Work Things Out

"You want me to do what?"

He knew he was staring stupidly at her, but he couldn't quite force his brain to process the words. It felt like a trick question. It had to be a trick question.

"He just needs your help on some project," Liz said, not even bothering to turn to him as she shuffled around their kitchen and she washed her breakfast bowl out in the sink. "It's part of the rebuild and he's-"

"You get what that means, right?" Tom asked, still feeling like someone had dealt him a hard blow. No one had hit him, but he was still dazed. This was an extraordinarily bad idea. Agnes let out a loud shriek at his side, reaching for the bowl of yogurt he'd been taking to her in her high chair when Liz had dropped the the question on him. He lifted an eyebrow at the demanding sound and handed it over. That was going to be a miss, kind of like Liz's request to help Reddington.

Liz sighed, finally turning to look at him. "It's fine, Tom. He just needs help. He's-"

"Family, yeah."

"Don't say it like that." She leaned back against the sink, her arms crossed over at her chest. He hated that posture. It was the one she took on when she was frustrated, and when she was frustrated there were few things to say that could be right. She just wanted him to agree, no matter what he thought about it, and sometimes he could. Many times he could, but not with this. "He promised it won't take long, I've already called Carly-"

"Before I even agreed to do it?" Tom groused, his voice more clipped than he meant for it to be. He squeezed his eyes closed, gaining control as best as he could. "Last time I worked with him it freaked you out."

She gave him a tight smile. "Yeah, but things have…. changed. I'm okay with this. With him. He's… Reddington is a lot of things and I won't always be okay with his tactics, but we do need his list and I promised to help him." She stepped forward and Tom remained rooted in place as the woman he loved reached out. Her touch was gentle and a little pleading as her fingers trailed down his arms until her hands found his and she gave him a cute, playful smile now, knowing exactly what she was doing. "You don't have to do it for him. Do it for me. Please?"

Tom loosed a frustrated breath. Everything had changed when Raymond Reddington became her father in her eyes. Every day proved that a little more. "This is a bad idea. Whatever it is will be dangerous."

"You'll be okay."

He snorted. "You think Reddington's going to watch my back?"

She squeezed his hands. "I don't think he'll put a knife in it, if that's what you're worried about." She tipped up on her toes, pressing a quick kiss to his lips, her smile still playful.

He didn't return it. She was teasing him, trying to lighten the mood, but he was never a fan of being manipulated. He worked hard to leave manipulation tactics out of their relationship and she usually did the same. It was how they'd learned to work. Honesty.

But she wasn't going to let up until he said yes. She wanted him to help her father on her terms.

Liz's smile faded a little. "Tom?"

He blinked hard, preparing himself. "On one condition."

"Okay…?" she said hesitantly.

Dark blue eyes opened and focused in on her. "You tell me the real reason. Red's looking for cheap labour, fine. Why are you pushing so hard on this when you hated the idea last time?"

She paused, pursing her lips together, but she didn't let go of his hands. They stood there in their kitchen, Agnes babbling from her seat between mouthfuls of her favourite yogurt, and their gazes locked. Liz swallowed hard and he saw the mask she'd put on for this conversation finally crack. "This is… complicated. He's my father, but he's my CI. He's a criminal, but he's…." She faltered and he let his thumb drift over her knuckles in a soothing gesture. She tried for a smile. "You know what he is, and we both know what he's done. To me….to you. For us too. This is complicated enough without being worried one of you will take a shot at the other."

"I promise not to shoot your dad unless he draws first," Tom said, finally with a hint on a smile.

"You wanted to be serious. Be serious. I know you didn't invite him to dinner just for the sake of it. I'm not naive, Tom."

He grimaced and his lips twitched downward.

"You were getting a feel for the situation. Trying to see how much of a threat he is."

Well, she did know him well. "Yeah."

Liz loosed a breath. "I need you both on my side, babe. You need to work things out. You're both really good at what you do. Take the time. Figure it out. Please."

She wanted so badly to trust Reddington. For this to work out. Tom leaned down, forehead against hers. "You're a really good person, you know that?"

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes I'll meet with him. Yes I'll work with him on whatever crazy thing he has planned. That doesn't mean it's going to fix things between us, Liz."

"It's a start, though."

"Maybe."

Her smile was hesitant, but she leaned up to kiss him again. "Thank you. I love you."

He nodded, opening his mouth to return it, but a loud squeal drew both of their attention in time for a well aimed spoonful of yogurt to be launched their direction. Liz let out a squeak as they both dodged, Agnes giggling at them and her daddy stepped forward. "Hey you. Are we not paying enough attention to you, kiddo?"

She giggled shrilly and lifted her arms up to be pulled out of her chair and held. He picked her up, pressing a kiss to her chubby cheek before turning back to the woman he loved, voice serious again. "I am on your side, Liz, you know that right? You and Agnes, you're where my loyalties lie."

She held his gaze for a long moment, a sweet smile tilting her lips as she stepped closer to them and reached a hand out to lay it gently on their daughter's back. "I know. I'm not questioning that, babe. I just need you to try with Reddington and I need him to try with you. That's what this is."

He nodded and kissed the side of Agnes' head, his voice turning a little more playful again. "Guess I need to get dressed for a meeting, huh? You want to see Carly today?"

Agnes said something that sounded close to her nanny's name and Tom grinned at her.

Liz shifted her touch from the one year old to his arm. "Thank you, Tom. I do know how hard it is."

He tried for a smile for her. "Love you."

"You too. Reddington's expecting you at ten. I'll text you the address." She kissed Agnes and then kissed him before leaving for work.

Tom waited several moments after he heard the door latch to loose a long breath and shifted Agnes. "When did you get so big, huh, baby girl?" She giggled as he playfully kissed her cheek and Tom focused on the sound. He'd spent the better part of his life balanced on a knife's edge, but here and now there was so much more to lose, and he'd be damned if he was willing to leave them again.

Notes: Did anyone else get the distinct impression that Tom wanted to be anywhere but working with Red? :P

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