Hi, thanks for the reviews, hope you like this chapter – 9 pages so really hope you do. Enjoy xx

Chapter 14

Kate was hugging Livie tightly, her shudders were violent now, her skin icy and her heart rate and breathing was fast, "mom" she managed through clenched teeth "mm" Kate whispered rubbing her arms, she was shivering now too, "don't go…with him" Livie said "you have … to run… the next… chance you get" "no" Kate whispered "I am not leaving you" weakly Livie rolled over and looked at her "please mommy" she whispered "if I don't make it… run" Kate stared at her "don't think like that Livie" she whispered "you are going to be fine, I promise, we are going to get through this, together, as we always have done, always and forever" Livie didn't respond, her eyes were closing "Livie" Kate whispered "stay with me please stay awake" Livie sighed "come on Livie, think happy things" Kate whispered "all those nights we used to fall asleep after watching movies on the sofa, and wake up the next morning all stiff and unable to move" she looked at Livie who was frowning "how you were the one who persuaded me to listen to my heart and that it was ok to feel, how you helped me see how in love I was with Rick, remember"

Livie looked up at her listening "and Skye" Kate encouraged "think about Skye Livie, how she helped you remember, she brought back your memories, remember riding her, you and me, you riding bareback and racing through the woods, teaching Alexis to ride, all that time the two of you spent with that horse, making her look beautiful" Livie looked at her through half closed eyes "Skye" she murmured, then she looked up, opening her eyes fully "what" she mumbled her face full of confusion.

Kate choked back a sob, "please baby girl" she whispered "come on you can do this" Livie shuddered and weakly cuddled closer to her "stay with me" Kate whispered "come on please" Livie sighed miserably "so tired" she whispered "I know but please don't close your eyes" Kate begged rubbing her frozen cheeks.

She heard footsteps and then there was a bang as the door burst open, Adam stormed in and slammed the door behind him, Kate felt Livie shift uneasily and her eyes fluttered open to look at him, Adam glared at them both "you know" he said "I am not as stupid as you all appear to think" Kate stared at him confused "I have cameras all over this place, constantly monitoring and motion sensors surrounding the area, your team seems to think they are very well hidden, but little do they know that they couldn't be more wrong" Kate stared "what" she said, he slapped her, she bit back any sound of pain and slowly turned back to face him again, he was glaring at her, his eyes mad.

"Your dearly beloved and the rest of your so called team are outside, preparing themselves to strike, and guess who is with them sweetheart" he looked at Livie breathing hard, "the little kick ass brat friend of yours is with them" he said "no sign of the other one though" he added a sly smile sliding onto his face.

Livie let out a gasp, slowly turning her head away, "don't believe me" he asked "well look here" he produced a small laptop and opened it showing a security feed, where they could see the team gearing up by their cars, Kate stared at them in shock, they had found them, but were they too late. She looked at Adam who was looking at Livie "oh sweetheart, you don't look good" he said "you a little cold" Livie looked at him shivering.

He studied them for a minute obviously deciding what to do, then he suddenly grabbed Livie by the throat and pulled her away, he pressed her to the ground as Kate cried out but he threw her away as she lunged for him, then he produced some keys and unlocked Livie's cuff, before he leapt away from her towards her mother, Livie managed to roll over in time to see him yank her mother up and pin her to the wall by her throat, as she caught hold of his wrist to try and free herself, he produced a large gun and held it to her forehead.

