Author's Note: Hello, everyone.

Anyway, thank you very much for your reviews and thank you to those we read, followed, favorite story/author alert and visited my story. I really do appreciate it.

This chapter includes another flashback with a character who'll play a role in this story.

This chapter has been re-updated.

Please, do enjoy my story and please review; constructive criticism is always appreciated.

Chapter 3:

Nobody can hurt me without my permission.

Mahatma Gandhi

Reid's facial expressions hasn't change once he learned from Hotch and the team that Maddie's biological father, Jason Müller, escaping from prison has changed for a few minutes. No blinking with his mouth slightly agape. Finally, after those long minutes,

"How?"

"We don't know yet, but we have to get you two out of here."

"Garcia and Rossi are already waiting for us at the BAU."

"We better hurry."

"Alright. Give me five minutes to get ready. Uh…JJ, Morgan…grab some of Maddie's stuff and try not to wake her up, even though she can be a heavy sleeper."

As Reid went into his bedroom bathroom to get change, JJ and Morgan quickly walked into Maddie's room, where they find her peacefully sleeping. While JJ was grabbing some of Maddie's stuff, such as a couple sets of clothes from her dressers, Morgan grabs her black, pink and white Nike running sneakers and try to put them on as she was trying to sleep. As Maddie began to mutter, Morgan went to her bedside, threw aside her pink and white bed covers and whispered,

"Hey, Maddie. Try to go back to sleep, okay, kid?"

He gently picks up a sleeping Maddie with a white knitted throw wrapped around her. As he was carrying her, JJ grabs his attention and said,

"Hey, Morgan. Check this out." She shows him a copy of 'The Secret Garden', 'A Little Princess' and 'Peter Pan.' Morgan chuckled,

"Girl has a good taste in books."

"When I was her age, I was interested in books that were about butterflies and soccer."

As Reid was leaving his bedroom bathroom, he changed into a fresh set of clothes. As he was getting his satchel ready and refiling up his coffee mug, he asked Hotch,

"What I want to know is how he even escaped," He said as he fiddled with the buttons on his sweater, "He was sent to a maximum security federal prison."

"My guess is that he either had help or he's been planning this for a while, now. But come to think of it, he's doesn't seem like a coincidence for him to escape now. There has to be a reason behind this."

"I won't let anything happen to her, Hotch," Reid said. "Adopted or not; she's my daughter, no matter what." Before either Hotch or Reid could say another word, JJ and Morgan walked out of Maddie's room with JJ carrying her bag while Morgan carried her in his arms.

"Come on. Let's go."

Hotch, JJ, Morgan, Reid and Reid rushed into the office and into the BAU room where Garcia and Rossi gathered. Garcia immediately began to set up her laptop and tablets at the table. Rossi gathered coffee and anything else that would keep the team awake. Before getting started, Morgan placed Maddie on the couch in the other room for her to get some sleep and not to hear what was going on, especially about her birth father.

"Okay," Hotch started off, despite not getting much sleep. "What do we got so far?"

"Well, let's see," Garcia sighed. "A case I could never forget. Almost five years ago, Caroline Harris-Müller, escaped from her husband, Jason Müller, who she had four children with, their oldest son, Michael, the twins, Parker and Peyton and a newborn Maddie."

She shows pictures of the family, which include an African-American woman with three children gathering around her and an infant Maddie.

"Shortly after Maddie's birth, the father sent violent threats to them, resulting Caroline putting out a restraining order on him and they were shorty placed in protective custody, but the children, including Maddie, were soon sent to live with their other relatives until he was either caught or no longer a threat…"

"…But the bastard soon found them and went after the mother first. I don't think he would save her for last and did he butcher her. Then went after his parents some time later, Anna and Peter Müller and his wife's parents, Beth and Jake Harris…" The screen soon shows pictures of two distinguished-looking couples; an African-American couple and a fair-skinned couple.

"…Not to mention, going after his sister, Cynthia, her husband Murray, his wife's brother and sister-in-law, Liam and Ava…" Soon pictures of another fair-skinned couple and an African-American couple came up.

