John held the child against his chest, trying to keep the six month old warm. Elias could not care less if the baby died, she meant nothing to him. John was her protector, she couldn't die. He wasn't going to let her. His hands were bruised and torn from his struggle with the handcuffs but eventually he had broken free from the pipe and was able to go and hold the baby. He couldn't provide skin to skin contact, which was recommended for cold conditions due to the hand cuffs and suit but he did his best before he knew if he went any longer the child would soon die.

"Elias", He said firmly, "You win."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

It was two days now after that terrible incident. John's hands were still bruised and Leila had developed a cold. The grandparents had decided against taking her and suggested that she remain in the care of John and Harold. The two men hesitantly accepted.

"Mr Reese I hope you don't plan on bringing Bear over here", Finch said over the phone to John, "We don't want Leila becoming his new chew toy."

"Relax Finch, he wouldn't hurt a flea", John said as he put the dog on the leash and walked out of his spacious apartment.

"Perhaps not but he would kill an armed man if asked to", Finch said, "Oh and we have a new number."

"Who is it?" John asked as he got into his car and started heading towards where Finch stayed in the old worn down library.

"Sarah Abbey", Finch replied, "A sixteen year old girl, I've had a look on her social networking pages, she has over a thousand friends on all of them, nothing peculiar came up, she has a boyfriend and attends the local school, I'm sending you the address. Her mother was killed due to domestic violence and her father currently resides in jail, she's living with her aunty at the moment."

"So who would want to hurt her then?" Reese asked as he trained his camera onto Sarah.

"Or who would she want to hurt?" Harold suggested, Leila started crying in her crib and Harold went to go see how she was doing, "It appears that Leila's cold might finally be passing."

"Then why is she crying?" John asked.

"I thought by now you would have learnt that babies cry for many reasons Mr Reese", Finch replied, "Have you got any extra info on Sarah?"

"Who is her boyfriend", John asked as he noticed Sarah walk towards an African American man.

"Nicky Jo, he is a seventeen year old African American, attends the same school as Sarah", Harold answered.

"You sure he's seventeen?" John queried thinking the man looked more like twenty.

"That's what his file says", Finch answered.

"He looks more like he's twenty, can you find anything else on Sarah?" John asked.

"I think maybe you should pay her father a little visit Mr Reese", Finch replied as he went over to hold Leila, "Seems that Leila might be more fond of you than me."

"Perhaps, then again, we had that special bonding time when she almost froze to death", John answered.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

John walked up to the board in Finch's office to see pictures of people attached to it, Leila had fallen asleep in his arms. He knew that this could be a hard case but the only suspect that came to his attention was the boyfriend.

"Studies show that people who have experience domestic violence are likely to continue ending up in such situations", Reese commented as he pointed to the photo of Nicky Jo.

"Funny you should say that, I found some more info about her father, he was a drug dealer as well, nobody knew but I believe that this may have a connection to Nicky", Finch suggested.

"So you think that maybe Nicky is with Sarah because of her father", John added as the baby began to wake from her slumber.

"Mr Reese, I also want to remind you that you should probably think about moving your weapon stash", Finch warned John, "I don't think either of us want her to try and blow herself up again."

"She wouldn't do that, would you Leila?" John asked the baby who looked up at him with a questioning glance, "she'll be perfectly fine."

"Yes well, I need you to go out and find out more about Nicky, see what part he plays in all this", Finch told Reese, "And while you're at it, Leila needs her daily dose of vitamin D."

Finch handed John the baby carrier, he had grown affectionate towards the child and whilst he was hesitant to accepting keeping her. He still didn't understand why the grandparents had declined the opportunity to raise their grandchild but he accepted it as their decision, Harold and John had to keep the child and neither of them seemed to entirely regret it.

"You ready for a road trip Leila?" John said to the child who gargled and kicked her legs in response.

"Stay out of harm's way if you can", Harold told John who grabbed his car keys.

"What I try to do everyday Finch, but don't worry I won't give her my gun for a toy, if that's what you're wondering", John told Finch with a smirk.

"Also, you might want to try Detective Carter, see if she has anything on Nicky Jo and Sarah's father", Harold said to him as Bear found his squeaky toy.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Hey babe, you wanna go into town tonight", Nicky said to his girlfriend Sarah.

"No, I've gotta stay home and study", The Caucasian female said whilst playing with her brunette hair.

"Come on, it'll be fun, I promise", Nicky replied with a large smile.

"No, Nicky, maybe some other time", Sarah replied as she walked off.

Reese had blue jacked Nicky's phone and was currently listening to their conversation.

"Please Sarah, we'll just have a few drinks and then you can head home", Nicky pleaded.

"Nicky, I can't", Sarah explained.

"Well, maybe I can't help but punch you", Nicky said as Sarah wrapped her arms around her stomach and Nicky punched her in the face, only then did John notice something about Sarah.

"Finch, I believe Sarah's pregnant", He said through his earpiece.