Hi! Thanks for the reviews again! I decided to make this a final, short closing chapter! I might do some one shots with this story though! Thanks for the reviews throughout anyway. I really appreciate them! This is just a closing sort of chap so hope it's not boring!

Don't own the Blacklist! I have no song for this one i just listened to a bunch of happy songs! :D

Thank you!

Lizzie held her head high as she walked into work on Monday morning. She had her six days off (They went a lot quicker than she would have liked) But she was refreshed, happy, and ready to work. Over the weekend Red had convinced her to enjoy their time together, and not let the possible consequences for their actions to invade her mind. He wanted her happy and that meant at work as well. If they were to get caught, Red would whisk her away. He promised. And she knew he would do just that. She trusted him undoubtedly, and he trusted her when she told him she wouldn't hesitate to leave if they had to.

So this morning she got out of bed with a leap in her step. Although, she didn't get very far because Red tugged on her arm and insisted she must come back to bed. Just for half an hour, he said.

She caught herself smiling widely and blush profusely, hoping no one had seen. Red and her were at a sort of stage in their relationship, where...she didn't know how to put it romantically, or in some form of lovely poetry, but she just couldn't keep her hands off him. Vice versa. Once kiss, lead to two kiss, and two kisses, lead to three kisses and three kisses lead to...She shook her head to get rid of the thoughts.

"Hey," She knocked on Ressler's door to his office. It was open so she let herself in.

"You found something?" Ressler asked, the lines creasing on his forehead as he shut the lid of his laptop. "This guy is invisible."

"No," she shook her head and took a seat. "Aram is close to something apparently. He's hacking the guys computer system or something along those lines." She chuckled because she had no clue what Aram did with computers. "But..uh, do you think we can talk?"

"About Reddington?"

"Yeah."

"Sure," Ressler nodded awkwardly. "Look, i'll act more civil towards him if that's what you want."

Liz gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks. I know he can be-"

"Smug? Infuriating? A pain in the ass?" Ressler supplied.

"...sure." Lizzie smiled. "But we aren't, what I did was a mistake and one I won't-"

"Liz," Ressler interrupted quickly. "I think it's best if you don't tell me anything. I don't want to know because I don't know if I will believe it. You told me you loved him."

Lizzie watched him carefully unsure of how to continue. She felt bad for lying to him but it was something she needed to do. Regardless of the fact that he was her friend. But now he didn't want to hear it? She hoped she wasn't that see through. He was right thought. The word love wasn't something you throw around willy nilly.

"Look, I trust you." Ressler said. "And strangely enough I trust Reddington. I trust him to help us with all these cases but that's where it stops. I know he saved my life and I know somewhere under that whole charade of his, he is a fairly decent guy. But I'd rather stay in the dark about you two."

Lizzie nodded. "Okay."

"But if he hurts you, Liz, I don't know how to help you."

Lizzie nodded again passing him a small smile. "Thanks Ressler."

"I have something! People! I've done it!" Aram called out from his office.

"Lizzie," Red said as he looked out the front window of her car. "I'm feeling uncomfortable about the direction we are going."

"You're feeling uncomfortable because Dembe's not driving."

"That's not true." He protested. "But this is a little way out-of-town, sweetheart. I can't imagine a single romantic spot along this road."

"Why?"

"The road is very bumpy."

"I like it."

Red sniffed and tapped his fingers on his thigh. His mind wandered and soon he had that faraway look in his eyes. She got got comfortable in her seat, she knew him well. Story time.

"I once, Lizzie, had a ten-hour journey on a road very similar to this. I was in a very cramped van off to visit a man about a herb."

"A herb?"

"Coriander," he nodded. "That story is for another time." He smiled and Lizzie gave him an amused look.

"Anyway, I must have sat awkwardly because I tweaked my back. I couldn't move for two weeks but this wonderful women, very attractive she was, did a form of Reiki on me. I wouldn't believe it at first, but it was a very spiritual practise Lizzie, and the pain was gone instantly! Within the hour."

Lizzie glanced at him and smiled. "Well this is a fifteen minute drive Red. I'm sure you will be alright. But I do promise to hire an attractive woman to relieve you of any pain if you do happen to tweak your back. "

"That will not be necessary. You have very capable hands, Lizzie, and your attractiveness would exceed any."

"Charming." Lizzie replied with a nonchalant shrug. She was glad it was dark however, because she could feel the heat on her cheeks. She still hadn't got quite use to his compliments and she wasn't sure if she ever would.

"I do try."

"Right, here we are." Lizzie smiled excitedly and turned off down a driveway. "Please go in with a positive attitude, Red. And no comparing it to your place."

