok right out of the gate, the guys self-taught. His mainframe is totally idiosyncratic, but it's pretty brilliant." Garcia told Morgan.
"Ok talk to me about what this son of a bitch watches on-line. What the hell is all this?"
"Teen stuff, video games, software, sports. Seriously if I had to guess who this system belonged to I guess a crazy smart high school kid.
"Garcia that doesn't make any sense."
"Well that's what I've got."
"A mission based killer like Hankle would need constant reassurance. Religious manifesto, violent images, something."
"Nothing baby."
"What about the Mpgs of the murders he posted on-line does he sit and watch those over and over?"
"Ok that's weird."
"What talk to me?"
"They're not even here. All I have is the site he set up once he commandeered people's webcams. And he keeps a running clock and at a certain point each one is bookmarked at a different heading."
"Adultry, Liar, Thief. This guy just sits here for days and watches these people and waits for them to commit a sin."
"Yeah, but Reid's completly innocent."
"If you dig deep enough on any of us we all have our sins including Reid."
Grace glared at Morgan's comment. He looked at her seriously and said, "Grace I never said he wasn't a good man, but no one, even Reid, is perfect."
The team worked all day and into the night. Morning found Grace still sitting next to Garcia and Morgan in the computer room. She was facing away from the computer screen bank reading through another one of the journals the team had found when, Morgan exclaimed, "What happened?"
"I don't know" pausing Garcia looked around at the computer images trying to figure out what was going on, "OH my god."
Morgan saw what Garcia was seeing and started yelling, "Guys, guys, get in here. Grace don't turn around"
Grace had already turned to see what the problem was before Morgan told her not to. When she saw the computer screen she froze for a split second before flying out of her chair to reach for the computer screen.
"Grace! Grace, stop," Morgan had her by the shoulders shaking her lightly. She realized then she was screaming. "Grace, look at me you have to calm down. This won't help Reid." He said restraining her until she stopped struggling.
By the time Morgan had Grace under control the rest of the team had joined them and were all commenting on what they were seeing. Morgan, released Grace to her brother.
"Grace this is why you shouldn't be here. You are too close to this to be able to think straight. I should have made you go to the hotel."
"Aaron, we've been through this. I couldn't just sit at the hotel and not know what was going on. At least here I know what's happening for good or bad. This is where I need to be." Grace replied biting back a sob.
Looking resigned Hotch said, "Go in the other room and sit down for now Grace."
Nodding with tears streaking her face she moved to the couch in the front room. She could hear the others in the room with the computer, but couldn't tell what was going on. Sitting down she anxiously twisted her hands together before standing up and pacing the floor.
Gideon came through the door and stopped Grace mid-pace. "He'll be ok. Reid's strong and we'll find him. Anna Grace," Grace looked up when Gideon said her name, "you need to focus on the last time you saw each other and not on what you just saw. Do you understand me?"
Grace nodded looking back at the floor. "Jason, you know Spencer is the only one to call me Anna Grace."
Smiling faintly at the fact she had noticed his use of her full name, he said, "Yes, I know. Now, try to get some rest. You won't be any use to Reid if you are tired."
Grace sat back down on the couch and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She called her voice mail and skipped through to the one she was wanted.
"Anna Grace it's me. We're on the plane headed to Georgia. I'll call you again when I can. I love you."
Grace listened to the voice mail several times before finally drifting off to a fitful sleep. Tossing and turning in her sleep Grace was unable to rest peacefully because of worry and concern for Spencer's safety. She knew the team was doing everything they could, but part of her worried it wouldn't be enough. Each of the team members would periodically come through the room to check on Grace. JJ had come into the room to check on Grace when she noticed Grace seemed more agitated and was talking in her sleep. JJ walked over and knelt down beside her and placed a hand on Grace's shoulder to try to help her settle. It seemed to work at first and then Grace sat up screaming Spencer's name. JJ took Grace by the shoulders saying, "Grace, honey look at me. It's JJ. You're ok."
The rest of the team appeared in the door way only to be waved off by JJ
Grace shook her head trying to clear it. "JJ?"
JJ hugged Grace, "Its ok. Do you remember where you are?" When Grace nodded in response JJ continued. "Do you want to go outside for a while and talk?
"No, I'm fine it was just a bad dream. Is there any news?"
"Not yet," JJ replied.
"I need to find something to do. I'm going to see if Garcia needs help." Grace responded as she stood up.
"Hotch doesn't want you in the computer room anymore." JJ told Grace as she moved to head into the room where Garcia was working.
"What?!why?" Grace exclaimed.
"Because of what happened earlier. He's just trying to protect you." JJ tried to explain.
"I don't need protecting. What I need is for Spencer to make it back alive." Grace said angrily. Without another word she went back in the room with Garcia and defiantly sat down in the chair she had been in earlier.
