Lizzie reached for her phone as it rang. Nick's Pizza, the screen read. Agh, does he have to bug me this early? She wondered. Sighing heavily, she answered. "What do you want?" A long pause answered her until he finally said: "Meet me at the School of Dance at 19:00 tonight, agent Keen." She frowned, "Why?" She heard him sigh, "It's important, Lizzie. School of Dance at 19:00. All right?" "Okay." She answered and he hung up. What the hell is he up to? Raymond Reddington was always ten steps ahead of everyone and Lizzie wondered what angle he was playing this time. She was still furious with him. True, she saw something good in the man, and he had done more than a few good deeds. She just didn't trust him and also knowing that he only wanted the Fulcrum infuriated her even more. She believed for a brief space of time that he actually cared about her as a person. But once again, there was an angle, something to gain. She felt used, betrayed and even more, she felt hurt. And even though she would never ever admit it, she had grown to care for him.

That was all in the past, though. He was there, the night of the fire. He was there. He left her father to die in that burning house. Or had he? Was he her father? He had told her no. And he said he had never lied to her, but honestly, how could she believe him when he kept surprising her and telling her next to nothing about their connection? It was an impossible situation to be in, especially since they still had to work together. She had taken the case of Ruslan Denisov because Red would work with no one else. She was obligated to work with him, so she endured it. Thinking back to last week, she cringed as she remembered sharing a drink with him. You haven't even touched your Baklava. He had said, watching her openly. And she had to admit, her mouth was watering for the delicious treat on the plate in front of her, but she was trying to prove a point and she did not want him to think for even a second that she had forgiven him.

Then the milonga. Oh, god. Did he have to explain a seductive dance in that deep, seductive voice? Of course, she stayed unmoved on the outside, the façade perfectly in place. But on the inside, she had compared their strange relationship to what he described and it was very accurate, except for the sex part of course. Violence? That was a given when it came to Reddington. At the meeting, he handed her the documents. He wanted her to inspect them and that was also something that made her feel worth something. Was that another angle? Then, when he offered the Anneca Oil representative the tainted water, she felt pride rise in her chest despite herself. She stared at Red and realized, not for the first time how complex this man really was. She knew the pride was showing on her face at that moment, but luckily Red was basking in the unease the other man was experiencing. She had told him outright that she did not want to hear how much he cared, because she knew it was all an act. That's not true.

Yes, Elizabeth Keen was conflicted, to say the least.

And now she had to meet him at a School of Dance? What was he playing at now? Was she supposed to believe that their next Blacklister was some dancer? She shoved all these thoughts to the back of her mind and concentrated on the day ahead before she had to meet Red. She went to the Post Office and got paperwork and reports done on the previous week's mission. She created a profile on Ruslan Dunisov and sat back in her chair. She was lost in thought for a long time, then, finally, she unlocked a compartment in her desk and took out a file. She opened it and paged to the first available page. The file contained a profile she was creating on Reddington, one she was making for her own use, and not the FBI's. Subject revealed brief moments of heroism. She wrote. She stared at the words and finally put away the profile, locking it away.

She decided to dress up a little, since Red always dressed up. She highly doubted that he would arrive in jeans and a t-shirt. She opted to where a crisp blue embroidered trim sheath dress with nude heels. She curled her hair and arranged them around her face. She inspected her reflection in the full length mirror of her hotel room, deciding that the outfit was both fancy and casual at the same time, suggesting that she was not making a big deal of meeting Red. She nodded once at herself and left.

She arrived at the school and made her way up the steps. A man in a tuxedo barred her way when she tried to enter. "Invitation, please." He requested. Great. "I'm sorry, I'm actually meeting someone here." She tried to pass him again. He placed his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. Liz was getting angry now, deciding that this was once again just a waste of time, she turned around and made her way down the stairs. "Lizzie!" She froze in place and slowly turned around. And there he was, dressed as impressively as always in an ensemble that surprisingly matched her outfit. He made his way to her and took her hand, pulling it through the crook of his arm and walking her back up the steps. "I almost thought you weren't coming." he said, smiling at her. "I almost didn't" Liz replied curtly, but reluctantly kept her hand on his arm. They passed tuxedo man and Liz's look burned holes in him. "The lady is with me, Phillip." Red said. The man's eyes widened and he muttered "My apologies ma'am." Lizzie frowned at the man, but felt an odd surge of pleasure at the way the man addressed her. Was Red a regular? Maybe he owned the place? That would not even surprise her. Once past tuxedo man, Red led her to a corner in the atrium where Dembe stood waiting. Lizzie greeted him and he nodded in return. "See, Dembe. I told you she was a winter!" Red said triumphantly, as he appraised her appearance. She felt a little embarrassed at his attention and cleared her throat. "So, what exactly are we doing here?" Liz asked. "We're watching a dance show, of course. What else would we be doing at a School of Dance?" Red asked with a little frown creasing his forehead and cocking his head to one side. Liz just rolled her eyes, deciding to play along until something made sense.

