Rating: T-M as always just in case.
Disclaimer: You know the drill.
A/N: Responses are at end of the chapter. Sorry for the typos! Much love to all! (Violence to one!)

Chapter 8 – You'll Know Just The Moment When I've Had Enough

September 8th, 2015, Tuesday

The ICU waiting room was eerily quiet. Lily and Kevin had taken Caleb and Katie to their first day of school despite their apprehensions. Two squad cars were place outside the school to guard them at all times. After dropping Caleb and Katie off, Lily and Kevin brought Mac, Lara, Justin and Brynn to the daycare center, where she stayed. Another squad car was placed directly outside of the daycare center. Kevin returned to the hospital with food for Helen, Adam, Luke, Joan, the nurses, Collier-who had been staying in the regular waiting room and getting regular updates on Will and the Rabbi's condition-and Dominique, who had shown up when she saw what had happened on the news. She had the same blood type as Will, and so had been one of those who had given blood for him.

Mostly everyone picked at their food out of necessity. Grace had no returned since she'd left in the early morning hours. She had called to tell Luke she was all right and to see if the kids were okay. She apologized to him and tried to explain why she left but Luke told her just to take her time.

"How's she doing?" Luke asked Adam after he'd gotten off the phone with Grace.

Adam's face was weary. His frown had been permanent, for obvious reasons, and his brow hadn't ceased being creased with worry. He shook his head at Luke's question as he looked across the room to the corner where Joan was sitting. Joan stared off into space. Her eyes barely blinked and she chewed absently at her nails, which were already chewed raw down to her fingers; a couple of them were close to bleeding. Her eyes were puffy with dark bags under them. Her nose was red from all the sniffling and crying. She was walking the fine line between shock and a catatonic state.

"We're gonna find him," Luke said firmly as he looked at Joan. Helen sat down adjacent to Joan and offered her sandwich. Joan barely moved a muscle as she declined. Adam just nodded numbly to Luke's statement as he watched Joan. When your father-in-law is the most notable detective in Arcadia and your brother-in-law is a former FBI agent, you know the odds of finding a child alive after they've been kidnap; especially so if your child is kidnapped by Satan's lackey.

Grace didn't know where to go. She'd only stopped home to grab her jacket since a cold front had moved in, dropping the temperatures. Afterwards she started walking. She was unaware of what was steering her direction or where it was taking her; she simply followed.

As she moved along the sidewalks and crossed corners, she tried to think of what Mr. Girardi would do in this situation. Where would he start? Grace stopped dead in her tracks outside of a thrift store when she saw one of the workers through the windows; it was Friedman. Grace's mind screamed at her. He was there yesterday, what was he doing here? She asked herself.

Before she thought better of it, Grace opened the glass door and walked through. She strode right up to Friedman, who was talking to his manager. He noticed her before she spoke so he excused himself from the manager and turned to Grace.

"Marge," He nodded. "You look like hell," He noticed.

"I don't have time to waste words, Friedman," Grace said seriously. "What were you doing out front of my house?" She looked him directly in the eyes.

Friedman looked away and at his feet. "About that-,"

"I swear if you give me some cryptic riddle, or you had anything to do with this so help me, I'll-,"

"I had nothing to do with taking the kid," Freidman denied in a hushed whisper, looking around for who was listening. "I was there…because I was told to go there…"

"Told by who?" Grace asked.

Friedman looked at her incredulously, "Who do you think?"

"I don't know, last time you came to us, you were in cahoots with Satan," Grace crossed her arms.

Freidman shook his head, shifting nervously. "Look, I was wrong okay…He's plagued me too since then. You're not the only one he preys upon. You know who sent me there. He sent me there to help you. I did my job, now it's your turn to do whatever you have to," Friedman went to walk away.

"How the hell do I find him then?" Grace called after Friedman as he walked away. Friedman stopped. He turned around and looked at Grace sympathetically.

Friedman shook his head. "You don't find him…he finds you," He said before turning and getting back to work.

Grace felt herself sigh. She ran a hand through her ragged hair before decided where it was she needed to go next.

"Jane, you have to eat something…" Adam persisted. He had been trying to get Joan to take even a bite of the bagel he was holding out for her for nearly five minutes.

"No, I don't, leave me alone," Joan threw a weary, shaky arm out and pushed Adam's hand away. He could tell she was ready to snap. Reluctantly, he nodded and moved to leave her alone.

