AN: So, redisthenewblackington and I have been working on jellyfic, as we like to call it, for some time now. I think it's been almost two months now actually. We're a little slow at times. Well, this one's for you, Clara. Your excitement keeps us going! We'd love to read what you all think about this one.

Disclaimer: none of this is ours.

Chapter 1

Red hung up his phone with a sigh and then turned to face her. "Lizzie, I'm afraid there's been a change of plans."

"Why? What's wrong?"

He gave her a smile that was supposed to be reassuring. "Our pilot seems to have gotten the flu. There's no way we'll get him ready to go for at least a couple of days."

"So, we'll have to stay here?"

They had flown to Florence the week prior, as Red had information on yet another blacklister. She hadn't been psyched to go with him, especially since their relationship had cooled somewhat lately. She had never been to Italy before and he had promised her to show her the beauty of the country, but he was yet to make the time for a sightseeing tour. She'd never stayed with him for so long before. He was beginning to drive her crazy, but he seemed indifferent to her feelings and it hurt.

"Yes, for a few more days, less than a week."

"I can't stay that long! I have a job. Cooper will have my head!"

He settled down in an armchair and took a sip of his scotch. "There's really nothing I can do."

"Surely there's an airport around."

"I don't fly commercial."

"But I do," she argued.

He gave her a look. "Lizzie, it's only been a week. You still haven't experienced Florence! There's no way you can leave now."

Liz crossed her arms over her chest. She really did want to experience the city, but a vacation with the Concierge of Crime? Her boss surely wouldn't approve. "What about –"

"You let me worry about Cooper," Red interrupted. "Harold mustn't know we've already received the intel." Still, she looked undecided. "A few days, Lizzie. Live a little."

He could see the second he had gotten through to her. "Fine," she agreed. "But I swear to God, Reddington, if your pilot isn't fit to fly in a few days, then I will!"

Red smiled, flustering her further. "You'll love Florence, Lizzie."

"Yes, you've said that before and that was a week ago. So far, I'm not impressed."

"Well, we did have work to do, but now –" The ringing of his cell phone broke him off. "I have to get that," he told her. "Hello, dear," Red greeted and his voice dropped a notch.

Liz felt like she'd been dropped into a bad movie. He usually didn't dismiss her like that. It seemed like he'd found someone else to play with. That suited her just fine. She didn't want to hang around him all day anyway. Grabbing her jacket from the back of a chair, she decided to find her own way around the city. If he wasn't inclined to show her, she would do so herself.

She merely waved at Dembe on her way out and he had apparently gotten the hint that she didn't want him to keep her. At first, she did the stereotypical things that tourists do. She took a guided tour through the city and found some souvenir shops, where she bought gifts for Aram, Ressler, and the rest of the gang. Then she found the most adorable little restaurant. The owners didn't speak a word of English and Liz didn't speak any Italian, but with photos on the menu, they found their way easily enough. She had probably never experienced such friendliness in a restaurant before. It almost felt as if she was friends with them, instead of just an ordinary guest. After a delicious meal, she left them with a nice tip, fully set on going there at least once more before she had to leave Italy. She then spent some time in a museum before slowly making her way back to the house later that evening.

"Where have you been?" Red asked the moment she stepped through the door.

Putting her bags down, she shrugged out of her jacket. It was rather warm outside and a fine line of sweat was already forming on her forehead. "Out."

"You shouldn't just wander off."

Liz raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm a grown woman. I think I can handle leaving the house by myself."

"I see your mood hasn't improved," he replied.

Was he serious? He was the one on her case as soon as she had gotten back, but he dared to complain about her mood? "Excuse me?" She managed to get out between clenched teeth.

Red sighed. "Look –" Again the chirping of his cell interrupted them.

"Someone's popular today," she sneered, but he ignored her.

"Miss me already?" He said to whatever bimbo was calling him again. She would have never thought that he liked his women clingy, but apparently she didn't know him as well as she'd thought. "What are you wearing?" he almost growled.

"You gotta be shitting me," Liz said to herself. Was he going to perform phone sex right now, with her just a couple of feet away? Shaking her head, she took her bags and went to her room, shutting the door behind her. She flopped down onto the bed and took a couple of deep breaths. 'Calm down, Liz. He's not worth getting angry over.'

