The Ocean Between Us

A/N: Again, this is freestyling away from the canon although you might notice some references to episode 2x18 (btw, damn you, TPTB – how can you make us wait this long after that cliffhanger!).

Also, a BIG thanks to the amazing inmate23 who was kind enough to give me her feedback and thoughts on this!

Disclaimer: The stating-the-obvious part of the exercise: I own nothing and am not making any profit out of this. I'm just borrowing the lovely Blacklist characters but I promise to return them unscathed:)

Chapter 5

When Liz came into her motel room for the second time, this time she closed the door on the outside world but most of all on that incredibly intense look she had caught on Red's face from the corner of her eye as he stood there with the Fulcrum. At times she felt like a pawn in an intricate game of chess he was playing, a puppet at the beck and call of the master puppeteer. Still, whatever game he was playing or performance he was giving, whatever end goal he had in mind, it was clear that her life mattered more to him. Because of that, she found she didn't hate being a pawn in his hands as much as she probably should because his life depended on those games.

Her train of thought was interrupted by the sudden premonition that went through her spine. She cursed silently realizing her standard issue Glock was still in the carry-on bag she had thrown on the bed. Before she had time to reach for it, someone grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth with his hand.

"Hello, Liz," Tom Keen's voice was no more than a whisper in her ear but in the silence it reverberated like an explosion. "I am unarmed and have no intent of attacking you," he continued in a measured voice. "In a moment I will let you go and you won't attack me. Do we have a deal?"

She nodded and he slowly released her from his grasp. Not missing a beat, she swirled around and lunged for the carry-on and her gun. It wasn't there.

"Looking for this?" he asked as she turned to him, the bed between them. Her Glock lay in his palm, its grip in her direction. "You should lock your door."

"Believe me, I am kicking myself," she replied through gritted teeth.

"I'm not here to harm you, Liz. I just came to see if you're all right," he said imploringly. There seemed to be genuine concern in his expression but Elizabeth had learned the hard way that this man could play any role, imitate any emotion. And he was especially good in his performance as her concerned loving schoolteacher of a husband.

"What the hell are you still doing in DC?" she spat out angrily. "In the country?"

"I told you-" he began again.

"No, I'm tired of listening to your crap," she cut him off. "What are you really doing here?" she demanded.

He met her gaze steadily. "I learned you were targeted and came as fast as I could," he finally relented with an unwilling answer. "I had to know you were all right."

"Why, Tom? Or whatever your name is."

"Jacob," he offered. "My real name's Jacob."

"Jacob," she tried on her tongue instinctively but immediately collected herself and gave him a glance that could cut glass. "So, Jacob," she continued derisively after a moment, "now that you've seen I'm all right, why don't you get the hell out of here before I kick your ass until tomorrow and call the police."

He gave her a tight-lipped smile. "Here. Take your gun if it makes you feel better but hear me out, Liz," he pleaded and offered her the Glock. She snatched it quickly and moved away, aiming it at his head.

He gave her a nod as if he hadn't been expecting any other reaction. "Good. I feel better knowing you're cautious."

"Don't you dare use this condescending tone with me."

"I'm sorry," he apologized hastily. "I meant no disrespect, Agent Keen," he stressed. "You haven't changed your name," he added in a neutral tone but there was a small smile curving his lips.

Liz wanted to wipe that smirk off his face with the Glock's grip. Still, she held herself back because deep down, she was curious why he was here. He may even have some information on her – or rather Red's would-be – shooter. So she took a deep breath and decided to turn down the hostility a notch for the sake of finding out if Tom knew anything about the shooting.

"How did you know about the shooting? Do you know who targeted me? And that I was the target?"

"Who else could be the t-" he began to ask but interrupted himself as realization dawned on him. "Reddington. You were with Reddington and thought he was targeted," he let out a laugh that didn't reach his eyes. "Since when do you care if he's a target of a shooting?" he narrowed his eyes slightly at her, a calculating look taking over his features.

She released the safety on the Glock. "Answer me," she demanded.

He shrugged, seemingly unaffected by her tone and the aim of her gun. "While nothing would make me more glad, this time it wasn't him. It was you."

She swallowed, a feeling of dread coming over her, but her grip on the gun remained steady. "How do you know this?"

"An old contact," he replied dismissively. "Not active anymore but still very well-informed."

"Do you know who ordered the hit?"

"No, but I could find out more."

"Out of the goodness of your heart?" she asked caustically.

"There is one small thing," he admitted. "My confiscated passports. I need them."

"I'm not going to sneak into evidence and steal them for you!"