"I'm going for a walk…" Adam told Helen as he crossed the waiting room. Helen nodded. Adam made his way down to the first level and the main lobby. He' only gotten two feet from the door when he was accosted by reporters. He squinted at the lights in his face as they hurled questions at him.

"Hey!" A voice called out. The reporters and Adam looked over. There stood Grace, in the doorway of the hospital, looking disheveled and dirty. "You've got exactly 3 seconds to get the hell out of here and have some respect." She said firmly.

"Ever heard of the first amendment?" One of the female reporters said. Grace clenched her jaw. If there was one thing she hated, it was when people misused the first amendment so they could get ratings for reporting on a human-interest crime story at the expense of the victim's family. She stepped over right in front of the woman.

"Unless you want to lose your job, and a more money then you'll make in a life time for causing this family emotional distress, pain and suffering, then I suggest you take your cameraman and your equipment and go outside this building…otherwise, I'll give you a new use for that microphone in your hand," Grace said slowly in a stony voice.

"Is that a threat?" The woman asked. Some of the other reporters had actually heeded Grace's advice and were heading out.

Grace crossed her arms, knowing the cameraman was filming her. She didn't care; they could use this on the news tonight for all she cared, so long as they left the Girardi family alone while they waited to see if Will would be okay.

"It's merely a suggestion…" Grace said. "Remember, actions have consequence."

The reporter would have persisted, but a security guard, who was alerted to the problem, came over.

"Miss, you'll have to take this outside, you're not allowed in here," He said, ushering the reporter out as she threw a dirty look at Grace.

Grace turned to Adam. "How are they?" She asked quietly.

"Mr. G's stable…they think he'll pull through," Adam told her. Grace nodded slowly, swallowing hard. "But your dad…They don't know if he's gonna make it Grace…" He said slowly. Grace pressed her lips together tightly and nodded just as slowly. Adam would have reached out to hug her if he didn't know better.

"How is she?" Grace asked him after a moment of awkward silence. Adam knew Grace meant Joan.

He frowned, looking down now. "Won't eat. She's almost catatonic…" Grace watched the corners of his mouth twitch slightly. He looked lost; Grace knew he was lost and she knew why.

"Why don't you go back up and get the update on how everyone is?" Grace suggested. "I'll go and get some coffee and all," She told him. Adam nodded numbly. What else was there for him to do? He turned and headed for the elevators. Grace went in the opposite direction, towards the cafeteria.

Grace mechanically picked things out; a few sandwiches, cups of coffee stacked in a cardboard holder, some sugary junk food. She was glad she was the only one in the cafeteria as she let the cashier ring everything up. She tried to think of places Ryan would take Gabe. She knew Ryan was out to get her. He had alluded to that before. But why would he take Gabe to do it and not her? Maybe, he was hoping to nix two birds with one stone? Take Grace out permanently, and take Joan out by taking Gabe out?

"I find that the answers appear right in front of you…" The cashier said warmly, "When you stop over thinking it and get back to the basics."

Grace looked at the cashier woman for a moment. Her forehead scrunched and she looked around before leaning closer. "Are you…?" She asked the open-ended question.

The cashier smiled. "That'll be $12.65," She said. Grace handed her a twenty and watched the cashier as she waited for her change, and an answer. "Ockham's Razor, Grace," The cashier smiled, handing her the change. "Have you heard of it?"

Grace wracked her brain. Her mind felt like a jumble. The cashier simply offered a sympathetic smile.

"William of Ockham," The cashier spoke as she bagged all of Grace's items except for the coffee, all 8 cups of which were stacked in two cardboard holders of four. "He was a Franciscan friar, in the 14th century. He was also a logician. His, razor, so to speak, formed the basis of reductionism. That's not the point, the point is this," The cashier caught Grace's eyes. "It states the idea that one should make no more assumptions than needed. Given two equally predictive theories, choose the simplest, because the simplest, is right," She handed Grace the plastic bag. Grace was at a loss. She only offered a grateful nod and started walking off with her items. "Oh, and Grace?" Grace turned her head to look at the cashier. "You don't need to bargain with me to save Gabe…it is within your power."

Joan wasn't responding to anyone. She just wanted them all to leave her alone. Why must everyone keep asking if she's okay? Of course she's not okay! Gabe, he took Gabe. They were running out of time to find him. She knew the statistics; her father had given her coded lectures all her life by talking about cases and his days at work to her mother at dinner. Why had they let their guard down? How could she have let this happen to her son? What kind of a mother was she?

