The Blacklist: Gratitude

Summary: Red & Liz on the run. A close call has emotions running high when Liz realizes, she's never thanked him before. Tonight, she thanks him. Little bit of angst, with a heavy dose of smut! NSFW! Lizzington.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any rights to the contents or characters. They belong to Sony, NBC, the Jo(h)n's, etc. etc. Except for Red, Red belongs to Lizzie :)

Liz lay awake, staring at the glowing red light at her bedside table that read 2:13am. She had been sleeping OK, better than she would have thought she would during these nights still on the run, her name nearing the top of the FBI's elusive Most Wanted list. But after today's very near miss, the runaway train of thoughts of "what ifs" refused to let her find sleep.

She had been in Ressler's grasp. So close, she was sure it was the end for her. The cavalry was closing in and she was out of places to run. She should have listened to Red, stayed put, like he had instructed her, but when he hadn't returned after nearly three hours she thought surely something must be wrong. They'd been on the run for weeks now and this was the longest amount of time he had been away from her side and it frightened her; enough so that she left the safety of their uncompromised habitat to go in search of him. Someone must have recognized her in the streets; despite her attempt to change her appearance, and called in a tip because within an hour of her leaving the safe house she found herself running for her life through an abandoned warehouse with the heavy footfalls of presumably the entire Metro Police Department hot on her heels only a few yards behind her. She could hear Ressler screaming out orders and his threatening demands of "do not lose her" as they barrelled through the large maze-like warehouse space and she slid to a halt when she turned a corner and saw nothing but a brick wall a dozen or so feet in front of her.

This was it.

Suddenly and without warning the warehouse went completely pitch black; the power being cut presumably, and she gasped when she felt strong arms grab her from behind and a warm hand close over her mouth. She was about to scream when the familiar scent of Red washed over her and she let her shoulders sag in relief.

He had come for her. Of course he had.

"Lizzie, this way, hurry" he whispered harshly in her ear before dragging her off to the left where a rusted metal ladder hung a few feet from the ground, built into the side of the wall. The footsteps behind them got louder and closer and with a grunt Red quickly lifted Lizzie the few feet to the ladder and she quickly scrambled up it to the top, looking down to watch Red jump to grab the bottom rung and then climb his way up the wall until he was able to pull himself high enough for his feet to reach the ladder as well and he climbed the rungs two steps at a time until he reached her at the top and made their escape through a nearby man door and down a fire-escape staircase back to the street level where an idling sedan sat in wait for them.

Both their chests were heaving as they fought to catch their breaths as the driver sped away from the curb and began the journey back to their safe house.

"Where did you... How did you know where to find me?" Liz asked breathlessly, looking across the leather bench seat to where he sat, staring out the window. He didn't answer her, instead just chewed on the inside of his cheek as if to distract himself from verbally lashing out at her for disobeying him. He was angry, she could feel it emanating from him, hanging thick in the air between them.

"Well, you shouldn't have left me for so long!" She decided to try instead, shifting the blame on to him. "I didn't know if you were coming back or what the hell had happened to you! I was scared, all right?" she continued and eventually he turned his head towards her, his faced masked and expressionless and still not uttering a word.

"Fine. Whatever" she huffed, shaking her head before turning it to look out her own window, spending the rest of the ride in deafening silence.

The remainder of the evening didn't go much better, either. Once they made it home she decided she just wanted to go to bed, foregoing the dinner he prepared for them and when he tried to insist, further argument only ensued which ultimately ended with her slamming her bedroom door in his face, refusing to discuss it with him further. He backed off after that, leaving her to her space.

She didn't know if that made her feel better, or worse.

She looked back over to her clock and realized that sleep was not going to come. She needed to clear the air with Red. She felt sick about it. She realized after all her brushes with death and capture, she had not once thanked him for everything he'd done for her. He had never asked her for anything in return, and even put up with all the anger and frustration she constantly threw at him; having no one else in her life to voice it to and finding it infinitely easier to blame so much of her current circumstance on Red rather than herself, however misguided it may be. She had blamed him for so much in her life; for Tom, for Sam, for her father, when really she should have been thanking him. Thanking him for allowing her to uncover all the secrets and lies about Tom, for putting Sam in her life, for protecting her from the truth surrounding her father's death.

She had never stopped to thank him.