"Then you won't find out who ordered the shooting." He shrugged. "You can of course let Reddington lead you around and count he'll let you in on this but I wouldn't hold out much hope."

Her hand wavered just a little. "Reddington doesn't know a thing about it."

"Sure, Liz. Like has never kept anything from you before," he pointed out shaking his head, an indulgent smile on his lips. "Come on, Liz, when will you learn that the man never tells you but a fraction of what's going on? When will you stop being the naïve ingénue? As long as you won't, he'll never treat you as an equal. A partner."

She steeled her jaw. "You mean like you have? I'd rather stick to the naïve ingénue then. A naïve ingénue who's holding you at gunpoint," she added.

He raised his hands in a non-threatening manner and reached behind him for the door. "Easy. I'll find you when I have something more. Have the passports ready. Oh, and happy birthday, Liz."

With that, he slipped away. After a couple of heartbeats, when she was sure he wasn't coming back, she finally let her knees go weak and crumbled to the bed. While she hated to admit it, Tom was right. She didn't want his words get to her but the truth of the matter was that it wouldn't be the first time Red kept her in the dark. She recalled the fleeting glance she caught of him in the hospital when he had come into her room and wasn't quick enough to immediately employ his usual urbane expression.

She had always assumed he held back for her protection and safety. However infuriating and condescending of Reddington that reasoning was, it had been starting to make sense to her lately. But if all that was underpinned by something else, by his conviction that she was incapable of dealing with the truth, that she was weak…Unbidden, her eyes glazed over dangerously close to tears. She shook her head angrily. Why the hell had she ever allowed herself to care about what Raymond Reddington thought of her? To care about him?

~o~O~o~

"I don't think we've been officially introduced. Thomas Connolly."

Red didn't show any surprise. He had identified the assistant district attorney the moment he stepped into the abandoned warehouse where Connolly had set up the meet. Reddington looked around, his face displaying a jovial smile. His trained eye had identified only one potential exit, the door he had come through, and no apparent hiding spots. An almost perfect trap, for anyone less experienced than Red. It may not stop Red but it told him a lot about his adversary. For one, Connolly was no novice to this.

He looked back at the other man. "I would say it's a pleasure to meet you but we both know that's not entirely true."

Connolly let out a short laugh that didn't reach his eyes. "Ballsy, Mr. Reddington, especially considering you're on my turf."

"Is it?" he asked nonchalantly. "It's merely logic. You want something from me. To get it you need me alive and unscathed ergo you won't try anything."

"Yet."

"Ah, the empty threat part of the banter," Red remarked. "While I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying this, I have an appointment with my chiropractor so if we could cut this short-"

"Agent Keen," Connolly interjected, not rising to the bait.

Red raised his eyebrows, his mouth turned in an expression of indifference. "What about her?"

"The accusations against her in relation to Eugene Ames' death. The trial," Connolly continued. "I made it go away and I can make it go back as quickly. I also have some interesting material from Agent Keen's and her unit's FBI-issued mobiles."

"I didn't know the office of state attorney was in the business of blackmailing and eavesdropping on its own government's agents," Red remarked derisively.

"Only those socializing with fugitives and murderers."

Red pursed his lips. "If you know this much, you know that it was me who approached her and the FBI, not the other way round. I asked directly for her. She is a most unwilling participant in all of this."

"Oh, I'm not so sure about that."

"That is the truth."

"Even so, truth can be told in many different ways."

Red drew himself up a little, a small muscle tic flickering below his left eye. He lost count of how many of those power-greedy politicians with their little games and power plays he had to deal with over the years but this one he would have to be careful with – he obviously had some powerful backing. Red was going to destroy him for his threats and the danger he had put Lizzie in but he was not about to commit the mistake of underestimating this new enemy, either. His ruthlessness and apparent conviction that he could get to Red through Lizzie was making him a dangerous opponent.

"What do you want, Mr. Connolly?" he asked with a deceptively bland smile.

"I believe it's a black ops file you seem to be in possession of."

"Seem being the key word here," Red replied, not missing a beat only due to years of experience. "Whoever supplies you with information, you should advise them to engage in a different field of interest because they are way off their mark."

"Are they? OK then," Connolly took a mobile out of his coat pocket and showed it to Reddington. "I push this button and everything we have on Agent Keen becomes public knowledge. Shall we try?"

"What makes you think what happens to that agent has any impact on me?"

"If it doesn't, you won't mind, will you?" he placed his hand back on the mobile's keypad.

Red gave him a measured look. "I may know who has it but it will take time and resources."

