I want to thank you all to the stars and back. It means so much to me, the kind response I have received so far. I hope you enjoy this one. As before, I hope to know your thoughts.

Chapter Two

When Elizabeth got into work early the next morning, there was an odd silence that passed around the team when she entered into the room.

She felt oddly high, as if she had only just taken some illicit substance or alcohol before she headed into work. Realistically, she would never compromise her working situation by doing any of that, and she knew exactly why she was feeling so happy the way she was; She was excited at the prospect of being in the same room as Raymond Reddington again, after what had transpired between the two of them last night. After months and months of denying her feelings and having to endure Red's flirtatious remarks with tiresome restraint, Liz had finally made the first move.

It had felt amazing, and she was certain things would change in the way she wanted them to.

Only when she strode into the room and glanced around to find the man, her spirits diminished like someone throwing water over a flame.

Everyone was there: Assistant Director Harold Cooper, CIA Meera Malik, and Donald Ressler. The only important figure absent was Red, and Liz felt disappointment flooding within her as she took in that he hadn't arrived yet. Red had usually made it a habit to arrive at the same time Liz did. Sometimes even earlier so that they could fit in a few teasing conversations before the serious games began. Liz firmly believed that the group wasn't incompetent or ill-equipped to deal with cases on their own, but without Reddington there personally to guide them along things tended to get hectic and scrambled, as she had learned well from experience the past year of working with the man.

"Good morning," she greeted the team, folding her arms over her chest. "Where's Reddington? Usually he's here?"

She caught Cooper and Ressler exchanging a look. "We thought you'd know the answer to that," Ressler said. "He hasn't shown up yet. Do you know why that is, Scott?" From Ressler's tone, it sounded like a direct accusation.

Liz thought hard for several moments before she answered carefully. "No. Why would I know where or why he is late today?"

"Because you're the only one he talks to," Ressler exclaimed, annoyance in his voice. "Has he contacted you?"

"No, he hasn't. I haven't been in contact with him since yesterday morning when we were all here," Liz said, although she knew it wasn't entirely the truth."That's it, that was the last of it."

She cringed and hoped no one else paid any attention to her. She had gone against what was probably considered professional, and visited Red at the hotel room she had been informed that he was staying in last night. She had kissed him, and her lips still felt the warmth of his mouth on hers, even more than eleven hours later since it had happened.

She had felt good about it, at the time. She felt as if she had accomplished something; broken down the barriers that dictated the platonic relationship between the pair of them. But now, as she realized the team was suffering with his absence, she somewhat regretted her impulsive move. What if he wasn't going to help them catch the big-time criminals anymore, all thanks to what she did? Liz didn't think that Red would have reacted to it that badly. She could tell he was surprised that she had kissed him, yes; As if she had sprung up a big, unexpected thing on him. But his absence in the room hurt her more than she would have liked.

Liz felt hurt, and deeply insulted. Also, she felt some depressing sense of rejection.

The pain that hit her was so immediate and so intense that Liz was shocked to find she hadn't crumbled to the ground in a heartbroken heap for everyone in the room to see. It had taken her a lot of time and courage to build herself up again after her divorce with Tom. It had taken her a lot of guts to finally make the first move with Reddington last night. So the fact he didn't show up and was practically bailing out on seeing her today was crushing on Liz's frame of mind. On one hand, she wanted to track him down and cause him agonizing pain in order to protect herself. But a more stronger part of her wanted to be reasonable, to confront him, to ask him why.

"He's usually punctual and here by now," Liz heard herself saying out loud.

"Yeah, well, you're wrong on that," Ressler said. "He isn't here. For all we know, he could be halfway out of the country by now."

"Reddington wouldn't do that," Liz said defensively. She wasn't sure whether she believed that herself, or whether she was just saying it because it eased her mind to think the best of him. "He'll be here. Maybe something came up?"

"Why don't you contact him, Agent Scott?" Cooper suggested gently, but Liz was already on it.

Without thought, she turned away from the crew, found his number in her list of contacts, and dialled.

Liz could almost hear the blood thrumming in her veins as the call went through. It was childish and immature of her, and she felt reminiscent of a girl with a crush, but she craved hearing his voice after what had happened last night. It was just a pity it had to be over the phone and not in more personal, intimate locations.

