It's Saturday morning and the climate control system at the Post Office is switched off. The air close and sticky. Liz lifts her hair off her damp neck and pulls it into a loose ponytail.
Cooper clears his throat and motions for the small group gathered in front of him to quiet down. Liz scans the room. Ressler, Meera, Aram, and a few guys from the tech team. Cooper must not be anticipating a difficult takedown.
"We have confirmed Reddington's assertion that Stephen Arco will be in attendance at the officer's dinner tonight at the Plaza hotel." Cooper's voice reverberates through the enclosed space. "The event will commence at nineteen hundred hours. I have every expectation that this mission will be quiet and effective." He stops to make eye contact with each of them. "Get in early, establish a visual, wait for a changeover in security, then remove Arco from the premises without alerting the remainder of the invitees."
Liz's heart drops but she keeps her countenance collected. She had to attend tonight, of that she was sure. She had been chasing Stephen Arco since her days with the New York bureau. Fate, or Raymond Reddington rather, had brought Acro into her own backyard…of course she would be there to see him taken down. The atrocities he had facilitated…it would be beyond gratifying to see him in custody. She just wished the takedown could be someplace else. Anyplace else really. A back alley. A warehouse. A crowded park even. Anywhere but in a room full of swaggering men, celebratory men. Running their eyes over her. She shudders inwardly.
Keeping up appearances with Tom is taxing enough. Having to converse with him each day like nothing is any different, nothing has changed, the second guessing, the doubting. Having to share a bed with him. She feels grimy despite her shower less than an hour ago.
In her head Liz sees the evening unfold. A dark room pulsing with testosterone, fueled by alcohol and excessive egos. She would have to wear something revealing in order to fit in...everyone's eyes would be on her. Raking over her. Just like Tom. She shivered.
"Agent Keen?" Cooper is right in front of her and she straightens. "Agent Keen, are you ok with your assignment? You'll be undercover as a bartender. You'll need to arrive…"
His words register and she rushes to cut him off.
"I think this time it might be better if I went undercover as someone less conspicuous. I don't think Arco had a good look at me last year, but I would hate to guess wrong and have him blow my cover before we can take him down."
The words make sense to everyone in the room despite the fact that they are blatantly untrue. She's never been within a hundred miles of Arco. But they don't know that.
"Very well," Cooper nods, "What would you suggest then Keen?" He waits. Taps his foot.
"She can go with me. As my date." Ressler answers the senior agent. After everything that happened with Audrey, he has been somehow protective of Liz.
It's funny, she thinks. He's protective now and he doesn't even know about…about Tom. About the whole debacle that is her home life. How ironic.
"No can do Ressler," Cooper responds quickly. "We have you in place as the MC of the event, and we already told the organizers that you were coming alone. Agent Keen will have to find another cover."
"Then she can go with Reddington." She can see that Ressler doesn't want her to be alone. He's alone. He projects his loneliness onto her and tries to keep her from it. He's hurting still.
"Reddington's going to be there?" Anxiety stirs in her and she turns back towards Cooper, but the man in charge is focused on something behind her.
"Of course I will, Lizzie. What else do I have to do on a Saturday night in this fair district of yours?" Red's voice rumbles in from somewhere in the shadows of the stairwell.
She turns quickly, taking in his dark jacket, pants, vest. He sweeps the fedora off his head and continues towards the group. Leisurely pace as always. How does he do that? Liz wonders. Always so calm.
"And I would be honored to have you as my plus one Lizzie." Red continues to speak to the group but his eyes are trained on her. "Fabulous idea Donald. Didn't know you had those in you, my friend."
He moves to stand beside Lizzie. She can feel him. The presence that is Raymond Reddington.
"Keen can be your business associate from Cincinnati." Ressler fleshes out his plan for keeping Liz – keeping Liz not alone.
"No, no, not in this situation," Cooper interjects. "If Reddington's going to be there, and lord knows I can't keep you out," he glares at Red – both knowing that it's the truth, "then Liz needs to be something less threatening. Less likely to draw attention to Reddington's presence. We don't want anyone to feel as if he brought a team. Backup. Might make Arco skittish if he is aware of another player in the room."
