Love and Support

His voice had been so shaky on the phone that Liz wasn't sure what she would find when she reached New York. Her husband sleeping, she had hoped, but instead she'd found that no one was home when she arrived. A phone call told her that he was running down a lead he needed and he'd meet her there. The fact that he asked her if she had her lock picks on her indicated that there was no hidden key for her to track down, but she was welcome to let herself in by less traditional means so that she wouldn't have to wait out in the cold for him, which she did with only the barest amusement at the fact that that had been his go-to and she'd been ready with them. If the situation had been any less desperate she would have been waiting with a tease over it when he got there, but instead she found herself surveying the little apartment he'd leased on a short term basis to give himself a place to crash while he was in New York City.

The space was sparsely decorated, the furniture and decor having come with the apartment. It didn't feel like Tom. It felt cold and barely lived in. A glance into the single room showed the bed still made, meaning he likely hadn't slept at all that night, and she wondered how many nights had been like that since he'd come here.

They had talked about it before he accepted the job offer from Scottie, and Tom had said that if he took it, he needed to stay and put his all into it. It was deep cover, and he didn't do that halfway, he had explained. Liz had agreed. The sooner he was able to get answers the sooner he would be able to come home to them. It seemed simple, and in the abstract it was. It was the reality that was a little harsher. He called as much as he could, but it wasn't the same as seeing him. She had been busy, of course, between her own job and their daughter, but she'd missed him in every spare moment she had. Now, as she stood there, she could feel the temporary state of things there and she thought he probably had missed her too.

Liz risked a glance at her phone, and seeing that he hadn't texted to let her know he was on his way, she made her way through the tiny apartment. There wasn't much more. The kitchen was bare save for a few necessities and his clothes weren't hanging in the closet. They were ready to go at a moment's notice. The only thing she found that could show her that it was her husband staying there instead of any other soul was a photo by the bedside. There wasn't a frame, but it was set there as if he needed to look at it each night before he fell asleep. Liz found her own smile greeting her from it, her face half covered by Agnes', who she had been trying to get to look at the camera when the photo was taken. Their little girl was staring curiously and Liz had been laughing. She felt a warmth spread over her as she held the little talisman he kept of his family he wanted to go home to.

The door to the apartment opened and she heard him call her name in a hushed whisper. She was nearly to the bedroom door when he met her and he was nearly shaking. Everything was wrong. Halcyon might be listening in. They had Howard and he didn't know who to trust.

Anxiety rolled off of him in waves and Liz felt a sense of helplessness as he tried to explain. Finally she took a seat with him on the bed and did the only thing she knew to. Her hand fit in his, fingers curling around protectively and he stopped. "It's good to see you," she confessed softly.

That seemed to get through. His grip tightened in hers and he smiled for her as he asked about their daughter. He listened happily as she talked about Agnes, but she could see the worry in his eyes. He didn't want to miss any more. She remembered the feeling well from when she had gone on ahead of them to Cuba. It wasn't a feeling she missed.

Liz had considered what seeing him at the end of all of this would be like more than once since he'd left, and more often the longer he was gone. It had played out half a dozen ways in her mind. Sometimes she was throwing her arms around his neck with him picking her up fully off the ground like he did, the kiss lasting all the way to the bedroom where they'd be forced to break for air. Other times he just pulled her in and held on, his fingers working through her hair. They would enjoy the quiet and the peace together, just them and Agnes. He would tell her everything, she knew. She just needed to be patient, but as she sat in the reality of it she wondered if she'd been too patient. If he needed her support more than he needed the room to do this.

She pulled his hand up to her lips, pressing a kiss that lingered against bruised knuckles. "I love you," she murmured softly.

"I need to get into the office. I don't want to give her a reason to be suspicious right now."

"No," she agreed and squeezed his hand. "I'll talk to Cooper and we'll do everything we can to get your dad out." They stood together and, without warning, she tipped up on her toes and kissed him. She felt his hand trail down her arm, leaning into it, and she broke it before they both sank too deeply into it and lost track of time. She'd missed him too much, but it wasn't over yet. "I'll let you know as soon as we have something."

"Same," he answered, voice a little raspy. "Thank you. For this and… for coming. I needed to see you."

"Me too," she confessed with a small smile, kissing him again very briefly. "Be safe. I'll talk to you soon."

Liz didn't give him time to say anything. She couldn't. It was becoming hard to leave with each passing moment, but this wasn't just about her. He needed her right then, and she would do whatever she could to support him. The sooner that he found out what Scottie was up to, the sooner he could come home to his family.

Notes: I actually have another story that I was planning to put up today under these one shots, but then this happened. I've been thinking about that room they were in and if it was their apartment or if it was Tom's hotel/apartment/whatever that he's been staying in. It looks very similar to their apartment in DC, but the time lapse of 3 hours between that conversation and into the beating Solomon gave him was throwing me. After looking into it this morning for an anon that I got that thought it was the hotel/apartment in NYC, I have to agree. Might be the same set, but it's supposed to be a different place. Then this happened. Oops?