The screen of Liz's phone lit up. Nick's Pizza. She smiled and answered the phone: "Red, I said I'll meet you in an hour. You don't have to check up on me." She feigned annoyance, but felt a little thrilled at the extra attention. She heard a woman laugh at the other end and froze, wondering what was going on. "Lizzie, it's Erin. Red asked me to meet with you. Something came up. He says he'll make it up to you, but he thought it would be a good chance for the two of us to talk." Lizzie felt disappointment wash over her, she had been looking forward to seeing Red again. On the other hand, she really liked Erin and would love to get to know her better. "No problem, Erin. See you in a bit."

They met at the Starbucks, Erin pulling Lizzie into a heartfelt hug, and stood in line to order. Lizzie ordered a skinny mocha and Erin, a chai latte. They made their way to a couple of large, comfortable armchairs. Lizzie watched Erin as she took a cautionary sip of her latte. She relaxed in her chair and rested the cup on her lap, cradling it with both hands. She met Lizzie's stare and smiled. "How have you been, Lizzie?" she asked. "I'm fine, thanks. And you?" Erin's smile grew into a wide grin. "Fantastic, actually! The Alumni show has been such a success and I have a few jobs lined up because of it. I'll have to thank Raymond for arranging the evening." Erin's smile and bubbly personality was infectious and Lizzie found herself smiling in response. "That's wonderful… I'm really happy for you." Erin studied Lizzie intently and Lizzie's smile faltered. "Is everything all right, Lizzie?" Erin asked again, real concern on her face. It was strange, but in that moment, Erin reminded Lizzie so much of Red that it felt like she was really talking to him. "I'm fine. No, really, I am. It's just a lot to deal with sometimes, the job. It takes its toll." "If you need a break, it can be arranged, you know. One call to Raymond and he'll have us on a plane and on our way to Marrakech faster than you can say 'Tripleasure'. It would be such fun! We could do some shopping, sightseeing, have some girl time…" Erin said enthusiastically.

"It sounds wonderful, but I highly doubt whether Cooper will give me vacation time. Especially since we have so many Blacklisters still out there." Lizzie replied, feeling bad at having to decline. "I'm sure Raymond can talk a little sense into him." Erin said confidently. Lizzie realized that Erin believed that Red could literally accomplish anything he wanted to. "No, I don't want him to do that." Lizzie said. "Everyone at work already wonders about our connection, I honestly can't afford him interfering more than he already has." Erin gave Lizzie a level look: "Alright, I won't say anything, but honestly, Lizzie. If things are getting too much, you have to tell Raymond. He cares more about you than the list." Lizzie smiled at that and nodded. Erin changed the subject then and the two just started exchanging facts about themselves and Lizzie had to admit that Erin was a fascinating woman.

Later, when she returned to her motel room, Lizzie felt the weight of her burdens descend once more. The brief warmth and reassurance rendered by Erin's sunny disposition was replaced by worry and unease. Detective Wilcox had said that he knew she was there when the harbourmaster was killed. It was eating her up inside. She felt overwhelmed by guilt and even though she was not directly responsible for the man's death, she blamed herself for what happened. Her stomach rumbled and she made her way to the small fridge in her room. She opened it and sighed. Empty. She got her bag and made her way to her car, locking her room on her way out. She opened the door of her car and looked up and for a brief moment, her eyes locked on a man across the street. He was wearing a hoodie, but he looked familiar somehow. She shook her head and got in the car, she was being so paranoid lately.

She headed into the supermarket and made her way through the store, buying what she needed. She was reaching for her favourite snack when she froze. The guy in the hoodie stood at the other end of the aisle. Liz's heart lurched as she watched the guy. Was she being followed? She quickly grabbed the snack and made her way to the cashier. She scanned the area around her, but "Hoodie" was nowhere in sight. She kept scanning the area as she made her way to her car and all the way back to the motel. She locked her door and collapsed onto the bed, heart hammering. Was she being paranoid again? Were her eyes playing tricks on her? Finally, she decided to write it off as stress.

She was sleeping soundly when a hand clasped over her mouth. Her eyes shot open and grew wide when the man's face drew close to hers. "Hey, babe." Tom said, a cruel smile on his face. She screamed and sat bolt upright. Her eyes scanned the darkened room for any intruders, but she was alone. It was only a dream. Her heart was hammering away and she felt the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She settled down again, but try as she might, sleep wouldn't come.