"And worst of all…he took the lives his two nieces Mary and Sophia, his two nephews, Alexander and Colin and his own three children and…" JJ stopped for a second as she shuddered. "At least we caught the bastard and he was sentenced to the death penalty." The screen began to show pictures of four children gathering around an infant Maddie.

"Thank God he did."

"Too bad for Maddie. The poor girl was just three months old when it happened."

As everyone was continued, Reid went to check on Maddie, who was still sleeping on the couch in the other room. This wasn't the first time her life was in danger…

Over four-and-a-half years ago…

The BAU team began profiling a wealthy but dangerous man, Mason Meyer, who used his connections to hire a hit-man to eliminate a number of witnesses and the ones who was planning on testifying against him in court for heinous crimes. On that very day, JJ and Morgan began to interrogate him to get some answers out of him,

"Not surprising for a good-looking fella like you, you're quite cocky, no?"

The man, who had a strong jawline, short dark brown hair, ice blue eyes, snickered at JJ's comment and just said,

"You clowns got nothing at me."

"Oh, we have a lot on you, punk. You hired a hit-man to eliminate the ones who plan to testify against you for charges, such as…well let's see: attempted sexual assault, rape, molestation, abuse, murder. You want me to continue?" Mason rolls his eyes.

"Add those charges plus the fact that you hired a hitman, you might, hmmm…either get the electric chair or a lethal injection. What do you think, JJ?"

"I think the electric chair, Morgan."

"Not gonna happen."

"Tell us the name of the hit-man and maybe…just maybe…we'll tell the D.A. you cooperated with us. But if you don't…you'll know what'll happen to you."

He just gave them a simple smile as he crossed his arms. "Like I'm worried about that." As JJ and Morgan looked at each other before looking back at him,

"We already got you, so…you better worry." As they were getting up, Meyer said,

"If I were you two, I would be more worried about that doctor's daughter."

This caused JJ and Morgan to stop before they could leave the room. Turning around,

"What did you just say?"

Leaning forward as he was sitting down,

"I didn't stutter."

Morgan softly chuckled to himself. "I know you didn't stutter; 'cause if you did, I would knock you the hell out."

"What did you say again?"

"I said…blondie and muscle man…I would be really worried about that doctor's daughter because…rumor has it...didn't she just lose her entire family—minus the father—a few months ago? It would be such a damn shame if anything happened to her, wouldn't it?" JJ and Morgan gave him their most frightening look, but still didn't bother him. Meyer began to softly laugh to himself as they all began to leave the room. "That's what I thought."

Morgan turned around and was seconds away from knocking him the hell out and into outer system after what he just said about Reid and Maddie. But luckily, JJ, Rossi and Hotch, who has just entered the room, held him back to prevent him from actually doing it. Once they left the room,

"I want to go back in there and strangle the son of the bitch." Morgan said, fueling with rage and anger.

"Me too."

"Who wants to strangle who?" Reid said as he walked by the interrogation room.

"It's that bastard." Rossi said, pointed to Mason, who was still sitting with a smug smile on his face while crossing his arms. "And you might want to be worried."

"Why?"

"Because the bastard threatened you…and Maddie."

Despite the fact that Mason threatened him and Maddie, Reid didn't think he had much to worry about. Little did he know he had much to worry about the next day…

Reid walked into the BAU bullpen, only to see the team inside of the meeting rooms. Wanting to know what was going on,

"Hey, everyone. What's going on?"

"Two more victims found shot. One of them dead and the other's in surgery right now." JJ said, looking at the television screen.

"And they were both planning on testifying against Mason Meyer."

"No doubt he might come after Maddie to prove he really means business."

"And if he does…I'm going to put him a coma. Or worse, whichever comes first."

This began to worry Reid. Walking out of the meeting room, he immediately dials his cell phone to call Alice Winters, the nanny he hired to help with taking care of Maddie while he was working. He gulped as he dialed her phone, but went straight to voice mail for the second time.

"Come on! Please pick up!" He impatiently said.

Finally, he gets an answer,

"Hello?"

"Alice?"

"Hello and afternoon, Dr. Reid? How can I help you?"