"You thinking of taking a break from giving yourself those one-two punches long enough for some caffeine?" Joan looked up to see Grace standing in front of her, holding out a small cup of coffee. Grace wagged the cup slightly. "It'll help you stay awake to torture yourself longer," She offered, knowing full well that that's what Joan was doing in her mind.

Slowly, Joan reached out and took the cup. Grace sat down with her own cup, across from Joan. She studied Joan for a few minutes, trying to assess what she could from Joan's facial expressions. Grace knew that Joan didn't need another pep talk. She sat silently, trying to clear her own mind. Stop over thinking it, she told herself.

"What's the simplest explanation?" Grace asked herself as she stared at the floor and the cup in her hands, her brow scrunched in thought.

"What?" Joan spoke.

Grace glanced at Joan in surprise. She hadn't expected Joan to respond or even be listening. Grace opened her mouth but was then unsure if she should tell Joan. She decided two heads were better than one.

"I ran in to…" Grace looked around and then at Joan. "You know…" Joan nodded to say she understood. "She…or he, whatever sex it could be that's not the point. She said I was over thinking it. She said Ockham's Razor…uh, the simplest explanation is the right one," Grace said quickly. "So what's the simplest explanation?" Grace looked at the floor, concentrating.

"Collier," Joan said.

"What?" Grace looked at Joan. Joan was staring at the door of the waiting room. Grace followed her line of sight and saw Collier, standing there. There was a clear plastic mask strapped to his face, to aid in healing his broken nose. His nose and eyes were bruised and yellowish in color. He looked utterly miserable and, for the first time, Grace truly understood why.

Stiffly, Joan rose out of her seat. Grace noticed that her fists were clenched at her sides. Collier took a few cautious steps towards them. Joan looked ready to pounce. She made a move, and Grace stood, placing a firm hand on Joan's shoulder, to stop her. Luke and Adam watched from nearby, unsure what to do, but glad that no one else was currently in the waiting room.

"What are you doing here?" Joan asked through clenched teeth. The whole room seemed to just hover ceaselessly in the room full of thick tension filled air. Grace felt torn. She wanted to just tackle Collier and rip out any or all of his necessary organs for failing to alert them; for stopping them from being able to do something to save Gabe. She was fighting an internal battle; she also understood Collier's position. Collier looked devastated. His eyes were blood shot and it wasn't because of his broken nose; they looked like he's just put contacts in or like he'd just yawned and now his eyes were uncontrollably flooding.

Collier made a drastic decision. He crossed until he was in front of Joan and Grace. "Please," His voice was garbed because of his injury as he spoke softly. "You have to understand…I wasn't allowed to-it's the rules-,"

"Screw the rules!" Joan cut him off. Grace did her best to keep a shoulder in front of Joan's shoulder so that if Joan lunged, she could step in between the two. "I didn't ask for this! I was forced into this stupid game! That means I don't care about the rules!" Joan had maneuvered around Grace, grabbed Collier by the collar of his shirt and pinned him to the wall before anyone could react. Mostly, everyone froze, unsure what to do. "You can take the rules and shove 'em for all I care!"

"Rove," Grace put a hand on Joan's shoulder. Joan didn't bothering even brushing it off.

"Now, I know you know something about this and where he's taken Gabe. I don't care what stupid coded message you're supposed to give and I don't have time to get a decoder ring to figure it out," Joan punctuated this by pulling Collier slightly off the wall and slamming him back against it.

"Girardi!" Grace shouted this time. Luke and Adam were on their feet but hadn't moved from their spots. Helen was just coming back into the waiting room. The commotion had caused one of the nurses to watch the scene carefully with her hand on the phone, prepared to call for security. Joan didn't even react to Grace calling her the old name.

"You are going to tell me what you know and you're going to tell me right now or so help me…" Joan let the sentence trail off through her gritted teeth. She'd ignored the fact that she'd been crying since the first sentence. She even ignored the intense shaking her fists were doing. Her shoulders gave a few bobs and collier watched Joan's destruction. She weakly pulled her hands back and hit his chest.

"You think I chose this?" Collier asked angrily. "You think I want to do this to people? HUH?"

"This is my son…do you understand that? You can't do this to me!" She pleaded, staring right at him. Collier watched her face quivering around her eyes and her mouth. He felt trapped. He shouldn't have been here. He was weak. Collier opened is mouth to answer, but the figure standing behind Joan caused him to stop.

