A/N: This is a really long chapter because I couldn't figure out a good place to split it in half. Enjoy! Review if you feel so moved.
CHAPTER VII
Saturday night Grace dressed carefully before leaving to go to the restaurant to meet Nathanial. She was anxious and worried about how the evening would go, but she knew it was time to end her relationship with Nate. She had been intending to do this for a long time and had just never worked up the courage to do so. Grace also knew that if she had any hope of her and Spencer getting together, she had to end things with Nate.
Grace arrived before Haley and Aaron, but noted that Penelope and Derek had already arrived and were sitting at the bar having drinks. Grace knew Spencer was nearby, but she wished he was there with her. "Everything will be fine Anna Grace." Grace jumped slightly when she heard the very voice she wanted to hear in ear. "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you."
"It's ok Spencer, I'm just not use to basically hearing your voice inside my head." Glancing around she said, "Where are you anyway? I gather you can see me."
Smiling to himself at the look of confusion on her face he said, "Close enough to be there if you need me, but not close enough for Nathanial to notice me."
Smiling, Grace turned to look for Spencer out the window and found herself face-to-face with Nate. "Breathe Grace, everything will be fine," Spencer said. She smiled at his use of her middle name, causing Nate to think she was smiling at him.
"Hello love," Nate said, leaning down to kiss Grace's cheek. Grace cringed internally but smiled and said, "Evening Nate."
"Come on, I've got the car waiting."
Confused, Grace looked up at Nate saying, "What are you talking about? We're eating here. I made reservations and everything."
"Not tonight darling. Tell them we aren't going to be staying so they can give our table away. I have a very special surprise planned for you. Come on."
"Nate, please, I really like this place. Can't we just stay here?" As she finished speaking, she felt Nate grip her upper arm hard as he leaned down to her ear and quietly said, "We're leaving. Don't cause a scene or you will regret it. Do I make myself clear?" Wincing, Grace nodded, not saying anything. Propelling her to the door, the hostess was completely forgotten. Nate didn't see the couple entering as he and Grace left. Aaron gave Grace a look as she was forced out the door. She had a panicked deer-caught-in-the-headlights look as she passed him. Nate was so focused on getting Grace out of the restaurant and into his car he didn't even notice that they were passing her brother and sister-in-law.
Finally, she heard Spencer's voice again, "Breathe Grace, and listen to me. I will lose the audio if you get in his car and get out of range. Try to find out where he's taking you before that so I, we, can follow you." Knowing she couldn't verbally answer, but that Spencer could still see her, Grace simply nodded as Nate turned at the corner of the building dragging her along with him.
"Good, now try to find out where you are going while I tell the others what's going on."
Grace nodded again as she heard a slight click from her ear piece. They had set the communication devices up in such a way that only Spencer could hear everyone. Grace could hear only Spencer, thus avoiding chatter that could cause her to lose focus on her conversation with Nathanial.
"Nate, please let go of my arm, you're really hurting me. Stop, please. Just tell me . . . where are you taking me?"
Yanking her around to face him, he said, "Why does it matter where we are going, sweetheart? I have a very special evening planned for you. Don't you trust me?"
"Lately, no." She understood Nate's meaning of special. He'd been annoyed at first and later angry at her refusal to sleep with him. Grace tried to pull away from Nate as she answered him. She was terrified to go any further with him.
Nate squeezed her arm harder and reached up and grabbed Grace by the hair on the back of head, but did it in such a way that it wasn't noticeable to the casual observer. It appeared that all he was doing was preparing to kiss his girlfriend. Spencer, who had just cut back over to Anna Grace's communication device knew, even though he couldn't see what was happening, that Nate was hurting Anna Grace because of her sharp intake of air, and he couldn't do a damn thing about it.
"Grace, darling, why exactly would that be?" Nate asked, twisting her hair and causing her to wince again in pain.
"Nate, please, stop, you're hurting me. That's why I don't trust you. Why do you think hurting me is necessary? You never use to treat me this way. OW! Please, please, just stop."
"I have to keep you in line somehow sweetheart."
"No, you don't." Taking a deep breath Grace continued, "It's over Nathanial. I don't want to see you anymore. Now let me go."
"It will be over when I say it's over."
