Thanks so much for your reviews! I actually wrote this on Sunday but have spent the last couple of days tweaking it. I had an image in my mind for this chapter and I think it's as close as I can get to it. Let me know if you like it! P.S. I don't want there to be a controversy over what Grace did- it's just part of her past, not a means of me starting a political debate. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it :D

Grace

I was finally allowed to go home in the morning, after getting only a few hours of sleep.

"I'll drive you," Derek said as he put away the cot.

Why was I letting him do this? I should tell him off, save him from me, but I just couldn't.

I had no one else.

Derek

She didn't say anything as the nurse checked her vitals and led her to the wheelchair.

I knew she would have argued if she was really herself, but she was silent.

How was I supposed to help her? I couldn't even help myself.

We finally reached the car and I brought the wheelchair back to the hospital.

When I got into the driver's seat, Grace was curled up in the other seat, staring straight ahead.

Grace

The next week dragged on. Hotch wouldn't let me go back to work, saying that I needed my rest.

This sucked. I stayed in my house, cleaning and cleaning.

While my house had never looked this good, it was really depressing.

One night I checked my phone and saw that an unknown number had left me a voicemail.

"Hey Grace, it's Jeremy Watkins from high school. I heard that you were in Quantico and I'm in town on business. Wanna meet up? Give me a call."

…Jeremy? I never even really talked to him in high school. But then again, I'd done nothing all week.

I hadn't even seen Derek. I guess I should be happy that I didn't have to hurt him anymore, but I missed him.

I sat there, staring at the phone for a second, when I decided to call him back.

Might as well.

I tapped my fingers on the table as I waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is this Jeremy? It's Grace."

A pause, then, "Oh, Grace! Great to hear from you!"

We made plans to meet up on Friday and I hung up the phone.

I tried to remember anything about Jeremy from high school, but all I could think was that he was in my chemistry class.

He wasn't one of the awful ones, was he? I'd think I'd remember if he was. I shook the thought out of my head and went to sleep.

Derek

Friday afternoon we got back from a case and Hotch sent us home.

"You guys need some rest. As Garcia would say, you all look like zombies."

I got home and fed Clooney, cleaning up as I walked around.

Soon nothing was out of place. What else to do?

I laid on the couch, thinking about whether or not I should call Grace.

No, she didn't want to talk to me.

I finally closed my eyes, deciding to sleep- just for a little while.

The next time I opened my eyes, it was dark and rainy out. I heard the phone ring and sat up groggily. I searched for the clock, grabbing the phone off of the coffee table, and saw that it was eight.

I answered it quickly. "Hello?"

I heard sobs on the other end and the sound of rain.

"Hello?" I asked again.

"D-Derek," said someone.

"Grace?" I exclaimed, unsure of whether it was her or not.

"Y-yeah, could you, um, could you come pick m-me up?" she asked slowly, stuttering.

I jumped up and pulled on shoes as I held the phone in one hand.

"Of course, where are you?" I replied.

"Um, I'm, um, right before the exit that leads to I-64. Like a mile away from the plaza," she sniffed.

"Okay, I'll be there in ten minutes," I said as I hung up the phone and ran to my car.

What the hell was she doing there?

I drove carefully, the rain beating hard.

I reached the plaza and drove even slower, looking for Grace's car. Where was she?

Finally, I saw her standing on the side of the road, drenched. Her hair was plastered to her head, and her dress was soaked.

I pulled over and got out of the car.

"Grace! What happened?" I asked, leading her to the front seat. I grabbed a blanket from the back and wrapped it around her.

She shivered and held it tighter.

"M-my car broke down, I was going to walk home, but it started raining."

I knew there was something she wasn't telling me, but I decided not to push it. It wasn't my place to pry.

"You could have just called me to begin with," I said, driving down the road.

"I didn't want to bother you."

I didn't know what to say to that so instead I asked where her house was.

"55 Lorelei Lane."

"That has a nice ring to it," I said with a laugh and she smiled ever so slightly.

It was a beautiful smile, even with the make up running down her face.

I pulled up to her house and opened the car door for her. She still had the blanket around her, but she looked so miserable that I couldn't ask for it back.

"Can I come in?" I asked hesitantly.

She paused for a moment and then finally nodded and stepped inside.

