I do not own anything concerning the Blacklist.
The whole week was crazy, and chaotic, and frustrating. Liz had to struggle with Red's latest blacklister who turned out to be a major pain in the ass, and the finalizing of her divorce from Tom. Now, here she was, sitting at a bar, falling prey to the feeling of self-pity that had washed over her almost four months ago. It was official. Her life had strategically fallen apart around her, and she promised herself that she wouldn't let it get to her. But some promises were meant to be broken. She looked at both her hands that were placed on the bar counter. "Could I get you another bourbon, mam?" Asked the bartender. "Please," she answered offering a second long smile.
"Really - Liz?" said the male voice from behind her. She turned around and surprised wasn't the word that she would've used when she saw who it was, "didn't take you for a person who drinks their sorrow away," said her partner, Agent Donald Ressler. "I'd have what she's having," he directed at the bartender.
"Well, welcome to my life agent Ressler," she said as she took the glass of bourbon and gulped it down on her first go, "Another, please."
"Easy there, how much have you had already?" asked a concerned Donald.
"This is the third, I think," she replied as she accepted the glass of whiskey. She raises the glass in the air as though she were making a toast, and turned towards Donald, "here's to -our partnership, something that has harbored more fights and mistrust than my marriage and will most definitely not end in divorce," and she gulped down her drink while Donald focused his worried gaze on her, sipping his drink.
In his two years working with Elizabeth Keen, he had never seen her like this. The strong, independent woman, he had grown to like, trust and respect wasn't there anymore. It was as though Tom Keen had sucked the life out of her. Audrey broke his heart, but the heartache Liz was going through, was nothing compared to what he knew it as. Tom lied and cheated; he played Liz like a pinball machine from the very beginning. After Liz found out about his despicable character, the devastation Liz fell into pulled at his heart. Don wanted to toss Tom on the ground and kick him until his ribs were broken and was left with nothing but welts and bruises to remind him of the pain he caused Liz. Instead, he put himself in the position to be there for her. As much as she didn't want to show any signs of weakness, he was her partner. Cause That's what they were...partners, right?
"Liz, you need to stop this," he said as his gaze sternly warranted her attention, "You're a wonderful woman and I can't let you mope around for a man who you meant nothing too."
They both looked at each other. It seemed like a day had passed before she spoke, "I'm not mad at him - Ressler; I'm pissed at myself for not figuring it out sooner. I should've listened to Reddington."
With that being said she got up and left the bar. Ressler looked at her proceeding to exit the pub, and after mere seconds he left a hundred bucks on the counter and followed her.
"Liz! Liz! Wait up," he shouted as he exited the doors of the pub. He closed the distance between them "I won't let you drive home in this condition"
"Ressler I'm perfectly fine," she said with a sarcastic tone.
"Come, let me take you home, we'll use your car," he said as he held her by her arm and led her to her vehicle.
XXXX
The next morning was painful. She opened her eyes and the bright sunlight was causing her head to hurt. She put her hand over her eyes trying to block the sunlight out. After a couple minutes, as the pain started to dissipate, she gently rubbed her forehead and eyes and opened them. She just laid there, adjusting her vision to her surroundings. Suddenly she realized that the surface she had been sleeping on was not her bed. The room she was in was not her bedroom. She slept on the couch in her living room. But she didn't remember how she got there. Then she heard someone shifting in the single couch opposite her. She looked over to see a sleeping Agent Ressler. She had never thought that the day would've come when she'd actually see him like this. He looked...peaceful. His face was perfectly smooth. He positioned himself so gracefully on the chair with his head leaned all the way back and his arms folded. Was he there whole night?
Eventually she got up off the couch, and walked towards the kitchen. She needed coffee. Nothing like the good old coffee to remedy a hangover. She opened her half emptied cupboard, and took out a half filled bottle of coffee and then put her water to boil. She turned around at the same time she saw Donald walking in rubbing his eyes. "Good morning," they both said to each other as they made eye contact.
"Do you - want some coffee?" Asked Liz
"Sure, I'll have some," he answered as he settled on one of her stools at the kitchen island.
Liz made him a cup of coffee and stood opposite him with her cup. "Listen, Don, I'm sorry if I said or did anything out of place last night... I didn't know what I was thinking,"
"Liz, you've nothing to apologize for. You're in a bad place. I'm just glad that I was there to make sure you weren't going anywhere worst," and with his words she allowed herself to smile, a bit. She allowed her eyes to meet his and he allowed his gaze to meet hers with the same intensity. "Thank you," she quietly said, " for everything you've done for me."
She didn't know what she meant by that statement. She didn't know whether she was thanking him for bringing her home last night or for just being there always - when she needed someone to rely on.
"That's just what partners do. I know you'll do the same for me," he replied. He drank out the last bit of his coffee and then looked at his watch and back at her. "I should get going."
When he told her he should leave, she wanted to tell him don't go. She was growing comfortable in his company. "I'll see you at work then," she responded as she started to walk with him towards the door.
"Why don't you take the week of Liz. You need to rest. You've been pushing yourself to really hard, especially since, T-" he stopped when he realized what he was about the say. He continued," listen, I'll tell Cooper you're taking a week off. Take it. Use it. Rest yourself...get yourself together."
"What will I do here Don? I'll be restless, I need to come to work." Protested Liz.
" No you don't. Liz - look at your house. It's a mess. You're pantry's almost empty. Your laundry pile is huge and your fridge doesn't even have bread scrums to feed of."