They made their way to their seats, which, by her standards were the best in the theatre. The lights dimmed as they sat down and Red handed her a program. School of Dance Almuni. She had to admit that she enjoyed a good dance show, but with Red, nothing was ever that simple. She stared at Red as he was making small talk with Dembe and laughing at some inside joke. Then the music started and they turned their attention to the stage. Red leaned over and whispered "You are going to enjoy this, Lizzie." His voice sent shivers up her spine and she went rigid as she felt his breath against her ear. The dancers started their performance and at first, Liz pretended to be indifferent, but halfway through the show, she had to admit that this was a pretty amazing show. The dancers were exceptional and the storyline was brilliantly written. There was one dancer that stood out, an auburn haired beauty that was about her age. She dominated to stage and had the main dance sequence with a male partner. And to her utter bewilderment, they were doing the milonga. She felt Red's eyes on her, but refused to meet those eyes. Her mouth was open as she saw the pure passion that was poured into the dance. It was incredible, amazing, and beautiful. The crowd went wild and gave them a standing ovation. She joined in and saw Red and Dembe follow suit. She was smiling at the energy and feel-good mood in the room and grinned when the dancers did a little move on stage for the benefit of their fans. She turned to Red and smiled at him and he smiled back at her, a soft, endearing smile. And then she remembered that she was mad at him and she pretended to collect her things, ending the moment.

After the show, they made their way back to the atrium and Liz thought that would be the end of the evening. She did not want to face Red after what happened in there. She did not want to explain how much he frustrated her. She just felt like running. She was lost in thought as Red handed her a glass of champagne. "Shouldn't we get going?" she asked. Red observed her for a moment, then said. "Not yet, we are meeting someone here. She shouldn't be long now." Liz felt so unnerved and anxious and knew it showed. Red frowned at her, reached out, and placed his hand on her shoulder and for once, she did not flinch away from his touch. "Relax, Lizzie. Everything's fine." She met his eyes and nodded. Just then the auburn haired dancer made her way to them. "Raymond!" she said excitedly and threw her arms around Red without warning. Red returned her hug with a genuine one of his own, and Liz stared at them, completely shocked. Who the hell was this girl? She wondered, not that she cared, of course. Finally the two broke apart and the girl gave Dembe an equally warm hug. "I've missed you! Can't believe it's been a year already!" Red smiled warmly at the girl and then the girl turned her eyes questioningly to Liz. Red immediately took a step closer to Liz and placed his hand at the small of her back. "Erin, this is Lizzie. Lizzie, meet Erin." Liz held out her hand. "Please to meet you Er…." Before she could finish, the girl had her in a hug as well. "It's wonderful to finally meet you, Lizzie." Erin said, smiling sweetly at her. Finally? What the hell was going on?

"So, are we going or not?" Erin asked. Red smiled at Lizzie and then at Erin. "Of course, sweetheart. Let's go." Red guided Liz along with the hand still resting at the small of her back, following Erin who had linked in with Dembe and was leading the way. "Going where?" Liz asked, a little tersely. "I told you to relax, Lizzie. So please, just for tonight, could you please just stop trying to control everything? Just one night, that is all I ask." She looked up into his eyes, trying to find some explanation in those blue depths. He was being honest, that much she could tell, and he desperately wanted her to go along. She sighed heavily. "Fine, Red. But I swear, if you try anything…" Red gave a little, dark chuckle and reached out to tuck a wayward curl back in place. "Elizabeth, I have no intention of trying anything nefarious with you." She felt a little put off at that comment, but finally relented.

