Disclaimer: Credit to Jonathan Nolan, Greg Plageman, and the POI writing team. Bolded sections are straight from the episodes.
QUEENSBRIDGE PARK
Chapter 54: mid YHWH
Elena glances around her empty apartment. She hadn't accumulated much stuff in eight months.
She glances at one last box on the dining table. It's half full of John's things that had somehow migrated to her place ... and a few things he'd planted there. She tucks three spare magazines in the folds of a blanket that he'd brought over when she'd been cold after she got shot. On top of the blanket is his hat that he'd made her wear once when they were walking Bear. And a pair of his gloves that had been way too large on her but kept her fingers warm during a walk home.
She hesitates as she holds on to the last item for a moment longer. A photo. Of John and a mystery woman, from years ago. Part of her wants to keep it, to be able to look at this young, happy John once in a while.
But that would defeat the whole purpose of leaving, wouldn't it?
With the help of Harper, Fusco, the Machine, and sheer dumb luck, Reese makes it out of the basement of the former Lower Manhattan Savings Bank more or less in one piece.
But the trouble doesn't end there. With Elias and Dominic on their way to federal custody, Reese turns his attention to the bigger picture — Samaritan. As he hurries to catch up to Root and Finch on their mission to save the Machine, he makes two stops, to warn the two people closest to him and most at risk of becoming collateral damage.
He heads to his apartment building to change his bloody shirt and talk to Elena. On one hand, it'll be easier to convince Elena to leave town for a while since she has a vague idea of what he's involved in. On the other hand, he hasn't spoken to her in two months.
Well, apart from when she'd helped save his life in the Catskills, apparently. He makes a mental note to ask Fusco how exactly that happened, assuming all they make it out of this alive.
When he gets to his apartment, there's a cardboard box sitting on the chair that had become Elena's chair. "For John" is written in her neat handwriting on one of the flaps.
He quickly glances at the contents. It's everything of his that had ended up with her — a few spare clips and random articles of clothing.
He darts into the hallway again and raps on her door before he breaks through with hardly any effort at all —
And then draws up short at the sight of the bare apartment.
He steps back into the hall. He sees the edge of a canvas sticking out of one of the garbage bins and pulls it out. It's a half-finished painting of the Queensboro Bridge as seen from Queensbridge Park. The piece Elena had been working on but never let him see.
This couldn't be it. Elena wouldn't just leave like this, without a word, without a goodbye.
"Where do people like you hide things?" Elena had asked months ago, when Bear had broken into her apartment and she'd pulled a gun on him.
He'd smirked, remembering when Finch had asked him the same thing, early on in their partnership.
"Underneath."
He strides back into his apartment and feels under the table. There's an envelope addressed to him in the same neat handwriting that's on the box. He unfolds the sheet of paper in it.
Dear John,
You told me to stay away. So I'm going to do just that. And I'm going to ask you to do the same. Be good. Be safe. But most of all, be happy. You of all people deserve that.
Much love to Bear, the Prof, and Cocoa Puffs.
Elena
He shakes out the rest of the envelope's contents. There's a photo. The photo. Of him and Jessica. He'd found it among Carter's effects, but thought he'd lost it somewhere between the city and the Catskills on that fateful day he'd gone alone to the cabin.
There's also a ring. Elena's wedding ring. The one he'd placed on her finger during their fake marriage.
Reese next goes to the precinct and tries to convince Iris to leave town for the next few days. He hadn't expected her to go easily, but she insists on knowing more.
"You once said you were pretty sure I wasn't a cop," he says, and she nods. "Well, if what I'm about to do goes sideways, the wrong people will figure that out too and anyone I care about will be at risk."
"What is it? An organized crime thing?"
"Much worse than that. Look, I don't know how this is going to shake out, but you've got to trust me."
"You want me to trust you? Trust me," she insists. "Tell me what the hell's going on."
"All right," he makes a deal. "I make it through this in one piece, we'll talk. I'll tell you everything. No holding back."
"Okay," she finally accepts. "John." She holds him back before he can leave. "Am I going to lose you?"
He places his hand on her cheek and ignores her question. "Take care of yourself."
As he exits the precinct, he asks the Machine for Finch and Root's location, and it gives him an address in Brooklyn. He heads to the subway to grab a few more guns.
He dials Elena's number on the way.
"The number you have reached is not in service."
Reese stops short in the middle of the sidewalk. He tries again.
"The number you have reached is not in service."
"Call Elena Cassidy," he orders the Machine, since he's in God mode.
"The number you have reached is not in service."
"Damn it," Reese mutters. He doesn't understand why the Machine is playing games, but he's wasting too much time.
"Just tell me this then," he says. "Is she safe? Tell me, or I don't go another step."
Surprisingly, the Machine answers directly.
"Yes."
Elena's new phone rings as she enters her new apartment in a shiny high-rise overlooking the Hudson. "This is Elena Cassidy."
"Hello, Miss Cassidy, this is Ernesta at Thornhill Services. We just wanted to make sure that everything is satisfactory with your new apartment and the move?"
"Yes, thank you again for helping me find it. That's a wonderful service you provide your employees."
"We are happy you're joining our team, Miss Cassidy. Everything is all set for your first day with us on Monday."
"I'll be there at 9 a.m."
"We're looking forward to it, Miss Cassidy. Good evening."
