"Agent Keen?" Meera Malik, in professional attire, strode towards Elizabeth Keen with that girlish, mischievous CIA twinkle in her eye that was quite frankly terrifying.
"Yeah?" she smiled at Meera knowingly, totally aware that something was going on, just as Meera pulled her by the arm - bringing her up to pace as they walked towards her office.
At the sight of someone official looking, she lowered her voice, dropping an octave and clearing her throat. Her face became immediately formidable and serious, much like the Meera Malik that Liz had met at first.
"I need to show you the case file for a…" they reached Liz's office, safely out of earshot and closed the door.
Sitting down at her desk, Liz shuffled some papers and leaned forward on her elbow "Just case files? I'd thought you were up to something there, with that grin."
"Agent Keen, I am always up to something." Meera dropped a heavy file on the glass desk and turned her head to the wall, smiling "First page. Tell me what you think."

Liz opened the paper file cautiously, looking at Meera for any clue of what was in store. With slender fingers, which no longer felt the absence of her wedding band, she picked up the photo that comprised the first page."Why is there a picture of one of the security guards in the expenses folder, Meera?"

Meera turned to face her colleague again

"Okay, hear me out."

"What did you do?" An expression of dread and fear crossed Liz's face instantly.
"I'll never get the chance to tell you if you interrupt!"

"Fine. Go on." She sighed, relaxing back into the chair.

"Okay so this security guard was running point when we were doing intel on the last case-"

"Yeah I know who he is, I've seen him in the corridors."

"Interrupting! Anyway, like I was saying, we were talking in the SUV on the way there and he turns round to me and says something like 'did you know Agent Keen got us the lead on this one? She's really something."

"You're making this up-" this time, Liz was silenced by a look

"So I was impressed by this because usually the guards make comments about how pretty you are, or how hot you look when you're holding a gun, I mean not normally directly to me, but you know I've got hawk-like hearing and-"

This time it was Meera who stopped talking, to enjoy the gaping expression on her friend's face, her face coloring rapidly.

"They say what?" Liz asked, her mouth dry

"Well it's true," Meera shrugged, with a sly smile, "Would you let me finish? So I did some digging and it turns out he's two years younger than you, he's got a dog, a Labrador, and he's easy on the eyes so come on, Liz!" she pleaded.

"Meera it's not going to happen! I can't start bringing new people into my life right now!"

"Liz I'm truly sorry your ex-husband was a prick but Tom was then, Brian could be now!"

"Brian?" she shook her head, firmly but still smiling "Meera no way, this is ridiculous."

Meera perched on top of the desk, not going anywhere, "Come on, Agent Keen! Answer me this, friend to friend, colleague to colleague, "When was the last time-"

'UM-" A noise came from behind them.

Liz leaned round to look past Meera as Meera whirled her head around to see the back of the office. A horrified looking Donald Ressler sat at his desk, squirming with the awkwardness of the situation.

"Um, I'm…." He looked at them, weakly, "…here."

Meera laughed under her breath "Well shit. So you are." She turned back round to look at Liz and audibly cackled, she had her hair bunched up in her hands, eyes widened in embarrassment. She picked the file back up off the desk and tapped Liz on the shoulder with it as she exited. "Have fun."

There was a noticeably long silence after the door swung shut. Clearing his throat, Ressler spoke first, unable to make eye contact.
"I wasn't listening, um… I tried to get your attention but you kept… talking. After that I felt like I couldn't show that I'd been here the whole time so I didn't want to say anything but I became painfully aware that there was only one door out of here and it didn't seem worth breaking a window over…" the colour drained from his face, "although I did consider it."

He gave a short, nervous laugh and fell silent.

"Well, you know Meera," she said, almost too quickly afterwards

"Well yeah, I know Meera."

A few more moments passed until Liz spoke again, "I'm not going to call Brian." she stated quietly.

Ressler just shrugged, "Your call." He got up from his chair and made it halfway across the room before he stopped, put a hand on his hip and stared at the floor,

"That wasn't meant to be a pun."


Meera was a highly skilled, highly trained agent. She knew when someone was watching her.

"Agent Ressler?" She turned to him with an extremely professional gaze.

"Agent Malik. Hi," He smiled briefly, waiting until Meera was done with the coffee machine to use it himself.

