Liz had been gone for almost two hours. So far Ressler had played Go Fish, Guess Who, and colored a picture with Agnes. He had even succeeded in pouring them both a drink and carrying them to the couch without spilling, which was no small feat with his crutches. It had taken longer than he cared to admit and he was pretty sure that next time they were getting spill proof cups but still it felt good to be able to do something normal again.

Agnes had gathered a stack of storybooks and was piling them on the couch for Ressler to read to her by the time he made it to the couch with their juice. Setting the cup down on the end table and leaning his crutches against the wall, Ressler limp-hopped to the couch and sat down. Agnes jumped up and sat as close beside him as possible without actually sitting in his lap. She knew he still hurt and she respected that, but he could tell that if she could she would have gladly climbed up to sit in his lap. Instead Ressler settled into the couch and slipped his arm behind her, turning her body so she leaned against his chest. She drank her juice and then opened the top book on her stack, placing it on her lap.

"Tell me when to turn the page okay, Daddy, I want to do it"

"Okay" said Ressler and he started reading the book to her. It was a story of a little boy who caused a lot of trouble for his mother, but still at the end of every day, she would rock and sing him to sleep. By the end of the book the mother was old and sick and the little boy was the one who was rocking her to sleep. It made Ressler strangely emotional but he did his best to keep his voice steady and not show Agnes.

Hindsight, he probably didn't have to try so hard because when he told her to "flip" on the second last page he got no response. He looked down at the little head nestled in his shoulder and noticed her eyes had fallen closed. Her chest rose and fell evenly and she was warm against him. For a long time his entire world was centered on that child, asleep in his arms. He was stuck suddenly with the fact that he now understood the way a child could get adults to let all guards fall away. The busyness and responsibilities of life fell away from him as he looked at her and she was the only thing he noticed.

She was a beautiful child, and she looked so much like her mother. She might not be his in the true sense of the word but he didn't even care. She might not be the child of his body, but she was definitely the child of his heart. She was Liz's daughter and in his mind that meant she was his as well. He hadn't really had a good talk with Liz about that all but he wasn't sure that he ever would. Liz approved, he knew that much and that was enough. When Agnes called him "Daddy", Liz's face took on a tender look that he had never seen used for anything else. She encouraged their bond and she had entrusted Agnes into his care, both that afternoon and forever.

Agnes was the single most important thing in Liz's life, the best part of Liz herself and she had given her to him. Ressler knew the magnitude behind that trust and he didn't take it lightly. Agnes' breath caught as she slept and she jumped suddenly as happened sometimes. Ressler smiled and carefully folding the book closed and setting it aside, he put out the footrest and leaned back. Reaching over with his other arm he linked his hands, bracketing Agnes securely in his embrace. He never intended to let her go again.

He let his head fall a little to rest on top of hers and inhaled the scent of her hair. It smelled of lavender from the shampoo that Liz used, the same stuff she used herself. He smiled again and whispered softly, feeling safe in the sure knowledge that nobody could hear him.

"I love you Aggie. I'm so glad that I get the chance to be your Daddy, and I hope you love me like this forever too. I'm going to mess up a few times - I know that, but I'm going to spend the rest of my life doing the best I can by you. You and your mom are the best thing to ever to happen to me. I never thought I would get this chance, but here it is, and I'm sure at hell not going to let that go. You sleep. Daddy's got you baby - and he'll still be here when you wake up."

He kissed the top of her head and smoothed her hair with his cheek, resting his face on top of her head gently and letting his eyes fall shut. It had been a crazy few weeks and when Liz got home in a bit it would start up again. He was going to take the peaceful break and just be there, in the moment with his new daughter.

That was the sight Liz was greeted with when she finally fought the door to his apartment open. Emptying her hands on his kitchen table, she looked around, calling out their names. Just for a second she was scared that something had happened, despite Ressler's reassurance, but that thought disappeared when she stepped into the living room.

