This is my first attempt at writing, so I apologise in advance.

I own nothing, really I don't.

"Every person has to love at least one bad partner in their lives to be truly thankful for the right one." — Unknown

"I think he is the one."

Allie had been rambling on for what felt like hours to Liz about her current boyfriend. When they met, where they met, how their eyes were drawn to each other, it was love.

Liz truly was happy for her, but if she was being honest with herself, she was just a tad jealous. Her life was so different now, she was single again and dating was not on her to do list. But she missed it, that anticipation before a romantic evening, the longing to be close to someone, the touches, the glances all but distant memories now.

"Liz... Lizzzz... Helloooo... you still with me here hon?" Liz was awoken from her musings by Allie's hand waving in front of her face.

"Sorry, I'm here." Smiling softly she continued. "So you found "the one", the man of your dreams. Well he sounds like a catch. Really honey I'm so happy for you." She reached forward and enveloped her friend in her arms.

"Hey, come on tell me about your life these days. I've told you everything about Adam & me, so now it's your turn. Anyone special?" Allie been travelling around Europe for years but they had kept in contact and when the opportunity arose they'd meet up. Hearing about Tom was a shock, but she always believed Liz could have done far better than him.

"You know me, I'm a workaholic. Especially now, since the task force was stood down, I'm taking my spare time for me and being a consultant keeps me busy. So no, I'm still single." Liz finished, raised her hand to call the bartender over, another round wasn't going to kill her, hell it had been ages since she had the chance to unwind.

"Well played." A knowing grin crept across her old friend's face.

"What? What's that look about?" Liz knew she was cornered.

"You may still be single, but I asked if there was anyone special. So tell me, have ever found "the one", Tom doesn't count by the way. All he was, was ONE big pain in the ass." Allie slipped cash across the bar to pay for their drinks as Liz stared at her in shock.

"Drop that look hon. Are you telling me that you haven't even looked at another man?"

"I never said that." How she didn't want to discuss this, not now, not ever. But that tiny, treacherous voice inside of her wanted to tell the world. The voice that keeps her awake at night reminding her of what could have been. Maybe if she said it aloud, told someone, gave that voice a chance to free her, then maybe, just maybe the ache that lived inside her would easy.

"Liz, honey, we both know you want to talk. I'm here, this may not be the bathroom floor of our old apartment but hell we'll make do. So tell me, because I can see you, I can see you're bottling something up, let me help." That sympathitic knowing tone to her voice would be Liz's undoing.

Allie and Liz had known each other for well over 14 years now. They had laughed, cried, drank their sorrows away and pieced each other back together again. They knew when the other was hurting, waited patiently for the dam to burst and waded in then hung on until it calmed.

"I've missed you, Allie, you have no idea how much I've missed you." Liz let her mask fall, she didn't need it here.

"Lets find a table and talk, who knows we may just drink a bit more while we're at it. No whiskey I promise, we don't need a reenactment of that night back in college. I swear I still get flashbacks when I smell that damn drink." Allie shuddered as Liz began to laugh.

"Hey you weren't complaining! As I remember you were the one that got generous with the measures as the night went on. Oh lord, how did we make it to lectures the following day!" A genuine smile graced Liz's face at the memory.

"I didn't see you turning your nose up at any glass I gave you. I guess it helped that Professor McKay was enamored by you." With a wink Allie sat at a table to the back of the bar.

"No he wasn't, I'm not going to start explaining that again. He liked all his students, well perhaps you had rubbed him up the wrong way by telling him you had a thing for the older gentlemen. He was in his thirties!" Liz couldn't contain her laughter.

"Well he was older than me, who knew the guy was so sensitive about his age, I was trying to compliment the him for god sake." Allie took sip of her wine. "Lets not get off topic here my dear, come on, spill, tell me what has gotten you all, I don't know, closed off."

"You asked me earlier if I had ever found the one?" She paused, took a deep breath.

"Well I did, I found him, then I sent him away." Liz looked her oldest and dearest friend in the eyes. "I got a second chance at happiness and threw it away." Her voice fading away as she spoke.

"Oh Liz... What happened? Who was he?" Allie reached over to take her hand to encourage her to continue.

"He was, everything." Liz gave a small laugh. "How do you describe Red?"

"The colour?" A perplexed look graced Allie face.

"No, no, that was his nickname, Red." She couldn't help but smile when saying his name.

"Raymond "Red" Reddington, a man of many talents. God he could make you feel as if you were the only woman in the world with just a single look." Liz felt those old stirring again with just the thought of him. Damn him & damn her heart for falling for him.

"I think we're going to need a bottle here. I want to hear it all, spare me nothing." Allie waved over the nearest server.

Thank you for taking the time to read :)