The Short Game

Story 2

Author's Note: We continue with their undercover operations. This will be their last undercover mission before we jump ahead in time-in the show Liz's death is faked, there's all the Kirk drama...undercover will be ahead in time a bit.

This story is set after The Caretaker.

Please take a look at Ressler, Listen to Me and Agnes two other WIPs I'm working on. Please leave a review.

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Donald Ressler felt a case of déjà vu coming over him as they walked down a street hand in hand with Liz.

"Intel says this is the store that they all have in common," Don said, trying to make conversation. "We have to make sure they know I'm heading out of town on business."

"They know me," Liz said.

He looked at her confused.

"I went in a few days ago to look around and set up a registry in our names," Liz said. "I said I was bringing you in for your input on some of the items."

Don nodded.

"Hey, what's going on with you and Samar?" Liz asked as they waited at a light.

Don cleared his throat. "I'm not sure what you…"

"I read the transcripts," Liz explained as she watched him avoid her eyes. "Then, because I couldn't believe the transcripts, I listened to the tapes and…"

"I acted unprofessionally," Don said. "So did she and Aram. We all deserve a good talking to by Cooper. It was unacceptable."

Liz narrowed her eyes.

"But why?" Liz asked. "You said she can't stay mad at you forever, and then you said acting like a bitch comes naturally to her…why would you…?"

"Just drop it Keen," Don said as the walk sign came on and they started across the street.

"I can't," Liz said as she felt his body tense next to hers at her words. "Aram risked your lives to broker an apology."

She watched him tighten his jaw and stare straight ahead.

They walked in silence for half a block.

"You know, Tom does that same thing," Liz said annoyed. "What is it with men thinking if they just don't look at you, the conversation will go away."

"Well, I'm obviously, not Tom," Don said under his breath as his eyes shifted to her pregnant belly.

Liz felt the sting of his words but persisted on.

"Why are you avoiding…?"

Don stopped and turned to look at her, angry with her presumptuous assumptions that she had the right to any information about him or his private life. She had slept with Tom, got pregnant, been on the run, returned and told everyone they were in love and going to work things out, and now it was like all the shit that went down between her and Tom was insignificant in her mind. And, as an extension, everything he and Liz had before this Tom bullshit was insignificant to her as well.

"I'm avoiding the issue because not every part of my life is your business Keen. You have made that perfectly clear with the choices you have made. You have a life beyond me, a personal life with Tom, and I have a personal life beyond you and…"

The realization of what his words meant suddenly caused Liz's eyes to go wide, and Ressler understood he had said too much in the heat of the moment.

"Fuck," he said as he closed his eyes and turned away from her.

"Oh," Liz said, her face deflating and her body visibly slumping. "Oh, you and…Samar."

Don's face turned red, and he looked anywhere but at her. His sleeping with Samar was a stupid mistake, one that he firmly blamed Liz for. She was responsible for him jumping into bed with a woman who one of his good friends obviously had feelings for. She was just as responsible for that, as for the demolished garden gnome outside Cooper's house. Liz fucked him over emotionally for a long time and he did plenty of things he regretted; Samar was at the top of the list.

"Samar and I…" Don started as he cleared his throat and wondered why he was even explaining himself to the woman that snuggled up to fucking Tom Keen every night and didn't seem to give him a second thought anymore.

"You know," Liz interrupted, her voice shaky. "You're right, you don't owe me any explanation."

Don's head turned and he met her watery eyes and knew he had hurt her in that moment. He wasn't sure why; she was pregnant with Tom's baby and seemed happy as a fucking clam. He thought, if anything, she'd be angry he'd fucked over Aram and acted impulsively, but not hurt. He looked at her, perplexed by the emotions he saw flitting across her face that she was trying to control.

Liz started to walk away quickly, and Don caught up to her taking her by the arm and slowing her down.

"Liz…" Don started.

"Hannah," Liz reminded him as she continued to walk. "And you are Peter Bryce."

Don tried to catch her eye, but he knew the conversation was done. He contemplated pulling her to the side to talk before they went inside, but if there were any cameras, it would look suspicious.

Don turned on his wire a few steps before the door. "Ressler and Keen entering Cribs & Cuddles.

They arrived at the baby boutique and Liz walked in ahead of him smiling.

She took his hand in hers and smiled her way through change tables, cribs, onesies, bottles, highchairs, and all other baby items. Don made jokes about needing an addition on their house to accommodate all of their items and the one woman who worked there, remembered Liz from the previous day and walked them through what most couples buy for their newborns. They playfully argued over baby swings and Liz noted that Don seemed to be a stickler for safety features on all the items they were looking at.

Don took out his credit card at the register and handed it to the man.

"When can we expect delivery?" Don asked as Liz filled out the paperwork next to him indicating their address and phone number. "I'm out of town as of 3pm today until Saturday and she can't get these things in the house by herself, I don't want Hannah to get hurt moving anything."

"We can arrange for delivery next week," the man smiled at them.

"Perfect," Liz smiled. "I'm all by myself so…"

"No problem ma'am," he said returning Don's card to him. "Thanks for coming, in and we'll call the day before delivery."

