I'm so excited for you guys to read this so I shall not keep you for long. Just wanted to say thank you for reading! Love the reviews and I want you to leave one after - possibly even before - this chapter of the thoughts running through you head lol. I want to know what you're thinking!

I also apologize. Like, many times.

Happy reading!

Words: 1,787

_________________

"Good evening, future Mrs. Reid." Ryder smiles as she sets her purse on the table and shakes her head.

"Good evening to you too, Jimmy," She says to the security guard before walking through the metal detector. "How've you been? How's the wife and kids?"

"Oh, everyone is good, how about you? Both of you?"

"We are both doing just fine," Ryder answers while placing a hand over her growing stomach. "Just here to get Spence, see the others."

"It's about that time, do you know yet?" He asks, leaning towards her while handing her, her bag back.

"Yes," Ryder says quietly, looking around before leaning closer towards the older man. "Girl." She whispers, her smile growing to match his own.

"Well, congratulations."

"Thanks, Jimmy."

"You're all set," Jim hands Ryder her visitors pass before motioning towards the elevators. "Go on up."

Nodding once more, Ryder moves to the elevators and enters them, pressing the number for Spencer's floor. They decided to tell the team now. A gender reveal party feels like too much. Ryder likes them, but she doesn't feel like organizing a whole thing only for it to be put off when the team has to leave for a last-minute case. She likes basic as well, either is fine if she's honest.

The doors ding open and Ryder walks out. She forces her smile to stay small and opens the glass doors leading to the bullpen.

"Hey, baby mama," Derek greets, standing from his seat and Ryder snorts.

"Oh, goodness," She mumbles. "Do me a favor?" Morgan nods in response to Ryder's question. "Ask Penny to come here?"

"Yes, ma'am," Derek salutes her before grabbing his phone to call the woman without question.

"Hey, babe," Ryder greets Spencer by wrapping her arms around his shoulder from behind, bending over to his height from where he still sits at his desk. "You ready?" She whispers and he nods, turning his head just enough to kiss her quickly.

"What's this I've been hearing about an announcement all day?" David appears, his arms spread in an offered hug to Ryder. She accepts it with a smile, pulling away just as Hotch makes his way out of his office.

Looking around to make sure everyone is present, Ryder grabs Spencer's hand and he nods to her. "Oh, we just thought you guys would like to know our daughter's due date."

"I'm sorry," Derek starts while the others let out their own gasps and surprised noises. "Did you just say daughter?"

"She did, didn't she?" Spencer says, glancing down at Ryder before back to the others.

Garcia squeaks - yes, she squeaks - and moves forward to hug Ryder. "Is it bad that I'm happy it's not a boy?"

"No," Ryder shakes her head and chuckles. Morgan offers her a hug next before JJ and Emily.

"She have a name yet?" The dark-haired woman asks and Ryder shakes her head.

"No, not yet," She looks to Spencer. "We have some ideas floating around but nothing is set in stone."

"You can still name her after me," Derek says and the other laugh. Ryder shares a look with Spencer but the couple say nothing to their friend's comment.

"Should we celebrate?" Rossi asks and the others nod.

"I'm starving," Ryder mumbles in agreement.

Natalie and Tommy meet them at the restaurant. Steve is busy. Ryder tells them both that they're getting a niece/godchild as soon as she sees them. Nat gushes but at the same time says she knew all along.

The night is going well until they're nearing the end of their meal. That's when the team is called away on a 'time-sensitive case'. Nat asks if Ryder wants dessert but she shakes her head before going home.

The apartment is so quiet, Ryder wonders how the house will feel when Spencer is gone and the baby still isn't here. Sighing, the young woman drops her bag before going to her neighbor who offered to watch Willow while they weren't home and brings the dog back home. It feels a little less empty with the canine there.

"Just us tonight, girl," Ryder says to the dog, letting her jump on the bed with her. Spencer's not the biggest fan of her on the furniture but he allows it. Especially when he's away on a case.

Pulling out her phone, Ryder sends her fiancée a goodnight text before climbing under the covers and closing her eyes.

"I'm so sorry I can't make it." Steve's voice filters through the phone and Ryder shakes her head even though she knows he can't see.

"It's fine," Ryder says, locking the door behind her. "I can do it. No way I can cancel."

"Yeah, appointment pushing doesn't look good," Steve mumbles with a sigh. "I'll make it up to you, okay?"

"I will hold you to that," Ryder chuckles to let Steve know she's not upset with him. This appointment has been pushed once before, it was supposed to be here and Steve, but unforeseen circumstances came up, preventing him from being available. "Okay, love you, Stevie. I'll call you later."

