****A Season 8 Finale Fix it Fic One Shot******

Setting: Hospital Room

"You're not a criminal and pretending to be one is not gonna keep you safe," Ressler implored.

She stared at him and marveled at the good he still saw in her, even when she no longer did. How he had never given up on her. How he was such a sight for sore eyes. A wave of calm washed over her the minute she laid beside him. She leaned forward and kissed him tenderly. In that fleeting moment, life felt good.

As she placed her head back down on the pillow, he gently caressed her hand, held in his. He could tell she was thinking of what to do, what to say. She could not get out of the predicament she was in, no matter how hard he wished or prayed she could.

"You could disappear. You and Agnes, just disappear from Reddington and the world," he offered.

"That's what I had in mind before his proposition," she sighed.

"He's dangling the truth in front of you again, isn't he?" Ressler asked.

"I got some answers in Latvia, what the Blacklist is, what it is all about, but not who he is, how he came to be in my life."

"Latvia?" Ressler asked.

"No one told you? I guess you were so touch and go they didn't want to risk telling you," she hesitated before telling him the next part. "I activated a tracker so Townsend and could find us, a deal to get to Reddington and spare me, before I knew where we were going and what we were seeing. Townsend and his men found us…I was shot in the back," she hated telling him all this now.

"What?" he asked, his head lifting off the pillow, looking her over.

"I'm okay," she said, laying her hand flat on his chest, encouraging him to relax. "The bullet went straight through and I've recovered."

Ressler's eyes went to the ceiling as he let out a long breath. "This has to stop," he whispered.

"We hid in a bunker," Liz continued, "and Townsend and his men were burned by a weapon that destroyed everything around the bunker."

"He's gone? All of his men?" Ressler asked.

Liz thought for a minute. Who did she remember seeing there?

"I don't recall seeing Van Dyke," she said.

"He could still be out there Liz, hunting you," he said as he put his hand on top of hers.

"Why? Townsend's gone," Liz was deflecting, but she was also starting to worry. The threat may not be over.

"To avenge his boss's death, to complete the mission Townsend was working toward, to kill you in front of Reddington. Which is all the more reason for you to get as far away from Reddington as possible." His breathing was becoming more rapid.

She stared at him silently. She didn't know the right answer.

"I should go…" she said, eyes closed, hoping this wasn't goodbye for good.

"Promise me something," he asked. She opened her eyes. "Promise me you'll remember who you are – not to him or the world – but who you are to Agnes…to me. It's not too late to fight for your life. Keep fighting." His eyes were filling with tears. She squeezed her eyes closed, holding back her own tears, and kissed him again, this time with passion, and then got quickly up before she lost her nerve to leave. As she left and the door closed behind her, she took once last glance at him there. A simple prayer escaped her lips in a whisper as she hurried away, "spare him."

Night had come, and there had been no word from Keen. He grabbed his phone the moment it vibrated on his bedside table, but it was Cooper. The next few minutes happened in a blur and he began to realize what twisted scenario Reddington had cooked up for Liz to take over his empire. Instinct kicked in, and he began to tear off the wires and machines that held him back. He had to get to her. He wasn't thinking about whether he physically could or not, he just started moving.

He left the hospital and started running toward the restaurant, moving on pure adrenaline. He felt slow, and he was frustrated that he couldn't sprint like he used to. All he could think about was getting to her in time, and hoping he could convince her to choose differently.

Outside the restaurant, Liz held her arm out straight, gun pointing at Reddington. But she couldn't pull the trigger. As much as she hated what had become of her life because of him, and as much as she wanted him dead for months, something in her would not allow her to end him. That same something that kept her from killing him in Kansas. She is not a criminal. She cannot do this, what Reddington is asking. She thought she had no other choice, but standing here, she knows she can't do this. Somehow, Reddington can see it now too. He doesn't want to die. Even if he also believes there is no other choice for her. He is relieved.

"Liz!" a voice shouts from behind her and she looks back over her shoulder to see Ressler, out of breath and sweating.

"Ressler!" she says surprised, but her gun is still pointed at Reddington.

"Please Liz, don't do this," he says as he slowly walks a few steps closer. "I know you think there is no other way, but there is always a way."

"Donald," Reddington tried to interject. The agent's presence is now complicating everything.

