Wait 15
Author's Note: The fallout. Let me know what you think.
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Donald Ressler got a text from Katie on Friday night that the article was going to appear as a feature in Saturday's paper, The Globe, that was affiliated with News 1 and then as a feature on their Saturday evening news. He closed the text and turned off his phone, expecting it to blow up Saturday morning.
In truth, Liz had complicated everything with her outburst, but he had not managed the situation with Katie well either, he should have immediately stopped whatever he sensed she was trying to do. But politeness and his desire to keep her on his good side prevailed and he got himself into a situation that caused Liz's outburst. In some ways, he was pleased with the outburst, her protectiveness of him, her upset that he could be stepping out on her, showed him viscerally how much she loved him. Not that he liked the situation they were in, but if he were to look at the upside, that would be it.
Despite his worry about the article, they slept in. Liz had woken him in the very early hours of the morning, and they had made love to the point of exhaustion. He had collapsed next to her and immediately fell asleep until after 10 am. He looked around at their impromptu bedroom with scratches on the walls and piles of clothes sitting on a dresser and smiled. They had also got word from their contractor. He was coming back to hook up their electrical and pass the inspection before he returned to Philly for his father's funeral. Ressler had told him it was not necessary, he was grieving, but he'd insisted he needed the distraction for a day. And that day was Monday.
He stretched his arms above his head and carefully rolled away from a sleeping Liz. As he went to fix the covers and tuck her back in, he took a moment to really look at her naked pregnant body in all it's sleeping glory. Not that he hadn't seen it, but usually she was in motion when he did. She was running around getting dressed, or getting in or out of the shower, or in bed with him. But to see her at rest, with her taunt belly and her enormous breasts was a sight he didn't get often. He could see fat on her frame that didn't exist before, a chunkiness to her legs for the first time, a fleshiness in her face, and a fullness in her ass. It was a very different look than the skinny, waifish Liz Keen he had known for years, and she suited both. He was probably biased, but she was a beautiful pregnant woman.
Ressler covered her up and kissed her forehead before he pulled on some sweats and left their room. He grabbed a sweatshirt from their main bedroom, threw on his runners, and left for a walk to their local coffee shop. He was sick of take-out, but he was more annoyed with the limited cooking one could do with a toaster oven and microwave. He passed the local convenience store and stood for a long time outside, considering if it was worth it to buy the paper, or whether it was better to just read the article online and not look at a physical copy of it. Sighing, he walked inside, bought a Globe, shoved it under his arm and went to the coffee shop.
Returning 15 minutes later with coffee, tea, croissants and two breakfast sandwiches, he settled into the sofa in the middle of their destruction zone that was a living room, unwrapped his sandwich and took his first drink of coffee. Ressler opened the Globe and flipped through the various sections until he got to the features where he saw a picture of him and Liz that must have been from yesterday. It was them walking down a DC street smiling and talking.
"What the hell?" Ressler asked.
He looked down the page and saw a picture of them from a couple of years ago at a crime scene, and a picture of him walking with Liz into the courthouse in cuffs with a bullet proof vest on.
He started to read:
The road to love and redemption is a twisted path, and no one knows that better than Elizabeth Keen and Donald Ressler. The two FBI agents, who are also partners, have been embroiled in a lot of intrigue both public and private over the last six months. Elizabeth Keen was the subject of a nation-wide manhunt after she shot Attorney General Tom Connelly. And the agent tasked with finding her and bringing her to justice? None other than her partner, friend, and romantic partner Special Agent Donald Ressler.
"He was placed in an impossible situation," Liz Keen said when interviewed. "And he did his best to put our personal life on the back burner while he fulfilled his obligation as the Lead Agent assigned to find me. Donald Ressler represents all that is good within the Justice System, he is a professional and will always do his job."
Liz Keen was eventually exonerated of all charges but still held accountable for the death of Tom Connolly, a charge that has left her unable to reclaim her status as an FBI Agent again.
Ressler looked at the paper confused. The tone of the article was not antagonistic or sensational. He was not expecting this. He read a few more paragraphs about his hunt for Liz. There was a quote from Cooper about Don's ethics and character. There was a quote from Laurel Hitchins from the press conference where she referenced him, and there were more quotes from Liz from when she was interviewed.