Her mind made up she pulled back the blankets from her warm bed and threw on the long navy blue silk robe that hung on the back of her door and headed across the hall to where Red lay just behind the closed door. She took a breath, steadying herself before turning the brass handle and pushing the door open.

She padded across the plush carpeting of his bedroom quietly until she stood before his sleeping form, his chest rising and falling slowly with each rhythmic breath. She wanted to reach out and run her fingertips through the soft hair at his naked chest, trace the outline of the scar from the bullet he took only months ago, feel his heartbeat under the warmth of her hand to remind herself that they're both still here. Together.

"Red?" She whispered his name in the darkness and it was enough to startle him awake. He had always been a light sleeper.

His eyes opened wide in surprise as he noticed her standing over him and he instinctively pulled the bed coverings higher up his chest to just under his chin. Does he sleep nude? The thought immediately crossed her mind. She had no idea. He had always gone to bed after her and woke before her and they always had separate rooms. It sounds like him though, she thinks to herself. Raymond Reddington in pyjamas was not something she could picture, though the image of it her minds eye created was rather endearing.

"Lizzie, what... Is something wrong?" he asked, eyes fully alert now and glancing around the room before coming back to rest on her.

He noticed her then, and how could he not. Her silk gown hanging loosely around her small frame and allowing him the slightest peak at her naked chest, the thin fabric just barely modestly covering her breasts, leaving little to his imagination.

He swallowed. Hard.

"I'm sorry about today" she stated softly and he thinks he nodded in response but he wasn't sure of much of anything as he watched her hands play absent mindedly with the flimsy sash holding her robe shut.

"OK..." he treaded cautiously, his breathing becoming heavier with each passing second. Was he dreaming?

"And I wanted to thank you"

"Thank me for what?" he managed, his voice rough with sleep.

"For being there. For always being there, Red" she told him before pulling on one of the ends of the silk sash and allowing her robe to fall open. His breath caught in his throat as he watched her slowly pull the robe away from her body, allowing it to slide down her shoulders and back until it pooled at her feet and she stood naked before him, cast beautifully in the shadow of the pale moonlight from outside.

"Lizzie" he tried, his voice betraying him and trembling slightly before she placed a finger to his lips to silence him.

"Please Red, I need to thank you" she said, removing her finger from his lips and bringing both hands to edge of the blankets that lay just under his chin.

"You don't need to, sweetheart"

"I want to" she persisted. "Red, let me" she begged him in a breathy whisper and he could do little more than stare up at her and admire the beauty before him.

She slowly dragged the blankets away, throwing them off to the side and a blush crept up her throat as she realized two things; one, Red did in fact sleep nude, and two, he was apparently very appreciative of her naked body.

She knelt on the bed then, crawling her way over on hands and knees until she was next to his waist and she threw one leg over to the other side of him, straddling his thighs before shuffling back a bit more, positioned just above his throbbing need for her.

Taking him in her hand he let out a gasp as she let her thumb swipe over the tip of him, spreading the warm droplets of pre-cum already formed, gently massaging it over his head. He let out a hiss when she lowered her face down to him and allowed her tongue to take a long stroke from his base to the tip before taking him fully into the warm cavern of her mouth and swallowing, causing an involuntary upward thrust of his hips.

"Lizzie, Lizzie" he was panting now, his hands getting lost in her hair but not pressuring or guiding her movements in any way.

She continued to bob up and down on his hardened cock, alternating between taking him deep into her mouth and working his shaft with her hand while her tongue played mercilessly with his sensitive head, driving him quickly to the absolute brink before she felt his grip in her hair tighten.

"Lizzie, now. Sweetheart" he begged her, signalling her to release him from her mouth before he hit his climax but she only moaned around his cock, sucking him harder and deeper into her mouth, letting him know she had no intention of stopping, begging for his release with her encouraging moans.

"I'm... Fuck. I'm cumming. Lizzie!" he grunted in one final warning before he thrust his hips up and his seed released in hot spurts into the back of her throat which Lizzie greedily swallowed, humming in approval as her mouth continued to take in all that he offered and when he finally began to still she lathed her tongue over every last inch of him, savouring his taste, every last drop.

