Wait 7

Author's Note: Thanks for following along! Just a reminder, we're off book, but some things may still seem familiar. And I hope everyone is good with Aram's use of Keenler here—I thought it seemed a very Aram thing to do. If anyone is part of the twitter or tumbr worlds I go by 8YrKeenler on those platforms.

Please let me know what you think.

OOOOOOO

Donald Ressler was working through the paperwork on The Politician and frustrated trying to find the phone records to cross reference with the witness testimony when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He knew it was probably Liz, and likely a follow-up to the call he missed earlier, it was late and a Friday, and he was just trying to finish this last bit, so he didn't have to take the file home and work on it over the weekend. He would check her text when he found the damn records. He opened up another box and kept searching.

He felt his phone buzz again a few minutes later and was just reaching for it when Aram ran in his office.

"She's being taken to the hospital," Aram said quickly.

"Who?" Ressler asked as he turned on his phone.

"Liz," Aram answered.

"What?!" Ressler snapped as he stood and looked at his phone.

Attacked in parking lot of Rite Aid. Ambulance coming. Will text hospital being taken to.

"Jesus fucking Christ," Ressler said as he reached for his keys and called Liz.

He read the most recent Text.

Mercy General

The phone was ringing in his ear as Aram threw his messenger bag over his shoulder and walked quickly with Ressler toward the elevator.

"Do you think it was random or…?" Aram asked him.

"What?" Ressler asked as the call went to her voice mail.

"Do you think someone attacked Liz because she's Liz or…?"

"I don't know," Ressler said as he stabbed the elevator button to take him to his car, oblivious to the fact that Aram was coming with him.

Ressler hit her number again.

"She's number one on your phone?" Aram asked.

Ressler ignored him.

Her phone went to voicemail again.

"I'll tell Samar so she can meet us there," Aram said as he tapped on his phone.

"What did she say to you?" Ressler asked as he waited for the doors to open on the parking level.

"She texted that she was attacked and 911 was called, and she couldn't get a hold of you," Aram said as he hit send for the message he texted Samar and looked up at a worried Ressler.

"Nothing else?" Ressler asked.

"Isn't that enough?" Aram asked.

The doors opened and Ressler ran for his car.

"We're running?" Aram called as he ran behind the man.

He barely got in the passenger seat before Ressler started to drive out of the lot.

His driving was fast, controlled, but also incredibly scary for Aram.

"Uh, we don't want to be in the bed next to her in the ER," Aram warned Ressler.

Ressler ignored him.

"Try calling her," he directed Aram.

Aram tried calling Liz and it went straight to voicemail. He held his phone up so Ressler could hear Liz's voicemail message.

He hung up and looked down at his phone as Ressler put on his sirens and traffic cleared in front of them.

"Aren't sirens only supposed to be used in…"

Ressler gave him a quick dark glare.

"Never mind, it's, uh, Liz and it's obviously an emergency and I…" Aram stammered.

"Who would attack her?" Ressler asked as he beeped his horn at a cyclist.

"I'm hoping it's just wrong place, wrong time," Aram said as she watched the obviously stressed man navigate his way as quickly as possible to the hospital without them getting killed.

"Try calling her again," Ressler demanded.

"I think it'll just go to voicemail," Aram said as he dialed her number.

"Call anyways," Ressler said. "Why happened to her?"

"Huh?" Aram asked.

"Nothing," Ressler said, clicking his jaw.

"Voicemail." Aram said as he looked at his phone.

"Uh, Samar is going to meet us there," Aram said.

Ressler said nothing.

"Did you hear that? Samar is…"

"I heard," Ressler said, his grip tightening on the wheel as he thought about Liz injured and reaching out to him but him choosing not to answer because he prioritized work over her. He was such a fucking idiot.

He turned into the hospital and parked the car in short term parking, undoing his seatbelt as he did and getting out of the car the second it stopped.

Aram reached for this bag and scrambled after the man as Ressler clicked the car locked and ran into the ER pulling his badge.

"You have Elizabeth Keen here, we need to be taken to her immediately," he said, making it clear there was no arguing with him.

The man at the desk nodded and looked on his computer screen. "K-E-A-N-E?"

"No, K-E-E-N," Ressler spelled. "Elizabeth."

