Saving Grace |√| Editing

Chapter 32

True love stories never have endings. - Richard Bach

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I looked at myself in the mirror, my complexion was pale and you could see the black lines underneath my eyes. I wasn't sleeping and I wasn't eating since I was told that Rene had died. That was 5 days ago, the only thing I was taking was coffee to keep me going.

I felt my phone buzz but I ignored it, I still wasn't fully comprehending that Rene was gone. I still felt her presence, all the laughter we had, all the smiles. It would never really go away, Hali was hard but Rene was harder, but I had to let them both go, so that their soles could be at rest and I could get better myself. 

I heard the door open and I looked over to see Emily coming into the bathroom, "Hotch is ready t--" She said but interrupted herself "Oh Grace," She whispered to me, before long her arms were around me and I had broken down right in her arms. 

"I miss her," I whispered, I think she knew exactly who I meant. Hali was training to be a police officer as well, before she was brutally murdered by Foyet. Her arms tightened around me, She didn't care if Hotch told her off for not being at the profile presentation. 

"I'm so sorry Grace." She whispered, I broke down in more tears. I felt her nudge her head onto my shoulder, as she ran her hands up my back trying to calm me down. I finally felt the tears subside and I calmed down much more. "Come on, let's go get some food. You need to eat." Emily said and I was about to protest. "No buts or ifs, were getting you food." She stated and I sighed before nodding. 

--

"What can I get you two?" Asked the waitress coming up to our table, I put down the menu.

"Can I have a coffee please and A chicken salad." I asked and she nodded before writing it down, The waitress looked over at Emily who just said the same as me. The waitress walked away and Emily turned to look at me. 

"It does get easier," She said and I nodded. As I looked around the room, There was a lot of happy families and single woman and men around here. I smiled as I smelt in the air, It does and I knew it did because even if they are not here. They are always in our hearts. 

"Its still fresh, It'll take time for it to go away." I said, Emily put her hand on mine.

"That's what Morgan's for." She teased me and I blushed and she chuckled at me blushing. "Wait, have you two said you know the three words?" She asked and I nodded, she smiled brightly. "Oh I'm so teasing him about this later." She said and I chuckled. Emily has always been the person that is able to make me laugh in the worst of situations. 

"Em, I love you so much," I said as I laughed along with her and she smiled.

"I love you to Grace, I missed you and your laughter. It felt so lonely in the offices, no one hardly smiled after you were gone. They were all grieving." She said and this time it was me to comfort her.

"I didn't want to hurt you guys, I wanted to get away from the past before I could help anyone else. Then I would've come back, I was going to tell someone until one of the big things in my past came up in the middle of a case and then I knew I couldn't tell. I'm sorry." I said and she nodded as our food came out. The table fell into silence. 

I heard a ping on my phone and I looked down to see it was Hotch asking where we were but I ignored it as I looked back up at Emily, "Who are you running and hiding from now. You said there was two people that you were hiding from?" She asked and I felt my breath catch in my throat. I hadn't told anyone in the BAU about my stalker apart from Rossi and Hotch. 

"I was being Stalked by my boyfriend, he left for three years and then when I got back in the BAU, he started again. I didn't want anyone getting hurt because of him because I know what he was capable off." I said and she thought.

"What was his name?" She asked me and I looked down at my plate.

"Joseph Black," I said and she almost chocked.

"Grace, When did he stop?" She asked and I looked up at her.

"What, Stop when?" I asked. 

"When did he stop after you fake killed yourself?" She asked and I thought back. 

"3 Months," I stated. 

"Grace... He was an UnSub. We caught him, he's in prison doing a life sentence for 5 murders," She said and I almost chocked on my food.

"He's what?" I asked. Emily looked at me. 

"We could also get him done for Stalking now," She said and I shook my head.

"If he's already in prison for the rest of his life, we might as well leave it because he will rot the rest of his ugly life in there." I stated as I looked back down at my food.