A/N: This is my first Blacklist Fanfiction. I'm a huge Keenler supporter and can't wait for them to get together, especially after the episode 'Brothers'. This starts in Season 2 during Liz's birthday and goes from there. I haven't yet decided how will I manipulate the plot for Season 3 but will cross that bridge as it comes. Please review!
I do not own Blacklist or its characters.
"What's going on, Keen?" Ressler asked, half-sitting on his desk.
"You said earlier that I had so much to celebrate." Ressler nodded. "You know that isn't true. I mean I thought that by the time I was in my thirties, I'd have something to show for it. I would at least be a prestigious profiler; I mean, I was at the top of my class. I'd have a loving relationship with someone, maybe we would be raising a family together…."
"At least you got a dog, that's one up on me." Ressler stated attempting to lighten the mood.
"I don't know who I am. I don't know if this is my birthday. I don't even know my own name. No, I know who I am, I am the puppet of a high-functioning sociopath. I was a job to my 'husband'. I don't even know what I'm doing here."
Ressler gave her a tight smile and got up, opening the box he carried into their office with him. "What you're doing is having dinner with me. Forget Reddington, forget Tom. Today is your birthday. You've celebrated this day since you were a kid and you will celebrate today as well, with me."
Liz looked at him, happily surprised. Then Ressler explained that he called the restaurant to deliver her a bottle of wone when he was informed that she didn't have a reservation. "So, I thought if you weren't going to Wing Yee, I'd bring Wing Yee to you."
Liz, touched by the gesture by her partner, opened her drawer taking out the bottle of wine Reddington had brought her. She was conflicted for a second, deciding between opening the bottle she and Sam had prepared or the store-bought one gifted by Reddington. Then, she thought that Ressler would be the one who would understand the sentiment the most. So, she took out the clumsily wrapped twenty year old bottle of wine, getting a huge smile from Ressler.
Ressler pulled up a chair beside her and sat down, both of them digging into the Chinese take-out boxes. When Liz explained to Ressler the history of the bottle, he simply said, "I'm honoured.' She then knew, her choice was the right one.
They were chatting with each other, when Liz's mood dampened a bit. "What's wrong?" Ressler asked immediately sensing it.
"Tom called me today. I think he is here." Liz replied.
"You think he is in D.C.? You think he will hurt you?" Ressler asked, suddenly protective of his partner. He has been weary of Tom Keen since Liz had first brought him in. But ever since his truth was revealed, he hated the guy with a passion that was unparalleled.
"He only came to the courthouse because you and Reddington didn't leave an option after almost outing him in Germany and because Reddington had him on gun point ever since he landed in D.C. He was angry and gave me a look which didn't sit well with me at the courthouse." She explained. "Thank you, by the way."
"For what?" Ressler asked.
"Germany… Tom…" Liz went off.
Ressler just smiled. "Well, without you, this task force wouldn't exist. As I told you, the number of lives the work we do saves… Now, what did Tom say today?"
"Wished me 'happy birthday' but there was something in is tone." She trailed off, not able to explain. "And I think he still here."
"Don't go to your motel tonight." Ressler said, not wanting her to take any risks if her intuition was telling her something was off. "Come to my place. You can take the guest room."
"I can't." Liz denied.
"It's no problems." Ressler pressed.
"I can't because if I do, the one thing that has me one up on you, might die of hunger." Liz said with a glint of laughter in her eyes.
"Aah… Hudson." Realisation struck Ressler. "You want me to come with you?" He offered. He didn't want her alone at that motel. Despite knowing that one Reddington's men would be there, he would sleep better if he was there with her himself.
"I don't want to trouble you, but I would feel safer if you did." Liz said a bit embarrassed.
"You just need to ask, Keen. Come on, I'll drive you home. You mind if we stop by my place?" Ressler said, getting up and offering her his hand. Liz nodded and happily accepted his hand and followed him out of their office into the elevator.
They silently drove towards Ressler's place and then after a ten minute layover, the motel. Liz felt way calmer with Ressler beside her. She knew the chances of Tom hurting her with him beside her was drastically lower. Plus, she knew even if Tom did try something, Ressler would protect as best he could as got of the car, guns drawn as protection. Ressler opened the back door of the car to take out his duffel bag and then followed Liz towards her room, both of them on high alert. Ressler kept on hand on his fire-arm, the other on Liz's back, as they walked.
"I think I troubled you for no reason." Liz said, she they entered the room and she bolted the door.
"It's no troubles Keen. Trust me, I'll sleep better knowing you're safe too. You think Tom's here for revenge?" He asked as he sat on the couch.
"He was angry about the whole boat thing." She replied.
"Well, I can't say I wouldn't be." He said, laughing. Liz laughed too. She poured Hudson some food in his eater and went to the refrigerator to get a couple of bottles of beer. She passed one to Ressler and sat on the bed, facing him.
Just then, a slew of bullets came through piercing the door. Both agents sharply got up. Ressler readied his gun and pushed himself to the wall, trying to get a good angle. Liz, too jumped behind the bed, gun in-hand, ready to fire. She got an idea, and quickly sent an SOS message to Reddington.