They were both asleep on the couch, lounging back with the footrest up. Ressler's long legs were stretched out, his sock-clad feet hanging off the edge of the footrest. Agnes was cradled in his arms, sound asleep on his chest, only half visible to Liz from beneath Ressler's sleeves. Liz wished that she could crawl in with Agnes and sleep too. She had been there before, she knew exactly the warmth and security that Ressler's arms offered. Ressler himself was also asleep, fairly deeply from what Liz could tell. He hadn't woken when she had called his name or heard the door and the dropping of the groceries. His head was tilted down, resting on top of Agnes' gently and partly covered with her hair so that Liz couldn't make out all his features.

Liz didn't know how long they had been asleep and she knew she should wake them so that they would still sleep that night. She looked around. There were empty glasses, the kind Agnes wasn't allowed to carry, so she knew Ressler most have been up and about, making sure that Agnes was happy.

Reaching for her daughter first Liz tried to gently lift Ressler's arms from on top of her body. They didn't come easy and Liz realized that he had clasped his hands tightly. When she tugged a little harder his hold tightened around Agnes and the muscles in his arms stood out. Even in his sleep there was no way he was letting go, and Liz knew then that Agnes was safe with him forever. Whatever tiny subconscious insecurities she might have harbored fell away instantly, never to return.

Ditching her effort to extract her daughter in a way that was only bound to make Ressler wake up lashing out at the person trying to steal his little girl, Liz decided to wake him first. Trying to fight the primal instinct to protect that was ingrained in Ressler's every cell would only end disastrously. I guess that's what makes instincts so effective. She was secretly glad that he came programmed that way. Even though that urge to protect sometimes got a lot of backlash, instincts existed for a reason, and it was currently keeping her daughter safe from any harm. Liz pitied the person who tried to take away someone Ressler loved. He was a trained FBI agent, and he could be a frightening man, and Liz didn't think she had ever felt as safe as she did with him.

"Don. Don. Hey, wake up." She spoke clearly, but not that loud. When she shook his shoulder she finally succeeded in waking him. He opened his eyes and lifted his head, blinking in innocence. His hold on Agnes tightened even more as he woke up and didn't loosen again until he realized it was just Liz.

It took him a second to realize what was going on. She knew he was a deep sleeper, but it being the middle of the day still made it unusual, and she knew that he must have slept worse at the hospital than he cared to admit.

"Hey" he replied groggily, "what time is it?" He struggled to seperate his arms and lift his wrist to his face to read his watch so Liz just told him.

"Almost 5. Time for her to wake up too or she will never sleep tonight."

"Yah, sorry, I never meant to nod off, it just happened. I was going to wake her myself but..."

"The taskforce will be here soon and I have to put stuff away." said Liz.

"Okay, let me help" said Ressler.

Liz gave him a questioning look.

"What?" he asked. "I carried open glasses full of liquid and I didn't spill a drop - look". He pointed out the glasses on the side table as though they were evidence.

Liz didn't want to dish his accomplishment and besides she was glad that he was getting better. "Okay then, let's wake her and get it done."

"Yah" agreed Ressler. They woke Agnes, who was happy to see both of them and then they went to the kitchen and emptied the bags Liz had gotten. Ressler was careful to pick things that wouldn't shatter if he dropped them, but the more he helped the easier he found it and he was feeling good helping Liz again. Sometimes he found it was faster if he left his crutches and just hopped on his good leg, especially if he was holding onto the counter anyway.

He was thinking to himself that Liz had changed some things around in his house and he loved it. The way that her short influence in his domestic life was visible. He didn't care that some stuff wasn't where he usually kept it, it was where Liz would keep it and he wanted her to feel at home.

"Don?" her voice interrupted his thoughts and he quickly wiped the odd smile from his face.

"Yah?"

"When the taskforce is here tonight, not to mention your Mom tomorrow, they are going to wonder?"

"About?" Ressler wasn't picking up on what she meant.

"Our relationship status? I mean we live together, my daughter calls you Daddy and yet we've never actually even been on a date."

"So?" He shrugged at her, his face open and honest "It really isn't anyone's business but ours."

"I know, but they are family and of course they are going to have questions. We should give them something." She bent down and pulled open the freezer, rearranging some boxes to fit what she had just bought.