"Hang on, I'm going to change," Grace said as I sat down on her couch.

I looked around the house as I waited. It was very…. Grace. No pictures of anything, except for one of a dog. The walls were light blue and the room was decorated sparingly.

I heard her bedroom door open again and I saw her walk back into the living room. Her wet hair still hung around her face.

She sat down on the couch, trying not to look at me.

I didn't know what to say so I just said the first thing that came to mind. "Want me to make some coffee?"

She nodded and pointed to the kitchen. I found the coffee pot and went about making some, I heard footsteps but thought nothing of it. She was probably just getting something from her room.

I had just poured the coffee when I heard more sobs coming from her bedroom, quiet but still audible.

"Grace?" I called, walking in there.

She was sitting on her bed, arms around her legs and her head on her knees.

She looked up as if she had forgotten I was there.

"S-sorry," she sniffed.

"Wanna talk about it? It might help," I said, sitting close to her.

At that she started to cry again. "It's all my fault."

"What is?"

She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself.

"I-I was going to meet up with a guy from school, just to talk and hang out. But, but he left when he found out I wouldn't sleep with him," she stuttered.

My mouth hung open in shock.

"What an asshole," I thought, not realizing that I said it out loud.

"Tell me about it," Grace said with a short laugh, "I feel like I'm in high school again, although this isn't quite as bad as that was."

She fell silent again, her sad eyes looking at me.

"Talk to me," I replied.

"It's a long story," Grace said slowly.

"Come on, I have time."

She squeezed her eyes shut for a second before opening her mouth.

"I… I was the school slut."

I felt my jaw drop again.

"Wanna know how many guys I slept with?" she asked.

I didn't respond, not really wanting to know.

She answered anyway, holding up a finger, "One. Know how many boyfriends I had? One."

"How-" I started but she cut me off.

"Just let me get this over with at once, please," Grace replied, taking another deep breath.

I nodded, unsure of what else to do.

"My boyfriend made me sleep with him. He said that he'd leave me if I didn't. I was dumb, I was naïve, I was used to everyone pushing me around. I thought that I was doing the right thing. I… I thought he loved me," she continued, fiddling with the blanket.

"And then, then I… I got pregnant," she said softly, not looking at me.

I tried not to let the shock register on my face.

She shut her eyes, almost as if she was willing the memories to go away.

We sat there for a moment, then I put my hand on her face, turning her towards me.

"It's okay, Grace," I whispered as she leaned into me, her head on my chest.

She laid there for another minute and I could feel her drawing a circle on my leg with her finger as she tried to distract herself from what she was telling me.

"…I, I got an abortion," she finally continued, trying not to cry, "That's why that man wanted to kill me. Because I-I'm evil."

"You're not evil," I said, as she looked at me with surprise.

"Yes, I am. I'm an awful person," she sobbed.

"No you're not," I said quietly.

"I-I had to do it. I couldn't bring an innocent baby into this world. I w-wasn't ready. Now, I would have given it up for adoption, but I couldn't do it back then. They already hated me at school. When they found out I was pregnant, and I betcha it was him that told everyone, they called me a tramp and a hussy," she continued, "And tonight, it-it just brought me back to that. Sitting alone at the lunch table as people walked by and called me a whore. I was rejected so often that tonight, tonight I just felt like I was back in high school. I had no one. Guess it'll always be like that."

She took another breath, wiping away the tears.

"You have me," I replied as she looked at me again.

"R-really?" she whispered.

"Really. It wasn't your fault. Grace, you did what you had to do. I couldn't judge you for that," I said.

"You really are something, Derek Morgan," she said and I could feel her breath on my chest.

We laid in silence for a few minutes and I could see her eyes beginning to close.

"Can I stay here?" I asked quietly, not wanting to leave her alone.

She looked surprised once more but nodded sleepily, her cheek rubbing on the fabric of my shirt.

I pulled the blanket over her and laid down on the bed. She put her head on my chest again and I could feel her damp hair brush my face.

I wrapped my arm around her and she moved closer, breathing becoming steadier.

I felt her hand move to my torso and I closed my eyes, glad that I could finally be there for her.

"Goodnight," I whispered as I kissed the top of her head, not wanting to ever let her go.