Situationship 6

Author's Note: We are getting close to the end of this little tale. Thank you to all that have followed along—the next chapter is the conclusion. But, until then, let's have some more awkward situationship fun with Keenler as they start to realize it is more than a situationship now.

Please let me know what you think with a review.

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"Okay, I know it's been a while since I watched football…" Liz said as she leaned into him and laid her hand on his upper thigh. "But isn't offside, offside?"

Ressler chuckled and squeezed her shoulder; his arm was wrapped around the back of her in their seats.

"It's offside when the ball is played forward, not when received," Ressler explained.

He loved that she had been touching him so casually and thoughtlessly lately. Since her concussion she seemed to relax a bit more about them and act more like she wanted this to be a relationship. She had invited him to keep some things at her place and he'd found a pair of her underwear, a small bag of makeup, and some tampons stowed away in his nightstand. He still hadn't asked her about it and assumed she still thought the items were hidden.

"Okay but…" Liz started as she leaned in and nuzzled his cheek with her nose. He smiled at her gesture, one that seemed to be a trademark move she made on him often in bed and outside of it. She always got the same reaction, a smile and him getting turned on. He wasn't sure why her nuzzling his cheek with her nose got his blood pumping, but it did.

"I didn't know you'd be here," Cooper said smiling as he stood in the row in front of them.

"Sir," Ressler said as she sat back and took his arm off the back of Liz's seat and felt her sit back and take her hand away from where it had been resting on his thigh.

"Sir, what are you doing here?" Liz asked. "Hi, Charlene."

"Hi Liz," Charlene smiled at her and then her eyes shifted to Ressler, who was slowly turning into a tomato, and then back to Liz. "We missed kick off because someone kept adding more layers. It's brisk today."

"It is," Liz nodded and smiled.

"Great weather for sitting together to keep warm," Charlene winked at Liz.

"Yeah," Ressler said, looking at Cooper carefully.

"How are you feeling, Liz?" Charlene asked her.

"Still a little sore, but no worse for wear, except for some killer headaches,' Liz smiled at her.

"Liz is tough as nails," Ressler smiled over at her.

"Is this row 11?" Cooper asked.

"No, this is," Ressler said as he reached for Cooper's tickets.

"Oh," Cooper said as he turned and looked toward the end of the row for a number.

"You two are here," Ressler said as he pointed to the two seats that were empty next to them.

"I knew Steve had 4 tickets and was wondering who he sold the other two tickets to," Cooper smiled at them as he and Charlene came into their row.

"I didn't know he had four," Ressler admitted. "I thought it was just the pair."

"No, Steve has had 4 Redskins tickets for as far back as I can remember," Cooper smiled at them as he and Charlene sat down.

"Oh," Ressler sighed as he turned and looked at Liz and shrugged.

"I need to get some beer," Cooper said, turning to Ressler, "care to join me?"

"Uh, yeah, Liz?" Ressler asked turning to her.

"No, I'll drive, you…imbibe," Liz smiled at him.

He smiled back and leaned in to kiss her forehead and then stopped himself before he reached the destination. Ressler cleared his throat and stood and followed Cooper down the stairs.

"How long have you two been together?" Charlene asked Liz as soon as they left.

"Excuse me?" Liz asked, her face starting to go pink.

"Don't 'excuse me' me," Charlene laughed.

Liz sighed and shook her head in the negative.

"So?" Charlene asked.

"We're not exactly together," Liz said, embarrassed and unsure.

Charlene raised an eyebrow.

"Your hands are all over each other when we arrive, and he almost kisses you when he leaves, and you aren't together?" Charlene asked, snickering.

"When you put it that way," Liz chuckled quietly.

"So, how long?" Charlene asked.

"Five months, but…"

"But?" Charlene asked.

Liz shook her head.

"But?" Charlene probed.

"Five in bed, more like three feeling it was more than that," Liz explained. "But I'm not sure he…"

"Oh, he does," Charlene laughed.

Liz looked at her confused.

"Liz, that's a man gone for you, hook, line and sinker," Charlene smiled at the young woman.

Liz shook her head, unsure.

"I've been married for a long time," Charlene smiled at her. "Trust me."

Liz whistled and smiled.

"Don't worry, Harold probably didn't notice a thing, and I'm not going to say anything," Charlene said as she patted Liz's knee. "But, if you want my opinion…"

Liz looked sideways at her and nodded slightly.

"The job you do, it's hard to understand by outside people," Charlene said. "I have tried, and I still think there's a lot Harold can't and won't share with me and that, well, it tears him up. So, if you don't want to live a life that you need to keep from your partner…then I think you've found your partner."

Liz swallowed hard and nodded slightly.

"And, as a side note," Charlene laughed and covered her mouth. "The ones that look the most upstanding tend to be the most fun between the sheets."

