Alex pulled herself up the rope ladder and worked on opening the helicopter door hatch. She climbed aboard and helped pull in Reid.

Reid latched the door as he slid into the bucket seat. "Your timing is impeccable." Reid announced.

"I am glad I haven't lost my touch." The pilot remarked as he turned around to his passengers.

"Hugh?" Reid blurted with excitement. "What are you doing here?"

"An Agent Garcia hacked my computer and told me that you both were in trouble and needed my help." He explained.

"Why am I not surprised." Reid laughed.

"Just sit tight and we will be at the hospital soon." The helicopter took a sharp turn as it changed course.

Hugh walked down the hospital corridor toward the last room at the end of the hall where an armed guard stood outside the door.

"He's okay." Reid announced to the guard as he exited the room. "She's been hoping you would still be around. I'll be out here if you need me."

Hugh entered to see Alex cuffed to the hospital bed. "How are you doing?" He pulled up a chair next to her.

"As well as I can be, I guess. I will need to see a dentist about getting implants. But I don't see prison footing that bill anytime soon." She scratched at the bandages over the burns on her chest.

Hugh stood up and grabbed her hand to stop her. "You know you shouldn't do that. You need to let them heal."

"I know." She forced a smile. "At least I am happy that I got to see you before I have to go back."

He took a seat on the foot of her bed. "I know that I was never as close with the three of you. I was always so fixated on my books and such, but we were still a family. Whenever I needed any of you, you were always there."

"Of course we were." Alex squeezed his hand.

"So, why couldn't you tell us what was going on? That you were being blackmailed."

Alex let out a sharp breath. "When we first got the Knight case and I saw that the man that I had fallen in love with was really a drug kingpin, I was so embarrassed and ashamed; I was also pissed. I confronted him that night, but he was ready for me. It was like he already knew that I figured it out. He not only threatened Spencer's life but yours and Charles', too. He was telling me things about where you lived, members of your family, intimate details about you all. He knew so much, I couldn't risk him finding out that I did tell you and have any of you getting hurt. I wouldn't be able to live with myself. So, I did everything he asked to save you all."

"Charles came to see me about two years ago. He was so sure that you would never willingly betray us and he was adamant on proving his theory. That was when he told me that he believed that Parker was in on it. Of course when I heard that I thought he was crazy. But then the more information he showed me the more that the pieces fit together. Charles then told me that I needed to stay out of it."

"Why?" Alex questioned.

"It became clear that Parker was involved and if he discovered that we were looking into him that would be dangerous. Charles insisted that I keep my family safe."

Alex smiled. "Yes, that was Charles. Protective to a fault."

"That's why he didn't tell Spencer, either." Hugh said.

"Reid could handle himself against Parker, especially with the BAU by his side." Alex was confused.

"He was protecting him from you." Hugh pointed out.

"From me?"

"More like, the thought of you. Charles could not tell Spencer that you were innocent unless he had absolute proof. We couldn't risk his heart being broken again." Hugh told the painful truth.

Alex dropped eye contact then turned to look at the small dresser by the window.

Hugh looked to the dresser and noticed the wooden puzzle box that was placed there. "Oh, wow." He got up to retrieve it then sat back on the bed with the box in his hand. "Did Spencer tell you about this box?"

Alex sat up as well as she could. "No, he didn't."

"Spencer picked up this box when we were in Morocco on that satellite encryption-key case and wanted to give it to you. He decided to do it to you when the timing was right. I know he gave you the key for Christmas, I don't know when he planned on giving you the box."

Alex pulled the locket from around her neck and studied it. "It was the best Christmas gift I ever received and I honestly didn't even think it opened anything."

"After you were kidnapped by Knight, he placed the box in your desk for you to open when you returned."

"That's why Parker thought it was mine." Alex realized. "But what I don't understand is why Spencer still had it this whole time."

"I couldn't allow myself to get rid of it." Reid admitted as he stood in the doorway. He took a few steps in and approached the hospital bed. "I don't know what all the fuss is about. We should get it open now."

Hugh quickly solved the puzzle then used the key Alex handed him to unlock it. The three of them hovered over the box as it opened. They were flooded with memories as they examined the stack of pictures. The first one was of the four of them smiling and holding onto each other.

Alex rubbed her fingertip over Charles' face. "He was such a wonderful person." She then couldn't help but snicker. "Remember when he snuck into that hotel room and was hiding in the closet then started sneezing?"

Reid laughed. "And the guy was so drunk that he said bless you." They all shared in the laughter as they flipped through the pictures.

"What's this?" Hugh pulled out a stack of postcards secured by a rubber band.

"I collected one from every place we went." Reid pulled them out and showed that there were dates written on the back from when they were at each city.

Alex dug through the box of trinkets when something caught her eye. She pulled out the diamond ring that Reid had once offered her. "I can't believe you still have this."

"A part of me held onto hope that you could never betray us like that." Reid said solemnly.

"I am so sorry that I put you all through that." Alex was guilt-ridden.

Reid took her hand. "Don't worry, now we have time to catch up."

"I don't know how long we have." She shook the handcuff.

Hugh turned to Reid. "Does she really have to go back to prison? Is there anything you can do?"

"Let me make a call." Reid pulled out his phone and went to step out of the room. "Hey Hotch."