Wing Yee's Year 8

Author's Note: This is the last in the Wing Yee Birthday series because (sadly) Liz died at the end of Season 8. Thank you for following along with the little tale of mine. I hope you find this chapter beautiful, funny, and tragic.

I will, however, be doing a complementary Ressler birthday series that I have tentatively titled Is It My Birthday? (we will see if the title sticks).

Please leave a review.

MMMMM

"Agent Ressler," Aram said as he opened a screen on his computer.

"Yeah, what is it Aram?" Ressler said a little harshly. "I was about to go home."

"Oh, uh, it could wait…" Aram started as he looked at the man's tight jaw. "Do you have a headache?"

"I do," Ressler said, thinking about his meeting with Liz at the fountain before she ran from him and pulled the fucking Thomas Crown Affair on him. "Now, what is it you need?"

"The team compiled a list of items in Agent Keen's apartment from their search and I thought you should know you will, likely, be questioned about, uh, some of them…" Aram said as she turned his computer screen for Ressler to see.

Ressler's tired and aching eyes scanned the list of items and noted that they really had done a thorough job, listing kitchen items, books, plants, clothing…

"Shit," Ressler said as he looked at the list.

Men's pants, dress shirts, underwear, ties, a suit, t-shirts, some workout clothes, pajama bottoms, running shoes, and socks were listed among the items with a bold notation of the sizes and quantity. He hadn't realized he had that many items at her apartment, but with Agnes it was always easier for him to stay with her than the reverse.

There was an asterisk also, and he scrolled to the bottom to the notes where it noted she was obviously in a sexual relationship, with a cross reference to men's deodorant, a razor, a third toothbrush, and birth control pills found in her medicine cabinet. Then a final notation about Ressler's prescription allergy medication that was found in her medicine cabinet and a comment "Agent Ressler needs to be questioned about his relationship with Elizabeth Keen."

"The final list will be sent to the higher ups tomorrow, but I wanted you to know to, uh, expect some questions…" Aram said.

"Thanks," Ressler said as he rubbed at his forehead.

"I didn't know you and Liz were…I mean, it's obviously not recent…" Aram said thinking that in a new relationship you don't keep things at each other's house.

Ressler sighed, there was no point hiding anything now from their friend.

"It's been a while," Ressler said quietly. "I'm not sure what we are now, but for a long time we were…"

"Together? Happy?" Aram asked him.

"Yeah," Ressler swallowed hard. "Hey, thanks for the heads-up."

Ressler thought things were going to be okay when she showed up at his place that one night, but then they definitely were not after that. Between Chemical Mary, Townsend, and the fucking cyranoid, he started to question whether she had ulterior motives. Started to question whether she even knew what was right and wrong anymore and whether their relationship was more wrong than right anymore. She hadn't opened up to him, hadn't trusted him, and that went to the core of his hurt. So, barring any overture from her to make this right, he continued forward doing his job, but still trying to help her, even when he wasn't sure what they were to each other anymore.

"Agent Ressler, I'm sorry," Aram said as he met his eyes. "Especially considering what today is."

"Yeah," Ressler nodded before he walked from the War Room and down to his car, where he found hot Wing Yee's on the passenger seat.

He looked around, got out of his car, and seeing no one, got back in his car to drive home. This was just like her, having some lacky deliver this to him just to remind him it was her birthday, when today she ditched him in a park. He hoped this was a message of forgiveness for the Bureau tailing him right to her. He was still livid with Cooper about that but noted as he drove, the tail that had been on him, that he hadn't thought to look for before today, wasn't following him. Cooper must have received his message loud and clear.

But instead of home, at the last minute, he pulled into a local park by the water and parked his car, looking out at the cherry blossom trees. Most still looked twig-like, but a couple were just starting to go pink on the tips. After the day he was having, hell last few months really, he needed some peace. He watched the trees, their long twig-like branches swaying in the strong winds that had picked up later in the day for a good ten minutes before he turned and looked at the Wing Yee's bag. It was her 38th birthday, and they weren't together for the first time in years. He didn't always have the fondest memories of her birthday, but they were memories of them, in various stages of their ever bumpy, ever changing, relationship.

He reached for the bag of Wing Yee's and opened it to find not only Chinese takeout, but a burner phone, a passport, a wad of money, and a plane ticket to Greece dated three weeks from now. He opened the passport to find his image with the name Brady Givens next to it.

