Thomas stood motionless on the doorstep with a surprised expression on his face for a few moments, then he suddenly turned angry. "Who are you?" His words came out more stilted than usual, his anger causing his accent to flare noticeably.
Red continued to smile as he shrugged one shoulder nonchalantly and said, "I'm the father of her baby."
Thomas rose his eyebrows in surprise and a humorless laugh followed shortly after. "You? You are not her type. She would never go for you. Really, who are you?"
Red opened his mouth to give a caustic reply, but Liz stepped in front of Red with her hands raised in a placating manner. "Thomas, this isn't what it looks like. I didn't break up with you and immediately fall into another man's arms."
Red tried to hide his smile, because technically that had been exactly what she'd done, but he didn't say anything; not because of Thomas, but because he didn't want to cause Liz anymore undue stress.
"Well that is what it looks like, Melinda. I told you that we are not done. I am falling in love with you, and I came back because I had some things I wanted to say to you."
The man didn't even know Liz's real name, it could never work between them; Red felt some of the tension that hadn't known was there fall away from his shoulders.
Thomas seemed intent on avoiding Red, but Red didn't plan on going anywhere now. Not when this unknown man was angry at his pregnant...whatever.
Liz sighed. "Look, Thomas. We already discussed this." She glanced back at Red for a moment; her eyes silently pleading for help. She clearly didn't want Thomas there, and he had seen fear in her expression. Even if she didn't want him, she didn't want Thomas either.
Thomas put his hands on his hips. "We did not discuss it at all. All you told me was that the father of your baby would not leave you alone. Are you telling me that this is ok now?" He gestured angrily with one of his hands at Red.
Red raised his eyebrows and took a step closer to Liz so that his chest brushed her back in silent support. "I told you that it was complicated, Thomas. I shouldn't have to explain myself. I don't want to lead you on anymore. I don't feel as strongly for you as you do for me. I know that's harsh, but you need to know the truth." Red wished he could see her facial expression, but knowing her, she had tears in her eyes. He brought up a hand up in a way that Thomas couldn't see and stroked her lower back softly in comfort. She leaned back a little into his hand and seemed to take some strength from him.
Thomas opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't seem to make his vocal cords work. Red was tempted to say something, but knew that that was the last thing Liz wanted or needed him to do.
Liz took a small step forward, leaving his hand empty and cold. "I'm sorry, Thomas. I truly am. I never meant for it to be like this. Please...just go," she said sadly.
Thomas clenched his jaw in response and balled his fists at his side. He looked more like he was preparing for a fist fight than a tearful goodbye. Red stepped in front of Liz and looked at Thomas with his best "Raymond Reddington stare." Red could see hesitation flicker over his face, then resignation. He knew he wouldn't be able to get to Liz with Red nearby.
Without another word he turned on his heel and stalked away into the night. Red closed the door quietly and made sure to lock the deadbolt; Thomas had looked like he might be planning something behind those innocent blue eyes, and Red was not going to take any chances; not with Liz's safety in question.
He turned around to see Liz staring at her bare feet, seemingly lost in thought. He took a step forward, but resisted touching her. "Lizzie?"
She sucked in a breath and brought her hands up quickly to wipe her tears away, then finally looked up at him with sad eyes. "I screw up and end up hurting anyone and anything I touch," she said quietly.
Red took another step forward so their bodies were inches away from each other. "That's not true. I'm still here, our baby is still in there.." He gestured at her stomach with his hand, "...isn't that all that truly matters?"
She took a deep breath and nodded. He was surprised that she didn't shoot down his remark about him still being here; and that she hadn't kicked him out yet. She had been done with him before Thomas had shown up.
Red glanced at his watch and saw that it was nearing 11:00 PM. Liz was staring at something over his shoulder. He touched her arm briefly so she would look at him. "I'll be taking my leave now. For what it's worth, you mean everything to me, Lizzie, don't ever forget that." She nodded once more but didn't comment any further.
He bit the inside of his cheek and tilted his head, then deciding that she would be ok, turned to opened the door again. "Red...wait."
