Hey ya:) Thank you all for the reviews, favs and follows:) I felt motivated to write another chapter rather fast;) So...we are getting near the big final meeting...but we are not there yet;) I need some more Lizzington before we get to the action part again:) Hope you'll like it:) Dont forget to let me know what ya think:)
Disclaimer: I don't own the show or the characters and don't make any money with the story. Just wanna have some fun :)
Chapter 12
Two days later Red was on his way to Liz room, carrying a glass of her now favourite lemonade. It was late afternoon and his attire looked as lazy as he felt. Sleeves crumbled up and no tie. Red knew the relaxed mood was about to end the moment he told Liz what was going to happen in the next few weeks or months.
Without knocking, Red opened the door to her room and shooed the bodyguard out.
"Here you go, sweetheart. Fresh lemonade with a straw. Can I bring you anything else`"
"What happened?"
Her dead panned question surprised him, but he managed to keep his face in confused scowl.
"What should have happened? I brought you something to drink…"
"Red…" a warning glare accompanied the rather hard tone.
"I know you think you are the only one who knows everything about everyone, especially me, and that you are the master of reading people but you seem to forget that, though not overly experienced, I AM a profiler after all." Huffing sulkily, she drew a deep breath and the glare made room for a proud look on her face.
"Just so you know: I do recognize some of your behavioral patterns and I AM able to interpret them…sometimes. So spill the beans. You are entirely too nice right now."
"But I am always nice to you, darling."
Liz snorted humorlessly, not looking away from him.
"Alright. You got me."
"Ha, see…I actually know you."
Red laughed and handed her the glass.
"I have the outmost trust in your abilities as a profiler, but sometimes you let yourself be distracted by your emotions." Although he tried to make it sound as light as possible, he could see Liz wasn't baying it at all.
"So what you're saying is that you would trust me if I weren't a wuss?"
Red shook his head, lifting her head slightly with two fingers under her chin.
"If I wouldn't trust you, you wouldn't be here right now."
That sentence ended the conversation, leaving Liz drinking and Red sitting down at the edge of the bed once more.
"We have to try to get some weight on your leg today." He said seriously. Liz swallowed the tasty drink and beamed up at Red.
"You mean I will be able to walk to the bathroom on my own again?"
"Whoho…" Red stopped her excitement with a hand to her shoulder, squeezing gently.
"I don't think you will be able to walk quiet yet. Ehm…" he paused, uncertain of how to explain the situation to her without making it sound worse than it was.
"Did you hear what the doctor said about your leg the day we came here?"
At her shake of her head he continued slowly.
"You will need physiotherapy. You will be off the leg for at least a couple of weeks. Maybe a month…or two. "
Liz gaped at him. Two months? What about their work? What about Sunday?"
"I am sure it won't take that long Red. I was already flexing my toes without pain and I could bent the leg a little bit without bawling like an idiot."
Red hated to destroy the hope her eyes still held, but it had to be said.
"You won't be able to walk more than a few hobbling paces until you get the therapy, which can be only started when the wound healed enough to not tear again. If everything goes well, you can start in two weeks and then it will take approximately three to six weeks, depending on the condition of the muscle and sinews the therapist will come upon."
A defiant look had appeared on Liz face halfway through his explanation.
"So what? I am supposed to wait here on Sunday? And then? You want a new partner?"
"Don't be silly, Lizzie. I've never said…"
"Oh now I am not only a cripple but also a…"
Before she could finish, a warm hand came down on her mouth and blocked any further words.
The rational side in her knew that she was just taking out her frustration on Red and that it wasn't really fair, but the little voice in her ear told her that he would have no use for her now. At least besides the obvious connection and feeling of obligation towards her because of it.
"I don't want to hear one more word about this if you want to be irrational and blind to the truth, is that clear?" his tone was hard but honest and Liz could see anger in his eyes. Well this is a first, she thought. Red has been all kind of thinks towards her. Frustrated, irritated, smug, mocking, hell even sympathetic but never angry. She shook of his hand and lowered her gaze.
"I'm sorry, Red. I just…" she searched for words, shaking her head from side to side in helplessness.
"I want to be helpful. It's my fault Dembe has been kidnapped. Who knows what they are doing to him right now and I am not even able to kick their behinds for it when I get the chance."
Red's demeanor softened at hearing her words.
"Sweetheart, I am going to say it just once, all right? It is not your fault. How could it be? You don't even know this man, you were just a child when I took you from him and you want to blame yourself for this? Lizzie, think!" Both stared at each other. Red could see tears welling up in Liz' eyes and cringed inwardly at that. After he told her about their past she never showed and emotional distress. He knew it would eventually come.
"You can cry, darling. Don't feel ashamed about it. I will be there to hold you."
