Donald Ressler was worried, but he wasn't quite ready to convey that to Liz. Not yet, at least. It had been 45 minutes since they'd left the small airfield, armed with directions to their destination to pick up one of Red's associates who lived in the vicinity. Pick up the man, head back to the jet and be back in DC, and hopefully before the weather worsened. Or that was the plan, at least. The directions he was following were straight forward, yet they weren't panning out at all. The field officer who had met them at the regional airport had given clear directions. Hadn't he? Cross the river, head north west for several miles until you see signs for the state forest, then turn west into Connor Lane. The driveway to Jeffrey Connor's large property was about 6 miles down on the north side. Can't miss it.
But they obviously HAD missed it because they should have seen something indicating the driveway to the large home by now. Visibility was hampered with the sleet that had been steadily increasing since they'd left the town. He leaned forward once more, peering through windscreen wipers that knocked back and forth at a steady speed, wiping off the rain and sleet that spattered against the windscreen. At below freezing outside, the icy mix of rain slid down the wet glass and settled in a grey pile of slush below the moving blades.
Sitting beside him in the SUV, Liz had voiced her concern a few minutes ago, to which he'd assured her they should see something soon. But the occasional glances his way now mirrored his own concern. It was becoming increasingly clear they were either not on the right road, or they had missed the driveway completely. The midafternoon winter sun did nothing to light their way among the tall trees lining the road on either side. Trees that dripped and sagged under the weight of ice accumulating on their soft branches.
"Maybe we should turn around and head back to that small gas station we saw earlier and…ask?" she offered helpfully, waiting for it. And in true 'I'm male and we don't ask for directions' fashion, Ressler answered her silently with his blue eyes before returning his attention to the road ahead.
"What does your GPS say?" he asked, indicating to her phone.
"Well…" she answered, pausing as she turned her phone sideways then upright again, "it's not working right," she said as she tapped the display. A thin strip of white in a sea of green was all the screen showed. "This dot that's indicating us hasn't moved for the last few minutes, and all it's saying is 'acquiring satellite'," she shrugged, dropping the phone into her lap.
"So," he sighed. "Not helpful."
Tugging on her seat belt that was resting uncomfortably against her neck Liz continued peering through the wiper blades into the fading light. "We've been on this road forever now and it's getting more narrow. This can't be right."
With the gauge now indicating they'd travelled 9 miles since the turn off, he shook his head. "We've gone far enough," he said, applying pressure to the brake pedal, feeling the slight shudder under them as the car tires met the thin layer of ice on the road surface. "We'll head back to the turn off," he offered, acknowledging that they were getting nowhere fast in this direction. "Keep your eyes peeled again for a driveway. Maybe we just went right by it," he said, but was unconvinced. Completing his careful three-point turn on the slick, narrow road he faced the vehicle back the way they'd come.
"I don't think we missed it," she said, but returned her eyes to the north side of the road as he headed off at a slower speed. Through the freezing rain all they could see were wall to wall trees, broken occasionally with a break of a few feet between them. At each clear spot he slowed further as they both checked for signs of a road or driveway. "Nothing," he sighed, glancing at the clock on the dash. "And it's getting late. It will be dark in an hour."
"It already is dark," she added, as the combined effect of the tall trees and steady rain reduced their daylight and visibility.
Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he was about to press Cooper's speed dial when the 'No Signal' caught his attention. "Damn. You got signal on your phone?" he asked.
She lifted it off her lap again. "Nothing," she said, sighing. "Oh, wait, I just got one bar. I'll call Aram and see if he can pinpoint where we're at in relation to Connor's," she said, pressing the number. Lifting her phone to her ear she heard him answer on the other end.
"Agent Keen, is everything okay?"
Eyes still peering intently out into the rain for any sign of a driveway, she answered their IT guy. "Not exactly. Can you use your little tracker program and see where we're at? We're uh…" she glanced at Ressler, seeing the set of his jaw as he drove slowly, one eye on the road and one also looking out for a driveway. "We may be lost," she admitted.
"We're not lost," Ressler answered, leaving no room for argument.
