Liz trailed closely behind Red as they tromped through the slush and snow up towards the main road from the underbrush where they had stashed their car. He'd been tense for hours, ever since he broached the subject of dropping in on an old associate of his while they were in the area. They needed a safe place to stay, he said, and he was reasonably sure the man would let them stay with him for at least a couple days.

It was more than obvious that Red was not looking forward to the prospect, however, even though he was the one who suggested it. Liz could only guess what drama lurked in the history between the two men.

"So this associate of yours… Is it going to be one of your bear-hug and cheek-kiss associates or your slammed-door and shotgun associates?"

Red shrugged. "Somewhere in between, most likely."

"What's the matter, then? You seem… off."

"Do I?" he said flatly, and caught hold of her hand to steady her when she slipped on an icy patch in the road as they crossed it.

"What happened, did you sleep with his wife? Cheat him out of a small fortune?"

He came to a stop at the edge of the road, and stared off into the distance with a pinched look on his face. "He… blames me for his daughter's death."

A strained moment passed while Liz considered the obvious next question and Red waited expectantly for her to inevitably ask it.

And she had to ask, even if she didn't truly want to; she had to hear it from his own lips, rather than relying on the supposition that his choice of words implied an answer in the negative. Liz was, of course, at a distinct disadvantage while they were on the run, being somewhat at the mercy of Red's contacts without having a working knowledge of their loyalties or resentments. She needed to know what she was walking into here.

"Did you kill her?"

Red shoved his hands in his pockets and turned back to face her. "No," he said. "No, I didn't."

Liz held his gaze, half-haunted as it was, and nodded stiffly in acknowledgement. He offered her a tight-lipped twitch of a smile in return.

They made the rest of their trek up to the old house in silence. Once they reached the front door, Red hesitated a moment with his fist raised before he rapped his knuckles against the worn wood.

"It might be better if you stay over there, out of the line of fire. Just in case."

"But I thought you said—"

Just then, the door began to swing open and Liz backed up reflexively, doing as Red asked. An elderly man took half a step onto the porch, instantly on the defensive. And angry.

He jabbed an accusing finger at Red's chest. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Dom," Red said, his voice unexpectedly rough, holding his hands up in front of him, empty and nonthreatening. "I apologize for showing up without some kind of advance notice, but—"

"You have a lot of nerve…" Liz decided to step into Dom's line of sight before things could get out of control, and he gave a sharp intake of breath. Then his eyes hardened in suspicion. After an uncomfortably long moment, he tore his gaze away from Liz to glare at Red.

"What are you playing at, Reddington?"

"Nothing, Dom, nothing. But we could use a place to stay for a few days. I'm sure you watch the news."

"The news, yeah. But I didn't need to watch it, did I? I already knew that Masha Rostova was still alive; I may be one of the only people in the world who did."

"I'm sorry. Do you know me?"

Dom pinned Red with a disapproving look. "So you didn't tell her. Guess it's reassuring to know you're just as much of a coward as you've always been."

Liz shifted warily across the porch until she stood shoulder to shoulder with Red.

"Red, what the hell is going on?" she whispered, hissing out of the corner of her mouth.

"I suppose some introductions are in order. Dom, this is, uh, well…" He trailed off, a hand hanging awkwardly as he made an abortive gesture towards her. "And Lizzy, this is Dom. Your grandfather."

That last word hit Liz like a physical blow to the solar plexus. It was only a few syllables and yet all of the breath left her lungs in a blink. Her head swam.

This man was her grandfather? How on earth could that be true?

"Excuse me? My what?"

"Your grandfather. Your mother's father."

"I can't believe this. I have a living grandfather and you never—"

"Maybe we should continue this inside?" Red interrupted, much to Liz's annoyance. "The closest neighbor is a good ways away, but—"

"Fine," Dom said, and stormed off into the old house as fast as his achy, elderly frame would carry him. Red motioned for Liz to go in ahead of him, but she grabbed him by the forearm and pulled him with her, on the off chance he had the bright idea of trying to avoid this particular confrontation.

Her grandfather.

She had a grandfather.