Chapter 24

3 Months Later

Elizabeth was playing with Agnes in the front room when Tom came through carrying a few bags, placing them by the door.

"I think that's the last of it."

"Right, where are you staying?"

"A friend said I could stay with them until I find a place."

"Friend? Male or female?"

"Does it matter?"

"I see." She said rolling her eyes.

"Look Liz I…"

"Just go Tom."

"Fine but we still need to discuss Agnes."

"Well she's staying with me, nothing's changed regarding that."

"You're still planning on going to Italy though right…with him?"

"Yes."

"You're not taking her Liz, you're not taking our daughter out of the country, I won't let you."

"Won't let me, I'm her mother."

"Who's about to jet off with a known criminal?"

"You're judging him, really? You're not so innocent yourself Tom, none of us are."

Elizabeth stood up, coming over to him, seeing the anger in his eyes.

"I'm the one who should be angry here; you're the one who's been cheating on me."

"You've been cheating for years Liz, you just didn't know it."

"Grow up Tom, what's happening here, it's real…I'm going to Italy."

"You're not taking Agnes…."

"Shared custody Tom, it's only a few hours on the plane. I can bring her here to you; you can come to us, we can have her months at a time."

"And you think that will work do you?"

"We have to at least try, don't we? Tom you know I'll get full custody if you try to fight me on this, I'm offering you an olive branch here…don't waste it."

Tom stood staring her down, before picking up his bags and heading to the door.

"Tom?"

"I need time to think, you're asking far too much right now."

Tom walked out, slamming the door behind him, Agnes beginning to cry at the noise as Elizabeth tried to sooth her daughter.

Reddington was on the phone when Kate came in to the room, she made her way over to the window, looking down as she watched a young girl going hand in hand with her mother to the park over the other side of the road. She smiled as she watched the children playing on the swings, the fun they were having with their parents.

"Simon, I'll call you back." Red said as he hung up.

Reddington got up and came to join Kate by the window, following her eye line as he saw the small children.

"Are you alright Kate?"

"They look happy don't they, that little girl down there in blue by the slide with her mother."

"They do, what's bothering you?"

Kate turned, looking up at Reddington, who was showing nothing but concern.

"There's no use pretending is there?"

"Pretending about what, Kate I don't understand?"

"I'm old Raymond; those young mothers running around after their children…there will come a time when I won't be able too."

Reddington put his arm around Kate and guided her over to the couch, sitting down with her.

"Kate…you have more energy in you than most women your age, this job keeps you fit. I honestly don't know how you've done it for so long, some of the people I've killed over the years, they weren't light."

Kate laughed a little before looking up again to meet his eyes.

"I'm so scared Raymond, I'm scared I won't be the kind of mother this child needs me to be."

"You'll do the best that you can, just like everyone else in this world raising children. You think you're the first mother to be who's had doubt about her abilities to be a good mother, you don't think Lizzie felt like that in the beginning, even Katriana…you do the best you can and it's not as if you'll be on your own, we'll all be there with you, even Andrea."

"Sometimes I'm not sure I deserve her."

"Odd…that's what I think about you?"

"I'm not following dearie?"

"After what I did to you, you never should have forgiven me…I nearly killed you Kate and I'll never forgive myself for that."

"It's behind us Raymond."

"I know but there are times when I just feel so…"

Reddington stopped when he saw the way Kate's expression quickly changed, her hand going to her small bump.

"Kate…what is it?"

"I felt it." She smiled.

"The baby?"

Kate nodded, looking up with tears in her eyes.

"There it is again, Raymond your hand, quickly."

Kate took hold of Redddington's hand, placing it to the side of her abdomen, Reddington felt Kate press the palm of his hand firmly to the fabric of her blouse, smiling when the baby gave a small kick to his hand.

"Oh my god…" He smiled.

"Raymond I…I can't believe it, she's real."

"She's real? You had doubts."