Liz listened to Aram as he opened up his tracking software. "Well, okay, we're not lost. But we can't seem to find the turn off to Jeffrey Connor's place."
On the other end of the phone, the clacking of keys met her ears as Aram spoke softly, concentrating on the task at hand. "Let me just…wait…there… Okay, got the GPS on your vehicle. I can see you. Wow, you're really out in the middle of nowhere there... I mean, not nowhere. Obviously, something is out there, but-"
"Aram."
"Oh, right. Um, keep heading in the direction you're going-" Static filled her ear as his voice cut out and back in, "-road, and the driveway is on the nor-" Again, his voice faded before coming back strongly, "-be back on track," he finished.
Hand over the phone, she relayed the instructions to Ressler. "Keep going in this direction. We had it right, and must have just missed it the first time."
"Got it," Ressler replied, slowing again as another clearing appeared on his left. "Wait. Is that it?" Ressler asked. Speaking with Aram, Liz had taken her eyes off the road, and peered back over the seat toward an opening in the trees. Ressler stopped then slowly reversed a few feet, halting on the road at a larger clearing between the trees. This wasn't just a break; this was a definite path through the trees.
"Okay, Aram. We got it, thanks."
"No problem. But I didn't really do any-" he replied, before their signal cut out completely. She hung up, slipping the phone back into her lap as Ressler turned the vehicle off the road and down the narrower roadway.
And in the Post Office, a hundred miles away, Aram watched the dot on the screen, signifying their vehicle. "No, that's not right. No, I said go back up to the main road first," he told the screen, willing them to hear him. His eyes searched the room for Cooper. "Sir, they're on the wrong road. I don't know what's at the end of the road they just turned down, but it isn't where they are supposed to be."
As he and Cooper watched, the dot disappeared as all signal was lost.
"Uh, oh," was all Aram could say.
###
"I don't think this is right, Ress," Liz told her partner, looking at her useless phone and GPS for about the tenth time in a minute. "We should have seen his house by now. And this really doesn't look like a driveway."
Ressler was just as frustrated and rapidly becoming sick and tired of this wild goose chase. "If we don't see anything in the next five minutes, we're heading back to the main road, and back to that town. This is ridiculous," he replied, turning the windscreen wipers to the next setting as the sleet increased. And as if to prove a point, their tires skidded on the roadway again as they turned the next slight bend.
"Whoa…" Liz replied, as she gripped the door handle.
Their road, if it could even be called that, was slowly heading downward into the next valley. Visibility dropped even further as Ressler put the headlights on high beam. And as the ice accumulated on the road, their vehicle lost traction several times.
"Okay, that's it." Ressler slowed the vehicle in a wider spot on the road, skidding a little on the icy patches, getting ready to turn back, when Liz spotted something off to her right.
"Wait! Is that a light? It is!"
Ressler stopped and craned his neck around to see where she was indicating. "I don't see…." But then he did see. "Yup, that's a light. Several lights, actually," he said, as small squares of lights indicating lit windows appeared in the night through the icy trees.
Phew! We found it!" Liz replied, smiling at him. "But now we need to figure out how we get over there." The light was some distance below them, off to the right as the valley rose on a slight incline away from the road. Ressler was trying to determine if they head further down the valley or back up to the main road as Liz echoed his thoughts.
"Perhaps head a bit further down, since we know we didn't pass a road leading off in that direction?" Liz offered.
Ressler hesitated, even after having come to the same conclusion. "This weather is getting dangerous, Liz, and I'm thinking we need to just try tomorrow in the light of day."
She peered out the window through the thin crust of ice that was hampering her view. "I know, but Red said-"
"I know what Reddington said," he shot at her, as he moved the car forward and further down the incline into the valley. And all the while, the darkness closed in around them and the rain and sleet increased. He did not like this. Not one bit.
"I swear, when I get hold of Reddington after this, I'll…" he didn't finish the thought. They were out here after Reddington's briefing that morning. A briefing that seemed a lifetime removed from the cold, slick road they were on now. Jeffrey Connor had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and had witnessed the murder of one of Red's associates. Reddington's anger at that murder had been evident during the briefing, something that Ressler had noted with surprise. It was not often the FBI's #4 showed that much unbridled fury when giving them a case.