The passenger door opened to his car and Liz got inside, picking up the bag and placing it on her lap as she shut the door.

"Liz," he said as he looked at her surprised.

"This isn't what I was thinking, but it'll work," she smiled at him before she leaned over and kissed him for the first time since the night she came to his apartment.

It was a familiar kiss, as if no time had passed between them, when really it had been months.

"God, I miss you," she said as she sat back.

"You ran from me this afternoon but now you're getting into my car?" He asked as he held up the passport. "And this?"

"This afternoon was business," Liz said as she started to take out the containers. "This is pleasure."

"Liz, they are throwing every resource into finding…"

"Please, can we just enjoy my birthday?" She asked as she pulled out chopsticks excitedly and handed him a pair.

He sighed heavily and took the chop sticks.

"So, this afternoon was business?" Ressler asked.

"Well, I did notice you were wearing the 'let's go for lunch at your place and come back hungry tie'" Liz said as she handed him a container. "So, that wasn't all business but, sadly, we couldn't meet for lunch. I thought we could do dinner."

"And now I know where my hat disappeared to," Ressler offered as he looked at the black baseball cap on her head.

"It fits me perfectly," she said as she reverently placed both hands on it. "Why aren't you at your apartment?"

"It was a rough day," he said as he eyed her. "My girlfriend…"

"You are in your forties and I'm almost forty," Liz chuckled. "I'm too old to be your girlfriend."

"Then what are you?" Ressler asked her, truly not sure what her answer may be. Not sure what he wanted the answer to be.

A year ago, everything was so clear and now, it really wasn't. Besides the one night after she almost killed him, they had had very little contact. She had not asked for his help beyond his work at the task force and that stung. That she had reached out to others instead of him, the man who loved her and who she said she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, hurt. It hurt a lot.

"Lady lover?" Liz asked with a chuckle. "No, that sounds like I'm into women…"

"It does," he chuckled, despite himself.

She put down the take-out container she was holding and held his hand, turning her body to face him more. The mood in the car seemed to go from silly to serious with that one motion and Ressler worried she had some bad news to share with him about them, how they were done, how it won't work out anymore between them…

"If you use that passport, then I'll be your wife," Liz said as she looked at him carefully.

That got her a full eyebrow raise from him.

"I'm Carolyn Givens and Agnes is Agnes Givens," Liz supplied. "And you'd be my husband Brady, Agnes' dad."

He looked at her surprised; after everything that had not happened between them these last few months, all the conversations they hadn't had, he had not expected this odd proposal of sorts.

"I think you called me that name once before…Givens…" Ressler said, not agreeing to anything and trying to allow his brain to catch up with his heart. Because, truly, this was Liz's odd way of proposing, and they both knew it.

"Did I?" She asked, surprised.

"How long have you had these alias?" Ressler asked as he searched his brain for the point where she had said this name to him.

She went a little pale and he knew he was onto something.

"When you told me about Allison Thomas," Ressler said, happy he had remembered. "Your birthday two years ago…wait, you called me Mr. Givens then…"

"Yeah, well…eat some food before it gets cold," Liz said nervously as she pulled her hand back from his.

"Liz, two years ago you were planning for us to have alias' that were married? You secured an alias for me as your husband and Agnes' father?" Ressler pushed. "Two years ago?"

"I wasn't sure then that we would use them," she said quietly. "But I knew, not long after that. But, hey, you don't have to say yes, it was just…just an idea."

She shoved some food in her mouth and nodded her head nervously, unable to elaborate.

He sighed. She was so terrified of her own feelings, her own vulnerability when it came to him, she literally shut down. It was challenging being the emotionally enlightened one in their relationship.

She looked at him sideways and he saw pure fright across her face. She was not ready to have the discussion about how, 2 years ago, she pegged him for her husband but still today could not say she loved him. How she had just essentially asked him to marry her, and he hadn't jumped at the opportunity without questioning it. But, how could he not question everything after these last months? He wanted to say yes, and he knew in his heart he'd accept, but he needed some answers first.

"Happy Birthday, Liz," Ressler said as he placed down the passport and leaned across to kiss her, deciding to lighten the moment for her sake. She responded like a person leaving a dessert without water for weeks and practically crawled onto his side of the car she was getting so carried away.

When they pulled apart, his tie was undone and some of his shirt buttons were as well.

"Liz, we are not having sex in my car like two teenagers," Ressler said. "It's also just sunset and this is a busy park."

