A/N: Hello again, everyone!

A shout-out to ahowell1993, Hippiechic81, Martha, Amy, Susan, Skylar, Kelly, and Betty for reviewing Chapter 18!

Reid just finished rereading the Russian version of War and Peace before he looked at the clock, figuring it was time for him to get some sleep. He reread Anna Karenina before deciding to reread War and Peace. For him, a good book cannot be reread more than once, even if he has an eidetic memory. It was another great day as he spent the entire day with his darling Anastasia; engaged in sensory play, helped improved her cognitive skills, watched movies with her, including a childhood favorite of his, Babar.

He had stayed with Anastasia until she had fallen asleep and went back to check on her again, gave her a kiss on her forehead and runs his fingers through her hair, smiling. He enjoys watching her sleep; it warms his heart to know that she was safe and sound.

He wishes he could say the same for Élise.

Speaking of Élise…

He heard noises coming from Élise's room. Slowly opening the door, he sees Élise whimpering in fear as she was twitching and moaning in her sleep. He gently shakes her shoulders, "Élise?" He whispered. He tries again, "Élise." Giving her another nudge, "Élise."

"STOP!" She wakens with a start, she didn't even know she had her hand on Reid's throat.

"Hey. Hey." Reid catches her wrist. It took Élise a while to try and look at her surroundings. She had her hand on her heart as she felt it was about to burst; she quickly took her hand off Reid's throat and ran that hand through her hair. No matter how many deep and shallow breaths or air gasps she took, she could still feel the chills.

He had expected it. "It's okay," He tries to calm her down. "It's okay. It was just a bad dream."

Élise sharply looked at him, still trying to calm herself down. "Really? I can feel his ghost hunting me."

"Élise…he's dead," He assures her; Reid tried to get Élise to look at him. "You're right here. You won." He moves a piece of her hair and tucks it behind her ear.

"A ghost can still haunt," Élise assured him right back. She took another deep breath as she lies back against the pillow. Gently patting his arm and shoulder, "I'm okay now. Go to sleep."

"Élise…"

"I'm fine," She turns on her side, facing away from her, curling up to her pillow and closes her eyes. "Really. I'm fine."

"Élise…"

"Go to sleep yourself, okay? I'm fine. Good night."

"Okay," Reid didn't want to but since he wanted to respect her wishes, he reluctantly leaves. "Good night to you, too."

Élise opened her eyes and lied awake in the dark. Not even Reid's kind and gentle touch made her want to go back to sleep.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Prentiss." Reid greeted her.

"Reid!" She sounded glad to hear from him. "How are you? And how's Anastasia?"

"We're good. We're good. She's taking a nap right now."

"And Élise?"

"Same."

Prentiss sighed. "Bastard really did a number on her, didn't he?"

"No doubt."

Emily asked, "Is she still seeing the therapist?"

"From time to time." Reid answered.

"Maybe she can talk to Tara," Prentiss suggested. "She could open up to her."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea."

"If there's anything else…"

"I'll let you know if anything."

"Okay. Later."

"Same."

Reid knocked on Élise's bedroom door before opening and gently putting one hand on the wooden door to make it give in. He sees her on her side with the blanket over her. After walking over, he sits on the opposite side of the bed but before he could touch her,

"I'm awake," Élise admitted. "I could hardly sleep. Come to think of it, I barely sleep."

"Or eat," Reid added. "You hardly touched your breakfast." The breakfast Reid made for her was a plate consisting of a Belgian waffle with a sunny-side-up egg and bacon with a small bowl of berries on the side.

Élise sat up with a grunt and rubbed her eyes before putting on her glasses. "Sorry. And thanks." She took a bite of the cold but delicious breakfast Reid made for her. "Honestly…" She stopped before taking another bite.

Reid sighed before, "Tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"What happened? When…he had you?"

Élise stopped eating before staring fixedly at the blankets.

"Élise…"

Élise didn't reply.

"Élise, please." He pleaded. "Don't keep it locked in."

There was still no reply.

Remembering Rossi's words, "You don't have to tell me everything unless you want to...if you do, I'm all ears and I'm here for you."

Élise remembers Griffin holding her up at gunpoint after she came home.

The sounding feel of the cold water hitting her body.

Her piercing screams after being shocked with a cattle prod.

"Élise?"

Élise gasped as she snapped herself out of the flashbacks. Reid wanted to give her a moment or two.

Taking a deep sigh, "Sometimes…" She started to finally speak, but quietly. "Whenever I felt sleepy…whenever I closed my eyes… he would wake me up with loud noises and sounds."

Reid just listened. "Okay."

Taking another deep breath. "Sometimes…I think I could remember him sticking something in my arm. Or my neck. And sometimes I…" She starts putting her hands on her head; she felt her head throbbing anyway as she felt she was about to have another flashback. "Honestly, I think it's getting blurry."

"Maybe you want to be alone or lay down for a while?"

"Yeah. That sounds like a good idea." As soon as Reid got up from the bed. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"What's a good idea?"

"Me living here with you."

Reid sat down next to her. "Why would you even this…?"

"I don't want you to worry me too much or have you see me as a burden," Élise admitted. "I mean, you have Anastasia, your job, work, and everything you consider to be important and I don't want you to get distracted what if…"

Reid stopped her, "Élise. Let me tell you something. When I found out you went missing, I feared the worst. Even though you went missing for several months, I used whatever I could and did whatever I did to find you."

"Months?"

"What?"

"You said 'months.'" Élise noticed.

"Yeah." Reid admitted.

"How many months?"

Reid really didn't want to tell her, but had to, "We have theorized it was sometimes after Anastasia's finalized adoption. So…between…six and seven months." Reid noticed the look on her face as it dropped and faded when he said they believe she went missing for six-to-seven months.

"Really?"

"Possibly."

Élise still had her hands on her head. "Yeah. I think I should lay down." She lies her head on the soft pillow, turns on her side, and faced herself away from Reid, curling up to her pillow and closed her eyes. "Later."

"Okay. Later." Reid grabbed the finished plate and sighed to himself as he left the room.

Élise allowed a tear to fall.