She was walking to her car the next morning when she saw him again. The guy in the hoodie was a little closer than the previous day. She froze for a moment, but urged her feet to move. Once inside the car, she got out her phone and dialled a familiar number. "Dembe, I need to speak to him. It's urgent. Where can we meet?" Dembe gave her an address and fifteen minutes later, she stopped in front of a library. She walked in and found Dembe waiting at the front desk. "This way." He said, leading her to a door at the back of the room. He held the door for her and she walked into a large storage area filled with old books. She heard Red laughing and allowed the sound to guide her to him. "Ah, Lizzie." He said, taking a few steps toward her. The man with Red was tall and thin with crazy white hair and a small moustache. He reminded Lizzie of Einstein and she smiled at Red in greeting, hiding her amusement. "Lizzie, this is Albert. He is a proverbial fountain of knowledge when it comes to Ancient History." Albert nodded at Lizzie and she nodded back. Red walked a few steps toward Albert and shook his hand. "Thank you for your assistance, Albert. We will be in touch." At that Albert made his way out of the room. "Albert? Really?" Lizzie asked when the man was gone. "Life is full of little ironies." Red said, smiling.

"So, Lizzie, what can I do for you?" he asked. Lizzie released a shaky breath and concern filled Red's eyes as he looked at her. "Are you alright?" Red asked her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "I think someone's watching me." She said, and remembering the man Red sent to follow her a while back, she added. "Is it one of your men?" A frown appeared on Red's face. "No. Did you get a good look at him?" "Not really, he's always wearing a hoodie, hiding his face." Red nodded at that and walked towards Dembe who was standing by the door. He said something Lizzie couldn't hear and then Dembe nodded, leaving the room. Red turned to Lizzie again: "The motel isn't safe anymore. Let's go." Lizzie stared at Red. "What's going on, Red. What are you not telling me?" Red put both hands on her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. "I need to keep you safe. Just, please, trust me Lizzie. It is important that you trust me." Lizzie stared up into his eyes and nodded. She felt truly afraid now. If Red was rattled about something, then she should definitely be worried.

Red held the door as she got into his car, he followed after her and Dembe drove away the moment the car door closed. Lizzie could see Dembe scanning the area and even Red was more alert than ever. They arrived at her motel and the two men entered first after she unlocked the door. They scanned the room and Lizzie felt embarrassed at the state of the place. Red looked completely out of place in her room. "We should hurry." Red said, looking pointedly at Lizzie. She knelt down at the foot of the bed and got her travel bag. She placed it on the bed and went to the closet. "No, you handle the toiletries, I'll pack the clothes. We're leaving in five minutes." Lizzie rushed to pack all her belongings and when she returned to the main room, she saw that Red was zipping her bag up. Red slung the bag over his shoulder and made his way to the door. "Wait." Lizzie said. "I need something else." She moved to the cupboard again and picked up the small box that contained the only personal belongings she owned. Dembe took the box from her and the three of them went back to the car. They drove until they reached an apartment block called "The Audrey". Lizzie frowned as they drove into the resident's parking lot. They made their way to the top floor where Red unlocked the door of one of the apartments. He held the door for Lizzie to enter and she walked into the apartment.

She felt so overwhelmed that it took her a while to put two and two together. Red was watching her expectantly, waiting for some reaction to the place. Lizzie walked to the living room and set her bag of toiletries on the floor. She made her way to the window and gasped at the beautiful view. It was truly breath-taking and peaceful at the same time. Then it hit her. This was her apartment. The one Red had bought for her. She turned around and found Red still watching her. "This is the place, isn't it?" Red smiled fondly at her. "No, Lizzie. This is your place." Red took a few steps closer. "Do you like it?" he asked. Lizzie turned her attention to the living room, she traced her hand over the furniture as she walked towards the kitchen. It was heaven compared to the little bar fridge she had at the motel. Next, she inspected the bedroom, then the second bedroom and finally the bathroom. She returned to the living room where Red stood waiting. "It's beautiful." She said. She shook her head then. "But it's too much, Red. I don't know if I can accept it." Lizzie felt bad that he spent so much on her. "It's already yours, Lizzie. There's nothing to be done for it." Lizzie nodded, accepting that this would be her new home. It was an amazing apartment with a breath-taking view. She walked towards Red and brushed his cheek with a soft kiss. "Thank you." She said. He smiled at her fondly.

Dembe walked into the living room just then. "Raymond, we really must be going if you want to make your appointment." Red nodded and reached for her shoulder once more. Dembe took that as a dismissal and excused himself. "Lizzie, everything is going to be fine. But I want you to stay here." "But Cooper…" "I will talk to Cooper. You must stay here, do you understand? Can you do that?" Red was so earnest and serious in that moment that Lizzie readily agreed with what he said. Red nodded and made his way to the door. "Do not open this door for anyone except for myself and Dembe." Lizzie nodded again. "When are you going to tell me what's going on?" Red stood in the door. "When I know what's going on." He said, before closing the door. Lizzie made her way to the main bedroom and started unpacking her things. After that, she made her way to the kitchen and inspected the fridge. It was fully stocked, as were the cupboards. He had taken care of every detail to make sure that she was taken care of. She spent the rest of the afternoon in the living room, watching a replay of an old black and white movie. She watched without taking anything in, her mind was far away, trying to figure out what on earth was going on.

