Chapter Three

Grace set the note down and without another word, left the room. J.J. looked at Reid with concerned eyes.

"You should make sure she stays calm Spence, she's going to be susceptible to any number of emotions, they might---" Reid interrupted,

"Throw her over the edge, I know…" J.J. gave a supportive smile and returned to the conference room in the back. Reid on the other hand, made his way into the bullpen, following Grace outside. When he reached her, he found her sitting on the steps of the department, knees tucked up under her chin, arms wrapped tightly around her legs. Reid slowly stepped down the stairs until he reached her. He sat next to her, silent.

Grace stared out across the parking lot. The sun was bright, a light breeze pulling at her already loose hair. The silence was deafening, and for a moment Reid felt they would remain silent like this. The moment passed when Grace spoke, her gaze still distant.

"I can't stand waiting like this, waiting for whoever took my baby to tell me what I have to do to get him back." Reid looked at her, he was a trained professional and yet he was finding it difficult to comfort this woman.

"Our profile is fairly indicative of a woman, a mother in fact. We're positive this means she won't hurt your son." Grace turned her head to look him in the eye.

"Can you guarantee that she won't hurt him?" Reid became quiet again; he couldn't guarantee his safety, no matter how much he wanted to.

"Grace… there's always a margin for error in profiling. We have very set guidelines with proven cases but—" Grace shifted her legs so she was facing him completely.

"Guidelines don't assure my son's safety Spencer." Before he could reply Grace's countenance changed completely. She was no longer fighting with herself to keep her emotions at bay. Her eyes filled with tears, Grace attempting to hide behind her hands.

"I'm sorry," she said as she wiped at her eyes harshly, "I hate it when I do this, I shouldn't be crying when I should be helping find Aydan." Reid reached out and rested a hand on her shoulder; he could feel the tremor rushing through her as she tried to control herself.

"Don't apologize Grace, if you bottle up what you're feeling—it won't help anyone." Grace looked away and gave a slight snort.

"I don't appear to be helping at all—I-I don't understand, how can someone do this to an innocent little boy." Reid shook his head, pulling his hand back from her shoulder to pick at a loose thread on his worn khakis.

"Sometimes it's a delusion, a person becomes so wrapped up in their own vendettas or fantasies they can't differentiate between right and wrong." Grace's eyes still wet from tears grew narrow, her range of emotion swinging from hopelessness to anger.

"According to these notes, this woman has a problem with me, she blames me for some reason, and instead of coming after me she abducted my son, she's got control of me through him, it's infuriating! What kind of person does that?" Reid gave her a half smile; he knew it wouldn't make a difference.

"A very disturbed person." Grace shook her head at his attempt to lighten the mood; it was just unfortunate that it wasn't a mood that could be lightened with jokes pertaining to someone's mental stability. Especially when that person was holding her son hostage.

"Thank you." Grace said softly, meeting Reid's gaze.

"For what?" he asked, knowing he had failed to make her feel any different about the situation.

"For understanding. So far, you've been the only one that I've felt comfortable showing how I truly feel. With the police, I'm afraid I'll say something wrong and they'll stop looking for the kidnapper-- with my parents I have to tread lightly—my mom feels responsible for Aydan's kidnapping… I haven't had a moment to be a mother and be afraid my little boy won't be coming home." She said, the thought of finding her son dead clearly passing through her head.

"Well, my job is to help find the person who did this, to catch them at their own game. I—appreciate your situation a little more than most." He said this with the utmost honesty. Having been abducted a few months before, he truly did understand the fear that went along with not knowing if one's life was going to be cut short or not. That fear had stayed with him since his rescue, nightmares and flashbacks dogging him wherever he went. Grace smiled, Reid knowing it would have been one of her most attractive features had she not been troubled with her son's disappearance.

"Well, thank you anyway." In a move that shocked Reid, Grace leaned across the space between them and hugged him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders and tightening. Reid was so taken aback he didn't know how to respond. After a moment he lifted his arms and hugged her back. It wasn't the first time he had been taken by surprise by a woman; a certain actress from his past came to mind. However, he found himself completely oblivious as to how to react. After a few seconds of discomfort, he found returning the gesture had become easier, he even began to enjoy giving comfort to someone, to her. They stayed like this until an older couple making their way up the steps of the police department caught Grace's attention.

"My parents." she said releasing Reid from her grasp. He leaned back and observed them, as they got closer. A tall man with dark hair, peppered with gray was holding the hand of the woman next to him. The woman had red hair just like Grace's, though hers was graying, alluding to her age. The woman was openly distraught, her face one of someone who blamed themselves for misfortune.

This was obviously Grace's mother.

The two stood to meet them as they got to the top of the steps. Grace rushed to them and was caught up in a tangle of arms as they held each other. Grace's mother pulled back, her eyes running mascara as her tears spilled over.

"We called the station as soon as we found the note, to let them know what it said." Grace wiped away the tears and black streaks on her mother's face, comforting her with a tight hug. The woman was inconsolable though, the guilt of her grandson being abducted while she watched him weighing heavily.

"I'd like you meet one of the special agents the FBI sent to help with Aydan's case." Grace said as she ushered her parents towards him.

"Mom, Dad, this is Dr. Spencer Reid, he's a member of the behavioral analysis unit," Reid immediately went to take the hand of Grace's father as the man offered it to him. "Spencer, this is my father Carl and my mother Katherine Wechsler." Reid shook hands with them both, retreating a few steps back to give the family space. Mrs. Wechsler looked at Reid pointedly, even with the recent loss of her grandson; Reid was reminded of his own mother, before the degradation of her mental health. He never could lie to her, and he was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to with this woman.

"Behavioral analysis—does that mean you can find the person who took little Aydan?" Reid stuttered with his answer a bit, trying to find a good way to say yes but let them know he couldn't tell the future.

"W-we're confident we have given an accurate profile and that the kidnapper has a plan that doesn't include harming your grandson." The woman eyed him, not unkindly, but very wary of putting the life of her grandchild in his hands. Grace took the silence as a sign to move into the office. She motioned her parents ahead of her, walking beside Reid. As they entered the building he felt Grace's hand slide into his. He looked at her, realizing she had finally relaxed around him. Her trust in him had come full circle, even in the short amount of time they had known one another.

It was the best news he had gotten so far.

Apparently that wasn't all. As Grace, her parents and Reid entered the chaos of the department once more, Gideon pushed passed several officers in his way, walking quickly to their little troop.

"Miss Wechsler, we're going to need your assistance." Grace let go of Reid's hand and met Gideon halfway.

"Of course, whatever you need." She followed Gideon's direction and disappeared into the conference room, her parents rushing after her. Reid drew up beside Gideon, his face questioning.

"What's going on?" Gideon met that questioning look with one of hard determination and hope.

"We may have found something."