A/N: Despite the awful turn the show has made by making it the TK show, I will not abandon this ship. I have abandoned this show and will no longer watch it. Even the brilliant and gorgeous Spader cannot bring me back. But I love this ship and love these character so I will write my version of these two. And I hope you fellow shippers also won't abandon ship. In this chapter Lizzie draws the wrong conclusion and insults Red. So a little bit of angst... I hope you like it. Reviews would be appreciated.

Chapter ten

Red, surprised by Lizzie's sudden and quick departure, paid the discount they'd gotten. He thanked Alicia and hurried after Lizzie. He found her waiting for him at his car. He opened the car with the remote and she quickly took her seat on the passenger's side. Red took his seat behind the wheel, started the car and drove away. He didn't have to wait long to find out what caused her sudden departure.

"How do you know, Alicia?" Her curiosity got the best of her and she couldn't stay silent for long.

"She's Robert's daughter."

"Who's Robert?"

"He's the butcher." It still wasn't clear to him why she'd left.

"You dated her?"

"No, I did not." He looked at her briefly before focusing back on the road. "Where is this coming from?"

"So it was one night then?" She concluded.

"What was?" He didn't understand what she was saying.

Lizzie looked at the scenery. She didn't know how to interpret Red's words. Was he playing her or did he really not know what she was talking about? "You told me I was the only one you'd ever taken to the cabin. The only one you'd shared your refuge with."

"Yes."

"Why are you lying to me?" She finally asked.

Her words almost made him step on the breaks and stop the car in the middle of the road. "I have never lied to you." Part of him was offended by her accusation, but he needed to let her explain.

"I heard you Red."

"Heard what?"

"I heard you talking with Alicia. She was saying that you had such a great place and the hot tub was such a great buy." Her voice took on a whiny tone, imitating and exaggerating Alicia's voice.

Red laughed at the ridiculousness of Lizzie's interpretation of what had occurred.

"Why are you laughing? Is this a joke to you? Am I a joke to you?" By now she had raised her voice.

"No, you are not a joke." Red tried to calm her down. "Yet what you think happened is."

"How? Are you saying I'm lying? That Alicia didn't utter those words? I know what I heard Red."

"I'm saying you're drawing the wrong conclusion." He looked at her again. "You think Alicia's been at the cabin and that I slept with her."

"Yes." She looked at his profile.

"Alicia has never been at the cabin, nor has she been in the hot tub and she has never been in my bed." He didn't give her time to react to his words. "Where is this habit of drawing those quick and wrong conclusions coming from? Have I ever lied to you or given you any reason to distrust me? I don't think so. I deserve more than that."

"She was all over you and you clearly didn't mind. She had your attention and not me. I stood there and you were nowhere in sight. You were too busy with Alicia."

She was right about one thing. He had left her alone in the dressing room to talk to Alicia. "I apologise. I had some business to finish with Alicia. But that was it, business, nothing else." He glanced at her. "Do you believe me?"

Lizzie nodded but didn't answer and Red had his eyes on the road. So he asked again. "Lizzie, do you believe me?"

"I guess so."

Red looked in the rear view mirror before he stopped the car on the side of the road. He turned off the engine and unbuckled the seatbelt. He turned to her. "Why don't you believe me?"

"I do." She hesitated.

"But?" He wanted to know why she was so hesitant.

She bowed her head. "Alicia, she's a very beautiful woman. I understand that she…catches your eye." She'd expected a reaction for him already but he hadn't said anything yet.

Red took a few calming breaths. "What kind of man do you think I am?" He questioned her.

"What do you mean?" Lizzie's voice was small, soft.

"Do you think I would declare my love for you and then turn to another woman? Is that how little faith you have in me?" Red buckled up again and started the car. He watched the road, seeing no traffic, he steered back onto it. He continued their way to the cabin in silence.

"I have faith in you. I just have no faith in me." Lizzie whispered. With the little bit of courage she felt she continued. "I see how women react to you. When you enter a room you command attention and you ooze confidence. Women react to that and you like that attention. You like flirting with women. Admit it."

He couldn't really deny that he liked the attention and the flirting but it had been a long time since the flirting had led to anything more. "Be that as it may. Have you ever seen me take the flirting any further?" He asked her. When she didn't answer he continued. "I haven't, not for a long time. Not since I realised the depth of my feelings for you." They were approaching the cabin. "And even if I had engaged in flirting in the past how would that be wrong? You never showed any interest. You always seemed somewhat disgusted. So please tell me how I should have known it bothered you." He parked the car and got out. He grabbed the groceries from the trunk and walked to the cabin.

TBC...