The Long Game

Part 25

Author's Note: There is a time jump here—this chapter takes place during the Mombasa Cartel right after Don breaks down in the back of the ambulance with Liz. Please leave a review.

WWWWWWWW

She told him to take one pill, once he was cleared by the medics and they got into the car waiting for Samar. Then she asked for the bottle, for the night, and promised to give it back to him tomorrow. He went to hand her the bottle without taking one, his hand shaking uncontrollably, and she pushed it back, just one, she cautioned.

She knew him too well, he was putting up a good front, but he was a wreck. She also knew quitting cold turkey after what he had been through was a recipe for disaster. He took one, looking away form her as he did, she knew he was embarrassed by his weakness, an handed her the bottle. He was sweating and cold and shaking and she pulled him down on her lap, his head resting on her thighs and reached for an FBI jacket laying on the floor and draped it over him.

"It's going to be okay," she said softly as she combed her fingers gently though his hair and he closed his eyes.

She had sensed something was wrong, but she honestly thought it was alcohol—that he was deling with whatever was going on with some late night drinking. Liz was honestly surprised when she saw it was drugs. It's not like he was shooting up in an alley, but he was addicted to opioids. She had noticed his delayed response, his punchy nature, his aggression, his lateness, all the things that were so not Don. But she had been too caught up in her own drama of Reddington and Tom to do anything about it. She should have done something.

In truth, things had been strained between them, at times, since they got back from San Juan. And yet, other times it was as if nothing had changed. Now she knew, they had been heading in different directions over the last couple of months and they hadn't turned to look at each other much. They hadn't been back to the apartment in Baltimore or their roles as Liz and Don Hughes and, after months of playing them, everything felt off not being them anymore. It seemed to Liz that since Reddington showed up again, her snow globe of a world had been shaken, and she had no control over it.

Samar got in the car and was surprised to see Liz sitting in the back seat stroking Ressler's hair as he lay on her lap with his eyes shut.

"We're ready if you are," Liz said as she met Samar's eyes and hoped she wouldn't say anything that would humiliate Don more.

"He okay?" Samar asked as she eyed Ressler.

"He will be," Liz said as she looked down at Don and half willed him to fall asleep until tomorrow.

Samar nodded and started the car. "Local PD gave me the name of a motel not far from here until we can get a flight out tomorrow."

Liz nodded and stroked his hair.

The drive to the hotel was quiet, with only a local country station playing softly in the car, the volume so low you could only make out the tune and not the words of any song.

When Samar pulled into a small roadside motel, she unbuckled her seat belt and started to get out when Liz stopped her with her words.

"Just get 2 rooms," Liz said as she met Samar's eyes.

Samar looked between her and Ressler and nodded, going inside to book them rooms.

When she returned, Liz had woken up Ressler from his fitful half-sleep and they were standing outside the car, him leaning against the door with his head down and his arms crossed over his chest, and her standing protectively next to him.

Samar handed Liz a key and looked at Ressler one more time before she said, "See you in the morning," and walked away.

"Come on," Liz said as she nudged his shoulder and looked down at the key. She watched Samar go to the second floor of the building and looked at the numbers on the doors, they were on the first floor.

Liz smiled, she had purposely chosen rooms away from each other for privacy. Liz was liking Samar more and more each day.

She opened the door and gestured for Don to go inside first, he walked into the dark room and just stood there in the dark. Confused, Liz shut the door behind her and went to reach for the light.

"Don't," Don's voice broke in the quiet of the room.

Liz swallowed hard and nodded, he needed to live in some darkness tonight.

She walked blindly toward where the bed would be and pulled back the sheets before sitting on it and starting to take off her shoes.

"You don't have to stay," Don said, she could feel the tension in his voice.

"I know," Liz replied simply.

She let her boots drop to the ground and removed her jacket, pants and the rest of her clothes until she was in her underwear and tank top and, when she didn't hear him move, got up and walked toward him.

She pulled the jacket off his shoulders and started to unbutton his shirt.

"Liz…" Don said and she could hear his voice cracking, she knew their were tears probably falling from his eyes.

"You aren't perfect," she said softly as she pulled the shirt from his shoulders. "You are allowed to make mistakes and fix them."

She heard a muffled sob and reached for his pants, undoing the belt and the fly and dropping them to the floor. She left in in his t-shirt and boxer briefs and walked him, holding her hand toward the bed.

