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Elizabeth couldn't help but notice how big and gloomy Red's safehouse seemed without the constant presence of his hired company. Dembe was "tying up some loose ends" as Red so vaguely put it, and Grey was conspicuously absent as well. Elizabeth found that she really didn't care where he was. She had never warmed up to the man, and she felt that the feeling was mutual.

Elizabeth had insisted on stopping for some clothing, and stoically ignored Red's revelation that he slept in the nude. Following him up to his room, Elizabeth watched silently as he packed a bag. He worked quickly, seemingly in a hurry to get back to the car. Elizabeth felt rushed as well, feeling quite vulnerable in this supposed "safehouse", like someone was going to come out of nowhere and grab her. She wondered for a moment if that was what Red felt every day.

After mere minutes they were back at her car. Red threw his bag in the trunk, turning towards her as she waited expectantly for him to get in the passenger seat.

"I can drive, if you want."

Elizabeth caught the slight smirk and the teasing tone. Of course he knew where she lived. There were times that she forgot that he had spied on her for who knows how long. She was too tired to take the bait now.

"I'm sure you could, but if it's all the same, I'll drive."

"Fair enough," Red sighed as he climbed into the car. "You know, it says a lot about a person, the way they keep their house, especially the bedroom. I can't wait to see what yours says about you. And before you open your mouth, Lizzie, I want to remind you that you walked yourself right into my room without any invitation, so you can just expect me to do the same. Though, I have to say I really didn't mind you in my bedroom. It's the bathrooms I mind. Luli was really a crap housekeeper."

"I wasn't aware Luli was a housekeeper."

"Among other things."

Elizabeth chose to keep the trip to her house a silent one, and instead found herself praying that Tom hadn't chosen to cut his one precious night out short. She didn't know many of her husband's friends from work, but, to be fair, he didn't know any of hers. So when he went out for the occasional beer, Elizabeth didn't mind. Or so she told him. She hoped he was having a particularly good night. The last thing she needed was a meeting between Tom and Red. Her prayers were answered when they pulled up to a seemingly empty house.

"Tom's out." Red's voice cut through her thoughts. It wasn't a question. "Damn. I was really looking forward to meeting him… and telling him about his wife's plan to whisk me away to a hotel and seduce me."

"Hardly. First of all, I am not the seducing kind. Second, even if I was, I wouldn't waste my efforts on you."

Red's pout was adorable, and Elizabeth scolded herself for thinking so.

"And just why not?"

Elizabeth was not prepared to answer that question and the only thing she could think of flew out of her mouth before she could stop it.

"You're too old."

Red's pout might have been exaggerated, but the indignant look on his face was definitely not.

"You really could have said anything else, Lizzie. I would have taken "you're a criminal", "you're a liar", or, I've even resigned myself to "you're a monster"… but, "you're too old"? If I wasn't so damn sore and so damn tired I would throw you in that backseat and show you "too old"! But I did notice one thing… you didn't throw out "I'm married".

"Drop it, Red."

"It's dropped."

"Thanks."

The duo made their way into Elizabeth's house, and were immediately assaulted by a big, fuzzy, yapping dog.

"Down, Hudson!" Elizabeth yelped as he tried to crawl up her and Red simultaneously. Red eyed the dog distastefully.

"Give me a minute to put him in the laundry room."

"Please," Red smiled as she gathered the dog in her arms. "I'll stay put. No snooping, scouts honor!"

Somehow, Elizabeth didn't believe him.

When she returned from putting an overtly-enthusiastic Hudson in the laundry room, she found Red staring suspiciously at one of her overhead vents.

"What are you looking at?"

Red just smiled and cocked his head. "Nothing at all. Shall we?" He gestured towards the stairs. Elizabeth couldn't find it in her to argue. They ascended the stairs to the room she shared with Tom.

Elizabeth's packing wasn't as efficient as Red's. What does one wear while sharing a hotel with a man off the FBI Ten Most Wanted list? She finally decided on a couple of loose-fitting long shirts and some tank tops with pajama bottoms. Whatever felt right when the time came, that's what she'd wear.

While Elizabeth rummaged around her room for necessities, Red rummaged around her room for fun.

"You two are so dull. Where are the toys? Where are the costumes? Where are the home-made videos?"

"Hidden in the attic, along with our stash of cocaine and Tom's lesbian porn. Not everyone can be as wild as you claim to be. Now stop going through my drawers and behave. I'm being nice; the least you can do is refrain from being a pain in my ass while I'm doing it."

Red sat at the head of the bed and crossed his ankles.

"Why are you being so nice?"

Elizabeth smiled. "I honestly have no idea. Get off my bed."

Elizabeth and Red arrived at the hotel in the wee hours of the morning. Elizabeth had to congratulate herself on her choice of hotel. It was a splurge for her, but she figured she deserved to treat herself. And treat herself she did. No argument from Red could make her let him pay. After quite a few minutes of snipping back and forth he finally allowed her to hand the clerk her credit card.

"Just know I'll be paying you back someday."

Elizabeth tossed her hair over her shoulder, a brief flirt that she used hadn't used since she was in school. "Of course you will."

They exchanged small smiles and made their way up to their room. Elizabeth was impressed. She had gotten a good bang for her buck. The room held two queen sized beds, a flat screen television, a good-sized kitchenette, and a big bathroom with a spa tub. She could tell that Red was pleasantly surprised too. He quickly claimed the bed closest to the door and claimed the first shower, grabbing a pair of pajamas out of his bag. Elizabeth also noticed that he didn't bother to grab underwear. She tried not to blush and busied herself with staking out breakfast on the room service menu.

Red disappeared into the bathroom, and the last thing she heard before he shut the door was, "I'll try to save you some hot water."