Hello everyone, I can't believe it's been almost a year and half since I updated last. I'm sorry and all I can say is that real life got in the way. A year ago in March, I not only found out we were expecting baby boy #2 after 2.5 years of infertility but I got a new job with new hours. Add in the exhaustion of chasing a toddler and I'm sure you get the picture. Hello massive writer's block. As an aside, I also have an entire Criminal minds crossover completed and waiting in the wings. It just needs to be edited. Thank you to everyone who reviewed Chapter 9 Ahowell1993, SamReid, Selena 92, fishtrek, LaRieNGuBler, Stephanie Noblet, Tooker86 and Guest. Many thanks to Charmony as always for the beta work. Love ya girl.

Y'all know I don't own 'em so let's just get on with it, shall we?

Chapter 10 No way out 2

Sarah knocked on the window and waved as Whitney got out of her car. The younger woman waved back as she lifted a grocery bag from the back seat of her vehicle before hurrying up the walk and coming into the house.

"Sorry I'm late. The store was out of one of my ingredients and I had to make an extra stop."

"No problem. You're not that late. Besides, Jason and Spencer owe us one for all the times they've been late or had to rush out on dinner because of a case." Both women laughed as they began to work on the dinner they had planned for their sweethearts.

Outside on the street, unnoticed by anyone, sat a man in a nondescript grey sedan. His cold eyes surveyed the quaint two-story home with calculated determination. A faint smile touched his mouth. He could afford to be patient. His time was coming.

"Hey Whitney? I can't find the platter that goes with this set. Will you run upstairs and see if it got put in the linen closet with the other china? The timer on the oven is just about to go off or I'd do it myself." Sarah called from the kitchen to the dining room where Whitney was setting the table.

"Sure!" Whitney replied. Setting down the napkins she was folding, the redhead quickly headed upstairs to look for the missing china. Just as she started back down the stairs, she paused as she heard an odd thumping sound before hearing what sounded like a man's voice. Troubled, she moved carefully down the steps until she was able to peek around the corner. Her heart pounded in her throat as she saw Sarah collapsed on the floor with a man bending over her. He was whispering something that Whitney couldn't hear but then she caught just a word. The name Jane.

Reid glanced at his phone as it rang, smiling as it lit up with his girlfriend's name. "Hey Whit. Are you guys done with your dinner preparations?"

"Spence, there's a man in the house." Whitney's whispered words were filled with fear.

"What?"

"There's a man in the house. He attacked Sarah. I don't know if she's alive or dead. He was muttering something about Jane." Her words were rushed as she kept her voice low.

The name "Jane" hit Reid like a ton of bricks. Springing to his feet, he scrawled Gideon's address on a piece of paper and shoved it in Morgan's hands.

"Call SWAT. Frank is back!" he mouthed to his fellow agent. Morgan's eyes widened as he nodded and grabbed his own phone.

"Whitney, I don't care what you have to do but get out of the house and do it now." Reid turned his attention back to the phone in his hand.

"I can't. I'm trapped upstairs and I can't leave Sarah."

"Whitney, please just listen to me and get out. Use the fire ladder in Thandi's room and get out now." Reid pleaded.

"But Sarah…" Whitney started to say before she went completely silent.

"Whitney?" Reid asked cautiously. Suddenly he heard yelling from the other end of the line. "Whitney!" he cried out before the connection went dead. Taking a deep breath, he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Dad! Frank is at the house with Mom and Whitney!"

Gideon appeared on the catwalk above them, his face pale and his body tense. "What?"

"Whitney just called me. Said a man was in the house who had attacked Mom and he was talking about Jane."

"Oh my G**."

Morgan put down his phone. "SWAT is on their way to the house now."

Hotch appeared at Gideon's side. "Let's just hope they're in time. Let's move." The entire team, including JJ and Prentiss who had been listening in, took off heading for their vehicles.

Whitney froze as the man she had seen appeared in the doorway of the bathroom she was hiding in.

"I've been looking for you," he said with a predatory smile. "Time for you to join your friend downstairs."

