Okay, this chapter wasn't planned but when I re-read the previous one this morning, it was like 'WTF? What did I want to say with that?' and 'OMG what have I done?' So, here's a short explanation why Red and Lizzie got married instead of running away.

Love you guys! :)

(Still don't own anything…)

10. Family

Alan was standing on the balcony of his hotel room with the company of scotch and cigar. He had just ended his daily routine with Denny, however this time they had spoken on skype because Denny had a serious political case so he had to stay in Boston.

Alan stared the restless city, watching, without seeing. His thoughts were elsewhere; he just couldn't escape from the curiosity of his big brother's intention. Raymond had always been a full mystery for him and if they weren't look like this similar Alan would say that he had been adopted.

What did his brother want from this girl? Why didn't he run away like he had always done? Why was she so special?

He had to know because he couldn't represent someone without knowing his intentions.

###

The judge placed Red and Lizzie under house arrest in separate hotel rooms so he could speak with Red without the girl's presence.

During the drive he couldn't stop thinking about her either. She was such a beautiful and hot woman, she must have been smart – she was an FBI profiler after all. How had she ended up as Concierge of Crime's wife? She was so young for his brother and she could have got men to each fingers. Was it just a role? Or did she really love him?

###

After the agents got through his pockets, Alan stepped into the room; his brother was sitting on the couch, reading a book.

"Raymond, we need to talk." Alan said with a matter-of-fact and went to the balcony. He knew the rooms had a bunch of bugs so the noisy balcony could help.

Red followed him two minutes later with two glasses in his hands. They stood next to each other for minutes when Alan asked Red without looking at him.

"Why didn't you run away?"

Red took a deep breath and put his thoughts in order. Maybe his relationship with Alan had never been the best but they had been honest with each other. Always. Maybe that was the source of their not-so-ordinary relationship.

"I'm tired of running, Alan." Red's voice was small but strong. "And I couldn't leave her either."

"She could have run away with you."

"No. I already destroyed her life and her career at the FBI is the only one she has. It would kill her if she'd lose it."

"It has a chance. I don't think the FBI wants an agent who married to a criminal." Alan said sarcastically.

"Maybe not, but what you don't know that I have an arrangement with them; I give them the bad guys but I speak only with her. And before you ask; it was before we started the affair."

"So is it just an affair?"

"It used to be but…she just…" Red rubbed the nape of his neck. "We started it with the 'just-sex-nothing-further' but I couldn't help…"

"Do you love her?" now Alan looked right into his brother's eyes; all he saw was that funny glint which told him the truth.

"More than anything in this world." A small smile appeared at the corner of Red's mouth.

"Why is she so special? However I never understood this 'love thing' but the emotion itself wouldn't be enough ever for you. I mean, you're risking your freedom for her… what makes her special?"

"Have you ever felt that eternal calmness and blissful peace when a woman closes her arms around you at night?"

"You found the…"

"Home." Red interrupted. "I feel like I arrive at home whenever she's close to me. I did many horrible things in her presence with others and with her too and yet…she sees the man behind the monster. The man who I thought was dead. She touches me, kisses me, or even smiles at me and I feel like a person again, and not a monster."

"It's not your fault that you have to hide yourself behind a monster, Raymond." Alan finished his drink and put the glass down. "I believe that what you did in the past, it happened with reason. I'm sure you also had the reason why you hadn't said good bye to me before you disappeared."

"Alan…"

"I spoke with Elizabeth's boss" he avoided that conversation; he wasn't in the mood tonight. "He made an arrangement so you won't be charged with other than this suicide and he got the authorization from his bosses. To protect you as a valuable asset and Elizabeth as a federal agent, your case stays in the federal court and the media won't know about this if we win."

"And if we lose?"

"We won't. Goodnight, Raymond."

"Night, Alan."

###

Now, round two; Alan vs. Elizabeth, he thought and knocked on her door.

"Mr. Shore?" she asked with sleepy eyes.

"I do apologize for disturbing your beauty sleep but we need to talk."

"Come in, then."

He took a seat on the armchair, in front of Liz who sat on the couch in a big white bathrobe. Even with her messy hair and pale face, she was a desirable woman in Alan's eyes.

"We have to think about that testimony."

"We?" now Liz was wide awake.

"Yes, you and me. Together."

"I'm listening, Mr. Shore."

"Please, call me Alan- we're relatives, now." he smiled at her.

"Okay, Alan."

Alan stared her for a minute while he figured out how he could get the answer without asking it straight. He wanted to test her real feelings and her mind too.

"If you make a testimony against Raymond, you'll have a bigger chance that the jury will find you innocent. "

"No!" she jumped for her seat and started walking back and forth; here was this man, Red's brother, and he asked her to betray Red? How dared he? "You're his lawyer too, how could you tell this to me?!"

"Elizabeth, listen to me…"

"No! I won't do that. He is my husband!"

"If I knew well, Tom Keen was also your husband and he was a criminal too."

"It's different. Tom didn't love me – Red does."

"How can you know that?"

She rested herself on her hands, at the back of the couch and spoke again with dangerously quiet but also cold tone.

"He risks his life for me. He could have run away but he didn't."

"You also risk your life." Alan said simply. "Why?" before Liz could say again 'he loves me' Alan raised his index finger to stop her. "Yeah, you two are in love like mad. I get it. But I need to know that if it isn't just a trick from the FBI to send him jail."

It was reasonable doubt, Liz admitted. She grabbed a paper and pen then started writing to trick the bugs in her room. She wrote down the circumstances of their marriage because she knew that would be a pretty good proof for Alan.

"As my lawyer, you have to keep in secret what I'm telling or showing you." Liz suggested and handed the paper to him.

While Alan was reading she tried to figure out the mystery of Alan Shore; he not just looked like Red – well five or six years younger version of Red with bigger hair – but his personality was as unreadable as Red's.

When Alan finished he stood up and threw the paper to the fire at the fireplace then he turned back to Lizzie and smiled at her knowingly.

"You were bluffing, weren't you?" Liz realized. "You just wanted to see how I would react."

"Yes."

"Nice." she murmured.

"So now we've discussed every important detail; I think I should leave." He took two step then he turned back to face with her again.

"Do you have a Stockholm syndrome?"

"No." she laughed at this ridiculous question. Alan was weird…she liked him. "Do you think I have to have a mental disease to love Raymond Reddington freely and voluntarily?"

"No but yet, it's hard to believe that he has such luck that he is loved by a beautiful and young woman like you."

"I see you won't leave me alone until I give you a good reason." she smiled. She thought about a little then raised her shining eyes to Alan "Whenever he's around me I feel like a real woman. He treats me like his most valuable treasure, makes me powerless with his presence but also he gives me power whenever I see how I can affect him, how his lower lip trembles these times." and of course the sex with him was heavenly but she wouldn't tell this to Alan. "Is it enough?"

"It is." he nodded. "Good night."

"Good night, Alan."

###

Alan Shore ended his day with two important notes. One; he would have one of the biggest and most important trials tomorrow and two; his brother had finally found his peace.

To be continued…

Now I need you opinion; would you like to read a full chapter about the trial or should I just skip it with a few short sentences? :)