He lay above her, his heart hammering so hard in his chest he could feel it in his ears while Lizzie began to slow her actions into longer dips of her head, slowly sucking him until his member ceased its twitching in her warm mouth and she released him with a pop. She kissed the tip of his head gently before beginning to move up his body, placing a warm open mouthed kiss on his hip, then up his stomach to his chest where she pressed the flat of her tongue over each of his nipples before gently suckling them into her mouth, and a line of kisses up the centre of his chest until she placed a final kiss to the underside of his jawline before she collapsed on top of him, one leg on either side of his left one and he could feel the wetness between her legs warm against his upper thigh. He brought his arms around her and began softly stroking her shoulders, caressing her back, and continuing downwards until he reached her ass, massaging her soft cheeks in his strong hands.

She could feel him hardening again beneath her as he continued exploring her flesh with his hands and when she felt him begin to shift underneath her to try and flip them over she gently stilled his movements by placing her palm firmly against his chest.

"Red, this was just for you" she whispered against his neck.

"But Lizzie, I..."

"Shhhh. Please Red" she gently hushed him, nuzzling further into his throat and breathing in his scent. "Can we just lay here?"

Red sighed but didn't fight her. He wanted to take her so badly but he'd do as she pleased, even if it took everything in him to hold himself back.

"Lizzie?" Red began, a few moments later and she hummed against his throat.

"Could I kiss you? Please?" he asked, his voice ragged.

He felt her lift her head and pull herself gently further up his body until her face hovered of his, their gazes finding each others even in the darkness. He raised his head enough from the pillow to capture her lips with his, moaning in appreciation when she immediately opened her mouth to his and his tongue brushed against hers. He could taste his own arousal on her tongue; a contrasting saltiness to her own unique sweetness but it didn't bother him. The kiss was gentle and exploratory and only lasted a few seconds before they pulled apart and she nuzzled back into the warmth of his neck, her fingertips running over his chest a few times until she rested her palm flat against his heart and began drifting into sleep as he held her.

"Your welcome, Lizzie" he whispered into the darkness as his own eyelids became too heavy to hold open.

Lizzie began to stir the next morning and immediately felt confused. She felt warm strong hands on her body, caressing over her stomach and up towards her breasts, gently kneading them under warm palms and her eyes shot open as she felt a wet mouth on the inner side of her upper left thigh. She pulled herself up slightly on her elbows to see Red hovered above her near the bottom of the bed between her legs, placing a line of kisses to the inside of her thigh before turning his head and offering the same to her right side while his hands continued caressing her upper body.

"Red..." she let out in a shaky breath. She hadn't meant to fall asleep in his bed, and certainly hadn't meant to wake up this way; though, she certainly wasn't complaining.

"Oh, Lizzie" was all he managed to get out before lowering his head to taste her, taking her sweet bud into his mouth and lightly scraping over it with his teeth as her hips bucked up from the bed, and she let out a cry of pleasure. He smiled against her, she could feel it. She might have gotten embarrassed but before she had another second to contemplate it his tongue was on her, lapping at her already soaking wet folds while his hands slid down to hold her firmly in place against the mattress. He feasted on her eagerly like she was his last meal, moaning in appreciation at the taste of her, alternating between licking, sucking, and gently taking her between his teeth. He paid attention to every moan, cry, and shift of her hips, committing to memory what pleased her most and found himself in a most rewarding rhythm until he began to feel her legs trembling against either side of his head. He knew she was close and without warning inserted two fingers inside her, stroking at her inner walls and delighting when her hands immediately flew to grasp at the short hair of his head forcing him impossibly closer as she panted his name, begging him not to stop. He quickened the pace of his tongue and continued lunging his fingers in and out of her as her knees and hands held him to her like a vice grip. A few more long strokes of his fingers and he sucked her delicate bundle of nerves into his mouth once more and curled his fingers inside when she finally came apart, his name falling from her lips in breathy moans and pants as she rode out her orgasm.

"Oh my God. Red..." she panted, her heart beating so fast and her breath only coming in short gasps now as she slowly came down from her high.

Red, still with his face in her lap, began placing gentle open mouthed kisses to her still-tingling sex, nuzzling into her warmth as her hands smoothed over his head with affection.

Regrettably he pulled himself up slightly and slid up her body until his frame towered over hers, smiling down at her flushed face and dark blonde locks matted to her perspiring forehead. Her legs were still on either side of him and he was positioned at her entrance but stayed just outside her.

