None of the characters are mine.

Oh and I had some timeline issues.. I hope you don't mind.

„The baby is fine" the words wouldn't get out of her head, they echoed in her head like a voice in a big cave. At first she couldn't think. Then slowly she started to put the pieces together. Now that she thought about it, she had been late, yes, but she hadn't considered her being pregnant would be the reason for that. She had blamed it on her hormones that were all messed up by the emotional trauma she had been going and still was going through. It had happened before, why not now, too..

She managed to move her IV'ed arm to her belly and carefully touched it, very lightly only, since firstly she had bruises all over it and secondly she just was scared about what she was going to find. There it was, a small bump, so small that she had missed it and would've probably continued to miss it for the next week or so. She caressed the parts of it that didn't hurt that much until gradually the sleeping pills kicked in and she drifted away.

Liz woke up the next day with the sun already lightening up her room, making her feel like she had slept forever. When she opened her eyes, she saw someone sitting next to her bed. He was supporting his chin with his hands, his elbows propped up on his knees. When he saw that she was looking at him he smiled. "Is this turning into a habit of yours? Watching me sleep?" she whispered, her voice not existing yet.

"I wouldn't do it if I didn't have to" he answered, his voice sounding kinda bitter.

"Do I look that bad?" she asked, louder already.

"I've seen worse, I have to admit. But you go second after that guy who fell out of the window.

"Ouch!" She had to giggle and the playful "Ouch" turned into a painful one, since her ribs were not too happy about her cheerfulness.

Ressler changed his position and moved his chair closer to the bed. "Tell me, what happened last night? I heard you were beaten down in a parking lot and that a young man had found you and had called the police..."

"Yeah well that pretty much sums it up.. There was this guy, he had recognized me from TV so he followed me and told me how much he hated that I got a second chance or that I had gotten exonerated, in general... Yeah and then he threw me to the ground and kicked me. Caught me totally off guard.. I couldn't even defend myself" her voice cracked and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

Ressler frowned in disapproval and took her hand into his.

"We're going to find him. I promise. Just tell me the name of the shop and I will check the security footage."

"Sounds good, but we should do it when I'm back in the office. Those painkillers make me quite fuzzy."

"I've got one more question. Why am I your emergency contact?" he asked her curiously.

"Oh, I probably should've told you. Well, after I found out about Tom... or Jacob I didn't want him to be that contact anymore so I put your name down, since Red is, you know, a criminal."

"That makes sense, I'm honored and wish to never get a call like that again, are we clear?" he told her in a mocking tone.

"Yes, sir." she replied, grinning.

Ressler let go of her hand and pulled his phone out of his pocket. He checked his messages and put it away again, since apparently there were none. "Do you want anything to drink or eat, Liz?"

"Some water would be perfect right now."

When he left the room she once again let her hand slide over her belly, she still couldn't fully grasp the weight that baby added to her responsibilities. And now that she was alone again, she could finally think about her situation somewhat clearly. Yes, she had wanted a family so badly for a long time and yes, she wanted to be a mother. But now? She was barely holding on to her own life, she was just getting it back together, piece by piece and now she would have to care for another human being, too? Alone? It just didn't seem right. Not that she wasn't looking forward to it... because she was, but the timing was all kinds of wrong.

But wait. Was she really alone in this? The doctor hadn't told her how far along she was but since that little belly was already there she would guess about six or seven weeks? She wasn't n expert on those things, at all.

Now. What had happened six or seven weeks ago?

There literally only was one person she had seen back then. And not only seen.

And that person was here. Right. Now.

Her heart beat faster, which unfortunately could be heard on her heart rate monitor. Just in that moment Ressler re- entered the room with a nurse. He handed her the water and said "She'll check on you. I'll come back when she's done, ok?" Liz could only nod.

"Miss Keen, how are you feeling today? Are you in pain?" the nurse asked her.

"I think I'm as good as I can be under the circumstances..."

"Good. Your bruising looks good, and I think we can release you today, in an hour or so. You'll get some prescription painkillers and then rest, rest, rest. It's not just you anymore, remember that. "

"Ok." she answered. She hadn't been prepared to go home that day, she hadn't even unpacked in her new apartment.
"Oh, uhm... How far along am I, by the way? The doctor yesterday didn't mention it." Liz asked the nurse, her voice shaky.

"6 and a half weeks, sweety. Oh and may I ask... Is that handsome guy outside the babydaddy?"

She'd been right...

He must be...

"Seems like it, yes." she whispered, yet again in shock.

She was having a baby with Ressler.

How did they get into that mess?

The nurse left and Ressler slipped right into her room. She followed him with her eyes as he sat down in the chair again.

Should she tell him now?

She would've eventually have to tell him anyways, but right now she couldn't. First she would have to get used to the idea herself.

"What did she say? When can you get home?" "Today, in an hour or so."

"I'll take you home, ok?" he offered. For some reason her eyes watered so he took her hand again and kissed it shortly. "Ok."

She couldn't do this alone.

But she just couln't tell him either, yet.

"It's going to be ok, Liz. You'll see." He kissed her hand once again and then kept holding it until the doctors came in again and he had to leave to wait outside for her.

Let me know what you think:)