Nodding sincerely, she stepped out of the way "I'm sorry if we made you uncomfortable earlier, I had no idea you were there."

"It's not a problem." He corrected her gruffly. Turning, he put his coffee down to cool and flicked the ends of his suit jacket out behind him with his signature hands-on-hips stance and stood beside her. He faked hesitation, acting as if the thought was simply a passing one, "Oh, and Meera? About this Brian guy?"

Having already turned to leave, Meera smiled slyly before whirling back around to face him, "Yes?"

"Uh, sometimes the guys and I used to go for beers, a while ago now but I still speak to some of them in passing and I heard that his last relationship ended because he cheated on his partner."

Meera looked him up and down, "I didn't have you pegged as a gossip, Donald Ressler…"

"Like I said, something I heard in passing. Just remembered it when I heard his name again. Don't know the guy, but it seems a bit suspicious, given what's just happened to Liz, I don't think he's the ideal candidate, do you?"

Meera, deadpanning, agreed, "Well if that's the case then of course not!"

"Better for the taskforce as well I think."

"Of course! The taskforce…."

Ressler had had more than his fill of awkward silences for the day yet here he was…

"And besides," Meera eventually continued, "I'd hate to see what'd happen to the guy if he hurt Agent Keen and Red got his hands on him."

"Yeah." And upon thinking, Ressler frowned, "Or you know, if we did."

Meera nodded pensively, somehow maintaining a straight face "Or, you know, if you did."

Ressler straightened, agreeing wholeheartedly, "Yeah. Me. That's right. If I did."

He looked to the ground and realized he'd been made. "Wait-"

She was gone.
And she'd taken his coffee.


"Meera?" Liz looked up from over Aram's shoulder, "Could you ask Cooper why facial recognition is down?"

"Sure." Meera walked past the two bemused agents and then stopped in her tracks. "Actually, Liz, would you mind joining me?"

Liz looked at her warily, "Why..?"

"It's nothing like that this time, honestly" she promised, getting impatient

Liz nodded to Aram and caught up with Meera, "So what is it then?"

Looking over her shoulder for eavesdroppers, Meera stopped walking again, pulling Liz aside, "Ok, I understand why Brian is a no."

"I just can't bring any new people into my life right now Meera."

"Exactly! So, how about you just…upgrade the relationship you have with someone already in your life?"

"Meera! They're our co-workers!"

"And? Don't look at me like I'm the bad kid at boarding school telling you to smoke behind the bike shed! Don't tell me you haven't at least thought about it!"

Liz gaped at her, scandalized but with amusement in her expression 'You have?!"

Meera nodded efficiently, motioning around the room, "Aram's not my type and Ressler's too inhibited but Cooper's a different story." She smiled cheekily.

Liz slapped her lightly on the arm, laughing, shocked, "Meera he's married"

She scoffed, "Yeah and so were you." Then, screwing up her face slightly she added, "Sorry, too soon?"

Liz laughed, "You're unbelievable."

Touched, Meera simply said "Thank you," before getting back on track, relentless, "So! If you're put off by the whole already-committed thing, which is fair enough I think you've had your share of men with double lives, that leaves only Ressler."

"Ressler is my partner Meera, that's all." Liz shook her head adamantly.

From the other side of the room, Ressler could see them staring and hoped they weren't laughing about earlier. He raised an eyebrow quizzically.

It suddenly all made sense to Liz. "Meera? On second thoughts, I'll have Brian's number."

Meera's face fell. She hadn't anticipated this. "Oh…it's um, it's… I must have dropped it."

Liz narrowed her eyes, gleefully having outfoxed her, "Oh, but you're never that careless."

Meera sighed. She had been made.

"This was your plan all along wasn't it! Me and Ressler!" Liz laughed at the irritated expression on her friend's face, she was such a sore loser. "I bet there is no Brian!"

"There is a Brian and he does think you're hot but he's got a reputation and pretty bad breath, actually."

Liz started to walk away, smiling, rolling her eyes.

"Ressler. Consider it Liz, please?"

Looking over at a still-confused Ressler, Liz really couldn't hide her amusement.

Meera just smiled and under her breath muttered, "I didn't hear a no…"