"What was that for?" She asked him breathlessly and he shrugged; a sly grin forming on his lips.

"Let's call it a thank you" he answered and she couldn't help the laugh that escaped her.

He smiled then. A true smile. He hadn't heard her laugh in... well, much longer than he'd care to admit. She was so beautiful when she laughed. Though, she was always beautiful to him.

"Lizzie," he began, voice suddenly quiet and serious. "Yesterday... When I got back here and you weren't here, I..." he looked away, suddenly pained by the mere thought of what could have been had he not gotten to her in time. He didn't want to even fathom it. He couldn't lose her now. Not ever.

"I know," she began calmly, reaching up to slide her palm against his cheek and gently turn his gaze back to meet hers. "Me too"

He closed his eyes then, not wanting her to see the pain and fear behind them. He was scared to death yesterday, and now he knows so was she.

"Come here" she whispered quietly, wrapping her hands around his shoulder blades and pulling him down against her, his body covering hers with with warmth as she clutched around his back and he nuzzled into her neck.

They stayed like that for several long moments; time seemingly standing still as they held each other, lying in a content silence.

Eventually Red felt Liz shift slightly beneath him as her right hand left his back and found its way between their two bodies, heading south until she gripped around his hardened member and began lightly stroking him.

"Lizzie" he groaned into her throat.

She turned her face until her lips were at his ear, her breath hot against his face. "Red, I want to feel you inside me" she whispered and he grunted in response.

He wanted her so badly. To bury himself inside her warmth, take her as his, offer all of himself to her.

She guided him to her entrance and he gently thrust himself inside until he was fully sheathed in her heat and she gasped as he reached the hilt. He stilled his movements, moving his mouth to the side of her face to pepper kisses along her jawline and up to her earlobe.

"I'll go slow. I won't hurt you, sweetheart" he spoke softly into her ear, the feeling of her so tight around him and the digging of her fingers deep into the soft flesh of his back telling him she needed time to adjust. He can't remember the last time he had felt someone this constricting; like an unrelenting vice grip around him. He had to wonder just how long it had been for her, then quickly vanished the thought, deciding he didn't want to know, nor did he want to think of with whom. None of that mattered anymore.

"OK?" he asked to ensure she was all right and she slowly nodded her head against him. He placed another kiss to the side of her head before beginning a slow, languid pace of pulling himself nearly completely out, and then pushing his way back deep inside of her, working out a slow but steady rhythm until he felt her begin to respond with her own short thrusts of her hips and her grip on his naked back loosening instead into a firm massage of his shoulder blades and back of his neck.

"Lizzie, you feel so good" he told her, breathing heavily against her neck as his hips began at a slightly faster pace, sliding in and out of her with ease now, her wetness coating over him.

"More, Red. Please" she begged him breathlessly, lifting her legs up to wrap around his middle and changing the angle slightly, bringing him closer against her and he groaned as he hit a spot deeper inside her.

"Lizzie" he growled her name in response as he began pumping in and out of her harder, faster than before and her moans only encouraged him further. He was close. So close. But he needed her there with him. He brought a hand down between their bodies and began circling her clit with his thumb and she screamed out in pleasure, her moans following afterwards coming out in choked sobs as she hit her climax while he pumped mercilessly in and out of her until he too fell over the edge with a few final powerful thrusts, rocking against her a few more times as he emptied himself inside her.

He collapsed on top of her then, hearts racing in time against each others chests as they lay completely spent; still joined together and her trembling legs still wrapped around his waist. She never wanted him to leave her. Not ever. She could stay in this moment for the rest of time, she thought, feeling him gently twitch and jerk inside her as he came down from his high. Still filling her completely. She was his. He was hers. She never wanted to forget that feeling.

"Lizzie..." Red began, still out of breath, his face buried in her neck. "That was..."

"Yeah." Lizzie finished for him, her own breath still escaping her lungs in short gasps. "Who are we thanking for that?"

"All Mighty God in heaven above" Red responded without missing a beat and she laughed. That sweet, tender laugh that warmed over his heart and caused a smile to grace his lips.

Lizzie.

A/N: Well, I think that's it for this one. Hope you all liked this otherwise pointless smut-fest. Please be kind and leave some words of review before you leave :) I love to hear from you!