To his astonishment, Liz nodded but swallowed her tears with only one lonely teardrop escaping and making its wet path over her cheek.
"No, I don't want to cry. You saved my life by taking me from my father. I don't need to cry because of that. But Red, promise me that you will take me with you on Sunday. I have to be there…I need to."
This promise was something that Red could give without having to break it in the end. If he came without Liz, Dembe and possibly himself would be dead instantly.
"I promise. And I also promise that I will be there for you every step of the way. Always. And if you want to I am going to organize a big "surprise" welcome back party when you are finished with your therapy."
"Wow…don't get too crazy, Red."
The laughter in her voice showed him, that for now she would be ok.
Ten minutes later both were ready for her first venture out of bed on her own legs. Red had helped her to sit on the edge of the bed, legs dangling down and feet touching the soft carpet. He had seen her grimacing a few times while moving the leg but she hadn't made a sound, so they continued. Red was crouched in front of her and her hands were holding on to his shoulders.
"I will pull you up with me and you make sure to only use your right leg to stand."
Liz nodded bravely. Inside, she felt unsure and vulnerable. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her clothes were hanging on her slender form. Her own clothes had been delivered yesterday evening, but she had felt comfortable in Red's loose shirt and shorts, but now she regretted not wearing anything more fitting. Finally, she nodded and tensed her muscles for his next move.
Without ceremony, Red grasped her arms by the elbows and stood up, pulling her upwards. The first joyous moment of being in a vertical position again, quickly made room for panic when Liz started feeling her knee buckle. Her hands flailed desperately, finally getting a grip with one hand on Red's forearm and with the other on his golden colored vest.
"Ah sweetheart…I would love to see you throw yourself at me more often but this really doesn't suite you." Although he was shamelessly mocking her, he held fast on to her and brought her nearer to his hard chest.
"You're a jerk." She mumbled embarrassed. Liz really couldn't get over the fact that he was always able to get under her skin. No matter if it was a compliment, rebuke or mockery, he always got her to react. Embarrassment, anger and sheepishness were a common thing for her to feel with him near. Normally she would just ignore people like him and don't even think twice about what's been said, but with him it was different. Somehow, she was different with him. If her steadily growing feelings for him were a cause, she didn't know but she did know that they were growing faster and faster-especially after he told her what happened in the past and that made him her soft spot. Just like she was his. A dangerous concoction, she thought.
His low voice startled her out of her thoughts.
"Yes I am."
Liz felt the unbelievable urge to apologies and reassure him that he wasn't a jerk but she knew that he actually was, so she clamped her mouth shut and straightened a bit, trying out her good leg again.
"Oh…don't feel bad about it, darling, I've been called worse and from your lips an insult always sounds like a compliment, anyway." He grinned cheekily down at her and loosened his grip. Liz blushed uncontrollably in return and ducked her face down, pretending to be interested in her foot. Red's grin remained firmly on his face, while he let his hand land on her left hip.
"Try to put your foot down. Don't overdo it. Just try to stand on it."
Liz obeyed and slowly lowered her left foot to the ground, not putting any weight on it though.
"Go on. Try it."
When he saw her hesitation, Red reassuringly stroked a thumb over the skin on her hip.
"I won't let you fall. I promise."
"I know." She breathed and finally started to lean on her injured leg. Almost immediately, it started to tremble and a searing pain shot through her body. She bit back a groan, biting hard on her lower lip and holding back unbidden tears.
"A little bit more." Red goaded with a demanding tone.
Once again Liz obeyed. She could feel sweat starting to form and she could almost feel the blood draining out of her face, leaving her lips tingling and dark spots dancing in her eyes. Before she could tell Red that she wanted to stop, he had positioned his hands under her arms and pushed her gently backwards, until she was sitting on the bad.
"I guess that is enough excitement for the first time." He murmured and pushed the glass of lemonade into her hand, coaxing her to drink.
"Breathe deeply, Lizzie. Breathe through the pain."
When Liz felt her heart rate starting to normalize and the funny sensation in her lips disappear, she finally looked up, into Red's eyes.
"You did good, darling."
A meek snort escaped her and she laughed.
"Good for a new born maybe."
Liz watched Red's expression change into something she could only describe as a wise look.
"Then consider this the beginning of your new life."
Outside the cottage…
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Marcus?"
"It doesn't matter if it is a good idea or not, it's what Rex wants and so this is what Rex gets."
Silence spread in the small car that stood in the forest, just outside the fence of the safe house.
"I mean there are only two days left, so is it really necessary?"
Marcus turned abruptly and shoved the package he held into his passengers hands.
"You volunteered for this job. You want the money? So shut up and do as Rex says."
He watched the passenger nod, open the door and climb out of the car, walking briskly back to the house.
tbc...
Sooo...what do ya think...who is the mole? I haven't made up my mind yet:)