She stopped and looked around at her surroundings and chuckled before she sat back in her seat.

"Sorry," she said with a blush rising up her cheeks. "I miss you."

"I can see that," Ressler chuckled.

He sighed and looked at her.

"No shop talk? Is that your birthday wish?" Ressler asked.

She nodded vehemently.

"And this?" He asked as he raised the passport and plane ticket for her to see.

"Everything will be taken care of by then and we can start fresh," she said, being careful about her words. Then she looked at him with fear in her eyes, "I really hope you want to, Ressler."

"In Greece?" Ressler asked.

"No, just to start," Liz said. "I have…there are arrangements in place for us…is there still an 'us'?"

For a woman scared of any sign of vulnerability, she had allowed him to see all of her fears about them in that moment.

He took her hand in his and raised it to his mouth to kiss it. "Of course, there is."

Despite his hurt feelings and misgivings, he would always choose her.

"Thank you," she said with a soft smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you, Liz," Ressler said. "I may not approve of what you are doing, or the choices you are making, but I still love you. And Agnes. How is she?"

"She wonders when you will be back with us," Liz said. "She only saw you a couple of times and said she didn't give anything away?"

"Yeah, she didn't let on that she knew me better," Ressler said. "What did you tell her?"

"I told her you'd get in trouble from your bosses, so she had to pretend she hardly knew you," Liz explained. "I wasn't sure when we spoke if she actually had."

"I asked Aram to spend time with her so she wouldn't be around me much," Ressler said. "But I was also ready to take custody of her. She wasn't going into foster care."

Liz smiled at him. If things hadn't worked out, she was hoping he would do just that. But they had, and Agnes was safe and away from the FBI and Reddington.

She took a dumpling out of her container and held it up for him to eat.

"You look thinner," she said as she watched him chew. "When I saw you in Minsk, I started to worry."

"I've been busy chasing you," Ressler said unapologetically. "Is it really almost done? Do you have the proof?"

"No shop talk, remember?" Liz scolded him sweetly.

"Liz, I have the right to know if I'm walking onto this plane," Ressler said as he gestured toward the ticket.

She sighed. "I'll have the proof, you helped me with that today. It will be done, we'll be able to start fresh."

She looked at him with trepidation. She was really worried he'd say 'no'.

"Do you accept?" Liz asked him, her voice thready. He had said he loved her, that there was an 'us', but hadn't said he'd become the Mr. to her Mrs., the father of her child, the man who would spend the rest of his life with her.

"Your marriage proposal?" Ressler asked, making it clear what they both knew she was doing.

She smirked at him.

"Yeah, fine, my marriage proposal," Liz finally relented.

"Only you Keen would propose to me before I had the chance to do it myself," Ressler chuckled. "And propose in the most non-official marriage…"

"It's what makes us interesting," Liz smiled at him, feeling that his answer was going to be 'yes'.

"It makes us something," Ressler chuckled.

He looked at her for a moment and then smiled. "Yes Liz, I'll marry you."

She smiled widely, kissed him deeply, and then picked up another dumpling and fed him it.

"Aren't you eating?" He asked as he chewed.

"I am," she smiled at him. "Mr. Givens."

"Because, speaking of thin…" he said seriously.

"I think we'll both fatten up in Greece," she chuckled. "But you should take some time to visit Robbie and your mum. It may be a while before you can again. Sort out your apartment…"

"I can't look too obvious," Ressler said as he wiped at his mouth with a napkin. "With the explosion and everything since…I forgot about your apartment."

"What about it?" Liz asked.

"My things at your place," Ressler said.

"But those could belong to any man," Liz said.

"My allergy meds couldn't," Ressler sighed.

"Shit," Liz said, suddenly worried about them being together.

"Relax, the report goes through tomorrow and I'll probably be interviewed then," Ressler said, placing a hand over hers.

"What are you going to say?" Liz asked.

"I'm thinking denial," Ressler said. "The allergy meds could be some I left while working late one night…"

"If you deny they may be more interested in you," Liz offered.

"And if I say we are involved they will tail me 24/7," Ressler noted. "Like today, Cooper used me."

Liz nodded, she knew it wasn't him who had put the Bureau onto her at the park. She knew he'd been conned as well, but couldn't tell him that because she was too busy trying to get away. Part of her almost grabbed his hand in that moment and took him with her, but she needed to ask him properly, to give him the time and space to decide to be with her.