"She's in an MRI right now, so please take a seat and…"

"Where is that?" Ressler asked.

"Sir, you can't…" the man started as Ressler pushed his badge closer to the man.

"This says we can," Ressler snarled. "Where is the MRI taking place?"

The man sighed. "Basement, green section, you'll see the signs once you get off the elevator."

"Thanks," Ressler nodded before he started down the hallway at a fast pace with Aram on his heels.

He looked at the elevator, several floors away and eyed the stairs, turning and heading for them quickly.

Aram followed and started to really wonder about Ressler's reaction to Liz's attack, they were all worried about her, but he was really worried about her.

They followed the signs to MRI and went to reception.

"You have Elizabeth Keen in here for an MRI?" Ressler asked eyeing Aram over his shoulder.

The woman started to look at her screen.

"Aram, can you call Samar to ask her to bring Liz some clothes she can borrow?" Ressler asked, hoping it would take the man a further distance from him.

"On it," Aram said as she stepped about 10 feet away to place the call.

"Are MRIs safe when you are pregnant?" Ressler asked quietly.

"Ms. Keen already inquired, they are," the woman explained. "It looks like they're checking for internal bleeding, an ultrasound for the baby has already been performed…it shouldn't be long."

"Can I go…" Ressler started.

"No, only patients and technicians allowed," she said. "She went in 20 minutes ago so she should be out any minute."

He nodded and started to pace in front of the doors.

"Samar is already on her way, but said Liz will probably be kept overnight, so she'll bring some tomorrow," Aram said as he watched Ressler pace.

Ressler nodded.

The doors opened and an orderly's back moved through them with a gurney. Ressler looked and it was Liz.

"Thank god," Ressler said as he went to her side. But then when he saw her battered and bruised face and arms he gasped. "Jesus Christ."

"I'm fine," Liz said, her mouth barely able to move.

He reached for her hand and held it. "You are anything but fine."

"Both fine," Liz mumbled, and Ressler closed his eyes and thanked any god that was listening.

She had a fetal monitor strapped to her belly under her hospital gown and she placed his free hand on it to tell him it was there, before she looked up at the monitor and his eyes followed hers to see a steady and quick heartbeat next to her own. He smiled.

"Liz," Aram said as he came up on her other side. "What happened?"

She let out a small chuckle and moved Ressler's hand casually off her belly.

"Are you Ressler?" A woman behind him asked.

Don didn't let go of Liz's hand with his one hand but turned. "I am."

"I'm Dinah," the woman said. "I used her phone to text and try and call you."

"Thanks for helping her," Ressler smiled at the woman who might be barely in her 20's.

"She really needed to get here after that guy…"

"One guy?" Ressler asked. He saw Liz nod and the woman nod.

"I screamed when I saw him beating her up and he ran," Dinah explained. "She was on the ground and there was blood everywhere."

Ressler took a deep breath and swallowed hard.

"I got his plate, but the police haven't shown…"

"I'll take it," Ressler said as he let go of Liz's hand and looked at Dinah's phone, taking down the information as he heard Aram speak to Liz behind him. "Did you see him?"

"Yeah, I can give a good description," the woman nodded.

"Aram," Ressler nodded for him to come over.

"What's your name?" Ressler asked.

"Dinah Weller," the woman nodded.

"Aram, this is Dinah Weller, she's going to give you a description of the assailant and any other information she can remember about the attack," Ressler said looking between them. "This is FBI Agent Mojtabai and he will collect all that information. Thanks for helping Liz and taking care of her."

"No problem," the woman smiled at Ressler and Aram. "Happy to help. I hope she's okay."

Ressler nodded and returned to Liz's side.

"I gotta get her back to her room," the orderly said to Ressler.

"Yeah, sorry, I'll come with you," he said as he left Aram in the MRI centre with Dinah.

He looked down at Liz laying on the gurney with her eyes closing. She was normally asleep at this time of night lately, and after the beating she took and the worry about the baby, was probably completely spent.

He followed the gurney into the elevator and watched her while she lay there. She had bruises all over her face, a split lip, possibly a cracked jaw…the only other parts he could see were her arms and it looked like they were covered in defensive wounds. He wanted to ask for more details about her attack but with her barely able to speak it seemed like it may do more harm than good.

They arrived on her floor and went to a room with another woman in it who looked just as beaten up as Liz.