"He wants us to get Connor into protective custody though, so we still need to try, Ress."
"I know." And he did know. But that didn't mean he was happy about playing nursemaid to one of Reddington's contacts, and retrieving them from out in the middle of nowhere just to get them to a safe house. "But look at this weather, Liz. Who else would be out here. He's safe tonight even if we can't get to him." Of that he was sure as they drove on, deeper into the valley. The one good piece of news was that the road they were on was turning slightly, leading them in the direction of the lighted home ahead and off to their right.
"We're almost there," she told him, checking her phone again. As she went to say something more the vehicle hit a large patch of ice and skidded. "Whoa!" she gasped, grabbing at the door handle quickly.
Ressler set his jaw as he got the car under control right before they hit a tree, shaking his head. "This is crazy."
"We're getting there though," she replied, as Ressler dropped their speed even more. Sodden and icy tree limbs filled their view through the windshield as the wipers kept the ice from accumulating too badly. Committed now, Ressler kept going, clenching his teeth every time the tires lost traction on the ice covered narrow road. As he cursed out loud at another large patch of ice that forced them dangerously close to the edge of the road and the trees below, he saw the lights ahead of them now.
"Thank, God," Liz whispered as their destination drew nearer. "He'd better have a pot of coffee on," she said clapping her hands together.
Beside her, Ressler gripped the wheel firmly as the car shuddered and skid under his control. It was unnerving, but he knew enough about driving on ice to be careful. What concerned him was the incline going back up the road, with more ice accumulating with every passing minute.
"There," Liz said, pointing at a wide gate in the far reaches of their headlights. "Finally!" The house was still a little way off, but the gate and driveway was visible.
"Shit," he suddenly swore, stopping the car with a slight skid.
"What?" she asked, looking at him and then the house. "We're here!"
"No, we're not. Look," he said, pointing to his left to the white mailbox that had 'J & M Clemens' painted on it, and not 'J Connor'.
"It's the wrong house?" she asked, huffing as she leaned back in her seat.
"It's the wrong house. Wrong road. Wrong everything," he told her, leaning back in his seat, meeting her eyes. "Damn."
She looked in the rearview through the ice encrusted back window, and around them. "Can we head back?"
"I don't know." As if to emphasize his point, the lights on the house flickered in front of them, and shut off altogether, plunging them into darkness save for their headlights picking up the steady freezing rain.
"Maybe we have signal now," she said, checking her phone, before shoving her hands into her coat sleeves for warmth after again seeing that her phone still had no signal. "Nope. What are we going to do?"
"Don't have much choice. Looks like we're going to pay J & M Clemens a visit. Maybe they have a phone we can use and call Cooper." With that, he pulled forward again, making their way slowly down the driveway toward the large house. A candle flickered in a window. At least someone was home, he thought, as he slowed and skidded to a stop on the slick circular driveway out the front of the home. Keeping the engine and heater running, he sat there a moment, and peered at the front door. A door that opened, revealing a man carrying a flashlight that he shone in their direction.
"Who's there?" came an elderly voice.
"Wait here," Ressler told Liz, opening his car door. "No point both of us getting wet. I won't be long."
He slammed the car door and walked carefully across the slick asphalt of the driveway as the freezing rain and ice pellets struck him, stinging his face.
"I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but do you have a working phone that we could use?"
At the man's hesitation, Ressler smiled. "It's okay, sir, I'm Agent Donald Ressler with the FBI. My partner and I seem to have taken a wrong turn in this weather, and our cell phones aren't working." He approached the gentleman, producing his badge. The flashlight hit the gold badge, seeming to satisfy the old man. His demeanor changed immediately.
"Of course, Agent. Our phone should still be working, even though we just lost the power," he said, stepping aside to let Ressler enter. With a glance and nod to Liz, Ressler stepped into the wide hallway of the home, then followed the man into a large living room. An elderly woman was kneeling at a fireplace, stacking newspaper and small pieces of wood.
"Mary, honey, I'll take care of that. This young man is FBI, and he needs to use the phone," he told his wife.