"How old are the meds?" Liz asked.

He thought for a moment. "I haven't had to get a new prescription because last time I needed them for the season you weren't gone yet."

"So, it's an old prescription," Liz thought. "Could we just say we were involved in a 'friends with benefits' type of thing and…"

"And I kept a whole wardrobe at your place?" Ressler asked, punching a whole in that theory.

"Yeah, I did notice you seemed to have more clothes than I did at one point," Liz laughed.

"Let's just go with that," Ressler said. "It implies no emotional connection or relationship, really."

"So, it's not like you love me and are going to be my husband," Liz smirked at him, the idea of them being married making her a little giddy. "They need to know you'd arrest me if you could."

"And, if I do arrest you, then we'll still find a way to get on that plane," Ressler said. "But it can't look like I'm avoiding taking you in. And you have to play that too."

She nodded.

"I thought we agreed no shop talk?" Liz asked.

"One last question: the burner?" Ressler asked.

"I'll text it every new number I have," Liz said. "So, you can always get me. I should have done that from the start, but I listened to Skip."

"Fucking asshole," Ressler scoffed.

"He means well," Liz offered.

She reached across the space between them and clutched his thigh.

"I miss you, I miss…this," she said with watery eyes.

"No tears on your birthday," Ressler said with a soft smile. "It's a hard rule."

She laughed and nodded.

"Eat," Liz ordered.

They ate and spoke about Agnes, mainly, about the members of the task force, and about some fun memories from their shared past.

The sun had long set, and the park was empty, and Liz looked at him slyly.

"Can we, at least, make-out like teenagers?" Liz asked him with a mischievous grin.

"It's easier on a bench seat," Ressler said as he gestured to the two seats they sat in separated by cup holders, a gear shift, and a storage container.

"Come on," she said as she climbed into the back seat.

"You're joking, right?" Ressler said as he turned to look at her.

"It's my birthday wish to make out with you in your car in a park at night," Liz said with a chuckle. "Besides, of course, you agreeing to marry me."

She laughed a silly giddy laugh and Ressler couldn't say no to anything she asked for in that moment.

"Jesus Christ," Ressler said as she undid his belt, maneuvered over the seat and into the back landing messily on the seat with his one leg still on the centre console. "I can't believe we are doing this."

She laughed at his ridiculous position and helped him get his long leg in the back as well. He straightened up and just as he was about to say the reason people their age don't make out in cars was because they knew how much more comfortable a couch was, when she pounced.

Her mouth was everywhere all at once, and his hands found the inside of her jacket and peeled it back, then her shirt was pushed up so he could access her breasts. Her hands were pushing off his shirt, then quickly reaching for his belt.

"Making out," Ressler reminded her, his mouth occupied by her collarbone.

"I have a third wish," Liz smiled against his mouth and quickly undid his belt.

A half hour later, he was laying uncomfortably across his back seat mostly naked, with Liz laying naked on top of him, his long legs bent with her nestled between them. He wasn't sure where the rest of her was, possibly her knees were on the floor of the back seat.

"How the hell did we do this as teenagers?" He chuckled.

"We had no where else to do it," Liz hummed against the bare skin on his chest. "Now, we know the virtues of space, soft sheets, taking our time…"

"I think I may have been sodomized by a seat belt buckle," Ressler joked.

"I wouldn't be surprised if I have Chevrolet symbols imbedded into my knees," Liz laughed with him.

They both burst out laughing and she smoothed back some of his hair.

"I love this," she said with a smile. "The world always seems to make sense when I'm in your arms."

He gave her a small smile and kissed her forehead. He had stopped thinking she'd ever tell him she loved him, and realized it didn't really matter, he knew she did, whether she said the exact words or not.

"Can we just stay like this?" Liz asked him.

"That would be nice," he said as he patted her hair gently where it fell down her back.

She crawled up a little higher and kissed him softly, gently.

"Happy birthday, Liz," he said as they pulled apart from the kiss.

"Thanks," she smiled at him and leaned her forehead against his. "You mean everything to me."

She went quiet for a moment and then looked up into his eyes, only the moon illuminating them

"37 years Ressler, I promise you at least that," she said with intent.

He swallowed hard and rubbed their foreheads together. That was Liz's 'I love you' and he enjoyed it every time she said it.

"I love you too, Liz," he said before he placed a small kiss on each of her closed eyelids. "I want at least 37."

The end.