"No!" Ressler shouts, pointing a finger at him, "you go to hell. I've had enough of your games. Whatever good comes from your blacklist isn't worth destroying her life or mine. You and I are through, Reddington."

Liz stood surprised at his outburst. As he approached her, she lowered her weapon.

"Liz, please," Ressler said pleading, "I love you. While we still have a sliver of life left in us, let's take Agnes and disappear."

"What about your life, your career?" Liz could tell he was frantic, and maybe not thinking clearly. "You can't just disappear."

"I'm not sure I can be a field agent again, with this injury. The truth is, I'm not sure I want to. Not having you by my side all these months, as my partner… I just don't have the heart to do the job anymore. There are things I want in this life, and it's time I start fighting for it too."

Reddington was taken aback at what was happening before his eyes. While he knew Donald and Liz cared for each other very much, seeing Donald confess his love for her and announce he was willing to give up his life for her was unsettling. He felt like he was losing the precious control he had over the situation and Liz.

At that moment, Ressler began to cough and he doubled over, Liz quickly grabbed him as they both dropped to the sidewalk and at that moment a shot rang out. It hit the brick restaurant behind them. They looked to where the shot came from and saw Van Dyke, gun pointed at Liz. Reddington reacted quickly and fired off two shots, striking Van Dyke down. Soon Dembe, hearing multiple shots, came out to see Liz and Ressler clutching each other on the ground and Reddington still alive.

"They'll continue to come for you Elizabeth," Reddington said breathless, but with renewed conviction.

"Don't believe him," Ressler said, looking in Liz's eyes. "They come for you because of him. The more distance we put between us and him, the better. You deserve to have some peace in this life, and so do I. Let's do what you and I have been afraid to do for a long time. Once and for all, let's let Raymond Reddington go."

Liz closed her eyes, a tear fell, and she took a deep breath. As she stood up, she pulled Ressler with her.

"Find someone else to run the blacklist," Elizabeth said. "You value your envelope of god-knows-what more than our lives." Putting an arm under Ressler's shoulder, they began to walk down the street.

"Elizabeth!" Reddington called out desperately. But they didn't turn to give him a second glance.

"Raymond, we must go now," Dembe said pulling Reddington away from the restaurant.

Reddington took one last look at her, knowing it would not be the last, but fearing he may never get her back.

Eight months later…

On the outskirts of a small mountain town in North America, a man stood outside a log cabin chopping firewood. He had a neat beard of red. From a distance, he could see a car coming up the long dirt road. He quickly went in the house and grabbed a shotgun and peered through the curtain. As the driver exited the vehicle, he relaxed. The driver saw the cabin's occupants quickly come out the front door to greet him: first the man, as rugged as he had ever seen him. Then the woman with, as he quickly noticed, a growing belly, then the girl with a big grin. He smiled at the sight. They looked as happy as he had ever seen them.

"Aram," Ressler said, firmly shaking his hand, then hugging him tightly, much to his surprise. "It's good to see you."

He turned to hug Liz, but couldn't help to focus on her belly in front of him.

"Um," Aram wasn't sure what to say, knowing he'd likely put his foot in his mouth in this situation.

"Yes, Aram," Liz said, smiling, trying to help him out. "A baby Ressler is on its way." And she cradled her stomach and looked up lovingly at Ressler as he put an arm around her shoulders.

"Wow," Aram said looking between the two. "Just…wow." He was speechless.

He then turned to Agnes and crouched down, "and how's my favorite paper airplane flyer?"

Agnes giggled.

"I have a lot of questions Aram," Ressler broke in.

"Like 'what are you doing here and how did you find us'?" Aram said.

"For starters," Ressler was happy to see a friendly face, but also concerned.

"Let's go inside and put on the coffee," Liz said, ushering her brood toward the house.

As they walked in Ressler hung back with Aram, too eager to wait for whatever intel Aram had to come all this way to tell them.

"Reddington's dead…" Aram whispered. "Cancer. A lot of things are in motion now, it's still not safe, but things are changing." Aram went in and took off his jacket, a sealed blue envelope in the breast pocket.

Ressler nodded and before walking inside, he turned and looked out over the mountain landscape. The world now existed without Reddington. Part of him felt relieved. They other part concerned. He had been wondering all this time if the reason they has stayed so well hidden and safe all these months was because of Reddington's secret protection, and with him gone, was it all going to change?

The End (and set up for season 9)