This is a little birthday gift to my Tessler partner in crime Takada Saiko! Happy Birthday!

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the first part. You are all amazing. I hope you enjoy part 2.

GnomeGate Part 2

Donald Ressler watched his partner, Elizabeth Keen, from across his desk in their shared office. He had been trying to pin point what it was that was different about her today. She was extra happy. And it didn't go unnoticed. She was checking her cell phone all day and he could hear the buzz every time a text came in. He assumed it was Tom but that theory was thrown out the window the very next second when both their phones buzzed at the same time.

He watched Liz look at her phone then giggle. She giggled like a little school girl. What the hell had gotten in to her? Or who? He thought it was Tom until he checked out his message and it was from him. The man was an ass. Staring at him was a gnome and the message I've come to haunt you from the afterlife, Boyscout.

"Son of a bitch," Ressler mumbled.

Tom Keen thought he was hilarious. He was anything but.

"Why the hell did you give Tom my number?"

Liz put her phone away and shrugged. "He asked for it. I assumed since you two called a truce you wouldn't care." Her phone buzzed once again and she quickly grabbed it.

"I can't take it anymore. What is all that about?!" Ressler asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's Brandon," she smiled.

"And who is Brandon?" Ressler felt his chest tighten.

"My date for tonight." She grabbed her bag and stood up. "I'm headed out. I'll see you on Monday."

She didn't wait for his reply but instead just walked out of their office. He heard her say goodnight to Aram and Samar then she was gone. He was wracking his brain trying to figure out who the hell this Brandon was. They had gotten close again after that night. When she drove his sorry ass home from Cooper's. They talked that night about everything that had come between them and things had been better.

He knew Tom was sticking around in hopes of having a relationship with her. And he liked to rub it in Ressler's face anytime he spent time with Liz. He was such a child. Ressler was able to spend his own non work related time with Liz a few times as well. He hadn't told her the feelings he finally acknowledged he had for her but he was pretty sure she knew. Everyone knew but no one spoke of it. For that he was grateful.

So, Liz going on a date with a guy that wasn't him or he supposed even Tom was killing him. She kept it quiet from him. Did she do the same with Tom? If it was Tom going on the date he would have rubbed it in his face but if he knew she was out with another man would he? Or would he just sit at home and wallow? No, he didn't see Tom Keen as one to wallow.

"Do you know who Brandon is?" Ressler asked the moment Tom answered his phone.

"Brandon who? What is this about?" Jacob sounded annoyed.

"The guy Liz is going on a date with tonight."

There was silence. Then he could hear shuffling. "I'll be at your apartment in twenty." Then line went dead.

"But I'm not even home, jag off," Ressler huffed as he slipped his phone in his pocket. He grabbed his own things and headed out. He wasn't sure why Tom needed to come to his apartment but he might as well attempt to get home before Tom got there. He might come home to the door picked and his last beer gone.

And, sure enough. When he got home he found his door unlocked and Tom Keen sitting on his couch. Feet up on the coffee table. Beer in one hand. The TV remote in the other. Ressler dropped his bag on the chair across from the couch and crossed his arms. He wasn't happy about this intrusion.

"I brought more, "he said reaching down to his feet where he pulled a bottle out of a six pack.

Ressler moved to take the offered drink despite how much he hated Tom in his home. He sat down on the other end of the couch, taking a long swig of beer. Then he turned his head to look directly at his uninvited guest.

"All I asked was if you knew who Brandon was. Not, do you want to come over for drinks," Ressler said.

"You need to pull her phone records. Find out who she's been talking to. Then you need to run a background check on him. Make sure he's not some lingering Cabal member."

"I can't do that for so many reasons," Ressler responded. He wasn't going to be that guy. Liz deserved her privacy. But he really wanted to know who Brandon was. It was killing him. So, in the interest of her well-being it couldn't hurt to look in to him. "If I do that, the search could be flagged. I do not want Liz knowing I pulled her phone records. You have to know someone."

Tom smiled and pulled out his phone. Ressler grabbed the remove from where Tom left it on the couch and turned the TV to the news. He listened to Tom's conversation while reading the scrolling ticker on the bottom of the screen. Tom pulled the phone from his ear to look at it. He frowned then showed it Ressler.

