I rarely beg this much for reviews but I would really, really like one. I kind of love this story and how it is highlighting Reid's role in the family. He may not always be the lead, but he is the heart.

Chapter Nine:

Miranda woke up to the sound of crying.

"Stop it! Stop hurting him!"

Reid woke up too and looked alarmed.

"Please! Don't hurt him anymore!"

They sat up and turned to each other.

"Rachel," they both said and hurried out of bed.

She was twisting around in her sheets crying.

"I'll be a good girl, I promise. Just stop hurting my daddy!"

Reid approached her and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Rachel," he said.

"Please stop hurting him," she whimpered.

Reid gently shook her. "Rachel!" he said loudly.

She woke up and at first didn't seem to recognize him. The sat up and was instantly in his arms.

"Oh daddy, I had the worst dream," she sniffled. "I dreamed that awful man Hankel was torturing you."

Reid rocked her. "It's okay Rachel. I'm safe now. No one is ever going to hurt me like that again."

"Promise?"

"I promise," he said firmly. "Now would you like me to tell you the biography of Rachel Carson and Rachel Zimmerman, the two scientists you were named after?"

She nodded and fell back on her pillow.

"Rachel Carson was a biologist…"

"Mom?"

Alex appeared in the hall.

"Did Rachel have a bad dream?"

"Yes," she said.

"Was it about that Hankel guy?" he asked.

"Yes,"

"I dream of him too. I don't want dad to get hurt again too."

Miranda approached Alex and rubbed his shoulder. "I won't let that happen."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Rachel went back to bed but did not sleep. Reid returned five minutes later.

"Is she sleeping?"

"Peacefully," he said and got into bed with her.

He stared at the ceiling.

"I never imagined that Hankel would be causing nightmares for my children."

"Me neither."

He turned to face her. "Does he give you nightmares?"

"I dream of you getting shot. I dream of him strapping you to a chair and pumping you with drugs. I also dream of you saving lives. You've been through a lot but you've done a lot too, Spencer."

He pulled her close. He didn't say anything. He just hugged her. There tears in his eyes. Miranda leaned in and wiped them away. Eventually, she fell sleep holding on to him.

…

"Our first U.N. appearance," Gina said. "How exciting."

They were in the car to New York. Miranda was still mentally back in DC with her crying daughter. She seemed fine this morning, but appearances could be deceiving.

"Ma'am?" Williams said.

"I'm sorry," she said. "What important think were we discussing?"

"An overview of your speech. Try to stick to the script as much as you can."

"Will do," she said. "I'm not in the mood to do any free-styling anyway."

"Something else on your mind?" Gina asked.

"The usual, arms proliferation, my environmental agenda, and whether Alex still likes notes in his lunch."

"Okay," she said uncertainly.

…

The speech was a success. Everyone was on their feet clapping. Miranda felt extremely humbled by it all. These were the people charged with representing the best interests of their country. She was glad she did well.

At lunch, she smiled and listened. She hated how much she felt like she was on autopilot. A natural introvert, she had learned to work a room through mentoring and from books. People seemed to enjoy her company and she enjoyed talking with them as much as she could.

She was glad she left Fleming back in DC. She would have probably seen through her act and asked a million question. People claimed to be there for her, but sometimes she felt like they just wanted to hear themselves talk.

"I think you charmed every everyone you met," Williams said when they got back into the car. "Including the wait staff."

"Thank you," she said and busied herself with a thick book on tax code.

…

Once everyone left for the evening, the head of the Secret Service appeared.

"Lang say anything useful?" she asked.

"He vehemently denied any connection to the group," he said.

"No surprise there. What was your agent's read on him?"

He didn't say anything.

Miranda rolled her eyes. "I'm married to a profiler. I know they leave hunches out of their reports but tell you their concerns."

"They all agreed that Lang was hiding something, what they couldn't determine."

"So, keep him on the list. How about the traitor hunt on my staff?"

"There is no electronic evidence on the computers used here."

"Can you hack their phones?"

"Only with a warrant."

"I had a feeling you'd say that. The next time I get a taunt of some sort, I'm going to the shadow court to get a warrant."

"Understood Ma'am."

"Have a good evening."

"You too, Ma'am."

He left and Miranda turned her chair to look out the window. Her kids dreamed of monsters yet she was afraid there was one in their midst.