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Chapter 8

'Defend the weak, protect both young and old, never desert your friends. Give justice to all, be fearless in battle and always ready to defend the right' Brian Jacques

The university campus was dark covered in shadows which seemed to move as they all scrambled out of the cars. "Emily, Reid, Morgan" Hotch said "we are going to check inside the business school building, Rossi, JJ, Livie you are going to check the football pitch… everyone stays in contact at all times ok, they answer when told to and try not to get separated" he added.

Slowly they all separated into their assigned groups and headed off towards their respective locations attaching their flashlights to their guns as they did so. When they arrived at the football pitch it was pitch black and their tiny beams of light from the flashlights did barely anything to change that. As they moved around checking around the bleachers they could all feel the darkness pressing in on them and the hair on the back of their necks crawled as though they were being watched and not even the comforting feeling of the guns in their hands could cease the uneasy feeling that they had.

Over at the business building Morgan found an open window which they all slipped through worried that this was how Anders had gained entrance. Their footfalls echoed on the linoleum floor as they moved down the halls sweeping each room and opening every door praying that they would find something.

As 7pm drew closer Rossi asked "Hotch we have nothing what about you?" "No nothing" Hotch responded "where are you". "Checking the changing rooms" Rossi said as he slowly entered with JJ and Livie on either side of him "I see these haven't changed much" he commented "still reek of victory and failure". "And unwashed gym clothes" Livie muttered.

"Check the girl's changing room" he said and JJ slipped off and Livie slipped out after her whilst Rossi checked the shower cubicles before he headed outside and waited for JJ and Livie. JJ came out shaking her head "nothing" she said before she frowned "hey where's Livie". Rossi paused "I thought she went with you" he said and JJ shook her head "no she never came in with me" she said.

Rossi lifted his hand to his ear "Livie where are you". There was silence … "Livie check in" he said but she still didn't respond. "Rossi" Hotch asked "what happened, "Livie disappeared" he said and Hotch cursed angrily as JJ and Rossi moved away from the changing rooms and back towards the football pitch looking around frantically for their intern who had vanished from sight.

XO

Livie moved out of the boys changing room thinking frantically; they were running out of time. Sophie had to be here but where was she? Just as she was about to enter the girls changing rooms after JJ when her eyes fell on a shadowed building not to far away. It looked like some sort of gamekeepers shed.

Instantly she remembered Annabelle Hunt's death report and what Clark had told her; "One day he just took me to this abandoned shed in the middle of no where and showed me this little girl he had tied up inside. He had had her there for a week. Her name was… Annabelle, she was five"

Instantly she was running towards it as fast as she could. She felt the earwig fall from her ear as she ran but she ignored it for now. Her feet made no noise on the thick grass as she jogged over switching off her flashlight so as to remain invisible as she neared it. Glancing over her shoulder she saw JJ and Rossi's lights flicking around. She considered calling them over but she didn't want to pull them away from where they were supposed to be if this was a dead end.

She moved round the small shed pressing herself close to the walls as she peered in the window. There was no light inside but by the light of the full moon she could see loads of gardening tools on the shelves. Slowly breathing deeply she moved round to the door and reached for the handle. She gave it an experimental twist before she took a deep breath and brought her gun up and yanked the door open rushing inside.

She swung her gun around checking every nook and cranny before the small beam fell on something in the corner and she froze.

Staring up at her from between her fingers from where she crouched in the corner hiding herself was a little girl who was crying quietly as tears ran down her cheeks. Her hair was a mess and her My Little Pony pyjamas were dirty and torn. But she was alive and that was all that mattered.

Livie let out a sigh of relief as she shoved her gun into its holster and stepped forward. "Sophie" she breathed "hey Sophie". The little girl whimpered and turned away hiding herself. "Sophie shh it's ok" she whispered "hey don't you remember me honey… I'm Livie remember… you showed me your ponies… Skye, Copper, Nugget, Flash, Jigsaw and what was that other one called? The spotty black and white one… I can't remember"

"Domino" Sophie mumbled before she turned her head slightly to look at Livie who smiled gently at her. "Livie" she whimpered and Livie nodded and moved over to the little girl who staggered to her feet and flung her arms around Livie's neck.

Livie sighed in relief as she hugged Sophie close "it's ok honey you are safe now" she whispered stroking her hair before she looked over and spotted a rope knotted tightly around Sophie's wrist attached to the wall. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a knife and quickly cut the rope.