"Mom" Livie cried out, but Kate didn't move, she stood there breathing hard feeling the cold barrel of the gun being pressed against her forehead, she stared at him as he smiled "I accept your offer Katie Kat" he said grinning happily, "you" he then snapped to Livie, his face turning serious "go" Livie stared at him, he glanced at her, gun still aimed at Kate's head "go on" he said "get out, go to your team, get them to take you out of here, tell them that I give you to them as an act of kindness, tell them I have a gun to your mother's head and tell them that if they haven't left in 10 minutes I am going to pull the trigger and she will be dead"

Livie stared at him from where she half lay half sat on the floor she was breathing very hard still and tears were sliding down her cheeks "go on" Adam snarled "no" she managed to sob "mom" "Livie" Kate said still staring at Adam "go" "no" she sobbed "no I want to stay with you "Livie please go" Kate begged glancing at her daughter "please I love you, go" "no" she said "please, don't do this" she begged Adam who was listening to them confer with a sly smile on his face "eight minutes" he said "Livie" Kate said harshly "go now, for me" Livie stared at her, then she tried to haul herself up but her legs gave out and she fell back down crying "aw what's wrong sweetheart" Adam asked, his eyes flicking to Livie "she can't walk" Kate said "she can't get to them"

"well unless she wants to see your blood spray across the walls and to see you lying on the floor with a hole in your scull, she is going to have to" he roared and jammed the gun against Kate's forehead tighter making her involuntarily gasp, Livie let out a sob "please" she sobbed "don't hurt her, I can't" "yes you can Livie" Kate said looking at her daughter "come on you can do this, you are strong enough, please Livie I know you can do it" Livie stared at her "I won't leave you" she whispered, still shivering. Adam's head snapped round to face her "get out now" he shouted.

Instantly Kate reacted, releasing her hold on his wrist and grabbing the gun forcing it up and away from her, he instantly turned back to her with a snarl and pulled the gun back down but Kate fought to keep it away from herself, he threw her backwards and she fell to the floor, instantly he brought the gun down to face her, but Kate swung her leg up to strike his hand and the gun went flying, he let out a snarl and fell towards her pinning her down, his hands descending on her throat.

Kate gasped as his hands tightened around her throat choking her, she kicked desperately but he was too strong, she heard Livie crying out to her and out of the corner of her eye she saw Livie hauling herself desperately along the floor, she struggled desperately looking at him kneeling over her, his hands squeezing the life out of her, she saw more movement to the side and saw Livie reaching out and picking something up, she was trembling as she - unable to lift herself up – rolled onto her side pointing the object at Adam crying out to him to let her mom go, Adam turned his head and his eyes widened slightly when he saw what she was holding, then he shook his head with a small smile on his face and turned back to Kate his grip tightening again.

Kate saw Livie's eyes widen then a look of determination crossed over her face and she aimed the object, Kate drew in as much of a breath as she could and screamed "Livie NO" thrashing frantically desperate to free herself, her vision was going blurry, but Adam wasn't letting her go anywhere and Livie wasn't going to let him hurt her.

Livie squeezed her eyes shut and pulled the trigger. The gunshot echoed around the small room and Adam let out a gasp as the bullet struck him across the throat, Kate felt hot blood spray across her face and she felt his grip around her throat loosen, he stared at her choking before falling forward, gasping Kate caught him, she stared into his eyes as he choked feeling more hot blood splatter onto her before she managed to push him off her, he slumped to the floor unmoving and she lay there gasping for breath. She heard Livie howl in pain when she realised what she had done, she had killed a man; she had killed her own biological father. Kate tried to haul herself up, to comfort her daughter, but she couldn't find the energy, the whole world swam, then she blacked out.

XOXOXO

Rick's head snapped up at the scream and the gunshot, then his eyes widened at the howl "Livie" he murmured and then he bolted forward "Tali, McGee, Ryan stay here" Gibbs shouted before he leapt after him shouting at Rick to stop, he saw Tali and McGee instantly ready themselves pressed against the trees, ready should he come running out, Ryan followed them but positioned himself outside.

The rest of them all crashed into the building shouting, searching for anyone, but it was empty, Rick had yanked the trap door in the corner of the room open and was half falling, half climbing down it, the gun they had grudgingly given him clutched in his hand, lighting the head torches they followed, guns raised "that one" Tony shouted gesturing to the door, Tali had told them that Kate and Livie were in, Rick threw himself against it and it burst open.

Rick rushed in shouting "Kate, Livie" then he stopped and stared at the sight before him, a sight that shocked him to his very core, a sight he knew would haunt his dreams and he would never forget.

