I hate taking so long between updates - but schools been really hectic - homework practically triples in the jump from Yr 11 to Yr 12.

In other news, this is apparently my best story, with at least a thousand more hits than any other, largest amount of favourites, and more alerts on this one story than on all my others put together - and with only 2 more reviews, I'll have the most amount of reviews as well. (I love the fact that I asked for 6 reviews, and got 16 - thanks also to a guest reviewer named Sniper - my first ever review in a foreign language - it made me feel so loved!)

Here's Chapter Six - Hope you enjoy.


"Reid," Emily started, having volunteered to talk to him, due to her longer knowledge of his family. "We need to talk." She winced internally at how clichéd she sounded.

"In a moment Emily, I just need to..."

"It's about the hostages." She pressed again.

"Tell Hotch, or Rossi, I really need to ..." His voice trailed off again, as he immersed himself in his work that she didn't even try to understand.

"No, Reid." She tried again, when a small voice she had grown somewhat used to yelled from only a few metres away.

"Daddy!" The small red head ran as fast as she could towards her father even as she spoke, leaving behind a slightly bewildered JJ.

She all but threw herself in her father's arms, and then buried her head in his shoulder when she became acutely aware that there were people staring.

She didn't like people staring.

Reid didn't notice much else after that – he didn't notice JJ's shocked expression, Hotch's stern, nor Rossi's slightly knowing smile. He didn't notice Morgan's small smile, Emily's sad one, nor the security on the corner of the street turn to look at the pair.

He didn't notice anything other than his little girl, safe in his arms, even if he didn't know she was in danger, as he tightened his grip, realising that her mother, his Rosie must be inside that cafe – trapped with a highly dangerous murder suspect.

But he couldn't dwell on that, not at this very moment, with Lissa beginning to cry almost silently in his arms. Reid sat down, he may love his daughter with all his heart, but that didn't change the fact that she was now nine, tall for her age, and too heavy to be carrying for any length of time.

"Ydych chi'n mynd i gael Mami allan?" ["Are you going to get mummy out?"] The small girl asked, her voice muffled through Reid's shirt, but it would have been small anyway.

The team, bar Emily who had heard the language many times but couldn't speak it, frowned, none of them understanding what the small girl said, other than the fact that it had far too many consonants for an easy translation.

Their frowns only deepened when Reid replied. "Rydw i'n mynd i roi cynnig ar fy ngorau," ["I'm going to try my best."] He replied, in the same strange language.

"Reid?" Hotch asked, the first one to regain their voice. Lissa glanced up for a second, and then buried her face, barely hiding a yawn – she had been tired this morning, and after being held at gunpoint for an hour would do havoc on anyone's nerves – all she really wanted to do at this point, was curl up into a ball and sleep the sleep of the dead.

Reid paled almost imperceptibly, this was one conversation he really wasn't looking forward.

"Hotch?" He replied looking down at Lissa then back at him, Lissa just staring curiously at her father's team – or at least until they noticed, at which point she would hide again, before curiosity got the better of her and she was watching again. "I can explain..." He stammered.

"Mami ddywedodd byddai hyn yn digwydd," ["Mummy said this would happen."] The small girl muttered into her father's shirt.

"Dawelwch," ["Silence."] Reid retorted, without any real inflection. "This is Melissa. My daughter."

Lissa gave a tiny wave, still running on the slight adrenaline rush that had flooded her system as she ran away from the coffee shop.

"We guessed." Hotch replied dryly. "You need to get her checked over though."

"Dim!" The small girl called, before blushing red. "I mean, no – I want to stay until mummy gets out."

Hotch nodded after a moment, "You need to stay back here though."

Lissa nodded enthusiastically, suddenly re-energized, her earlier fear dimming by the second.

"JJ," Hotch ordered, gesturing at the small red head. "Reid. We need to talk."

The younger man paled, as Lissa hid a small grin.

This was going to be fun.


Pulling the blind aside at the very side, Randy glanced out of the window, glad that the large SWAT vans were moving – he really didn't want to die today – not without taking her with him. Polly.

She took his daughter away; so she deserved to feel just some of the pain that had been clawing his heart since that day.

He didn't feel bad about killing those women, it was their fault for looking like her – he knew it was wrong (at least in some small corner of his mind), but it felt so good.

An idea formed in his mind – maybe it wouldn't be so bad, especially if he could get it to work.


Rosie kept her eyes closed.

Lissa is safe. Lissa is safe.

She chanted over and over again inside her head, anything to keep her mind off of the current reality – she ran through every exercise she had ever been taught, and then some she hadn't been taught – exercises she had been using less and less since that fateful day when she was fifteen.

No. Not there. Not now. Anywhere but there. She ordered her mind. Think of Spencer. Think of Lissa.

But images made their way in anyway, of Beth and Olivia and Georgia and Katrina and screaming and blood, so much blood.

Her eyes flew open.

I'm sorry. She began whispering in her mind. I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I'm sorry I let you go.

A hidden tear slipped down her face, as she closed her eyes and began the mental exercises once again.

Lissa is safe. Lissa is safe.


Thank you for reading, and please review,
Mia