Whitney remained still until he stepped closer. Once he was close enough, she let out a yell and pitched her phone straight at his head. Frank ducked reflexively, giving her a few brief seconds to gain her feet and try to get past him. But she wasn't fast enough, and he grabbed her around the middle, almost lifting her off her feet. Drawing on her years of kickboxing, she slammed her head back, attempting to catch him in the nose. She was partially successful as she caught him on the chin instead, and his hold on her loosened just a fraction. Twisting, she dropped her closed fist into his groin but again missed her target slightly. Still, the movement was enough for her to break free and she fled, taking the stairs two at a time. She could hear him moving behind her, so she abandoned her initial plan to head to the front door and ducked into the kitchen instead.

"Come back here, you little b****!" Frank snarled. He couldn't believe that this slip of a woman had not only been able to evade him so far, but was actually fighting back. He paused at the bottom of the stairs, listening for any sound that would let him know where his quarry was located. He moved stealthily into the kitchen, alert for any movement as he pulled the scalpel from his pocket, holding it at his side in a ready position.

Whitney crouched behind the island, peeking around the edge to follow Frank's movements. She kept her weight forward on the balls of her feet so that she was prepared to move in any direction. She had grabbed a chef's knife from the block on the counter, and she shifted her grip slightly to keep her hands from cramping.

"There you are," Frank said with a smirk as he spotted her hiding place. He lashed out with his blade as Whitney danced backwards. He growled in frustration as he missed her completely. Whitney held her ground as she let the years of training in the ring come to the forefront of her mind. Her focus narrowed to the man in front of her as she brought her hands up into a fighting stance. A steely resolve filled her as she stared down her opponent, knowing that if she failed, she and Sarah would both die.

Reid fidgeted as the three SUVs sped toward his parents' home. He fought to keep his breathing steady as the sirens screamed around them. Gideon's knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel.

Hotch's voice crackled over the radio.

"SWAT has arrived and is making entry into the house."

"Have they found Sarah yet?" Gideon asked tersely.

"No information yet," Hotch replied. "They've just made entry."

Gideon blew out his breath in a frustrated noise. "Come on, come on."

Morgan spoke from the backseat. "We're almost there. Just a couple more minutes."

Reid took a deep breath. "I just hope we're in time."

Barely three minutes later, they pulled up to the driveway. The SWAT team truck was already present with the lights flashing. Hotch pulled in directly behind them as they all spilled out of the vehicle. Reid hit the steps on a run with Gideon hot on his heels. He paused at the door with his weapon drawn, listening for the SWAT team.

"Suspect is deceased. One victim located so far." The SWAT team leader's voice crackled over the radio.

"Clear to enter?" Hotch asked.

"Yes sir. But be alert, we haven't cleared the upstairs yet."

"10-4."

The team moved forward, watchful for any surprises. Gideon stopped at the downstairs bedroom when he saw Sarah. She was obviously still dazed, but was beginning to respond to the officer bending over her.

"Sarah?" he murmured pulling his wife into a hug. "Thank goodness you survived."

"Jason? Where's Whitney? She was fighting him." Sarah's words were still slurred from the drugs she had been given.

"We haven't found her yet." Gideon spoke softly. "But Frank is dead."

Sarah shuddered. "He drugged me before I knew what was happening. I could hear Whitney yelling but I couldn't move to help her, and I wasn't sure what was real and what was hallucination."

Gideon tightened his hold. "It's all over now. You're safe my love."

The rest of the team had fanned out through the house as the couple talked. Reid cocked his head, listening as an odd sound caught his attention.

"Has anyone been upstairs?" he called out abruptly.

"Not yet. We were focusing on the main floor," one of the SWAT officers replied. "We were just getting ready to head upstairs when you guys arrived."

"The shower is running upstairs," Reid blurted out, pushing past the man and taking the steps two at a time. He hurried through his parents' bedroom, stopping at the closed bathroom door. He could clearly hear the water running full blast from there. "Whitney?" he called softly. He turned the knob and slowly opened the door.