"Grace I gave explicit instructions you weren't to be in here." Her brother said without preamble coming into the room. "I've indulged your desire to be on site despite my better judgment. I will not have you openly defying my orders "
"Really Aaron Hotchner! You can't just order me around. I'm staying here." Grace said folding her arms and showing no signs of moving.
"Don't do this Grace. You and I both know legally you shouldn't even be here. You play by the rules I set down or you will have to go to the hotel, even if I have to pick you up and carry you out myself." Hotch retorted.
"You wouldn't dare," came the angry reply.
"Try me."
The rest of the team would have found the standoff between the Hotchner siblings amusing if it had not been for the seriousness of the situation. They had all noticed, when angry, Grace bore a striking resemblance to her elder brother."
"Now Grace."
Finally giving in, Grace left the room without looking at, or speaking to Hotch. When he tried to touch her shoulder in sympathy as she passed Grace jerked away from him. Hotch let her go knowing when she calmed down she would realize he was acting not only her best interest, but in Spencer's. If the team was concerned about protecting Grace they wouldn't be able to focus on finding Hankle and Reid. No one moved or said anything as Grace left. Once she was gone, Hotch said, "Garcia how are you coming with tracing the signal?" At that the team broke up to their various tasks.
Sometime later Hotch and Gideon had left to investigate another murder scene in hopes of finding clues as to Reid's whereabouts. Grace knew they had seen him again on the computer screens. This frustrated her because she knew they were hiding something from her.
When Hotch and Gideon returned they weren't any closer to an answer than they were before. Grace slunk around near the computer room as much as she could without Aaron yelling at her. She was nearby when JJ went in and ask Garcia if she had seen Reid on the monitors again. Garcia told her she hadn't seen him, but Hankle had posted the most recent murder video. After she insisted on watching JJ went and found Gideon to tell him what she had seen.
Grace hovered as near to the room as she could. Gideon wanted Garcia to take the video down and she was trying to explain once something was on the internet you couldn't just take it back. The conversation made Grace smile slightly because Spencer was so like Gideon in not totally understanding or liking technology. They went back and forth before Garcia finally said she could send out a message to all the emails that had received the video saying it was a virus. Gideon agreed this was a good idea.
It didn't take long for Hankle's reaction to Garcia's virus message to make itself known. Grace couldn't see anything, but could tell from the way Gidoen and Garcia were avidly staring at the screen, something was wrong. She could hear some of the audio, but not all. Grace heard Spencer at one point; he didn't sound right. Garcia was squeezing Gideon's hand on her shoulder, that's when she heard Garcia say, "Oh my god he's killing him." Grace tried to rush into the room, Morgan grabbed her around the waist and physically picking her up to remove her. "Grace."
Struggling against Morgan trying to get back to the doorway to the computer room she pleaded with him, "Morgan! Please let me go. He's hurting Spencer I . . . ." She cried as she pushed against his restraining arms.
"I know baby girl, but that is not the way you want to remember Reid." Morgan said.
"He can't die Morgan! He can't. I don't know what I'll do without him."
At that point Gideon, who was white as a sheet, came down the hallway and locked himself in the bathroom.
Grace crumpled. She knew from the look on Gideon's face Spencer was gone. "No!" Morgan picked her up as she collapsed and carried out to the couch where she curled up and sobbed. JJ and Emily came to try to console her as best they could.
Hotch shut his eyes and took a deep breath. Reid was dead. He might have learned to deal with the emotional part of the job, especially now that Grace was in his life, but now . . . Oh god where was his sister? She had been in the hall when he rushed into the room. All of a sudden, it registered he could hear her sobbing down the hall. He heard Morgan's deep voice along with JJ and Emily's voices trying to sooth her. Grace would never forgive him for allowing Spencer to be killed. Closing his eyes again, he rubbed his temple, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
"H-hey!" Garcia called. "H-Hankle he's back!" She was pointing at the screen as the figure of Tobias Hankle made his way to the prone figure of Reid. Leaving the room when he saw what was happening, Hotch made his way quickly to the front room and his sister.
"Computer room now. You need to see this." Grace couldn't bring herself to move. Aaron said, "Grace, it's important."
Slowly, she followed her brother into the computer room. Eyeing the computer screens she saw Hankle giving Spencer CPR. Morgan stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders. She reached up and took one of them. Tears still streaming down her face as she watched. Not long after, Spencer started coughing and Hankle just looked at him. Grace, went weak in the knees with relief. Morgan prevented her from falling by catching her around the waist as her knees buckled under her. He was alive, for now.
"Wait a second. When was the video of the last murder posted?" Emily asked all of a sudden.
Garcia answered, "9:23."
"And when was the time of death?" came the next question.
This time Aaron, "The 911 call came in 9:04 and the murder must have occurred moments later."
JJ did the math and said, "That's only a 19 minute difference."