On the phone was the picture of who he could only assume was Brandon. Very tan. Light brown hair. Brown eyes. It was his DMV picture and while Ressler wasn't one to comment on someone's looks he wasn't going to pretend this man wasn't good looking. This was some serious competition in the looks department.

"Brandon Reese. Fitness instructor. Drives a 2014 Honda Pilot. Clean record." Tom set his phone down and rubbed his eyes. "I suggested the gym to her. I told her maybe a punching bag would help."

"So, you sent in her in to the arms of this Brandon guy?" He took another drink. "A fitness instructor?"

Tom didn't answer so they fell in to an awkward silence. He knew he should kick Tom out but he didn't have the energy. So, when he finished his beer he took the fresh one that was offered to him. They watched the news in silence until Tom pointed to the wall where his old baseball jersey hung. Oh, god no. Don't ask personal questions.

"What position?" When Ressler groaned Tom pried some more. "I'm guessing…pitcher?"

"First base."

Now stop asking questions. When he saw Tom looking at the folded flag he could only pray he wouldn't pry. Wouldn't ask the personal question. It wasn't that he refused to talk about it. He just didn't like to. He lived his life by a moral code. And that code came from the man that flag was for.

"I'm sorry, man," Tom offered up.

"Me too."

Silence.

Ressler couldn't help but wonder what Liz was up to. Did Brandon the fitness instructor take her somewhere nice. Did they stay in? Where was she and what she doing? Tom was playing on his phone. It wasn't long however before he stood up and clapped his hands.

"Do you own something other than a suit? We are going to get dinner."

Ressler wasn't stupid and he knew what Tom was up to. Dinner meant he got the location, somehow, of where Liz would be. He didn't want to know. The rational, logical part of him screamed to say no. To say he wasn't going to be part of spying on Liz. But, the emotional side of him won and he walked to his room to change in to his jeans and plaid button up top. This was a very bad idea.

IIII

"I don't even want to know how you found out they would be here." Ressler broke off a piece of bread from the loaf in the middle of the table and watched as Brandon Reese fidgeted with the salt shaker for the hundredth time.

They were lucky and got a booth in the far back by the kitchen doors with a clear view of Liz's date. Ressler won the coin toss and got the better view. Once Liz was seated her back would be to them and Tom could sit with his back against the wall to observe if he wanted but until then they had to be careful. She caught them and they were dead.

"My friend called the gym he works at and said they found his cellphone and wanted to return it. The front desk girl was stupid enough to say he'd be here. Apparently, he's very excited about this date."

It wasn't long before Liz came in wearing a red dress that hung just right on her. Brandon stood up and greeted her with a hug and kiss to the cheek. This was going to go down as one of the worst nights in his life. Sitting at a restaurant watching the woman you have feelings for on a date with another man while spying on her with her ex-husband. He shouldn't have agreed to this. But it was like a car accident. No matter how much you don't want to look you still do.

The waitress walked by and Ressler ordered another beer. He'd need it to get through this. She said their meals where on the way and while he wasn't overly hungry he ordered a steak.

"We really shouldn't be here. You already found out he's not a risk."

"Not to Liz he's not," Jacob stated as the waitress arrived with fresh drinks and their meal. He watched Ressler cut in to his steak and shook his head. "I think it's still mooing."

"Shut up and eat your pasta and leave my steak alone."

Liz's laughter brought both their attentions to the table she was at with her date. Her head was tipped back and she was wiping her eye. Ressler felt his grip on his steak knife tighten when Brandon reached out and took Liz's hand. He never wanted to admit he was a jealous man but he was very jealous. At least he wasn't alone in this.

He watched as Jacob pulled out his phone. A few seconds later Liz pulled hers out, took a quick peak then put it back in bag. Ressler couldn't help the smile on his face when he realized Liz had ignored Tom's text.

"Not as important to her as you thought?" Ressler took a bite of his steak. This Brandon guy had good taste in steakhouses that was for sure.

"She's being polite." Tom motioned for the waitress to bring them another beer even though Ressler wasn't done with his yet.