They got in Red's car and made their way to a little Cuban bar. Liz just stared as they made their way to a table. Red immediately ordered drinks for everyone, a beer for Dembe, scotch for himself and 2 Cuban Surprises for the ladies, which turned out to be a tall and delicious cocktail. Red sat between Erin and Liz with Dembe on Liz's other side. Red reached into his coat pocket and removed an envelope that he placed in Erin's hands. "What's this?" Erin asked. "Just a little something for your birthday." Red replied, smiling at her. "Ray, we've been over this, no gifts!" she gave him a strict look. He gave her an innocent look. "It's just a card!" he replied and Liz could hear familiarity between the two. And damn her, she felt jealous, oh so jealous! Erin opened and read the card and finally hugged Red again, thanking him, placing a small kiss on his cheek as she pulled away. Red's phone rang and he excused himself, leaving Dembe to guard the women. Liz was brimming with curiosity and finally asked. "So, is Reddington your lover?" Erin, who was sipping on her cocktail nearly choked and started laughing. Liz felt anger rise in her as the other woman laughed at her, was it so absurd? "Oh, god no!" she replied. "Don't get me wrong, Raymond is one of a kind, but I am no Lannister and neither is he." Liz was completely lost. "I'm sorry, I don't understand the reference." She said, feeling stupid. "Lizzie, he's my uncle." Wait, what? "Your…" Liz was so dumbstruck that she could barely process what the girl was saying. "Uncle, yes. My mother is his sister." Erin explained. Liz stared at her for a while like she was some foreign object, but finally accepted it. "Do you see each other often?" Liz asked. "No, but he promised me when I was little that we would dance every year on my birthday. He hasn't missed one since." Liz could see the love Erin had for Red and it was the biggest surprise, especially after meeting Nyomi, Red's ex-wife, who clearly loathed him.

Red finally made his way back to the table and sat down between them. "What did I miss?" he asked, smiling sweetly at both women. Liz stared at Red, a mix of confusion and wonder in her eyes. Red met her stare and frowned slightly at what he saw, his eyes were stormy and serious, but they hid nothing from her. And for the first time Lizzie could remember, Raymond Reddington was like an open book. He wanted her to see this part of his life, something that very few people had the privilege. Erin suddenly jumped up. "It's our song, Ray!" she said, smiling down and holding out her hand to him. Red smiled at Erin and Lizzie could see how much he loved the girl and for once, he was letting his guard down and taking the mask off. "Please excuse me, Lizzie. I owe my niece a dance." He said, smiling at her before taking Erin's hand and leading her to the dancefloor. The dancefloor emptied on queue as if everything was rehearsed. Only Red and Erin remained and the spotlight was on them. They started moving as the music began and every move was perfect. Liz already knew that Red was an exceptional dancer, but this was something else entirely. The dance was passionate and contained so many emotions. This was a performance, one that the two of them did every year on Erin's birthday. Liz felt the jealousy dissipate a little as she recalled the peaceful smile Erin brought to Red's lips. Even the Concierge of Crime required a break every now and again.

The music ended and the crowd applauded as they made their way back to the table. Lizzie grinned and clapped along, and saw Dembe grinning at her. He leaned toward her and said: "Raymond is like an onion. He has many, many layers." Lizzie smiled at Dembe and patted his hand. "I know, Dembe. I know." He grabbed her hand and turned his serious gaze on her. "Then give him a break, Lizzie. He cares. Believe that." He let go of her just as Red and Erin resumed their seats, both laughing. Lizzie stared at Dembe for a moment, trying to decipher whether he was being truthful. He looked straight back at her and nodded once. "Does anyone need a refill?" Red asked. "I'll get it, Raymond." Dembe said and looked over at Erin pointedly. "I'll help you!" she said enthusiastically and followed him. Red sat back in his chair and watched the couples dancing, while Lizzie stared at him. She had never seen him so content and relaxed in the nearly two years they've known each other and she decided that she quite enjoyed seeing this side of him. "She's nice." Lizzie said, drawing his attention back to her. He angled his body toward her as he met her eyes. "Yes, she is." She felt her heart ache for him, thinking about having no-one to love. Losing everything that meant something to him, and then she realized that she was in that position too. She'd lost everything. Tears were evident in her voice: "Red, I…" Red leaned forward and took both of her hands in his, stroking her skin absently with his thumb. His face was only a few inches from hers and she could see the pain in his eyes. "Lizzie, tonight, I am not a criminal and you are not an agent. I brought you here to meet Erin, and to… I don't know… I guess I wanted to prove to you that I am not the man you think I am." He sighed heavily and Lizzie could see he shoulders sag, he looked down at their hands, looking utterly defeated and at her mercy. And then Lizzie realized something. He was. He was putting himself completely at her mercy. She had to decide now.

