Waiting for the Phone to Ring

Life had gotten complicated very quickly and Liz wasn't quite sure what to do with that. Things had been going well - okay, so well was a matter of opinion - with Nick until the idiot had pulled out that stupid ring and ruined everything. Then she had been dumb enough to choose Tom Keen of all people to vent to about it. It had made sense at the time (and after a few beers) since he was one of her few friends that didn't know Nick. Everyone that knew him loved him, and everyone that loved him told her just how stupid she was for turning him down. It wasn't like she had broken up with him, exactly. She didn't know what she wanted just yet.

What she did know was that she had kissed Tom Keen that night. He had given her a shoulder to lean on and an ear to listen to her gripe for hours, even after the others had left. He had walked her home, the perfect gentleman and she had kissed him. Liz had been happily surprised when he returned it, even more when he'd called her - they had stayed on the phone for hours - but it did introduce a rather large complication to her life: what was she going to do about Nick?

He wasn't a bad guy. Liz had dated her share of assholes, and while Nick could be pushy and arrogant, he was a decent human being. He didn't deserve to be strung along, but she couldn't help but wonder if leaving him was the right decision. He had his life together and he loved her. Tom was wrapping up his master's degree and was substitute teaching to pay the rent. He was sweet and hesitant, but had a strange brand of confidence that didn't quite match up and it left her wanting to know him better. She was drawn to him, and she wasn't sure exactly why. He was attractive, sure, in a nerdy sort of way with his tortoise rimmed glasses and his cardigans. He was smart. Incredibly so. She's gotten him going on some little tidbit of history that she'd never heard and she had thought she might have hurt his feelings with the way it had made her laugh. He'd snapped his mouth shut and ducked his head, but she had reached out and stopped just shy of telling him that Nick had never made her laugh like that. It was cute and endearing and nothing like any of the other men she'd ever been attracted to. It hadn't been long until he'd been laughing with her and the sound had given her at least a little peace amongst all the questions rattling around her brain nonstop.

A sigh escaped her as she looked down at her phone in her hand, the clock switching over to seven pm. She had never been the cheating type and it didn't leave her in a comfortable position. True, there was something a little exciting about their spy-esque meetings, but they couldn't do this forever. It needed to end before it got out of control.

Liz's fingers danced over the numbers, dialing a number it was a little weird to know. A newly familiar voice answered and she tried to fight the smile. "Hey, I'm going to be a little late tonight." He asked her if everything was okay and she promised that it was. She just had to handle a few things. She sighed as the call ended, her smile fading, and she forced herself to dial another set of numbers. It was time to grow up and face things, even if she didn't want to. Everyone involved deserved as much.

He was getting in too deep, that's what pretty much anyone that really knew him would have said. Reddington hadn't stuttered: limited direct contact. That had been the assignment, but he'd gotten closer somehow. It was almost as if he'd lost the ability to stop himself.

She hadn't sounded happy in the phone. Maybe he would luck out and she wouldn't choose him. That was what he should be hoping for, anyway. It would give him an easy way to slip into the place he was in before, but he didn't want that. Not if he were honest with himself. The fact that he didn't understand why he wanted her to stay close was driving him nearly as crazy as the woman herself. He'd never done this before and everything about it was dangerous to his own health. He'd been hired to protect her, not... whatever this was. He wasn't even sure what the feelings meant.

"Sorry I'm late," Liz's voice drifted in from behind him and immediately Jacob Phelps took a backseat to Tom Keen.

Tom turned, a somewhat wary smile tilting his lips. "Everything okay?"

The woman that he shouldn't be dating took the seat opposite of him. She looked emotionally drained, and he found himself leaning forward without permission, reaching out to offer her a hand. "What's wrong?"

"I did it. I finally did it." Liz loosed a long breath and took his hand. "I told Nick that it was over."

Tom blinked at her from behind his glasses. They had talked about it and the fact that they couldn't reasonably continue on like this. Liz needed to choose. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. You were right. Something had to give, and... I don't love Nick. I was never going to love Nick. He just wasn't right for me." Her gaze flickered to meet his and Tom felt his breath catch somewhere in his chest. "I'd like to find out what you and I might have."

He shouldn't be happy. He shouldn't feel like jumping up and wrapping his arms around her. This was about to put them both in a precarious spot that she wasn't even aware that she was choosing. This was dangerous for him if Reddington ever found out, but he couldn't bring himself to care. The grin broadened of its own accord and Liz's expression brightened with it. "Guess this means no more James Bond style communication, huh?" he teased.

"Well, I'm not sure you had much of a future as a spy anyway," Liz answered in the same tone and squeezed his fingers. "Do you want to do this? For real? I'm done with Nick either way, but... I'd really like to see more of you, Tom, and not sneaking around."

"I don't know. You just told me I'd make a terrible spy," he answered with a smirk.

"Just crushed your inner eight-year-old?"

"Just a little." His smile broadened and he tightened his grip on her hand. "I'm willing to take a risk on this if you are."

Liz grinned at him and Tom pulled in deep breath. He was all in now. He could keep her safe. Really, if he thought about it, he could keep her safer this way than staying at arm's length. This was the right decision. For the job, of course. The fact that her smile sent his heart racing didn't matter. He was going to protect her, because that was what he'd been hired to do. He could figure everything else out as they went along.

Notes: I've had several requests for the early Wing Yee's meetings. Not going to lie, it bothers me a little that Liz cheated on Nick in the beginning. Don't get me wrong, super cute that they had spy beginnings, but I wish they'd come up with another way to work that in. I think that may be why it's taken me a while to get this one turned out, but here it is. Hope you enjoyed it :)