Liz stood quietly looking down at her feet, " Liz, this - this isn't you. I want my partner back. The one who was here four months ago. If you don't take some time for yourself, I gonna ask Cooper to send you home."
"But-"
" No buts Keen," that was a sign to shut up and do as he says. Since Tom was taken into custody, he'd stopped calling her Keen. He thought that calling her Keen would've have been making some reference to that scoundrel of a husband, calling her Liz should start to help her get accustomed to the change. This was the first time he's called her Keen in four months.
"Hey, I'm sorry, 'Kay,"
"I'm not changing the name so you might as well call me by it. Listen if you insist, then I'll take the week off okay," she said
He nodded and gave her a little smile. He walked out of her apartment and she waited to see him to hail a cab and get in before closing the door.
XXXX
Liz walked to her bedroom. She stood in the doorway and looked at the sight that was in front of her. Everywhere she looked she saw Tom. His wardrobe he shared with her. The bed he shared with her. Everything he shared with her. And what did he do? Used her, lied to her, manipulated her. Why? She may never get to know. The only other person who has answers for her won't give it. She walked up to the dressing table. Everything was just as it was four month ago. All of his things were still there. Colognes, his watch, everything. She looked at everything and She finally came to the conclusion that she didn't need any reminders of Tom. She took up the small bin from at the side of the dressing table and threw everything away. She wanted to wipe him away from her mind. She didn't mind going back to half emptied cupboards, plain white walls and empty rooms, just to get rid of Thomas Keen. She emptied his drawers, started removing his clothes from the cupboards, and she stacked them all in a heap at the centre of the room.
After having a much-needed shower, she went to the kitchen to get garbage bags so that she can put all of his stuff in it. She then made her way through the rest of the house, removing everything that was Tom and put them all in a box. She went into full clean up mood. She knew Ressler was right. She needed to get herself together. For her, the only way to do so was to get rid of everything Tom. She wanted a fresh start.
She went up back to her room to bring down the garbage bags of Tom's clothes and she then noticed she had missed some things. She looked over to the side of the bed and realized that their wedding photo was still there with her wedding band sitting next to it. She walked up to it and picked up the photo. She didn't know how long she stood up there looking at it. But she needed to do it, to throw it away. She threw it in one of the garbage bags and she stuffed her wedding band into the side pocket of her jeans. The question now was, how was she going to permanently get rid of it all?
She took out her phone and called the first name that came to mind. Red.
"Hello Lizzie, what can I do for today?" He asked.
"I need your help."
"What is this I hear, about you taking a week off?"
"Ressler insisted." She didn't want to go into details that he may already know, like the fact that Ressler drove her drunken self home or that he even stayed the night sleeping on the couch.
"I'm sure he did," he reiterated wanting to convey something more, "I'll be there in five minutes."
Xxxx
There was a knock on the door and Liz immediately went to open it allowing Red to come inside. He hanged his Fedora on the coat hanger by her door and made his way through the drawing room. He smiled at the sight in front of him. "How can I help you Lizzie?"
"I don't know what to do with it. I've packed it all away. His clothes, the albums, perfumes, you name it. I getting rid of it," she sighed and she sat down on the couch, "I just don't know what to do with it."
He took a minute to take in the boxes and garbage bags. He didn't know how Ressler pulled her strings, but whatever he did or said, worked. She was ready to start over. "I know just what to do," he said with a bright smile on his face.
Dembe loaded everything into the trunk of the car while Red and Liz sit in the backseat. "Liz, I know the last four months have been very hard, but I want you to know, that I'll always be here for you. If there is anything you need…"
"What I need Red – is an answer, I did everything right, why did this happen – to me?"
He wanted to tell her but there was so much more at stake. Her finding out why Tom played her was the equivalent of her losing her life. Red knew that by being around her, he was putting her in danger. But if she only knew the truth about Tom, or even himself, he run a greater risk of losing her. "Listen Lizzie, you need to get over it. You've made headway, continue with it. Don't frustrate yourself trying to figure out Tom's motives. He's gone now, he can't hurt you." Red and Liz shared a glance and a brief smile at each other.
Dembe drove them to literally the middle of nowhere. Civilization was out of sight. "Where are we Red?"
"If you want to get rid of anything permanently there are two things you could do. One, take example from our dear friend the Stewmaker, dissolve it. Two, burn it."
Red and Dembe prepped a bonfire with the loaded boxes and bags, and soaked it with some kerosene, Red so happened to have. "You've done this a lot haven't you?" asked Liz.
"Yes, I have," he replied while holding up a box of matches to her, "And I assure you, you're guaranteed satisfaction at the end of all this." He paused, taking a minute to look at her before saying, "Take the matches. I'll leave you to yourself."
Both Red and Dembe left her and went back to the car. She stood there for what seemed to be hours. With the strike of the match, her decision was made. Everything lit up and she stepped back, taking in the sight of the roaring flames. Her hand slipped into her pants pocket to take out her wedding ring. She looked at it and the last tear slipped out of her eye. She closed her palm around it and then threw it into the fire. She was done. She was ready to move on from here.
I can't begin to describe how much i love the KeenxRessler pairing. These two work so good together. Red's gonna have a lot of mentions in this story because I believe that there wouldn't be Keenler without Reddington. I mean, he is the reason they are working together in the first place, right? Anyhow, I'd try to update as often as possible and your reviews are welcomed. Thank you for reading! :-)