Kate was lying unconscious on the floor, curled on her side one hand extended away from her, her face was covered in cast off blood and her skin was pale, there were dark bruises forming around her throat, from where the life had been choked out of her and they were contrasted against her pale skin.

Lying next to her was the serial killer, their abductor, Adam Wesley, his shirt was covered in blood leaking from a bullet wound on his throat which was stained with blood, and his eyes stared unseeingly at them.

Then lying a few feet away shivering was Livie, she was also lying on her side, her whole body wracked with shudders, she looked extremely bad, if they had thought Kate's skin was bad, it was nothing compared to Livie, her skin was white, deathly white, her breathing fast, she was staring at her mom mumbling incoherently to her, she had her hand outstretched towards her mother's extended hand reaching desperately for her, and in her other hand was a gun and her finger was still on the trigger.

Rick stared at the two of them in shock, then he moved into the room, instantly Livie's eyes snapped up to face him and they were wide and full of terror, he and everyone else froze as she summoned up what little strength she had to raise the gun and point it at them "no" she cried "stay away, leave us alone", she was so blinded by terror and fear she didn't even recognise them, protecting her unconscious mother, "Livie" he murmured "it's ok you're safe now honey", the gun jerked wildly in her hand as she gasped in fright and pushed herself weakly away from them trying to get to her mom "stay away" she sobbed.

Then Esposito was moving past him towards Livie, instantly she let out a cry and her finger tightened on the trigger, "easy" Esposito soothed and she jumped as he spoke to her, her finger tightened again and there was a crack and she fired the gun gasping in terror, "whoa Livs easy honey put the gun down yeah" Esposito said, Rick glanced at the others who didn't know what to do, every fibre of their being told them to deal with the threat, but what happened when the threat was a traumatised teenage girl that they knew who was so out of it, so terrified that she couldn't release the gun, so worked up she was firing at them.

They all looked uncertain, instincts telling them to draw their guns at the sound of gunfire, but none of them did so, instead they crouched to the floor waiting for Livie to calm down. Rick glanced at Kate still lying on her side unconscious, crumpled on the ground, he shifted wanting to go to her but froze as Livie let out a sob "stay away" she cried "please don't hurt us"

Esposito looked at her with his eyes full of pain before he slowly knelt beside her and reached out to touch her, she shied away tears beginning to stream down her cheeks as she jerked the gun up, but Esposito caught hold of it pushing away from everyone "Livie" Esposito murmured "hey kiddo, it's me honey, Javi , and Rick is here too" trembling Livie looked up at him "Javi" she whispered "yeah kiddo why don't you lower that gun little one yeah" he said, she let out a small sob and relaxed slightly, the gun dropped to the floor but she kept hold of it with her finger still on the trigger ready, still uncertain, she eyed him uncertainly, before looking over his shoulder and spotting Rick, she stared at him before whispering "Rick", he nodded slowly, and she gave another sob, Esposito looked over his shoulder at him and jerked his head towards Kate.

Rick moved towards Kate falling down beside her "come on Kate" he whispered stroking her cheek "come on open your eyes", a few seconds past, then slowly her eyelids fluttered open and she stirred weakly, she stared at him confused "Rick" she whispered "oh thank god" he whispered, bending to kiss her forehead, slowly she turned her head and saw Adam with Booth crouched next to him checking for a pulse, her eyes widened slightly and she looked back up at him "Livie" she croaked hoarsely, her breathing speed up "Livie" she gasped again "shh, she's ok" Rick soothed but she continued to stare at him pleadingly, wide eyed with worry.

"hang on" he said and got up from beside her and moved towards Livie who was still crying with Esposito crouched next to her speaking softly, slowly he crouched next to her "Livie" he said softly "shh it's ok you're safe now honey, relax" Livie didn't look at him, then very slowly her eyes moved up to him and she stared up at him "Rick" she mumbled, her eyes moved to Esposito "Javi" she managed "yeah" Rick whispered "it's ok honey" she looked at him "mom" she managed.

