Chapter 7: Paige's POV (Earlier that morning)

I slept in really late the next day. When I woke up I felt like I had completely left the world I had been living in behind and I had somehow traveled back in time to high school when I still lived with my parents. I stumbled downstairs, dressed in a well-worn white t-shirt and soft black shorts and made my way to the kitchen, one word throbbing through the haze: coffee. I had pulled a mug from the cupboard and poured myself a cup, and taken a sip before I noticed that there was someone in the kitchen with me.

"Paige?" he asked. I looked at him carefully. My first impression was that he looked like Adam Brody. He seemed older than me by a couple years and he was vaguely familiar. It took a couple seconds to click where I'd seen him before.

"Grant?" I asked doubtfully. He beamed. "Oh my God!" I exclaimed. "How many years has it been?"

"I think around six or seven," he said. "I went to college and then you went to college..." I remembered a short, thin socially awkward teenager who had hung around with my brother since the two of them could walk. In grade school I had idolized my brother and had followed him and Grant around, wanting to do everything they did. I couldn't believe that the tall, built attractive man in front of me was the same person.

"Are you here looking for Alan?" I asked. He nodded.

"I won tickets to the baseball game on the radio this morning and I was gonna see if your brother would go see it with me. He's gotta work though, so either I go by myself or I find someone to go with me."

"Well good luck finding anyone around here that likes baseball," I said sarcastically. He laughed, then he looked at me, pensively.

"I seem to remember a certain little girl that used to go to all my little league games," he said. I dropped my eyes to my coffee in embarrassment.

"I really wanted to play," I admitted. "I loved watching you and Alan. It was almost as good." He smiled and I was reminded of the little boy he used to be.

"Would you like to go with me?" he asked. "We can catch up, reminisce about old times..." I thought about it. My plans for the day hadn't been formed beyond coffee. I probably would end up just sitting around the house thinking about Spencer. This was the best possible option.

"Yeah, sure," I said. "Let me go get dressed though." Grant laughed.

"Do you have to? I like you dressed like that." His flirtatious comment was the first time I remembered that no matter how many childhood memories we had, he was still a man...and an attractive one at that. As I headed up to my bedroom I wondered if this was a good idea. Maybe Grant was really angling to make this a date. I shrugged to myself as I changed. Grant was a nice guy. He would understand that I couldn't deal with anything other than a friendship.

I put on my favorite team jersey and jeans. I left my hair down and only put on the bare minimum for makeup. Today I was showing my tomboy side. I picked up my purse, and then put it back down. I had seen my cellphone on my bureau, with four missed calls. They were all from Spencer. I sighed and closed my eyes, not sure how to proceed. I thought about calling him back, but I was pretty sure I would collapse into a puddle of tears. I wondered. How could I let Spencer know I was okay and where I was without actually talking to him? It took a second to hit me. Garcia.

I dialed her number completely from memory. The amount of times I'd called her just to chat and to try and get a hint as to when Spencer would be home from his case was astounding. It only rang once before she picked up.

"Paige?" she asked. "Girl, where are you?"

"I'm in Maine at my parents' house," I said. "Why am I missed?" Garcia scoffed.

"Honey, Reid has called me twice asking if I've heard from you. He's freaking out." I sighed and rubbed a hand over my eyes, holding back tears.

"Can you tell him where I am?" I asked. "Tell him...that I just need some time and then I'll be back?"

"That sounds like something you should tell him yourself," she said. I knew she was right, but I couldn't bring myself to talk to him.

"I can't," I said. "Please, Garcia?" She sighed.

"Okay," she said. "But you owe me some girl time when you get back." I giggled through my tears.

"Of course," I said. "You got it."

"I gotta go," she said. "My superheroes need me. I wish we could talk because you sound like you need it. You okay?" I took a deep breath.

"Yeah I'll be fine. I just need a few days." I desperately willed my words to be true. We said goodbye and I stowed my phone in my purse before I headed downstairs. Grant was waiting for me. He held up a to-go mug.

"I packed you some coffee," he said, a big smile on his face. I smiled back, but he could tell I was upset. "What's wrong?" he asked. I sniffed and wiped my eyes, trying not to smudge whatever makeup was left.

"I didn't just come home to see my family," I admitted. "The relationship I'm in...is having a few bumps." Grant patted me on the shoulder.

"All relationships have bumps," he said like he was passing on a life lesson to a child. "You just have to get up, brush yourself off and keep going." I laughed.

"Shall we get going?" I asked. He handed me my coffee. I wrote my parents a quick note and off we went.

It took us almost three hours to drive to Boston because of the traffic. He spent the first hour coaxing the story out of me, and I spent the next two hours telling him everything, from the beginning. When we reached Fenway Park and found a parking space (finally), he turned off the car and looked at me.

"Are you telling me that this guy saved your life and exchanged letters with you for almost two years, and then you met up almost by chance and had a whirlwind romance that made both of you happier than you had ever been, and now because of one fight you ran away?" I winced.

"It sounds really stupid when you phrase it like that," I said.

"You love him, right?" he asked. I nodded. "He's so close to perfect you almost can't stand it. You said so yourself. So why when he gives the first sign of not being completely perfect you take off?"

