Disclaimer: I do not own The Blacklist or any of the characters in the show.
The first night Liz stayed at Ressler's place, she felt very out of place. She felt like she didn't deserve all the attention he gave her. She was tempted to change and walk out the door. She knew she couldn't without him not knowing. The only reason why she wants to go is because she thinks she deserves not to be living with him. Ever since he brought up Audrey's name again, theres been this one thought running through her mind. That Audrey would come in and think Ressler was already over her and possibly dating the woman who was lying in her sanctuary. That thought has scared her for a while. She attempted to get her mind off of that by pulling the covers over her head and seeing only darkness. Her eyelids shut once more and she dozed off to sleep again.
Donald woke up early the next morning at around seven o'clock and walked into the kitchen to make Elizabeth and himself coffee, hoping she'd awake shortly after him. He fixed the coffee maker to fit their likings and set out two cups out on the counter beside the coffee maker. While he waited for Liz's coffee to be made, he walked into the living room and peered out the window, holding his cup of warm coffee; admiring the sunrise and hearing the cars coming up and down the street.
Elizabeth woke up and pulled the covers over her head off of her. She turned to the right and had her feet planted on the floor. She stood up and pulled the shirt that Don let her borrow down a little and walked out of the open door way of the room. Liz paused as she was close to the kitchen and seeing Donald looking out of the window.
"Good morning." Liz yawned as her arms stretched upward.
Donald turned around and smirked, "Good morning, Liz. How did you sleep last night?"
"Pretty well," she put her arms down and pulled the shirt down again. "What about you?"
"Okay, as always. I hoped you weren't having nightmares or anything. I heard you wake up twice." He grew concerned.
Liz sighed, "I wasn't having nightmares, I didn't really have much of dreams, just a blank, black visual."
"I see." Donald dropped the subject, "Do you want some coffee? I made some fresh if you wanted some."
A smile was brought to her face, "Sure, do you have any sugar and creamer?"
"Well, you're in luck, I have a little bit of both left, and I saved it just for you. Just in case." He walked to the kitchen and pointed out her mug. "The creamer is in the fridge and the sugar is in the fourth upper cabinet."
Liz blushed a little, "I don't know if I can stop thanking you."
"You being here is thanks enough." Ressler said without thinking. "Um, I didn't mean to say that-"
She cut him off swiftly, "That's very kind of you Ressler, and don't start making up excuses in front of me. Remember, I am a profiler, and I know when you lie or not." She made her way towards the counter to get her mug and spoon.
"I should have known that by now." He muttered under his breath.
Liz grinned as she ignored his comment and grabbed the sugar and creamer to put into her coffee, with her back facing Don. Donald looked at the back of the shirt that Liz was wearing and could see a long red line from her left to her right shoulder blades. Ressler really wanted to ask if Tom caused this, but he knew it was too soon for her to be triggered by any memory of him. He kept looking slowly down Liz's shirt, noticing there were tinier scars under the long one.
Donald look up before Liz turned around, trying to make it seem like he wasn't starring at her back. He looked back down at her once she turned around.
Liz crossed her arms, and started again "What were you doing?"
"I have one question to ask."
"What is it?"
"Did Tom ever hurt you?"
Liz was debating whether or not to answer that, she knew it wasn't going to be an easy answer to reply with either. "Um. Where do I start?" She paused, "A few months before Tom and I got divorced, he got drunk at this photography exhibit and someone decided to bring him home. When he finally got inside, he was curious where I was, and he got furious. He found me asleep in our room and he woke me up with ten punches at my face,"
"That bastard." Ressler muttered.
"I woke up and he dragged me out of the bed by my arm, causing me to fall to the floor and hit objects that were in the way of everything. Next, he threw me down the stairs. I collapsed to the floor at the bottom of them with a thud. I couldn't remember anything else from that point onward, the one thing I remember him placing me on the kitchen table and started slashing my stomach and back with a sharp knife, and when he would mutter strange things as he cut. I was powerless as he did this. He didn't go through my organs, but he used the knife to start cutting my skin. He only got to his fifth slice and passed out on the floor with his knife by the sink. He's abused me more times than that." Once Liz said that last word, she covered her face with her hands.
