AN: Just an idea that came to mind after watching 8x17 and reading the episode description where Reddington 'ships precious cargo'. A possible way out of the the current Liz/Townsend situation.

It was a beautiful evening, even if the company she kept was not exactly her first choice.

But beauty had been hard to find in her life lately and if she wanted any chance of seeing it again Liz needed help.

Townsend was out to get her. She had no idea why, but he definitely was. She'd been going along with him, with everything, so far - despite the nagging thought in the back of her mind that she needed to be careful. But it was getting to be too much.

There was too much at stake. The taskforce. Everyone's future. Herself. Agnes. Don. His baby.

If it was just her she would have kept at it forever. But even ignoring the taskforce who could take care of themselves for the most part, there was still innocent people involved.

Agnes who had to be in hiding instead of attending kindergarten. She didn't deserve what she had, whether she knew any different or not. She should be able to make friends or go play in the park. Instead she was cooped up in a few small rooms for days on end.

Don. She'd put him through so much, she still was. She was drawn to him all the time. She'd now been to his place for the night four times since that first time she requested a chance to rest and every single time it got harder to leave him. He loved her, he'd said it every time, both with words and his body. And he'd let her leave every time because he had no other option except bringing her in and he'd never do that. Her even being at his place made him guilty of harboring a fugitive, which would be his career should they be caught, but she knew he'd open the door every time she knocked. He couldn't stop himself anymore than she could.

And now she was pregnant. They should have thought of it. They should have been more careful. Or maybe it was one of the times they had been careful but chance had won. Whatever the case, they had conceived. She'd only known for sure for a short time and he didn't even know, not yet, but it was long enough she knew she had to stop. She couldn't keep putting herself in harm's way, she couldn't run her body into the ground. If Don knew he'd be livid, she thought, and sad. That it even had to be this way in the first place. But last week she'd been punched in the stomach by their coworker. It wasn't her fault, she didn't know. And today she'd been drugged and in a blazing gunfight. It was a wonder that she hadn't lost the baby. She had to get out before that happened.

That's why she sat now, on a bench in the park, under her guards' watchful eye, and looked at Reddington instead of the breathtaking sunset.

"Lizzie you need to leave" he said.

"Well at least we agree on that much" said Liz.

"So you need help?"

"Well, isn't that what you do? Get people out of the country?" she asked. His attitude was unbelievable sometimes.

"Among other things, yes."

"So how soon can you have us all out?"

"'Us all?' I'm only getting you out Lizzie, you and Agnes."

"And Don."

"No" was all Reddington's said, like he was the parent and she the child and that settled it.

"I'm not leaving without him."

"And I'm not getting him out. Go home, back a bag for you and Agnes, only the bare essentials. Dembe and I will be there in an hour." He stood up, as though he were going to walk away and Liz grabbed his arm, pulling him forceably down next to her again.

"I'm not leaving without Don" she insisted. "You owe me that much. I don't even understand why Townsend wants me. You do. And if you can't tell me you can at least help me get the people I love out of the way! Townsend put a target on Ress' back too you know!"

"Lizzie, listen to me." Reddington spoke slowly as though explaining to a child. "Donald can't come. He's too involved, it would put the mission in jeopardy. He has a place in the government ranks here, you know that. Not to mention his family and friends who he'd be leaving behind. He'd want to come back Liz. It's not a risk you can afford. You'd be best to forget about Donald. Take your daughter, leave the country, forget Donald, and move on."

Liz was mad now. "No. I love Don and he loves me. I am his family, the only one he cares about, which is why I know he would come if I asked. And of course he would want to come back, I do too. And we will as soon as Townsend is not a threat. I'm not you Reddington, I can't just start over again and again. I need stability. Besides, he needs to come with. I'm carrying his baby."

"Oh Lizzie" Reddington looked down at the ground. "Now Donald is involved. Forever."

Liz didn't know exactly what he meant with that. Involved in what? But it didn't matter.

"I don't care" said Liz. "If you won't take him with for me, do it for the sake of our child. The baby will need him and so will I. And he deserves to know his child. You once told me you lost your family. Don has too once and if you refuse to take him with now he will a second time. I'd think you'd understand." She stood this time, walking away to make a statement.