From behind Grace Morgan asked, "How long would take to post the MPG?"
"Two or three minutes." Garcia replied.
Morgan had let go of Grace and was walking as he spoke, "Ok let's call it two. You figure a maximum of 60 miles an hour in a residential area that means Hankle has to be within a 17 mile radius of the crime scene."
Hotch spoke asking, "Garcia can we see it on a map?"
Gideon looked at JJ saying, "Call Faraday. I want that area locked down like its martial law."
Garcia called everyone's attention back to the computer monitors, "Guys."
Hankle spoke, "You came back to life."
"Raphael?" Spencer questioned.
"There can only be one of two reasons," was the only response he received.
"I was given CPR." Spencer retorted.
Not to be dissuaded Hankle continued, "There are no accidents. How many members are on your team?"
"7"
"The 7 angels who had the 7 trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first sounding followed hail and fire mixed with blood, and they were thrown to earth," Hankle quoted from the Bible.
Aaron commented, "He thinks its revelations—the seven archangels versus the seven angels of death."
Back on the computer screen Hankle set the chair Spencer was bound to up and he was asking Spencer, "Who do you serve?"
Almost in a whisper Spencer responded, "I serve you."
"Then choose one to die," Hankle told Spencer.
"What?" Reid askrd confused.
Hankle repeated, "Your team members, choose one to die."
"Kill me." Spencer replied.
Grace sobbed. She knew what he was trying to do. Morgan squeezed her shoulder to calm her down.
Hankle said, "You said you weren't one of them."
Looking at Hankle Spencer said, "I lied."
"Your team has 6 other members. Tell me who dies." Hankle insisted.
"No." Spencer replied.
Pointing a gun at Spencer, "Choose, and prove you'll do God's will."
"No," he replied.
Hankle pulled the trigger, click, "Choose."
Grace jumped at the sound of the gun dry firing.
Spencer insisted. "I won't do it."
"Life is a choice." Hankle replied as he pulled the trigger again, Click.
After the second time he dry fired the gun Grace turned her face into Morgan's chest unable to watch. Terrified the next time wouldn't be a dry fire.
"No."
"Choose."
Spencer hesitated, "I . . .Choose Aaron Hotchner. He's a classic narcissist, He thinks he's better than everyone else on the team. Genesis 23:4, "Let him not deceive himself and trust in emptiness, vanity, falseness and futility, for these shall be his recompense."
Hankle raised the gun above Spencer's head and fired before looking back down at him.
Grace sobbed at the sound of the gun firing. Morgan held her tightly. He leaned down and said, "It's ok Grace he fired into the air." Looking back at the screens Grace saw Spencer still very much alive in the chair.
Hotch had left the room with the computers and was quickly followed by the rest of the group. Aaron's first comment was he wasn't a narcissist. Gideon tried to excuse what Reid had said by saying he wasn't in his right mind. Hotch stopped him by asking what his worst quality was and when no one answered Hotch answered his own question by saying, "I have no sense of humor." Everyone including Grace chimed in at that point. Hotch agreed with them saying, "Good, I'm all these things, but none of you said that I ever put myself above the team, because I don't, ever." He went on to explain he and Reid had argued about the definition of a true narcissist over dinner one night and Reid knew Hotch would remember. Handing the Bible he had found to JJ he had her read Genesis 23:4. The language was not what Spencer had quoted. The verses referred to burial. Aaron stated Reid wouldn't have gotten that wrong unless it was on purpose. Morgan quickly deduced Reid was being held in a cemetery.
Returning to the computer room the team was able to figure out where exactly Reid was being held. Heading for the vehicles Grace followed the rest of the team out. Aaron started to stop her, but instead he told her to get in the back.
When the team reached Marshal Parish, Aaron turned in his seat to look at Grace saying, "Grace, please stay here until we have the area secure. Just this once, please listen and do as I ask on this. The last thing I want is both of you hurt, or dead."
"Please just find him." Grace said nodding at her brother's request.
Settling back in the seat to wait Grace fidgeted unable to just sit still. Suddenly, she heard gunfire and without thinking she bolted from the vehicle and raced towards where she saw the lights and heard voices. As she got closer Grace heard Aaron telling someone to get her from the vehicle. Grace nearly ran Emily over attempting to reach the group. "Grace slow down. He's alive and will be fine. Come this way."
When Grace reached the point where she could see what was happening she saw Aaron hugging Spencer. A sob of relief caught in her throat at the sight of him. Emily steadied her and Grace put her hand to her mouth to stifle the sobs. The group parted in such a way Spencer saw her. Their eyes locked and Grace moved across the distance between them as quickly as she could. "Anna Grace?" he questioned.
Reaching out to touch him she said, "I'm here Spencer." When her fingers brushed his cheek he realized she wasn't a figment of his drug addled mind. "God, you're really here." Spencer said leaning down to touch his forehead to hers.