"And you are going to fix this," Liz said as she sat down and pulled him next to her. "I will help you."

It was then that he started to cry again, in the dark, in the silence of the room and she wrapped her arm around him and he fell against her. She held him tight as he cried against her shoulder and, when it had tired him out, she helped him lay down and wrapped her arms around him from behind, spooning him, securing him to her, making him feel safe.

In the morning, as the light came into their room and Liz looked around for the first time, she saw a picture of a wolf on the wall opposite them. She studied it for a long time while Ressler softly snored in her arms. He'd had a fitful night and neither of them had slept much, so she was not going to wake him until she had to. She looked at the creature, proud and staring at whomever dared to look at him and thought of Ressler. Powerful, assured, lone, and determined. She needed to bring him back to that, and she knew him well enough that he was going to fight any help she offered every step of the way. He was the wolf who thought he needed no one and could do anything if he was determined enough. She knew all too well that drug addiction was not a straight path, he was going to have setbacks and would need support, and she hoped he would let her be that for him.

There was a buzz on her phone and Liz pulled her arms away from Don and lifted it to see the message.

"Can we speak?" Samar's text message read.

"Yes," Liz texted back before she leaned over and kissed Don on his temple, his back to her and his snores bouncing off the wall next to him.

She covered him to his shoulders and pulled on some pants and her shirt. She was just stepping out of the room and doing up her pants when she almost bumped into Samar who was standing right outside their door looking in at Don.

"How is he?" Samar asked.

Liz turned around and looked at Don sleeping and shut the door.

"Shaken," Liz said as she and Samar stepped away from the door and she leaned against the railing. It was cold and she should have brought her jacket.

"You two are involved?" Samar asked, plainly.

"We're partners," Liz said meeting her eyes.

Samar nodded. "I had a partner like that, Levi."

Liz just let the information sit between them.

"I put down on the record that you and I shared a room because of limited availability," Samar said. "This isn't the French police, after all."

Liz looked at her confused.

"They are more open about inter-office affairs," Samar offered.

Liz nodded.

"I'm glad he had you," Samar said as she met Liz's eyes.

Liz swallowed and looked beyond Samar, noting for the first time that the curtains were open in she and Don's room and Samar, standing outside their door, would have seen her sleeping with him spooned in her arms, the kiss she placed on his temple, and her in her underwear rising from the bed. She already knew more about Liz's relationship with Don a few weeks into the task force than probably anyone else.

"Thank you for putting that down on paper," Liz said as she launched herself off the railing and started toward the door to the room. "I'll book us flights home."

"Already done," Samar said behind her. "That's why I came to get you. We need to leave for the airport in an hour."

Liz turned and looked at the woman and nodded. "Thanks."

Samar smiled at her. "I'll meet you both at the car then."

Liz opened the door to their room and went inside, grateful for the heat inside. She debated showering and changing, but instead stripped down again and got in bed with him, grateful for the furnace that his body was, and snuggled into his back.

"Samar is going to report this," Don said, his voice still heavy with sleep.

Liz raised her head, surprised he was awake.

"No, she's not," Liz said as she snuggled into his back and wrapped her arms around his body a little tighter. "She doesn't know about the drugs."

Don rolled onto his back and looked her in the eyes, for probably the first time since the incident. His were still bloodshot and there were scratches on his face.

"She had to know," Don said as she sighed. "And she clearly knows about us here. Liz, I don't want you to get in trouble for…"

"She doesn't know about the drugs, but I'm glad I finally do," Liz said, not trying to make him feel guilty, but being honest. "And she said she listed she and I in the same room last night because of limited availability. We're good."

Don sighed and closed his eyes. Liz placed her head on his chest and reassured herself that his heart was still beating strong inside.

"Don, I don't know why this started or how," Liz said. "And you don't have to tell me. But I know it's got to stop."

He nodded, still not opening his eyes.

"There are groups…"

"I'm not a group guy, Liz," Don chuckled.

"Maybe you need to be?" Liz asked him. "Or there are addictions counselors…"

Don scoffed again.

"Don, you can't do this alone," Liz offered.

He said nothing in return.

Liz looked at the wolf picture on the far wall and remembered that wolves were part of a pack, she hoped Don would realize that as well.

To be continued….