A/N: This story takes place in 3X17 and 18, Mr. Soloman. In this fanfic, Liz is not pregnant. The wedding is Tom and Liz's but this story is a Keenler.

I do not own The Blacklist.

The van was empty. 'What?' thought Ressler. 'How can that be?'.

His phone rang. "Ressler." He answered.

"Donald it's me." Reddington started.

"Reddington, suspect lied about the location of the attack on the convoy." He updated the master criminal.

"There is no attack." Replied Reddington. Ressler was more confused. "There never was. The target is Agent Keen, you need to get to the church, Donald." He informed the FBI agent. 'Shit!' Thought Ressler.

"On my way." said Ressler, getting into his car and speeding towards the wedding venue. He had hoped the case would keep him busy and he wouldn't have to attend the wedding. 'There goes that plan.'

The weddign was taking place in a church outside of the main city and was on the opposite corner from where he was. Ressler was driving for about fifteen minutes, when his phone rang. Thankfully, he had it connected to his car, so by teh press of a button, the call was accepted. He saw that the call was from an agent at the post office.

"Agent Ressler, the suspect was able to break free. She ran away." The agent spoke timidly.

"It's supposed to be a Black Site facility for Gods Sake! Were you people sleeping?" Ressler admonished the agent harshly.

"I'm sorry agent, her plan was foolproof."

"Of course it was." Ressler scoffed and cut the call. He sped up his car and drove towards his destination.

When he got closer, he made sure to turf off the sirens of his vehicle. Despite him hearing Samar's 911 signal on his radio, he though it would be best if his arrival was not that apparent. As he drove into the drive way of the church, he saw a skew of bodies, many of those he knew to be Reddington's men. Neither Soloman or his team were there so he discreetly made his way into the building. He was on foot when he heard some activity. HE quickly hid behind the plants and readied his weapon.

He saw one of the men being dragged inside by Dembe. A few gun shots were heard, but Ressler was able to see the back of Dembe's head after, giving him the indication that he was alive. He moved closer to the entrance and just as one perpetrator was about to enter and shoot, he fired his gun straight at his head.

The other member's saw him and let out a little sigh.

"Liz and I should leave this place." Tom said.

"Yes. But Donald, take Lizzie with you." Reddington said.

"Liz is safer with me." Tom argued.

"You don't have access to one of the safest places." Reddington said with gritted teeth.

"The Box." Realised Ressler.

"But-" Tom started.

"Reddington and Ressler are right." Liz said.

"Make it seem that she is with Tom. Open doors to both cars." Reddington ordered.

Ressler nodded and made his way to his car. Behind him Tom and Liz followed, quietly, guns raised and alert. Thankfully, both cars were next to each other. Liz opened both doors next to each other while Tom and Ressler entered the other ones. Liz entered Ressler's vehicle while Tom shifted to the driver's seat in the other.

Speeding up and breaking all traffic regulations, Ressler drove to the black site. In sometime, they had reached the post office and Ressler and Liz informed teh guards there to be prepared for Soloman and his team. Ressler instructed all non-essential personnel to leave the premises and the other agents to be on high alert and thoroughly armed, all while he and Liz made their way to the Box.

"Ressler." He answered his phone.

"Soloman knows Liz is with you. He can be at the site any minute. We will be there as soon as we can." Came Reddington's voice.

"Almost in the box." Informed Ressler and. cut the call.

"You're getting in with me." Liz said.

"No." Ressler said.

"Your finger prints open the box. If you're there too.. Soloman can't force you to open it." Liz said. "and he might kill you, you know."

"What do you care?" Ressler asked bitterly.

"Ress-" Liz started.

"Not the time." Ressler said as he scanned his palm and the door ot the box opened. A loud siren alerted the two agents of a breach and the quickly made their way inside. Thankfully the door had closed with them inside before Soloman or his men could arrive.

"Well... well... well... I must Agent Ressler, you surprised me." Soloman stated. "Now, either you two come out of this box, and I might spare you, or we make our way inside and I kill you."

"You and I both know you ain't getting inside. Your former bosses tried and failed." Ressler retorted.