"I believe you have both. You have time until the end of this week," Connolly stated. "Needless to say, if anything happens to me during that time, Agent Keen can say good bye to her career and freedom," he added. "What do they say? Orange is the new black?" he laughed at his own joke. Then his face grew serious, "You'll be hearing from me within the week."

"Looking forward to it," Red threw over his shoulder, turning around. He was at the door when he heard from behind him, "Do you know Tom Keen has been calling her? I believe they also met."

Red made every effort not to miss a beat when he replied in a flat tone, "Who Agent Keen chooses to associate herself with is only her business."

A low chuckle. "You tell yourself that, Mr. Reddington."

He adjusted his fedora and left. Getting inside his car, he allowed himself a small smile. Messing with Lizzie was Connolly's first mistake. Revealing his identity to Red was his second. There would be no third.

~o~O~o~

One of the many things Raymond Reddington had never told Elizabeth Keen was how closely he monitored not only her professional activities but also her private life. There were now three sharp shooters positioned around her motel and another three bodyguards roaming the perimeter. A hacked Chinese satellite was monitoring every movement in the area and a drone was hanging overhead. He imagined she would not be exactly thrilled by the idea of her every move being so closely watched and documented. She had been angry when he had one sniper after her but he wasn't taking any risks. He might mention it some time if he needed to vex her or to distract her but other than that, this was going to remain his secret.

This night, however, apart from the silent entourage, Lizzie had one more guardian.

Red adjusted his position in the uncomfortable armchair opposite her bed. Connolly gave him a lot to think about and he managed to rattle him. His knowledge of the Fulcrum and his conviction that he could get to him through Lizzie put his hair on edge.

He had already ordered a full-blown inquiry into the man and all his potential associates. He had more than a dozen plans ready at this point but he still didn't feel enough prepared for the dark clouds that were quickly gathering over their heads. If anything happened to Lizzie because of this…He rubbed his forehead, not letting the thought even materialize in his head. And then there was the issue of her being in contact with Tom Keen again.

He ran a hand over his face, letting the weariness that was his constant companion get the better of him for an unguarded moment. His eyes felt wet and burning. He told himself it was exhaustion. Or that it was fear because she let her guard down and left herself unprotected. Or finally that it was rage because she had left him out. Because she didn't trust him enough to tell him. But fear and rage, they were his good companions. He knew how to deal with them and master them. They left his mind clear and cold. He rubbed at his eyes with the heel of his hand, forcing himself to think in a calm and dispassionate manner.

"No!" Liz suddenly exclaimed and he jumped, inwardly chastising himself for letting his attention slip for even a second.

If she found him here, he would spin some tall tale or distract her but he didn't want that. Intentionally, he led her to believe it was all a game for him that he kept playing for his own goals, but in truth it was starting to weigh more and more heavy on him. Keeping the truth from her was one of the most difficult things he was forced to do in many years. She had given him the Fulcrum without any demands or questions. A year ago, even a month ago, it would have been unthinkable. But now that she had thrown away their contract with her admission of caring about him, their business deal was off and the clear cut, clean lines he had set up between them were starting to become fuzzy. He could not let it go any further. He was so weary. He was drained. He didn't remember love ever being this exhausting.

As he silently came over to the bed, he realized she was still asleep but having a nightmare. He bent slightly over her, tossing and turning under her sheets.

"Red, no!" she let out another anguished noise and his mouth fell into a grim line. Even in her dreams he was the monster.

His hand moved of its own accord, coming to gently rest on her forehead. He carefully smoothed out the creases of anxiety and distress from her brow, softly running his fingers over her hair. After a moment, the pinch in her brow had relaxed, the long line of her body became free from the tension he'd seen in it earlier, and she peacefully fell back into the arms of Morpheus. Red allowed himself the smallest of smiles and went back to his silent vigil.

~o~O~o~

Liz woke up slowly. Strangely enough, considering what she had been through in the last days, she felt content and safe. When was the last time she felt like this? A rusty boat. Awkward but sincere kisses dropped onto her hair. The man who kept rescuing her time and again.

With a sudden jolt, she sat up straight and threw away her covers. Dammit. She needed a cold shower and some strong coffee. Badly. Barely had she stepped out of the bed when she heard her mobile come to life. Looking at the display, she took a moment before picking up.

"Hello, Lizzie," came the cheerful voice from the other end and she rolled her eyes, picturing his overly bright smile. "Did you sleep well? I hope so because I have a new blacklister for you."

tbc.

I hope you liked this! If so, do review, even if to say "OK/Not OK.":)