They were done eating long before Liz and Brandon were. Neither one of them was interested in small talk and it was obvious Liz was safe and enjoying herself. They couldn't leave however as that would require them to walk by Liz and then the jig would be up. So, Tom ordered them a shot of something Ressler was sure was gasoline. It tasted horrible but the warmth it brought him was welcome.

Soon, Liz and Brandon left so they settled up their bill and slowly exited. They had decided to take an Uber to the restaurant for fear Liz would notice one of their cars so just as Ressler was about to pull out his phone and call for another one he heard a low chuckle. He whipped his head around to see Liz with her arms crossed but a smile on her face.

"You two think I didn't know you were back there that whole time?"

"It was his idea," both Tom and Ressler said at the same which caused Liz to laugh even harder.

"You aren't mad?" Ressler asked.

"Well, I mean I owe Samar $50 because I lost the bet but it was worth it." Liz waved as a car pulled up, Samar getting out.

"I say they pay your debt to me," Samar said seriously. "You lost because you had too much faith in these two not to follow you on a date because they are both jealous idiots." She held her hand out. "Fork it over, boys."

Ressler and Tom both opened their wallets and handed Samar some money. They got conned. She played them. They both played them. And he wasn't mad because really, she should be mad that they followed her on a date.

"Do you two seriously think that after everything I would just start seeing someone without giving you a heads up? I may be a hot mess but I'm not mean. I told you when I make a decision you will both know." Liz opened the passenger side door of Samar's car and got in. Samar followed suit and rolled down the window for Liz. "Play nice boys and don't follow us this time. It's girls night and these girls need to let loose!"

And then Samar peeled her car on to the street and they were gone.

"She played us." Tom shook his head in amusement. "Well, if it's girl's night we are having guy's night. Come on," he said as he flagged down a cab.

"You and me are not having a guy's night. No. Not happening." He watched Tom get in the cab.

"Hate to break it to you but we kind of already did. Just get in."

Sighing, Ressler got in the cab. This was not a good idea. Not at all. He didn't hear Jacob give the address so he assumed he did once he got in. He was confused once they headed towards the residential area of town and when they pulled up in front of the house, the replacement gnome glaring at him, he cursed.

"We are not doing this. What is your problem? This is my boss." Ressler was still getting out of the cab however.

"He's not mine. And he's got an impressive liquor cabinet," Jacob said as he paid the driver. "Hey, don't kill this one ok?" He pointed to the gnome as he passed it.

"You're a comedian. Really. You are."

"I know." Tom smiled that cocky smile Ressler always wanted to punch off his face.

Tom knocked on Cooper's door and it wasn't long until he opened it. He didn't say anything, just turned his back on the two men and retreated back in to the house. Tom followed Cooper in to the kitchen where he tossed his coat on to a chair. Cooper simply grabbed three glasses and a bottle of amber liquid as Jacob began to rummage in his fridge.

"How often does this happen?" Ressler asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." Cooper handed him a half filled glass. "Charlene said you are on your own tonight. She's watching some sappy love movie." He handed Jacob a glass. "So, what happened?"
"We followed Keen on a date," Ressler began.

"A fake date the she and that Navabi set up," Tom continued.

"To catch you being a couple of jealous idiots?" Cooper finished.

"That pretty much sums it up, yes." Tom laughed. "So, boyscout here ate about a whole cow earlier so he probably won't be hungry."

Ressler was going to comment about the fact his steak wasn't that large but Tom was right he wasn't overly hungry. Tom still messed about in the kitchen throwing this and that in a dish then tossing it in the oven. When he was done he took a seat across from Ressler. No one spoke. He still wasn't sure what he was doing here with his partner's ex-husband and his boss.

"So, you two seriously followed Elizabeth on a date then?" Cooper was smiling as Tom began to fill him in.

It wasn't long before the oven dinged and Tom brought over the most amazing smelling dip and a bag of tortillas. Cooper pulled out a deck of cards and the unlikely group played a game of poker. Tom wanted to play for cash. Ressler wasn't sure he was willing to lose money to Tom so Cooper suggested they use the pennies in his coin jar. All in all for a night that began with him spying on the woman he loves and finding out it was all a scam he wasn't too upset. He still didn't like Tom. And Tom was still competition in his quest to win Liz. But, tonight, well, tonight wasn't so bad.