Very slowly and carefully Rick moved forward and slid her into his arms, he saw the gun fall out of her hand with a clatter and she flinched at the sound before pressing herself against his chest, he carried her carefully over to Kate followed by Esposito "hey Kate" he whispered, she looked over as he lowered Livie down so that she could see her, weakly she managed to raise her hand and she stroked Livie's cheek a look of relief spreading over her face, Livie looked over and saw her mom and she let out a sob "mommy" she whimpered "shh, it's ok baby" Kate rasped "we're ok, everything is going to be ok" Livie stared at her then she spotted Adam lying there and her eyes widened with terror "no" she cried out "no no, I killed him, no make him go away" "shh" Rick whispered stroking her back gently "it's ok Livie"

"I killed him" she sobbed "hey hey Livie it's ok" Esposito soothed reaching out to touch her arm gently "calm down honey I promise you that it is ok" "but I killed someone" she sobbed "self-defence honey" Esposito whispered "Livie look at me" slowly she turned to look at him, he smiled comfortingly at her "I promise you that everything is going to be ok, and would I lie to you sweetie" she looked at him her eyes still wide before she shook her head.

Then her body wracked with sobs as she looked back down at her mom gasping on the floor and then back up at the limp body of the man she had killed, now covered with a sheet that Tony and Ziva had thrown over him, she turned her head and buried it into Rick's shoulder her fist clutching a handful of his shirt "make him go away daddy" she cried into his shoulder.

Rick froze briefly and saw everyone else look at him, he held her carefully whispering words of comfort to her, Kate was staring at him, then she weakly pushed his knee and he looked at her "get her out of here" she gasped, he looked at her "Rick please" she gasped "please get her out of here… hospital… now… hypothermia" he stared at her before looking down at her daughter crying in his arms, Kate gasped tears shining in her eyes and she pushed him again "hey" Esposito said and Rick looked at him "I got her dude" he said nodding at Kate "get Livie out of here".

Rick nodded and then he stood hurriedly, moving past the others to the door, he hurried down the hall before looking at the stairs, very steep, carefully he began to climb up them, they would be hard to climb even if you didn't have a shaking girl in your arms and he staggered almost falling, he bit back a stream of curses.

Ryan appeared at the top, a look of relief spread across his face as he saw Livie, then he reached down "here" he said "give her to me, you can't climb up with her" Rick hesitated looking at the scared little girl in his arms, then he realised Ryan was right, he wouldn't make it, so very carefully he handed her up, as she felt herself being transferred out of his arms, she cried out in terror "shh" Rick called "it's ok Livie, it's ok I am right here, Ryan is just getting you out the basement" breathing hard she turned her head "Ryan" she said tearfully "yeah hey kiddo" he said softly taking her in his arms as Rick scrambled up the steps into the room, Ryan carried her outside talking gently to her and for now she relaxed with him "good to see you kiddo" he said softly and she smiled tearfully, the tears still pouring down her cheeks as she looked around uncertainly for any danger, Rick spotted Tali moving forward a look of relief on her face but Livie didn't, she was too worked up.

Ziva suddenly appeared behind him holding some keys "I will drive you to the hospital" she said and he nodded gratefully, she moved towards a car touching her daughter's cheek briefly saying something to her in Hebrew before she clambered into the driver's seat, Rick hurriedly climbed into the back and then took the still shaking Livie from Ryan who scrambled into the passenger seat as Ziva turned on the engine and gunned it with a roar down the track away from the house.

Rick lay Livie across the back seat still cradling her as she clung to him tightly still crying "shh" he whispered "you are going to be ok Livie, you are safe now" her grip on her shirt tightened and she clung to him "I didn't want to do it" she sobbed "I didn't want to … shoot him, but he was strangling mom, I had to do it" she let out a wail "no no daddy" she sobbed turning back to Rick crying into his chest.