"Excuse me? Lizzie," he leaned forward and peered out the front window. "I thought you said you had booked us a hotel? I quite vividly remember you saying it was a hotel."

Lizzie smiled as she drove slowly down the driveway, her lights full beam. Apparently there were a few wild cats around and she didn't want to hit any by accident.

"I tricked you."

"Did you buy a house?" His tone portrayed his shock and he stared at her with such wide eyes she had to try hard not to laugh. She tilted her head casually, loving that she had caught him off guard.

"Maybe."

She parked her car just outside the small garage and let the headlights shine on the small bungalow house. She watched Red open his door and hop out without saying a word. Her eyes followed him as he crossed driveway and walked over to the small lawn. His feet squished the grass and she heard him give off a little 'hmm'. She rolled her eyes. Turning the headlights off, she grabbed her handbag and walked up to the front door. Red had meanwhile started inspecting the outside of the house once the outdoor light had clicked on. She wondered if he did this with every house he brought or if he left it up to someone else.

Finally finding the right key, she unlocked the front door and turned on the first light. The house still made her smile.

He didn't say anything when he followed her in, and she wasn't sure if he was scrutinising, or admiring it. She, however, was still in awe over her little house. It surprisingly had two storeys which when looking from the outside was hard to believe. It had one master bedroom, a smaller one, a decent sized lounge and a nice open planned kitchen, with a small dining room.

There was something about the house that just felt right. to her. When the agent showed her around it didn't take long to win her over. But she did 'um' and 'ah' as she looked around, trying to not act too interested. She put an offer in two days later.

"So what's the verdict?" She asked, placing her keys on the bench top. "Obviously there's no furniture yet but I think with a little work it will be really nice."

"May I look around the rest of the house?"

She nodded. "Sure."

Lizzie then grabbed her keys again, remembering the food and wine they left in the car. She walked back in carrying the wine, glasses and take out. Cooking for Red was what she had wanted to do but she had nothing in her fridge and all her appliances were still stored away in the storage sheds. They were both late coming back from work and when Red suggested Chinese, she couldn't think of a single objection.

She heard the patter of footsteps coming towards her and she kept herself busy pouring the wine into two glasses. His strong arms slid around her midsection from behind, his chest pressing lightly against her back. He leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"Your fire-place is fabulous."

She grinned. "I knew you would approve."

"I think the house has a lot of character, Lizzie." He said, leaving his arms around her waist but looking up from her and around the kitchen. "I think it was an excellent choice. I do however," he rested his chin back on her shoulder. "Have no idea how you managed to keep it from me."

"Well I can be very secretive you see." She turned in his arms and passed over his wine. "But I wanted it to be a surprise and i had Dembe help."

"For me?" He questioned, somewhat confused.

"Kind of," she didn't elaborate but clinked her wine glass lightly against his. "I wanted to have everything in here first before i showed you. But I was so excited I couldn't wait."

Red smiled with her. His heart warmed at the passion she showed for her new home. He watched with wonder as she sniffed her wine and swirled it before bringing it to her lips. His head tilted at her little routine and how knowledgeable she had become with her wines.

"Good wine," she nodded.

"Indeed." He replied. Although he had spent his time watching her instead of trying his. He looked over her shoulder at the chinese takeout. "Shall we take this into the other room?"

"There aren't any tables," she quirked a smile.

Red took a step back from her and reached forward to place his wine on the bench. He grabbed the take out containers and the plastic forks that had been thrown in to the bag.

"We can make do." He replied, carrying the food through to the other room while Lizzie picked up his wine glass up and followed him. "We've had dinner on the floor before."

"That's when we had a thick rug to sit on," Lizzie responded. "But I'm happy to see your enthusiasm with the place," She smiled teasingly.

Red huffed a quiet laugh and sat on the wooden floor. "I will have Dembe bring some firewood around for you tomorrow."

"Oh, thank you." She sat down next to him, resting her lower arm on his thigh and crossing her legs to one side.

"I use to live in a very similar home to this when I was young," He told her. "I was ten years old and it was a house full of secret rooms and basements. It was made for children that house."

She smiled at him and he knew it was because he had shared something from his past.

"I'm glad I chose this one then." She replied, briefly wondering what Red would have been like as a child. She sipped her wine as she pondered. He would have been adventurous, and probably quite the talkative, mischievous kid.

Red pulled the lids off each dish and picked up one of the plastic forks, he twirled it in his fingers, before passing it to her.

"I'm going to have to move houses again," he spoke. "Which is unfortunate I was just starting to feel at home in the one i'm in now."