"Joan, why don't you come with me," Nurse God took Joan gently by the shoulders and pulled her away from Collier. Grace tried to follow but one sideways glance from the male nurse stopped her in her tracks. Adam, however, followed, helping to supports Joan's weight as she let loose and cried harder. Helen and Luke exchanged glances. Grace looked at Collier and then Luke.

"Why don't you go see your dad?" She asked Luke weakly. Luke eyed her for a moment but nodded.

"I'll go with you," Helen put an arm around Luke as they started to leave. Luke stopped and gave one last look at Grace over his shoulder. He felt a knot in growing in his stomach. Grace looked over at him. What was that in her face? He gave her the same look back; I love you, that's what it was-without words.

Collier moved to shuffle out of the room. Grace reached out an arm and stopped him. "You're no going anywhere yet," She said.

"Grace-,"

Grace held a hand up to silence him. "Shut up," She said. Collier looked down. "What do you know?" She asked calmly.

"Grace-,"

"I'll ask you one more time…" Grace waited for him to look at her. "And then my patience is gone,"

Collier bit the edge of his lip. He leaned close to Grace's ear. "The last time Ryan was in Maryland, he went to a specific place…where he rid himself of your neice's mother," He said.

Grace looked at Collier, confused about what that had to do with anything. It only added to her worry; bringing to light the fact that Ryan was nothing more than a psychopathic murderer who was in possession of her nephew.

"What does that have to do with-,"

"What do they say about murderers…returning to the scene of a crime?" Collier muttered just loud enough for Grace to hear. He saw her pupils dilate in realization. He nodded. He couldn't tell her anymore. He didn't need to; Grace was already gone from the waiting room by the time he'd finished blinking.

September 12th, 2015, Saturday.

Grace had spent three agonizing days trying to find a news article that had the address or even the section of Maryland where Anneliese used to live with her mother. She fended Luke off from discovering what she was doing; he probably would have persisted in finding out what she was doing and insisting he came along if it weren't for Helen talking him out of it. Grace was still confused as to why she'd done this but it worked out for her benefit. It was bad enough Ryan was using Gabe to get to Grace, she shuddered to think about what would happened to Luke if Ryan got his hands on him.

After hitting dead ends, and becoming intensely agitated while thinking of the statistics the detectives kept feeding them about kidnappings, Grace did the only thing she could think of; She broke into Will's office. Okay, technically, she didn't 'break' in. She told anyone who asked that she had been sent by Helen to pick up some things. Grace had no idea why, but they'd believed her. Once she was inside, it only took her 15 minutes searching through the database on his computer to find an address. As she walked from the building, Grace wondered briefly if Luke was aware that his name was Will's password.

Grace made her way home. When she entered the house, she knew no one but Damage was home. Damage followed her through the house, happy someone was home finally to do more then sleep and fill his bowls. Grace let a hand pass over Damage's head briefly after she'd changed into some old jeans a long sleeve t-shirt with a t-shirt over it and then finally pulling her jacket over that.

She had just left the house when a figure on the sidewalk stopped her in her tracks. Slowly, she made her way down the steps and through the front gate.

"Grace," Dominique spoke first, cautiously.

"What are you doing here?" Grace asked shortly. She started walking. Dom followed, walking alongside her.

"I…wanted to see if there was anything I could do," Dom replied.

Grace fought not to roll her eyes. "I think you've done enough," She hadn't meant it to sound as harsh as it had.

Dom took the comment in stride as she looked down at her feet and the pavement while trying to keep up with Grace's fast pace. "I don't expect forgiveness, Grace…" She said. "I'm just trying to atone."

"Well, let it go. Now please leave me alone, I have someone to be," Grace kept walking until Dom jogged in front of her and stopped her.

"You'll falling for his trap and you know it," She said to Grace. Grace stared at Dom. "Collier told me what happened at the hospital-,"

"Look, you go have fun romping with the angel of death. Good luck surviving unscathed, we sure haven't," Grace tried to bypass Dom but Dominique stopped her.

"Let me go with you," She asked Grace.

"Back off," Grace demanded. "Go play Good Samaritan to someone else." She dodged around Dom and walked quickly leaving the woman to stare after her.