He turned and watched her walking up the stairs, her hips swaying ever so slightly. She was wearing a dress. How could he have missed that? Her butt looked so sweet from that angle; he wished he could squeeze the tight flesh in his hands. It wasn't long until she had vanished from his sight and he could hear the door bang shut. So Lizzie was mad again. She seemed to be mad a lot lately. It was tiring to fight with her, but it seemed as if it didn't matter what he said or what he did, because she would be mad anyway.

"Did you hear what I said?"

The voice in his ear pulled him out of his thoughts. "I'm sorry, dear. For a moment I thought I heard someone at the door."

"And wished it were me?"

He chuckled. "You've read my mind, but you're changing the subject. I think you were about to take off those panties."

After a couple of minutes, Liz had effectively calmed herself down, her heart rate returning to its normal pace. She took the bags and emptied the contents on her bed, examining her purchases. Aram would surely be delighted that she had thought of him on her trip, and the others probably as well, but Aram's pure heart made this all the more worth it. She loved buying gifts and watching the recipient's face, that was really the biggest reason for her to go looking for souvenirs for her team. She briefly worried at the scar on her hand, suddenly caught by the realization that bringing back souvenirs made her trip appear less business-like.

Her door opened and suddenly Red was there, looking back and forth from her to the souvenirs on the bed. "Did you buy me a gift?" he asked, though his eyes had found their resting place on her once again. That dress. Had he really not paid any attention before? It was short and A-line, kind of wispy, flouncy and red. So short and so red that he felt himself twitching inside his pants. And was that a fine sheen of sweat glistening on her chest?

"Have you ever heard of knocking?"

"Yes. Did you buy me a gift?" he asked again.

She balled her hands into fists, but refused to hit the mattress. "It's common sense to knock and wait for a reply. It's called manners."

He cocked his head to the side and Liz felt her insides flutter. Did he have to do that? It made him look so curious, so… cute. "Are you going to reply to my question? You know, it's impolite to answer a question with a question."

Oh, he really had the balls to say that? "No. No, I did not buy anything for you! And why would I?"

"Because you were out shopping while I was waiting for your return?"

She snorted, but there was no humor in her eyes. "Right. You waited so very anxiously for my return. I could see that. And I wouldn't have gone out alone if you had actually taken me out, as promised."

Shoving his hands into his trouser pockets made him look so much younger and somewhat uneasy. "So, that's what this is about."

She waited for him to continue, but he didn't. Of course she had to pull this out of him. "What 'what' is about?"

"You're mad at me because I didn't take you out."

"Like you promised?" She shot back. "You made me stay here with the promise of actually showing me the city and your little hole in the wall places, but you didn't. I've been bored out of my mind. You're all talk."

His expression darkened at her words. "That's not true."

"Oh, spare me."

"Lizzie –"

"I said spare me. I don't care what you have to say. I just have to somehow get through the rest of this trip."

This wasn't exactly going in the direction that he had wanted it to go. "I didn't mean to upset you," he said softly. She was too mad to care at the moment. "And I do want to show you around. How about we talk about this over dinner? I know this beautiful small family-run rest –"

"I've eaten already," she interrupted. "If you would excuse me."

Somewhat crestfallen, Red nodded and left her room without another word.

She could hear his footsteps becoming more distant as he walked off. They sounded sad, somehow, if footsteps can even sound sad. The soft click of the door falling in its lock seemed so dramatic and Liz chided herself for over-thinking once again. He had a talent for making her feel like an ass, but he had been the one making promises to show her places she could have never dreamed of, and then completely ignoring her the next moment because of some hooker woman that kept calling. She wasn't jealous. She really wasn't!

So maybe she did enjoy having his undivided attention, but lately that wasn't the case anyway, so she shouldn't be surprised. It hurt nonetheless. After what they've been through together, she loved being the center of his universe. He really had a talent for making her feel like that. It made her remember what Naomi… Carla, whatever name she was going by, had told her. Could she actually count on him being truthful in that aspect, or was the woman right after all? She was too scared of the answer to give it any more thought.