The woman stood, wiping her hands on an apron around her waist. She looked at Ressler in the flicker of the candles, quickly assessing his badge, neat attire and cropped hair that spoke of Secret Agent Man, and gave him a warm smile. "Dreadful weather for you to be out in tonight," she said motioning to a phone on a small side table next to a recliner. "You're welcome to use it, of course."
Ressler thanked her and walked to the phone. Lifting it, he was relieved to hear the dial tone, and punched in Cooper's number. Ressler gazed absently around the room he was in. The best way to describe it would be comfortable and well lived in. Photos lined a large dresser, evidence of a family who had grown up in this home under the loving care of the now elderly Clemens. Cooper answered the phone and he dropped his gaze from the photos.
"Hey, we appear to have taken a wrong turn and have not made it to Connor's place yet," Ressler told his boss. "The weather is wet and icy and we just missed the turn somewhere."
"Yes, Aram did see that before we lost signal," Cooper replied. "You'll need to backtrack all the way up to the main road and then try again. Is that possible?"
Ressler looked at the crusted ice on the living room window, through which he could see the headlights of their vehicle, where Liz sat in the heat waiting for him. "We're going to have to try, though the place is icing up badly, and getting worse by the minute. I'm not sure the roads will be passable for much longer."
Kneeling at the fireplace, the elderly man shook his head. "No, son. You can't make it back up that hill in this," he said.
His wife piped up also. "Jim's right. You'll get stuck half way up, or slide off the road completely."
Ressler sighed, listening to the elderly couple. "Okay, consensus here is that the roads are already too hazardous to head back out on."
"You stay here tonight, where it's safe," Mary told him, as Jim kept on stacking firewood with practiced ease, still looking toward Ressler.
"Absolutely, son. You and your partner are welcome here tonight. We have plenty of room. You can't go back out in that. No way. Trees are going to start cracking and falling soon."
Ressler still hesitated, yet knew they were right. He sighed, then spoke into the phone again. "We're going to have to stay put tonight and try again tomorrow once the sun comes up and starts to melt this ice."
"I could hear them. Sounds like you're in good company. Okay, stay safe and we'll be here if anything changes," Cooper told him, then added, "And I'll talk to Reddington and let him know we can't get to Connors until tomorrow."
Ressler thanked his boss, then hung up. Before he could say anything, Jim spoke up from the fire that he'd just lit, as a yellow flame ate up the newspaper, catching the smaller pieces of wood alight. "So you best get your partner in here, and into the warmth," he grinned.
"And get some dinner into you," Mary added. "I got it ready right before we lost power."
Ressler liked them, even though he didn't know them. They had a calm sincerity in them that was inherent in older couples who'd lived their lives and took everything in their stride. "Thank you," he told them both.
"I'll open up the barn, and you can park your vehicle in there, else you could be chipping an inch of ice off it come daylight," Jim said, walking with Ressler toward the front door. Mary followed them and as they stepped out, Ressler waved his arm toward Liz, who slowly opened the car door and reluctantly stepped out into the freezing rain and sleet.
"Come on, honey!" Mary called out, and with a look at Ressler who nodded to her, Liz got the message and with arms around herself, she walked the short distance to the front door.
"Come on in, dear, out of this cold," Mary said and bundled Liz into the living room as Jim and Ressler headed out to the car to get it moved into the barn. After parking it inside in the dry, Ressler walked with Jim back to the house, carrying his and Liz's overnight duffel bags.
Once back inside, with the door shutting out the ice and cold of the night, Ressler reentered the living room to find it warmer with the fire crackling in the hearth. It was cozy, with the candles around the room. Liz was sitting near the fire while Mary busied herself with setting two extra places at a dining room table in the adjoining room. Ressler came and stood beside the fire, looking down at Liz. The firelight flickered in her eyes as she met his. She shrugged a little and smiled, and he returned the gesture. It was not the evening either of them had imagined when they'd got Red's briefing that morning.
###
Dinner was excellent, and after partaking in a hearty beef casserole, potatoes and freshly baked rolls, along with a fine wine, they sat back in their chairs, stuffed. Conversation had been lively and many times they had to take a break from eating lest they choke, as Jim told yet another hilarious tale. He had a million of them, it seemed. Eyes sparkling as they finished the meal, Jim toasted them. "To unexpected company and shelter from the storm," he said as they each raised their glasses.