"Grace, it's Luke," Luke paced the living room floor with the phone to his ear and bouncing Brynn on his hip as she fought off sleep. "It's almost midnight. I know I've called you six times already, but no one knows where you are. I checked everywhere I can think of and I'm getting really worried. Please stop ignoring your phone and call me back just to even say you're all right, okay? I love you Grace…" Luke sighed and hung the phone up. He had at least managed to get Brynn to sleep so he brought her up and lay her down in her crib, next to Mac, who had already been asleep. Joan and Adam were over at Helen and Will's house, to stay with Helen for the night. Will had briefly woken up but was mostly out of it despite being conscious.

Luke had just gotten back down the steps when there came a knock at the door. He inhaled deeply and sighed slowly. He took the few steps forward and then reached out, turned the door handle and opened the door. He looked back and forth between the two people standing in the doorway. Fear raced through him.

"What's going on?" He asked cautiously.

Collier spoke first. "No time for small talk. Grace is in trouble."

"What kind of trouble? Where is she?" Luke asked immediately.

"We don't know exactly where she is," Dom answered him.

"She went to Ryan," Collier blurted.

"What?" Luke shook his head in shock, trying to process this information.

"We don't know where he is…we only have bits of the puzzle," Collier said. Luke looked between the two of them before he finally stepped aside to let them inside.

September 13th, 2015, Sunday

"Rise and shine sis,"

Grace opened her eyes, feeling dizzy. Her eyes felt blurry in the harsh ceiling lights of what Grace assumed was the basement. The cement floors were rotted and damp; they felt cold and clammy against her bare feet. Grace wondered where her shoes were. She briefly wondered where she was, but then the memory returned. She'd waited for nightfall just a half-mile up the road from the house where she now knew Ryan had taken Gabe. She'd caught a glimpse of Ryan through one of the windows earlier in the day. It had been agonizing to wait, but she'd managed to wait until the sun had been down for at least an hour.

She had gotten to the basement without detection when she had spotted Gabe. He was lying on a towel in the corner of the cold, moist basement. A linked chain was fastened securely around one of this ankles, and she could see blood around his pant left where he'd struggled to get free. His face was dirty, the only clear spots being where his tears had streaked down. She had only taken one step towards him when blackness had come; after she'd been hit over the head.

Now, Grace could feel the throbbing on the side of her head. She knew there was a bump and from the sticky, clotted feeling, she'd been bleeding too. She tasted blood on her lips, probably from falling face first after being knocked unconscious. Grace's eyes came into focus. She saw Gabe, sitting on the floor in his corner. He looked scared and upset. Grace tried to moved but she was trapped still.

She was sitting in a chair. Her arms were behind her back, tied at her wrists. She wiggled and wrung her hands together, trying to pull them free. He attention turned to the person in front of her when a shadow stepped in the way of her view of Gabe.

"Aren't you just the little hero?" Ryan smirked at her.

Grace turned her eyes upward. "You've got me here now…let him go," Her voice was hoarse as hung her head, trying to stretch her neck.

Ryan let out a bellowing laugh. He sauntered over and sat Gabe up by grabbing a handful of the boy's hair. Gabe let out a cry of pain as he started to sob. Grace struggled against the ropes. Realizing it was useless to let Ryan see this, she tried to figure out the best way to get out of the ropes. She wrapped her right hand tightly around her left thumb.

"You forget, dear Grace," He pulled Gabe to his feet. "I'm not kind hearted," He smirked wickedly as he tossed Gabe backwards against the wall.

"Stop!" Grace cried out before she could stop herself. Ryan laughed. He reached to his back and pulled forth a gun. It looked like he'd stolen it from a police officer. Grace stared at him. He spun it around his finger and aimed it in the air.

"Now what have you got to say?" He smiled.

Grace clenched her jaw. "He's only a baby…" She tried to stop her eyes from welling, but it was impossible.

Ryan laughed. "My, my, how soft you've grown," He turned the gun downward and aimed it at the side of Gabe's head. "You see what happens when you start caring about people?"

"No!" Grace choked out. "Stop it! You want to hurt me, well here I am!"

Ryan chuckled, his shoulders shaking. He cocked the hammer of the gun. "Give me one good reason why I should, and maybe, Grace, you'll die as a hero…and your nephew will live."

"We've picked up her cell phone's signal sir!" A detective who had been set up in Luke and Grace's living room called out.

"Trace it," Agent Scott, the head FBI agent who had been chasing down Ryan since he'd escaped from prison, said.