Instead of another reply, Ressler wrapped his arms around Liz and pulled her towards him. "Shh, shh, shh... It's over now. He's not here." His hand moved up and down lightly rubbing her back like he did when they were in the office. Hoping her wouldn't hurt her.
"I don't know what to do. I know I divorced him, but his scars are still with me." Liz sobbed against his chest.
"I'll never hurt you like he did. Elizabeth, you mean too much to the team."
Donald looked at Liz with sincerity covering his face. Liz kept her eyes closed and her arms around his neck. Don wanted to speak softly to her, but he just stayed silent, holding her as she was holding herself against him. They both let go slowly, and Liz turned back around to get her coffee back into her hands. She sipped on the hot liquid as Donald walked towards his room.
"Lizzie, I'm going to get ready, you should get started on that too. I'm bringing you shopping. You need to get rid of the stuff that's ruined." Don yelled from his room.
Liz put her mug down on the counter and ran to her room to get the box. She rummaged through it to find the pictures of her with her friends and her dog, Hudson. It took a while to get everything that was still in good condition, and to toss the damaged things back into the box. Once she was done separating them, she put the pictures on her desk and the box was placed at her door to keep the door open. She walked to get her clothes from the day before from the floor and was on her way to the bathroom to change. Once she got to the bathroom door, it was shut.
Liz knocked on the door a few times, "Ressler! How long is it gonna take you to get ready?"
Ressler snickered to himself, "As long as I want to!"
"Alright! I'm going to use your room to get ready!" She rolled her eyes, walked to his room and shut the door.
Liz walked away from the bathroom, and into his room. She put the clothes from yesterday on Don's bed, pulled off the shirt he let her borrow and dropped it next to her feet. Next she grabbed her purple shirt and jacket and pulled it over her torso, realizing that there was a tear on the seam. She grumbled to herself as she pulled the black work pants over her legs and buttoned them up again. Her socks and shoes were in her room, so she had to go back and get them.
Once Liz opened the door, she noticed a dripping wet Donald standing in the door way, looking like he were to knock on the door that was in his way. Liz blushed and couldn't hold it back.
"I thought you were going to change and that was it." She tried to avoid him by sliding against the wall out into the hallway.
"No, I was actually going to take a shower first. The bathroom is all yours now." Ressler smiled as Liz squirmed to get out of the room.
"It's fine, I only have to do a few things, and that's it. Once I'm done and you're done we can go to where you wanted to." Liz walked back to her room facing him the entire way until she ran into her room.
"Take as long as you need." Donald replied, closing the door behind him.
Liz pulled her socks and shoes on and managed to get into the bathroom without Don there. She quickly looked for a toothbrush in the closet Donald talked about and tried looking for a hairbrush, but only found a comb. Instead of brushing her hair out with a comb, she tied it all back into a messy bun. Liz turned to the counter of the bathroom and brushed her teeth as quick as she could.
"I'm ready to go, now I'm just waiting on you, Princess." Donald knocked on the door, then stood against the wall in the hallway.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes at the comment, and opened the door. "Okay, I look presentable. Now, where are you bringing us?"
"I'm bringing you shopping, you need to get some new clothes and necessities for the place. I know you're gonna be here a while, might as well make yourself at home."
Liz opened her eyes, "You don't need to do these things for me, I'm perfectly fine with what I have."
"Liz, you need to have more than one outfit and I don't know if you'll be able to wear everything I have." Donald laughed.
"Ha, ha. Funny, but I bet I could. You're doing too much for me."
"One more favor for a friend, that's all." He put his hand out towards Liz, waiting for her to accept it.
Liz was hesitant, "Um... Okay. But this is it."
Author's note: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and trust me, I'll keep updating this as soon as I can.