"Thanks a lot," Don said.

"Yes, thank you so much," Liz smiled at him and walked out of the store holding onto Don's arm and smiling.

They kept up the ruse for a block before Liz dropped his arm, walked away from him, and opened up her phone to call an uber.

"Ressler and Keen com off," Don said as he watched her tap some things on her phone.

Don walked toward her.

"Keen, we need to talk," Don said as she watched her focus on her phone.

"I've got to run home for a second," Liz said distractedly. "I'll see you back at the office?"

"Liz…." Don said.

She turned and gave him a small smile. "I forgot my pre-natal vitamin this morning. I'll see you at the office?"

Don nodded and watched as a car pulled up beside her and she got inside.

Later that night, just as the sun was setting, Liz pulled into her fake home's garage and turned off the car, shutting the garage door behind her.

"Clear," she said as she got out of the car.

"That floor smells like blood," Samar said as she unfolded herself from the floor of the back seat.

Liz walked to the trunk and popped it for Don to get out.

"Thanks," he said as he shifted and started to pull himself to sitting.

Without noticing her presence until she was standing next to her, Liz saw Samar reach out a hand and help Don get out of the trunk. When he was finally standing, he was an inch from Samar their bodies against each other.

"Thanks," Don smiled at her. Since the bomb incident, things had gotten much better between them.

Samar smiled at him.

Liz walked away quickly from the pair of them.

"I'll make sure the path through to the bedroom is covered," Liz said as she walked into the one floor house.

She needed to get away from him and Samar and whatever was going on between them, Liz could feel the sexual tension in the garage. Back at the office that afternoon, after she had gone home to de-compress and gather herself together with the new knowledge that Don had moved on and was now with Samar, Liz noticed things about them that she hadn't before. Samar turned her body toward Don whenever he spoke, he stood close to her when he talked, they seemed to be in tune with each other in a way that, once seen, couldn't be unseen. Knowing that Don had moved on had made her solidify the plan she had with Mr. Kaplan. She called her that afternoon and agreed to it. Don had tried once at the office to pull her aside and speak with her, but she had managed to squirm out of that moment as well citing the baby laying on her bladder. He hadn't tried to speak with her about Samar since.

"Clear," Liz called.

Don and Samar walked into the house and beelined for the bedroom. They were going to have to stake out the one room while Liz pretended to be home alone. Once they got there, the blocking shade was pulled down and he and Samar sat on the bed and turned on the TV while Liz put away some groceries, watched TV, made popcorn for Don and Samar and herself, and called Don in the other room.

Don and Samar were on their fourth episode of season 2 of Homeland when Liz finally walked into the bedroom and took in the sight before her.

Don and Samar sitting with their backs against the headboard of the bed, his legs stretched out in front of him, and Samar's legs curled in underneath her. Samar's body was a good foot away from Don's but it was turned toward him. They had the bowl of popcorn between them and we absently eating from it while Samar pointed out the inconsistences with the portrayal of the middle east in the story and he argued with her. When she walked in, they were both laughing quietly about something.

"Ready for bed?" Don asked as he pulled his feet back and picked up the bowl of popcorn while Samar turned off the TV.

"Yeah, babies take a lot out of you," Liz said as she watched them shuffle off the bed.

Liz wanted to throw up. The scene before her reminded her of when she and Don watched 24 for days while he was recovering. It was intimate and comfortable in a way that made her incredibly uncomfortable. How many times had Don and Samar shared a bed? Why were they fighting that day? She could tell that they had, obviously, made up. Liz closed her eyes, she didn't need to think about them making up. Liz tried to tell herself that this was a good thing. She had moved on with Tom and a baby on the way, and Don had moved on with Samar, a wonderful woman.

"I can't be in the washroom as planned," Samar said.

"Why?" Liz asked.

"Sightlines with the mirror. If he chooses to break in through that window, which he has in the past he'll see me right away. Even if standing in the bedroom, he'll see me," Samar noted. "I'll get in the closet with Ressler."

"How cozy," Liz said under her breath as she pulled out a pair of pajamas.

Don sighed and nodded with his head for Samar to get in the closet.

"Open the blinds after you change and take some time to put on hand cream or read a book, in the well- lit bedroom to illustrate that you are, clearly, alone," Don said.

Liz nodded.

"We're right here," Don said as he grabbed her elbow and then walked into the closet with Samar, shutting the door behind him.

Liz thought about going to the washroom to change but then decided Don had seen her naked and so had Samar in the locker room, it wasn't important, and she was tired, and they were in the closet all cozy together, she was the least of their concerns.

She pulled off her shirt and unhooked her bra, her back to the closet before the pulled a shirt over herself. She then dropped her maternity pants and stepped carefully into some pajama bottoms. Liz walked over to the laundry hamper and dropped her clothes in it. And she knew Samar would never be offended, and Don, being the man he was, would turn his back.

Don stood in the closet with Samar in front of him and the crack showing a sliver of Liz changing behind Samar. Samar was detailing an issue with something on Homeland but all he could see was the thin sliver of Liz in all of her pregnant glory, and he wasn't taking hid eyes off her. As wrong as that was to be spying on her as she changed, he did anyways.