"On it," The detective answered back. "The signal's pretty weak, but I think we can zero it in to a two block radius."

Within five minutes, the FBI team was mobilizing. Agent Scott called in for a SWAT team to meet them at the location. Luke followed them outside.

"I'm coming with you," He said.

"So are we," Joan said, coming to a stop next to Luke with Adam next to her.

"No-,"

"If you don't let us, we're getting in a car and following, so you might as well include us," Luke said angrily.

Agent Scott took a deep breath. "You," He told Luke, "Get in. You two, stay put-,"

"He's got my son," Joan argued.

"We're not staying behind. We're going to get Gabe," Adam commented as well.

"It's too risky," Agent Scott said.

"Then why can-,"

"He's been trained as an Agent. I'm doing this as a courtesy, now please," Scott sighed. "I will radio you as soon as we have your son," He assured before climbing in the car.

Luke turned to Joan and took her by the shoulders. "Joan, I promise…" He let the sentence trail off; she knew what he meant. Joan nodded, turning her head down as tears fell. Luke gave a reassuring glance to Adam, who simply offered a numb nod, before climbing in the car. Just like that, the FBI agents were gone except for a few base camp agents, and so was Luke. Joan sunk back against Adam, who held her tightly against him.

"They'll be okay," Adam tried to reassure both of them.

Grace stared at Ryan. She gritted her teeth, yanking as hard as she could at her left thumb. She bit the inside of her lip at the pain as she felt the digit pop out of its socket. She lifted her eyes to his.

"The wrath of God isn't enough?" She asked. She felt her left thumb hanging limply, unable to move it since it was now dislocated. She hadn't expected this to work; she'd only seen it in movies where someone was tied up by the wrists and had dislodged a thumb in order to make their wrist small enough to wriggle free. Carefully, knowing Ryan was watching her but that he was also cocky enough to think he'd trapped her for good, Grace managed to untangled her left hand. Afterwards, she pulled her right hand free and stuffed the rope so it was under her rear so it wouldn't fell to the ground. She kept her hands behind her back, waiting for a good moment to strike.

Ryan snorted. "God's wrath? What wrath? He can't directly intervene! It would throw off his perfect system!" Ryan snickered. Gabe sniffled and sucked in air as he cried harder. "Shut up," Ryan smacked him.

Grace cringed. Gabe cried out for her as he landed on his knees.

"Gabe, it's okay," Grace said quickly. "Close your eyes, it's okay," She didn't know what she should do next.

"Oh, shut up," Ryan moved just enough to reach out and swing the butt of the gun and clocked Grace in the eye with it. "How Odd of God…to choose the Jews," He quoted next to her face as it hung down in pain. Grace lifted her eyes. She sucked back and spat at his face. Ryan sneered. He reeled back to hit her again and that's when Grace made her move.

She dove forward with enough force to throw Ryan backwards. She knew she wouldn't be able to grab Gabe and run, so she did the next best thing. She used Ryan's recovery time to throw herself over to Gabe, who no longer had a chain on his injured leg. Grace wrapped him into her arms, using her left hand to press his body into her chest and her right hand to hold his face against her collarbone and chest. Since he'd been in the corner, Grace used the walls to guard the other side of Gabe so that the only way Ryan would get to him would be to kill her; she had no doubts that Ryan would do this but it was all she could do as she felt Ryan behind her and the metal tip of the gun pressing into the lump on the back of her head. Grace clenched her eyes.

"Is everyone in position?" Agent Scott whispered over his headset. The team leaders surrounding the house containing Ryan, Grace and Gabe, answered back over their own headsets. Scott looked at Luke. "Can I count on you to follow protocol?" He asked Luke.

Luke took a deep, shuddering breath. He nodded and accepted the gun that Scott handed him as he finished strapping on an FBI labeled bulletproof vest. He followed Scott's team into the house.

"Do whatever you want to me Ryan…" Grace said. "I've known this was coming for long enough. But you know this isn't right. You're doing to him worse things then our mother did to you-,"

"You don't know anything about what my mother did to me!" Ryan yelled back as he pressed the gun harder into her head. There it was; the one button Ryan had that as push-able.

"You're not the only one who's been hurt by a parent," Grace tried to reason.

"Gigi?" Gabe asked.

"Shh, just keep your eyes closed Gabe, okay?" Grace asked him. She felt the gun in Ryan's hand shaking.