Dembe's voice shocked her as he answered the phone gently. She made a silent signal to Cooper to tell him she was on it, before she turned around again on the spot and tried with all her might to block out the prying ears and eyes from behind her. "Dembe, it's Agent Scott. Can you put Red on the line for me? I need to speak to him."

"Unfortunately Raymond is not available at this time. Can I leave a message instead, Miss. Scott?"

Liz felt a deep aching in her heart, but she ignored it. He was avoiding her after last night, she knew that much. Maybe she had made a huge mistake in coming to him after all. Maybe she had misread all the signals, all the signs that had told her his feelings were personal?

But surely she couldn't have been wrong. All those long hours spent working together...

Her safety was his number one concern, it seemed. He had helped her find a reasonably priced house off his own back, without her even having to ask, all because he knew she found it hard to cope living in the same house that she had shared with her ex-husband. Red had even arranged a man he knew to come into her house and set up security systems, lecturing her on how it worked and what she should do in a time of crisis.

Red was always more open to engaging in friendly, playful conversations with her, rather than anyone else in the Bureau. Always being the first to compliment her, always demanding her attention above everyone elses, the lingering stares he gave her in a room. They way he seemed to constantly gravitate towards her, invade her personal space, get real close with their faces. Once he had even lent her his coat on one of the coldest days. He opened doors for her, and treated her like she was a young woman worthy of knowing. He respected her. Brought her back up when she was feeling down. He gave her strength and made her feel confident in her abilities.

All the things Liz felt privately pleased over.

When the divorce with Tom had been finalized, Red had assured her that a loving man would come again. A man that would respect her, show her the tenderness and love she deserved. It wasn't the end and she wasn't any less worthy a person to find happiness and a relationship just because Tom had destroyed her faith and made her doubt herself as a person. She had started believing, maybe falsely, that the person he was implying indirectly was himself. That loving man, who would respect her, make her laugh, could be Raymond Reddington. But apparently she had misinterpreted everything.

Liz had made an honest career out of reading people. Reading body language and hidden signals. Could she really have been that far off the mark, when it came to Reddington?

"No, no messages." She tried to make her voice sound strong and firm. "Put him on the line. Now."

"I'm terribly sorry, but I am unable to do that."

"Why?" Liz listened carefully, straining her ears for any movement or voices in the background. She heard none. "He was supposed to be here. Everyone is waiting on him."

"Raymond is unable to come in today."

"Why?" The forceful question flew out of her mouth without control. "Why can't he?"

It was then she heard it. Hushed voices on the other line. One voice belonging to Red, and it affected Liz in a way she didn't think she would ever feel again. She had felt this way only once before, and it was when her and Tom had first started seriously seeing each other; The happiness and excitement of hearing his voice, the warmth that spread throughout her bones like a raging fire, the longing to be near him, to be surrounded by his voice and everything that was him. But then she heard another softly spoken voice in the background, one that made her heart plummet down into the depths of her chest. A woman's voice. A woman's low and husky voice, intermingled with Red's.

It very nearly pushed her over the edge, like a deranged woman.

"Put him on. I don't have the time for this."

She heard movements on the other line as Dembe interrupted Red and the woman uncertainly. "Excuse me for intruding, but Raymond, you have a call. It's Agent Scott and she seems desperate to talk to you. I don't believe she can wait."

The hurt that came on again was even more intense than before, when she heard Red's reply. His voice was devoid of any emotion, unlike the usual warmth and playfulness he usually addressed her with. It was as if she was little more but an inconvenience to him, something that wouldn't leave him alone and pestered him.

"I'm busy, Dembe. I have better things to do with my time than associate with a bunch of puerile FBI wannabes. If it is as urgent as she believes it is, have Agent Scott return the call at a later hour."

When the connection was cut off, Liz took a moment to gather herself with her back turned from everyone. Taking in a deep breath, she forced a smile on her lips as she met Cooper's gaze. "Yeah, he's not coming today," she said, as brightly as she could. "But that doesn't matter. We can still do well without him."

She heard Ressler sigh loudly. "I knew it," he muttered under his breath tersely. "I knew he wasn't showing today."

"So, what do you want? A medal for being right?" she asked him, unable to take reign of the irritation in her voice. "Let's just do this without him. It isn't like we haven't done it before."

I hope this wasn't a let down!