Authors note: Yes it's been forever I know, instead of giving you excuses that you probably don't want to hear let's just get on with the show shall we? Lol

In order to get back into the world of lizzington feels I watched the episodes again and watched YouTube vids. Have you all seen "Selinabln"s and "Fanatical C"s YouTube videos for the blacklist? If not check them out there pretty good. Also by now this is story is way off from actual cannon but it was to begin with J

NOTE TO READERS: So I want to know your guys opinion before I post another chapter.
Where do you want Red's mark to be? What should there marks look like? And how would you guys like the bond to work? Should they just be drawn to each other? Feel each other's feelings? Feel when one another is in danger? Have conversations in their minds together?
There are so many takes on how soul bonds/mating bonds work so let me know what you guys want and what would seem too far fetched for this universe.
Also are there any cannon details like Red's burns that you would want tied into the story?
I have my own ideas but I aim to please so I would love your ideas J

Elizabeth sat on the curb by her parked car. She had told Reddington that she wasn't at home and he would have to come pick her up at the park. She didn't know if he noticed the hitch in her voice as she gave him the directions to her location. After asking if she was alright and her reassuring him she only needed some fresh air there was a brief pause on the line almost as if he was debating pushing her for more answers or not. Luckily he hadn't and proceeded to say he would be there in a matter of minutes and hung up. So there she sat awaiting his arrival.

She wasn't going to kid herself she knew she would end up telling him what happened. Would he be thrilled? Would he look at her with pity? Pity was something she was more than accustomed to. Growing up with a single mother and then with no parents; she had been at the receiving end of pitied looks enough to know what they looked like. She didn't think she could handle it if he looked at her like that. She wiped her face with her hands and fixed her hair, attempting to make herself presentable before he arrived.

It was ridiculous, she didn't know him well yet she cared what he thought of her. Being a woman in a career that held mostly men she had to leave her emotions at home every day she stepped out into the real world. If she gave any indication that she couldn't handle it emotionally she would be thrown to the dogs. A lot of men in the FBI didn't think it was a place for a woman. And a sensitive or gentle, tender woman? Forget it. She would have never made it as far as she had. She wasn't jesting when she told Cooper people called her "Sir". She made sure they had no ammo to fire her way, even if that made her come across as a bitch.

So naturally if it was one of her colleagues coming to see her she wouldn't want them to see her in this emotional mess. But with Reddington it wasn't because she assumed she had something to prove. No, it was almost as if she wanted him to be proud of her. She wanted his approval and to never see the look of letdown in his eyes. She recalled when she had stabbed him in the neck. She believed, for a brief moment, a flash of pride had been in his eyes before the pain of his injury took over. And he never reprimanded her for it. He never shied away from rectifying her or indicating her mistakes. Yet with that incident, besides a few puns about it he never showed anything except for fascination from her actions.

She was so deep in reminiscing she almost missed the figure that sat down next to her. There was no mistaking that it was him. Even if she couldn't see him she couldn't mistake his scent, or the warmth that seemed to have a life of its own radiating from the body next to her own, surrounding her like a covering and soothing her heart beat.

They sat in stillness for what seemed like hours, no movement nor a sound from either one of them. The park was mostly vacant so there was no noises besides the chirping of birds. As the sun barely peered out from behind the clouds a breeze could be felt; kissing their faces. And she felt content. If there was a time in her life where she would have wished it would have lasted, it would perhaps be this surreal moment, sitting here with him, the concierge of crime, the recent thorn in her side, the veil of fog that clouded her thoughts.

"Lizzie" His voice was soft, though he didn't touch her his words nudge at her conscious and she finally turned to look at him.

"Lizzie, as much as I would love to believe this little outing you took was simply a passing fancy for some fresh air I have a hunch it is more than that." He said no more, the questions left unasked like he was confident she would answer him and she almost felt aggravated that he presumed she would confide in him. Almost.

"Tom is having an affair."

She had ran in her mind all the ways to approach the topic and it seems that all her careful wording flew out the window, instead she just blurted it out at him. Way to go Liz, very tactful, she thought to herself.

He remained still and she saw a few emotions pass over his face, none which were pity before he responded.

"I'm sorry sweetheart. I truly am." He said it so genuinely yet there was something in his voice that made her squint her eyes at him in scrutiny. Then she realized it for what it was.

"You knew! Didn't you?!" Her voice was more raised then the tones they had been speaking in and he winced at her accusations.

"Tell me Reddington, did you know? Is that why you have warned me against him? Were you ever going to tell me or just carry on and let time go by as my husband is hooking up with god only knows how many other women?" She scowled at him.

"It wasn't my place to tell you, and no that's not the only reason I have cautioned you about your husband I assure you. But before you get cross with me Lizzie can you honestly tell me you would of believed me if I told you?"