Ressler looked at the orderly, confused. "Were they both attacked by the same man?"

"No, that's Suzie, her pimp does this to her sometimes," the orderly explained.

"Shit," Ressler said as he looked at the older woman asleep in the bed next to Liz.

Liz was parked in her spot, the curtain pulled around her and she attempted to smile and thank the orderly but could barely get anything out.

"Thanks for everything," Ressler said to the man before he left for his next patient.

Ressler lowered the one side rail and sat on the edge of her bed by her hip. "How are you?"

She allowed a couple of tears to fall, and he leaned in and kissed her forehead and wiped her tears.

"It was scary," he supplied, and she nodded.

"Was it random?" He asked and she shook her head in the negative.

"He knew who you were?" Ressler asked. Liz nodded and wiped at her eyes.

"Because of your association with…"

She shook her head in the negative.

"Because you're Liz Keen, recent fugitive?" Ressler asked, his voice cracking.

She nodded her head in the affirmative slowly.

"Shit," he said as he leaned forward and wiped at her tears again. "I'm…"

She waved her hand and he stopped.

"Okay, well, that Dinah has his plate and we're going to make sure…"

She shook her head in the negative.

"Liz, you don't deserve…"

She reached for his hand and clasped it in hers and squeezed.

"You don't," he said, clearly. "Some asshole coward beats the shit out of you in a dark parking lot? He's a fucking danger to society and has probably done this before."

She swallowed and turned and looked out the window.

"Hey," he said as he carefully touched her chin and turned her face toward him. "You are the victim here. Nothing you have done, at any time, warrants this type of action. Do you hear me?"

She allowed another couple of fat tears to fall and nodded slowly as she met his eyes.

The curtain opened and two doctors stood at the foot of her bed.

"Are you Mr. Tom Keen?" The doctor said as he looked at his clipboard.

"No, I'm Don Ressler," Ressler said, not moving from his spot on her bed.

"I have next of kin as…"

Liz shook her head.

"They're divorced," Ressler supplied. "You'll need to change your records."

The doctor crossed off the name and looked at Liz who nodded at Ressler.

"Donald Ressler," he said clearly. "202-773-4521. 1325 15th Street NW, DC."

"I'll get the hospital records department to update the name and there's an issue with medical coverage, Sylvia from accounting will be by shortly," the doctor said before he put away his clip board. "Ms. Keen, you have three broken ribs that will take some time to heal, but with your current condition…"

Don and Liz both nodded, indicating they knew she was pregnant.

"Resetting them or binding them in any way may not help with the pregnancy," he said. "You have a swollen jaw, but luckily, it's not broken. You have bruising which will heal in time, no signs of a concussion, and the baby is showing no signs of distress or trauma. It looks like from the bruising on your legs, arms and back you protected your stomach region?"

Liz nodded and Ressler squeezed her hand.

"Some minor cuts, which will make everything uncomfortable for a few days, especially the stitches on your bottom lip, but otherwise we see no other areas of concern," the other doctor explained. "We do hope to keep you overnight to monitor the baby some more, but other than that, we're okay with discharging you."

"I think staying overnight to continue to monitor everything is a good choice, do you think so?" Ressler asked her. Liz nodded.

"Here's a prescription for some coated ibuprofen," the doctor said. "Nothing stronger that can harm the baby."

Ressler nodded and took the paper from him.

"Lots of heat and ice to bring down the swelling, and rest to allow your body to heal," the doctor said. "Any questions?"

"Images…baby?" Liz asked with much effort.

"Yes, we have some stills from your MRI and ultrasound," he said as he pulled out a few images and handed them to Ressler who gave them to Liz.

"Anything else we should be watching for?" Ressler asked.

"Any signs of dizziness or confusion, please get her back to a doctor right away," the second doctor said.

Ressler nodded and looked toward Liz who was looking at the images.

"Thank you for taking such great care of her," Ressler said.

"I hope the rest of your weekend goes better," the younger doctor said before they left.

"Look," Liz said as she turned an image toward him, and he saw a black and white outline of a baby.

"Holy shit," he said as he looked closer.

"Got to hear…heart," Liz said quietly.

"Good one?" Ressler asked.

She nodded and tried to smile but winced.

