A/N

Hey! For those of you that actually read author's notes I just want to say thank you for helping this community grow. I've watched this go from less than thirty stories to over sixty in just a few short weeks.

I started writing this story before "Gina Zanatakos," so if there are any issues with the father/daughter pairing it's because I wrote this when it was a plausible outcome. No, I'm not solely for this kind of pairing for the two characters, but I'm not against the idea.

There might be some OOC because Red was still a developing character when this was being written (he still is with all the masks he wears).

Sometimes Elizabeth was too smart for her own good. Or at least the good of her sanity. I taught you well, Lizzie, Raymond Reddington mused as he observed her shocked face staring right back. Perhaps too well he thought, smiling at his words.

He was proud of her there was no doubt. Always proud of her. Never condescension or mistrust toward her in his heart. He enjoyed seeing the individual she had grown into since becoming part of this whole operation. It warmed him watching her fight to stay strong as she slowly picked up the pieces of her life after Tom…those were thoughts for another day, he told himself. She was brave in those moments, a different brave than her normal. And he was proud of her for that. She cared about others. And he was always happily amazed ever time it showed.

But she was so damn curious. And perceptive. And stubborn. Sometimes he wondered if he should regret bringing those out in her. Sometimes.

"What did you say?" she demanded again, the strength lost in the whisper.

He inwardly winced. His contempt for the man they hunted and caught had blinded him momentarily causing him to forget Elizabeth's presence during another of his parables. The Concierge of Crime calmly stared at her, weighing his options. Play another one of his mind games with her or own up completely to his slip up.

She waited.

He contemplated.

"You remember that day, Lizzie," he coaxed. "The day your father brought you to the zoo. You were frightened of the tiger exhibit after it lunged for you. He sat you down at a table and went to get you an ice cream to cheer you up. A man came up to you then with a bright green balloon, your favorite color at the time."

"He said tigers were like peanuts." He nodded. "Have you been watching me-" she began with growing rage.

"I was there Lizzie," he admitted. "I was there when you burned your hand on the stove the first day your father left you alone. I was there when you got lost after getting out of your house at two. I was there when you first opened you eyes." He paused, letting his words sink in. "I was there most of your life. Sometimes you knew, mostly you didn't." he shrugged at the last statement, trying to downplay his words.

"You were there when…Daddy?" she whispered. Lizzie, strong, independent Elizabeth, was afraid. She was afraid he could see her fear. Afraid her biggest, closest-held secret was a lie standing before her.

He gave a half-smile so quick it seemed like a facial twitch. He said two words with such tenderness Lizzie could have curled up in its warmth. "Hello Sweetheart."

Tears quickly formed in her eyes. He saw her lose the battle as they trailed down her cheeks at the same moment he strode to her side with calculated step, surrounding her with his protection. She cried on his shoulder, slowly soaking his once pristine shirt and waistcoat. His hat and her hair did well to provide cover for the woman in his arms. Reddington stood there numb by the overwhelming emotions coursing through him yet completely focused on the feeling of holding his daughter.

Keeping his right arm around her tightly, he used his free one to signal Dembe to get the car. His left hand returned her back, rubbing soothing circles as they waited for Dembe. Ressler came looking for Agent Keen at one point only to have daggers shot at him by a certain criminal when he openly gawked. The special agent glared back but retreated nonetheless. Agent Malik also saw them in passing. She seemed merely curious, silently demanding answers from him at a later date, so he felt no need to chase her off in the same manner as Ressler. Dembe pulled up in the limousine just as Agent Malik turned her attention to an officer, no doubt barking orders to an incompetent probie.

Reddington guided Lizzie to the car, bidding her to go in first. He slid in right behind her, forcing himself to look at his friend just to focus as he instructed the man to head to the Sycan; they were moving locations a day of schedule. He couldn't bring himself to have his usual one-sided chitchat when his girl was feeling so lost. That's what he saw in those depths when he finally did look at her. His little girl so confused, so lost. And it tore at him.

She had settled down somewhat by this point. He didn't see her silently wanting physical comfort, so he opted to give her a warm smile. She returned his with a small one of her own.

Yep, he thought, I'm knee deep in it now. He could understand someone willing to burn the world down for one person. Because I'm willing to be that someone.

A/N

Thank you for reading. I might use this for a place to store all my Blacklist one-shots/ficlets. Please let me know either by PM or review if you think this would be a good idea or not and if you have any ideas I could expand on.

Also, if someone wants to adopt or beta any of the stories in here, contact me, and I will be happy to respond.