Chapter 17

…

It had been nearly a week and Kate still hadn't heard anything from Red, she's left a few messages with him and asked Dembe to get him to call her but still there was nothing. Kate was standing by the window of her room, turning when she heard the door opening and seeing Victoria coming in.

"Kate, how are you today?"

"Very well dearie, more than ready to be going home."

"Well then you're going to love what I'm about to say next."

"You're letting me leave."

"You're well enough, physically anyway."

Kate went quiet and turned back to the window as Victoria came to stand beside her, turning and placing a warm hand on her back.

"Kate, I'm still concerned about you."

"I assure you I'm fine dearie."

"You have a a lot to deal with right now, your daughter, Mr Reddington."

"I'm beginning to think Raymond's ignoring me."

"He still hasn't returned your messages?"

"No, and I assume he hasn't called the desk to check on me, or you?"

"I'm sorry."

"Oh well…perhaps he's made his decision. I don't blame him entirely, I suppose having your long lost daughter walk back in to you life the way she has, wasn't exactly easy for him."

"Or for you, I'd say it's had more of an impact on you than him."

"I just wish he'd at least be open to getting to know her, if I mean anything at all to him."

"Judging by his reaction when he came face to face with her the other week, I think it's pretty clear that you mean a great deal to him. Kate, I'm not defending the man, not in the slightest. I don't agree with a lot of the things he does but one thing that was obvious to everyone, is his love for you. He doesn't know Abigail and he's blinded by the fact that she hurt you, it's something he's obviously having a hard time moving past and I can understand that. If someone had hurt someone close to me, I may react the same way."

"Well I really hope he makes up his mind soon, because as much as I love Raymond, I refuse to lose my daughter for a second time."

…

Dembe made his way to the door, when the loud knocking disturbed his phone call to his daughter, opening it to find Elizabeth on the other side, a look of anger on her face.

"Elizabeth."

"Hey Dembe, is he here?"

"On the balcony."

"Thanks."

Elizabeth made her way through the house and slid the door open, before making her way on to the balcony to see Red sitting at the table, drinking a large glass of scotch.

"Lizzie, this is a nice surprise."

"This isn't a social call, where the hell have you been. Mr Kaplan's been trying to call you?"

"Has she, well I've been busy. Associates to see and so on."

"So you're not ignoring her then?"

"Why would you think that?"

"You're unbelievable, you go on and on about how much she means to you and for the past week you've done nothing but avoid her. She's in hospital, she's been through a traumatic experience and she needs you."

"She has Abigail."

"She's your daughter too remember, you made a promise to Mr Kaplan that you'd think about what would happen with the girl."

"Yes…I know I did."

"You've had a week, surely you've made some kind of decision?"

"A week to think about the daughter we gave up so many years ago, it's not easy Lizzie."

Elizabeth took a seat at the table, taking his glass from him and sniffing the contents of the glass.

"It's very early to be drinking don't you think?" She said.

"I thought it might help."

"Alcohol never helps…do you want to lose Mr Kaplan?"

Red closed his eyes tightly, before looking up at Elizabeth, shaking his head.

"Of course I don't, Kate and Dembe are the most important people in my life…and you."

"She wants a relationship with her daughter, you owe her this one thing. All the years of service she's given to you, the dangers she's been in because of you. Do this one thing for her, Abigail hasn't left her side since she was taken to hospital, we could have gone in there at any time and arrested her for Molly's death, but she stayed regardless…because Mr Kaplan means a lot to her."

"Will she be arrested?"

"You'd have to give Cooper one hell of a Blacklister to make this one disappear, it all depends on how much this girl means to you to do it?"

"I can't lose Kate, getting to know Abigail is going to be so hard. After what she's done."

"She's your family, whether you wanted her or not. You have a chance to make things right here. This could be a whole new chapter in your life, give Cooper the biggest Blacklister you have and leave this part of your life behind, start fresh. Be someone other than the FBI's most wanted criminal."

