Liz wakes to an empty bed, the early morning sun filtering through the window and splashing the deep red of the timber floorboards in light. She stretches, the cool of the sheets contrasting with the heat of her skin. She does not want to rise, her body aches and her mind is sluggish after the events of the past few days. Liz doesn't want to think, let alone move.
She rolls to her side, tucking the sheets around her bare chest as she hears a knock at the door. When she calls out, it cracks open and Dembe steps into the room, smiling softly at her. In his hands is a tray carrying a plate piled high with bacon, eggs and toast as well as a steaming cup of coffee.
"Raymond has been cooking," he says fondly, almost as if he is proud, placing the tray on the bedside table. "He is just having a shower."
Liz smiles brightly at him, scooting so she can sit upright in the bed and grasping the tray, placing it on her lap. Dembe nods his head at her thanks as he exits the room. She grabs the knife and fork and tucks in, delicately balancing the tray.
When the door opens once more, it is Red that steps through, chest exposed and a towel wrapped around his waist. His skin is golden and dusted with freckles and his smile is bright when his eyes fall upon Liz.
"Good?" He queries, moving to the wardrobe and dropping the towel. The doors creak as he opens them and begins fossicking around for an outfit.
"Not as good as the view," Liz laughs, taking a sip of her tea and running an appraising eye over his naked form as he turns back to grin at her. He then pulls on some briefs and begins the agonisingly precise method of dressing himself. Liz rolls her eyes and turns her focus back to her meal.
He sidles up to the bottom of the bed, once dressed, smirk firmly in place. Liz returns his gaze, frown marring her brow at the glint of mischief in his eyes. His hand is like lightening as it latches onto her ankle.
The tray and remainder of Liz's breakfast flies off her legs, over the bed and onto the floor, as Red yanks her down the bed. She's kicking and laughing as he pins her beneath him, her legs now dangling off the edge of the bed. His tie tickles at her exposed skin, brushing over her chest as he leans down to kiss her. He is slow about it, as if he is tasting her like a critic would a five-star meal. When he pulls back, he is grinning at her.
"It tastes pretty good to me."
Liz shakes her head at him, standing and getting dressed, slipping on a pair of jeans and a jumper, completely ignoring Red's overdressed attire. She follows him out to the living room where the fire in the hearth is crackling and Dembe is spread out on the couch, watching a movie.
There is paperwork strewn across the dining table and Liz's gaze drifts over it, absorbing the information she sees. It's about the Cabal, documents of what the Fulcrum contained. She turns to Red, who is steadily watching her with his head tilted.
"I want revenge," she says darkly, picking up a document and pursuing its contents. A steady hatred burns in her blood now, she has had enough.
Red nods his head and comes to stand beside her, eyeing the mess of the table with severe gravity. He smells fresh from his shower, like mint and pine.
"Steps will need to be put in place to still ensure your exoneration," he states and Liz feels her stomach jerk, a surging panic rising in her, but from what, she doesn't know. She nods her head, ignoring the spike in her heartbeat.
"Is that slowing the process down?"
Red spins on his heel, assessing her, eyes flickering over her face. He is gnawing on the inside of his lip again. He nods his head once, turning back to the table.
"However, it is necessary to prove your innocence, Lizzie," his voice is firm and when he meets her eyes, he looks so determined. Liz releases a sigh, conceding for now.
She moves to go sit on the couch with Dembe, who has now procured a tub of ice-cream. He offers her a spoon and she accepts it happily, greedily digging into the soft chocolate treat. He is watching an old film she has never seen before and she can't really follow it. She, instead, focuses her attention on Red.
He has positioned himself at the table, scanning over the manila folders and documents at a steady pace, occasionally taking notes and tossing papers into the fire. It is interesting to watch him work like this, his brilliant mind being put to use, but for once in silence. Liz can see the concentration in his eyes, the way he absentmindedly flicks the pen between his fingers as he reads. He still moves his lips and Liz has to hide her smile as his green eyes jump up to meet hers.
Liz loves the way his eyes glint when they look at her now, as if she is a magnificent piece of art, something to be admired. She loves the way her stomach lurches when he smiles at her, so tender and soft. She loves the way he kisses her, dragging his lips over every inch of her skin, memorising the contours of her body by touch, not just sight alone. She cherishes the way he looks at Dembe, so proud and caring, and she cherishes the love that Dembe so easily returns, even now as he lounges on the couch shovelling food into his mouth when he should most likely be helping Red organise their plans. She can't imagine being anywhere else than where she is right now, safe with the man she loves and his best friend.
And that is why the panic had almost choked her before, because she doesn't want to leave, doesn't want to return to normal. There is not the slightest possibility that she would be allowed to return to the Taskforce and even if she was, Red wouldn't be able to return with her, his immunity deal meaning nothing. Liz could not consider leaving his side, knowing what it is like to live with him now, have his presence so nearby and steady. She knows she won't be able to sleep without his steady breaths and warmth beside her, knows that no one would watch over her and protect her like he does. No one would be able to make her half as happy as Raymond Reddington.
And she knows the happiness she finds with Red is sandwiched between the danger and the criminal world that she has found herself immersed in. But she doesn't care anymore, because Liz had once always been for justice, for going about things the right and lawful way. The Cabal had changed her. She wants revenge, for the pain and suffering they have caused Red, herself. She wants to avenge Ressler, a man that had been steadfast to being lawful and had paid the ultimate price because the Cabal had never played fair, they never followed rules.
Liz feels as if China has been a tipping point for her. She knows that Ressler had gone onto foreign soil to retrieve them, thinking that they wouldn't fight back. Red is too clever to ignite the fury of the Chinese, that they would have escaped without bloodshed or Ressler would have managed to apprehend them. The Cabal, however, had seen their presence in China as an opportunity. If civilians were injured, if an attack were to take place on foreign soil, their government would be furious with America. They saw the potential to ignite a Cold War against China, perhaps snaring Russia's interest as well, and seized it, and by doing that they would tarnish Ressler's name, blame him for running an unsanctioned operation on foreign soil. They would lie about Ressler, a man that had forever been loyal to his country, and Liz would never forgive or forget that.
Liz doesn't care about her old life now; she had left that behind long ago. Now she is coming for them with a vengeance, a fury burning so heatedly in her core that she could easily bury a bullet between the Director's eyes.
And Red would be by her side the entire time.
A/N; Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! We've only got two chapters left! So 23 should be up in a few days!