"Alright, love you back." Hanging up, Ryder slips her phone into her pocket and puts her things in the passenger seat of the car before moving to the driver's side.

The drive is short, thankfully. It's a sunset shoot and she's nearly late. A narrow window of time there. It takes a few hours but when it's time to go, Ryder is happy with the results.

"I'll send you some when I sit down to edit them, let you have a sneak peek."

"Okay, sounds good, thank you so much." Alicia smiles and waves bye to Ryder before moving to her own car. Sighing, Ryder packs her things up and throws her bag over her shoulder. She doesn't notice the fact that she's alone until she starts towards her car. It is late, on a weeknight, it's not surprising.

The dark surrounds Ryder, the sound of her shoes hitting the pavement below her reaching her ears easily. Her keys jingle in her hands, bouncing against each other with every motion she makes. Her car, now fixed from the wreck, reflects the dim street light off its door, causing Ryder to squint her eyes and look down.

It has been a long day and an even longer night, she feels dead on her feet. The sound of the locks unengaging is nearly silent and the handle is cold when Ryder wraps her fingers around it. She squeezes, pulling it towards her and the door starts to open only to be slammed back shut.

With a quiet yelp, Ryder jumps away from the hand placed on her car door and the person it belongs to, her heart leaping into her throat. It takes her brain only a second to recognize the figure looming over her.

Ryder's voice becomes stuck in her throat but her hand goes down to her purse only for her stomach to drop...she'd left it in the car.

"A restraining order? Really?" Mark cocks his head to the side, towering over her. When he takes a step forward, Ryder takes a step back. His words are harsh and angry but a smile spreads across his face.

"Mark-"

"And then you disappear for two weeks," He cuts her off and Ryder's eyes dart over his shoulder and towards her car when he looks away. "That was good, I didn't see that coming. Had no idea where you went."

"Mark, stop," Ryder looks around for someone else, anyone else. But of course, she's alone. Why do the best places to take pictures have to be deserted places?

Mark ignores her words, taking another slow step forward. Ryder does the same backward but angles herself to the side a little more, placing a hand over her stomach protectively. "I tried being nice," Mark says with a sigh, and Ryder's heart nearly stops beating. "I really did try and this is how you repay me?"

"Mark, just listen to me," Ryder holds her other hand out towards him while slowly backing up to her car. "Okay? Don't do anything stupid."

"Stupid?" Mark scoffs, moving to her faster than before. "No, Ry, you're the one who did the stupid thing."

She doesn't know how, maybe it's something in his eyes, something about the way his stance changed. But Ryder knows then that she isn't going to talk him down. That she's out of time.

Turning away quickly, Ryder reaches for the unlocked door handle to the car once more but just as she grasps it, a heavy force pushes her head down. Her face makes contact with the side of the vehicle and pain flares through her cheek, lip, and nose, momentarily stunning her.

The hand on the back of her head disappears, only to be replaced when Mark grabs her arm in a bruising grip. Grunting, Ryder lashes out and brings her knee up hard, hitting him between the legs. When he releases her, Ryder turns back to the car and jumps in, locking the door behind her.

Mark is up in seconds, his meaty fists banging on the window while Ryde scrambles to open the glove box. The camera bag she hadn't used that day gets in her way, slowly her movements. She's so focused on getting to her weapon that she doesn't even notice the pounding on her window has stopped. Not until it shatters, the glass shards raining down on her.

Wincing, Ryder doesn't look back, not until her hand wraps around the cool handle of the pistol. She grasps it tight just when Mark's arm reaches inside her car and he grabs a handful of her hair.

Ryder thinks she screams but she's not sure. Her throat does hurt, she knows that much but her ears are ringing too loudly for her to hear anything. Her free hand reaches back to grab onto Mark's wrist while his other hand grabs her arm, dragging her through the broken car window.

Pain stings across Ryder's back and legs, her scalp burns from her hair being pulled. But despite this, Ryder can only think of her unborn child. She has to protect her baby.

Gritting her teeth, Ryder raises her foot and brings it back and down onto Mark's knee. The man stumbles but doesn't release her. Ryder somehow turns to face him, her head down at an odd angle from his hold on her hair. She tries to bring the gun up but Mark sees it and reaches for it as well.

Grunting, Ryder uses both her hands to grasp onto the weapon as he does the same.

A lone gunshot rings throughout the night.

Ahhhh! Don't hate me! lol. Um, since I'm not completely evil, I will try to upload tomorrow. I do have work so it'll be later in the day, though or it might have to be Sunday.

But guys, guys, thoughts? What's going through your amazing minds right now? I do apologize again.

And I'm not good with writing fight scenes. So sorry if that was a little rough ^

Love you guys! See you in the comments!

'-'