"It's too early, Levi. You can't go to the police station now," Aria says to me, rushing out of bed to make sure I don't fall while hopping around on my uninjured leg to find clothes to wear. He reaches me and wraps his arm around my waist to hold me up while I search through my dresser. It was about six in the morning and I woke up feeling much more terrible than I did yesterday. Kai has officially been missing for 39 hours and it's been the worst day and a half in my entire life.

"I have to go. Amelia's probably been questioned multiple times, which means they might have gotten more information about where he is. I need to see what's going on. I can't just sit here any longer thinking about all the possibilities because I'm literally going to go crazy," I tell Aria in the most convincing voice I could. I know that he barely slept because he was so nervous about how I was doing, which means I also barely slept. Not only was my mind racing, but my emotions were everywhere.

"Okay, then slow down for a second," Aria says, tightening his grip on my waist when I try to hop back to the bed to put my clothes on. I stop moving and lean my head back against Aria's shoulder to take a second to breathe. "you're not going to be able to do anything if you hurt yourself by going too fast. You'll get there, I promise you, so just take your time."

I nod my head before allowing him to help me to the bed. I let Aria change my bandage along with doing all the other things the doctor ordered to keep the wound nice and healthy. It hurt like hell and I was glad for the pain medication I was allowed to take because it definitely made all of this aching and throbbing much easier. After that, he helps me get dressed in sweatpants and put on my shoes before handing me my crutches.

We walk out to the living room to see my mother passed out on the couch with a heavy blanket placed over her body. My dad was asleep on the floor, looking extremely uncomfortable where he slept, but I think they were so tired that they didn't care where they were. I write down on a notepad that Aria and I were going to the police station and they should come when they wake up. They don't even move as Aria and I make our way out of my apartment and down the elevator.

Once we get to the lobby, the police officer that was stationed in front of my building helps us to the car since a bunch of media people wanted statements. Ever since the AMBER Alert went out about my son, things have been super hectic and news channels have been talking about it a lot. After making it to Aria's car, the police officer takes his place in front of the apartment building again, probably since my parents were still here.

The car ride to the police station isn't too long since I was so in my head about everything. I was hoping that Amelia told them something, anything, about where her husband was with my son. I trusted her to make the right decision when it came to this. She's smarter than to deliberately withhold information from the police – or is she? I had no idea.

Once we get to the station, Aria helps me out of the car before opening the door for me to walk through. As soon as I walk in, the receptionist looks up and her soft smile drops when she sees that it's me. She instantly stands up before looking around at all the officers sitting at their desks. "I'll be right back, Mr. Whitehouse. I'll go get the lead detective to talk to you."

I nod my head before watching her walk to the backrooms where the offices were held. I lean against the reception desk and Aria does the same, leaning on his elbow while he stares at me. "What're you thinking about?"

I take a second to gather my thoughts before looking over at him, probably looking absolutely pitiful at the moment. "I'm just trying not to get my hopes up that something's happened."

I watch as he reaches his hand out to touch my shoulder, but he flinches back before he actually makes contact. He drops his eyes along with his hand, probably thinking about the argument that we had last night, which wasn't really an argument. It was more of me yelling at him to get my anger and frustrations out. I reach over and grab his hand, completely contradicting myself again. "You can touch me. It's... it's a different day. I need you."

His eyes soften before he reaches over and wraps his arm around my shoulder. He presses a soft kiss to the side of my forehead and nuzzles his head against mine. "I'm here."

"Thank you," I whisper, looking up when the receptionist walks back over with Detective Omar. He was a nice man, but I could tell that he was very tough when it came to cases like this. He questioned me so much yesterday along with my entire family that I knew he was taking this seriously. It made me feel good that he was working so hard on getting my son home.

"Mr. Whitehouse, good morning. Follow me," he says before taking Aria and me to the same room we were sitting all day in yesterday. I get settled in the same chair that I was in the day prior that gave me a view of the entire main room in the station, so I could look through the windows and see who was coming in and what they were doing. I knew that they had a room dedicated just to my case with multiple officers working nonstop to find my son, but I wasn't allowed to go in there.

