Wait Part 3
Author's Note: Set after the attempt on Liz's life at the courthouse.
And this little tale is going off book pretty soon, because it would be impossible to follow canon and still make this work so just warning anyone now who thinks I'm staying within canon. I won't be.
Let me know what you think!
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She couldn't stop trembling and he couldn't wait for the damn guard to open the door to her cell so they could get her out of the chains. She had thrown up in a cleaning bucket in the hallway after the attempt on her life and Ressler was concerned about her health as well as her safety now.
"I'll take it from here, thanks," Ressler said as he stepped inside and grabbed the key to her locks and chains.
"I can't leave the door unlocked," the guard said.
"Then lock me inside," Ressler said. "Come back in a half hour."
The perplexed look on the guard's face would have been funny if Liz had not been crumbling beside him. And Ressler knew Cooper was in the hallway outside, so there was no need to worry about being a sitting duck with the two of them in her cell.
Ressler heard the clang of the door as he was unlocking her cuffs. He could see her knees shaking even in the baggy prison uniform she wore. When all the chains were undone, he felt her fall over his back. He stood carefully and grabbed onto her when he knew she would need to let go of him for support. In truth, his heart was hammering in his chest and his breathing was erratic, but he had done a better job at hiding his distress than she had.
She stepped into his arms, and he pulled her tight against him.
"It's okay, you're safe," Ressler said softly as they swayed slightly.
He was sure she could feel his own body shaking slightly and his heart pounding, so he wasn't sure how reassuring his words actually were, but he tried.
"You almost died," Liz said from somewhere buried in his jacket.
He furrowed his brow, the shot was meant for her.
"Liz, you almost died not…" Ressler started.
She pulled back and looked at him with her crystal blue eyes.
"I saw how close that bullet came to your head when you pushed me down," Liz said, a stream of tears falling slowly down her cheek.
"It probably would have bounced off this noggin," he chuckled, trying to make light of the situation.
"Not funny," she chuckled with him.
He pulled her back against him and they stood quiet and calming each other down for a few minutes before she spoke.
"There are cameras," she said as she started to pull away.
"Screw them," he said with his thick Detroit accent that only made an appearance when he was being defiant.
"You have a career you need to protect," she said as she successfully pulled away.
He sighed as she stepped away from him. Honestly, his career was the last thing he cared about in this moment.
She sat on her cot and looked up at him, nodding her head to the empty side next to her, inviting him to sit.
He did, causing the cot to creak as it took his weight.
"I'd like to know how guys that are 250, 300 sleep on these," he chuckled. "Seriously, you're maybe 110 and it barely supports you, never mind both of us."
She smiled and dropped her head.
"I'm going to jail…" Liz started.
"No, we have Karakurt," Ressler said. "I told you, Tom came through."
"You have more faith in my ex-husband than I do," Liz chuckled.
"I don't know how to explain it, Liz," Ressler said as he looked at his hands. "But he seems to want to do right by you. I think he may feel bad for all that went down."
Liz turned her head and looked at him intrigued. "Are you making a case for me to forgive Tom?"
Ressler chuckled. "No, I'm just saying that…look, I don't know all that went down between you two besides what you shared, but I know he's done everything he can to get Karakurt here to clear your name. That says something."
Liz sighed.
"What?" Ressler asked.
"I know Tom," Liz said shaking her head. "If he's doing this…"
Ressler twisted his upper body to face her more fully. "'If he's doing this'…what?"
Liz exhaled and twisted her fingers together.
"He wants to get back together," Liz said as she met his eyes.
Ressler felt his stomach drop. One one-night stand did not a relationship make, an accidental pregnancy was also not high on anyone's list of a commitment, but the idea of her returning to Tom before they could even explore whatever this may be between them? Yeah, that didn't sit right either.
"And what do you want?" Ressler asked as he swallowed hard and tried to control his facial expression.
Liz sighed and reached for his hand, entwined it with her own, and pulled it against her outer thigh.