"Hey, Alice. Listen, I need you and Maddie to not leave the apartment, okay? Don't answer the phones, don't answer the front door; just don't answer to anything until I get back."

"We're not at the apartment, we're actually at the park."

"Park?"

"Yes. Crystal State Park, actually. I thought Maddie could use some fresh air for a while. It's about five-to-ten minutes from the apartment."

"Okay. Please, get Maddie and get out of there now!"

"I'll get her out right now, but's what's going on?"

"Please, Alice. It's an emergency."

Before Reid could hang up the phone or even say another word, he began to overhear loud voices coming from the phone.

"Alice, what's that noise?"

Before he knew it, he began to overhear loud and rapid gun popping going off and screaming from the other end on the phone.

"Maddie!"

The BAU team rushed down to Crystal State Park to see what was going on. For Reid, it was to make sure Maddie wasn't hurt. Rushing out of the car, while Hotch and Rossi began investigate and talking to some of the local witnesses, JJ, Morgan and Reid rushed over to the playground to see what happened here. As they began to wander around, Reid looked at a black stroller lying on the ground. He looked at the tag and it said,

'Spencer Reid.'

Reid felt as if he was about to pass out; he didn't want to think that anything happened to Maddie, but soon…

"Reid!" Morgan snaps him out of his thoughts.

Running over to Morgan's side, where he was by one of the two ambulances was there to make sure everyone and the children were okay,

"Alice!"

He calls out his nanny, who was dressed in a green sweater set, a khaki A-line skirt and oxford flats standing nervously with a brown tote on her shoulder.

"Alice. What happen?"

"Before I could even take Maddie back to the apartment, this black Mercedes-Benz car with black tinted windows began to start shooting at us."

"It must have been Mason's hit-man." Morgan said.

"What about Maddie? Where is she?"

"She's being taken care of by one of the paramedics by the ambulance." She pointed out to one of the ambulances.

"Guys, over here!" JJ grabbed Morgan and Reid's attention and walked over to one of the paramedics.

There they saw Maddie, dressed in a three-piece set outfit, sneakers, a pink hooded diamond-quilted coat and a white cotton beret on her head, fussing around in their arms; on the verge of crying.

"Excuse me?"

"Yes, sir. Are you her guardian?"

"Yes, I am. How is she?"

"She got lucky and came out unharmed," The paramedic lady, trying to calm her down with a smile. "She's all yours, sir."
He takes the baby from her arms with Maddie cooing and moving around in his arms. Holding her close to his chest, trying to calm her down. "Hey-hey, Maddie. Don't worry. It'll all be okay. You're safe now. I got you. It's going to be okay."

After realizing Maddie was not safe at the apartment, the best place Reid thought she would be best at the BAU and sent Alice back home. A few hours have passed and as Reid was getting some last-minute work done, he looked down at Maddie cuddling with the pink plush bear as she was playing with the cashmere rattle. Reid couldn't help to smile at how adorable Maddie looked. He looked to see Garcia and JJ creeping up to his desk.

"So how's it going, boy genius?"

"Oh my god, she's so adorable." Garcia squealed as she saw Maddie on Reid's lap. "I remember when she first came here. She could hardly stop crying, she wouldn't let anyone touch her and could scream at the top of her lungs when anyone tried to pick her up, especially when Hotch and Rossi tried to."

"I remember when she spits up on Morgan's new shirt and shoes when he tried to calm her down."

"And then, she spits up on Hotch and Rossi."

"But then our dear old Reid was the only one who could calm her down. I still can't believe Judge Richardson made you her temporary guardian. After a couple of months, how do you feel now?"

"I'm still shocked about it, but I think it's great she's needed by me." He said as he was patting her head. "Maybe that judge was right; maybe she did chose me to look after her."

Morgan run up to Reid's desk, "Hey, you guys. We found the hit-man. Hotch and Rossi are about to leave soon." He soon notices Maddie on Reid's lap. "Yeah, aren't you supposed to be helping us, pretty boy? What really did happened to the Reid effect?"

"He is helping us." JJ said, defending him. "You're just upset because he's getting attention from all the women and you're not."

"How?"