Rick stroked her hair whispering words of encouragement and support, he didn't know if it was her hysterical state of the hypothermia that was making her call him daddy, but he didn't mind, right now she needed a daddy and that was what he was going to be.

Ziva's exceptionally fast driving meant they were already heading back into DC, under the cover of the blazing sirens she weaved her way in and out of the traffic, her face set in grim determination, Ryan was clutching the seat looking slightly green but determined. Rick cuddled Livie close "it's ok" he soothed "you are going to be fine" he said, her body shuddered uncertainly and she began to mumble incoherently again, though sobs for her mom came spilling out.

She kept her face pressed against him, he could feel her tears soaking into his shirt as she blocked everything out, crying miserably, they arrived at the hospital in record timing and Ziva pulled up as close to the door as she could get, Ryan scrambled out after Rick as he carried Livie into the hospital calling out for help.

A team of doctors and nurses came running forward and tried to take a crying Livie from him and lie her on a bed but she let out a wail and clung to him "she was kidnapped" Rick shouted "let me stay with her" "are you family" one of the doctors shouted, he hesitated but Livie then sobbed "don't leave me daddy" he nodded "her father" he said, the doctors nodded and Rick looked down at Livie "hey honey" he said softly "I am going to lie you down ok, but don't worry I am right here I promise" slowly she nodded and he placed her on the bed keeping hold of her hand and following them down the corridor explaining "she was held for nearly four days in a basement, she didn't have her coat and it was really cold in that basement, she got hypothermia"

"do you know how long ago it was that she started showing the symptoms" one doctor asked as they took her into a room and started to move around, heating blankets were being brought out and she was carefully wrapped up in them, Rick thought "we were sent proof of life maybe 12 hours ago and she was beginning to look cold as in her skin had a bluish tinge to it, and a video was sent 10 hours, she was crying a lot and shaking but I don't know if that was because of the cold or the tears"

The doctor nodded "sit with her" he said "she has to stay calm", slowly Rick sat back down on the bed next to her, lifting her head into his lap keeping hold of her hand as a mask was placed over her mouth and nose to get her to breath warm air in, "it seems you found her just in time" one of the doctors said listening to her heart "the fear is making her heart beat faster, that speeds up the rate of hypothermia, any longer and she may have gone into shock" Rick nodded and looked down at Livie, she stared at him with wide brown eyes, he smiled comfortingly at her and she stared at him before slowly she closed her eyes with a sigh absolutely exhausted.

She was hooked up to an IV line and a heart monitor which flashed and beeped irregularly, but as the time drifted by, it regulated as her shivers subsided and she calmed slightly, one of the nurses looked at Rick "was she third girl held in the woods" she asked "one was brought in earlier with a gunshot wound, I heard there were two others" Rick nodded "yeah she was" he said "how is April" he asked, she smiled gently "absolutely fine" she said "well sore and malnourished but there is no reason why she shouldn't make a full recovery" Rick nodded "good" he said, the nurse looked at Livie "there is not much more we can do for her" she said "it is up to her now, stay with her and let us know if there is any change" she showed him the button to press then she left.

Rick looked down at the little girl in his arms, even in her sleep she clung to him, she looked vulnerable and frail, hooked up to various machines with a breathing mask on, he sighed and brushed her hair away from her face and gently kissed her forehead. He heard a knock on the door and saw Ryan, Ziva and Lanie all standing in the doorway, he smiled weakly at them "are you meant to be back here" he asked, Ziva and Ryan both held up their badges and he smiled at them "April ok" he asked Lanie who nodded as she moved in towards Livie "yeah grumpy that she couldn't go with you on the rescue mission and anxious to see her friends again, that girl is fiery" she said "wait till you meet Tali properly" Rick said and Ziva smiled.

