A/N: Here is the next chapter. Thanks again to those who are still hanging in there. I totally appreciate the reviews and follows. I hope you will keep following this one. This chapter, some sweet Red and Lizzie moments and also some sweet Red, Lizzie and Abby moments.

Chapter seventeen

It was the end of their evening and Red and Lizzie were walking to the car when Red's phone rang. He gave her hand a small squeeze before picking up and stepping away from her to answer the call. From what she could hear there was something with Abby and it appeared that he had to go straight home. After ending the call he walked back to her.

"That was Angela. Abby woke up from a nightmare and won't calm down. She keeps asking for her father. Angela still struggles to deal with it." He ran a hand over his head. He didn't want his evening with Lizzie to end. He hadn't even had the chance to kiss her yet. Something he'd wanted to do for quite a while now.

"I understand."

"Let's go." Red held out his hand for her. "She's been asking for you too."

"Who?" She took his hand and let him lead her to the car.

"Abby."

She faltered. She was going to go home with Red to see Angela and Abby. She wasn't quite sure if that was right. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea. Why don't you drop me off at my place?" She suggested.

"You don't have to come with me if you don't want to, but I would like it if you join me." They were at the car now and he turned around to wait for her answer.

She saw how important this was for him. "Okay." She nodded. "If you're sure."

"I am." He thanked her with a kiss on her cheek. He walked her to her side of the car, opened the door for her and waited for her to get in.

About half an hour later they were at the house where Angela and Abby lived with Red. Red opened the door for them and Abby's crying could be heard immediately. He quickly took the stairs up to first floor to Abby's bedroom. Lizzie followed him. On the landing and stepping out of what she assumed was Abby's room a tall woman with long blond hair appeared. The woman immediately threw herself in Red's arms telling him that Abby wouldn't calm down. Red hugged her briefly before walking into Abby's room leaving Angela and Lizzie behind.

"Hi, I'm Elizabeth." Lizzie introduced herself, holding her hand out for Angela to shake who did so.

"Angela."

"Lizzie?" Red called for her from Abby's bedroom.

Lizzie nodded politely at Angela as she passed her. Stepping into the child's bedroom she saw Abby in Red's arms, looking over his shoulder to her.

"Miss Lizzie?"

"I'm here sweetie." She walked up to Red who was sitting on the edge of Abby's bed and sat down next to him. Abby let go of Red and crawled into Lizzie's lap. She gently rubbed her back to calm the little girl down.

"Can I come visit you again?" Abby asked in a small voice.

"Of course you can."

"And I can play with Jethro?"

"Yes. He'll like that."

"Really?"

"Mmm…" Lizzie hummed. "He likes to play."

"I like him." Abby yawned and put her head on Lizzie's shoulder. "Can I get a picture of him?"

"Sure."

They were all quiet for a moment. Red watched Lizzie closely. It warmed his heart to see her with his niece. It made him love her even more. Looking at Abby he saw the little girl's eyes closing. "Come here sweetie." He lifted her from Lizzie's arms and put her back down on the bed. He kissed her forehead before turning to Lizzie. He took her hand in his and pulled her up.

Angela waited for them in the hallway. Lizzie noticed how she immediately walked up to Red. The two of them talked softly as Lizzie waited a short distance away from them. As the two said their goodbyes, Lizzie saw how Angela leaned into Red to hug him and seemed reluctant to let him go. When Red kissed her cheek, she saw Angela's eyes close and her body linger. Angela's move seemed odd to Lizzie, but for now she wouldn't mention it to Red. Besides she didn't know Angela well enough to draw any conclusions.

"I'll take you home." Red took her hand in his and together they left the house.

Back at Lizzie's house, Red and Lizzie walked into her house and were immediately greeted by Jethro. He happily wagged his tail and ran a couple of rounds around them.

They sat down in her living room on her couch. They sat close together, however their bodies didn't touch. Neither seemed to be willing to give in to the urge to be close to each other. Both for different reasons. Red seemed to think Lizzie wasn't ready yet and Lizzie doubted if she let herself get close to him she would be able to let him go and she knew she had to let him go. She also wondered if her need for him was a weakness. It felt like it sometimes.

"I can hear the wheels turning." Red said. After their talk at the restaurant he wondered if she was more willing to share her thoughts with him now.

"Sorry." She turned her body towards him. Carefully her hand reached for his.

"Don't be sorry." He waited patiently for her. The hesitant movement of her hand reaching for his didn't go unnoticed by him. He didn't move though.

Hesitantly she traced the back of his hand with her finger. It was strange that despite his words at the restaurant she was still unsure. She knew she had to push passed that insecurity. She had to, otherwise they could never be. She swallowed. "I wanna be close to you." She admitted in almost a whisper. She kept her eyes downcast. "I want you to stay, but I know you can't."

"Sweetheart." Red whispered in a rough voice. To hear her say she wanted him close, that she wanted to stay was something he longed to hear from her. "Come here." He pulled her into her arms and loved how she curled into him. He breathed in her scent and welcomed the feeling of belonging her presence gave him. "I want to stay too." He admitted, yet what Lizzie said was true. He couldn't stay, not yet, Abby's nightmare had proven that. "And I'll always want to be close to you."

They sat like that for quite some time. Jethro had found his spot back on the rug in front of the fire place and was vast asleep. Lizzie put her head on Red's chest and listened to his steady heart beat. The safety and warmth his arms offered lulled her to sleep eventually. When Red heard her breath even out he knew she had fallen asleep. He lifted her in her arms and walked her to her bedroom. He gently lay her down on her bed, pulled the covers of her and kissed her hair. "Sweet dreams, Lizzie."

TBC...