"Interviewed?" He asked himself.
Ressler got to the end of the article:
Besides the compromising situation Donald Ressler was placed in professionally, he was unaware at the time that Elizabeth Keen was carrying his child. The couple are expecting their first child in the new year and Elizabeth Keen is back working as a consultant with the FBI. Reports of Mr. Ressler's involvement with another woman are false and have since been retraced by the agency who did the reporting.
Ressler dropped the paper onto his lap stunned.
"How did it come across?" Liz asked from her place standing in their temporary bedroom doorway wearing a t-shirt and underwear.
"You gave her an interview?" Ressler asked, still obviously surprised.
Liz nodded and walked toward the sofa sitting down next to him and reaching for the paper.
"And you didn't tell me?" Ressler asked.
"Did it work?" Liz asked as she started to read.
"What work?" He asked, turning slightly to face her.
"Do you look good?" Liz asked, engrossed in her reading.
Ressler pulled the paper down and demanded her attention.
"Fine," Liz sighed. "I called her and offered her an interview if she promised to be a little more favorable toward you in the article and the News 1 report."
"Why would you do that?" Ressler asked. "And now, everyone knows about the baby…"
"Because you don't deserve to be raked over the coals," Liz said honestly. "You did your job, despite your feelings. You are a good man and a good agent and you don't deserve to be tried in the court of public opinion. Trust me, it never works in your favor."
He placed a hand on her leg and noted that she was cool to the touch.
"You're freezing," he said, forgetting the topic of conversation.
"My furnace left my bed," Liz snickered.
He reached behind him and grabbed a throw blanket and placed it gently over her legs.
"Everyone is going to know about the baby soon enough," Liz chuckled. "Look at me."
"You're beautiful," he said, honestly.
"And obviously pregnant now," Liz said. "And after my hormonal outburst at…"
"Let's just forget about that," he said softly as he pulled her against him. "You really gave her an interview to protect me?"
"I will always protect you," Liz sighed against him as she wrapped an arm around his torso. Then she noticed what was on the table and sat forward. "Unless you didn't buy me a breakfast sandwich…then, I may need to take you out."
He chuckled and reached beside him for the other bag with hers in it.
"I knew you loved me," Liz smiled as she reached for the bag.
"I do," he laughed. "Thanks for doing that for me Liz."
She bit into the sandwich and smiled.
"I did it for us," Liz smiled. "Someone is going to need a dental plan for this one. I needed big time braces as a kid."
He laughed and lifted the paper back up.
"And this picture?" He asked, pointing to the one that he was sure was taken yesterday when they went on a walk.
"I may have told Katie where she could find us if she wanted a picture," Liz smiled as she ate. "I know I should have told you but I still wasn't sure if she was going to be flattering to you in the article and I didn't want to get your hopes up."
"You did all of this for me?" He asked, touched by her actions.
"I'd do anything for you, Ressler," Liz said.
He smiled at her and looked around their shit-show of an apartment.
"This place is going to look great when it's done," Ressler said with some satisfaction.
She finished her sandwich and nodded, sitting back against the sofa with him. "It will."
"And we'll have room for him, and anyone who wants to stay or an office…"
"Or another one…" Liz smirked.
He raised and eyebrow and looked over at her, surprised.
"Really?" He asked.
"Maybe," she conceded.
He kissed the side of her face and smiled.
"I've been thinking about a name," Ressler said, not sure how she was going to take his suggestion.
"I'm intrigued," Liz smiled.
"You said you want him to have the last name Ressler," he said as he eyed her to make sure he was right.
She nodded.
"Well," he paused and then went for it. "What about your last name as his first?"
She looked at him confused; she had several last names.
"Scott," he said. "Scott Ressler."
She smiled. She had been Lizzie Scott for most of her life. Keen had only been since marrying Tom, Rostova since Reddington revealed some of her past.
A slow smile spread across her face.
"It's perfect," she said.
"Really?" He asked, surprised she was so quick to agree. "Because, we can just consider…"
"No, I love it," Liz said, finalizing the decision. "It's a perfect combination of us. And he will be too."
Ressler leaned in and kissed her deeply. She maneuvered so her legs were laying across him.
"Thank you," he said softly as they pulled apart.
"For?" She asked confused.
"Everything," he smiled back.
To be continued…