"hmm.. Well we'll see, won't we?" Soloman challenged. "By the way, does Ms. Keen's soon to be husband know about the secret feelings you two share?"

"Why don't you concentrate on your job." Liz said. She sat on the metallic bench as Ressler paced around the small space.

"Can the microphone be switched off?" Liz asked. Ressler moved to the front of the box and raised his arm to flick a switch.

"What?" He asked facing her.

"You chased me down. Thought I was a criminal." Liz said.

"Don't you dare!" Ressler said, trying hard to control his voice. "I let you go that day when you first escaped this place. I saved you form the Cabal after you seeked asylum from the Russians. I never took a shot at you even when I was chasing you in the forest. I stood here," Ressler pointed toward the outside of the box, "and promised you that I would keep you safe and I did. So don't you accuse me of treating you like a criminal." he warned.

"You slept with Samar." Liz accused.

"That was one night. I'm not sitting my wedding attire planning on marrying her!" Ressler half-shouted.

"But-"

"No but. You repaid me by running back to your con-man ex-husband, great. Do not expect me to be happy about it." Ressler interrupted.

"Then why are you saving me?" Liz asked.

"That's my job." Ressler said tightly.

"Ressler..." Liz started, "I thought what happened between us didn't mean anything, after you slept with her."

"Really.. really Liz?" Ressler scoffed. "So what, huh, us being together for almost two months before the anything thing with Cabal didn't matter?"

"You slept with someone else!" Liz shouted.

"It was the day you f*cking fake died. I was at the Senate hearing in the same room as the Director and Hitchin, defending you, telling the whole world I thought you were innocent, when it was suddenly halted because Elizabeth Keen died. You didn't think of leaving a damn message to me. And, again, it was one night. The two of us have moved on why the hell can't you?" Ressler shouted.

"I...I'm sorry. I didn't know." Liz said.

"Yeah... and instead of asking, you thought to run back to that asshole." Ressler said, leaning back on the glass wall across her and closing his eyes for a second.

"Why didn't you say anything before?" Liz asked.

"You only talked to me in fornt of everyone else. No one knows about us." Ressler said; after a minute he added, "I don't know how he does." Ressler said, referring to Soloman.

"You didn't tell anyone?" Liz asked shocked.

"You realise me telling anybody about would have taken me off your case." Ressler asked.

"You wanted to be the one to chase me down?" Liz asked, taken aback.

"I can't believe you." Ressler said. "Any other agent, would have gunned you down. Would not give you the benefit of doubt at any stage like I did. God! you can be clueless." Ressler said, rubbing his hand on his face, clearly exhausted.

Liz too rested her back on the glass and sighed. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry and I'm grateful for what you did." Ressler almost rolled his eyes at that. "I was pushing you away." Liz whispered.

"What? Why? Because I arrested you?" Ressler asked.

Lis shook her head and asked him to sit beside her. "You will hate me even more if I tell you." Liz said.

"I won't." Ressler answered. "Tell me why."

"Umm.. after the fiasco with the Russians, I reached the diner to meet Reddington. There when I used the washroom, I saw that I was bleeding... you know, there." Liz said, almost whispering. Ressler could see that she was having a difficult time saying that, so he slowly grasped her hand, giving her support to continue, "The whole day my stomach was aching badly so after we escaped, Reddington got a doctor to check me up." Liz took a deep breadth. "I...I was pregnant." Ressler almost stopped breathing at that.

"What?" He asked, his voice strained.

Liz nodded, a tear escaping her eyes. "I didn't know. I had a miscarriage that day."

Ressler got up form his seat and started walking, not knowing how to express what he was feeling. "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked. "We were alone so many times."

"I didn't know how. Everytime I looked at you, that feeling came back. I couldn't gather the courage to tell you." Liz said honestly.

"So you thought pushing me away was better?" Ressler asked.

"Yes." Liz nodded.

Ressler just scoffed and turned around. "I don't even know what to say."

"I wasn't strong enough to face those emotions. Tom was easier." Liz said.

Suddenly, there was blast. Mr. Soloman's men had put up packs of C4 along the edges of the box and pressed teh trigger. Thankfully, the entire damage was outside teh box and none inside. Additionally, it had also killed a few of their men who were closer to the box.