Don wished they had talked and cleared the air about Samar. That he'd told Liz what happened that night was a mistake that he and Samar were moving past. Her annoyance with him and Samar spoke volumes, she was mad he hadn't shared what had happened with Samar when he knew pretty much everything about her and Tom. Don switched places with Samar, their bodies sliding past each other in the small space and Samar chuckling at the absurdity of it. Don watched Liz apply cream to her hands, take out a book and read, and watched Liz fall asleep with the lamp on her nightstand still on. He and Samar had been standing a foot from each other in the cramped closet for over an hour and, depending on when the attacker broke it, it could be a long night.

Liz shifted on the bed and Don leaned in and looked out the crack at her.

"She's fine," Samar whispered.

Don turned and gave her a dark look.

"And she's moved on," Samar added, knowing she was pushing it.

"I do realize that," Don hissed.

"Of course, you do," Samar whispered again.

Don sighed. They shouldn't be speaking at all.

Another two hours later, they heard someone at the window. Don and Samar both drew their weapons and Don leaned in to look out the crack in the closet again. They saw the man from the cash register hoist himself in through the window and lean out it to help another man into the room.

Don held up two fingers and he felt Samar touch his shoulder.

He watched the two men creep toward Liz's bed, and one reached into a bag they had brought and pulled out…something. He then reached in again and pulled out some duct tape and handed it to the other man. Just as the one man was walking toward her headboard the other man seemed to be getting ready to start pulling the duct tape.

Don kicked open the closet door and yelled.

"FBI Freeze!" Don yelled as Samar came out behind him and pointed her weapon at the man with the duct tape.

Liz gasped and sat up in bed.

"You're okay," Don said to Liz as he approached the one man and cuffed him.

Samar started to read them their rights and Don called the backup from the car outside.

Liz clamoured out bed and toward him, her breath caught in her throat, and her heart hammering in her chest.

"It's okay," Don said as he noted her reaction.

She had been sleeping soundly as the two men who had been sexually assaulting pregnant women broke into the house where she was the bait. They had assaulted thirteen women that the police had knowledge of, many of the woman over many hours. It had been devastating to not only be sexually assaulted, but to have it tied to their pregnancy was even more complicated. One woman suffered premature labour as a result of her sexual assault, and her baby was born with complications.

Liz ran toward Don, and he wrapped his arms around her as she hyperventilated against him.

"Shhhhh," he said as he let the cops coming in take care of the perpetrators. "Breathe with me…breathe with me, Liz."

He slowed and exaggerated his breath and she slowly started to match her breathing to his. Her baby pressed between them. Don rubbed her back and made soft cooing sounds as he rocked her slightly back and forth.

When he felt her breathing even out, he pulled back and looked down at her.

"You, okay?" Don asked her, his concern apparent.

Liz nodded. "Don, I…"

Samar caught Don's eye behind Liz, and he nodded toward her.

Liz looked over her shoulder and saw Samar nod back toward Don and realized he wasn't hers anymore. She stepped back from Don and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Thank you," Liz said as she swallowed hard.

Don looked at her confused, she had gone from needing him to pushing him away.

"Liz…"

"No, I'm fine," Liz said as she stepped away from him and walked toward the open window.

"You are?" Don asked, knowing she wasn't.

She nodded with her back to him.

Don ran his hand through his hair and looked around, it was just them.

He walked toward her and noted that her back and shoulders were shaking. She was crying.

"Liz," he said as he touched her shoulder.

She flinched.

Don pulled back, worried.

She turned away from him and wiped at her eyes.

"Liz, I know you aren't," Don said. "I know you."

Liz nodded, of course he would say that. Of course, he would remind her how great he was.

"Hormones," Liz said with a thready voice.

Don stepped closer to her and rubbed her back and kissed the side of her head.

Liz was just about to lean into his frame when they heard Samar's voice.

"Ressler?" Samar asked from across the bedroom.

The moment was broken, and Don turned to Samar, his hand coming off Liz's back.

"They're off to the station and forensics is on scene, they want to come in," Samar said as she noted Liz walking toward the hamper and then the washroom, shutting the door behind her.

Samar stepped toward Ressler. "Is Liz, okay?"

Don nodded and looked toward the closed washroom door. "Just caught off guard."

Samar nodded.

"Hormones," Don added.

Samar smiled. "Sure."

Samar patted Don softly on the shoulder and smiled at him. She had finally gotten to that place with Ressler where they were comfortable with each other again. They had made a terrible mistake sleeping with each other, their one night of great sex was something they could have easily continued, but it wasn't right. He was obviously still in love with Liz, and she had something, she wasn't sure what that something was, with Aram that she needed to explore.

Don looked down, bashful, knowing that Samar could see right through what was going on with him when it came to Liz and she probably always had.

They turned when Liz cleared her throat.

Samar stepped away from Don.

"I'll be waiting outside," she said before she left the room, knowing they probably needed to talk.

"I'll come with you," Liz said as she walked toward Samar and out the door.

Don was about to call her name, but knew it would be pointless.

To be continued…