A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, liked, or followed! I really appreciate it!

The Man Behind the Lies

"NO!"

The roar emanated from Red's lips across the solitary room, while a surge of panic coursed through his body as his eyes darted around in the darkness. There wasn't anyone sitting in the shadows. Slowly he tried to calm himself before running a hand over his face in exasperation. He breathed in carefully in hopes that his racing heart would slow down. Since his days as a navy officer, his nightmares had always taken such vivid forms, making them feel real, and leaving him with a cold pit of dread in his stomach each time he woke up from them. Thoughts of Lizzie and getting out of DC to keep her safe began to flit through his mind.

And just as quickly, those thoughts disappeared as he silently fell into a litany of prayers that he'd picked up during his childhood. He'd hardly ever been a religious man; killing people with hooks, wire hangers, and shower caddies would have probably ousted him from being the most devoted Catholic in the world.

...forgive us our trespasses

But at times like these he found that turning to that part of his past where his boyhood innocence was still intact brought him comfort. Perhaps it was the thought of someone or something out there that had more power than him and was still looking out for his stained and tainted soul that brought him comfort.

Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil

The thought of still having a second chance amidst all the wrong he had done brought him some peace of mind. He couldn't be a lost cause forever...could he?

Deliver us from evil

Deliver us from evil

His mantra was interrupted by the welcome thought of Lizzie. He wanted to see her one more time. Just one more time to make sure she was safe. If only for peace of mind. God forbid that one of Anslo's people went and harmed her in any way. He was surprised at how quickly she had managed to consume his thoughts and even his life, and found himself thinking of her more and more often. So much so that he was having nightmares about her well-being.

A dream within a dream. How horrific! It had all felt so real. The anticipation of seeing Lizzie safe and sound only to have that notion torn away by the chilling sight of her hanging in her sanctuary, vulnerable to anyone and anything…

He couldn't take lying on a lumpy bed that wasn't his anymore. With a groan, Red swung his legs over the side of the bed and stopped short when a wave of dizziness overtook him. He was tempted to flop back across the bed again and drift off to sleep. He leaned his head on his hands trying to quell his whirring thoughts and spinning head. The nausea he had been experiencing earlier in the day was still there, a small reminder of what he'd undergone at the hands of his now deceased associate. Now was no longer the time to dwell on that.

Red steeled himself for the pain to come and heaved himself to his feet with a groan. His ribs and stomach began to violently protest against the movement. He swayed on his feet and watched as the room began to spin at break-neck speeds again. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them to the once more. They adjusted to the darkness after several seconds, and to Reds relief the room had stopped moving.

He carefully made his way to the door and pressed his hands against the frame to steady himself.

"Just a few more miles to go." He mumbled to himself.

Red mustered up all the strength he could and centered himself. Focus. Focus was key. And with that, he started towards the door and walked out into the night.

-R-R-R-R

"Ouch!"

The teenage boy cried as Red's arm collided with his shoulder.

"Oh! I do beg your pardon son!" Red said in a feigned voice of compassion. "You see, I've lost my cell phone and medication and I'm feeling a bit disoriented at the moment, especially because night is falling!"

The boy nodded in understanding and adjusted the bag on his shoulder. "It's cool, I should pay more attention to where I'm going too." He smiled apologetically.

Red stuck his hand out and the boy grasped it. "Raymond Rourke, pleasure."

"James Heaps," Red watched as the young man glanced at the side of his face. "Are you okay? You look pretty beat up, your eye-"

Red laughed loudly. "It's a funny story- I ran into a cabinet door at home."

James nodded in amusement.

"James, I was wondering, would you happen to have a cell phone I could borrow for a minute or two? I'd like to call my wife and let her know what's happened." Red looked around as if he was at an utter loss as to where he was.

"Yeah sure-let me just-", the boy dug his phone out from his backpack and entered the pass code before handing it to Red.

"And you just tap the screen correct?" Red asked, feigning incompetence.

"Uh yeah." James grinned.

Red moved a few feet away and turned his back to James, then quickly dialed the number and pressed the phone to his ear, trying to block out the noise of the cars and people walking nearby. The phone rang once before it was answered.

"Kaplan," answered a raspy voice.

"It's Red," he replied in a smooth tone.

