This is a one shot based on the storyline from my other fanfic, but it's a little all over the place.
Tom has toddled off to film Redemption and he and Liz have split.
Liz has been staying at Ressler's with Agnes and their relationship has evolved in to something more romantic. It's been going on for a couple of months. They've had a fight and Ressler is drowning his sorrows at a dive bar.
"I remember the first time I saw you with Elizabeth." Red chuckled, sitting himself down next to Ressler. His strawberry blonde hair was ungelled and he was still wearing the suit he left the house in at 5am this morning. "I never would've predicted we'd end up here four years later."
"What do you want?" Ressler scowled.
"I hear you and Lizzie had a falling out. Do you want to talk about it?"
Ressler's scrunched his brow, looking at the older man as if to say "what the fuck?"
"Fair enough." He rested his fedora on the bar, sitting himself down next to Donald and signalling the barmaid to get him the same. He raised his brow, noting the neat whiskey. Red nodded to himself, Ressler wore his heart on his sleeve and he was being dramatic and drowning his sorrows over his first fight with Elizabeth.
"She was right, I'm not her father." He slurred.
"You know, I remember the first time I saw Elizabeth. She was around Agnes' age actually! Her mother was so proud of her. She had this dark head of hair, Katerina insisted on putting a scrunchie on the top of her head." Red laughed to himself at the memory.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you understand, Donald." Red nodded, smiling to himself and Ressler. "The way you look at that little girl, the way you feel about her, the love you have for her, is exactly the love I have for Elizabeth. You may not be blood, but what you feel for that little girl is more than that. I know you'd do anything to protect her."
Ressler frowned, looking at him carefully. Was Raymond Redington opening up? Don had dedicated five years of his life to hunting him, tracking his every move. Heck he'd even go as far as to say they'd both been enemies. His relationship with Liz had been difficult for Don to understand. What was he to her? Why was he so wrapped up in her life? "Red, what are you saying?"
Red laughed slightly. "Go home Donald, go home to Elizabeth and Agnes." Stepping off the barstool, he carefully placed it back under the bar before collecting his fedora and placing it back on his head. "They're your family. Put your silly insecurities about Tom aside."
Ressler rolled his eyes, as if to say "whatever". Red raised his brow and glared at Don. "Elizabeth loves you." Ressler's expression softened. "We may have had our differences in the past." He paused momentarily, reflecting on his relationship with Ressler. They had tried to kill each other in the past – Red shrugged it off. "But, you have ethics – I admire them. You're loyal and will do whatever it takes to keep Lizzie and Agnes safe." He nodded along with his words, smiling because he knew Donald Ressler would protect the most important women in his life. Red's smile faded, when he realised Donald would probably do a better job of it. "You're not going to find the answers to your problems at the bottom of that glass."
Don was silent. Red was right. Damn it, he hated Red being right. He placed the glass down on the bar. Admitting defeat. "Go home. You can even give her that rock you've been carrying around all week on one condition…"
Don's eyes widened, as his heart stopped. How did he know? He felt himself sobering up, pushing his palms into his head wishing the headache away. "How the fuck did you know?" He backtracked, realising he'd said he had a condition. "What condition?" He was getting defensive.
Red smirked, enjoying watching Ressler squirm like a teenager whose mom had found his pornos. He dropped a brochure for a West Springs rehabilitation services in front of him. Ressler's fist clenched at the implication he was a junkie. He felt a multitude of emotions, as his jaw clenched.
"I know everything about everyone involved in Lizzie's life. Donald I'm not judging you. Everyone has their demons, but it intrigues me you haven't been to get help."
"I don't need help." He was going to lie, but Ressler knew it was pointless. "I haven't used in months."
"I'm not disputing that Donald, but you can't tell me hunting Lizzie wasn't hard on you. Watching her marry Tom and have a baby with him. Donald, you saw her dead."
Don shuddered at the memory. Of course he was using at those times, but he'd been clean since the night Liz turned up on his doorstep with Agnes. He didn't need Oxy anymore.
"I don't want you replacing one addiction with another." Red looked at the empty glasses in front of him. "I know why you came here, Donald. You don't want to let her down, and I have every confidence you're not going to." He nodded. "Go to a couple of sessions, see how it works out for you, then you'll have my blessing."
"I don't want your…" Don trailed off, shaking his head. Red was trying to help. He had a reason to get up in the morning, because of Liz and Agnes. If going to therapy meant he'd become a better man for them of course he'd do it. He rolled his eyes, snatching the brochure off the counter and stuffing it in his pocket.
"For what it's worth, I have every faith that you will be a wonderful husband and make the right choice."
"You don't know what she's going to say." His tone was pessimistic, to the point Red laughed at how pathetic it was.
"Go home, Donald. Come on, Dembe is parked outside, we'll drive you."