"Don't speak more than you need to," he said as the two of them looked through the images of their baby from various angles. "Does the baby seem…did they say it was well developed or…anything?"

"Long," Liz said as she tapped his long leg.

He chuckled.

"Healthy," she nodded as she touched her belly where the monitor was sitting, and they both looked up at the steady beating on the computer monitor. He placed his hand over hers and they sat with their joined hands watching the baby's heart beat.

"Ms. Keen," a woman said as she rounded the corner of the curtain. "Oh, sorry, I didn't realize…"

"It's fine," Ressler said as he turned to the woman. "Sylvia?"

"Yes," she smiled at them. "There was a problem with your coverage. You are no longer listed as an Agent with the FBI."

"She's a consultant with the FBI now," Ressler explained. "I can call HR and get this straightened out."

"Thank you, because we will need payment if…"

"She's got coverage," Ressler assured the woman. "It's a new position."

Sylvia nodded.

"How much do you need before she's released?" Ressler asked.

"I'd need a guarantee of ten thousand dollars to…"

"Use this as the guarantee," Ressler said as he pulled out his AMEX and handed it to her. He could feel Liz swatting at his arm and hear her trying to protest.

"Thank you," Sylvia smiled. "I'll return with it momentarily."

Ressler nodded and looked down at an angry Liz Keen.

"Nothing with HR will get sorted over the weekend," Ressler said. "Do you want to stay here as a hospital hostage all weekend?"

She sighed.

"And I have a high limit on that one and not a dime on it," Ressler said. "Things like this are what it's there for. Once the coverage is sorted, we'll pay my bill if anything goes through."

She took a deep breath and winced in pain.

"Relax and get some rest," he said as he pushed hair back off her face. "I'll stay."

She nodded and was about to close her eyes when Tom Keen pushed back the curtain and looked at them both shocked.

"What the hell happened?!" he yelled.

"Shhh!" Ressler and Liz said at the same time.

"Someone beat you up?" He asked.

Liz quickly flipped over the pictures of the baby so he couldn't see them.

"Fine," she said.

"Look at you! You are obviously not fine!" Tom yelled again.

Ressler stood and walked toward him. "Keep your voice down, she's here to rest not get more agitated by you."

"Thanks for telling me what my wife needs," Tom said angry.

"Ex," Liz said as she winced.

"Don't talk," Ressler said to her. "Just rest. Tom, don't say things that will make her answer, her jaw is swollen and…"

"Who did this to you?" Tom asked, ignoring any direction from Ressler.

Liz sighed and looked out the window.

"Liz, I just want to help," Tom said as he walked toward her. "What else did he do to you? Were you raped or…?"

She turned and looked at him shocked.

"That's a 'no'" Ressler interpreted for her. "Tom, maybe now is not a good…"

"Oh, so you can be here, but I can't?" He asked Ressler, annoyed.

"You can stay if you calm the fuck down," Ressler said. "But if you keep making things worse, I will make sure you leave."

"Is that a threat?!" Tom said as he walked toward Ressler.

"Tom, please don't make this about you," Ressler said calmly.

"Lizzie?" Tom said as he turned to her.

"Tom go, Ress stay," Liz said through her swollen mouth.

Ressler looked at him and gestured for the door.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Tom sighed.

Just then, Aram stepped around the curtain with Samar holding a bag.

"You brought her clothes?" Ressler asked her.

"No, these are the items Liz was buying," Samar said cagey as she looked at Tom.

Liz's eyes went wide, and Tom reached for the bag, sensing he was out of the loop on something, and the bag was the key. He saw some makeup, some facial cleanser, and…

He held up the item and looked at Liz.

"Prenatal vitamins?" He asked her.

Ressler reached for the item and threw it back in the bag.

"How far…?" Tom stammered as he looked at her fairly flat stomach and the monitor next to her measuring two heartbeats.

He looked at Ressler confused, and Ressler met his eyes.

"It's his?!" Tim snapped.

"What?!" Samar and Aram yelled at the same time.

"Fuck off!" Suzie in the next bed behind the curtain yelled. "I'm trying to fucking sleep!"

"Look, everyone calm down and…" Ressler started.

"You moved in the second she was free and…" Tom said as he bumped chests with Ressler.

"Tom, I know you are…" Ressler said, trying to calm him down.