Whitney was sitting in the shower with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her clothes were soaked and tears were pouring down her face. She looked up at her boyfriend with a stricken look. "I killed him," she stuttered out. "I killed him," she repeated. She started trembling violently and her eyes went wide. "What did do?"

Reid knelt next her, ignoring the water now soaking his shirt. "It's okay. You didn't have a choice."

"But I killed him. I'm trained to save lives, not take them." She broke down, sobs shaking her body. Reid put his arms around her, taking a moment to glance over her to see if she was hurt. Though he was concerned with the amount of blood splattered over her face, chest and hair, it quickly became obvious to him that she didn't have any injuries of her own.

"It's ok Whit. You didn't do anything wrong." He pulled back and reached over to turn off the water. "Let's get you out of here and into some dry clothes."

Whitney was shaking so hard that her nod was barely noticeable. Reid grabbed a nearby towel and wrapped it around her shoulders. He glanced over at footsteps behind him and saw JJ coming into the room.

"Stay with her a moment. I'll be right back."

JJ nodded. "They've cleared the rest of the house. There's no sign of Thandie and Ezra."

"They're at Uncle Dave's house for the night. Thank goodness they weren't here," Reid replied as he headed for the steps. He hurried out to his girlfriend's car and popped the trunk. He grabbed the duffel bag sitting there and raced back inside. He ducked into the kitchen to grab two trash bags before returning to the bathroom. Whitney's tears had slowed, but she was still shaking uncontrollably.

"She's in shock," JJ murmured.

Reid nodded in answer. He handed the blonde agent one of the trash bags. "Hold this for me. I've got some clean clothes for her in this duffel."

He spread the second bag on the floor before helping Whitney to step out of the tub onto the plastic. She stumbled as she stood up, her movements almost robotic in nature. Reid helped her pull off her drenched clothing and place it in the trash bag before changing into the dry clothing. Once she was dressed, Reid rolled up the bag she had been standing on and placed it on top of the clothes. JJ tied up the bag and took it down to one of the forensic investigators who had just arrived on scene.

"Sarah?' Whitney asked suddenly. "Where's Sarah?"

"She's downstairs. She's not hurt, except for the potential side effects of whatever drugs she was given." Reid reassured her. "She's actually more worried about you than herself."

Whitney sighed, laying her head on her boyfriend's shoulder. "I didn't mean to kill him."

"I know honey," he answered. "It was self-defense." He led her back down the stairs, carefully avoiding the kitchen where Frank's body was still being processed. Sarah was now sitting up in a chair with a paramedic evaluating her. She gave the couple a wan smile as they came into the room.

"Are you okay Whitney?" she asked.

Whitney shrugged and shook her head. "No," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I didn't mean to kill him."

"We know that. No one is blaming you." Gideon said quietly from his seat next to his wife. "But we are going to need you to give us a statement."

Whitney sighed softly with her gaze focused on the floor. Her shoulders slumped and her entire body radiated her distress.

"Whitney, I promise you; you are not in trouble. You did what you had to do. Frank was a known killer who had already attacked Sarah."

"But I killed him Spencer. I'm a nurse. I'm supposed to save lives not take them. I was just trying to stop him long enough for me and Sarah to escape." Tears threatened to start again as Whitney spoke.

Reid hugged her close. He met Emily's gaze over her head. "I know. Do you think you can tell Emily what happened?"

"Will you stay with me?"

"Of course." Reid led her into the dining room so that they had somewhere to sit without being in the way of the crime scene investigators.

Emily offered a reassuring smile. "Take your time Whitney, and tell me as much as you can remember okay?"

Whitney took a deep breath. "I was upstairs trying to find a plate for Sarah and as I started back down the stairs, I heard something fall on the ground. I got to the end of the stairs and looked around the corner and he was standing over Sarah." She licked her lips. "He was mumbling something and I heard him say the name Jane."

"Did that name mean anything to you?"

"No. But Sarah was unconscious and the way he was looking at her just gave me the creeps. He just felt evil and I know that's awful to say, but I can't explain it any other way."