"You're right," I said. "You're so right...Why am I so stupid?" I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes. I opened them and turned my head so I was looking at Grant. "When did you get so wise?" I asked. He shrugged, his eyes downcast.

"Let's just say...you and your brother are two of a kind." His eyes jumped to mine, searching for a reaction. I stared at him, open-mouthed.

"You mean...you and my brother..." He nodded. "You're together?" I almost whispered. He nodded again. "Has he told our parents?" I asked. He shook his head.

"No. You're the first to know as far as our families go... Is that...okay?" I widened my eyes.

"Okay? God, Grant that's wonderful!" I leaned forward and hugged him. "How long have you been together?"

"It's almost been two years," he said. "Since I got back from school."

"Are you happy?" I asked. He nodded, an involuntary smile flitting across his face. I hugged him again. Then I giggled.

"What?" he asked. I giggled again.

"It's just that...this morning I was wondering if you were trying to get in my pants," I said, laughing. "I can't believe I'm so arrogant." He laughed a little too.

"Don't get me wrong, you're gorgeous," he said. "You're just not my type." We got out of the car and walked into the stadium, his arm across my shoulders.

It was early evening by the time Grant and I made it back to my house. He walked me in. We were both wearing brand new Red Sox hats that we'd treated ourselves to after the win.

"Mom," I called. "I'm home!" I walked into the living room, looking for her. Grant followed a couple steps behind. I stopped dead in the doorway, and Grant ran into me. He had to put a hand on my waist to steady himself.

"Hi Paige," said Spencer. He was sitting on the couch, next to JJ, across from my parents. I opened my mouth, and had no idea what to say. Grant leaned down so his mouth was next to my ear.

"Oh my God," he whispered. "You weren't kidding. He's hot." I snorted with badly suppressed laughter. I took another step into the room, my eyes glued to Spencer's face.

"Spencer," I finally breathed. "You came to get me?" I looked confusedly around. "And you brought...JJ?" He cleared his throat.

"We aren't here as a social call," he said. His voice was different than I'd ever heard it. I realized with a jolt that he was using his FBI agent voice. "You are needed for questioning."

"Questioning?" I said, disbelieving. My eyes flicked from him to my parents and back. "Questioning for what? For beating up Lila?" My parents looked at me with raised eyebrows. I faintly heard Grant mumble something behind me.

"Wait," said my mother, finally catching on. "This is Spencer? Your boyfriend Spencer?"

"Doctor Reid," corrected JJ. "We're going to need to talk to you privately," she said to me. My father stood up.

"Is my daughter in some sort of trouble?" he asked. "Are you charging her with anything?"

"No," said JJ soothingly. "We just need to ask her some questions." Dad wasn't buying it.

"Well you can't question her without a lawyer present," he said. I felt a stab of love for him.

"It's okay Daddy," I said. "I know my rights. If for some reason I think I need a lawyer, I'll let you know." I looked back at Spencer, trying to keep my composure. "Why don't we talk up in my room?" I led the two agents up the stairs and down the hallway to my room. I let them in and closed the door behind them.

I watched Spencer look around my childhood room. I wondered if he was using what he saw to profile me.

"So what's going on?" I asked. "Ask your questions." I sat down on my bed, not inviting them to do the same. JJ sat down at my desk, and Spencer stood awkwardly between us. JJ took out a notepad and pen.

"Where were you on the night of August fifteenth?" she asked. I looked at Spencer in confusion and then at JJ.

"Well I went to a birthday party," I said. "I accompanied my boyfriend, a Dr. Spencer Reid, an agent of the FBI." JJ sighed.

"You don't need to be sarcastic Paige, this is important," said JJ. She cleared her throat. "Where did you go after that?" she asked.

"Well Derek drove me home," I said. "And I stayed there for the rest of the night. In the morning I left for Maine...and here I am." I couldn't look at Spencer.

"Did Agent Morgan spend the night?" asked JJ. I blinked.

"What?"

"Did Agent Morgan spend the night?" she repeated.

"No," I said incredulously. "He dropped me off. He didn't even walk me to the door." Suddenly it dawned on me. "Is he okay?" I asked. Both JJ and Spencer dropped their eyes.

"He's missing," said Spencer. His voice sounded broken. I fought the urge to run to him and throw my arms around him.

"Missing?" I said. "Since when?"

"Since the night of August fifteenth," said JJ. I sat back against the wall, absorbing her words.

"You think...you think I had something to do with it?" I asked JJ, but I was looking at Spencer. Spencer looked at JJ.

"No," she said. "His car was found at his home, so your story checks out. We can leave now." My mind boggled at the fact they'd flown all the way up the coast to ask me two questions. JJ stood up, and both she and Spencer went to exit the room.

"Wait," I said. "I want to go with you." Spencer stopped and turned around, his eyes searching mine.

"Why?" he asked softly. I shrugged.

"Because," I said. "I want to help. And...I need the chance to beg your forgiveness." Spencer looked at me for a long moment, then looked at JJ, then back at me.

"Have your bags packed in five minutes," he said. "We'll wait for you." Then he and JJ went downstairs.