"Well, I don't know what to say Liz" said Ressler, distracting himself with putting away the peanut butter. When it was safely in the cupboard he turned to her and reached for her hand. She dropped the box of chicken fingers she would holding and gave him her attention. "I mean, I never wanted for things to go this way. I would give anything to be able to take you out on a date right now, but I can't. I never wanted this to happen, I had planned on doing it the right way but - but life got in the way." He seemed a little hurt as though it was his fault that they didn't have answers.

"I know you did Don." She was a little irked that he had taken it as a personal burn, that wasn't her idea. "This whole mess is nobody's fault. And in time we will do it the right way okay? But in the meantime it still probably seems weird to the outside viewer." She didn't want the conversation to escalate so she quickly dampened the flames.

Ressler chuckled. "They are hardly outside viewers Liz. They're our family. They have been by us since the day we met and they know, or at least suspect that we have both held something for each other for a while. I mean sure, we have never been on a date, but what are dates for?" He shrugged with exaggeration. "To try and get to know each other? We've been partners for years Liz." He squeezed get hands tightly as he spoke, emphasizing his words. "I know all your deepest secrets and you know mine. We have been there through the hardest days of each other's lives. Our relationship is much more than a few weeks old. At least I hope it is or else I've really been reading things wrong." He spoke with humor now, but his eyes held a question that he couldn't shake and Liz answered him.

"No, you're right" agreed Liz. She knew he was, but she wasn't sure that anyone else would understand.

"Okay" he continued. "And I love you Liz. I have for a long time." He paused and glanced at the floor, his face going from affectionate to unsure. "I'm not very good at this Liz. I don't know what I'm doing, or how I deserve you, but you are here and I know I love you and for now that's enough." He looked back up at her, his face fervent as he tried to explain himself, albeit poorly. "And I am far from a relationship expert but I know honesty is key, and if they ask then we just tell them the truth."

Liz wanted to see exactly where he stood, she knew he loves her, even that he had for a while and she knew that he was terrified of losing her. Especially now when he felt like a burden. But she wasn't going anywhere and this was a perfect chance to see what he was thinking regarding the future. "Which is?" she asked, wanting him to spell it out for her.

"That I don't know what the future holds, Liz, but I am doing what feels right for all of us right now." He looked around their apartment, her things on the country she in the window, Agnes' toys in the corner. "Which means living together and - and being Aggie's Daddy. And I don't know how this is going to end, with my body I mean, but I love you and I want you to be my future, if you'll have me. So the taskforce and my Mom - they can judge us all they want Liz, but I'm beyond caring. I just want you and Agnes. Do you want that too? Do you want me?"

God, he's starting to get scared that this is a breakup or a letdown isn't he? She knew that if she said they should slow down or downplay it he would agree. He would agree to anything right now. But she agreed with him. He was right. She looked at him, awaiting her answer, fear and hope mingled on his face.

"Of course I want that too, Don." His face softened a little, but his body language told her that he was still not sure. He was holding himself square and stuff, as though subconsciously conjuring up all the strength he could muster. She watched that fade as she stepped closer and cupped his face. His eyes fell and met hers, waiting for her to make the move or give him the okay. "I love you Don. More than you know. You are the kindest, strongest, and most beautiful man I know, and you do deserve this. You have had enough loss in your life, you deserve to be happy. You're right. We are happy and that's what matters. If they are truly our family then they will be happy too, because they should be happy that we're happy." She leaned up and kissed him. They couldn't really get into it because Agnes flew around the corner and into her legs and Liz seperated from him to look down. Scooping up her daughter she looked at Ressler again. "So we don't tell them anything unless they ask. It's none of their buisness, but if they ask we tell the truth. Agreed?"

"Yah" he said, now with his shoulders completely relaxed and a smile on his face.

She knew that the Taskforce and his Mom would probably think that what they had was real, but not realize that it was as far along as it really was, but that was okay, they would find out in time.

"Okay. Do you think you can set the table while I give Agnes a quick bath?" she asked Ressler, who was busy shoving the bags into the drawer where he kept bags. Everything had been put away, except the box containing the air mattress which was tucked under his arm. "We can take care of that later" she pointed at the box.

"Yah, okay" said Ressler, happy that she had given him his first real job to do alone since she had moved in. He could do that and he wanted to.