28 years old
"You made it!" Lizzie squealed happily as she walked into the little hole-in-the-wall Chinese place that was their favorite meeting place.
"Of course I did! I wouldn't miss these dumplings! Oh! They're absolutely to die for!" Red stated exuberantly before shoving another one into his mouth.
Lizzie rolled her eyes, shaking her head in exasperation. "Gee, thanks Dad. I'm glad to know where I fall on the list of important things. Under dumplings."
Dembe chuckled as he stood so they could exchange a quick hug, before pulling a chair out for her to sit down. Just as she was about to do so, Red jumped out of his chair.
"I'm teasing! Don't you dare sit down without hugging your old man!" He shouted good naturedly, ensconcing her in one of his bear hugs. It only lasted a moment but she smiled a little brighter as she sat down, nonetheless.
"Seriously though, I'm really glad you guys were able to come. I have some news." She said, picking up her plate and beginning to pile food from the veritable buffet that sat on their table, and of course picking several dumplings.
"Oh dear god. Tell me you're not…" Red looked frantically at her stomach. "I'm not ready to be a grandpa, Lizzie. The increased security alone would—"
"No! Dad! I'm not pregnant, geez." Lizzie was quick to assuage his fears, having no plans of the sort anytime soon. If ever. "Wait. What the hell do you mean 'increased security?' Have you got people watching me?"
Damn him and his big mouth. He glanced over at Dembe to see him grinning around a spring roll. The bastard.
"Lizzie, Sweetheart. I know Dembe told you that we're keeping you safe when you discussed his daughter. How exactly did you think we were doing that?"
God dammit. He was right. She was an embarrassment to the police force. How the hell did she not connect those dots? It was like she was absolutely blind to everything that revolved around her or her dad.
"Son of a bitch."
"Lizzie—"
"Oh don't 'Lizzie' me. I just found out that my dad has super secret agent men following me around. It's gonna take me a moment to get used to this and not be royally pissed off, alright." She angrily stabbed some general Tso's and stuffed it into her mouth, earning a chuckle from Dembe and a pleasant smirk from Red.
"How long?"
"How long have we had someone watching over you?"
"No. How long until the apocalypse. Of course, how long have you had someone tailing me!"
"There's really no need to raise your voice, Lizzie."
"Answer the damn question then, Dad."
"Since you went away to college."
Lizzie stared at him, wide eyed. Looking over at Dembe for verification, he nodded.
Her chair squeaked loudly as she pushed away from the table, ignoring Red's shouts for her to come back. She needed to punch something and if she didn't leave now it was going to be her father's face instead of a heavy punching bag.
/\/\/\/\/\
Unlocking her door, Lizzie threw her keys onto the hallway table. Sighing, she tugged the ponytail out of her hair and tried to fluff some life into the strands as she set her purse down and walked into her living room.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me. Out. Now. Get out. Tom will be home soon. He cannot find you here, and frankly, I don't want you here. I'm still royally pissed at you."
"I always said that Dembe would make a wonderful cab driver. He knows all the shortest routes. We had hoped to meet you at your door but when it seemed as if we beat you here, we just decided to make ourselves at home."
"You have got to be kidding me." She repeated.
Lizzie stood and walked towards her, his calm gaze holding her in place.
"Lizzie, I love you more than anything on this earth. I will do everything in my power to protect you. I'm sorry if you don't agree with the way that I do that, but I will never apologize for protecting you the only way I know how."
"How am I supposed to go on, without looking over my shoulder and wondering which person in the crowd is watching me?"
"The same way you always have. Just keep walking. Lizzie, they aren't malevolent. They're there for your protection. They are not there to harm you. Quite the opposite, actually."
Lizzie sighed and walked around Red to flop onto her couch. Red soon followed her, though he sat much more elegantly.
"I still want you to trust your instincts, Lizzie. If you ever get a bad vibe, you call me. Or you call this number. Memorize that. Burn it." Red handed her a scrap of paper. She glanced at it then looked over at him.
"And who will answer this phone?" She asked, waving the piece of paper slightly.
"The leader of the team who are covering you."
"Oh Jesus Christ." Lizzie groaned, throwing a hand over her eyes.
"Lizzie. Memorize it. Burn it." Red stated and when she removed her hand from her eyes, she looked over to see him with a lighter in his outstretched hand.
Oh. He wanted her to do that now. Taking the lighter, she stared at the page, memorizing the number. She closed her eyes and repeated it to herself – three times correctly, then three times backwards, then three time correctly again – before igniting the lighter and setting the little scrap on fire, watching disinterestedly as the ashes fell to her hard wood floor.
"I really can't believe this is my life."
They all basked in the silence for a few moments.
"Now, we didn't come here so that you could stomp out of the Chinese restaurant in a huff. You said you had news. Are you still willing to share?"
"Oh! Yea!" Lizzie immediately sat up, a grin spreading across her face, wiping away all of her previous ire. "I got into Quantico, Dad! I got in! I'm going to start training next month!"
It took a moment for the news to sink into the Concierge of Crime's brain. His daughter was going to be an FBI agent.
"Oh… wow. That's wonderful Lizzie."
"Gee Dad, don't sound so enthused."
"No, I'm sorry Lizzie. You're right. I'm just… worried."
"Why? Afraid I'm going to be assigned to the task force hunting you?"
"Well… yes." Red winced awkwardly as he crossed his legs. "But it's also not going to be easy for you, Sweetheart. The FBI are the agency looking for me. If you thought a kid profiling me in a class or seeing my face on posters at the precinct was bad, this will be a whole new level. You'll be profiling, yes?"
"Yea…" Lizzie answered.
"Well then, undoubtedly, my file will cross your desk, Sweetheart. And it has grown since you were in college."
Lizzie sighed, adjusting her position so that her back was against the arm of the couch so that she was facing her dad. "I know that Dad. I've thought about it, trust me. I can handle this. Frankly Dad, look at everything that has happened – everything that having you for a Dad has caused. And it's only served to make me stronger. And more of a stubborn mule."
She accomplished her aim, she made him chuckle. Though he winced at the thought of everything he's put her through, she was right. Lizzie had blossomed into a wonderful, stubborn woman. If, in some twisted way the adversity she'd faced because of who he was, was the cause of that in some small way, then so be it. He wouldn't change her for the world.
"Now! I need you to be happy for me because this is a huge deal!"
Red laughed loudly, throwing his head back before sliding across the couch and pulling her into a hug. "Of course I'm happy, Sweetheart. Have you told Sam or do I get that pleasure?"
Lizzie giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "No I haven't told him, but you don't get to either. I want to tell him myself."