"This was wonderful, and the meal was so good, Mary," Liz smiled, rising with the elderly woman to help her clear the table, despite her objections.
Jim motioned to Ressler, and freshly filled wine glass in hand, he and the elderly man stepped into the living room, leaving the women to the kitchen.
"I know you can't tell me much, son, but I couldn't help overhearing earlier you were heading to Jeff Connor's place. He in some kinda trouble?" Jim asked, settling into what was obviously his well-worn recliner.
Ressler sat on the couch near the old man's chair, placing his glass on the end table. "Well, not exactly in trouble, but we do need to talk with him," he said, leaving out the part that he needed to be kept safe after one of his associates had been killed.
Jim's eyes twinkled in the firelight, knowing Ressler wasn't telling him everything. "Well, he's good people. I hope you can… talk with him tomorrow," he said, taking a sip of his wine.
"I do too. Hopefully this weather will break," Ressler told him, getting comfortable on the couch. The house was quiet, and at intervals outside a crack shattered the silence as another tree limb broke under the weight of the ice. Though much bigger, the home reminded him of his cabin. He'd spent time up there during ice storms. He needed to make it up there more often, he decided.
Jim interrupted his thoughts. "So, you like being an FBI agent?" he asked.
Ressler smiled, "I do. It's-"
"It's not what you do, it's who you are," Jim interrupted with a knowing grin. "I seen your type before. You live and breathe the job, which is admirable."
Ressler cracked a rare grin. The old man had him nailed. "You got it," he said, "It seemed to be all I ever wanted to do. My dad was a cop, and I followed in his footsteps," he said, glancing away at the sudden memory of his father.
"But your dad's gone now," Jim said quietly.
Ressler nodded. "For a long time now, yes."
"He'd have been proud. I've only known you a little while and I see a good man before me."
Ressler met the old man's eyes. "Not always, but thank you."
"You know though, the job's not everything," Jim said slyly. "I mean, your partner in there, she's a lovely woman. I seen the looks between you. Something there, right?"
There wasn't much this man missed. He might be in his twilight years but his mind was sharp as a tack. "You get close when you're partners, depending on each other in the field. It's part of the job," he told Jim.
"Job be darned," Jim said with a smile. "You care for her. I know that look. It's the same look I gave my Mary when I first knew her. She was the prettiest girl at the ice cream parlor in her day. I saved my pennies each week just to go in and get an ice cream from her. When you meet the one, you just know. I went in for years, but I just couldn't tell her how I felt for the longest time. And you got that look, son."
Ressler squirmed in his seat. What the heck could he say to that? Once again, the old man had nailed him.
"Take it from an old man who wasted too many years before getting up the nerve to do something about it. Life's not just about the job. Life's about sharing it with the right person."
###
In the kitchen, Mary washed the dishes while Liz dried them. "That was a wonderful meal. Lucky that you got it all cooked before the power went out," Liz told the old woman.
"Partly luck, but partly an old woman knowing all too well what ice does with this many trees around us, and having a gas stove," she chuckled.
"We appreciate your hospitality very much," Liz told her, placing a dry dish on the table behind her. "I don't know what we'd have done if we'd got stuck out in this weather." She shuddered at that thought.
Mary's eyes twinkled in the candle burning on the sill. "Oh, I don't know. You and your young man out there might just have had to keep each other warm," she smiled.
Liz stopped drying the plate she was holding. "Oh, we're not-"
"You're just work partners, right," Mary smiled, nudging Liz's shoulder. "Between us women, I know better. You care a great deal for him in the way you are with him, and I saw the way he looks at you. There is caring there. I'd even say there is love there. Trust me."
"What? No, we're… well, yes, we do care for each other, and we've been through a lot together, but…" Liz gave up drying the plate and stood for a moment as her mind raced. A complete stranger had seen what she'd been trying to deny for years. "You saw all of that over one meal?"
