Authors note: I finally figured out where I'm going with this. Spoilers: I know in episode five Red gives Elizabeth the case file, I will tweak the story and he will still give it to her still just in a different way.
"Lizzie?" He asked again but this time he was more awake. She felt frozen. What was she to say? Hey I had a nightmare can you come tuck me back in? It was obvious that lack of sleep was clouding her judgment. She shouldn't have called, she should have went back upstairs to Tom and tried to go back to sleep. Reddington would think her foolish for sure and she didn't need a reprimand or pity now.
"Elizabeth." Her full name caught her attention; never had he addressed her by only her full first name. It had always been either Agent Keen or Lizzie.
"Yes, I'm here." She whispered into the phone.
"As much as I always take pleasure in hearing from you and though I consider myself to be more patient with you and except such behavior, you do realize it is two in the morning." She had heard him shift in his bed, no doubt to make sure of the time.
"I know I'm really sorry." Lack of sleep must be affecting her. She had actually just apologized instead of replying with a "who gives a damn" sort of retort. He must have been surprised as well because it was met with silence. She could practically see the puzzled look he would be giving her. She took a deep breath; she might as well tell him and get it over. She really had no excuse to be calling him so late. And she couldn't peg it on that she just wanted to say hello.
"I couldn't sleep, I been having nightmares." Just straight to the point Elizabeth and see what he has to say she thought to herself.
"And you thought to have me share in your lack of sleep?" He chuckled quietly. "I would think you would have woken your husband, and yet you called me. Does he know you're talking to me Lizzie? Is he even awake?"
She gritted her teeth; this was one of the things she hated about Reddington, his knack for humiliating and degrading everyone with his cocky behavior. She knew this was a mistake, but despite every fiber in her being that said to tell him to piss off and hang up the phone she instead continued on anyway.
"Tom is asleep I didn't want to wake him…and he wouldn't understand nor would I be able to even explain, that's classified information." She didn't exactly know why she pointed out that Tom wouldn't understand, she was just giving Reddington more to use against her. But instead of another witty remark he surprised her.
"What did you hope to gain by calling me? Would you like to talk about your nightmares? What are they of?" There was no mocking in his voice, he actually sounded concerned and this simmered down her anger to a more manageable level.
"In my dreams…there's darkness…I can't breathe, I smell the chemicals from in the cabin…" She told herself she was whispering to not wake up Tom, she wouldn't admit that she was nervous voicing out loud what the dreams were, let alone tell them to Reddington. He was silent for a minute before he replied.
"It's common to have nightmares after you went through, however it should put you at ease to remember that the Stew Maker is dead Lizzie, he can't harm you or anyone ever again." She remembered that he was dead; in fact she had sometimes wondered if that didn't fuel her nightmares. "You need a break, perhaps a vacation. Paris is lovely this time of year." It seemed as though every time Reddington would give her a comforting comment he then, almost as if remembering himself, would have to follow-up with a witty retort.
"Tom wants to go to Boston." She blurted it out and immediately wanted to smack herself in the head. She didn't want to talk about Tom and then she went and brought him up in conversation again.
"Then go Lizzie, I'm sure Boston would be just as pleasant." She could hear him rustling again and her mind began to wander to the question: did he wear pajamas or not? Perhaps he slept in silk and satin boxers, giving the quality of his other attire. This made her snort out loud before she realized she had.
"No? You know Elizabeth you could simply tell Tom you will be gone this weekend on a case, and we could go away somewhere, anywhere you want my dear." The very idea seemed to wake him up even more and his voice held a hopeful tone she had never heard from him before. A whole weekend, just her and Reddington? Could she really stand to be in his presence for that long? Not to mention what the FBI would say if they found out she was spending time with him outside of her job. But a small part of her found the idea wonderful, a whole weekend without chasing criminals, without worrying about who exactly she was sharing her bed with. Even the thought of just packing and running away to be anywhere in the world she wanted sent a thrill through her.
Reddington remained silent as she was processing her thoughts; no doubt he knew she was fighting a battle within. Taking a deep breath she concluded she needed this, she needed time to gather her thoughts, and Reddington would keep her safe and happy while she did, most likely also leading her in the right directions. She couldn't go on vacation with Tom to Boston, not when she didn't know the connection to the Angel Station hotel. She couldn't put on a fake smile and pretend everything was alright any longer.
She let out the breath she was holding and spoke into the phone quietly. "When would we leave?"