I don't own The Blacklist and I don't make money with fanfiction.

The title is a song title by Cat Stevens and reminds me of Red.

Thanks to my beta inmate23! :)

This story will be less cheesy, but more dramatic.

Lizzington, but a slow burn.

I love reviews and constructive criticism. :)

They've just closed their latest case, thanks to Red, who gave the final advice, and were now on their way to his current safe house. He'd invited her for dinner, since she hasn't had much time for a proper meal in the past weeks. Her eyes looked tired, the area around them turned darker each day. With Berlin's death and Tom's disappearance, Red had hoped she would move on and let go of the past, but he knew deep in his gut, that Lizzy was mourning. Not about Tom, but about the two years she had wasted and he truly felt sorry for her.

"Raymond?", her voice interrupted him from his thoughts, and he wondered how often she had tried to get his attention, now that she called him by his given name.

"Yes, Lizzy?"

"Cooper wants to talk to you.", she held her phone towards him and watched how he shifted in his seat, so that he was practically facing her. His arm hung loosely over the headrest as he took the phone with a heavy sigh, and spoke mockingly, "Do you already miss me, Harold?"

She couldn't exactly make out, what Cooper told him, but his whole body tensed within a second. His hand, which was placed over the seat, balled into a tight fist, as he'd ended the call. He gave her back her phone, without a glance, meanwhile looking at Dembe in the rearview mirror.

"Dembe, we need to be at the Post Office as soon as possible.", he said, his voice almost dead.

Lizzy, who has watched him intensely, wondered if she had ever seen him that nervous. The silence slowly became uncomfortable between them, so she chose to make the first step, fully aware of the fact that he'll probably not answer her following question.

"Are you okay? What did he want?"

He shook his head, absently staring out of the window as he said in a tight voice, "Change in plans. We have a situation."

"Could you be a little bit more specific?", she asked, frustrated over his current reticence.

"Not now, Lizzy. I have to make sure this isn't a mislead by some wannabe criminal, before I can share anything with anyone."

She sighed and shifted lower in her seat. It was useless to start an argument, considering that he wouldn't answer any questions she probably has right now. Her head rested against the window and she cursed the person, who was responsible for that. All she wanted was a relaxed evening, dinner, one or maybe two glasses of wine, and finally sleep. The recent weeks were exhausting. Red had given them more cases, than ever before. Some were finished quickly, others needed weeks, such as the one, they'd finished a few hours before and she wasn't prepared for a new one to start.

_ _ TBL_

They rode in silence, until the car parked at the Post Office. Red exited the car, and in doing so he put on his black hat and hurried ahead to the elevator. Dembe and Lizzy joined him wordlessly, while his fingertips impatiently tapped against his thigh. He worked his jaw once, before he approached his bodyguard, "Will you call Ezra, please? Tell him I want him here."

Dembe gave his employer a short nod and waited, until the other two were out of his surroundings.

"Why? You've said, you first want to make sure this isn't a mislead.", Liz asked, simultaneously walking up the stairs to Cooper's office. Whatever her boss has told him, it must have frightened him enormously. Why else would he want Ezra back? She wasn't really fond of that man, to be honest, even if he saved her life once.

"He's going to watch you, when I'm not around."

"When you're not around? Does that imply, that you're...what?, she paused, "taking care of me from now on, as if I'm some sort of a pet?"

"I assure you, Lizzy, I wouldn't do that, if it is not entirely necessary.", he said flatly.

He walked into Cooper's office like he owned the place, not even thinking about knocking on the door. If half of what Harold has told him, was true, he'll be going through hell in the next week. There was no way on earth, that Raymond Reddington will give them what they want. They'd better give back, that which belongs to him and after that is done, he'll kill them.

Mercilessly. Painfully. Slowly.

He took off his hat, placed it on Cooper's desk and chewed his cheek nervously, "Where is it?"

"It was delivered about an hour ago.", Cooper said, while giving him a file, including two photographs and a letter, which was addressed to Red. He read the written words carefully and swallowed the lump in his throat, the muscles in his stomach contracted involuntary.

If he hasn't had his last meal over 10 hours ago, he'd surely consider vomiting an option.

Red stood with his back to Liz, which made it impossible for her to see what Cooper had handed him over. She stepped slowly closer and took a small look over his shoulder, as he peered at the photographs of a young, blond woman with curly hair. She must have been around her own age, maybe a few years younger. The second photo showed a birthmark on her hipbone in a strange form. She inclined her head to get a better look at the letter, but Red had already placed the information into his pockets.

"Who is this?", she asked quietly

Red, however, ignored her question and addressed Cooper instead, "Who brought that in?"

"It came in with the usual mail.", he answered flatly.

"I want the security footages."

"I will get Aram.", with that, Cooper disappeared out of his office into the War Room.

Liz leaned against the wall, now standing next to Red, meanwhile watching him with her arms folded.

"Who is this, Red?", she asked him again, but this time more eagerly.

He chewed his bottom lip and rubbed his thumb tiredly over the bridge of his nose, like that would ease his mind, "Jennifer.", he said, his voice barely a whisper.

She pushed herself from the wall and walked up to him, to give his shoulder a comforting squeeze, fully aware that her gesture wouldn't help him right now.

"Why? What do they want?"

He worked his jaw and tried to focus on another point in the room. Everything was better than looking at her, since this whole mess was his fault. The stone was rolling and he might not be able to stop it, but he'll try, even if all hell broke loose. After what seemed like minutes, he had decided not to be a coward and his eyes finally found hers. He wanted to sound confident, but he failed miserably.

"You."