She opened her mouth and was going to tell him she might have but when he looked at her with one eyebrow raised, daring her to say so, she closed her mouth. Truth is she would have thought he was idiotic, hell she kept tittering on thinking so ever since that day with him touching her scar. And she undoubtedly would have told him where he could put his notions about her husband. Instead of making any remarks she looked straight ahead not meeting his perceptiveness any longer and remained unspeaking. Reddington continued to be silent as she structured her thoughts. But being the man he was he couldn't stay hushed for long.

"You know, when you're in engrossed in pondering you look absolutely adorable with your eye brows farrowed like that."

She whipped her head towards him about to scold him for his inappropriate timed comment but was stopped short by the boyish smirk on his face and instead merely scoffed at his comment and tried to pretend the corners of her mouth weren't trying to upturn.

"My marriage is in shambles and you're flirting with me, I didn't call you for attempts at flattery I called you for comfort!" She meant it in a lighthearted manner but as soon as the words left her mouth the grin she had been wearing dropped and she realized what she said. She just admitted to desiring comfort from him. Oh my god, she thought.

A look of astonishment crossed Reddington's face before it was quickly exchanged by a look one would only define as adoration.

"I apologize Lizzie." He brought his hand up from his lap and she sucked in a breath as it wavered by her cheek. He peered into her eyes.

"I am not aware of how to console you without touching you Lizzie…and I agreed not to touch you without consent." He still had his hand in the air and he waited. She felt panic intensifying in her gut. Did she want his reassuring touch? She found herself nodding her head regardless of her judgments and closed her eyes has his hand caressed her cheek.

"It's going to be okay Lizzie, you're going to be okay." He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger a moment after. His caress didn't run through her like electricity like it usually did lately, it only enveloped her deeper into the sincerity that was Raymond Reddington.

She released a breath and moved away from him and gradually stood up. His eyes never left hers as she stood and stretched.

"I think I agreed on a lunch date didn't I?" She smiled tenderly at him and he gave her a playful suspicious look.

"As I recall…" He stood and adjusted the fedora that rested on his head. "Someone declared it wasn't a date."

She blushed and averted his eyes by brushing any dirt from the curb off of her clothing.

"Well I was just tired of arguing over semantics" She was about to make her way to her car when she stopped. "Is Dembe near? Or will we be taking my car?"

Reddington chose to ignore her response, a rare thing indeed, and smiled at her. "We will take my car, Dembe will come back for your car and have it returned to house before we conclude our lunch."
He offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

She rolled her eyes at him and told herself she was only indulging him since he was being sympathetic to her and there was no way she craved to take his arm for her own security and placed her arm around his.

"What will you do about Tom Lizzie?" His question caught her slightly off guard as they made their way to his car. Dembe was waiting outside prepared to open the back door for them.

"I suppose I will be letting Tom know that we will be discussing a divorce." She didn't meet his gaze and thought to herself that she has been evading his eye contact lately. But who wouldn't when looking into Reddington's eyes was comparable to having someone glimpse back and perceive your soul?

"Truly? Just like that? No second opportunities? I happen to know a young man just two cities over that is an exceptional therapist."

Dembe opened the car door for them and instead of sitting in the first seat and having Reddington go around she slid over to the second seat and Reddington entered the car giving her a seemingly stern look.

"Really Lizzie, how unlady like." She laughed and noticed how his eyes ignited at the sound.

"You know one would think you wanted me to stay married. Weren't you the one saying we were meant for each other because of the soul mate Voodoo?"

He blanched at her words and his eyes went wide.

"Voodoo?"

She laughed again.

"That's what I been referring it as in my head."

He shook his head at her

"I don't know whether I should be amused at your antics or offended at our association referred to as such." He said it in mock offense and smiled at her. "I will confess I prefer you weren't with Tom, you will be safer away from him. If you would humor me I would have Dembe and I linger outside and wait for you as you tell him and pack a bag. You can stay in a room next to mine at the hotel."

She remained quiet and looked at the scenery passing by outside her window. Is that what she wanted? To up and leave Tom so soon? No discussion at all just tell him he will receive divorce papers and pack a bag and leave? It seemed so disrespectful towards a man she had been through so much with. But then she remembered the laughter that reached her ears of another women. And in their shower no less. Who knows where else he and this strange women had conducted their affair in her house. The very indication disgusted her.

She turned to Reddington and smiled. "I will think about it. Let's just focus on Lunch and then deal with that after?"

He held her gaze for a few moments before he nodded and looked out his own window. Although she said she would think on it she had no doubt by the end of the day she would be living with number four on the most wanted list.

Authors note:
If anyone is curious the following songs inspired and what I listened to for this chapter, I think their good lizzington songs but that's just my opinion, someone should totally make lizzington vids with them
Soldier by Gavin Degraw
Once by Bradley Caleb Kane (One of my favorite songs ever!)
Am I wrong by Nico & Vinz (This one gets stuck in my head)