"We've been looking everywhere for you. The Feds' have put a number on your head again as expected."

Red nodded even though she couldn't see him. "How's Lizzie?"

"At her house with Keen. Dembe is keeping an eye on her, and it appears they were having a disagreement over something."

"I'll make sure to look in on her. Get Dembe and Grey to begin making funeral arrangements for Luli. They won't have any use for her body anymore," he said in a strained voice.

"We'll take care of her," Kaplan replied.

"Send a cab to get me here in Little Italy on Fleet Street. I walked for over an hour to get here," Red added.

"I'll send one over immediately. Where do you want it to drop you off?"

"I have a safe house just a block from here. I'll pick up some stuff from there, then head back to Washington." Red glanced at James out of the corner of his eye. The boy appeared to be preoccupied with his iPod. Thank God for the unobservant youth.

"You're coming back for the girl?" Kaplan said. It was a statement rather than a question.

Red remained silent.

"Raymond."

No answer.

"Raymond. You know that's a risk." Kaplan seethed.

"I know that, but she needs to know that I'm not just leaving her," Red replied tightly.

"Garrick's people will be keeping tabs on you they won't hesitate to-"

Red cut her off. "Garrick is dead. I killed him. Surely you got word of that already?"

"I checked the intel we have within the FBI, and there hasn't been any updated information, though I assumed as much."

"No, the sharks we're dealing with are much bigger than Garrick," Red paused and breathed in deeply, wincing at the pain. "It's Fitch."

"Fitch? Should've known," she muttered bitterly

Red glanced back at James, who was looking at him with an expression that was bordering on horrified.

"Listen, Kaplan, we'll need to continue this discussion later when there aren't any prying ears around that may overhear us. Send the cab to Cafe Gaia and I'll be seeing you soon."

"Right."

The line died, and Red switched the phone off and turned to James with a wide grin.

"Thank you very much, you were a big help," Red told him as he handed back the cell phone.

James continued to watch him in amazement.

"Did you really kill a guy?"

Red laughed. "Of course not! Just a bit of role playing some friends and I do occasionally. Bit of nonsense really, but now I have to go. Have a good night!"

On that note, Red began striding away leaving the young man standing in the middle of the sidewalk dumbstruck. When he reached the cafe several blocks down the street, he looked in the windows of the cafe. It was full of young people out for the night, making the place loud and stuffy looking. A few couples were milling about outside, but it was still quiet. The loud hum of chatter was broken by the steady stream of water falling from a water fountain.

Red took a seat at one of the empty tables and looked himself over. He'd managed to scrub most of the blood from his shirt, leaving only a faint pink tinge. It was still slightly damp, but it was better than being caked in blood. He still felt tired, but all things considered, he could say that it was an improvement from shivering with each small whisper of wind.

He knew going to see Lizzie was bad judgment on his part, but knowing that she was out there without anyone to help her cope with what was happening, left him vulnerable. The walls she had broken through were no longer there to protect him from her charms and graces, however unintentional they may be. He had fallen for her, and he had fallen for her hard. She had him wrapped around her little finger and there was nothing he could do about it.

Red shifted uncomfortably at the thought, and felt his neck cramp slightly. He could still smell the metal from the chains on his wrists, and imagined that he could feel Donald's slimy blood on his hands as well. Just as he was considering taking a dive in the nearby fountain, a black sedan with tinted windows pulled up beside the curb, and a tall barrel chested man in a black suit with a shaved head stepped out.

"Mr. Reddington?"

Red sighed and stood up, wincing as his ribs spasmed.

"Yes, that's me."

The man opened the door for him and stepped aside. "My name is Maximilian, I'll be your driver tonight."

Red got in, and then the door shut behind him, leaving him alone for a few precious seconds. The driver's door opened and Maximilian slid inside.

"Where to first, Sir?" He asked catching Red's eye in the rear view mirror.

"Home first. I need to pack some essentials, and then we're heading to Washington," Red told him.

"Of course sir," Maximilian replied, before pulling away from the curb.

Red leaned back against the leather seat, thinking how much he was looking forward to a good scrub and clean clothes. Lizzie would be pleased to see him alive; he hoped.

A/N: Reviews are welcome!

I actually researched the geography to get the names of the streets and the cafe! It was pretty fun!