Grace was starting to wonder if they had walked too far beyond whereever it was Spencer was watching from, not to mention where the heck were her brother and Morgan? There was a crackling noise in her ear before she heard, "Anna Grace, if you can hear me, cough. Hang on, I'll be there in just a minute. Hotch and Morgan. I see them. They are down one of the side streets. I promise you'll be fine Anna Grace. Whatever you do, don't get in his car."
Coughing, Grace, breathed a sigh of relief; the cavalry was on its way.
"No Nate, it's . You're angry all the time, you've become increasingly more violent, with me and I don't want to be with you any longer." Grace said. "Now let me go."
Nate slammed Grace against the brick wall behind her, put one arm across her throat, and slipped his free hand under the hem of her shirt. Grace clawed at his arm as he cut off her air supply and struggled to stop him from running his had further up her body. "Let her go."
Turning his head, Nate, removed his hand from under Grace's shirt and saw a gun leveled at his head. "Oh, it's you again. Get lost before you get hurt."
"That's not going to happen. I'm not leaving without Anna Grace. Now, let her go." By the time Spencer finished speaking, Aaron and Morgan were flanking him with their guns drawn as well. Haley and Penelope were further back down the block. Grace was desperately tearing at Nate's arm by that time because she couldn't breathe. She was becoming increasingly more frantic as her vision was going fuzzy around the edges. Eyeing the trio for several seconds, Nate finally backed off releasing the pressure on Grace's throat. Sucking in air, she started coughing and feeling as if she was going to be sick. Aaron and Morgan got Nate to the ground and were handcuffing him. Spencer holstered his gun and moved swiftly to reach Grace.
Grace was bent over when Spencer got to her. Raising her head, she smiled wanly as she reached to him. Spencer caught her as she started to black out. With his right arm around her waist, Grace instinctively laid her head on his chest. "Anna Grace, look at me. Are you ok?" Looking up at him, all she could do was nod. "Let me look at your neck." He tipped her head back gently with his free hand and examined the area. "It's already starting to bruise. I think we need to take you to the hospital to have it checked."
Grace tried to speak, but couldn't get the words out because her throat hurt so bad. Finally she croaked, "No, I'll be fine. I don't want to go to the hospital."
"Grace, Reid is right, we're taking you to the hospital when we get done with him," Aaron ordered from beside the patrol car that had appeared.
"You're leaving me for that complete dweeb? You'll regret this Gracie. I'll make you regret your decision. And you, you dweeb, you better watch your back man. You'll pay for taking her away from me." Nathanial yelled as they put him in the back of the patrol car.
With her voice cracking and throat burning, Grace retorted, "I'd rather be with this complete dweeb as you call him than a brute like you. He's a better man than you could ever hope to be, Nate. Smart, kind, funny, considerate, in short everything you are not. And just for the record, we are just friends. Spencer had nothing to do with me leaving you. You lost me all on your own."
Surprised by Grace's vehement defense of him, Spencer glanced down at her and caught sight of the fierceness in her eyes. She was defending him, again. He was pleased, but confused as to why a beautiful girl like Grace, who could be with anyone she wanted, would want to be with someone like him even, it was just hypothetically speaking.
While Spencer was helping Grace and checking her injuries, Haley and Penelope hurried down the street to the rest of the group. They were watching how the pair interacted and were thinking that if they ever figured out how they felt about each other that Grace and Spencer would be so good together. The way they complimented each other was so sweet, and neither seemed to realize it. Haley and Penelope turned and smiled knowingly at one another. Haley wondered if Aaron had noticed Spencer and Grace's mutual feelings and what kind of impact that would have on them all working together.
"This is turning into a bit of a habit, you rescuing me," Grace managed to whisper, completely ignoring everything else around them. She had laid her head back on Spencer's shoulder after her little tirade. Spencer tightened his hold on her. He had been so terrified he wouldn't make to her in time. Spencer smiled into her hair as he impulsively kissed the top of her head, so lightly Grace didn't even realize what he was doing. He was so grateful that she wasn't hurt worse. He glanced up to see Penelope and Haley watching him and smiling. He knew they'd seen the kiss. Self-consciously, he coughed and said, "Anna Grace, let's get you in a car and to the hospital."
