Chp. 16

Emily watched Spencer sleep. She put her faith that he would be kept safe into two men that she barely knew. No, that wasn't right. She'd known Will for years, but only through his marriage to JJ. The men on her own team would do whatever it took to keep Spencer safe, especially Morgan.

"Do you think he likes me?" Morgan asked, pulling her back to the present.

"Do I think who likes you?" Emily asked, playing dumb.

Derek scowled to let her know he was serious. "Spencer. Little man."

She smiled. "Little man, huh?"

Derek shrugged. "Gotta call him something, Em."

"Em?" She asked with a grin.

Rolling his eyes, Morgan glared playfully. "You going to question everything I say, Prentiss?"

Now she laughed and it was music to his ears. "Yeah, because you cute when you're angry." Before she could say more, Spencer stirred slightly and whimpered in his sleep.

Derek watched as Emily Prentiss transformed into Mommy mode right before his eyes. She reached over and carded a hand through Spencer's hair. "Shh, Spencer. You're safe. It's all ok."

Even in sleep Spencer reached out for one of the two people who made him safe and Emily took his hand. Spencer calmed instantly and the two agents watched and listened the child's breathing deepened and he slept peacefully again.

"You're good with him." Morgan said, whispering now that Spencer was sleeping again.

Emily shrugged and wouldn't look at him. Concerned for his friend, Derek reached over and gently turned her face so that she was looking at him. He saw tears in Emily's eyes. "What is it?"

"What if…what if I can't give him what he needs?"

Derek felt like he'd been slapped. He knew that for all her confidence and professionalism as an agent, Emily still thought that she didn't have what it took to be a wife and mother. But in Derek's mind, nothing could be further from the truth. In that moment, he decided that in addition to helping Spencer heal, he would get through to Emily as well.

"You do have what it takes." He said simply, and before she could respond, he leaned in and kissed her gently. Derek was prepared for any reaction except the one he got. At first Emily was surprised, then she slowly returned the kiss. They stayed like that for a few minutes, both wanting to give in, but forcing themselves to remain conscious of the little boy who slept only feet away.

000

As the helicopter flew toward the area where William Reid had initially escaped from, Mark and Will went over their plan, even though they'd done this kind of thing a thousand times.

"You think we'll get anything?" Will asked, just to make conversation.

Mark looked at his watch. Three hours had passed since they'd gotten the call saying that William Reid had escaped custody. He shrugged. "Hope so. Personally, I think we should give this scene a once over then look into Reid's associates. He couldn't have stayed hidden as long as he did and then escaped so quickly without help."

"Sounds good," Will said, because he had to say something. Both men just prayed they got to William Reid and killed him before he could do anymore damage.

000

William Reid smiled and rubbed his wrists where the handcuffs had left bruises. Those fascists had told him to shut up when he complained. "So what's next? Are you going to take up our friend's offer to lay low down south?" Morris Taylor asked. Taylor was a trusted friend and one of the reason's William was now free.

"Not before I get Spencer back."

"Are you out of your mind? William, Spencer's in federal custody. Get him out of your mind. You'll find a hundred boys just like him where you're going, without the hassle." Another voice said. The voice belonged to Morris' wife, Angela. She was the group's facilitator, because people trusted her. Children trusted her. And she was the other reason William Reid was now a free man.

William shook his head. "He's my son. I can't just forget about him. Can you understand that?"

Angela thought for a moment, then nodded. "Ok, we'll help you get Spencer back, then get you both out of the country."

William smiled. "Thank you, both of you."

000

Fifty-Six year old John Stevens supposed this was what everyone meant when they said, 'better you than me.' Stevens had been with the Federal Bureau of Prisons for thirty years, starting as a correctional officer. William Reid wasn't the first prisoner to escape under his watch, but he had a sneaking suspicion that he would be the last. But Steven's wasn't about to go down without a fight. He was a year away from retirement and he was damned if he was going tell his wife he'd lost his pension just because some Chester picked today to make a break for it.

He watched as a helicopter landed a short distance away and two men got out. They looked to be in their mid-thirties and both wore blue windbreaks over jeans and boots. Stevens watched as they approached, trying to prepare himself for what was to come.

000

Drying the last of the dishes, Carolyn sighed. The others had offered to help, but she declined. The moment Mark had stepped out during dinner to take his call, she thought she knew where this was all headed. Then when Mark and Will left and he'd said it was for work, she knew for sure. Closing her eyes, Carolyn tried to push her mind somewhere else, anywhere else but where it was going. Mark was a grown man, a former Navy Seal. She knew all these things, but he would always be her son. She just wanted him to be able to let go of some of the hate and anger he'd carried for so long. Feeling wetness on her face, Carolyn quickly reached up and wiped her eyes, praying David wouldn't walk in. Unfortunately, he picked that exact moment to come into the kitchen.

He pretended not to notice, and she knew without turning around that he went to the coffee pot and refilled his cup.

"You're worried about him." He said to her back.

Turning around, the pain left Carolyn and Dave's words put a fire in her. "And you're not! Some gunslinger bravado bullet with your name on it steely eye stare, laugh in the face of danger crap!" Her words were harsh, but her tone was low and controlled because of the children sleeping upstairs. By the time she finished, Carolyn was crying openly. Knowing that whatever he said would be a lie or would sound trite, Dave set his cup down on the butcher block and went to his wife and held her, offering what comfort he could simply by being there.