He sighed with relief. Again, her taking his hand wasn't saying anything in particular, other than she seemed to want to figure this out as well.
"How are you feeling?" He asked. "Hungry?"
"I'm fine," Liz said.
"You didn't keep your breakfast down, or eat much of your lunch based on what happened just now in the hallway," he said.
"You keeping tabs on me now?" Liz asked him with a smirk.
"I didn't save your life to have you waste away Liz," he chuckled.
Her smirk grew and she stood, dropping his hand. "I'd actually just love some chicken soup."
"Chicken soup? That would make you happy?" Ressler asked as he stood as well.
She nodded.
"I'll see what I can do when he gets back," Ressler said. "Maybe Cooper can get…"
"You should get it," she said softly.
"Me?" Ressler asked.
"You have been in here with me, been guarding me, for days," Liz said. "When have you eaten? Gone for a walk? Got fresh…"
"I'm fine," Ressler said.
"Yeah, about as fine as I am," Liz chuckled sadly.
He sighed.
"Hey, how did the reporters know Karakurt was coming in?" Liz asked, knowing his arrival had even been caught on film as well as the statement from Ressler.
He hissed slightly and placed his hand on his hip as he looked down at his shoes, knowing he was also blushing in the process.
"What?" She asked, intrigued.
"You know that News 1 reporter Katie Langfeld?" Ressler asked.
Liz nodded.
"You know her?" Liz asked.
He sighed again.
"She's always had a thing for me," Ressler admitted, not proud of his actions. "I tipped her off."
"You did?" Liz asked, a smile creeping across her face. "And what did you promise her besides an exclusive?"
"I didn't promise her an exclusive, I just needed bodies at the door for when he came in so…anyways, I promised her dinner, expensive wine and…"
Liz raised an eyebrow.
"Not that," he scoffed. "She wants to write a story about the FBI agent who tracked down his own partner."
Liz shook her head and smiled.
"So, you knocked me up and are now dating this woman?" Liz chuckled.
"Liz, you know I wouldn't…"
"I'm joking Ressler," she said as she walked toward him.
He took a deep breath and looked at her upset.
"Look, I don't know what this…this between us is," Liz said. "And just because of one night or what I said, it doesn't mean you shouldn't date or…"
"I'm not," he said. "I need to follow through on my promise to her but that's it."
"So, what are you saying?" Liz inquired.
He looked at her and debated whether it was time to be completely honest or try and avoid this conversation considering everything that was going on around them.
"I'm attracted to you, and I have feelings for you, Liz," he said, going with honesty. "I'd like to see this through, see where this goes, if…if you are willing to as well."
"Head of FBI Task force dating woman in jail? There's a story for Katie," Liz chuckled.
"I don't care about…"
"Well, you should," Liz said forcefully.
"Well, I don't," he said equally forcefully. "Look, if you are free or…or in jail. We'll figure this out. And maybe it won't work out, maybe we are totally wrong for each other, but I'd at least like to try."
She nodded.
"And Liz, 'try' can mean with or without the baby," Ressler clarified. "That's not a deal breaker or something that…"
"I know," she interrupted. "I know."
He nodded and they both turned when they heard the door opening and the guard came inside with Cooper.
"Agent Ressler," Cooper said as he looked at them locked in the cell together. "Have you have also been arrested?"
Ressler smiled at him and chuckled.
"No, just helping Liz calm down," he said before he patted Liz's arm and walked toward the door to her cell where he was released, and it was closed behind him.
"Chicken soup?" Ressler asked as he looked over his shoulder at her.
She nodded.
"I'll be back," he said looking at Cooper. "You're okay to stay?"
Cooper nodded and patted Don on the shoulder.
Don reached for his overcoat and handed it to Liz through the bars.
"Get some sleep while I'm out," he said.
She took the coat and nodded. "Thanks."
He smiled at her and walked out of the holding area to get her some soup.
To be continued…