The ER was packed when Spencer and Grace arrived. Spencer found a small couch for them to sit on after they checked in at the front desk. Sitting down, Grace curled up next to Spencer, laid her head on his shoulder, and drifted off to sleep. Spencer glanced down at her hand resting on his knee and gently picked it up and rubbed her palm with his thumb.
When Aaron, Haley, Penelope, and Derek showed up to join them, they found Grace still sleeping with her head on Spencer's shoulder and Spencer still holding her hand. No one seemed surprised at the way in which the young pair were sitting on the couch. It further confirmed the suspicions they each had regarding Spencer and Grace's feelings for each other. Aaron had questions for both of them, but knew now was not the time. Putting that aside, Aaron sat down with the rest of the group across from Spencer and Grace to wait.
While they waited, Grace's breathing became labored and Spencer became concerned that her throat was swelling shut because of the bruising. As Hotch went to inform the front desk of the change, Spencer gently tried to wake Grace but wasn't able to rouse her. "Anna Grace, look at me please. Grace. Grace, wake up."
Spencer became alarmed when Anna Grace didn't respond to him. Morgan helped him lay her down on the couch as Aaron came back with a nurse who checked her vitals and immediately called for a gurney to get Grace into an exam room. Spencer stood watching helplessly as the hospital staff took Anna Grace away.
Spencer paced the waiting area for what seemed like hours while waiting for news of Anna Grace's condition. When the group was finally allowed to see Grace, the doctors had her sedated, but she was breathing more normally with the help of a breathing tube. Spencer touched her face gently before sitting down beside the bed and picking up her hand to hold it. The rest of the group just watched. Haley turned to see Aaron's reaction and realized that he already knew Spencer had feelings for his sister. Smiling, she touched Aaron's arm. Looking down at his wife, he knew from the smile on her face that she realized Reid cared more for Grace than even Reid himself knew or fully understood.
"The doctor said it will be a while before Grace wakes up. You should all get some rest and come back tomorrow; I'll stay with her overnight," Aaron said looking away from Haley to the rest of the group.
Spencer looked up from where he was sitting and said, "No you and Haley should go home to Jack. He needs you both. I can stay with Anna Grace tonight." Turning back to Grace, he didn't see the looks exchanged between the other two couples. Spencer was lightly stroking Grace's hand and talking to her about whatever popped into his head.
Haley squeezed Hotch's hand and nodded. "Are you sure you don't mind staying with her overnight Reid?" Hotch ask.
"I don't mind at all. We'll be fine. Go on home and get some rest. I'll keep her safe," Spencer replied without looking up.
Morgan raised an eyebrow at Hotch who shrugged saying, "Ok, but call if anything changes."
Spencer merely nodded and continued his one sided conversation with Anna Grace. As Morgan left, he squeezed Spencer's shoulder saying, "Hey kid, she'll be ok. She's a Hotchner. They're tough" Hotch and Haley smiled at Morgan's comment, but there was no response from Spencer.
As Garcia headed for the door, she stopped where Spencer could see her and told him, "I'll bring breakfast for you in the morning. Call me if either of you need anything."
"Thanks Garcia."
Once everyone was gone, Spencer looked at Grace saying, "Anna Grace, you have to get better. This is all my fault. I promised you everything would be fine and that I'd be there if you needed me. You needed me, and I failed you. I shouldn't have ever let him leave the restaurant with you. I'm so sorry. You are the best thing that's happened to me in a long time. I've never had a friend quite like you. I don't want to lose you. Please, just wake up so I know you're ok."
Morgan had come back to the room to retrieve the jacket he had left on the chair and had inadvertently overheard Spencer's speech to Grace. Rather than let him know that he had been overheard, Morgan left his jacket where it was, it could wait until tomorrow. The kid had it bad and didn't even realize it.
When Morgan rejoined Garcia down the hall she said, "Where's your jacket? I thought you went back to get it."
Grinning like a cat that had just caught a fat canary Morgan said, "I did, but I couldn't walk in after overhearing Reid talking to Grace." Morgan explained what he had heard and Garcia smiled in agreement that not letting Spencer know he'd been overheard was for the best.