A single tear escaped and trailed down her cheek, but she ignored it. She raised her hands to his face and lifted his head until their eyes met again. She leaned forward and kissed him on his cheek, just a sweet, simple kiss. She felt him go rigid and then felt him relax again as she held her position, lips still resting on his cheek. She wasn't sure what to do next, but then she felt his shoulders sag a little more and his head rested lightly on her shoulder. Lizzie snaked her hands around his neck and caressed his neck softly, trying somehow to let him know that she understood. He released a ragged breath, but never so much as tried to touch her. He was letting her be in control, completely. After a while, she released him a little and kissed his cheek again. "I'll be right back." She said, her hand moved over his shoulders as she walked past him.

When she returned, Erin and Dembe were back at the table. She felt nervous again, but shook the feeling off. She was giving him a second chance. Red smiled at her as she sat back down and she returned his smile, feeling a little wistful. Erin jumped up as another favourite song started playing and went over to Dembe. "Come on, Dembe. Let's dance!" she said, leading him to the dancefloor. Red cleared his throat and for the first time ever, Lizzie thought he looked nervous. "Would you like to dance?" he asked. "Sure." She said, smiling at him. He stood and held his hand out to her, she took his hand and he led her to the dancefloor. He turned her in a circle as if to display her and then guided her towards him as he flattened his hand on her back and grasped her hand. Her other hand rested on his shoulder. The dance started and for once, Lizzie did not try to lead, deciding to trust her dance partner. Red started off timidly and they made their way smoothly across the dancefloor, but as the music built up to a crescendo, the tension and electricity built up between them. He started moving her around effortlessly and with perfect technique. She even recognised some of the moves he did with Erin, but she didn't remember them being this sensual. In one move, her back was to him and his hand rested on her stomach as they danced, he pulled her hand up with his free hand and wrapped it around his neck, running his hand back down her arm and her side and then just as suddenly he was spinning her out again, until finally coming back to the position they started off in. The music ended and the crowd cheered. Red's nose was touching hers lightly and they were both breathing hard. He leaned in and kissed her cheek, sending an unexpected wave of desire through her. Then he stepped back and led her back to their seats.

Red and Dembe decided to go outside and get some fresh air and left Erin and Lizzie to bond. "That was amazing, Lizzie! You never told me you were a dancer!" she exclaimed. And Lizzie laughed at Erin, trying to understand her logic, since they had only just met. Lizzie found that she loved the bubbly, charismatic Erin and really wanted to be friends. But something was bugging her, especially after the dance. "Erin, you are probably the only one who can answer this question." She braced herself as Erin looked at her curiously. "Is Red my father?" she asked, desperation clear on her face. Erin's expression turned to shock. "Well, I don't really know, Lizzie." Lizzie sighed heavily and looked down at her hands. "But I can tell that he loves you." She said, laying her hand on Lizzie's. Lizzie looked up and met her earnest gaze. "And, honey, no father would ever have danced with his daughter the way Raymond danced with you." Erin said with conviction, winking at Lizzie. "But, Lizzie, when I tell you that he loves you, then you better believe it." Lizzie gave Erin a pained look. "How?" she said. "Lizzie, I've been on the receiving end of Raymond's affection for all of my life. I know him. And I know without one shred of doubt that he adores you. "

The next day Lizzie was back at the Post Office, when Red and Dembe walked in. "Agent Keen, we have a new case." He said, in the same professional manner he always used around the Post Office. But Lizzie knew now. She stared at Red and nodded, her lip twitching in a small smile. He smiled at her then and handed her an envelope containing details of the newest Blacklister. They went back to business as usual, but she shared a little secret with Red now, a secret that made working with him not just bearable, but quite enjoyable…