Aria sits next to me before sliding his hand into mine, intertwining our fingers. I expect the detective to say something, but instead, he opens up his laptop and starts typing things like we weren't even in the room with him. After a few minutes of that, another man that looked much older than the detective comes in. He was followed by an older woman that had a nice smile on when she sees me. The man holds his hand out to me, putting on a nice expression when introducing himself. "Good morning, Mr. Whitehouse. I'm FBI Special Agent Kaiser Ramirez."

"And I'm Special Agent Alejandra Cortez. We've been handling your case for the past 12 hours. We're so sorry that we haven't been able to talk to you since we showed up. We watched your interviews with Detective Omar and reviewed all the evidence that we have in your case with your son, Malakai Whitehouse," the woman tells me in an empathetic voice.

Before I could even think about the fucking FBI being here for my son, I blurt out my question. "Is there anything new that you have? Any news of my son?"

Agent Kaiser shakes his head. "No, I'm sorry, but we don't have anything helpful. We've searched all of Mr. Beckett Klein's properties and found nothing. We searched his work and everything in Amelia Klein's possession as well, but there's no evidence to point us in the direction that they might've gone. But I can promise you that we're working as fast and as hard as we possibly can."

I feel myself starting to get upset again that nothing has changed since last night. I lean back in my chair before wrapping my arm around Aria's and setting my head on his shoulder, trying my hardest not to cry in front of the agents. Aria tightens his grip on my hand and presses a kiss to my head. I can hear Detective Omar talking with Agent Alejandra, but I don't listen to what they're saying since I was so busy focusing on what was going on with my son. Was he awake yet? Did he sleep well? Did he sleep in a car or on a bed or even on the floor?

"Mr. Whitehouse, we are doing everything in our power to find Malakai. We still have Amelia Cohen in our custody and despite her not talking just yet, we're working as hard as we can to get any information out of her," Agent Kaiser tells me in a softer voice.

I look up at them, hastily wiping at my eyes before an idea pops into my head. "I want to talk to her."

The agents and Detective Omar seem to be shocked by my demand since I've been so quiet about everything. They probably didn't expect that I would willingly put myself in that position, but if it's the thing that will bring my son home, then I'll do anything. Agent Alejandra clears her throat before folding her arms over her chest. "I'm sorry, but I don't think we can allow that. We've already-"

"Please," I beg them, the lump in my throat starting to form again. Aria tightens his grip on my hand and I wonder what he's thinking. Does he think it's a good idea? "please, let me do something. I think... I can do it. I know I can."

Agent Kaiser shakes his head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Whitehouse, but we can't. She's not speaking to anyone at this point and she could turn very violent and hysterical within seconds. Once that happens, she may shut down and we might never get another word out of her. It's not our best option."

I slump down in my seat, feeling completely useless where I sat. I could barely even walk and the one thing I could do, I wasn't even allowed to. I would do anything to find Kai and if that meant being yelled at by the woman that helped cause it, then so be it. I would do it, I didn't care. Even if it fucked with my head, I don't give a fuck. Literally, the only thing I cared about was my son making it home safely and as quick as possible. Nothing else mattered. After a few more minutes of the agents asking me questions, they leave along with the detective.

30 minutes later, Kadri and Ximena walk into the room Aria and I were sitting in with plastic bags in their hands. When Kadri sees me, she puts on a fake smile even though I knew she was freaking out about all of this as much as I was. She was basically Kai's mother at this point with how much she cares for him and everything, so of course, she would be affected. "Hi, Levi, how're you doing?"

"Terrible," I say in a soft voice, making the room get very quiet. Aria's hand tightens on mine before he brings it up to place a soft kiss on the back of it. Kadri nods her head before moving further into the room and setting the plastic bags on the table before pulling out containers that seemed to have food in them.

"Well, Ximena spent the morning making you some food. You have scrambled eggs, crepes, pancakes with blueberries, omelets, and tons of chopped fruit," Kadri tells me in a soft voice before sliding containers towards me. She looks up at Aria with a soft smile. "you too. I'm assuming you haven't eaten either."

"Thank you," Aria whispers, but makes no move to grab any food. I could tell that he was waiting for me to eat since he was watching my every move. After a few minutes of that, I reach out and grab a container that holds the fruit and open it. That seems to make Aria happy because he grabs the container that holds a crepe that seems to have chocolate and strawberries inside of it along with whipped cream. The entire time I nibble on the fruit, Kadri and Ximena were watching me with curious eyes, probably wondering what was new.