"Stop!" Liz yelled through her swollen mouth. "Tom go."

Tom looked from Ressler to her and narrowed his eyes.

"We can talk about this once everyone has calmed down," Ressler said calmly. "Liz needs to rest and take care of herself and the baby."

"Your baby?" Tom asked for clarification.

"Our baby," Ressler clarified for him.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Tom snapped as he swiped at the curtain and stalked from the cubicle.

"Jesus Christ," Ressler said as he ran his hand through his hair and looked at Liz, who was obviously upset. He turned to Aram and Samar. "Any other questions or comments from the peanut gallery?"

Aram and Samar booth stood there looking at them stunned.

"Congratulations," Aram smiled at them.

"Thank you," Ressler accepted for them both.

"This wasn't planned?" Samar asked.

Ressler looked at Liz then back at them. "No, but we're very happy."

Liz nodded in agreement.

"And keeping this very quiet," Ressler added.

Samar and Aram both nodded.

"Then congratulations," Samar smiled at them and stepped forward to take Liz's hand in her. "You're going to be fantastic parents. How many weeks?"

"Almost 15," Ressler said.

The two co-workers did the mental math and realized the timing would have meant they slept together around the time she killed the attorney general and he started the manhunt for her.

"And the baby is okay, after everything?" Aram asked, nervously.

Liz nodded and attempted to smile.

"Good," Aram sighed with relief.

Liz picked up one of the images laying on her chest and flipped it so Samar and Aram could see it.

"Oh my god," Samar said as she took the image and Aram saddled up next to her.

"It's an actual baby," Aram said with a smile.

"Did you think it would be a goat?" Ressler asked with a chuckle.

"It's a Resseen, no a Keesler, a Donz, a Lizald,…no," Aram said as he struggled to come up with a name for their baby.

"I think just 'the baby' is fine for now," Ressler chuckled.

"I'll come up with a combination…" Aram said as he worked over the possibilities in his head. "Keenler!"

"Keenler?" Samar asked with a chuckle.

"A Keen, Ressler baby," he said. "A Keenler."

Ressler chuckled with them, and Liz tried to smile.

"I think just 'the baby' works," Ressler said.

"Okay if I call it Keenler?" Aram asked them. Liz nodded and Ressler shrugged.

"Just not in front of anyone right now," Ressler said. "We're keeping it quiet while we still get used to it."

"Are you two…?" Aram asked.

"We're still trying to figure everything out," Ressler offered.

Aram looked a little deflated at his answer.

"Can you move my car to regular parking?" Ressler asked Samar as he passed her his keys. "I'm in the expensive short term and I'd like to stay here with her for the night."

"Of course," Samar nodded. "And I'll drive you home, Aram."

"Thanks," Aram smiled at her.

"Thanks everyone," Ressler said as he walked around the side of Liz's bed and turned down the lights.

"I'll pop back up with the keys after Samar moves it and let you know where it's parked," Aram said with a smile. "So happy for you both. We're having a baby!"

"Well, unless you are pushing it from your body, I would say Liz is having a baby," Samar corrected him and smiled at Liz. "Congratulations to you both."

They both nodded and watched their friends leave.

Ressler sat down in the chair next to her bed and sighed. It had been a long day, and it was going to be longer sitting in this chair.

"How are your other injuries, do you need a heating pad or ice?" Ressler asked.

Liz handed him the images on her chest and pulled up her nightgown so her belly and the monitor were sticking out with the hospital blanket covering her lower half. She placed one hand on the monitor and sighed as she looked up at the heartbeat.

He put the images in his suit pocket and then leaned forward placing his hand over hers and watching the monitor with her.

"You scared the shit out of me," he said honestly.

She turned her hand over and laced her fingers through his.

"I'm sorry I didn't pick up your call or texts," Ressler apologized. "That won't ever happen again."

She nodded and he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "You don't know how sorry I am that I didn't come home at the end of the day. I would have been the one running to the…"

"Shhh," she said as she squeezed his hand.

She nodded toward the monitor, and their eyes watched their baby's heart beating strong and steady.

And, an hour later, when Liz was fast asleep, Ressler took a candid picture of her bruised and battered face and texted it to Reddington with the license plate and description Dinah had provided with the message: When you find him, he's mine.

To be continued…