Hello everybody!

I started at a new school and my classmate (now roommate) made me watch this amazing show with her called "Person of Interest." Three seasons of binge watching later, I was in love.

NOTE: This is my first fic ever in this fandom and it is kinda AU, but I got the idea and just had to run with it.

A huge round of applause for my two bets, Wuchel1 and Dlldarkwolf, for their patience in helping a dyslexic college student with mental issues finish a multi-chapter story in a decent amount of time.

DISCLAIMER: As I have only known about the show for less than a year, there is no way I could possibly own anything connected to it.

Enjoy ...

Chapter 1

Grace Ellsworth leaned back into the hard cushions of her coach seat. Down below the endless sea of clouds was the Atlantic ocean; the only barrier that had been between her and her old life. A life when she was Grace Hendricks.

It was amazing how quickly everything had changed. One day she was just going along with her business, her largest concern being how she was going to pay her phone bill, then she was kidnapped and soon after whisked away to Italy with a new job. What exactly had happened, she didn't know, but she knew it had something to do with Harold.

The men who took her had asked about him. She didn't know why. After all, Harold was dead … at least, that's what she had thought. A friend's recent visit to New York had proven differently. An innocent photo, taken in the park by her old house, had turned Grace's world upside down.

He was there.

She didn't know what to think or what to feel when she saw his face in the background. Somehow, she had always known he was out there, just beyond her reach. But why? Why let her think he was dead?

He had tried to tell her once, reveal something about himself he was ashamed of. She had stopped him, told him that nothing he could say would make her stop loving him. It was true. Not even his apparent death had changed her feelings. She was just as in love with the man now as she had been on the day he opened a book to give her a ring.

Whatever had happened, they would work through it, together. Because once she found Harold, Grace was never going to let him go again.

Never.

*P*O*I*

Lionel Fusco looked over his latest piece of paperwork, or should he say his partner's paperwork. He was going to have a serious talk with Wonder-Boy about this. He was a homicide detective, not a secretary. Next case, Tall-Dark-and-Fearsome was doing the paperwork. ALL of it.

"Detective Fusco?"

He looked up to see a red haired woman who looked pretty upset. Then again, most people who went looking for a homicide cop were. But most of them were more sad or angry, this girl was frustrated. On top of that, he could have sworn he had seen her somewhere before.

"Yeah," he muttered in greeting, motioning her to have a seat. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for Detective Stills."

"I'm afraid he hasn't worked here in years."

"Yes, I know. I meant the other Detective Stills. I met with him less than a year ago."

Great, she was one of theirs.

"Just a minute."

Lionel pulled out his cell and found the right number. It only rang twice before a familiar dry tone came on the line. Did that guy ever feel stress?

"Yes Lionel?"

"Someone's here looking for Detective Stills."

"That may be difficult, since he's dead."

"Yeah, but she says she talked to him less than a year ago. Ring any bells now, Fancy-Pants?"

"I'll be right there."

The call ended without another word, which was typical considering who he was talking to. But what was he gonna do with the girl until Wonder-Boy showed up? Commandeering an interrogation room for maximum privacy, just in case, he figured the least he could do was make her comfortable … as comfortable as you could be in an interrogation room, anyway.

"Anything I can get for you, Miss …"

"Ellsworth. Grace Ellsworth, and no, I'm okay."

Ellsworth? The name didn't ring a bell, but still she seemed really familiar. Thus began the awkward waiting period; Lionel trying to recognize her on one side of the table, the girl avoiding eye contact on the other. He gave her a smile, she gave him one, and then they switched to staring at inanimate objects; him at his coffee and her at her diamond ring. Engagement probably, since it was missing a second band. Then again, maybe the groom could only afford one ring. Of course if he could only afford one ring, he probably would have downsized on the rock a bit. That had to be at least a full carat. Look at him; from vice to homicide to jeweler. Mr. Sunshine better get here soon.

"You don't remember me, do you?" she asked, twisting a ring around her finger.

"No, sorry."

"It's okay, it's been a while and you probably see a hundred people a week."

