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Chapter Twenty:
Miranda looked around and saw she was in a place covered in white fog. She realized she was wearing her favorite gray suit again.
"Where am I?" she asked out loud.
"You're in between worlds," Fleming's voice said.
She then appeared in her favorite blue power suit. Her hair was longer, a brighter shade of red, and she looked slightly younger.
"You're dead, aren't you?"
"As a doornail," she said. "But you aren't. You still have a choice."
Miranda burst into tears.
"How am I going to do this job without you Whitney?"
"It's okay," she said. "You have a good support staff."
"I'm afraid," she said. "Why am I afraid?"
"Because staying here with me would be easy," Fleming said. "Living is hard."
A sobbing sound could be heard. It belonged to her husband.
"Spencer!" she shouted. "I'm coming!"
She was about to rush to the sound of his agony when she paused and looked to Fleming.
"You have more to live for beyond me," she said.
"I love you Whitney," she said.
"I love you too Miranda."
She vanished in the fog and Miranda chased after her husband's voice.
…
"Spencer," she said.
She opened her eyes to see her prison shirt had been cut open and shock paddles had been applied.
"Miranda!" he shouted.
The pain in her foot was excruciating. She had to keep things light for her own sanity.
"So, the whole Situation Room got a good look at my bare chest."
"I ordered the visuals off," Gomez said.
"Oh Eduard, I knew there was a reason I picked you as my VP," she said. "I think you deserve a raise, not a promotion but a raise. I think Rene Gonzaga can propose it and get the votes needed to push it through the house and then Jeremy Lane can push to get the rest of the votes so long as we don't lose the senate, which seems unlikely."
"Would you like someone to put a strategy session on your calendar?" Gomez asked.
"Late June preferably, and yes I know how nuts I sound right now and the odds of my remembering all of this are slim."
"We're getting you out of here," a responder said.
They gently hoisted her on to a backboard, careful of avoiding her foot.
"Spencer," she said.
"I'm here," he said.
"Don't let Henry and Cora move their wedding more than a week. I want it at the White House to see how well I dance with crutches."
"We need to get going," a man said.
"Spencer, one last thing."
"Yes?"
"I love you," she said and drifted off into oblivion.
…
Having the drugs flushed out of her system was a painful process. She could not stop shaking and she thought her heart would jump out of her chest. It was like nothing she had ever experienced.
At one point she woke up and saw her communications director Bruce Williams by her side reading Vogue Italia.
"I don't know you knew Italian," she said.
He jumped slightly.
"I don't," he said. "It's the only magazine they had here."
"Are the people who were traveling with me in the Beast dead?"
"Do you really want to hear this right now Ma'am?"
"Yes," she said.
"I'm afraid so," he said.
Four people had died. Whitney Fleming, Neela Marston, John Ellis and Hank Alton. They were dead as part of one woman's quest for vengeance.
"It's not your fault," he said interrupting her thoughts.
"Of course, it's my fault," she said. "If I hadn't kept Geena or maybe guaranteed her a cushy job in the private sector, maybe I wouldn't be in this position with four dead staffers."
"You know it's not that simple," he said.
She let out a sigh.
"I wish it were."
…
She was just waking up from the reconstructive surgery done on her foot when she saw Spencer. Miranda instantly reached for his hand. He held on hers in a hug. Reid then kissed her on the cheek, she pushed his face to her lips and kissed him deeply.
"I've missed you," she said. "The kids?"
"Your sister is with them right now," he said.
"Have they seen it?"
"I sat them down and we watched it together. Rachel cried through most of it. Alex had nightmares. But they're strong like you and will get through it."
"I can't wait to get home," she said. "Did Hotch by any chance travel with you?"
"Yes, do you want to see him?"
"I do."
They sat in silence for a long-time holding hands. Tears fell. It was an emotional time.
…
"You wanted to see me Ma'am?" Hotch said when he appeared.
"It must be a universal rule that no one looks good in hospital gowns," she said looking at a newspaper where she was the front-page story. "My hair looks decent at least."
"What did you want to see me about ma'am?" he asked.
"I assume your resignation letter is waiting on my desk," she said.
"Yes," he said. "I failed to keep you safe. This is my fault."
"The blame game is no fun," she said. "A psychologist has already been in to tell me to stop blaming myself."
"It isn't your fault Ma'am," he said. "My job is to protect you and I didn't. Cat Adams was able to manipulate Lang and Geena into serving her goals. I don't deserve to hold the position of FBI director."
"I know," she said. "Republicans probably want your head along with a few of my guys."
"They do," he said.
"Which is why I want you as my senior White House Counsel," she said.
"I'm sorry, what?" he asked.
"I want you to take over Fleming's job," she said. "That means holding me accountable in ways no one else can and telling me when to cut the BS. Can you do the job?"
"I don't know what to say."
"It's a yes or no question," she said.
"Yes," he said slowly. "I think I can."
"Good," she said. "Now help me pick a chief staff."