A/N I'm so sorry for the delay in this chapter, but real life has been anything but nice. Thank you to all who are still reading this story and enjoying it. I do recommend re-reading the last chapter to remind you of what's been happening with our favourite couple. A big thank you to my beta jadenanne7.

Chapter 16

Red found Lizzie in Kate's room. They were both sitting on the bed, leaning into each other. They were talking, but he couldn't make out what was being said. Red cleared his throat to get their attention, and they both looked at him. Kate looked upset because of the slip she'd made and Liz was in shock about what she found out about her soon to be ex-husband. Liz would've preferred to have been by herself, but when she was walking to her room she could hear Kate's sobs and she couldn't ignore it.

"Pumpkin, why don't you go and keep Aram company in the lounge?" Red used his nickname for Kate to show that he wasn't mad at her. "Just don't go telling him your life story," Red finished with a smile.

"Okay Daddy." Squeezing Liz's hand, Kate got off the bed and kissed her dad's cheek when she walked past him.

Red moved and took Kate's vacated spot. Liz reached over and grabbed his hand, entwining their fingers. After a few minutes of silence, Liz spoke. "What do we do?"

"We wait." Seeing that Liz was still shocked, Red continued. "For now, Tom has gone. Last I heard, he was in Chicago. If he comes back, we have two options."

"What are they?"

"You take the information to the FBI or we use it to blackmail him."

Liz looked dubious at that. "What if those options don't work?" His Lizzie was stong, but this had shaken her worse than when Tom had hurt her.

"I won't have him harm you again, Lizzie. I'll kill him before that happens." Red spoke with such conviction that Liz believed him.

"Then we wait and see," Liz said as she put her head on Red's shoulder. Red kissed her hair and that's when Liz broke down in tears. Red put his arm around her and pulled Liz to him.

"Shh, shh...everything is going to be ok." It broke his heart to see his Lizzie like this.

"What if it's not? What if he has some plan to frame me? Or he tries to hurt or kill me?" Liz was struggling to get her words out through her tears, almost screaming. Red softly grabbed her shoulders, and once she was looking at him, he cupped her cheeks.

"Look at me Lizzie." Red's face was serious. "Nothing will ever, and I mean EVER, happen to you, not with your career or your life. I won't let it." Liz nodded, and Red wiped her tears away with his thumbs. It broke his heart to see her so upset. He'd do anything to take her pain away.

"I trust you." At that, Red kissed her softly. Liz had never been kissed like that before. It showed and felt so much more than just a kiss. It felt like a promise of better things to come. Pulling back, Red smiled.

"And if that doesn't work, I'm Raymond Reddington. I can make you disappear in 60 seconds." Liz started to laugh.

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Walking into the lounge, Kate saw that Red the dog was watching Aram, and everytime he moved Red's ear would twitch. Forcing back a chuckle, Kate spoke. "Heel, Red!" Aram jumped and Red went to greet her. Patting his head, Kate went to join Aram on the couch.

"Sorry about earlier, I know my dad can be a scary guy."

"It's alright...I think. I don't really know what's going on." There was still a tremor in his voice. He relaxed when Kate smiled at him.

"My dad's put you in a horrible position. But everything that's happened can never be spoken about again."

"I understand." Aram swallowed thickly. He hated lying. Kate reached over and patted his hand.

"I'm sorry. You're a great guy." Aram blushed and gave Kate a smile. "But if the wrong people knew about me or what you found out about Tom...The consequences would be dangerous to you and all of us." Aram nodded and, still smiling, reached out and patted her hand, just like Kate did earlier.

Dembe entered the room and went to whisper in Kate's ear. "Your father and Ms Keen are indisposed at the moment. It could be a while."

"Are they ok?" Kate turned and whispered back to him

"They will be."

Kate turned to Aram. "It seems my father and Liz won't be available for a while. Dembe will take you home and I'm sure my dad will be in touch." Kate spoke kindly so Aram knew that last bit wasn't a threat.

Aram stood up and waited for Dembe to leave so he could follow.

"Bye Aram, it was really nice meeting you." Kate smiled at him and Aram started to blush. Seeing the sly smile Dembe shot her, Kate started to blush too.

"You too. Bye Kate."

Once they left, Kate sat back down and released a breath.

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Liz had been asleep on his shoulder for the past 20 minutes, having worn herself out crying. Red knew he should wake her, but he knew she hadn't been sleeping well. Red couldn't blame her...she'd gone through so much in the past week. From work, to Tom, to finding out about Kate and starting a new relationship with him, although they agreed to take things slow. Red thought back to the talk they had last night.

Once Liz was settled in bed, Red had come to kiss her goodnight, and when that kiss led to more serious ones, Lizzie pulled Red down onto the bed with her. Red had pulled back, raising himself up so he was above Lizzie. He looked into her eyes, and seeing the same desire there, he spoke. "Sweetheart, we have to slow things down." Red could hear the restraint in his voice. He didn't want to stop- they needed to.

"Don't you want to be with me? I thought I was what you wanted."

Red, apart from frustration, couldn't detect what other emotions were in Liz's tone or what was going through her head.

"I want you and this relationship more than anything in this world, Lizzie." Red used his left hand to turn Liz's face towards him and made sure he had her full attention. "After everything you've been through this week, I don't want you to regret us. I wouldn't survive if that happened." Red's voice shook as he said the last part.

"I wouldn't, Red. I want this, I want a relationship with you. And yes, I'm hurt and pissed about everything that's happened with Tom, but I fell out of love with him a long time ago. I only stayed with him because Ididn't want a failed marriage." Sitting up in the bed, knowing Red's arms were hurting him by now. Once they were both comfortable and back to looking at each other, Liz took a breath and made sure Red was still listening, reaching for his hand. "But it's happened and I wish it would have ended with less pain and deceit. I can't change it and a part of me doesn't want to, because now I know there were lies in my marriage from the start. Removing my rings means to me the start of a new and better future. Hopefully with you." Liz started off speaking softly, but towards the end spoke with such conviction, Red could do nothing but believe her.

Red was glad to hear that. He knew that they still couldn't rush things, but now he knew she wouldn't regret anything either. Pulling Lizzie into his arms, Red began to kiss her.

"Stay with me tonight, Ray? Just hold me"? Liz asked against his lips. Feeling Red's nod, Liz kissed him again.