Finally, at around dinnertime, Red and Dembe returned. Red entered, carrying two paper bags. Lizzie followed him to the kitchen. "What is that?" she asked after the delicious smell hit her. "I thought you'd enjoy Thai takeout." Red said, opening a cupboard and taking out three plates. Lizzie watched as he dished out the food and retrieved three beers from the fridge. He sat on one of the barstools across from Lizzie and handed her the beer after opening it. Dembe joined them and started digging in. Lizzie enjoyed the food immensely and was once again thankful for his help. "So, have you found something?" she asked after a while. Red looked up from his plate and took a while to chew and swallow his food before he answered. "Yes and no." he said, taking another bite of food. "What does that mean?" Lizzie asked. It was times like these that really frustrated her the most. The times when she really needed a clear answer and Red providing only vague ones. She sighed and turned her attention back to the food, trying her very best to ignore Red. After dinner, they made their way to the living room. They sat down next to each other on the sofa and Lizzie had to admit that it was a lot more comfortable than it should have been.

"I met with a colleague of mine this afternoon and he confirmed my suspicions. I did not want to tell you anything until I was certain I had the whole picture. Lizzie, Tom is the man in the hoodie." Lizzie stared at Red. She was shocked, speechless and scared. It had to have shown on her face, because Red placed his hand on hers and rubbed soothing circles into her skin with his thumb. "He will not get anywhere near you, Lizzie. I will kill him before he does." Red's words comforted her, but she still felt the dread pooling in the pit of her stomach. "So, what are we going to do?" she asked. "I have my people trailing him as we speak." Red said, staring at the TV. "Sooner or later he will reveal what he is after." "And what should I do in the meantime? Stay here every day?" Red looked at her then and once again it felt like he could see through to her very core. "Lizzie, the point of all this is to keep you out of harm's way. I have no idea why Tom is back, but we know that he has been watching you. It is therefore reasonable to assume that he will try to make contact with you or try to harm you." Red sighed and sagged back in his seat, rubbing his hand wearily over his scalp. "The point is, Lizzie. I have no idea what he wants. I cannot risk your life on an assumption that he will not harm you." Lizzie stared at him, once again realizing how much he cared for her. Somehow, the mastermind of crime was rendered harmless by her. She remembered the time when Red was captured and taken to a black site famous for destroying spies. She remembered how terrified she was for him, and how she argued with her superiors in order to get him back to safety. He is our asset… As her gaze rested steadily on him, she realized something, a deep truth that she had denied since day one. He was much, much more than just an asset. To her he was a partner, a friend, a protector. Yes, there were still a million unanswered questions, but she knew that with time, he would reveal all to her, she just had to be patient. She leaned into his side, taking him by surprise, and rested her head on his shoulder.

Red wrapped his arm around her and gently stroked her back, sending shivers up her spine. She felt his lips press against her forehead as he kissed her. "Everything will be fine, Lizzie. I won't let anything happen to you." She smiled at that, realizing that Red mistook her affection for fear. "I know." She whispered, closing her eyes and just allowing herself to relax.

"Lizzie." She felt her arm shaken lightly and groaned sleepily. "Lizzie." Red whispered again and she blinked blearily up at him. "What? What's going on?" she asked groggily, the fog still having a firm hold on her. "Nothing, sweetheart. I just thought you would sleep more comfortably in your bed." His hand caressed her arm softly, and she sighed sleepily. "I was comfortable." She said before getting up and stumbling her way to her bedroom. Red was by her side the moment she stumbled and took her arm, leading her to the bedroom. She crawled across the bed until her head hit the pillow and she collapsed against the thick mattress. Red covered her with a soft blanket and leaned down to kiss her forehead. He made his way to the door and stopped to stare at her sleeping form. "Sweet dreams, Lizzie." He whispered before closing the door.

The light peeping in through the heavy curtains woke her the next morning. She still felt a little groggy, but felt well rested for the first time since everything fell apart with Tom. She yawned and stretched languorously and stared up at the ceiling. She felt wonderful, and for the first time in forever, she felt happy. She replayed the previous night's events in her head. I fell asleep in his arms. Heat rushed to her cheeks as she remembered. Oh god. She groaned, turning her face into the pillow and feeling trepidation setting in. How would this affect their relationship? It was one of the strangest she had ever had. She didn't even know what they were to each other. She only knew that she cared for him, and he cared for her. The rest was something they had to figure out together. And that was a scenario that made Lizzie very nervous. Very nervous indeed…