"Dear, I know that look. My Jim took years to get up the nerve to ask me out. I can't imagine how much money he wasted on ice creams before he did," she chuckled. "I knew how he felt. And I waited, because back then, you had to wait for the man to make the move."
Regaining some composure, Liz dried the next plate. "I can see you love each other very much. You're a beautiful couple," she told the old woman.
"That we do. We've spent over 60 years together. When you meet the right one, your heart just knows."
Liz dried a coffee cup, and glanced toward the living room where Ressler and Jim were as Mary spoke again.
"Life's short, dear. Too short to spend without the one you're meant to be with."
Liz met the woman's eyes.
"And with that said, let me now tell you that this house has three fireplaces, and we'll need rooms with them tonight with the power out. One in the living room which we let die down at night, one in our bedroom upstairs, and the third in the guest room downstairs."
"Oh…"
"Yes dear, you and your young man may just have to get cozy tonight after all," Mary told her, smiling broadly.
Liz blushed, and then, with all the dishes done, followed Mary back into the living room.
"So, what have you men folk been discussing?" Mary asked, smiling as she settled in the recliner across from Jim. As Liz moved to the couch to sit beside Ressler, he looked up and met her eyes.
"Oh, this and that," Jim chuckled, meeting his wife's sparkling eyes.
###
An hour later, Jim and Mary said goodnight to Ressler and Liz, leaving them in the living room by the dwindling fire. Hand in hand, the old couple walked up the stair case. "If you need anything, we're in the first room on the right," Mary told them. "And that fire is burning nicely in the guest room now," Jim added.
"We'll be fine, thank you so much, both of you," Liz told them.
Ressler added his thanks, and watched as the elderly couple disappeared up the stairs, leaving him and Liz in the living room. They sat in silence for a moment, then both spoke at once.
"I think we got a couple of match makers there," Liz chuckled.
"They do seem determined to put us together tonight," Ressler added, then meeting her eyes he said, "But I can sleep on the couch here, it's fine."
Liz sat beside him, a cup of hot chocolate in her hand, another of Mary's insistences. Times had changed since Mary's day and the man didn't have to make the first move. "This fire will go out soon, and Jim lit the other one in the guest room," she said quietly, nudging closer to him.
Ressler looked at her silently. He wondered just what fire Jim had really lit. And as he looked deep into her blue eyes as she sat close to him, the decision was made. He'd spent long enough buying ice creams. "Guest room it is then," he said, leaning closer to her. Close enough to kiss her if he chose to. They each held their breaths as they gazed at each other.
"Are you sure?" he asked, giving her the out if she needed it.
She nodded in response, smiling at him. He was also sure.
Together they stood with the fire dying down, its heat beginning to fade from the living room. Liz led the way to the guest room, and closing the door behind them they stood beside each other, looking around the room. It was a good size, with two chairs in front of the roaring fire, and a king sized bed in the room. A bathroom was off to one side, and Mary had assured them the gas water heater was still working despite not having power. They'd be able to shower.
Ressler still wasn't sure what she expected and how far he should go. Ever the gentleman, he turned to her. "I'll follow your lead. Whatever you're comfortable with."
She grinned at him, her mood suddenly lightening. "My Boy Scout," she said, then touched his back gently as she moved to the fireplace. "Let's sit here and enjoy this fire."
As they sat in the chairs, the fire burning and lighting up the room in a soft, orange glow, he looked at her. He'd always known she was beautiful, and had always been drawn to her. But sitting in the firelight, she looked stunning.
"Penny for your thoughts," she said, smiling.
"I was just thinking that…" he couldn't tell her everything he was thinking, but his eyes said it.
"That's the look," Liz whispered, smiling at the tilt of his head. "I've seen it in your eyes so many times, Ress, and I've never let myself follow it. I want to follow it tonight."