He paused with his hand hovering near the deadbolt, but he didn't turn to look at her; he didn't dare get his hopes up. She touched his elbow fleetingly. "Stay."
Surprised, he turned and looked at her with raised eyebrows. She quickly continued before he got the wrong impression, "I...I don't mean in my bed, but..could you maybe just sleep on the couch? I'm a little worried that Thomas might try to come back again." She would never admit that she couldn't bear to see him leave again. She was hopelessly addicted to him now, there was no going back.
He didn't hesitate as he answered, "Of course, Sweetheart." He reached out and squeezed her bicep before turning and walking back towards the living room, leaving her standing in the entryway.
She didn't have the heart to call him out again for calling her sweetheart. He could call her that as much as he wanted as long as he stayed close. It seemed his silent support for her had softened her heart towards him further. She was tired of fighting her feelings for him, anyway.
She followed after him and saw him standing in the middle of the room a little awkwardly. She tried to smile. "Let me get you some blankets and a pillow, I'll be back." She watched as he nodded and his fingers twitched at his side; she was sure that he was used to having his fedora in his hand, and that it was an unconscious nervous tic.
She found him some bedding and carried it back in the living room to give him; he hadn't moved from his spot, but had been observing the sparsely furnished room with feigned interest. He took the bedding from her with a nod, then set it down on the couch and faced her again. "Are you going to go to bed now?"
She hesitated. She wanted to talk things out with him a little more, but she was exhausted and would probably say things she shouldn't, and normally wouldn't. She also wanted more than anything to invite him to her bed, but didn't dare ask him because she would look like a hypocrite for all the things she had said earlier that evening; so she kept her mouth shut and nodded. "Yes, I'm dead on my feet."
He stepped forward and took her hand then led her to her bedroom. She followed along willingly, not daring to hope that he was going to stay with her, because she knew she would be disappointed.
He released her hand and pulled her blanket down (not comforter, she had picked up more than a few habits from him), then turned and helped her into bed; she already had her pajamas on (which consisted of sleep shorts that went mid-thigh and a long-sleeved blue t-shirt).
Red quirked his mouth and reached down to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She smiled tiredly at him as he leaned down and pressed a warm kiss to her forehead, lingering there for longer than necessary. He pulled back after a few moments and said softly, "Good night."
"Night," she whispered as she watched him reach over and turn her bedside lamp off, then walk out of her room without another word. She felt a tangible loss in the back of her throat, and had to physically clamp her lips down to keep from calling out to him. That wouldn't be fair to him. They had to take things slowly and build trust between them again before they're relationship could progress any further.
She also needed to reconcile the fact that only hours ago she was refusing to let him back in her life because of the lifestyle he lived. She didn't understand why all of a sudden that didn't matter to her. It was like a switch had been flipped in her brain and she no longer cared; she would have to evaluate her thoughts when she wasn't so damn tired. She actually found herself thinking that everything that had happened that night had been a dream. Those were her last thoughts as she drifted to sleep soon after.
OOOOOO
Red made his bed on the couch and stretched out on it. It was just a little too short for him, so he had to bend his legs slightly to get comfortable. He didn't mind the spring jabbing into his back because his thoughts were consumed with Liz and why she had a sudden change of heart about him and his situation. There was always the chance she was using him so Thomas would leave her alone, but he quickly dismissed that thought because he hadn't seen anything to indicate that that was the case; and she wasn't a good liar. He closed his eyes and laced his fingers together over his chest. He was tired. So very tired. It had been a long time since he'd felt this at peace. The proverbial cracked floor beneath him had stopped dropping away, and he was standing precariously on the last two pieces. He knew that if anything more happened he would fall; he couldn't let that happen; refused to, actually.
He must have fallen asleep, because he startled awake to a feeling of someone standing near him. He shot up and winced at the pain in his back, then turned his head and made out her silhouette standing at the head of the couch. He couldn't see her expression in the dark. "Lizzie, whatss the matterr?" He was still half asleep and couldn't seem to shake the cobwebs from his sleep-fogged brain.
She moved around to stand in front of him. His eyes finally adjusted to the dark and he could see her worrying her lip with her teeth. He swung his legs around and sat up with his knees touching hers. "Sweetheart?"