After I finish eating, which wasn't much since my stomach couldn't take anymore, I sit back in my chair and settle my head on Aria's shoulder. We all just sit there for what feels like hours upon hours of nothing happening. After a while, my parents come in and take some food as well and start a conversation with Kadri and Ximena to probably distract us from what was going on. Once that conversation dies down, we all sit in silence, not knowing what to do. I look over at Aria after a little bit since he was running his thumb over the back of my hand.

"Don't you have to work? Or school?" I ask in a soft voice.

He shakes his head at me. "My manager told me that it probably wasn't best for me to come in and I already emailed my professors and told them what's going on. Everything's good, don't worry about me."

"Well, it wouldn't be good if he goes anyway. He's all over the news," my mother says to me with a small smile on her face. I look over at Aria with a confused look because I didn't know that he was on the news as well, but I guess it makes sense since he's been by my side ever since I woke up in the hospital. He literally hasn't left once and it makes me feel good that he was willing to stay with me through all of this. Even after everything I said last night, I trust him. I don't think he's leaving.

"You are?" I ask Aria, lowering my voice a bit.

"Just a bit," he tells me before bringing my hand up to his mouth to press another kiss to the back of it. I smile lightly when he does that before looking out of the window in the room that shows the entire main room where officers were working all day. But now, I see that Agent Kaiser and Alejandra were walking towards the room we were sitting in and I sit up a bit straighter. Did something happen? Did they find Kai? Did they... is he gone?

When the door opens, everyone looks up at the agents walking in. They had already talked to everyone in here individually once again, so it wasn't a shock to my family that the FBI was here. Before anyone could even react to them barging in, Agent Kaiser leans on the table before locking eyes with me. "Are you serious about going in there with Amelia?"

"Yes," I immediately say, not even taking a second to think.

Before the agents could say anything else, Kadri speaks up with a confused look on her face. "Uh, no. You are absolutely fucking not going in there with the woman that sexually assaulted you and helped take your child. That's going to fuck you up even further, Levi. That's absolutely not going to happen."

I narrow my eyes at her because she needs to trust me. I know what I'm doing. I'm doing one of the only things in my power that I could do right now that might just get us closer to finding my son. Our son, basically. She seems to notice how angry I get because she scoots closer to Ximena. "I'm not asking, Kadri, because if me talking to her is what bring Kai home, then I'm going to do it."

"No," Aria whispers lightly, sitting up a bit and tightening his grip on my hand. "no, you're going to get hurt."

Agent Alejandro shakes her head immediately. "She's handcuffed to the table. There's no way that she'll be able to touch him and there will be an agent in there with them the entire time in case she starts getting hysterical. We got everything covered. All we need is for him to say yes."

"That's not what I mean," Aria tells her in a soft voice before looking back at me with a worried expression deep in his eyes. "she's going to say stuff. She... you're going to have to look at her, Levi, and talk to her. You're going to get hurt if you are in the same room as her."

"He's right," my mother whispers, looking just as worried as him.

Before I could say anything, Ximena interrupts me. "He is right, Levi. She's hurt you so much in your life and this is going to give her another opportunity to do that."

I shake my head, feeling absolutely cornered, even if that's not what they meant to do. They were looking out for me and trust me, I'm super grateful for each and every one of them, but at the same time, this is my son. This is my child's life that could be on the line here, so whatever – and I mean absolutely whatever – I have to do, I will. No matter how much it affects me and that's exactly what I tell them. "I don't care about me. She's hurt me enough. She's done absolutely everything she can to hurt me at this point, so I'm completely numb to everything she can do, so I don't care. I'm doing it."

I reach down and grab my crutches before standing up. Before I could take a step towards the door where the agents were, Aria grabs my arm to get my attention. I turn around to look at him and before I could even see him, my lips were pressed against his soft ones. I could feel his desperation in them just from the short kiss, telling me that this was really worrying him. When we pull away, I reach up and place my hand against his cheek when his lip quivers. "Be careful."

I nod my head, giving him one more peck on the lips. "I will."

I grip my crutches before following the agents out of the room, knowing that everyone in the room was watching me retreat to willingly talk to the woman that's caused all this. All this pain. All this hurt. But I didn't care about her. I cared about my son and bringing him back to me, so I wobbled behind the agents until we were in a room that had a huge window that showed the interview room that I was about to step into. But what I saw made me freeze in my spot.