It worked because he caught her arm after only a few steps. His eyes clouded over with genuine emotion and Liz seen the human in him again. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone" he said as they sat again. "Not even Donald."

It was quiet for a minute.

"Alright" he said, "Donald can come too. But will he? I'm guessing you haven't told him of your plans yet?"

"No, I haven't" said Liz, "I haven't even told him about the baby. But I know Don. I know how he feels about me and I know how badly he wants a child. He'll agree."

"Then go tell him. Plane leaves at 11pm tonight."

"That's four hours."

"These things happen fast"

"Well where are we going?" asked Liz. She was paying for his services, had insisted on it. It kept it from being personal, it wouldn't give him a favor to be called in later. Besides he was getting paid with his own money. She'd stolen it from him not long ago.

"Central Saskatchewan. Canada. It's the middle of nowhere. The people up there are all small town atmosphere. They don't follow the news enough to recognize either of you. But it is still close enough to civilization that I know you'll be safe and that essentials like food and medical help will be available. Which is especially important now." His eyes flickered to her belly, although there was nothing to see yet.

"How's it work?" asked Liz. "You can't fly with us?"

"No. Usually I have the person drugged and boxed, then shipped as cargo."

"Absolutely not" said Liz. "No drugs. Don is a recovering addict, Agnes is a child, and I'm pregnant."

"I'm aware of all that" said Reddington, "that's why I said usually. It's a short flight and a big box, if you can all remain absolutely silent we will skip the drugs. But it's a huge risk. RCMP will scan the boxes when you land. If they hear anything at all, they will crack it open."

"We can manage" said Liz.

"I thought you'd say that" he stood for real this time and put on his hat. "Go tell Donald and take him to your place. Dembe and I will be by at around 10:30."

Ressler answered the knock on his apartment door right away. It prayed it would be Liz again and he was not disappointed.

"Hey" he said, unable to stop the smile as his heart lept with joy.

"Hey" she replied. He stepped forward to kiss her and pull her into his arms, but she stopped him. "Not tonight" she said, quietly and he knew something was up.

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking down the hall behind her and feeling relief as he found it empty and shut and locked the door behind her.

"I'm late" she blurted out.

"Okay" he said as he led her to the couch to sit down, still not sure what was going on or if they were being followed. "Late for what?" he asked, turning his attention to her. They sat facing each other on the edge of the couch.

"My period" she said. He could be such a man sometimes.

"Oh!" he said, his eyes widening in surprise. "Are you - ? Did we - ? Are you pregnant?" He leaned forward and placed his hand on her still flat stomach.

"I haven't actually gone to a doctor for an ultrasound but yah. The stick I peed on said so. And the cravings and nausea and fatigue all says so. My breasts are bigger, I've put on weight. I've been here before, I can recognize it in my own body."

His face lit up again, his smile threatening to break his jaw open and tears gathering in his eyes. "I love you Liz. I'm so so happy". His face came forward to rest on hers, their foreheads' aligned.

She let him feel the joy, just for a minute. He needed it. Then she had to break his bubble.

"But I can't stay." His face fell and he pulled away, standing up.

"But what about the baby?" he asked, jumping to conclusions. "You wouldn't-?" Seperate us? Abort it? It was Audrey all over again. His mind reeled. She caught the fear and the anguish in his voice.

"No" said Liz, knowing what he was thinking. "No. Never." She stood too and walked over to him, stopping in front of his body. "I know what this means Don. For all of us. I would never do that."

"Thank you" he whispered, relief flooding him as a tear slipped down his face. He wiped at his eyes hastily and embraced her. "Thank you." It was quiet for a minute. "Then what?" he asked.

"Well that's why I'm here" she said. "Townsend is after us. It's not safe anymore. Not for me or you or Agnes. And definitely not for the baby. We need to leave until the FBI get him."

"How?" he asked, agreeing to the big picture but still missing the pieces.

"Reddington is shipping is out tonight as cargo. He's going to be at my place at 10:30 for us."

He glanced at his watch. "It's quarter after 8"

"I know" she said, "but that's all I could do. I'm sorry. I know it's short notice and you probably have a million things to do. I just-" she was starting to ramble.