She sighed quietly. "I'm embarrassed to ask, really, but I can't fall back asleep."
He rubbed his hands over his face tiredly and pushed the light button on his watch. He'd only been asleep for a couple of hours. "Out with it then."
She was silent for a few more seconds, then seemed to just throw caution to the wind and blurt it out. "I really, really, really want a cheeseburger right now. One from McDonalds. I can't get it out of my head."
Red chuckled at the absurdity of her request and sat back against the couch. "How often do you have these cravings?"
She sniffed and looked away from him. "At least a couple times a week, maybe more."
He crossed his legs and settled more comfortably. "And have you been indulging them?"
She sat down next to him on the edge of the couch and shook her head. "No, I've always ignored them."
Liz could see him studying her thin frame in the light from the pale moonlight coming in from a crack in the curtains. He worked his mouth as if he wanted to say something (probably something like, "Well you should have"), but must have decided against it and stilled his movements, then stood up with a quiet groan. "I would be happy to get you a cheeseburger. Anything else?"
She shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Thank you."
He reached down and squeezed her shoulder, then slid his shoes and coat back on and walked out the door in a flurry. She watched his graceful movements and felt her hormones raging against one another. On one hand she felt like jumping him and taking him then and there, and on the other hand she wanted to slap him for taking so long to agree to get her a damn cheeseburger.
She sat back against the couch and hugged his pillow to her chest, then breathed in the scent of his aftershave. The baby was restless tonight, which was what had woken her up in the first place, and he didn't seem to want to do anything but kick her bladder and other internal organs. Then for some reason a cheeseburger had popped into her head and it had driven her crazy for a good hour before she said to hell with it and walked into the living room. She had watched him sleep for a few minutes. He looked vulnerable and...normal when he was asleep. He didn't have the façade of the great Raymond Reddington in place, and she wished that he would show this side to her more often. He was just a normal, red-blooded man. She needed to quit holding him up on a pedestal and start seeing him as a man that she could possibly have a future with if everything was played right.
Twenty minutes later, Red walked back in her apartment mumbling under his breath, "One cheeseburger, just one..and they manage to screw the damn thing up." He stopped in the entryway and hung his coat back up, then walked in the living room and sat next to her heavily, displacing her from her thoughts as he handed her the small bag. She reached over and turned the lamp on that stood next to couch, then opened the bag and took the small cheeseburger out.
She reached over and patted his thigh in thanks then took a bite and moaned quietly. "This has to be the best thing I've eaten in months. Not even exaggerating."
Red huffed a quiet laugh and yawned. "If you say so, Lizzie."
They sat in silence as she ate; they were sitting close enough together that their thighs touched, but neither seemed to notice because they were both lost in their own thoughts. She finished a few minutes later and crinkled the wrapper up and threw it back in the bag. Now that she was sated, she was beginning to feel the pull of sleep again.
She yawned, then leaned over and kissed his jaw, his stubble scratching her lips. "Thank you, Red. I'm so glad you were around this time."
He turned his head and smiled, then reached over and took her hand that was lying in her lap. "It's regrettable that I wasn't here the other times you needed something." He didn't want to say more for fear of upsetting her, but she seemed satisfied with his answer because she leaned over and put her head on his shoulder.
He allowed himself to enjoy this little indulgence for a few minutes until he said quietly, "Let's get you back to bed, Lizzie."
She sat up slowly and stretched her arms over her head. "Sounds good, I can barely keep my eyes open."
He stood up and held his hand for her to take, then pulled her up and led her towards her room once again. Before she moved to lie down, she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly to her. He brought his hands up and massaged her back for a bit until she pulled back and said, "Night...again."
He pursed his lips. "Good night, see you in the morning."
She found that she liked the sound of that.
He helped her back into bed then turned to leave, but she caught his wrist before he could.
Wait, Red. Will you stay?"
AN: This was so fluffy, I'm sorry about that. I guess I just needed a break from writing angst. Thanks for all the lovely reviews..I truly do appreciate them. Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think! :D