Lanie looked down at her best friend's daughter "she has hypothermia" she said her eyes sombre, Rick nodded "yeah, the doctors have done everything they can for her, they said the rest is up to her" Lanie reached out to touch her cheek and the girl shifted in her sleep "I can't believe that her own father kidnapped her" she whispered "after abandoning Kate when he found out she was pregnant" Rick sighed and looked at Lanie "did you know about him" he asked "I mean you were the only one who she didn't hide Livie from"

Lanie looked at him "I knew that her father had never been in the picture" she said "I knew that she had raised Livie alone since she was 19 after her mother died, she never told me who he was, I never asked, part of me thought he might be dead" Rick nodded and sighed before looking up "have they brought her in yet" he asked "how is she" Ryan sighed, "I just got a call from Espo, they are nearly here, they are bringing Tali in too" he added to Ziva "though she isn't very happy about it" Ziva rolled her eyes "sounds like Tali" she said "I am thinking that maybe we should reserve a bed in hospital for her" she added, she gently kissed Livie's brow before heading off to her daughter, Lanie looked at Rick "we'll go see her" she said "come on Ryan" he nodded and they left, leaving Rick to care for his stepdaughter again.

XOXOXO

Kate was crying in the car, Esposito was holding her as she sobbed, comforting her, she was more than a member of his team to him, she was his friend, a very dear friend, Tony was driving with Tali sitting next to him, she turned to look at Kate and that was the first time Kate noticed her "Tali" she whispered "you are ok" the young girl nodded "yeah" she said "I am fine Kate, thanks to you" Kate closed her eyes and a few more tears leaked out before she whispered "what happened to April" Tali looked at her "she is at the hospital" she said, Kate's eyes opened again "she is ok" she asked in surprise "yeah" Tali said "she got shot, but it only grazed her, we managed to get out and back to the lab, I came with the team to direct them and she went to the hospital to get stitched up"

Kate sighed in relief "Tali I am sorry" she whispered, Tali frowned "for what" she asked "it was my fault you got taken, my fault you got hurt" Kate mumbled more tears leaking out of her eyes "no" Tali said "no Kate, it is not your fault, none of it was, but it was thanks to you that April and I got out, if it wasn't for you we might be dead now, don't blame yourself for anything Kate, except the fact that we are alive" Kate looked at her, her eyes still swimming with tears, then slowly she nodded.

They arrived at the hospital then and Esposito slid out picking Kate up "I can walk Javi" she mumbled "no you can't" he said walking in, there were already a team of doctors waiting, and with them were Ziva, Ryan and Lanie. Esposito carefully set Kate on the gurney, something about this place trigged her into hysterics again because she began to breath very fast "Livie" she gasped "hey Kate" Ryan said appearing next to her "hey, Livie is fine I promise you, Rick is with her ok" he, Lanie and Esposito followed her as she was taken further into the hospital "Livie" she cried out again "shh honey" Lanie soothed "it's ok she is safe" she looked at her best friend before she cried out again for her daughter and she began to sob for her "please" she sobbed "I want her now, I need her"

The doctors paused as the more they moved into the hospital the more hysterical she became, Esposito looked at the doctors "take her to her daughter" he said "we need to check her over and she needs rest" one of the doctors said calling for a sedative, he took the offered syringe and caught hold of Kate's wrist "no" she begged pulling weakly "please I want to see my daughter" the doctor ignored her struggled and carefully twisted her arm lowering the syringe, Esposito caught his hand as he made to inject the drug into her arm "hey" he said sharply "do you know what they have just been through"

The doctor looked at him "they were locked up for days in the freezing cold and dark alone with each other, her daughter got hypothermia, she was watching her daughter fade away with no means of saving her, they both nearly died" the doctor looked down at Kate lying on the gurney crying with Lanie holding her hand whispering words of comfort to her, Ryan stepped forward "take her to her daughter" he said firmly "you need her to relax right, well she isn't going to relax until she knows that her little daughter is ok" the doctor still looked uncertain they pulled out their badges, though they said NYPD; they had no jurisdiction here.

Another voice spoke up, very commanding "I suggest you take her to her daughter, because right now there are a lot of cops in this hospital who are very on edge" Ryan looked over to see Gibbs and Booth moving towards them, Gibbs narrowing his eyes at the doctors who eyed him warily, Booth held up his own badge "FBI" he said calmly "do as they ask", the doctors looked at each other "fine" one said "I know where she is" Ryan said and stepped in front of the gurney and led them all down the hall.