"I'm saving him from the failure of his parents," Ryan said through clenched teeth. "We're in constant war; parents and children. Parents always fuck it up. He'll be better off. He won't have to suffer the long years of the war that I have."

"The quickest way to end a war is to lose it," Grace quoted. She wasn't aware of how she'd managed to say it, she was terrified and certain that she would never make it out of this alive.

"You think you're smart just because you can quote Orwell? Is that it? Knowledge won't save you," Ryan growled.

"I don't expect it to," Grace confessed.

"No, you expect God to give a damn about you and come to your rescue," His anger returned.

"You want quotes?" Grace asked. "God is the name we give our conscience," She said.

Ryan retorted.

"Why do you have to kill a child to make your point?" Grace asked. "My death's not enough?"

Ryan gritted his teeth harder. Grace realized that Ryan was having doubts. Was it even possible that Ryan had reservations about hurting someone? Grace closed her eyes tighter. He would lose patience soon.

"He deserves a chance to make his own decision…about whether he wants to fight the war or not," Grace reasoned. "You owe me nothing…but I'm asking you for this…isn't this a fair trade? My life for his?"

"Fine! Just shut up!" Ryan shouted. He re-cocked the gun. Grace took a deep breath and held it, holding Gabe harder against him.

A shot rang out and Grace felt herself scream. Gabe cried out. Something was wrong however. She opened her eyes; why wasn't she dead? Next to her cheek, in the wall was a crack where some of the cement of the wall had shattered. Grace felt warm liquid on her cheek. It felt like it was burning. How could Ryan have missed and only grazed her cheek?

Grace ventured a peek over her shoulder, turning only her head. Ryan was splayed on the ground; his legs were bent at the knees and under him. His arms were flung out, leaving his gun just out of reach of his hand. He gasped slightly, staring up at the ceiling as he coughed. Grace noticed the red liquid soaking through his shirt. She felt herself shaking as she heard the SWAT team moving into the room with the FBI agents in tow. She didn't move. She turned her head back and rocked slightly, still holding on to Gabe as she shuddered. Shock was setting in as the adrenaline slowly wore off.

"Grace…Grace!"

Grace turned her head when she heard Luke's voice. She thought she was hallucinating it. When Luke got close enough, he saw Gabe as well and the tears that were close to spilling over his eyes came cascading down.

"Gabe…Grace…are you okay?" Luke asked, reaching out for them as he crouched next to them. He pulled her to him, kissing the side of her head carefully and kissing at the top of Gabe's head as he checked over them with his eyes to see how badly they were injured. Grace looked at Luke blankly. Luke helped Grace stand. She wouldn't relinquish custody of Gabe to anyone. Gabe now had his arms latched around Grace's neck and his legs wrapped around her waist as she held him under his rear and around his back, disregarding the pain in her hand. Luke wrapped a firm arm around her and helped her out of the house, leaving the authorities to take care of Ryan.

The whole way back to Arcadia in the ambulance, Grace sat calmly and quietly on the gurney in the back with Gabe in her lap, clinging to her. Luke sat on the bench seat across from Grace, running a hand through Gabe's hair and leaving his other hand across one of Grace's hands. He hadn't bothered to wipe off his tears; they were tears of joy anyhow.

Once in the hospital, Grace carried Gabe all the way to the room they were going to keep Gabe in to check over him and make sure he wasn't suffering from any major injuries or infections. Grace refused to leave his side or let go of his hand until Joan and Adam arrived. As soon as Joan had gotten the phone call, she'd hung up the phone and she, Adam and the others headed directly for the hospital, not asking about their condition, just needing to get there.

Luke stood next to Grace, fending off the doctors and nurses, and making sure Grace didn't collapse. She looked gaunt and tired, but determined. She brushed Gabe's hair out of his eyes and gave him a small smile. He still looked scared, but less scared than before. He just wanted his mommy and daddy; Grace understood that as Gabe clutched her hand. It also made her uneasy that Ryan was in the same hospital right now, even if he was handcuffed to a hospital bed while they worked to save his life. She wished they would leave him die; he deserved it.

"Mommy!" Gabe sat up quickly when Joan burst into the room, followed closely by Adam. Both bore blood shot tear filled eyes. Grace let go and she and Luke stepped back as Joan reached Gabe first. She sat on the bed and pulled Gabe to her. He happily threw his arms around her neck as she buried her face into his hair and neck and kissed him repeatedly as she cried. Adam sat down on the other side of the bed, hugging both of them closely, dropping kisses on the side of Gabe's head as well as Joan's.

