Chapter Seven

"In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they were not." Matthew 2:18

Night had fallen. As the darkness deepened so did the despair in hearts around the world.
The United States was a nation in mourning. Mourning for her children.
As reports of the death toll had risen throughout the day all hope had disappeared. Simultaneous terrorist attacks had been carried out in ten states. 415 people had been killed. 292 children ages ranging from three-months to eighteen years and 123 adults had been gunned down in cold blood by Islamic terrorists. Six bombs had exploded.
The world would never again be the same.

Jack and Sue Hudson operated on autopilot as they quietly moved through their dark house, laying their sleeping sons in bed. Exhaustion had won out for the boys and they had finally fallen asleep; their eyelashes still wet with tears. D and Donna had urged Jack and Sue to spend the night at their house, but they had wanted to go home.

Home.
This morning their house had been a home; full of light, warmth, laughter, and love. Now it felt like just a house.
Cold. Dark. Empty.
The sparkle that had danced through their lives and bound them all together was gone.

Demetrius Gans held his weeping wife in his arms after calling and giving both of his college-age kids the news. The sound of their sobs still rang in his ears and he wanted nothing more than to hold them once again.

Myles Leland the Third sat in his leather recliner; silent tears sliding down his face as his wife's soft violin music drifted through the house. Eighteen-month old Melody and four-month old Harmony were asleep in his arms, but he could not bring himself to let them go.

Bobby Manning felt as though he would collapse from the weight of the pain pressing down upon him as he entered the living room after putting Robert and Kyra to bed.
Tara was sitting on the couch with Stanley, whose eyes were still wide-open.
He raised a questioning eyebrow at her and she shook her head. Bobby sighed heavily, feeling more helpless than he ever had before.
Five-year old Stanley had not spoken one word since being found clutching the bloody, lifeless body of his friend.

Josiah Carter eyed his roommate with concern as they entered their dark apartment. He was afraid that this would be the blow that would finally crush the young man.
"Hey, Einstein." He spoke softly. "You want to talk or watch a movie or something?"
Murdoch shook his head and continued down the hallway toward his bedroom; each step seeming to be an effort.
Josiah sighed. Hearing the lock click on his friend's door, he gave up and pulled on his running clothes; wondering if he could run fast enough to escape the memory of Anna Grace's lifeless body.

Spencer Reid slowly hung up his phone; tears filling and escaping his hazel eyes too quickly for him to control. He groaned and leaned over; his thin body shaking.
"Reid?" Derek Morgan jumped up from his desk and hurried over.
"What is it, kid?" He asked gently as the other BAU agents stopped their work and turned toward their friends in concern. Spencer gasped for breath and raised his head just enough for his voice to be heard.
"Anna Grace is gone."