Lizzie entered the kitchen after taking a shower and getting dressed. Red and Dembe were busy making omelettes and she grinned at how domesticated the two of them looked in her kitchen. The Concierge of Crime making omelettes in my kitchen. Her stomach rumbled as the delicious smell hit her. "Morning." She said, taking a seat at the breakfast nook. "Good morning, Lizzie." Red replied, giving her a radiant smile that quite literally took her breath away. "Did you sleep well?" he asked. She flushed as she remembered how she fell asleep in the first place and hoped to god that he did not notice her embarrassment. "Yes, thank you." She replied. The smell hit her again and her mouth started watering. "What are you making?" she asked as Red turned his attention back to the stove. Dembe was busy whisking some eggs together and he smiled at Lizzie in greeting, she returned his smile as she waited for Red to answer. "Bacon and Potato Frittata." He said. "A what?" Lizzie asked. Red turned back to her and smiled, "It's an Italian dish made with fried beaten eggs. In essence it's a fancy omelette." He removed the frittata from the pan and cut it in sizable portions. He artfully arranged her piece on the plate and garnished it with a little chopped parsley. He then drizzled a sauce on the side of the plate and finally inspected his handiwork. He nodded, evidently deciding that it was acceptable and placed the plate down in front of Lizzie. "Bon Appetite" he said, smiling down at her. Lizzie sat there, knife and fork in hand, trying to decide where to start. But for some reason she couldn't bring herself to cut the masterfully made creation and in the process destroy it. Red was still looking at her. "Something wrong?" he asked. Lizzie looked up at him. "No, nothing." She said. She took out her phone and snapped a photo of the plate, then she settled down and started eating. She took a bite and savoured the taste, allowing it to envelop her. "Wow, this is amazing." She said, earning another satisfied smile from Red. She took another bite and chewed slowly, but before long, her hunger took precedence and she wolfed down the rest of it. By that time, Red had also had his breakfast and he handed her a cup of coffee. She thanked him and rested her elbows on the table in front of her, taking cautionary sips of her coffee. She felt so content and wished that things could always be this simple in her life. Just having breakfast with someone you care about, no crazy schemes or bad guys to catch. No Tom lurking in the shadows.

Lizzie stood up and walked towards the window in the living room. She gazed out at the sprawling city and wondered what Tom was up to. Why would he return now? Lizzie felt Red before she saw him. He stopped next to her and looked out at the view. "How long am I under house arrest?" she asked. "Not for too long." He said, looking over at her. "As soon as the threat is dealt with, you will be free to come and go as you please." Lizzie looked at him then. What was he going to do? Was he going to kill Tom? Red took a step towards her and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "I should be back by dinner time." He said. He walked towards the door and gave her one last look before leaving. Lizzie sighed again. Once again it felt like her life was being controlled by others. She knew Red's intentions were noble and he only wanted to protect her, but she still felt captive somehow. Her phone rang and she saw an unfamiliar number on the display.

"Keen." She said.

"Liz." She froze as she heard Tom's voice on the other end.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"We need to talk"

"We are talking"

"No, face to face. Do you want to know the truth about Reddington and your father?"

Lizzie didn't know what to say.

"Meet me at the station in an hour and we'll talk."

"How do I know this is not a trap?"

"Liz, you know I will never hurt you. I only want to help you see the truth. Reddington is not who he says he is and I can prove it. He is using you, Liz."

His words cut her deeper than any real knife could and she warred with the idea of meeting him. Red would be furious, but what if Tom was right? What if he really was only using her? Everything she experienced with Red thus far felt so real. But doubt sprung up inside of her at Tom's words.

"All right." She said, hanging up.

She grabbed her gun and placed it in her purse, making sure she had her own protection. She left the apartment and made her way to the station. She felt like she was betraying Red and it broke her heart. She made it to the station and scanned the crowd for his familiar face. He was nowhere to be seen. "Hi, Liz." Lizzie jumped as Tom spoke from directly behind her. She turned to face him and her muscles tensed up as she readied herself to make a move at the first sign of something going sideways. "Walk with me." He said, smiling at her. She had no choice, she had a major disadvantage. She walked with him until they reached a parking lot and Lizzie's alarm bells went off. "What are we doing here?" she asked him. Tom gave her another smile, but this one had a cruel edge to it. "Oh, just acquiring a bargaining chip." He said and grabbed her. She struggled and reached into her purse, trying to grab her gun, but it wasn't there. Oh no. This can't be happening. She struggled against Tom and tried as best she could to get a hit on him, but he was too well trained and the panic rising in her made her clumsy. She cried out as she felt a needle pierce her neck, her whole body slumped against Tom as the drug made its way through her system. This was a trap. Tom probably had no evidence against Red. How could she be so naïve? She thought of Red, of how safe he made her feel. She thought of the way he had taken care of her the last few days and wondered if she would ever see him again. Please, Red, find me. She thought desperately as the drug clouded her mind.

Save me…

Finally, she gave in to the darkness.