"The last time I checked, I'm keeping her calm and protected. Oh, and quiet, too. But I don't know if I could leave Maddie after what happened at the park. Maybe I should stay."

"Why don't I watch her while you guys catch the mean men who threatened this delicious bundle of joy?" Garcia said, putting her hands out, so Reid can give her Maddie.

JJ, Morgan and Reid all gave each other weird looks on their faces, but since they had to catch the hit-man who been hired by a powerful man to go after the ones who plan to testify against him in court,

"Alright. She doesn't scream or spit up on everybody as she used it." He hands Maddie over to Garcia and gave her a black bag with all of the baby's stuff. Kneeling down,

"Don't worry, Maddie. I got somewhere to be, but when it's all over, I'm taking you home, alright?" He tickles her, letting out small babyish giggles.

"Now, don't you worry your pretty little heads. I'll treat this little pot of gems like the little princess she is, your majesty." She said as she's walking back to her office with the baby in the stroller. As they were heading out, Reid said,

"Should I be worry?"

"You tell us; you left Maddie with her."

"Remind me to tell Hotch she needs to be drug-tested a couple times if I ever leave Maddie with her again."

After getting armed up and ready to take down Mason Meyer's hit-man, they pulled the black jeep, which was leading half a dozen police cars. The property was set back from the road, so the driveway was three-quarters long of a mile and surrounded by tall, thick pines. There was only a small log and stone cabin, which was being surrounded by large acres of land and taller and thicker pines.

The BAU team, all of them dressed in their FBI protective vests, quickly walked up to the rustic mahogany front door with a few other police officers. Banging on the door,

"Charles Stone!" Hotch yelled from the outside of the cabin. "We have your entire cabin surrounded. Either you come out now or we're coming in there after you. We're giving you to the count of three."

Hotch signals Morgan, telling him to do what he did best: kicking the door down. Once they got inside, all they see is a slightly plump man with fair skin, short scruffy black hair, and five o'clock shadow, dressed in black clothes, Timberland boots, sitting on a dusty couch, causally eating a slice of mushroom pizza. Looking up at the team,

"What? You people never seen a man eat mushroom pizza before?"

"Put the pizza down and surrender yourself."

Scoffing at Hotch's comment, he slowly turns his head to look at Reid,

"So, you must be the doctor. Did that daughter of yours live?"

"I know you did not just threatened a federal agent's daughter."

"You don't scare me."

"Maybe you'll be scared of the electric chair once we take your ass down."

"Oh, really?" As soon as Charles placed his hand behind one of the pillows, he quickly whips out a gun, but before he could have shot,

BANG!

Rossi fires at his arm before anything else could happen. "Clear!"

As half of the police officers came into the room and took Charles away, Rossi looked at everyone else and said,

"What? I didn't like the bastard him threatening Reid's daughter."

After that ordeal with Mason Meyer and his hit-man were both captured and sent to maximum security prison without any chance for parole, the team headed back to the BAU, grabs their stuff and went home, or in Reid's care, took her home with him, now that Meyer and Stone were no later a threat. It was nighttime and Reid, now changed in traditional two-piece loungewear and got her well fed, cleaned up and dressed in a pajama set. He held her as he sat down on the couch in his living room apartment.

"Hey there, Maddie. There's something I have to tell you. A couple of mean men threatened me, but more importantly, you. But we got them and as long as I'm here, I'll always make sure you're safe…because I won't let anything happen to you. This I swear and promise."

Maddie babbles at him happily and Reid chuckles as he strokes through her hair.

"I love you."

He kissed Maddie's forehead and head as he lays her head against his chest after she lets out a small yawn.

Flashback end…

As Maddie began to mutter and try to sit up,

"Daddy? What's happening? What's wrong?"

Nervously, Reid went to her side, tucked her in with the throw wrapped around her body and whispered,

"Hey, Maddie. Try to go back to sleep, okay? I'll tell you in the morning. I love you."

He kisses her head and let her go back to sleep. He wasn't quite ready to tell her about her biological father and what he did to the rest to her family. It just wasn't the time. He promised himself he'll keep her safe.

And he will.

Please Review. I'm open to ideas and more inspiration for continuing my story.