Setting: 2.22 before Liz leaves the boat

Time for That

He shifted his weight, falling back against the bed on his side and lying there for a long moment, both of them a little short of breath and his eyes trained on her. She was beautiful and he still couldn't believe it. Every time he closed his eyes he though he'd open them again to find himself alone, either there on the boat or in an old warehouse or - even worse - still in Dresden where nothing had changed.

It had though. Everything had changed. Liz had chosen him. Knowing everything she knew about him, she chose him.

"What are you smiling about?" she teased, her voice a little raspy and Tom realized he was grinning like an idiot now.

"You."

Liz rolled her eyes and sat up, the sheets pulled around her and she squinted at the window. He followed her gaze. The sun was starting to go down. It was too late to set sail that evening, but it was too early to curl up and sleep. They'd be up halfway through the night, and he knew that from experience with her. That's why he tried not to be too disappointed as she started reaching for her clothes, frowning at the crumpled suit he'd tossed aside earlier that afternoon as she'd been busy leaving his clothes scattered across the floor. She was coming with him. They'd have time to lounge around in bed and just talk. He couldn't let himself cling to hard, no matter how much he wanted to. He wanted to hold her and tell her how much he'd missed her. How much he regretted ever screwing it up. He wanted to start being honest with her, completely honest, right then.

"You're still staring," Liz told him with knowing smirk and leaned back down, her loose hair tickling his cheek as she pressed a long kiss against his lips. He reached up, fingers tangling in it, and he felt her touch ghost over his bare shoulder before she broke the kiss, still hovering close enough that he could feel her breath on him as she spoke. "I'm going to go take a shower. Why don't you scrounge us something for dinner?"

"'Kay," he breathed, not bothering to open his eyes.

"You're going to get up, right? I'm not going to come back out and find you snoozing?"

A soft chuckle left him and dark blue eyes flickered open. He sat up a little, stealing another kiss. "I'll go make us dinner," he promised. He was pretty sure he had something he could throw together, even if it wasn't going to be some romantic meal like he would have prefered.

The corners of her lips tugged outward and there was that smile that reached her eyes that he'd missed so much. She kissed the tip of his nose. "You have anything I can wear? That blouse is kind of gross after the shootout."

"Yeah. Should be a few shirts in the drawer there," he offered, motioning to it. He turned to see Liz fixing her bra into place, moving to tug her slacks back on. "It's like, ten feet at most," he teased.

She shot him a withering look and he grinned. He started to sit up and reach for his own jeans as she disappeared into the tiny bathroom at the front and he heard the shower water start up. He shuffled his way past the little table, stooping to look through the cabinets for what he needed, and started to put together some pasta mixed with store-bought sauce and some bread with butter and garlic that he could put in the toaster oven. Definitely a far cry from a romantic dinner, but he at least thought he had a bottle of wine. That had to be worth something.

His mind was spinning as his hands moved, filling the pan full of water to soak the pasta and flipping the switch to the stove. They were really doing this. After everything, she was really leaving with him. They were getting away from Bud, from Reddington, and they were starting completely over. It was more than he'd dared hope for. They could sail down the coast line to Florida, maybe even around and into the Gulf. Beaches and sun and time. He could tell her everything. For the first time in longer than he could remember, he didn't want to hold anything back. No one had ever liked the man under the masks very well, but she did. She loved him, and that gave him hope. More than he'd dared to really have before.

"Hey," a soft voice called behind him and suddenly he felt arms wrapping around him from behind.

"Hey. I didn't even hear the shower shut off."

"Deep in thought?"

"Yeah."

"What about?"

"You. Us. I'm just…." Tom turned, and the corner of his lips quirked up at the sight of her in one of his button downs that he had had shoved in the drawer. That was it. Her slacks and blouse and jacket had been left and she was standing barefoot in only his shirt in his boat, and she knew exactly what that did to him by the mischievous glint in her eyes. It was playful and excited, two things that he hadn't seen cast in his direction in what felt like a very long time.

Before he knew it he was kissing her again, and her laugh rang in his ears as he picked her up off the ground, her legs wrapped around his waist and she leaned deeper into the kiss. This was everything.

"Your pot's boiling over," she whispered roughly when they broke for air.

"You still hungry?"

"I wish I wasn't."

Tom chuckled and set her down, turning to find she was right. He turned the burner down and it settled out as he moved to drain the water and replace it with the sauce. "We have time," he acknowledged, watching her out of the corner of his eye as she moved to take a seat at the table. "Right?"

"I want to go with you, Tom," she answered.

"You sure? I mean, just you and me and the ocean. I want you to be sure."

He glanced over to see her looking concerned this time. "Aren't you? I thought this was what you wanted."

"More than anything… as long as you do too."

That pulled a small smile from her. "I do. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too. I..." He closed his eyes, steadying himself. "Liz, anything you want to know, just ask. I won't hide anything from you. I won't lie to you."

"I know, and there'll be time for that, but right now, I just want to enjoy it. Can we do that?"

He nodded, shoveling some of the pasta out on the plates and putting a piece of would-be garlic bread on each one. She teased him for it, and he loved every second of it. They talked as they ate, the ease of the conversation speaking of just how well they really did know each other. There had been a lot of lies and a lot half-truths, but deep down, she had known what was important. As the sun set outside and they put the plates in the sink, Liz pulling him back towards the bed, Tom told himself that they'd have time to iron things out. This time, he'd do it right.

Notes: I think this little one-shot was born out of something Tessa said over on Tumblr and really, really missing the Keens together right now. I think this week is the first episode Tom might be back in, but next week being more likely. I just need a really romantic moment with a kiss and sweet moment before the season ends. Is that too much to ask?