Sitting at a metal table was Amelia. She looked absolutely awful. Her hair was a mess and it looked like she had cried a bit by the way her eyes were puffy. Her hands were cuffed to the table that held a metal bar on the middle of it that seemed sturdy enough to keep her there. She was looking down at her hands with a confused look on her face, obviously thinking about something. I felt a hand come down on my shoulder and I jump a bit before looking over at Agent Alejandra. "Take as much time as you need, Mr. Whitehouse."

I do just that. I stand in my spot, staring at the woman that had been the product of so many nightmares and horrid thoughts over the past three years. But all while that, I was thinking of the similarities of her and Kai. Unfortunately, he got her hair color since mine was much darker than my son's. Other than that, their facial structures were very similar. Their noses were practically identical along with the shape of their eyes and that angered me. She didn't deserve to have such a perfect little angel as her son. She doesn't deserve anything good in this world.

After taking a little bit to myself, I look up at the agents, who were also staring at the woman. "I'm ready."

They nod before starting to tell me about the things they wanted me to talk about. They seemed much more willing for me to do this, which tells me that they had learned something from her. They must think that I would be able to get through to her and that kinda scared me. Why me? Why was I going to be the one to break this case open? I listen to everything they say before following Agent Alejandro into the room since she was the one who would stay in there with me. When the door swung open, Amelia's eyes shoot up and when she sees me standing there, she freezes.

I watch as her face becomes paler and she starts to slightly pull on the cuffs on her hands and feet. What fucking irony. Three years ago, I was the one held by my wrists and ankles and now, she's the one. It made me feel a bit better that she was getting exactly what she deserves and it confused me that she was here for being a part of the plot to kidnap my son. The son that she forced me to take care of. Not that I minded now, it's just ironic.

I wobble into the room before settling into the chair across from her. She hadn't moved one bit since she saw me and it made me proud that I was able to affect her this way. I set my crutches onto the floor next to me before looking up at her, waiting for her to speak first. We sit there for a few minutes, just staring at each other without saying anything. I was probably annoying the agents behind the one-way mirror for just sitting here, but they can suck it up. I want to make her nervous. I want to make her squirm. I want her to feel horrible for all the pain she's caused me.

When she couldn't handle my stare, she lowers her eyes before continuing to pull at the cuffs on her wrists. I let out a bitter chuckle, making her freeze in her spot. "Doesn't feel good, huh?"

Her eyes squeeze shut like she was overwhelmed before she lifts her head and looks at me. "I'm sorry, Levi. I never meant for any of this to happen. I never meant for Kai-"

"Don't," I snap at her, sitting up a bit more in my chair as anger courses through my blood. She freezes again, her eyes widening as she stares at me. "don't say his fucking name. You have no right."

She nods her head lightly before looking down at her lap. "You're right."

Her voice was bringing back memories. The memories of her urging me on. Of her laughing at me. Of her telling me that I was "enjoying myself". All of it was bringing back memories and the only reason I don't freak out is because of the file that was sitting on the metal table that had a picture of Kai on the front. His photo was bringing me stability and I use it to urge myself to keep going.

I continue to watch her every move, not knowing what to say now. I glance back at Agent Alejandra and when she sees me looking, she gives me a soft smile before nodding her head. I nod back before turning to look at Amelia again, who hadn't lifted her head again. I could feel my chest starting to feel heavy from being in her presence for so long and I could feel my wrists starting to tingle a bit for some reason. I clear my throat before gripping the side of my chair for more stability. "Why?"

"Huh?" Amelia asks in confusion, looking up at me finally. Seeing her piercing dark eyes made my skin crawl and I have to hug myself to avoid panicking. I didn't want to give her the satisfaction to see how much she affected me. I wanted her to think I moved on and I'm better than who she left me as in that bedroom four years ago. Different than that scared little boy she dropped a baby off with three years ago. Just different than who she once saw me as.

"Why did you take him? What did I do to you that made you do this?" I ask, my voice going much softer than I anticipated. I wanted to show her that I was angry, but the heavy weight on my chest wasn't allowing that right now. My arms stay wrapped around my body, helping me stay grounded. My nails were digging into my sides, definitely going to leave cuts there with the force I was putting on my skin.