Both of them let out a sigh. "What about the air system?" Liz asked, remembering that dreadful day.

"We upgraded it." Ressler informed her.

"Ressler, talk to me. Please?" Liz asked.

"You need to give me time to process what you told me, Keen." Ressler said, turning around.

"It's diffcult for me too." Liz whispered.

"I'm not denying that. But I had the right to know about it." Ressler said, grinding his teeth.

Then, the doors to the basement opened and multiple gunshots were heard. One by one, all of Soloman's men were killed.

"Hands on the your head." Shouted Cooper to Soloman.

"No need," Reddington snickered and fired a bullet into his skull. Samar moved to the scanner and placed her palm. The door opened and Liz and Ressler were able to exit it safely.

"Are you two okay?" Samar asked eyeing the two fo them. Both their eyes were glistening with tears. Even though Ressler had done a good job trying to look normal, a closer inspection would say otherwise.

"Just peachy." Said Ressler as he made his way out. Liz was about to follow him when Reddington stopped the two of them.

"The thread isn't over, Donald."

"What do you mean?" Asked a scared Aram.

"Whoever hired Soloman and men to abduct Agent Keen would soon hire someone else. I need a few days to find out who was behind this. Until then, we need to keep Elizabeth safe." Reddington said.

"You have enough men to do that. Why do you need the FBI?" Ressler questioned.

"What I have in mind in different than a safe house in the city. How would you liek to go on a vacation, Donald?" Reddington asked.

Ressler knew that he would not like whatever Reddington had planned. "Thanks, but no thanks." He said.

"Liz and I can go." Tom said from behind.

"No." Reddington answered. "Donald, even if you don't want to, you are going."

"I agree. Agent Ressler, it is your job." Cooper added.

"Where?" Liz asked.

"Australia." Reddington smiled. "I have the most beautiful little island there. Completely safe and oh, what corals are there on the shores..." He continued.

"Why I can't I go?" Tom interrupted.

"I don't trust you." Reddington replied bluntly.

"It doesn't matter whether you trust me or not. This is Liz's life." Tom retorted.

"Lizzie?" Reddington turned to her.

"I would prefer Ressler." Liz said softly. Tom looked taken aback.

"I do not have time for all this. Just tell me where and when, I'll be there to do my job." Ressler said, backing away to leave.

"Ressler-" Liz started going after him.

"I mean it." Ressler said, stopping her and turning around to make his way out of the post office.

Ressler was sitting in his apartment nursing a glass of scotch, when there was a knock on his door. He opened it and saw Reddington and Dembe outside.

"May we come inside?" Reddington asked.

Ressler didn't expect the tone Reddington was using. He nodded and further opened the gate. He led the two to the couch and Reddington sat down, opposite him while Dembe was standing behind the master criminal.

"Scotch?" Ressler offered.

Reddington shook his head. "Lizzie told you, I'm guessing?" He asked the agent.

"You know?" Ressler asked, then scoffed. "You didn't think I had the right to know about it." Ressler almost shouted.

"It wasn't mine to tell." Reddington said calmly.

Ressler just took a deep breadth and took another gulp of his drink.

"She was devastated." Reddington said. "She didn't know she was pregnant. It was a shock."

"She didn't tell me. She had so many chances to do so." Ressler said.

"Yes, but it was something she took time in putting out of her mind. Talking to you would have-"

"That is not an excuse." Ressler shouted.

"She loves you Donald." Reddington said trying to calm the agent.

"She was marrying another man today. That shows love like nothing else." Ressler said sarcastically. "Reddington, I get you're trying to help, but honestly, I'm too mad to see reason right now." He continued.

"I hope by the time you two return, things will be better." Reddington said, getting up to leave.

"So that's your plan." Ressler scoffed. "I'm going to Cooper tomorrow."

"And then, what? You tell him the truth of what's between you and Lizzie, he is obligated to report it and thus, the entire thing gets opened up again, this time with you under review as well." Reddington asked him. "I'm trying to help you, Donald. You might not see that now, but you will soon. Take care." Reddington said, leaving the apartment, Dembe close behind him.