(A/N: Ok here we go with the new chapter. Sorry if you got sent a lot of update alerts. There was a problem with editing and it wouldn't fix. Anyway, still lacking on those reviews people. I see the stats…I know you're reading. Just review already. Still from Reid's POV…sorry I just love the man. Many, many thanks to my "mega mommy" beta Adreon (who most of you know as gsandersfanatic from my first two stories). Doing this while taking care of an infant blows my mind. You rock chick.
Chapter 7: What If We're Too Late
When I returned to the hospital Annabelle and Greg were still asleep with Alex sucking his thumb soundly between them. Not wanting to disrupt progress I decided to settle down in the waiting room. It was times like this that reading 20,000 words a minute seemed a disadvantage. I finished the book I'd packed and two more from the gift shop by the time Greg joined me in the waiting room.
"Anna told me you could do that," he remarked at me reading.
I closed the book. "Yeah, it creeps most people out. When we were little she joked that I was part robot. For almost a year she called me…"
"Spencertron 9000," he laughed. "She told me."
I blushed. "What can I say, we were twelve," I laughed. "So, how's she doing?"
"Better," he sighed. "She's been sort of distant. I've been getting worried. The case was really getting her down before. She wasn't sleeping well and she was always so tired. Then when the twins went missing she stopped sleeping all together. I thought she was going to lose it, and then she called you. You guys showed up and everything started to look up." He glanced at the door to the room where his wife and son slept. "I mean, if I had it my way this wouldn't have happened at all but," he breathed deep, "the hospital beats the morgue any day."
"How about now," I asked. "Has she gotten better since Alex was found?"
"Little by little, though she didn't sleep willingly. In the end she didn't have a choice, she gave in to exhaustion."
"I'm sure things will get better now," I said, "now that Alex is reaching out."
Greg smiled. "I can't tell you what it was to wake up with him between us. I don't even know if she's noticed yet. I don't know what you did," he placed his hand on my shoulder, "but I don't know how to thank you."
"It wasn't me," I shrugged. "It was Alex. He was bound to come around sooner or later."
"So, what brings you back? More flash cards with Alex? I can wake him if you want."
"No," I stopped him, "we've gotten a sufficient amount of information from Alex. I actually came to fill you in on our progress."
"Progress," he said in shock. "You guys work fast. What have you got?"
"Well, from what Alex told us, we're dealing with a female."
Greg was floored.
"A woman," he stammered, "a woman is doing this? A woman is killing these kids."
"It's hard for sane people to imagine how a person could do this sort of thing," I explained, "even harder for a parent."
He sighed. "What else?"
"He said that the woman told Caroline to call her 'mommy' and she called Caroline by another name, though he couldn't tell me what it was. He said she 'painted' Caroline's hair."
Greg's fists clinched as he closed his eyes in anger.
"Painted? You mean dyed. She dyed my little girl's hair."
"To make her look like the others most likely."
"But why?"
I hesitated. I didn't want it to sound like I was trying to buy the unsub sympathy. "We believe that the unsub lost a child, age three, blonde hair, blue eyes. We think she is looking for a replacement for her child. When these girls don't live up to her expectations," I paused, "she disposes of them and finds another."
"This doesn't look good for her then does it," he asked in fear. "The others were found two to three days after they went missing. She's coming up on her third day."
"There is hope," I said trying to sound as confidant as possible. "We compiled a list of children matching the description that died in the last year. My team and your co-workers are following up on them now."
"That's good news," he sighed in relief. "That's really good news."
"What's good news," Annabelle said sounding more rested and cheerful then I'd seen her so far.
"They've got leads," Greg said standing to hug her. "Real leads."
"Are you serious," said hugging him back. "Spencer that's so wonderful." She rushed to hug me. "I knew I could count on you. I don't know how to thank you."
"Don't thank me," I insisted. "I didn't do anything. It was all Alex; he's a very brave little boy."
"I can't believe this," she said obviously not interested in the details at the moment. "I just…"suddenly she turned pale and grabbed her stomach. "I think I'm going to be sick," she said darting for the nearest bathroom.
"Was that Anna?" JJ said, walking up.
"Yeah," I said worried. "Would you mind going to check on her?"
"Sure," JJ said, going off in the direction Annabelle had run.
"This has really been getting to her," Greg said. "If things don't end soon I'm afraid she'll really make herself sick."
"I'm sure she's fine. All the stress of the situation and the excitement of finding Alex, it's a lot for her to handle."
After a couple minutes Annabelle returned with JJ close behind. Annabelle looked flushed and uneasy. I looked to JJ for an answer. She just shook her head and mouthed 'later'.
"Sorry about that," Annabelle said slightly embarrassed. "I guess finally eating a real meal then getting so much sleep got to me."
"Are you sure you're okay?" Greg asked.
"Yeah," she cleared her throat, "I'm fine." She looked to JJ. "Do you have news?"
JJ's expression fell. "More like lack of news."
Disappointment seemed to wash over them.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I wish I could tell you that our leads turned up something, but…"
"It's alright," Annabelle said solemnly. "If you'll excuse me I think need to check on Alex."
"Don't feel bad," Greg said after Annabelle had left. "You're trying. You've already gotten farther than we had. You'll find her." He looked at me. "I know you will."
He stood and went after his wife.
"I just feel so bad for them," JJ sighed.
"You feel bad," I ran my hands restlessly through my hair. "All I keep thinking is what if we're too late. What if we don't figure it out in time? I've raised their hopes so much. Not just Greg and Annabelle's, Alex's too. I told him that I would find his sister. What happens if I can't keep that promise?"
JJ put her hand on mine. "We just have to make sure we keep it. Besides, I'd hate to put Annabelle through anything else right now."
"Oh yeah," I said remembering her expression. "What's going on? She's alright, isn't she?"
"Reid," she said quietly clasping my hand. "I am swearing you to secrecy. If you utter one word of this to Greg I will kill you, and trust me, that would be a favor considering what Anna would do if she got to you first."
"I swear," I said seriously, "I won't say a word."
"Anna's pregnant."
"What? Really? When did she find out?"
JJ shushed me. "She found out the day before the twins were taken. She was planning on telling Greg that night but it just didn't seem right."
"He's going to figure it out sooner or later," I said knowingly. "Those close to you always seem to know."
She blushed slightly. "Be that as it may, that's her choice. She said I could tell you, but you are not to tell him. She'll tell him when she's ready."
"Alright," I said. "I promised I'd keep quiet and I will."
"Good."
"So," I said getting back to the situation at hand, "the leads didn't give us anything?"
"Unfortunately not," she groaned. "Janice Michelson, the mother of the girl with Leukemia seems very well adjusted considering. When she's not busy raising her other three children, she heads a charity for Leukemia awareness. She really seems to have turned her loss into an opportunity to help others."
"And the other mother?"
"Teresa Olson," she sighed, "not a happy ending like Mrs. Michelson, but an ending nonetheless. The 'death by negligence' charge came about because the girl, Katie, drowned in the bath tub. The mother put her in the tub for her bath then went to the bedroom to shoot up. By the time she remembered to check on Katie, she was already dead."
"And where is the mother now?"
"Died three months ago. She was in and out of treatment after Katie's death. On her last 'out' she overdosed in the same bathtub Katie died in."
I was numb. I had so hoped that this was the right direction.
Just then my cell phone beeped, alerting me to a new text message.
"Garcia thinks she's got something."
(Ta-da! Cliffhanger…maybe that will get your tongues wagging. Come one people…I'm giving you my best stuff here. I'm trying REALLY hard to impress you. Throw me a bone here. Anyway…there you have it…new chapter soon.)