Kate twisted desperately, she had no energy left to move, but she was desperate to see her daughter, she was taken into a room where she saw Rick sitting on the edge of a bed holding a small figure close to him, he looked up as they entered "Kate" he whispered in relief, she stared at him in relief too before looking down at her daughter, her heart lurched as she saw her, she could feel the doctors beginning to tend to her but she ignored them staring at her daughter, lying there motionless in the bed, she was wrapped in half a dozen blankets warming her slowly up and there was a breathing mask over her mouth and nose feeding warm air into her lungs, she was connected to an IV line and a heart monitor which beeped, proving that there was life in her motionless little girl.

Slowly Kate reached across the gap towards her and Rick caught her hand, he held it for a second before he guided it to Livie's and helped her hold her daughters hand, she noticed that he was holding her other hand supportively, she looked up at him "thank you" she whispered, he smiled gently at her "always" he whispered. They all waited until Kate was finished with, they gave her some painkillers and then the doctors left, after a few minutes everyone else crept out leaving the family alone together.

Rick looked at Kate "I so thought I lost you" he whispered, she stared at him breathing slowly "thank god you are ok" he said, she looked at him, "do you know" she asked, he nodded slowly "I know that he was Livie's father" he said gently, she licked her sore lips before looking back at him and nodding slowly, her eyes shone with fresh tears "hey Kate it's ok" he whispered reaching across the gap to stroke her cheek, he noticed she stiffened slightly before relaxing, his touch was obviously not strong and forceful, it was gentle and comforting "you ok" he asked gently, she shook her head "I feel so bad" she whispered "he took those girls and Livie to get to me" "don't think about it Kate" Rick said, and she blinked back tears,

"he wasn't like that when I met him" she mumbled "he was kind to me and sweet, loving and caring, or so I thought, then the moment he found out I was pregnant he walked out on me" she sobbed "but not before he hit me and told me to kill her" she looked at Livie "I couldn't do it" she whispered "I wasn't going to kill her", she looked back at him "he told Livie everything" she choked out "he told her how upset I was when I found out about her, and how I was planning to give her away, to put her up for adoption and I was planning to Rick" she whispered gazing at him, he looked at her as he squeezed her hand "I thought it would be better for her to go to a family that could care for her, rather than stay with me, an 18 year old with nothing" she looked at Livie again "but when I held her I couldn't let her go, I couldn't watch her get taken away and get raised by someone else as their own because she was mine"

"Kate" Rick whispered "you made those choices for Livie, and they were the right choices, you have done such an amazing job of raising her alone, she is amazing and you are a brilliant mom" she didn't look convinced "he tried to turn her against me Rick" she whispered "he tried to make her hate me" he looked at her "what did Livie say to you when she found all this out" he asked, she swallowed hard before answering "she said it didn't matter" she whispered "because I was her mom and I was always there for her when she needed me" "there" Rick said "Livie loves you Kate, so so much and nothing will change that"

She sighed again looking tired "he wanted me to make her his" she said softly "he wanted her because he found out I was married and I had kept her and he got possessive, he doesn't care for her, he just hated to see what he considered his to be with someone else, I begged him to help her when I realised she had hypothermia, he just turned away" "Kate" Rick said firmly touching her cheek again "don't think about it anymore, it is over and he will never hurt you again ok" she nodded "now go to sleep" he said "get some rest, you look exhausted" she nodded "don't leave" she whispered staring at him pleadingly "I will be here when you wake up" he promised "I love you" she said "always" he smiled and kissed her hand not moving from where he had Livie, "and I love you Kate" he said softly "always, and forever".

Well I hope you liked that – I enjoyed writing that one – all the sweet family moments

Please review, they mean a lot and they give me the motivation to write more and update quicker, all are appreciated.

Thanks

Mysticgirl101