The Long Game
Part 26
Author's Note: Takes place during the Russian Denislov right after Reddington says Vive La France. We're going to spend a little time in this space, so this is the start of a couple of chapters in the middle of this episode. Please leave a review.
VVVVV
She was ready to snap, Reddington had an ulterior motive—always. She should have known better. After everything she had been through, they had been through, it came down to money. She was in Uzbekistan thinking that she was actually helping a group of wronged people and really, that was the secondary plot.
Liz slammed the floor number when she got to the elevator and when she got to her room, she slammed the door. She knew it was childish, but it brought her a certain level of satisfaction.
"Liz?" Don asked as he came into the room through their adjoining door.
"He infuriates me!" She said loudly. "As if I don't have enough going on with the harbour master and…"
"And, what else do you have going on?" Don asked as he walked toward her.
She wanted to say 'you' but knew it would just make him feel guilty. He would automatically jump to the conclusion that his recovery was taxing on her, it wasn't. That their relationship status, or whatever was going on with them, was a burden, it wasn't. Liz just felt that so much was falling away and closing in on her at the same time. So, she told him the other thing that was keeping her awake.
"I found a device in an old bunny that survived the fire with me," Liz said. "I don't know why it was in the bunny or what is on it, I have Aram…"
"What could be on it?" Don asked.
"I don't know," Liz said. "I think it has something to do with Reddington, but I can't be sure."
"What's Aram found?" Don asked.
"I'll find out when we get back," Liz said.
Don nodded.
"Reddington said wheels up in an hour," Don offered. "So that won't be too long."
"I wish I was flying separate," Liz said.
"I know, but it's just a flight, you can pretend to sleep," Don offered.
She chuckled. "True."
It was then that she noticed he was standing holding his shaving kit, he must have been packing in the other room when she threw her little temper tantrum.
"How are you doing?" Liz asked him. "You haven't been able to see Lyle this week…"
"I'm okay, thanks," Don said.
"Have you spoken to him about what happened on the rig?" Liz asked.
"He's an addictions counselor, Liz," Don scoffed.
"And an incident like that one, or really, many of the situations you find yourself in, could drive you back to…"
"Nothing is driving me back to the pills," Don said sincerely as he met her eyes.
Liz nodded and watched him got back into his room to pack.
After Sitka, she had found an addictions counselor that she thought was a good fit for him. Lyle, a no-nonsense regular-guy counsellor who didn't force Ressler to talk about his childhood or his feelings ad nauseum. He made Ressler face his addiction, but in a way that worked for Don. She had gone with him the first time and sat in the waiting room while he met with Lyle and was happy to see Don come out smiling and shaking Lyle's hand. He'd booked an appointment for the following week.
She'd taken him out to lunch to celebrate and was happy to see Don talk about things that made him happy, his Nana's 85th birthday, playing a prank on Aram, and a stand-up comedy show they went to together last week. One other thing that had helped his recovery was their spending more time with each other, Liz couldn't exactly call it dating, because they had already slept together and lived together, it was…something else entirely. It was as if not being a couple made them miss each other. So, she had asked him to dinner, he had, in turn, asked her to a movie, and the pattern continued. Which is why his words "The difference is you aren't in love with Reddington" hurt. She wasn't still in love with Tom, she hadn't completely fallen out of love with him, but she wasn't in love with him anymore.
Her feelings for Don were approaching love, and may actually be love, she wasn't sure. They just couldn't seem to catch a break. He was the most important person to her, but she knew how important it was for someone recovering from addiction to not jump into a relationship. She also kept thinking about Cooper's words-how she could ruin everything he had been working toward. Which is why they hadn't slept together again, why they hadn't kissed, and why they had gone back to a very friendly friendship. Very friendly in the sense that she readily held his hand, that he wrapped an arm around the back of her chair, that she leaned into his frame when they sat, that they hugged. It was as if they were, like everything else in her life, experiencing a scrambled-up version of how a relationship should progress.
She heard a knock on Don's door and him answer it. Liz went to the door that adjoined their rooms and saw Reddington and Dembe standing in Don's room.
"Why are you here?" Liz asked she leaned against the frame with her arms crossed.
"I don't understand why you got two rooms," Reddington said as he looked between the pair of them. "Was it so Uncle Sam doesn't know about..?"
"Why are you here?" Don echoed her words.
"I am here because I wanted to warn you, we are making a stop in Frankfurt on the way back," Reddington said.
"Frankfurt?" Don asked, knowing Liz wanted to return to Aram as soon as possible and find out what was on the device she found.
"Don and Liz Hughes are back," Reddington said with a broad smile. "I want you to be prepared to meet your next target."
He handed Don a file and Don immediately opened it to look at the person.
"We're meeting with a German?" Liz asked.
"No, an American," Reddington offered. "He currently lives in Germany, but he's as American as you can get."
Liz looked at him confused.
"He's military," Don said as he closed the file and looked at Reddington confused.
"Dealing in military arms,' Reddington offered with a smile.
Don turned and looked at Liz. He could tell from the look on her face, they were both not prepared for a soldier who was also a criminal.
To be continued….