This story. I've never dealt with anything quite like it. I dream plot points and wake up at crazy hours to write. Triple post because I can't stop writing this story. It might be a little messy, because my editing skill aren't sharp when I write at such random hours.

Chapter Eight:

Gracelyn:

I sat in the Carter's kitchen sipping a glass of orange juice in the morning. Tina appeared.

"Do you want anything to eat?" she asked. "We have cereal, pop tarts."

"You don't have to be nice to me," I said. "I don't deserve it."

"You know of all the jocks and idiots who pay me to do their homework, you pay me the most. You're also always on time, and don't make ridiculous demands."

"I appreciate what you're trying to do, but you don't have to," I said.

"No, what I'm trying to say is that your father's values still managed to get into you in a twisted way."

"Thank you," I said quietly. "That means a lot coming from you."

My phone rang. It was Liam.

"I'm sorry, I have to take this," I said. "Excuse me."

I went into their dining room.

"Hey, I'm sorry I've been avoiding your texts," I said. "It's been a rough night."

"It's okay," he said. "Did you find your dad?"

"No," I said. "I've enlisted help in finding him."

"My dad was drunk and laughing about how your dad was begging not to be released to a pair of suits. He said he deleted the surveillance footage from that day without looking at it, as he didn't want to be sued in case something happened to him."

"Liam, I love you, but your dad might have just gotten my dad abducted!" I said. "Does he care?"

"I don't think so," he said. "I agree all of this is messed up. I've been getting some blowback too. College scouts have tweeted at me that they won't go near the school after what I did."

"Where is your dad now?" I asked.

"Passed out," he said. "His phone keeps ringing like crazy and every time mom tries to wake him, he turns over and moans."

"Liam, that's the FBI calling!" I said.

"What's the FBI got to do with all this?"

"I don't know what I can tell your right now. Throw some water on him, use an airhorn. If he doesn't answer, his job will be in more jeopardy than it already is."

"I will," he said. "We both really screwed up, didn't we?"

"Me more than you. Get your dad up and we'll talk later."

"Love you, bye," he said.

"Love you too," I said and hung up.

I returned to the kitchen. Tina was eating cereal.

"Do you really love Liam?" she asked.

"Yes," I said.

"Eliot just likes me for my test knowledge."

"I'm sorry it didn't work out between you two."

"Oh, stop it," she said. "It's like invasion of the body snatchers with the way you keep apologizing, and saying excuse me."

"I am fully aware of how effed up this is," I said. "It took fearing my dad had offed himself, then realizing he had been kidnapped, for me to develop a sense of morality."

"Remember what I said about this town drowning in dirt," Tina said. "I don't want you to drown anymore."

"You are one of a kind, Tina," I said.

I got some cereal out, and we ate in silence for a while.

The doorbell rang. We both ran to the door.

Selina was already there with a gun.

"Stay back," she said.

She slowly opened the door.

"I'm Tara Lewis and this is Matt Simmons," a woman said. "We're here for your protection."

Selina lowered her gun and opened the door.

"I recognize you from the back of Spencer's books," she said.

"Gracelyn, does anyone know you're here?" Simmons asked.

"No," I said.

"Have you talked with anyone?" Lewis asked.

"My boyfriend briefly, mainly to tell his hungover dad to stop ignoring his phone. He told me his dad deleted footage of the men who abducted my father."

"Our technical analyst is on site," Lewis said. "She should be able to recover the footage."

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Lionel Hastings is the main bully of this town," Tina said. "When he was benched it was either be mad Spencer at Estlin or get bullied. Part of what Gracelyn did was out of survival."

"I don't deserve the kindness any of the Carters are showing me," I said. "I was terrible to my father, period. I'm not worthy of his love, and it isn't fair to him that it took his abduction for me realize what a selfish b***h I've been."

"Listen to me Gracelyn," Lewis said. "We all agreed on the plane ride here that we were not coming to pass judgement on you. We're here to find your father."

Simmons looked around. "Stay away from all windows," he said. "I'll start closing curtains. We've ordered back up to patrol the area."

He went into the kitchen. Simmons carefully closed all the drapes and blinds.

Marie appeared.

"I think I have something for Garcia,"

"I'll call a sheriff to escort you to the station," Lewis said.

From a distance, I followed Simmons into the family room.

"I read everything you wrote about my dad," I said. "He sounds amazing."

"I only knew him personally, for a few years," Simmons said. "He's a legend, Gracelyn."

"How?" I asked.

"Youngest FBI agent to ever become a member of the BAU. He has three PHDs. Math, chemistry, and something else. I can't remember what. He helped take down some of the most dangerous serial killers of our time. Took multiple bullets while saving lives. The better question is, how WASN'T he a legend."

"And he spent the last nineteen years of his life toiling away as a math teacher," I said.

"He thought he was doing what he needed to do to protect those he loved," Simmons said as he moved to the dining room.

"I'm sorry," I said. "For everything."

"I know that," Simmons said. "I think your father will too."

"It's not fair that him getting hurt is what led to my change of heart," I said.

"Gracelyn," he said looking at me. "You are young and still very impressionable. The fact that you're choosing to change now is important."

"I don't know who I am anymore," I said.

"That's part of growing up," he said. "Now tell me about your life. When was the last time you were in touch with your mom?"

"She sent me forty dollars for my sixteenth birthday, last June," I said. "The address was in Long Beach, California."

"Do you still have the card?" he asked

"I threw it out because I was expecting fifty from her," I said. "God, I am spoiled."

"Do you miss your mom?" he asked.

"No," I said. "She abandoned me when I was three to act. I have a Google alert for her name, and she has only landed three group shot roles in three different commercials."

"We're going to try to track her down to cover our bases," he said.

He went to Marie's office.

"What did your father tell you about his life before he came to Idaho?"

"He said he was a high school math teacher in Las Vegas," I said. "A teacher friend recommended Idaho for a vacation. He said he fell in love with my mom, who ran the kayak rental shop, while staying in a cabin on one of the lakes."

"Did he say anything about his parents? What about your mom's parents?"

"My mom is originally from Montana," I said. "She ran away from an abusive home, my dad said she told him. My dad said his mom died of a stroke and his father abandoned him when he was ten. I know his mom is dead, but is the part about my grandfather true?"

"I'll let Spencer tell you the truth," he said.

My phone rang. It was Liam.

"It's my boyfriend," I said. "Can I answer it?"

"Put it on speaker phone."

"Gracelyn, where are you?" he asked breathlessly.

"This is Agent Matt Simmons," Simmons said. "She's in protective custody."

"Can I join you?"

"What's wrong Liam?" I asked.

"Dad got fired on the spot, for erasing evidence and both my parents are screaming and threatening to make your dad's life miserable. They don't care that he was a federal agent. Holy eff, Gracelyn, what the heck just happened?"

"Are you seriously afraid for your life, Liam?" Simmons asked.

"My dad just got out a shotgun and is taping pictures of Spencer Estlin-Reid to the fence."

"Teddy's house is two houses down," I said. "Can you sneak over to his place?"

"That I can manage," he said.

"I'll send officers to the location," Simmons said.

"See you soon Liam," I said.

"Thank you, Gracelyn."

Simmons was about to close the last blind when there was a popping sound. A hole in Simmons's white shirt appeared as he collapsed.

I screamed. Lewis appeared, and dragged me away.