"Aside from the morning sickness, nothing's ever really felt any different, I knew I was growing but…feeling her move is just…I can't explain it."

"Kate…"

"Mmmm."

"You are going to be an amazing mother, I promise you that. You have absolutely nothing to worry about and as I said before, we're all here for you."

Kate shook her head as Reddington brought her in to his arms, hugging the woman he cared so much about.

Andrea was just finishing off with a patient when Fiona arrived at her office, knocking lightly on the door.

"You busy?"

"Just finished up, something on your mind?"

"I was just wondering how things were going, I know we haven't talked a lot the last few months, with me being on holiday then those damn courses."

"Yeah good, speaking off holidays…how was it?"

"It was really good; I had a lot of time to think about some things. I thought a lot about everything you and Kate have been through, your love for her and it got me thinking."

"Oh…what about?"

"My own life, Nikki?"

"I see, so you've been in contact with her?"

"I called her when I was off, asked if she was seeing anyone…she's not, I ended up telling her how much I missed her."

"Fiona…"

"We went to dinner and we talked a lot, about everything that happened all those years ago between us, the feelings we still had for each other."

"And?"

"Nikki wants us to try again."

"Fiona that's great, isn't it?" She asked, worried by Fiona's expression.

"I don't know, I messed everything up the last time, I know it was a long time ago but some of the pain, it's still there. The way I treated her, blamed her…I know I was angry but the things I said to her, I can't ever take them back."

Andrea took Fiona's hand and brought her down to sit beside her on the couch, her hand never letting go of her friend.

"Fiona, what you went though back then…it was painful for you both. You went through so much to have a baby together and to lose it so close to your due date; I remember how inconsolable you were. It wasn't just Nikki, it was me too. You wouldn't let anyone in to help you; you were content to blame everyone, including yourself for it happening. You're both older now; you know that nobody was to blame, it was just one of those things."

"I really hate that phrase."

"I know, how often to we ourselves tell our patients that."

"More than I like."

"If Nikki's willing to try again, and you obviously want her back too, then go for it. You deserve to be happy again, I know you never stopped loving her."

"Who the hell am I going to come too when I need to vent huh when you leave."

"I'm a phone call a way and you know you'll always be welcome, I hope you do come to Italy to visit me, bring Nikki too. Meet the baby when she arrives."

"Can you believe any of this has happened, when you look back?"

"No, I helped Red out so many times and it was only when Kate got hurt that I really got to know her better, she was always just Red's cleaner, nothing else, it wasn't as though we ever really spoke to one another, except to say hello."

"But you obviously noticed her."

"Yeah, but I never really thought, would she ever be interested in me. I just put it to the back of my mind, if I'd had the courage to say something sooner; I don't know….maybe things might be different."

"You can't change what happened to her, her rape would probably have happened regardless, because it was aimed at Mr Reddington."

"I know, I just wish it hadn't have happened at all you know, I know she's at peace with the baby now but, she never should have had to make that kind of a decision, not at this time of her life. If we'd still ended up together, if her rape hadn't happened and kids were mentioned, I'd have been to be the one to do it. To look at her, you wouldn't think she'd been through so much."

"She seems like a tough woman."

"Working for Red, she has to be, I think she forgets that when she's around me, she can just be Kate…not Mr Kaplan, not Red's right hand, just Kate."

"I suppose it's hard to change after such a long time."

"I'm hoping this move with change things, not just for Kate but for Red too. I know he's not all bad, when you see how much he cares for Kate, Dembe and Elizabeth. He could have ended up just a normal family man, but he made one wrong move and it never stopped."

"Life sucks right?" Fiona grinned.

Andrea began to laugh as she leaned her head on Fiona's shoulder.

"God, I'm really gonna miss you."

"Of course you will and I'll miss you too but I promise you…I will come over and visit you, you have my word on that."

"I love you."

"I love you too honey."

To Be Continued…