Chapter 14

Once the girls had left, Red called the team he had watching Tom.

"He's been in contact. He say's he's leaving. I want you to follow him and tell me where he ends up." Once his request was acknowledged, Red hung up and contacted Kaplan.

"It's me...She's fine. Tom's leaving and I need you to get a team together and search the house." Red hummed a few times before he ended the call. Turning to Dembe, he asked about Liz and Kate's location.

"At the park, 10 minutes away, Raymond. Luli just texted me," Dembe replied while following Red out of the study. Entering the lounge, Red sat down with the newspaper and started the crossword, waiting for his girls to come back.

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Later that evening, after Kate had gone to bed, Red and Liz were sitting in the lounge, cuddled together while Red told Liz one of his funny stories about how Kate, at the age of 12, had managed to stop someone from taking all of his money.

"While I thought he was transferring money to my account, he was actually sending all my money to his. I don't know how Kate noticed, but the next thing I know, Kate has thrown her book at the guy...knocking him out and unplugging his computer." Red could feel Liz shake with laughter as he was talking. "Bought her a pony for that. She called him Dollar," Red finished with a chuckle. Liz was openly laughing now as she reached for her glass of wine.

"Do you have any pictures of her growing up?" Liz was curious to see what Kate looked like. She also hoped to see some pictures of a young Red.

"Yeah I have a few. Give me a minute." Red gave her a kiss on the cheek as he left.

Liz was thinking of how the day had started badly...her phone call with Tom, although it was something she had wanted, still shocked and dazed her. But spending the day with Red and Kate had made her feel happy and safe and that she wasn't alone.

As Red was walking back in with a photo album, her phone started to ring. Reaching for it and seeing that the caller was Ressler, Liz answered.

"Keen." Saying that after everything that had happened made her feel weird. Looking at her hand and seeing the bandage and her rings, she made a decision. Taking her rings off, Liz laid them on the coffee table and listened to what Ressler wanted.

"Frost has escaped." Blunt and to the point. That was Ressler.

"How?" Liz sat up and saw Red coming to join her with a curious look on his face.

"When they were transferring him from the Post Office. You were right, Keen...it was too easy."

"What do you need me to do?" Liz started to chew her lip, something she'd picked up from Red and Kate.

"Call Reddington, see if he knows anything and come to the location of the escape. I'll text you the address now."

"I'll call Red." Red smirked at that and when Liz looked at him, he gave her a wink. "See you there." Hanging up her call, Liz spoke. "Frost's escaped. I need you to contact your people or do whatever it is you do to get any information you can."

As Liz spoke, she got up so she could get changed. Noticing Red was following, she shot him a look.

"I'm just going to get Dembe, although I could help you with the buttons, Lizzie."

"Another time, Red," Liz chuckled as she closed the door in his face. Grabbing a top and her suit, Liz began to change. She knew the Frost case had been too easy. It would be difficult to find him now, and she knew he would have had help...a partner or paid help? Another question was, why did he let himself get caught in the first place?

Pulling her hair up into a pony, Liz clipped her gun to her waist and grabbed her badge. Leaving her room, she saw that Red was waiting for her.

"I've told Luli what's going on, and that I'll be leaving with Dembe in a few minutes."

"Why do you need to leave?"

"Some of the people I need to speak with are very paranoid and don't own phones, so it'll have to be face to face."

Liz nodded. She'd met a few people like that. Dembe joined them, and they started to make their way downstairs and to the door. Opening it, Dembe made his way to the Mercedes while Red walked Liz to her car. Taking a hold of her left hand, he kissed where her rings used to be and looked at her.

"Be careful, Lizzie." Giving her a soft kiss on the lips, Red turned and got in his car and drove off.

Liz smiled and got in her car, and after checking the address Ressler sent her she drove away as well. She told herself to think of Red later, because now she had to think like a profiler.

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On the drive to meet one of his contacts, Red started to think about his and Lizzie's relationship. Were things moving too fast? Maybe. But Red had wanted this for so long... he'd dreamed of a relationship and a future with Lizzie. He'd just have to take things slow, to make sure Lizzie was never rushed or pressured. He wanted and needed this relationship with Lizzie, and he'd do whatever he had to do to make sure Lizzie felt and wanted the same, which so far he was sure she did. Red knew she wasn't in love or wanted to be with Tom, but Lizzie removing the rings was a big thing. Maybe they should talk the next time they were alone.

With his thoughts and mind settled, they pulled up to what looked to be a rundown block of apartments. Sighing, Red got out of the car. He hoped this conversation wouldn't confuse him like the last one they had. Entering the building and heading for the basement, Red knocked on the only door there, and, hearing footsteps approaching, Red made sure he was visible through the peep hole.

"Old McDonald..." was spoken through the door in a thick Texan accent.

"Had a government E-I-E-I-O," came Red's reply. Hearing the bolts unlocking Red waited, and the door opened to reveal a very tanned man in his 60's with grey hair and a beard.

"Louie, my friend!"

"What do you want, Red?" As Louie spoke he looked out of his apartment, making sure no one was there as he ushered Red and Dembe inside.

"Your help. I need the location of a Marcus Frost." Red spoke as he took in the apartment, foil covered windows, walls covered with posters and newspaper articles warning against the government... Red chuckled when he saw his wanted poster mixed in with the lot.

"Last I heard, the FBI had him." Louie watched as Red took in his apartment, making sure he didn't touch or mess with anything.

"He seems to have escaped and I need his help."

Louie slapped Red's hand away when he touched a pulled apart computer. "Don't do that."

Red held up his hands and stepped away.

"I'll start asking around. It might take some time though."

"Thank you, my friend." Red turned to leave the apartment, Louie and Dembe following "You know how to reach me" Getting a nod, Red opened the door turning back he smiled at Louie and walked out.

Getting back in the car, Red waited until they were halfway back to the house before pulling out his phone to call Lizzie.

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Arriving at the scene, Liz was shocked to see the prison van on its side. Getting out of her car and walking to the taped off area, Liz showed them her badge and continued walking until she saw Ressler.

"Hey. What happened?" Liz looked around, but apart from the van on its side there wasn't much else to look at.

"Your guess is as good as mine. We're still waiting for cctv footage. Both the driver and agent traveling with Frost are dead." Ressler got Liz to follow him to the back of the van. "Back door was blown off and so far we have no wittnesses. This road is deserted this time of night."

Nodding and looking around, Liz couldn't see anything that stood out. "I've called Red. He's going to see what he can come up with."

"All we can do now is wait." Ressler checked his watch. "It's nearly midnight, why don't you go home, Keen? We won't have the camera footage til then."

Yawning, Liz agreed. "I'll see you in a few hours." Walking away, her phone began to ring. Seeing that it was 'Nick's Pizza', she answered.

"Hey." Hearing the softness of Liz's voice made Red happy.

"I've got my people looking into it, but it'll be a few hours until they get back to me."

"That's fine. There's nothing at the scene and we wont have cctv footage till the morning." He got into his car and started it. "I'm on my way back to the house now."

"I'll meet you there." Hanging up, Liz drove to the house.

She couldn't call it home, because it wasn't. Even though she enjoyed her time there, she needed her own place. She wouldn't go back to her house, it had too many memories, good and bad. She needed to start looking...maybe she'd ask Red for help. It'd be done quicker and she knew he would only choose the safest and most secure place. With that decided, she pulled up to the house and saw Red waiting for her. Getting out of the car, Liz smiled as she joined him and they walked in together.

A/N

A huge thank you to jadenanne7 for being my beta, and to all of you reading and/or reviewing

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story and Kate, oh also Red the dog!