Just as soon as the bullets started, they stopped too. Ressler signalled her to be quiet and wait for his signal. Then, two men kicked down the door. Thankfully Ressler, who had placed himself beside it, was still hidden behind the wall. As soon as the two unfriendlies entered the room and came into Ressler's line of vision, he fired two bullets simultaneously, without giving the second a chance to react.
While Ressler shot the two goons, Liz had jumped over the bed to stand on the other side of the door, to keep the side of corridor behind Ressler in check.
"Well, well, well. Seems like you, Liz have a knight in shining armour here." Came Tom's voice. "I'm going to take a guess and say it's Special Agent Donald Ressler. Isn't it?" He laughed. "Now, you two have two options, you can come out guns raised or we can come in and put a bullet in both your heads. As you are outnumbered, the first option might be good for you." He said.
After waiting for a couple of minutes, seeing neither of them budging, he motioned for two men to go inside. Sensing footsteps coming towards them, Ressler got Liz's attention and told her to look at him as he counted down. On the count of three, the both of them quickly came out a little from behind the wall and shot them straight on the head.
"You're making it ugly, agents. But, I guess that's what you're trained for, right… Not lowering your weapon?" He smirked. Just as she was to order the others to start shooting and not stop, his men started getting shot from behind.
Reddington had come as soon as he had seen the SOS message and had brought Baz, Dembe and a few of his men with him. "One step, and the sniper I have on the roof behind you will shoot." Reddington warned. "Lizzie, you can come out."
To his surprise, she was not alone as Ressler came out with her. "Reddington, you're not shooting him." Ressler ordered.
"Ah… Donald. Fancy seeing you here." Reddington sarcastically remarked. Ressler ignored him and moved to his target.
"Jacob Phelps, you are under arrest for the attempted murder of two Federal Agents, spying on a Federal Agent, Murder of an NSA agent, Murder of Lucy Brooks and assault on a federal Agent." He said, cuffing the man up. He dragged him to his car and with the help of Dembe and Baz made sure he had no room to move. Liz had called up Cooper and explained him the situation, who had asked her to bring Tom to the black-site.
She sat in the front, as Ressler drove them to the Post-Office, Reddington accompanying them in a car behind. They did not speak the entire ride, any witty remarks made by Tom being muffled by the cloth thrusted inside by Dembe.
When they reached their destination, the agents got out of the car and pulled Tom out with them. He was handed off to the guards who escorted him to the holding room. Cooper was already there, so Liz proceeded upstairs to brief him, while Ressler went to his office, to wipe the blood of his first two killings off his body.
"Why were you there today? Not that I'm grateful." Reddington asked as he followed the agent.
"Keen and I had dinner here. She told me she had an uneasy feeling after Tom called her in the afternoon, so I went there with her. Didn't want her to go alone.' Ressler shrugged.
"Thank you, Donald." Reddington said, in a rare moment of gratefulness. Ressler simply nodded as acknowledgement to the 'Concierge of Crime'. "I would not get my hopes too high of getting him in jail, though." Reddington told the FBI agent.
"The motel cameras have him on record opening fire on Liz and me." Ressler said, countering him.
"He knows of my relationship with this task force. As soon as he enters a courtroom that's the first thing he will announce to the world." Reddington said. "Let me take care of him." He asked.
"No. No way. Tom Keen or Jacob Phelps, whoever, will go into the system. We will work according to the law here, Reddington. None of us are above it. As much as I want that guy dead, he will get a trial and then go to jail." Ressler adamantly told him, not budging on his values.
"Oh, Donald. Always so set in your ways. Well, I had to try. I'll go speak to Copper now. You do your thing." He waved him off and went up to the Assistant Director's office.
After a minute, Liz came into the office as well. "Hey." She greeted. When she saw the blood on his clothes she grey concerned, "are you hurt?"
"No. It's just the splatter from the two shots I took from the close range." He explained. Liz took the wet cloth from him and wiped the places he couldn't reach.
"Thank you for today" She told with a small smile. "I wouldn't be alive if you wouldn't be there." She said and hugged him lightly. Ressler put his arm around her and pulled her closer.
"Don't think of that." He told her semi-strictly. "You're safe now."
"Because of you." She said, smiling.
"Well, you can buy me a beer someday." Ressler lightened the mood. Liz nodded and was about to reply when their boss called them outside.
"I'm sure it has been a long night for you." Cooper said looking at Liz and Ressler. "Jacob Phelps is in holding. Now go home. Relax. You can come in late in the morning. I'll brief Agent Navabi and she can begin the interrogation in your absence. The two of you will have to give statements as well and I need to talk to you regarding them too. It'll be a long day as well, so go home now." He instructed them. The two nodded and walked towards the elevator.
"Let's go to the motel, Pick up Hudson, and then you're coming with me." Ressler told her, leaving no room more argument on her side.
"After what happened tonight, I won't even argue." Liz said, stifling a yawn.