He sat across from her as the fire crackled. Outside, the sleet and icy rain fell, coating everything with more and more ice. But inside, they were warm, safe and together. They were never going to get a more perfect occasion. She felt it too. He could see it in her eyes. She rose from her chair, and knelt on the plush carpet before him and he opened his thighs for her to kneel closer to him. Her hands found his thighs, and as she ran them along them, it was as if an electric shock shuddered through his body. Cupping her cheeks in his hands, he held her face and leaned down to her, hesitating a moment. Her eyes closed, waiting for him, and he moved to her and caressed her lips with his own. At the touch, her hands left his thighs, ran up his back and into his hair, pulling him into her. Mouths pressed together, opening as their tongues explored each other, he kissed her harder, taking his hands from her cheeks and hugging them around her back. She was warm and supple, and he needed her. Breaking apart, they gazed at each other, searching the other's hungry eyes for that final clarification.
"Yes," she whispered, and she dove for his mouth again, pulling her body against his as he scooted forward on the chair, his arousal becoming apparent against her belly. His hands found her jacket and pulled it off her as her hands followed, taking his suit jacket off and tossing it to the floor. As his shirt came off, helped with his own fingers unbuttoning it and tossing his tie aside, she leaned up so he could take off her blouse, slipping it easily up her arms and over her head.
Holding her to him, he maneuvered off the chair to kneel on the carpet by the fire. Her fingers found his belt, quickly unbuckling it and unzipping him. Relief flooded over him as the pressure in his pants eased, freeing him. Slipping her own pants down, she tossed them aside, and faced him; him only in boxers, and her in bra and panties. Reaching behind her, his hand found the catch and with a flick of his fingers, her bra fell free. His mouth found her breasts as she fondled his hair and together they slipped down to the floor, side by side on the thick carpet with the fire crackling near them. There were no words as her hand pushed his fingers lower down to her panties. He tugged them down, exposing her to him. His own boxers came off, and she gave herself to him completely, her hands all over him. Clinging together, he moved above her and entered her, and by the warmth and light of the fire they made love on the carpet as the icy rain lashed the windows outside.
###
When Ressler woke, it took him a moment to remember where he was. And split seconds later, it rushed back to him. Laying on the carpet, the fire was still burning behind him and Liz lay naked in his arms, still sleeping. His finger found her hair, and lightly brushed a wayward strand from her face. She looked beautiful. His partner, and now his lover. At his touch, she moved a little and her eyes opened. He smiled as the recognition hit her. Moving closer to him, her hand found his cheek and cupped it. "Hey," she whispered.
"Hey, yourself," he said, leaning down to kiss her.
"Jim and Mary will be pleased," she said softly and chuckled.
"That they will be," he agreed, grinning.
Reaching for him, her hand found his hair as he leaned over her. "We should get in bed," she said, and he nodded, kissing her lightly again.
"My back would be grateful," he said, sitting up, "and my knees," he added with a chuckle. She sat up beside him, folding into him. Kissing him, she then stood in front of him. He lightly kissed her mound, promising her that they weren't done yet. She chuckled, then looked toward the bathroom. "I'd like to take a quick shower. Care to join me?" she asked coyly.
He didn't need to be asked twice, and cupping her naked butt in his hand they made their way to the bathroom. Turning on the shower, the room soon filled with the steam of hot water as they both stepped under it. And actual showering became secondary as their hands and mouths explored each other and the hot water ran over them. She giggled softly as he found the soap and washed her gently, opening her legs for him. She returned the favor and with a hiss, he moved against her. "If you're done, we need to get in bed," he gasped, his voice husky.
"Lead the way," she told him, stepping out from the hot water and grabbing towels for them. Only partially dry, they made their way back to the bedroom, their bodies still warm from the hot water.
They got under the covers of the large king size bed and scooted close to each other.
"They're probably waiting to hear the bedsprings" she whispered, smiling at him.
"Well, who are we to disappoint?" he whispered, pulling her to him and planting his mouth on hers, ending all conversation. Leaving her mouth, his head dipped under the covers, and his tongue travelled down her, stopping briefly at her breasts, then down her stomach, and finally as she opened her legs, he found her sweet spot. As she gasped above him, his tongue continued its work, sending shudders through her as her hand fondled him.
She moaned softly, and unable to stand it any longer, she gasped, "I need you inside me, now." Moving up her body, he complied, fully ready again after her hand had taken care of that. And for the second time that evening, he entered her and they moved as one as he rode her with her legs around his hips. Lost in each other, they became one. And when both completely spent, he sagged onto her, heart pounding as her hands ran over his back. He rolled gently from her, and as she nestled into his side, he fell asleep under the covers, his arm still around her.