"I doubt the FBI would allow me to leave that easily Lizzie, I back out there's nothing to stop them arresting me."

"Then give them your entire list, they can work through it and you can disappear."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Would you be happy if I disappeared, from your life."

Elizabeth went quiet, before looking back up.

"I have Tom and Agnes, I have my family. You deserve one too, and they're at the hospital waiting for you. All you have to do is decide just how important they are to you."

Red could only nod his head before going back to his drink, looking out over the city.

…

Abigail came in to Kate's room, carrying a bunch of flowers in her arm as Kate turned around from her place on the edge of the bed.

"Hi, sorry I'm a bit late, I stopped to pick up these for you." She said, handing Kate the flowers.

"They're very lovely dearie, but you didn't have too get me these."

"The doctor called and said you were getting out today, I thought you could put them in you apartment."

"They'll look very nice on my table."

Abigail noticed the sad look on Kate's face as she looked down at her lap.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine dearie, glad to be going home."

"I really am sorry for all the crap that happened, if I could take any of this back then I…"

"I do understand why you did it, you were upset, angry. I already forgave you sweetie." Kate smiled, taking hold of her hand.

"I'm going to go to the cops once I've helped you settle in to your apartment."

"What? Why?"

"I killed someone, and I hurt you badly. I have to pay for that, if we're have any chance at a proper relationship then I can't have this hanging over me, waiting for the police to catch up with me. I can't live like that."

"You'd go to prison dearie."

"It's what I deserve, and if I'm good. I might have a good chance of getting out early."

"I can't let you do that."

"You have too."

"No she doesn't?"

Kate heard Red's voice, her head turning around to see Dembe and Red standing in the doorway. Kate got her feet as Red came over to the bed. Dembe going back outside, the door closing behind him.

"Raymond…I've been trying to call you."

"Yes I know, I'm sorry I didn't return you calls Kate. I needed time, to think things over."

"The good doctor's allowing me home today."

"I know, Lizzie told me."

Red looked at Abigail, who had her head down, almost afraid to make eye contact with him.

"I've had a great deal of time to think about everything, Abigail look at me please."

She finally lifted her head, as Red took a step to stand in front of her. Kate watched as he took hold of her hands in his as she looked in to his eyes.

"You killed and innocent young woman, and you caused a great deal of pain to your mother. I know you were angry and I've probably no right to tell you right from wrong, considering the crimes I've taken part in over the years."

"I've already said I'm going to the cops, I want to make things right."

"It's been taken care off."

"What do you mean Raymond?"

"Before I came here, I went to see Harold Cooper. I gave him my list of Blacklisters, all of them."

Kate's eyes went wide, a gasp escaping her lips as she took hold of his arm, turning him towards her.

"You gave him everything, that was your security, your freedom."

"I gave him the list on the condition that no harm would come to Abigail, and that their association with us was complete."

"For good?"

"Yes, Lizzie suggested that perhaps a fresh start would benefit all of us. You, me, Abigail and Dembe. I happen to think she's right."

"You're really going to give up this criminal life?"

Red took hold of Kate's face in his hands, making sure she really looked in to his eyes.

"I've done nothing but cause you pain over the years, forcing you to give up our daughter the worst thing I've ever done. I saw how much it broke you, you were never the same after that and I did that to you. It's time I made it right, I think it's time we all started fresh, if it's okay with Abigail, I'd like to get to know our daughter too."

Tears fell from Kate's eyes and Red leaned in and placed a small kiss to Kate's lips, her eyes closing briefly.

"Raymond thank you."

"Abigail?" He asked.

"I'd love that, but I'm really safe from what I did?"

"There will be no consequences, you'll have to live the rest of your life with what you've done, but then again, we all have that."

"What about Elizabeth?" Kate asked.

"I think it's time I allowed her to have her own life away from me, Tom and Agnes are her family, she's another who needs a clean break, this time from me."

"Are you sure?"

Red smiled towards Abigail, then back to Kate, wrapping his arms around her.

"I'm sure."

…

-Fin