"You're sick of feeling numb
You're not the only one
I'll take you by the hand
And I'll show you a world that you can understand
This life is filled with hurt
When happiness doesn't work
Trust me and take my hand
When the lights go out you will understand"

-Pain by Three Days Grace

A beeping cellphone made Bella jump, as she sat on the red plush couch in the bright purple livingroom, reading a book Spencer had recommended. She looked over at the oak chest with drawes in the hallway, where her silver colored phone let out a blue light. She got up and the pink striped pajama pants fell down slightly at the bottom, almost covering her bare feet.

She walked over the yellow fluffy carpet and grabbed it. 3 Missed calls.

She frowned as she found it strange she hadn't heard any of the calls. Maybe she had accidently put it on vibration.

As she flipped the phone open, she also noticed someone had left a message on her voicemail. She figured it was Spencer, and smiled as she called her voicemail.

"Hello Belinda..." her smile faded and terror flooded through her body. "... daddy misses his little girl..."

The phone fell to the floor and Bella stood there, shivering in shock for several minutes, before she slid down the wall and onto the floor in tears. Reaching for the phone with a shaking had, she wondered who to call. She didn't want to be there all by herself.

Taking a deep breath, she looked up Penelope in the phonebook and pressed Call. It took a few seconds for her to answer.
"Penelope... I don't want to be alone, can I... Can I come?" she sobbed.

--------

Reid got very surprised when he saw Bella hurry down the hall and open the glass doors to the bulpen.

He was about to say hi, but she hurried past him, towards Garcia's office.
"Does girls do that alot?" he asked. Morgan looked over at the door where Bella had just entered and shrugged.
"Probably some girl problems" he said, taking a sip of his coffee. Reid took it for that and turned his attention back to his file. "... But, uh, she did look upset" Morgan continued.

Reid looked up again.

"At... At me?" Reid asked. Again, Morgan shrugged.
"I'm not a mind reader, Reid. Did you do something that would upset her?"

Reid slowly shook his head.
"I don't think so..."

Morgan walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Then it's probably something else, kid"

-------

"Bella, are you sure?" Penelope asked. Bella was pacing back and forth in the small office, obviously freaking out.
"Yes, call the voicemail yourself... But don't make me hear his voice again"

Bella sat down on the floor, leaning her back against the wall. She pulled her legs up and rested her forhead against her knees.

Penelope looked at her with worry, before she picked up the phone that Bella had thrown at her desk the minute she'd walked in there.

After a minute or two, Penelope slowly put the phone back down and sighed.
"Maybe you should tell the police..." Penelope began, but Bella shook her head.
"No... I mean I've got you, right, and... And I'll be safe"

She got up and started to pace back and forth again.
"Bella, I'm not allowed to carry a gun... Maybe you should at least tell Spencer about-"

"No!" Bella snapped and stared at her cousin. "I can't tell him abot this, because then I'll have to tell him why and I... I just can't..."

There was a moment of silence, before penelope spoke.
"Do you want me to do it for you?"

Bella's bottom lip shivered, and Penelope noticed her eyes were glazed.
"Penny it's not that, I just... I don't want him to think of me as weak"

She looked away. Garcia wrapped her arms around her.
"He would never do that, he's crazy about you" she said quietly. Bella pulled away and looked into her cousin's eyes.
"Could you see if you could trace the number and see if... How long I've got... I mean... If he's close"

It wasn't exactly a question, but Penelope understood Bella wanted some time to prepare for what to tell the man she was in love with. She nodded.
"Give me a second, alright" she said softly and typed in the phone number on her computer. It took a little over a minute to find it's location.

"So... Where is he?" Bella asked in a whisper, looking down at the floor. Penelope turned around in her seat and looked at her cousin.

"Texas... I don't think you should worry, but you have to tell Spence"

Bella nodded and took a deep breath, wiping her eyes, before she looked at Penelope.
"How do I look?"

Penelope smiled and let her eyes trace the white heels, light, stonewashed jeans, the bright cerise top and large silver earrings, before she nodded.

"Terrific" she said and shooed Bella out of there. "Now smile for your lover boy, I bet he's worried since you just ran past him and burst into my office"

Bella shook her head and giggled a little, before she left her cousin's office.

-------

Reid was busy talking to Morgan, and didn't notice that Bella was sneaking up on him with a finger pressed to her lips as she looked at Morgan. He smirked and pretended he didn't see her.
"Boo!"

She wrapped her arms around Reid's shoulders and giggled. He jumped and turned his head to look at her.
"Christ, Bella you scared me" he chuckled.
"Well, that was my plan" she said and gave him a quick kiss, before plopping down on his lap.
"Are you okay?" he asked her, and she looked at him in surprise.
"Yes, I'm fine. Girl problems" she answered, and Morgan pointed at Reid.
"Told ya"

Reid just shook his head and wrapped an arm around Bella's waist.

"So... No case today?" Bella asked, putting her hair up in a pony tail. Reid shook his head.
"Nope"

"You're in here, Bella, we're watchin' ya, the world is safe" Morgan joked, causing her to stick her tongue out at him.
"Watch out, Morgan, she bites" Reid said and Morgan covered his ears.
"Oh, man, I don't want to hear that"

Both Reid and Bella laughed at him and Bella playfully snapped her jaws at him.

The bulpen was something special. Usually the minimalistic design would scare her, but everytime she entered the building in Quantico, she could relax, and maybe it was all because she finally felt she belonged somewhere.