She takes a second before staring into my eyes again. Even though her stare was making my skin crawl, I don't move away. I stay strong and don't avoid her gaze to show how strong I can be. "I don't know. I don't know why. I told Beckett about how I have a kid and then he freaked out. I... I told him about you since I've been following your life ever since I gave him up. I just wanted to see him grow because I know I couldn't be there for him, so I've watched from a distance."

I let my eyes flutter closed at that fact because that's what really freaked me out. My chest gets even heavier and my shoulders lock up that for the past three years, this woman has been stalking my life for everything I post. I don't post much on social media, just because I don't like that kind of attention and now, I'm so glad I don't. I don't want to know that Amelia has seen all the things I would've posted if I had the confidence. That would've destroyed me that she got to see Kai's happy moments when I was the one that created them. She didn't deserve that.

"But... then he started making assumptions. He looked at your Instagram and even looked at Kadri's and he saw a little bruise on K-... on the child's arm, so he started assuming that you were abusing him. I... I know that you wouldn't. You could've easily given him away after I dropped him off with you, so I know that you wouldn't have hurt him," she says in a soft voice that sounds so innocent, even though she was the devil.

She is the woman that has caused so much pain. Not only for me, but for my family. For my son. Not only did she bring him into this world in a harsh way, but she allowed her husband to take him when she had no right to even know where we were. She's the devil. And she created an angel. It made me sick.

I feel my chest starting to ache even more and I know that I need to wrap this up soon. I couldn't handle much more after all of this, especially at what she just told me. My son got a bruise, probably from playing at the park or something, and he literally assumed it was abuse without even thinking that kids get hurt all the time. Like, they fall. They're clumsy. They have tiny legs and when they run, they get jumbled up. They get fucking hurt and that's not my fault. You just have to pick them up and make sure they're alright, which I always do. I'm a good fucking parent.

"Where is he?" I blurt out.

I watch as her face turns from pain and sorrow to guilt and sadness. She turns her head away from me, not wanting me to watch how her expression keeps changing from a bunch of different emotions. I just sit in my chair, waiting for her to speak and once she looks up at me, I narrow my eyes at her when I see the tears rushing down her face. "I'm sorry, Levi, but I can't tell you that."

I hear Agent Alejandra moving in the corner of the room and I hold my hand out to tell her to stay put because I don't care what I have to do, but I'm not leaving this room until she tells me. Even if I have a panic attack right in front of her, I don't care. I'm not leaving without any information. "After all that you've done to me, after all the hurt and pain you've brought me, I deserve this. I deserve to know exactly what is going on, so tell me where my son is."

I was trying to hold onto my emotions because I think getting angry right now would only hurt me, so I tighten my grip on my sides and ease myself through this. I could tell that my words affected her because as soon as the words 'my son' left my mouth, she breaks down in tears. She falls forward, so her head was against the table and she held it with both of her hands. The handcuffs rattled a bit as she shook with sobs, but I didn't care. I saw no pity for her. I believed every single word I said to her.

She's caused me so much negativity that it's basically ruined my life. After the sexual assault, I was a completely different person and it was all because of her. She robbed me of my innocence. My happiness. My confidence. I used to be able to talk to strangers without being worried. I used to be able to wear bracelets without them having to be so loose that they might fall off any second. I used to not care what kinda pressure was on my chest. She took that away from me, so this one time, I deserve to get something back.

I could feel myself starting to get teary-eyed at the fact that she wasn't telling me. She wasn't saying anything, so I reached down and grabbed my crutches. If she was just going to sit there and cry like a baby when she brought all of this onto herself, then I'm done. I'm done with her. I'm done with everything having to do with her. I'm just done. I push myself to my feet before using the crutches to steady myself, feeling absolutely useless that I wasn't able to get it out of her. I wobble my way to the door while Agent Alejandra opens it for me, not taking her eyes off the crying woman still at the table.

I take one step out the door and as soon as I hear her croaky voice again, I know that my prayers had just been answered. "Our friend," she starts, taking a deep breath before letting it go. I don't turn back to look at her because the fire in my chest was burning too bad to be able to look at her again. "Brendan Campos, he... he owns an abandoned building about 20 miles out of the city. Beckett took your son there and from the last thing I heard from him, they haven't moved."

I don't even look back. I just continue making my way to the room where my family was because first, I was definitely about to have an absolutely terrible panic attack and needed them, but secondly, I think I just saved my son.