The BAU had a long run of away cases over the next few weeks, with very few nights in-between at home. They were all tired and their families were suffering. First it was a gang oriented crime; then a family annihilator - a sexual sadist after that. Now they were looking at what seemed to be a man who just killed for the thrill of it. He had started with high risk victims. Prostitutes and runaways. But now he was going for low risk victims. There was no specific victim type apart from that. It started with whatever he could get his hands on but now it just seemed like whatever would give him the best rush of adrenaline.
Blake got a phone call at 1pm. It was from Clara's school. "Clara passed out." Was all she could hear.
"Hotch?" Blake called into an adjoining room. "I need to go home." She told him. "Clara's passed out at school."
"Alright. I hope she gets better soon." Hotch wished.
"So do I." Blake responded sighing. "I'll see you all when you get back."
Catching the next flight home she sighed. She thought Clara had been getting better. Clearly not.
Entering the hospital she asked to see Clara and was guided to her room. She was asleep when Blake entered and so she just sat on a chair next to her bed and waited for her to awaken.
Garcia came down to the hospital that evening. Wanting to cheer up Alex and with get well presents for Clara.
"Pen. You didn't have to!" Blake responded as she entered.
"I wanted to." She replied as Blake stood up so Penelope could sit down, knowing it wasn't good for pregnant women to stand for too long. "I thought you might like some company and you know how much I like to spoil everyone's children."
"Yeah. I know. Aren't you busy with the case though?" She asked.
"No they've called it a night. Their stuck at a bit of a dead end right now."
"I hate that." She responded, slightly glad she wasn't with them as being stuck at a dead end always did make her a bit restless.
"Good that you're not there then." Penelope replied light-heartedly. "Alex. Clara will be ok." She said sensitively. It didn't need a profiler to see how worried about her daughter Blake was.
"I really hope so. She had bulimia, but I think its more anorexia binge-purge type." Alex responded. Although she was a linguist she had studied some psychology.
"Oh. Have you got her a therapist?" Garcia asked, surprised that Clara had an eating disorder.
"Yes, And I thought it was working… until now." Blake replied honestly, upset that she hadn't been around her daughter enough to notice she was getting bad again.
"It's not your fault… you know that?" Garcia asked, looking at Blake concerned. She seemed really upset and Garcia had never seen her like this.
"I know… but I still feel bad. I should have been around more…"
"You can't help your Job Alex." She responded gently.
"I know… I know…" She repeated herself sighing.
"Good. Now can I see a smile?" Garcia asked. "Otherwise I'll have to give you a makeover."
Blake gave a slight smile, loving how crazy Penelope was and how nice it as for her to think to visit the hospital.
"There we go. She'll be ok." Garcia reassured, getting a box of roses out of her bag. "Emily bought them for me but I think you need them more."
"Oh no. Pen… you don't have to give them to me." Blake interjected athough thankful for the gesture.
"It's fine. We can share them." She replied kindly. "Chocolates always cheer me up."
"Me too Pen." She replied pausing. "Thankyou."
"It's alright. I always like to help my family when they're in need." She responded.
They both talked and ate chocolates until late into the night. Penelope must have gone home to her own bed once Alex had fallen asleep because when she woke up stiff from sleeping in a hospital chair she was gone.
"Morning Mom." Clara greeted, she had been awake for a while and been watching her mother sleep.
"Oh sweetie. I was so worried!" She exclaimed.
"I know. I'm sorry. I just really missed you."
"I missed you too sweetie. Can you please try and not scare me like that again though?"
"I'll try not to. I don't really fancy another night in the hospital so maybe I'll use that as my motivation."
"Yeah maybe. It might help." She responded, hugging her daughter.
"Can I use your phone?" She asked, knowing she didn't have hers with her.
"Sure. Why?"
"I want to talk to Dana. Let her know I'm ok."
"Alright." She replied, passing her phone to Clara.
Dana was downstairs when she heard her phone ring. "Alex? Is Clara ok?" She answered.
"Dana it's me." Clara responded. "I'm alright." She continued. "I'm sorry for scaring you."
"I know you are and I know your struggling right now so it's ok." She forgave, knowing that Clara hadn't purposefully passed out to scare everyone.
They both talked for over an hour before saying goodbye. It was reassuring for Dana to hear Clara's voice and her talking about normal teenage things after the incident at school the previous day.
The team had finished the case a couple of days later and Hotch managed to get them a few days off. Knowing how hard they had been working lately. This was great. They all needed to catch up on sleep and they all needed some quality time with their families.
JJ played football in the garden with Henry and Will. Hotch went to the museum with Jack. Morgan spent the day with Savannah and Reid read more books than could be seen as humanly possible in that time space. Blake was just glad to have some quality time with her daughter and Roxanne spent as much time with Tyler as she could knowing that in February he would be going away again.