Hospital staff came in and out of the room frequently checking Grace's vitals. Each of them reminded Spencer that when Grace woke she wasn't to try to talk. After the third nurse came and went, Spencer stood and turned off the lights. Sitting down, Spencer ran his hand through his hair before lapsing into his habit of chewing on his thumb when thinking. Watching Anna Grace sleep, he questioned why he felt so strongly about what had happened to her. Sure, they were friends, but should he have felt like punching the creep for harming Anna Grace? He'd never felt like that when any of the team, all of whom he considered friends, had been hurt on the job. He had felt a visceral desire to hurt Nathanial because of what he had done to Anna Grace. Then, when the hospital staff took her away, he had felt an indescribable void. Truth be told, he had been terrified. What if she had died? It would have been his fault because he had made the wrong decision, and he wouldn't have been able to do anything to stop it.
Late in the night Spencer fell asleep with his head resting on the bed next to Grace while still holding her hand. Grace began to wake from the sedatives they gave her when she was intubated. She was groggy and unsure of where she was. The last thing she remembered was being in the waiting room sitting next to Spencer. As she became more aware of her surroundings, she realized she couldn't talk and there was something blocking her mouth. She started to panic and reached up to figure out what was wrong. Her movements woke Spencer, who had gone unnoticed to that point by Grace. Sitting up, he swiftly noticed that Grace was reaching for the tubing that was helping her breath and that she was panicking.
"Anna Grace! Stop!" Standing, he got hold of her hands and stopped her before she could pull on breathing tube. She continued to struggle with him not realizing who he was until Spencer said, "Anna Grace, please stop. It's Spencer. Stop fighting me. Look at me. GRACE!"
Grace stopped struggling when the person holding her arms shouted her name. Finally focusing on who was talking to her, she realized it was Spencer who had her hands pinned to the bed and was standing beside her. "Anna Grace you're ok. Listen to me. You can't talk, so don't try to, ok?" When she indicated she understood he sat down continuing, "You stopped breathing while we were waiting for a doctor to see you. Your throat is bruised and had swelled cutting off your air supply. The swelling should go down by tomorrow and if it does they will take the tube out."
Grace's eyes showed a variety of emotions and Spencer could tell she really wanted to respond but couldn't. As tears of frustration slipped down her cheeks, Spencer brushed them away saying, "You're safe and the damage isn't lasting. What is it?" Grace had started making motions with her hands. "You want something to write with?" Grace nodded. Taking the pen and paper he found she wrote,
Thank you for being here with me.
Spencer smiled at Grace. She tried to smile but she couldn't quite pull it off with the breathing tube in taped in her mouth.
How long have you been here?
"All night. I volunteered to stay."
Why?
Glancing away from her, Spencer coughed saying, "I feel responsible for you being here. I wasn't there when you needed me. If I had gotten to you sooner, you wouldn't have been hurt." As he finished, he looked back at her to gauge her reaction. Grace was giving him a look that Spencer interpreted as, 'This is not your fault.'
"It is my fault. I should never have let him take you out of the restaurant without immediately coming after you."
Shaking her head Grace quickly scribbled another note.
Spencer, you're being silly. Nate did this to me, not you. If you hadn't been there and gotten to me when you did, who knows what would have happened. You said it yourself, I'm going to be ok.
Finishing her note she handed it to him and laid a hand on his. They sat in silence for several minutes before Grace indicated she needed the paper back.
I'm still groggy and really tired. I think I'm going to sleep some more.
Spencer read what she was writing and nodded saying, "That would probably be a good idea." She jotted another note to him.
You have to be tired from sitting up with me. You can lay down beside me while I rest the bed is plenty big.
Grace looked away from Spencer as he read what she wrote.
Clearing his throat, Spencer wasn't sure what to say. Grace waited a few minutes and when he didn't respond, she nudged him with her knee. Looking down at her he said, "What was that for?" The look she gave him said, really? You can't be seriously asking me that question. "Fine. It's because I haven't responded to your note." He glanced down at the note that she wrote in response.
We have a winner.
Laughing, he could see the humor in her eyes as she tried to smile. "Ok smarty pants. But if we get caught I'm blaming you."
Grace nodded and slid over so that he could lay down beside her. "Turn on your side slightly if you can." Doing as he told her, Grace felt Spencer carefully get into bed with her so as to not jostle her too badly. Impulsively, he slipped an arm around her waist and just as impulsively Grace placed a hand over Spencer's and squeezed it lightly.
