Author's Note: So this is the last chapter of my fic "Concierge of Love" and I just wanted to thank to you all - also the guest reviewers who I couldn't PM . Thank you for showing your love for this fic! I didn't expect that. A huge thank you to my dear jackandsamforever who was so lovely to beta this fic! *tackle hugs* 3 I hope you enjoy this last chapter. :D
Chapter 3
When Liz entered the kitchen, Dembe was already sitting at the kitchen table.
He looked up when he heard her walking in. "How is he?" He returned the grin that was spreading over Liz's face.
"How do you think he is?" She asked, sitting down next to him. "He's acting like a teenager experiencing his first hangover." She laughed quietly.
"Do you want me to make some breakfast?" Dembe asked, taking a sip from his coffee.
Liz shook her head. "Thank you, Dembe, but no. I'm not all that hungry. Oh, and thank you for getting me shoes." She looked down, observing her flat boots. "But it wasn't necessary to buy new ones."
Dembe shook his head. "I'm sorry. I should've stayed with him."
"He's a grown man, Dembe. You know as much as I do that Red does what he wants no matter what." Liz took out the Tylenol from the bag on the table and put them next to the crackers, then filled a glass with water.
This man really thinks of everything. No wonder Red has survived this long, Liz thought with a little huff of laughter.
"What is there to laugh about, Lizzie?" Came Red's voice from the door.
She looked up, and if she wouldn't have the image of Red folding origami thingies on the floor in her mind, she wouldn't believe he'd been completely sloshed yesterday.
He looked good, a bit tired but good. He wore dark teal-colored pants, a white shirt with a matching vest over it. His tie hung loose around his neck.
He came closer and laid his fedora and jacket on the table, then picked up the crackers and began chewing on one.
Liz smiled. "I was laughing at you, Red," she tried to deflect his question, moving closer to him. "Look at you! You're not even dressed properly. " With that she began to tie his tie.
Red gulped, taking in the woman who had seen him in his worst...well maybe second worst moment of this life. He had to tell her. He couldn't go on like this any longer. He couldn't put himself in the same embarrassing situation by getting drunk again.
Liz finished her task and handed Red the glass of water and Tylenol. "This is for your headache. I'll get my stuff, so we can go get some breakfast."
She turned to leave, but Red set the glass aside and grabbed Liz's hand to stop her.
"A moment, please? I need to tell you something, Lizzie."
Liz only nodded.
R-L
Dembe watched the two lovebirds, who didn't realize how far gone they already were, when he heard Red ask Liz for a moment to tell her something.
Finally! He thought, taking it as a sign to leave the kitchen to give them some privacy. Don't mess this up, Raymond. Or I'll hunt you down instead of protecting you.
R-L
"I'm not a man of many words..." Red began, trying to avoid looking at her; something he rarely did...if ever.
Liz bit back a chuckle. She didn't want to laugh at Red, not when he was so serious.
"We've been working together for the past three years now, and it wasn't planned. Hell, I didn't even expect to see you as a woman, just a means to an end. When I surrendered to the FBI I had a plan, a goal even. Feelings weren't part of that plan... I..." Red struggled, feeling like teenager right before his first love confession.
"I thought you left the schoolboy attitude in the shower, Red. Spit it out! What do you want to tell me?" Liz said, raising an eyebrow.
His Lizzie... how she could read his mind so easily after all this time.
"That I love you, Elizabeth Keen," he blurted out, carefully watching Liz's reaction. "I know this must be a surprise to you, and I promise you that I understand if you don't feel the same. You know me. I can deal with it without making you feel uncomfortable. You won't feel guilty for not returning my feelings..."
The entire time Liz listened, waiting for him to finish his monologue; but of course it didn't happen.
Not really a man of many words my ass. Liz thought.
"Red, stop! Sometimes you talk too much!" Liz said, closing her eyes to think about her next move. "And sometimes you can be so stupid, even though you're brilliant."
Red's eye twitched. This wasn't exactly the reaction he wanted from her.
"Because if you were so smart, you would already know that I love you as well, Raymond Reddington. I don't know how it happened either. When hate turned into love, I don't know. All I know is that I love you, and I don't care how stupid or insane this might be, because we have other things to deal with at the moment. But this won't change my feelings for you."
Red stared at her as if he couldn't believe what he'd just heard. When he didn't say anything, Liz stepped closer.
"Red? Did you hear me? I said I love you, you crazy origami-folding nut." With that she touched his face with her fingers and kissed him softly.
This shook Red from his shock and he eagerly started to kiss Liz back, and brought up his hands to cradle her face.
When they broke apart so they could breathe again, he looked at her closely. "It's indeed crazy, and you have to realize Lizzie, if we're doing this I won't let you go easily. You're stuck with me, sweetheart."
Liz laughed and said lovingly, "Good because you're stuck with me as well. Now kiss me again, you stupid man! And then we need to get back to Dembe, he's probably starving to death."
With a laugh, Red didn't hesitate to comply, and leaned forward tokiss her. In his mind he was already planning to fold a whole bouquet of origami flowers.
The End