I wrote this fic after 2x04. Finally decided to upload it.

Ok,the background for this fic is: someone threatened Red's daughter so he kidnapped her in order to protect her and she stayed with him a couple days. As soon Naomi heard the news of her daughter's disappearance she knew Red was involved and demanded to see him. So she and Frank traveled to DC in order to "rescue" her daughter.

I plan to write a prelude to this at some point. My brain works backwards sometimes.

Red woke up to his cellphone ringing. Beside him he felt Liz stir in her sleep, turning over onto her belly with a annoyed whimper and covering her head with a pillow.

He got up with a resigned sigh and grabed the cellphone. Squinting his eyes he read the caller's ID: Naomi Highland. With a repressed groan he got out of the room quickly and closed the door so that he wouldn't upset Lizzie even more.

"Yes?" he answered the phone with the most nonchalant voice he could manage at 6:00 am.

"Hi. It's me. I need to pick up some things Jennifer left at your apartment. Can I come over?"

"Now?" he glanced at a no longer asleep Lizzie coming out of the bedroom.

"Yeah, I know it's early but Frank wants to leave ASAP. Because of traffic."

"Well, you wouldn't have to worry about traffic if you had accepted my offer to fly you to your home on my jet." They made eye contact and Lizzie rolled her eyes as she walked past him towards the kitchen.

"We're fine Raymond. Frank likes to drive." He could sense the annoyance in her tone of voice.

"Dembe will take her things to you. He will be there in 15 minutes."

"We're already on our way. I thought I could drop by quickly and pick up her things. But it's fine if it will be troublesome to you. It's nothing irreplaceable."

Red watched Lizzie making coffee in the kitchen. He took a deep breath. "It's not troublesome. I'll get her things ready for you."

"Alright. We'll be there in a few minutes." She disconnected.

"Lizzie" he started, choosing his words carefully, like trying to walk through a minefield. "Naomi will be here in a few minutes to pick up the things Jennifer left in her haste to get away from me. So..." He gulped. "could you wait for me at the cafe downstairs? You can order our breakfast."

Lizzie stared at him with a incredulous look. He looked at her with pleading and apologetic eyes. She put her coffee cup down on the table with a thud.

Her eyes were like piercing arrows. He winced.

"Sorry." He apologized once again. "It's just for some minutes."

"Fine." She brushed past him towards the bedroom.

He followed her and she started packing her things up on a travel bag.

He could only stare blankly. Nothing that could possibly come out of his mouth at this moment would make things any better.

When she was finished she flung the bag over her shoulder and turned towards him.

"I'll be gone for a while. Don't bother trying to contact me."

And with that she walked through the door.

"Where are you go-"

She closed the door with a loud bang.

"How's Jennifer? Why didn't she come upstairs to pick her own things up? Red asked crossing his arms.

"She's ok. She's in the car with Frank. Said she didn't want to see you again." Naomi replied without pity.

Red's right eye twitched as he handed her a bag with Jennifer's belongings.

The apartment door opened up and Dembe went inside. He stared at Naomi for a second before speaking to Red: "Mr. Reddington. Sorry for the intrusion. Has Miss Keen left already?"

Red didn't miss Naomi's arched eyebrows as she snatched the bag from his hands and stormed away without even looking at him.

Red shot his bodyguard a murderous look. Dembe had had a nice view of Lizzie going out just before.

"Do you want me to follow her?"

Red grabbed a bottle of scotch and sat down on the couch. He laughed and negated with his head.

"I taught her too well. It has backfired. You wouldn't be able to track her for too long."

"I can still try." He replied, serious.

"No, it's ok." Red looked at his reflection on the glass he was holding. "If she stays gone for too long I'll give Erza a call.

"Will he be willing to, after she got him arrested once?"

"He will be willing to do whatever there's money for him in."

There was a silence for what seemed like an eternity.

"Raymond." Dembe started "You're my friend."

"And you're mine, Dembe." Red smiled at him fondly.

"And as my friend, I wish for your happiness." He stoped before he continued " Miss Keen makes you happy."

Red took a sip and looked at his feet. "Yes. Yes, she does."

"If you'd forgive my intrusion, why do you care so much about your ex-wife's opinion about your and Miss Keen's relationship?"

"I don't."

"But you didn't want your ex-wife to see her here."

Red sighed. "It's complicated."

"I see. Is it because she is young, and she might think you're taking advantage of her?"

Red scoffed dismissing the thought. "If there is someone being taken advantage of in this relationship it is me."

He stood up, walking around the room while speaking.

"You see, Dembe, it's just there's something disconcerting about having your ex-wife find out you're having sex with a woman 20 years younger than her. A woman that she met as a little girl. Hell, a woman I met as a little girl. "

Ah he heard Dembe say quietly.

Yeah, that was the issue. He was aware of it. He was conflicted about their relationship, and she sensed it. That was what made her leave.

He loved her. That he knew. He didn't know when it started or how, but he knew he did. Desperately. Uncontrollably.

But he couldn't stop feeling that he shouldn't be allowed to.

He was old. He had more enemies than he could count.

He was also the person that killed her father.

Dembe stayed quietly by the door watching Red's mental struggle.

After a while Red seemed to realize he was still standing there and looked at him in disbelief. His quiet friend was acting as match-maker.