"Hey" she said softly "where did the nasty man go Sophie". Sophie pulled away to look at her "I don't know" she mumbled "he left before you came". Livie bit her lip "ok" she said gently and stood up before she lifted Sophie into her arms "come on lets get you out of here" she said softly.

As she headed towards the door with Sophie's arms wrapped tight around her neck she slipped her earpiece back in to hear everyone calling out for her to answer.

"Guys I'm here" she said. "Where the hell are you" Morgan demanded "Livie we told you not to lose contact" Hotch said sternly but she ignored them. "Guys I have Sophie" she said "I found her". That stopped their chiding of her; "is she ok" Hotch asked and Livie looked at the little girl in her arms as she headed towards the main buildings "scared and confused but alive" she said "listen I am coming to the main building so meet me…"

She was cut off as something collided with her sending her flying and she let out a cry as she hit the ground and she heard Sophie shriek in terror as she fell free. She rolled onto her side gasping as she heard the others shouting out to her demanding to know what had happened. She saw Sophie staggering to her feet as their unsub Sam Anders marched towards her and grabbed her arm making her cry out in fear. "Livie" she cried and Livie hauled herself to her feet and ran at him shouting "no leave her alone"

She flung herself at him knocking him to the ground causing him to turn on her with an angry snarl. He struck her hard in the stomach causing her to cry out again. "Livie where are you" she heard Reid shouting frantically in her ear wig followed by Morgan shouting "we are coming kid tell us where you are". She felt Anders grab a handful of her hair and yank her to her feet before he wrapped an arm around her neck. "You shouldn't have interrupted me" he hissed angrily as his arm tightened and she began to choke.

"Sophie" she choked out "run", Sophie stared at her with wide eyes; "Run" Livie gasped before she rammed her elbow into his stomach causing him to let out a gasp of surprise and his grip around her throat loosened slightly giving Livie enough time to jab her arm upwards into his nose and yank herself free and her hand flew to her gun at her side as she whirled round to face him. He was already coming for her though with his nose streaming blood and he flung her to the ground.

Frantically she wrestled with him as he tried to grab her gun and desperately she threw her arm away from him and pointed the gun to the sky and fired two shots into the night.

"Over there" Morgan shouted as two cracks echoed through the silence and they sprinted towards it shouting to Livie to answer but all they could hear were sounds of a struggle.

Livie fought to hold him off but she cried out as his fist connected with her cheek and her head was sent snapping back. Angry she kneed him hard in the crotch before she kicked him off and scrambled to her feet and ran over to where Sophie was crouched frozen in terror.

She caught hold of Sophie and pushed her behind her feeling the little girl grab hold of a handful of her trouser leg as she brought her gun up to point at Anders as he staggered to his feet. "Don't move" she cried as he stumbled forwards a few feet. "Get out of my way" he hissed "I have to kill her" "no" Livie said angrily "no you don't, stay where you are or I will shoot you". He looked at her angrily before he yanked out a small revolver "good job I felt the need to buy this huh" he growled and pointed it at Livie "move" he snapped "I have to kill her"

"Why do you think you have to kill her" Livie snarled "because it is in my blood" he said defiantly and almost proudly "so what" Livie asked "just because your father was a murderer and a rapist does not mean you have to be one, you don't have to kill"

"Yes I do" he almost shrieked "it is in my blood, which means I have to, I have to kill, and I can't control it". Livie took a couple of steps backwards trying to increase the distance between herself, Sophie and Anders; Sophie was sobbing uncontrollably clinging to Livie tightly too afraid to let go. "Did your father tell you that" she asked "that you had to kill… that you couldn't control it, well it isn't true… who your father is does not define who you are" "yes it does" he snapped "and I don't kill just because I have to, I kill because I like it and I like the thrill"

"Yeah well killing Sophie isn't going to replicate that thrill that you had when you killed Annabelle Hunt" Livie said, he sneered at her. "Put the gun down Anders" Livie ordered jabbing the gun forward trying to make her point. "Why don't you put the gun down" he hissed "otherwise I will just shoot you and then get the little girl, you can't save her" "Well I am not going to just stand aside so you had better shoot me where I stand" Livie said defiantly.

"That won't be a problem" he hissed "you sure about that" Livie asked "You have never killed anyone older than nine before… won't that mess up your little system". Anders didn't respond at first, he just eyed her fingering his gun and chewing at his lip and Livie used his indecisiveness to back a few more feet away pushing Sophie away.