"Mommy, I'm okay," Gabe promised, pulling back to look at her and Adam. Joan nodded, sniffling. "Gigi saved me," Gabe smiled. Joan looked over at Grace's disheveled appearance. Her eyes looked far away. They were barely open. Joan left Gabe in Adam's embrace and walked around to the side of the bed where Grace and Luke stood.

"Grace-,"

"Don't," Grace held a hand up wearily. "Not sure I can handle the sap at this point…"

Joan nodded, but reached out and hugged Grace anyway.

"You look like you could use a doctor…" Adam said, looking over Grace's appearance.

Grace nodded, no that Joan and Adam were here with Gabe. Luke gave Joan and Adam a nod and started to lead Grace out into the hall as Joan went back over to Gabe's bed. They had gotten a few feet through the hallway when Grace's legs buckled and she collapsed to the floor. Luke fell off balance as he tried to catch her. He ended up on the floor with Grace halfway in his lap, unconscious.

"Grace? Grace! Hey, wake up!" Luke shook her. "Someone help me!" Luke called out. Soon, a male and female nurse came up the hall and helped him move Grace into an empty exam room.

A/N: Well now…I think it's just about over, this journey of a story. I believe the next chapter will be the last (just a for warning for all you junkies out there…) Not too bad now was it? I know it was a little shorter than usual. If anyone wants to know who said any of the quotes listed email me and let me know or put it in your review. If you want to know more about Ockham's Razor, I suggest looking it up on Wikipedia, good site.

Chapter title is from "Stand Back Up" by Sugarland.

Responses: Em's Pride – Thanks! Sorry it took so long to update dude! Thanks again, much love!

EBFR – Yes! Thank you about the song. You are correct and thanks. Sorry for the long update! Heh, yeah Collier got the crap end of that stick with the beating there. Can't blame Joan though, distraught mothers, right? I'm glad you liked the questions too! Thanks again, much love!

Sam – Thank you, thank you. Hey, I'm like TNT, I KNOW Drama. Ha! I thought everyone was going to get pissed at me, for Grace being so sweet and stuff, at that part. As for the Price thing, I was trying to prove that Grace had grown up a little and knew better then to pick a pointless fight with someone far more pathetic than herself. ) Thanks again, much love!

MermaidGurl95 – You know you loved the cliffhanger! Thanks for the review! I'm glad ya liked it with its cliffhanger and all! Thanks again, much love!

Kool-Wolf – Wow, best I've ever written? Awesome, thanks. Although, that makes it hard to top with this one, well damn. I hate Ryan as well. Hey, don't pick on me for taking so long…or I'll take longer next time! Thanks again, violence to you!

Sayxanything – Thanks! Sorry for keeping you waiting! We'll see about Will and the Rabbi in the next chapter. Awesome about the goose bumps! How was the feed for the addiction this time around? Thanks again, much love!

Tiffany – Sorry I didn't get this up in time for you to read it on Monday night, dude. As I said someone got coffee, Grace was barefoot, and there was blood, see? Thanks! Everyone better be okay? Is that a threat? Hmm? You need to update now damnit! Thanks again, much love!

Magentabear – Why must I do such things to you? Because you know you love it! Lol I'm glad the butt implant question was too cute for words for you! Helen's dream was freaky wasn't it? Ahhh, good deal, about the other story! Thanks again, much love!

Carol – Thanks! I'm glad you like Gabe, are you happy he is unscathed? Glad you liked Judith, her message was supposed to make you feel that way. Babbling is fun! Lol. Sorry for taking so long! Was this chapter worth the wait too? Thanks again, much love!

Hezziebob – Thanks! Collier is the next best thing, isn't he? I always waited for her to smack God too. I took your warning into serious consideration…honestly I couldn't bring myself to kill Gabe because of the ramifications it would have on the characters. It's not time for that. Sorry for the delay! Thanks again, much love!

Butterfly Dancing – Update yo! Thanks. Ah, not all dreams are accurate and set in stone, just full of metaphors and stuff. I'm trying my best! To tear your heart out that is, ha! Just kidding, dude. Sorry for taking so long to update-ahem! You should update! Thanks again, much love!

A/N: There you have it! Take it or leave it! But tell me if it sucked will you?