Emily looked up from her notes. "Then what happened?"

"I slipped back upstairs as quietly as I could and I called Spencer. He was telling me to get out of the house but before I could, that man appeared in the doorway. I guess he heard me talking or something and followed me. I waited until he started toward me then I threw my phone at him to distract him so I could get by him. He grabbed me, and I tried to head butt him to make him let go. It sort of worked and I was able to get free, but he was so close to me that I couldn't get out of the house. Then I hid in the kitchen." Whitney fell silent, twisting her hands around each other. "He…um…he came into the kitchen and he was holding a scalpel, and I just knew that I had to stop him or he would kill me and Sarah."

"Did you grab a weapon?"

Whitey nodded. "I grabbed a knife from the counter. I didn't know what else to do."

Emily nodded as well. "What happened next?"

"He charged at me. I think he was mad that I was making him chase me. When he was upstairs, he had a predatory look on his face, but it was almost smug. When he came into the kitchen, he just looked like he was angry. I'm not sure I can explain what happened next. It was like I was back in the kickboxing ring like when I was in college, but this time it was real. I just knew I had to win. He swung the scalpel at me and I ducked. And then I lashed out with my knife and I was aiming for his chest but then I think I missed, because all of the sudden there was blood everywhere and then he collapsed." Whitney frowned and bit her lip. "I don't remember what happened next. The next thing that's clear is seeing Spence and being upstairs in the bathroom. I think I was trying to wash away all the blood." She shuddered. "I'm sorry. I can't really remember anything else."

Reid rubbed his girlfriend's back. "Don't worry. You're doing great."

Emily echoed his words. "We don't expect you to be able to remember everything. We've got enough evidence to support a finding of self-defense. Between what you just told me and Frank's history, I don't think anyone would even think of saying something different."

"Thanks Emily," Whitney whispered. The adrenaline rush was receding leaving her feeling drained and exhausted.

"Reid? Take her home. We'll get everything cleaned up. If we need anything else, I'll give you a call." Hotch said, as he appeared in the doorway.

"Thanks, Hotch," Reid said quietly. He helped Whitney up and led her toward the door before turning toward his dad. "Where are you guys going for tonight?"

"We'll go to Dave's for the night and then figure out what to do later. I don't want the kids here until everything is cleaned up," Gideon replied. He glanced over at Sarah who was leaning against him half asleep. "I'd love to get her admitted to the hospital overnight for observation."

"I don't need a hospital. I just need some sleep to get this drug out of my system." Sarah lifted her head and yawned. "I'm fine Jason, really."

Reid hid a smile at the look his dad gave his mom. "Night you guys. I'll touch base in the morning."

"Good night son," Gideon answered. "Take your time getting to the office tomorrow."

"Thanks Dad." The couple headed out the door. Reid helped Whitney into her car then slid into the driver's seat. "Where would you rather go? My place or yours?"

Whitney let her head fall back against the headrest. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather be home."

Reid put the car in gear and deftly drove through the dwindling traffic. He pulled into the parking lot at Whitney's apartment and helped the young woman inside. Her face was still pale and she yawned repeatedly.

"Do you want something to eat?" Reid asked. Whitney shook her head.

"No. I want a hot shower, a cup of tea, and my bed." She squeezed Reid's hand. "Please don't leave me."

Reid gently kissed her. "I'm not going anywhere," he said softly. "I know you don't believe it, and may never be okay with it, but I am glad that you killed Frank. Because if you hadn't, it would be you and mom that are going to the morgue tonight instead of him. And I don't know what I would do without either one of you.

Despite her obvious distress and exhaustion, Whitney smiled faintly at her boyfriend's statement.

"You're right Spence. I am glad it is him going to the morgue and not me. You're also right in that I will never be okay with taking a life, even one as evil as his. But I am thankful to be alive, and that Sarah is too. I'm also grateful that you are going to be here with me as I decompress from all of this because I'm pretty sure I'm going to have nightmares for a while." She leaned hard into his embrace. "I love you, Spencer."

"I love you too Whit."