Then Anders smirked "I can kill you" he said and Livie tensed "no you can't" she said "you have a choice" "no I don't" he screamed "I don't have a choice because it is in my blood now move"

"No"

That was the last thing that was spoken that the team heard. As they sprinted round the corner they heard their unsub give an inhuman roar and then two loud gunshots echoed through the night. They all felt a chill of fear rush through them as they rounded the corner to see the unsub standing over a crumpled body. Shouting they all lifted their guns to point at him and as he spun the gun round to face them they all fired sending him sprawling to the floor. Breathing heavily they all looked over feeling their stomachs clench at the sight before them.

As their torch beams moved across the grass they picking up the two figures lying in the grass barely moving with guns in hand. And crouched over one of them sobbing desperately was a little girl who was shaking the girl she was crouched over whimpering to her to wake up.

Instantly Hotch and Reid sprinted over to Sophie and Livie whilst Emily and Morgan ran to the unsub kicking the gun away and calling for a couple of ambulances. Rossi and JJ came running over and JJ instantly bent next to Sophie talking soothingly to her before she gently scooped her up into her arms straightening up as she tried to comfort her.

"Livie" Reid gasped and his eyed were wide with panic as he stared at her where she lay curled on her side with her eyes closed. Carefully Hotch rolled her onto her back and propped her head up feeling for a pulse, "come on dammit" he muttered before he lifted her jacket away and instantly a relieved look spread over his face. "She'll be fine Reid" he said and his young genius looked at him panicked "you can't possibly know that" he said before following Hotch's gaze and he paused "oh" he said in relief as he saw the bullet over Livie's chest lodged into her bullet proof vest.

At that moment Livie let out a groan and began to stir, her eyelids fluttering. "Stay still" Hotch told her as she opened her eyes and looked around confused before she winced "ow" she muttered "you ok" Reid asked worriedly "how do you feel". Livie rolled her head over to give him a sceptical look "like I got shot in the chest" she muttered before she sighed closing her eyes briefly before she looked up at Hotch. "Sophie" she murmured and Hotch smiled and looked up at JJ and Livie followed her gaze smiling as she saw Sophie clinging to JJ tightly as she looked down at Livie still sniffing.

"You saved her" Hotch said "you did good kid though you are going to be in a lot of trouble for going off on your own like that". Livie smiled weakly before she slowly sat up wincing as she reached up and pulled off her bullet proof vest "well that is going to bruise" she muttered as her fingers gently probed at the area. She looked over at Reid who was watching her anxiously "relax Spence" she said softly "I am fine I swear" she winced again "might ache a bit but I will live". Reid didn't look convinced so with a smile Livie reached out and took his hand squeezing it reassuringly.

"Come on" Hotch said "let's get out of here". Carefully they helped Livie to her feet supporting her as she staggered and groaned. As the ambulances arrived and the paramedics came running forward Hotch released Livie so that he could talk to them and he noticed how Reid gently supported her by slipping his arms under hers as she placed her arm over his shoulder as she limped towards the car ignoring the paramedics who tried to take her to the ambulance.

It was only when JJ headed over to the ambulance with Sophie in her arms and the little girl twisted frantically looking around. "Livie" she cried "Livie".

Livie turned and spotted the little girl and hesitated before she changed direction and headed over to the ambulance after JJ and Reid followed. Hotch watched as they climbed into the ambulance and Sophie slipped off of JJ's knee and ran over to Livie who smiled and lifted her onto her lap. She spoke gently to her before she reached into her bag and pulled out Shadow the toy horse. It was adorable how Sophie's scared little face changed into a look of delight as she took her beloved toy and hugged it so tight it looked like it might burst.

That was the last Hotch saw of them as the doors to the ambulance were shut and it headed off to the hospital with flashing lights. The other ambulance loaded up their unsub and followed whilst they all clambered into their cars and drove after them satisfied with how things had turned out and relieved they had saved the life of that innocent little girl.

'I do the very best I know how – the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end' Abraham Lincoln

Well hope you enjoyed that ;) haha I loved writing that chapter – I know it is short but that seemed like the best place to finish

Please let me know what you think :D I love hearing your reviews. I am overwhelmed by the amount of support you have given me and I am so happy you like this story.

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Mysticgirl.