"Good night Anna Grace." In response, Grace leaned back against Spencer and pulled his arm tighter around herself.
Holding Anna Grace as she drifted back to sleep, Spencer's thoughts were all jumbled. He knew what they were doing was wrong. Anna Grace was Hotch's little sister and she was vulnerable right now. But it felt so right to hold her close as she slept. Spencer was unsure what exactly that meant for himself, for Anna Grace, or for their friendship. As Grace settled back into the bed, the last thing she thought was how nice it was to feel Spencer's arm around her as she went to sleep.
The following morning Garcia came backing into Grace's room carrying an oversized bag and two coffees. She was chattering to Derek, who was behind her, as she entered the room and didn't initially notice the twosome sleeping in Grace's bed. When she turned, Garcia noted that the chair that Spencer had been in last night was empty. "Morgan, where's Reid?" Garcia asked confused. Through the semi-darkened room she saw him . . . more precisely, them. "Oh! OH! Turn around and wait outside Morgan," Garcia said, shoving Morgan out of the room.
Quietly walking to the bed, Penelope put her bag down in the chair and the coffees on the nightstand. "What was that for?" Morgan questioned coming back in the room. "Morgan!" Garcia hissed. "Garcia, what's wrong, where's Reid?" He already had his hand on his gun thinking something was wrong. Glancing around the room Morgan located Spencer's recumbent form in Grace's bed. Eyebrows shooting up Morgan looked at Garcia mouthing, "Wow!"
"Out," was all Garcia said, shooing him back towards the door. Morgan raised his hands in defense and went back outside. Turning back to the bed, Penelope gently touched Reid's shoulder, "Reid rise and shine. Reid, time to wake up." There was no reaction from him. Leaning down to whisper in his ear, Penelope said, "Spencer, Hotch is on his way up in the elevator and he knows you are sleeping with his sister."
"What?!" Spencer bolted upright. Rubbing his eyes, he turned to look at Garcia, who was trying not to laugh at the look of absolute terror on Reid's face. Seeing the look on Garcia's face and realizing she was messing with him, he angrily whispered, "Not funny Garcia."
"I'm sorry Reid. Truly, I am, but I tried waking you up gently and it didn't work. I didn't have long to get you awake before Morgan comes charging back in here." She explained.
"What do you mean 'back in here'? He's already been in here?" Spencer said swinging his legs off the bed and standing up, leaving Grace asleep on the bed.
"I tried to prevent him from coming in but, well, you know Morgan."
"I knew something like this would happen."
"What exactly did happen?" Garcia asked.
"Nothing happened Garcia, I'm not having this conversation with you. Even if something had happened, that would be between Anna Grace and me." Spencer was uncomfortable with the direction this conversation was taking.
"Cool it Reid, I'm not asking for details. It was more of a general question of how the evening went. I'm guessing that Grace woke up at some point, because I can't see you just climbing in bed with her."
Blushing furiously, Reid merely nodded in acknowledgment before saying, "She did. We talked. She offered to share the bed so that I could get some rest too. Here's the notes that Anna Grace wrote since she can't talk right now."
"I don't need to read them. Spencer, I know you would never force yourself on Grace, but you might want to get rid of those so that Hotch doesn't find out."
Spencer nodded, putting the paper in his pocket. "You might as well let Morgan in now because I don't want to go through answering questions about last night more times than I have too."
Opening the door Garcia motioned Morgan in. The three of them talked quietly by the door so as to not wake Grace. Spencer explained what had happened when Grace woke up during the night and how he had come to be in the hospital bed with her. While they were chatting, Grace began to stir. Shifting, she noticed that the warmth she had felt during the night was gone. Tuning over, Grace realized that she and Spencer were no longer alone in the room. The identical looks that Garcia and Morgan were giving her told her that she and Spencer had been caught. Groaning inwardly, she looked at Spencer. Flustered and uncomfortable didn't fully cover his posture and facial expression. Now that Grace was awake, the trio made their way over to her beside.
"Hey, little Hotch, how are you feeling this morning?" Derek asked her.