###
When the morning sun peeked through the icy windows, Ressler opened his eyes. He didn't want to get up. He didn't want this to end. She was naked in his arms. What would it be like once they returned to DC? How would this change things between them now?
"I know that look too. Don't overthink this," she told him softly.
He smiled, not realizing she was awake and looked down at her, stroking his hand over her hair. "You know me. I always over think things."
"It will be okay. Honest," she said, then kissed him lightly before she braved the colder air of the room and made her way to the bathroom.
He rose, found his duffel bag and threw on a clean pair of boxers and jeans, then put a t-shirt on as she exited the bathroom. Still naked, she stood before him, feeling a little awkward that he was dressed and she was not. He saw the look, and understood it immediately. "Well, either I can get undressed again, or you can get dressed," he smiled, breaking the brief moment.
"I'm cold!" she said, and before she could say another word, he took her in his arms and kissed her. She melted into him, her naked body clinging to his warmth.
"Do we really have to go? I could stay here forever," she said, and he just smiled, hugging her and resting his chin on her hair. He felt the same way.
"Duty calls," he said. "And actually, so does breakfast. Smell that?" Sure enough, the unmistakable smell of bacon wafted into their room.
"They get up early around here," Liz said, reluctantly pulling away from him and finding her own duffel bag and a change of clothes. Ressler busied himself with picking up his suit and their discarded clothing from the floor, barely giving a thought to the fact that he hadn't hung his suit up. The dry cleaner could take care of it. When all packed, they stood together and looked around the room and at the bed with its crumpled sheets and the memories it held.
She slipped her arm around him, and wordlessly, he leaned down and kissed her. With a last glance at the bed as they left the room they walked into the kitchen, where Jim and Mary greeted them.
"Morning folks. Coffee's on," Jim said, pouring them each a cup which they took gratefully.
"I hope you worked up an appetite last night," Mary said, raising her eyebrows at them.
Liz blushed, and Ressler took it all in his stride. "You could say that," he said, catching Jim's approving nod.
As they ate breakfast around the kitchen table, it was as if they'd known Jim and Mary forever. The conversation flowed, and the laughs came freely. And through it all, Ressler looked at Liz, and she returned his gaze, a new freedom between them. And from across the table, Jim and Mary exchanged knowing glances.
As the sun rose higher outside, the gutters dripped and the windows ran with melting ice. Ressler and Jim walked outside to see how things had fared. Tree limbs were down in places, but on the whole it wasn't too bad.
"Could have been worse. I've seen trees split in two with the weight of the ice," Jim said, as they opened the barn door to where the SUV was parked. "I'll get my pickup. It has a winch on the front, and I'll lead the way up to the main road. That way we can take care of anything that may have fallen across the road overnight," he told Ressler who had just deposited their duffel bags in the back of their vehicle.
"I really can't thank you guys enough," he told the old man.
Jim turned to him. "Don, we've raised a lot of kids and grandkids in this house. Seen them run and play and grow into fine men and women. The house feels kinda empty most of the time now with the younguns off raising their own families. Mary and I both agree that it's been a pleasure having you and Liz here with us."
As Ressler parked their car in front of the house, Jim pulled his pick up around, ready to take off. The sun was warming everything, and the driveway was no longer icy, just wet. It was time to go. Liz came down the steps with Mary, and they stood together.
"Thank you for everything," Liz told the woman.
"Sometimes the good Lord puts people together in the right place at the right time," she said, placing her hands on Ressler and Liz's arms. And I don't just mean you meeting us," she grinned. Liz hugged the woman, and climbed into the passenger seat of the SUV. As Jim pulled out of the driveway ahead of them, leading them back up to the main road, Ressler followed. He reached over to Liz and squeezed her hand.
"If I had one wish, it would be to grow old and have a marriage like theirs," he said.
She put her other hand on top of his. "That would be my wish too."
They gazed at each other as Ressler slowly drove up the road behind Jim. And both Mary and Jim would have recognized the love behind the look.