Authors Note: So I decided to change it up, instead of the first night at the safe house we will be going with the first day at the safe house. Enjoy!

Convincing Cooper and Ressler to let him care for Elizabeth was easier once it was obvious that she would speak to no one but Reddington or the Doctor. She eyed Ressler warily and Reddington couldn't help but feel smug. Children could often be easily manipulated but sometimes they also had a sixth sense about peoples intentions and who they could trust. He had no doubt the Ressler wouldn't ever hurt his fellow agent but he had a feeling that under normal circumstances he would not volunteer to watch over a four year old, he was only doing so in order to keep Agent Keen from his grasp. Elizabeth was a bright woman and from everything Sam had told him, a bright child. He wouldn't be surprised if she could sense his hesitation about caring for her.

Cooper readily agreed to let Reddington look after Elizabeth but only on the condition that the safe house they were staying in be monitored and Ressler demanded a room in the house as well, though he would be spending most of his time at work anyway. Grudgingly Reddington agreed as long as any cameras stayed out of the bedrooms, and bathrooms.

"And don't think I won't know if you try to sneak one past me Harold." He had warned the man.

So the next morning after discovering Elizabeths retreat into childhood, she had been taken to the safe house with no trouble or fuss much to everyone's amazement. Although it might have had to do with her throwing a fit unless Reddington was in her sight at all times since leaving the hospital. And if he stayed with in grabbing distance she was perfectly well behaved.

Once they reached the safe house Elizabeth was settle in front of a TV in the living room and Dembe agreed to watch over her for a few hours while she was distracted so Reddington could report to Cooper that all was well and give him another blacklister name to keep the team occupied running around while he spent time with Elizabeth. But he wasn't going to tell them that was the real reason he so willingly agreed to give up another name.

Reddington waited until Elizabeth was fully focused on the TV before he left. When she had first sat down to watch she would pause and glance at him every minute or two as if to check that he was still in the same room. Slowly she would glance at him less and less until her attention was solely on the screen before her. So with a quick nod to Dembe he snuck out of the house and got into a car with a waiting and impatient Ressler.

Reddington entered the house much later in the day then when he had left and made to remove his hat and coat.

"Honey I'm home" He almost sniggered to himself. "How were the children?"

His overall morning had went splendidly and after he gave Cooper and the team another blacklister name, which was an easy man to catch he might say. He was more than ready to see what Elizabeth and Dembe had gotten up to while he was away. The name he had given Cooper was a lowly criminal compared to some of the other names he had in his arsenal but he wasn't about to give them someone hard and have to swoop in to save their sorry behinds like usual when he would rather spend more time with Elizabeth.

He had to admit as much as he missed the adult version, this much younger version was just as delightful and he relished in the chance to show her who he was without her adult assumptions getting in the way. No, this Elizabeth Keen took everything at face value and saw what was in front of her eyes, and despite all the complications he felt that is exactly what they needed to mend what was broken between them.

He had just finished hanging up his hat and turned to go into the living room to find Dembe when the very man himself came through the doorway. Dembe had his arms crossed over his chest and a glare was on his face that Reddington had rarely seen pointed at him. But the man's stance and attitude wasn't what made him pause to ask what was wrong. All words died in his throat when he saw the man's face and what could only be pink marker along his cheeks and forehead in zig zag patterns.

"She is in the kitchen." Was all he said and he didn't give Reddington another glance as he made his way up the stairs, no doubt to attempt to scrub his face clean.

Reddington made his way through the house into the kitchen dreading what he would find. And there in all her artistic glory was Elizabeth Keen, sitting on the tiled floor, humming to herself and scribbling all over one of the kitchen walls.

Authors Note: I'm so glad people are enjoying this story! I'm sorry for the shorter chapter but I wanted to give you guys something and I will be posting another chapter later today or tomorrow. Also sorry for the lack of little Lizzie but next chapter will be full of Red and Lizzie interactions I promise! BTW if anyone has any types of scenes or interactions they want to see of little Lizzie and Red let me know

Next time…

Red finds it so hard to be mad and punish Lizzie for the mess…especially when he sees what she has drawn.

And Red and Lizzie have a battle of wits over nap time