Red clears his throat. "Well Harold, she's already turned down my request to be my daughter. Shot that one down in Montreal." He shakes his head in mock disgust. "And the girlfriend from Ann Arbor didn't seem to sit well either." His tone is joking, but his eyes, trained directly on Liz, are kind despite his act of irritation. "What'll it be Lizzie? I can follow your lead this time." He gives her a small smile, and, was that a wink?
Liz blushes slightly remembering the way he held her while they danced. She leans down and feigns a cough to cover up the heat in her face.
"How about his wife? We don't think Arco knows Red, and he certainly isn't familiar enough to know if he is married." The words are out of her mouth before she can stop them and she hopes her face doesn't register the same level of surprise as those around her. She saw the shock register on Red's face before he quickly reset his features into an even gaze.
Cooper recovers first. In a hurry to get on with the logistics she is sure. "I concur Agent Keen. Are we set then? Let the mission commence at eighteen hundred hours. Dismissed team." He turns on his heal and strides back towards his office.
His wife? Where did that come from? Doubt fills Liz's mind and then recedes as she thinks more closely about the situation. Everyone respects a wife, well, most everyone. Her cover would give her every reason to be at the dinner but no reason to be noticed. Perfect. She exhales a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
She turns to look at Red, gauge his reaction, but his face gives nothing away. He just stands there looking back at her, idly tapping his hat against his thigh. Her eyes zero in on the hat. It's slight movement back and forth. He's nervous. She's sure of it, her profiling instincts kicking in, but why?
It is confusing to see him like this. Here. In the capacity of the FBI. The long hours they were putting in together in their makeshift war room blurring with the hours spent at the Post Office. She is beginning to lose track of what they had discussed when and with whom.
She feels heavy, when had her life turned into this? She nudges the floor with her toe. He still hasn't said anything.
When she looks up again she can see that they are the only two left in the room. The last member of her team just exiting through the heavy door at the top of the stairs.
He still hasn't spoken. She didn't mean to upset him. Why did she say wife? Wife and family being at the heart of all of his…all of his doing whatever it was he was doing.
"I'm sorry," she says quietly, her voice sounding tired even to her own ears. "I didn't mean to spring that on you. It's just…it's just…I didn't want them all," the implication of the men is there but not spoken, "looking at me. I already feel dirty. Tom…I can't…"
"Not to worry Lizzie." Now that he speaks his words are achingly kind.
The gentle side of Red will be her undoing, she swears it.
"I would gladly have you as my wife for the night." His voice is grave but there is something. A little twinkle in his eye. "But really Lizzie," he pauses and his mouth quirks up in a brief smile, "I should be the one asking you right?"
His humor runs over her and relief floods through her core. She didn't mean to upset him.
"Thank you." She says it quickly and then turns to walk back to her office.
Six steps up the stairs and reality begins to creep back in. Really, what has happened to her life that she is looking forward to playing the part of wife to one of the FBI's most wanted rather than returning home to a stranger playing the part of her husband. Tears well in her eyes before she can stop them.
She hurries forward and reaches for the door handle before feeling a strong hand settle on her shoulder.
Red turns her towards him. "It's really ok Lizzie. It's going to be alright." His eyes hold sympathy, sympathy and something she can't quite name.
Somehow she believes him and she lets the worry recede again as he continues to look at her.
"I'm worried about you." The concern in his eyes is real. "Have no doubt that we'll get to the bottom of this." He lowers his voice, the tone falling into the bottom registers. "We'll find out who he's working for in good time, but I…" he pauses as if searching for the right word and then changing his mind. "You look tired," he finishes.
"Why don't you come back to the hotel with me to get ready. I'll have Dembe meet us there with something for you to wear." His tone lightens and his face seems to light with genuine happiness. "After all, we can't have you looking like this," he gestures to her drab pantsuit, "Mrs. Reddington." He gives her a wink. "Come along now. No reason to stay here."
And with that he ushers her up the stairs and out to the waiting car.
Xxx
She sighs as she leans back into the seat. He's winning. Winning what? That she doesn't quite know. But he's definitely winning.