"No" he said, "none as important as you. I'm coming. Of course I'm coming. I love you Liz. I'd follow you to the ends of the earth if I needed too. And this is just temporary right?"

"Yes" said Liz, "only until the threats on our lives are gone. But you should probably call your Mom and Robbie. Let them know you'll be out of touch for a bit. And you need to pack."

"Pack" he said, the thought just hitting him. "Pack what?"

"Barest minimum" said Liz. "Not even clothes. We'll have to buy some when we get there. Just - whatever you absolutely need. What you would grab if there was a fire. Just in case." Something goes wrong and we never come back. It remained unspoken.

He nodded and disappeared into his bedroom, coming back out a minute later in a pair of comfortable jeans and a button down shirt, jacket thrown over top. He held a small fireproof safe in his hands.

"What's that?" she asked, she'd never seen it before.

"Just some sentimental things" he admitted. "Little things with big memories. My Dad mostly." He sounded sad and he looked at the ground, blushing a little. "And Audrey." He looked up at her, a question in his eyes. They'd never talked about either before.

"It's okay" Liz assured him. She took his hand and they left his apartment, shutting the lights off on the way out. Ressler punched in the code to the box and tossed in his apartment keys after they locked the door. It was solemn, Liz thought, his entire life was in that box.

Explaining it to Agnes was a lot more difficult, but they tried their best. They didn't have long and soon they were driving through the dark streets in the back of Reddington's vehicle. They had only the clothes on their backs, Ressler's safe, and Liz's purse which contained some things like prenatal pills which were both important and expensive.

"Small change of plans" said Reddington as they pulled into a deserted hanger. "I am sending you in a personal plane. Same method of transport, there will be other 'cargo'. But this the pilot can land on a small gravel road right next to the ranch you are going to. Avoid the RCMP this way."

"And where is that exactly?" asked Ressler.

"It's a horse ranch. A friend of mine owns it. It's about 20 minutes outside of a small town in Saskatchewan."

"Okay" he thought. It could be worse.

They were showed to a big wooden crate. It had a mattress in the bottom and some pillows and blankets in it as well. The slats of wood had spaces between them so that they could get air, fairly large ones actually, but they were only visible from inside. From the outside the box looked solid.

Ressler got in first. Thankfully the box was long enough for him to stretch out, place his safe at his feet and still have room. Liz got in second, laying on her opposite side to face him. Her purse joined his safe. Dembe carefully lifted Agnes in last and she settled between them, clutching to Liz, clearly frightened.

"Are you okay?" asked Reddington.

Liz looked at Ressler who nodded and answered him in the affirmative. "You'll tell - whoever - to be careful?" she asked as she seen Dembe lift the lid.

"Of course" said Reddington. "Never before have my planes carried cargo so precious."

The last thing they heard at the lid came down was, "have a safe trip. Goodbye Lizzie."

Agnes whimpered, shaking in fear, but knowing she must not make noise. Liz reached out and felt the moisture on her daughter's face and knew she was crying. She wrapped her in her arms and whispered in her ear, assuring her that it would be okay. Ressler reached past the little girl, putting his arms around Liz and pressing them both into him. His leg wrapped over theirs and his arms shielded them. He could only do so much to help keep them safe, not enough really, or this wouldn't be necessary, but he was going to protect them no matter what.

He bent his head and Liz did the same, they met above Agnes' head which was pressed into her chest. They kissed each other and Ressler's hand found the skin of her belly, slipping under her shirt. A smile rose on his face again as he thought of his unborn child, despite their current circumstances.

"We're going to be okay" Ressler whispered, barely moving air at all. "We're all going to be okay."

"I love you" Liz told him, reassuring him as well.

Agnes stopped crying between them and slowly settled back into the sleep they had woken her from.

They felt their box get lifted and swung around high in the air before being placed somewhere dark and silent. It felt strange. It was 2021. Slavery and all human trafficking was illegal, yet here they are getting smuggled out of the country in a big wooden box. A few hours earlier they had all been oblivious, this wasn't a right that would have crossed their minds. Yet here they were.

They were on their way.