"Really?"

"I've been there for a while." He responded. "It's probably fine but I would rather not risk it."

"Hm," Lizzie nodded, pushing her fork into the sweet and sour dish and lifting the food into her mouth. She placed her hand just under her chin incase she spilled anything. "That's annoying."

"Why did you decide to move further from town?" Red asked.

Lizzie had already asked herself this question. Before she brought the house she wondered why she was looking for somewhere further from work. It was a twenty-minute drive compared to her usual five. But it didn't take her long to answer.

"I was sick of being in the middle of everything. It was busy and loud. I thought I'd like having a more quiet home to come back to after work. It's private and sort of cozy. I really like it."

Red nodded, stealing some of the sweet and sour dish sitting on Lizzie's lap.

"And I was thinking," Lizzie started slowly, passing him the dish he was reaching for. "That it's sort of hidden away from everything so, you know, you can stay here lots and considering I don't have to move destinations every few months like you," she swallowed the small noodle that caught in her throat. "Then you can sort of call this place your home..if you want to that is."

Red stared at her and she flustered under his intense gaze.

"I'm not saying you have to move in. I'm just saying you can at least have somewhere stable." Her eyes flickered nervously. "It's just a suggestion..and I know we might have to both move one day anyway."

Red's lips turned up into a warm smile."Would you calm down?"

"I am calm."

"You're not giving me the time to get a word out."

"Because I don't want to hear you telling me how dangerous it would be."

"I'm not that predictable am I? And I have you know, sweetheart, I wasn't going to mention that."

"What were you going to mention then?"

"Lizzie," He took the wine glass from her grip and placed it on the ground. He brushed his hands on his pants then took her hands in his. "I'm being entirely sincere when I tell you, Lizzie, that I have never met a more compassionate person than you." He nodded seriously. "I've never met any one as wonderful as you."

"You've met a lot of people." She replied, looking down at their hands. "A lot of bad people may I add."

He chuckled at her, not surprised at all when her modesty brushed off his compliment. He squeezed her hands. "I've met a lot of good people as well and I will continue to do so." He answered. "But I will never meet anyone quite like you, Lizzie."

"I have to tell you something." Lizzie said quietly as she shifted under the covers into his warm embrace. She had a bed. The only piece of furniture in the entire house and Red had teased her nonstop about what she was 'expecting to happen here tonight.'

Red was sitting up in her bed, his back resting against the wall. His skin feeling blissful against her cotton sheets. He was helping her read through the reports for work she needed to catch up on. He could clearly see it was the last thing on her mind, however and he didn't blame her. He stretched his arm around her shoulders.

"Hm? What is it?"

"I'm in love with you," she pulled the papers out from his hand and threw them. She watched them scatter on the floor before looking back up to him.

"I thought you had to read those before tomorrow? And I know you do." He raised an eyebrow but smiled, because he always found himself smiling when she told him she loved him.

Lizzie shook her head. "No," she wrapped her arms around his bare chest, and stretched one leg over his waist. "I've never had as strong of feelings for anyone, as I do for you."

He quickly pulled her on top of him and rested his hands on the back of her silk top. "I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Wine makes you very flirty, Lizzie."

Her eyebrows knitted together. "That's not true."

"It's true."

"Really?"

"Positive."

"Oh."

She rolled off him and he reached down for the papers on the floor. She watched him pick them up and shuffle them into a pile. She pouted and let out a groan.

"Fine. Keep reading and can we start from the beginning because I don't think I was listening."

"I'm not reading them Lizzie. We don't have time for that." He pushed them under the bed and out of sight. He moved next to her and hovered his face just above hers. "I reciprocate the feelings, Lizzie."

She smiled up at him and she reached her hand up to touch his cheek. She felt his cheek raise under her fingers as he smiled.

"I'm really happy," she whispered.

"I can tell," he leaned down and kissed her lips slowly. "And it makes me undeniably happy, beautiful."

Her hand curled around the nape of his neck and she released the smallest of moans when his hand traveled up her camisole.

"The privacy this house has is remarkable."

Lizzie smiled into the kiss, then open her mouth finding his tongue immediately. She touched him with her hands everywhere on his chest. Around his back and up his sides.

"Hm, Red-" She trailed her lips down his neck. "I want you so bad right now."

Red groaned. "Lizzie, that sort of talk is not going to make me last, sweetheart."

"We can go slowly." Lizzie moved her hands down between them and unbuckled his pants. "I love you."

Red gripped the hem of her shirt and slipped it over her head.

"I love you, Lizzie."