She lets her eyes drift close as the German engine growls and they pull out into traffic.
Sitting in the car next to him, feeling his presence beside her, is providing her more peace than she's felt in weeks. She needs him. She knows that deep down. In a place she only acknowledges late at night or after one glass of wine too many. She needs Red in more ways than finding out about her husband. She stops at that particular thought and keeps her eyes shut as they head to the hotel.
Xxx
Of course the dress he's picked for her is anything but subtle. She was thinking of something basic and black but the silver number hanging on the closet door is far from understated. She worries that it borders on risqué.
"Lizzie…" he has entered the room and she is sure he can see the displeasure on her face.
"You know that anyone would expect my wife to…" his voice resonates in the close quarters.
For some reason his words hit a nerve and her insecurity flares. She steps forward forcefully. "I know, I know Red. Anyone would expect your wife not to look like me." It hurts but it's true. So much for her relaxed evening. She tries to look nice. Really she does. But with everything else going on, it just isn't a high priority. Any priority actually.
Hurt crosses his features as her comment registers. "Oh no Lizzie, that's not what I meant at all." He seems genuinely upset by her outburst and she pauses to look up at him.
"What I meant was…" he searches, "that anyone who…anyone who knew how much you mean to me would expect me to provide you with only the best…the best of everything." He finishes his thought and his phrasing confuses her. Somehow this staying in character was staying with him.
"Of course Red." She's in no mood to fight. It's lovely. Without looking back at him she heads into the bathroom to change.
Xxx
After stepping into the dress and carefully pulling it up over her body, Liz turns and manages to shimmy the zipper most of the way up her back. The dress feels…decadent. Yes, decadent is the best word. Smooth and sumptuous. It fits her like a glove but is strangely giving. Comfortable.
She turns towards the encased mirror and her breath catches in her throat.
She looks…she looks good. The girl staring back at her is definitely not the Elizabeth Keen that greets her in the bathroom mirror every morning. This woman is sophisticated. Classy. Beautiful even…Liz sees a small smile turn up the edges of her lips. She looks…pretty. Her breath catches again. He wanted her to feel beautiful when he sent for this dress. It was deliberate. Wanted her to feel special. Sometimes she... She turns and reaches to unlock the door.
Xxx
Red reclines in one of the deep leather chairs in the living area. He knows he should be thinking about the evening ahead, about the mission, but his thoughts, like always, stray to her.
She had always been a little bit lost. That much he had long suspected and confirmed the moment he rolled out of the box and laid eyes on her. Carefully concealed, but definitely lost. Searching for answers to questions she didn't even know.
He hadn't meant to take her hand that first time in the park. Months ago now. He needed her alive then. Still does. Alive and in one piece in order to execute his master plan. Exorcise his demons. But she had been so broken. And all of his warnings about her husband, and they really were warnings, he needed her in one piece after all, had somehow made her seem fragile and strong at the same time and he had reached over and taken her smaller hand in his. Fragile and strong. Her hand. Lizzie. It had been the downfall of the great plan. Seeing her as human. Letting his emotions rise up from their dormant state. He didn't know he even had it in him anymore…
The bathroom lock clicks free and the door swings open. Red's heart rate jumps into the upper register at the sight of her but he manages to keep his face calm. Blank.
"Lizzie," he says it slowly, the smile creeping out despite himself. "You look…radiant." A familiar expression of sentiment for him but true. So true.
"Thank you." Her simple answer and faint blush out of character and endearing somehow.
"Shall we?" he says, reaching for her arm.
"I just need my shoes."
She turns and walks to the side of the bedroom.
Best laid plans he thinks, heading towards her and towards the door.
At some point he will consider how off track this has become. How much his plans have changed. How much he needed her, to avenge his adversaries, to take them down. How that has turned into just need. He needs her somehow. Just her. To make him whole. But not tonight. Tonight he'll just be the husband she needs in the face of the one she has.
Xxx
So…I feel like this is a bit rough, but I wasn't sure when I would have time to work on it again and wanted to go ahead and post it…please let me know what you think! Right now I'm thinking maybe a few chapters? Thoughts?
