"I'm glad I could help, Rossi," Reid told his colleague before slipping his phone back in his pocket and continued walking down the corridor towards the auditorium where his students were awaiting his arrival. He let his mind wander briefly to the previous night and quickly brushed those thoughts aside, slightly alarmed at the reaction they were causing. He wiped his palms on his trousers and willed his heartbeat to settle back down. Arriving at the auditorium door, he took a deep breath and opened it.

The students immediately hushed all conversations and gave Reid their full attention. He set down the books he was carrying on the lectern at the front of the room and shrugged his messenger bag off, letting it fall to the chair behind him. He adjusted the height of the microphone then addressed the class.

"Good morning everyone."

Inwardly, he smiled at how easily this was coming to him now. The first few seminars over which he'd presided, he'd had some trepidation: the old feelings of awkwardness, self-consciousness and self-doubt had arisen. But experience, and reassurance from several fronts had assuaged the anxiety and Reid emerged stronger, more confident. Silently, he sent out a thank you to Emily for suggesting he do these lectures, and to Grace for all the moral support and love she'd shown him the last few months. He took a deep breath, looked up from the lectern and addressed his class.

"Today we're going to talk about the application of math in the course of an investigation." He stopped and smiled; pleasantly surprised that this hadn't been met by a chorus of groans. "And I promise you, it's way more interesting than it sounds."

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"I don't want to go!" Albert shouted at Maureen, intent on bullying his way past her. She was holding onto his arm and attempting to direct him to the waiting wheelchair. Albert had an appointment with a neurologist at the nearby hospital and Maureen was supposed to accompany him, and a family member, to the appointment.

Grace was in the hallway and heard the commotion. Immediately, she raced into Albert's room, just in time to witness Albert give Maureen a tremendous shove. Maureen crumpled as she hit the wall behind them and the momentum caused Albert to fall, striking his head on the floor.

After sounding the alarm, Grace hurriedly turned to Maureen and Albert. Crying in pain, Maureen choked out, "I think my wrist might be broken. But Albert! Albert's unconscious."

Grace's attention trained on Albert. He was unconscious, but didn't appear to be bleeding and was breathing normally, Grace noted with muted relief.

Sandy, the nurses' supervisor arrived at the scene and agreed with Grace's assessment that both Maureen and Albert needed to go to the hospital. They helped Maureen up and the injured nurse sat in the wheelchair while Grace and Sandy attended to Albert. Minutes later, the ambulance attendants appeared and after determining it was safe to move Albert, they loaded him on their gurney and took him away to the hospital.

"I'll take Maureen to the hospital," Sandy told Grace.

"I'll take over Maureen's rounds," Grace replied. "I just need to text Spencer to let him know I'm working late."

"Oh Grace, thank you. See if they can call LaMarr in early tonight so you don't have to stay too late. He was just asking about getting some overtime yesterday." She reached out and patted Grace's arm in a gesture of appreciation, then wheeled Maureen out the door.

Grace spent the next ninety minutes ensuring medications were dispensed on time, overseeing afternoon tea in the dining room, playing checkers with Albert's friend Rhonda and setting about helping the kitchen staff deliver meals at dinnertime. Shortly after five p.m. LaMarr arrived, immediately taking over meal delivery and telling Grace to go home, only an hour past her scheduled time.

She retrieved her purse and jacket from her locker and drove home. With Spencer currently on another of his thirty days of mandated out of the field time, she'd fallen into the routine of preparing their dinner knowing he'd be home around the same time every night. It was a welcome change from the random schedule he'd had when he was with his team. Sipping from her sparkling water, she finished setting the table for dinner and cleaned up the preparation dishes sitting in the kitchen sink. She refilled her glass and curled up in her recliner in the living room. As she waited for the ziti to bake and for Spencer to arrive home, her iPhone rang and Grace plucked it from its charger to answer it.

"I was right. Wrist is busted," Maureen told her.

"Damn it. Are you in a lot of pain, Mo?"

"It's manageable. Doctor wants me off for at least a week. Sandy said I should take off as long as I need."

"If you need any help with anything, Maureen—" Grace began.

"I'll be fine. I'll be climbing the walls at home after a week, Grace. I hope to be back to work ASAP."

"Did you hear anything about Albert, Mo?"

"He's gonna be okay. Slight concussion. I'm actually more concerned about the Alzheimer's, Grace. I'm afraid he may need to go to the full care section after today's episode."

"Oh no," Grace commiserated. Albert was one of their favourite patients. When he was having a good day, the man was a delight, charming and cooperative and friendly with most everyone at Hetherington's. It broke Grace's heart to think his condition had deteriorated to the point where he would need full time supervision. His family would be devastated to hear about this turn for the worse.

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"Dr. Reid?" the young blond student tugged at her hair, twirling it in her hand as she tried to get Spencer Reid's attention. He was slipping folders back into his messenger bag and turned when he heard his name.

"Miss?"

"Gabrielle Ortiz," she introduced herself, "I'm studying criminology at the university. Our whole class has been attending your seminars, Dr. Reid and they're so interesting. Like today, you made math so much fun." She blushed and batted her eyes at him and for an instant Spencer wished Derek Morgan could see this moment. The girl was clearly flirting with him. He chewed his lower lip and wondered how to discourage her without being rude or mean.

She was staring at him, he noted, but didn't make eye contact. He was pretty sure she was looking at the right side of his head and it left him feeling a little unsettled and self-conscious.

"I was wondering if we could maybe go for coffee and you could explain that Fibo thingie—"

"The Fibonacci sequence. Uh—" he hesitated as he finishing putting a few more folders back into his bag and closed it. He considered his words.

"Gabrielle, is it?" When she nodded, he continued, "Well, you see—"

His iPhone rang. It was still sitting next to the computer on the table beside them and he'd never been happier to have it interrupt him as he was at that moment. The ringtone told him it was Grace calling and for that, he was ever thankful.

"Excuse me," he directed his words at Gabrielle as he grabbed the phone and turned slightly away from her.

"Grace! Sweetheart! What's up?"

"Hey Spence. I just wanted to let you know I didn't end up having to stay too late at work. I'm at home now and making dinner."

"I can't wait. I'm on the way home. Love you," he winced slightly knowing that Gabrielle could hear every word he said. He waited while Grace echoed the sentiment then clicked the phone off. Turning back to face Gabrielle, he waved the phone slightly.

"You're married." Gabrielle said in a disappointed and embarrassed tone.

"Not yet, but," Reid let the reply die on his lips and Gabrielle's smile faded.

"I'm sorry," she said, looking very awkward and sheepish.

"Don't be sorry. Just continue to be an enthusiastic student," he encouraged.

The smile reappeared on Gabrielle's face. She leaned in closer to Reid and touched a finger to the right side of his hair.

"I'll be a shining star, just like you," she told him before turning and leaving the classroom.