"I'm really here. Spencer, I was so scared I would lose you," Grace said with her voice quavering.
"I'm not that easy to get rid of." He quipped trying to make her smile. Grace nearly chocked on the laugh that escaped at the same time as a sob. "Grace."
Looking up at his use of only her middle name she was surprised when he took ahold of her face with both hands and kissed her in a way he had never kissed her before. When they separated Grace took a deep breath. She knew he had been just as scared as she had been. "Let's get you outta here," she finally said.
Kissing her forehead he said, "Give me a second alone, ok?"
Nodding she walked a short distance away from Spencer and waited.
When no one was looking Spencer kneeled down beside Hankle's body and took several small glass bottles from Hankle's pocket. Standing back up and slipping the vials in his own pocket he hobbled to Grace who put an arm around him and helped him walk out of the cemetery.
Several hours later on the Plane
Grace and Spencer were sitting in a row alone. The rest of the team was trying to give them space and time alone after the ordeal they had both been through the last several days. Grace was curled up in her seat with her head on Spencer's shoulder their hands entwined on the arm rest. She had her eyes closed, but Spencer knew from her breathing she wasn't sleeping. Nudging her, "Anna Grace."
"Hmm, what is it Spencer? Am I hurting your shoulder? I . . ." Spencer silenced her by putting a finger on her lips. "You aren't sleeping I thought maybe if we moved to the couch you could sleep better," he said to her.
"Aren't you sleeping?" she replied
"Not really. I'm not really tired," he told her.
"Spencer, you need to rest too. You've had a rough few days," Grace said running her hand up his arm lightly.
"I'll try to rest if you will agree to move to the couch so you will be more comfortable," he told her cupping her face with his hands.
"Ok." Grace said. She stood stretching before following Spencer to the couch. He settled on one end of the couch before Grace lay down with her head in his lap. Grace closed her eyes and tried to relax. Spencer ran his hand through her hair knowing it helped her relax. Her breathing slowed and Spencer knew she had drifted off to sleep. He leaned his head back against the couch thinking about everything that had happened over the last few days. Raising his head Spencer realized Hotch had moved to sit down in the empty seat closest to the couch.
"Are you ok Reid?" Hotch ask him.
"I will be. Hotch, why was Anna Grace in the field with the team?"
"She turned up with Garcia when she came down to analyze the computer system Hankle set up. Grace showed up at the office just as Garcia was leaving and realized something was wrong by the way Garcia was acting. She forced Garcia to tell her what was going on and when Garcia arrived at the airport she wasn't alone. By now, you know how stubborn Grace can be," Hotch saw Reid smile faintly, "she flat out refused to leave Hankle's house. She knew I wouldn't call with updates and the others would all be too busy working on finding you to do so. She did the only thing she could do, she camped out at the crime scene with us working around her."
Smiling at the idea of his girlfriend stubbornly refusing to leave a crime scene he thought for a moment before asking, "How much of what happened does she know?"
"After the first time you appeared on the computer screens I banned Grace from the room with the computers. To say she lost it wouldn't be accurate. Morgan had to physically restrain her until I got to the room. Of course, she lurked trying to hear what was happening because she was so worried. So the last time Hankle turned the camera on and you appeared Grace was close enough to hear and knew something was wrong. Morgan wouldn't let her in the room. He was with her when Gideon came down the hallway and she knew from Gideon's face you were gone." Aaron told him.
Reid didn't speak for several long minutes. "Anna Grace knows I was dead for a short time?"
"Yes. I tried to keep her from seeing too much, but she was determined." Hotch replied.
Glancing down at his sleeping girlfriend, he commented, "No wonder she can't sleep."
"You both are going to need to time to deal with the last several days. Just remember we are all here for both of you if you need us." Hotch stood up putting a hand on Spencer's shoulder before moving back to his original seat on the plane. For the next two hours Spencer simply watched Anna Grace and thought about everything that had transpired over the course of the last few days. Grace meant the world to him and he tried to imagine what she had gone through thinking he was dead, even for a few minutes.
Later, as the plane touched down in Virginia, Spencer touched Grace's shoulder. "Anna Grace, we're landing." Rubbing her eyes Grace sat up groggily before turning to look at Spencer. "You didn't sleep did you?" she asked reaching out to brush a lock of his hair out of his face.
"No, I couldn't seem to fall asleep." Spencer knew that wasn't the total truth, but he didn't want to discuss why he couldn't sleep with the rest of the team close by. He and Anna Grace could discuss it later. "Let's get our things and head home." Nodding agreement Grace stood up and located her purse which was the only thing she had with her. Spencer retrieved his ever present messenger bag before returning to Grace and heading for the stairs. Spencer slowly made his way down the stairs followed by Grace who took his hand when they both reached the tarmac.