"Give or take."

She gave him half a smile, but didn't offer anymore information. So, he went back to his cold coffee and she went back to spinning her ring. Awkward silence was an understatement. When Tall-Dark-and-Absent finally did show up, he was doing all the paperwork for the next month. Luckily, it was only ten more minutes of awkward silence before he came through the door. Only.

"Detective," Miss Ellsworth exclaimed, rising to her feet.

For once, the ever-stoic John Reese looked completely shocked. Clearly there was some sort of history here, as well as the perfect opportunity to snap a picture of the Ice Man looking less than cool. The click of the phone seemed to break the trance, as well as earn Lionel a brief glare from his partner, but it served him right for leaving him to do all the work.

"Hello, Grace. Why aren't you in Italy?"

"Wait," Lionel interrupted. "You're that Grace?"

"Yes, um … I know you told me not to look back, but … this is gonna sound crazy."

She cut herself off, quickly turning the ring on her finger, while Lionel tried to think back to what had happened last year. Something had gone down with some pretty shady characters and Grace somehow got caught up in the middle of it. No one had bothered to give him any details, but something made this girl important enough for Glasses to turn himself over to the enemy. It must have been something pretty crazy to get her to come back after an experience like that.

"What is it?" his partner pressed.

"I think my fiancé is in New York."

"How is that crazy?" Lionel questioned.

"Because Harold died four years ago."

Harold? As in Glasses? Mr. Vocabulary had a fiancée? Lionel looked over at his partner, but the wall was back up. No answers from there. Either he didn't know himself, which was unlikely, or this was just one of the many things that he and his boss had deemed unnecessary to tell him about.

"What makes you think he is still alive?"

"I have a picture that one of my friends took last month," Grace explained, pulling a photograph out of her purse. "They were at the park right outside my old house. See? There's Harold in the background."

Deciding not to bring up how much of a creeper Glasses was for stalking his ex's old house, while she was out of the country, Lionel looked over the picture. Sure enough, there was their mutual friend sitting on a park bench in his trademark coat and hat. They were lucky that this picture had gone to Italy and not their enemies, but usually he was more careful than this.

"Are you sure this is him?"

"Of course I am," she shot back, sounding slightly offended. "Don't you think I would know my own fiancé? I mean, look at this."

She pulled a framed picture from her purse. This one was very clearly their friend in glasses, though he was hardly recognizable with that big smile on his face. Then again, if Lionel had a girl that looked like Grace kissing his cheek, he would be smiling too.

"Now are you gonna try to tell me that is not the same man?" she demanded, putting the pictures side by side.

His partner stayed silent for a minute before excusing himself to 'make a few calls,' and by 'few' he meant one. Though he would love to listen in on that call, the detective stayed behind with Miss Ellsworth. He was still trying to get over that fact that this girl, this girl, was once engaged to their very own Mr. Reclusive. How does that even happen? Lionel was far more outgoing, and he was lucky just to get a second date.

"I know that look," she murmured, pulling him from his thoughts. "You think I'm crazy."

"No," he replied with what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "I was just wondering—never mind."

"You were wondering why I would fall for a guy like Harold?"

"Well … yeah," Lionel admitted. "I just wish I knew his secret."

"Ice cream in January."

"Come again?"

"We met in the park by my house. Harold bought me a vanilla ice cream cone from the vendor, even though there was snow on the ground," she answered with a soft smile. "It was just one of those first impressions you never forget."

It sure sounded like it. It also sounded completely different from his own first impression of the guy. A faceless voice on the phone was far less endearing than an ice cream cone in the park, snow or not. Still, he could see why it worked for Glasses, but something told him that particular situation was a one time thing. Some guys had all the luck.

"Grace," Wonder-Boy called, stepping back into the room, "you need to come with me. You too Lionel."

"Where are we going?" she asked, gathering her things.

"I need to take you somewhere safe."

"Safer than a police station?"

"Sweetheart," Lionel chuckled, "you have no idea."

So? What do you think of chapter 1? See any problems on the horizon?

Stay tuned for chapter 2! :)