A/N: Thank you for the kind reviews and the follows/favourites. I have finished this fix already so you won't have to wait too long for updates. Let me remind you again that this is just a fluff fic and this is me getting my favorite characters in a romantic setting. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter two

She'd asked him where they were going, but he didn't say. He wanted it to be a surprise. It was a bit strange sitting in the car in the passenger seat with Red driving. She was kind of used to Dembe driving whenever Red was around. It was nice though. She appreciated that Red had whisked them away from their DC life. Now they had the chance to be themselves without worrying who they were supposed to be.

Lizzie watched the scenery go passed. She didn't know what to say. She just hoped the drive to the restaurant wouldn't take too long. Otherwise she was afraid she was going start babbling just to fill the silence.

A short while later Red parked the car at a parking lot. She looked around but didn't see a restaurant. Red walked around the car to open the door for her and helped her out. "It's only a short walk to the restaurant." Red answered her unspoken question.

Lizzie wrapped her shawl around her shoulders and hooked her hand through his arm. It only took them a few minutes to get there. It seemed like out of nowhere they'd reached a converted barn. It looked beautiful with the dark panelled wood, dark roof tiles and big windows. She couldn't wait to get inside.

Once inside all there was to see was dark wooden furniture, everywhere she turned, from tables to the bar, but it wasn't an overload. Mix in with the wall light and decor, it made it feel old school. It was already busy with most of the tables already taken. Red gave the waitress his name and she escorted the two to their table at the far end of the restaurant. At their table, Red held the chair out for Lizzie to sit down. After she was seated he took his seat.

"I like it." Lizzie said as she once again looked around the place before looking outside the window.

"I'm glad you like it." He'd guessed she would like it here at much as he did. He was glad he was right. Before he could say anything more to Lizzie, he saw a familiar figure making his way towards them. Red smiled and stood up to greet his friend.

"Raymond Reddington." Philip Jones, the chef and owner of the Dark Wood restaurant, greeted his long time friend with a big hug. Philip was a tall, broad man with grey hair and a short trimmed grey beard. "It's been too long."

"Yes it has." Red admitted to his friend. "How have you been?

"I've been good." Philip turned towards Lizzie. "And who is this wonderful lady?"

"Philip Jones, meet Elizabeth Keen. Elizabeth, meet Philip Jones, owner and chef of this fine establishment."

Lizzie stood up to greet the chef but before she knew it, she was already enveloped in a bear hug.

"It's good to finally meet you, Miss Scott." Philips said when he released Lizzie.

Lizzie looked from Philip to Red back to Philip. He knew her? How? Did Red talk about her to his friends?

"How's Mary?" Red asked. He saw the question in Lizzie's eyes. Yes he'd talked to Philip about her. He considered the chef one of his closest friends. It had been his idea to bring Lizzie here.

"She's good. I told her you were coming. She'd love to have you two over. How long you staying?"

"We'll be here for two weeks." From the corner of his eyes Red watched Lizzie's reaction to his words.

"Good. Then you two can come over. Mary would love to meet you." Philip turned to Lizzie again. "I've got to go back to the kitchen. I'll prepare the chef's menu for you two." Philip smiled at Lizzie and patted Red on the back before he left the two alone again.

"Two weeks, Red?" Lizzie asked immediately after they were alone again and seated at the table.

"I thought we both deserved a short vacation." Red explained and shrugged his shoulders.

She had a lot of questions, but didn't know where to begin. She and Red were on vacation together as if they were a couple? This was their first date and it was on their holiday? It was hard to get her head wrapped around it. What had he told Cooper? Did Cooper know they were away together for two weeks? Did Cooper think they were working? What did Red expect from her?

Red could practically hear the wheels turning in her head. She'd found out about their two week stay sooner than he'd intended. He'd wanted to prepare her for it. He knew she didn't like it when others made decisions for her. He'd also been quite presumptuous planning all this. It was another thing he knew Lizzie wouldn't really like. But then again Lizzie tended to get stuck in her routines. She sometimes needed a push.

"Ask your questions, Lizzie." Red tilted his head.

"Why didn't you tell me we're staying here for two weeks?" Though she had more questions, this was the most important.

"Because you would have said no. You get stuck in your routines, Lizzie. You need to get out once in a while. You've been working too hard."

"And you're the one to decide that and not me? No, Red. That's not good enough. Why didn't you tell me?"

Red sighed and bowed his head. Of course Lizzie wouldn't be satisfied with his answer. "I want to be alone with you, Lizzie. I can't deny what's going on between us any longer nor do I want to. I want to explore the possibility of us and I want us to have a real chance without our jobs and prying eyes looking over our shoulders. I didn't tell you because we both know you would have said no. I wouldn't have handled your rejection very well." He ended softly.