Shrugging and making sleepy motions with her hands, Grace looked to Spencerto translate what she was saying. Sitting on the bed next to her, Spencer was holding her hand and looking at Grace when he said, "Anna Grace says she's ok but still sleepy."
Morgan and Garcia exchanged glances that Spencer missed but Grace saw. She knew that look. As soon as they could, they were going to grill her as to what exactly had occurred during the night. They had not only caught them sleeping on her bed together, but had noted their ability to communicate without words.
As the morning, wore on the rest of the team dropped by at different times to see Grace and spend time with her. Spencer was never far from her side. He hovered around her translating her hand motions and facial expressions for the others. Aaron watched Grace and Spencer thinking that someday Reid might just end up being his brother-in-law. He could tell that Spencer cared much more for Grace than as a casual friend. He was incredibly protective of her and was doing everything he could to make her comfortable. Smiling slightly, Hotch informed the pair he was going to get some coffee before heading out the door to give them a little bit of privacy.
As the door shut behind Hotch, Spencer sat down at the head of the bed so Grace could lean back against him while no one else was in the room. He was talking quietly to Grace while she was scribbling on the note pad someone had brought to her. Reading the note over her shoulder, he started laughing before leaning down to whisper something in her ear in response. Emily and JJ had come back carrying lunch for everyone and witnessed the tender moment between the youngest members of the group. Glancing at each other they shrugged their shoulders before JJ said, "Hey Spence, Grace. We brought lunch. Where is everyone?"
Spencer blushed, knowing that JJ and Emily were curious as to why he and Anna Grace were sitting together on her hospital bed. "Hotch went to get some coffee and I'm not sure where Morgan and Garcia disappeared to. Oh, Gideon called. He said would stop by later."
"Well, they can get their food when they get back," Emily said. "I'm starving and not waiting on them." JJ pulled Spencer's food from the bag and placed it on the rolling bedside tray, moving it closer so he could stay where he was to eat. Both Grace and Spencer smiled their thanks to her.
Sometime during the day, a deck of cards was produced and Spencer proceeded to do a few of his magic tricks for Grace and the others. All things considered, Grace was in pretty good spirits. She couldn't really smile, but her eyes were bright and she seemed to be enjoying the tricks Spencer was doing. After a while, it was suggested that the team play cards together. Grace indicated that she would rather watch than play and so those who were playing set up the game on the small side table in her room. Spencer and Morgan took seats near Grace's bed and were talking. Before long the low hum of conversation amongst the group began to lull Grace to sleep. Spencer glanced over from his conversation with Morgan and realized that Grace was sleeping peacefully.
"She is so beautiful." SHocked he said that out loud, he stared Morgan down and said,"Not a word Morgan."
"It's ok kid. If you want to talk I'm here, but if you don't, well, that's ok too." Reid's comment confirmed Morgan's suspicions regarding the younger agent's feelings for Grace. He would love to tease him a bit more, but decided that after what had happened in the past twenty-four hours now was not a good time.
For a long while neither man said anything. Both were lost in their thoughts. Morgan knew he couldn't tell Spencer what he knew regarding Grace's feelings for the young genius. He wanted to help the two of them find their way to each other but he couldn't betray Grace's secret even in an effort to bring them together. Spencer was debating internally whether to seek advice from his friend. He felt adrift lately.
"I really didn't mean to say that out loud, but because I did I guess it wouldn't hurt to have someone to talk with about the situation." Pausing, Spencer collected his thoughts before continuing, "When I'm around Anna Grace, my thoughts get all fuzzy. It's like I can't think straight. It confuses me and I'm not really sure what it means. I mean, I have other friends who are girls and I don't have this issue with them. There's just something about her, Morgan."
Morgan placed a hand sympathetically on Reid's shoulder saying, "I know I've been giving you a hard time about having a crush on Grace, but Spencer, I really do think you are developing feelings beyond friendship for her. Of course, only you know for sure, but if you do have those kinds of feelings for Grace, talk to her about it. That fuzzy confused feeling is fairly normal when you like someone as more than a friend. All joking and teasing aside, I'm here for you, anytime. Grace is a great gal and you guys seem to get along very well. And she brings you out of your shell."
Spencer nodded once at what Morgan said without responding. He sat for a long while just watching Grace sleep, thinking about what Morgan had said.