Liz turned a darker shade of red and laughed.

"I knew it," Charlene said looking at her with a sly grin.

"I admit to nothing," Liz laughed.

Just then she saw Ressler and Cooper starting back up the stairs toward their seats.

"What'd we miss?" Ressler asked as he handed her a bag of salt and vinegar chips.

"Ohhh, thanks," Liz said as she happily took the chips.

"I didn't realize, Elizabeth," Cooper said as he sat down on the other side of Charlene. "That you and Don spent so much time together outside of work."

"We're friends, sir," Ressler said.

"Please, no 'sir' at a football game," Cooper chuckled. "No, I think it's great when coworkers become friends."

"They scored?" Ressler asked as he looked at the score board in disbelief. "We were gone…"

"It's a fast game," Liz chuckled.

They watched the rest of the game together, with Ressler explaining some of the obscure rules to Liz, Cooper arguing with Ressler over a call they disagreed about, Charlene continuously giving Liz sly looks, and Ressler trying like hell to keep his hands off Liz; it become a habit lately.

When they were exiting the stadium Cooper and Charlene wished them a good night and the pair of them started for the parking lot where Ressler's car was parked.

Liz looked over her shoulder and, not spotting Cooper anymore, turned back to Ressler.

"That was weird," Liz said.

"Do you think Cooper noticed my arm around you when…" Ressler asked.

"No, Charlene thinks he didn't notice anything," Liz said as she snuggled into his side.

Ressler nodded and then suddenly stopped walking.

"Wait, Charlene?" He asked, surprised.

"Women are far more observant than men," Liz grinned.

"How observant?" Ressler asked with narrowed eyes.

"She knows," Liz said.

Ressler huffed and placed his hands on his hips.

"Don't worry, she promised to not tell," Liz said, pulling at his arm to continue walking.

"And you confirmed her suspicions?" Ressler asked her as they started to walk again.

"There was no denying it Ressler," Liz said.

They walked for a few paces before he spoke again.

"What did you say to her?" He asked.

Liz swallowed hard. She wasn't quite ready to tell him what she said to Charlene; that she had felt they were more than sex partners for three of the five months this had been going on.

"Just that something had been going on for a few months," Liz said. "I just confirmed what she already knew, Ressler."

He nodded and when they reached his car he quickly looked around and, spotting no one they knew, leaned in and kissed her with clear intent.

When they parted, Liz had quirked an eyebrow. "Your place?"

He bit his lip and nodded. "For the weekend?"

She leaned in and kissed him quickly. "I only have one spare pair of underwear stashed at your apartment."

"You won't need them," he said as he covertly ran a hand over her ass under her coat.

"I won't?" She asked innocently and then snickered.

"Liz, when have you ever needed your panties at my place?" Ressler chuckled as he clicked his car unlocked and stepped back from her. "But, if you want a drawer or the entire closet you're welcome to it."

She smiled as she watched him walk around the car to the passenger door and throw her the keys.

"The entire closet?" Liz snickered.

"I've never needed it," he chuckled and shrugged as they got in his car.

Liz got inside and started the engine. They sat in traffic for a long time with his hand on her thigh massaging her leg as she drove and her eyes continuously darting toward him.

"Maybe I could take a drawer," Liz said.

"Don't you have one in the bedside table?" Ressler teased as he patted her leg.

"How do you know about that?" Liz asked, amused.

"I know everything," Ressler smiled at her. "But if you need a bigger one…or a place to put a toothbrush or…"

Liz chuckled softly.

"I'm just saying you're welcome to move in whatever you want, Liz," Ressler said as he drew circles on her thigh.

"Thanks," she smiled over at him.

A song came on that she knew, and Liz started to hum along with it while Ressler leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

When they got to his apartment parking lot, she looked over at him sound asleep. He had stopped massaging her thigh and drawing circles on it a while ago. He'd also drank quite a few beers with Cooper at the game. Liz turned the car off and smiled at him. She thought about what Charlene had said: he's gone for you, hook, line and sinker. She leaned over him and gently pushed some hair that had fallen onto his forehead to the side.

"I may be gone for you too," she said quietly to herself in the darkness of his car. "Hook, line and sinker."

She leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips and he started to stir.

He sat up slightly and wiped at his mouth. "Sorry, did I fall asleep?"

"Yeah, but you're cute when you sleep," Liz smiled at him.

He gave her a sly smile and wiped at his eyes.

"Ready to go inside?" He asked.

"Yeah, let's get some sleep," Liz said, patting his knee.

"Sleep?" He asked, surprised.

"You've got me for the rest of the weekend Ressler," Liz chuckled as she started to open her door. "Tonight, we sleep, and, in the morning, I will make sure the panties are long gone."

"I'm liking this plan," he grinned at her.

"I thought you would," Liz smirked before they got out of his car and started to the building.

To be continued…