AN: I won't even apologize this time. There are way too many fics going on at the moment. Special thanks to my mate for trying to get things under control again.

Disclaimer: check earlier chapters

And oh - I'll be there to comfort you,
Build my world of dreams around you, I'm so glad that I found you
I'll be there with a love that's strong
I'll be your strength, I'll keep holding on - yes I will, yes I will

Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter
Togetherness, well that's all I'm after
Whenever you need me, I'll be there
I'll be there to protect you, with an unselfish love I respect you
Just call my name and I'll be there

"I'll Be There" - Jackson 5

Chp. 12

It was already dark when she walked into the house, trying to make as little noise as possible. Adrenaline was making her hypersensitive to every single noise. As soon as her eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness, she grabbed what she had come for and silently made her way back outside. She quickly ran down the streets, heading for a deserted area close by. Taking another turn, she found herself being pulled into a corner, her mouth covered with a hand.

"Were you followed?" She shook her head and he released her. "Did everything go as planned?"

"Of course," she replied, handing over a plastic card.

"Great. He's gonna regret messing with me."

"Just stick to the plan and get her out of the way. I still need him," she said.

He looked at her, but she could barely make out his face due to the hood of his sweatshirt pulled over his head. "I remember another part of the deal, don't you?"

Smiling smugly back at him, she roughly cupped him through his pants, squeezing him tightly. "Are you sure you're up to it?"

He spun her around and pushed her into the wall, lifting one leg around his waist and pushing into her. "Oh, you'll see."

LizzingtonLizzingtonLizzington

Connor touched her arm, snapping Liz out of her daydream and back to reality as he pointed to the papers in his hand. "We really need to meet up soon, or we'll never get this done."

"Yeah, I know. What about after school today?"

He smiled, showing off all his handsome features. He was good looking, there was no denying it, and all the girls were practically drooling when he walked by. Well, all but one.

"Sounds good. Your place or mine?"

Before she could reply, her very own handsome guy walked up to them. "Excuse me," he said, squeezing in between them. He cupped her face in both hands and pulled her in for a kiss, pulling her even closer to deepen the kiss.

He didn't seem inclined to ever let go of her mouth again and Liz couldn't help but smile against his lips, before gently pushing at his chest. They parted with a smack, but he refused to let go of her entirely.

"Are we perhaps a little jealous, honey?"

He huffed. "Why would I be jealous?"

She smiled knowingly. "Maybe because you just went all possessive on me just now."

He looked off to the side, working his jaw. "Maybe I am," he mumbled.

Deciding not to tease him any further, she threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled him in for a soft kiss. "There's no need, Red. He's a friend," she told him in a low voice. "Connor, have you met my boyfriend yet?"

The jock walked the short distance over to them. "I don't think I have."

"Then it's about time. Ray, this is my friend and the guy I have to suffer through that biology project with, Connor. Connor, meet my very handsome and awfully adorable boyfriend, Ray."

Red rolled his eyes at the introduction. Of course she had to do this. Extending a hand towards the boy, he tried his hardest to come over as anything but a jealous idiot. "Pleasure to meet you, Connor."

The jock shook his hand gladly. "Same here. So you're the one that keeps distracting her during class. She's always drawing those little hearts all over her notebook. 'RR & LS' or 'LR' -"

"Shut up, Connor!"

The blush tinting her cheeks told him that the story was actually true. He tightened his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to his side. 'LR', so she was actually daydreaming about wearing his last name.

"Alright, guys, I gotta go. Meet you out front after school, Liz?"

"Yeah sure. Later."

The two boys nodded at each other and Connor left. "That makes my question redundant," Red said.

"Why? What question?"

"Ah, nothing important. I just wanted to spend some time with you."

"I find that very important," she told him and he hugged her more closely.

"I didn't mean it like that, sweetheart." He kissed her forehead gently.

"How about after Connor and I are finished with that project?"

Red nodded. "I'll pick you up."

"You really don't have to." He gave her a look and she quickly kissed him. "Around six maybe?"

"I'll be there." He bent his head to give her another soft kiss. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Red."

True to his word, Red picked her up at six and drove them to her place. Sam was working late and so they had the house to themselves. Hudson kept interrupting them though. He loved Red and wanted nothing but his attention, which the young man gave him. Liz would have been jealous if he paid more attention to the mutt than her and vice versa, but there was no way Hudson was a better kisser, so in the end Red always ended up with his girl.

He was sitting on her bed, back resting against the headboard, when she straddled his lap. His arms went around her immediately. "Hey."

"Hey, yourself," he said with a smile.

She reached out and put her hands on his chest. "I want this off," she told him, tugging at his shirt.

Red chuckled. "Well, if my lady insists." Without too much trouble, he grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, before throwing it off to the side. He had her snuggled against him in a matter of seconds, her nose nuzzling his chest hair.

"You're so warm. I wish I could stay here all day." His arms went around her waist again, his fingers tripping gently up and down her lower back.

She let out a low hum of pleasure as his fingers slipped under her shirt, stroking over every bit of skin he could reach.

Liz raised her head and began planting small kisses on his chest, along his clavicle and up his neck. Red shivered, a low groan of approval rumbling through his chest, as his grip on her tightened. With a kiss to his chin, she slipped from his lap and scooted downwards, grabbing the blanket from the foot of the bed, when she found herself on eyelevel with his crotch. Her breath hitched and she looked up at him, seeing that his eyes were closed and his hands now behind his head.

"I… I'm sorry… I don't think I…"

"Mhm?" Red opened his eyes and gazed at her.

She bit her lip and her eyed flickered to his belt for a second. "I've never… I'm not sure…"

Realization flooded him and his face changed from confusion to understanding. "Sweetheart, I wasn't going to suggest it. Would I love it? Of course I would, but, Lizzie, we just became intimate and this is all rather new to you, so I certainly won't push you into trying any of this." She didn't reply, but started to fiddle with the blanket. Red leaned forward and took her chin in a gentle grip, making her look at him. "Okay?"

"Okay," she answered with a soft smile.

"So, you've made me take my shirt off and I am getting a little cold over here." He winked at her.

She quickly snuggled into his side again, drawing the blanket over the both of them. "Red?"

"Yes?"

"Have you ever..." She broke off. "Ever tried… well, it?"

"Are you perhaps talking about cunnilingus?" Of course he had to use the clinical word. She only nodded in reply. "Yes."

"Oh."

"Sweetheart, like I said, there's absolutely no pressure. If you're curious, I'll gladly explore this with you, whenever you want to, but don't feel like you have to do this for my benefit."

"I'd like to," she said. In response, a full body tremor ran through him, eliciting a gasp from her. "What was that?"

Red groaned, but it didn't sound like he was in pain. "Nothing," he mumbled, reaching under the blanket to adjust his pants.

"Nothing?"

He chewed on the inside of his cheek then. "Alright, I admit that I wasn't prepared for you to say that and it… turned me on quite a lot."

"It did?" She asked, pushing up on her elbow to look at him. "Red, why didn't you say that you want this?"

He stretched his neck to give her a quick kiss. "I don't want to scare you off, Lizzie."

"But I want you to be happy."

"I am happy when I'm with you," he said with a smile that melted her heart.

"What did I do to deserve you?" She asked rhetorically, winding her arms around his neck.

He made a low humming sound in the back when she threaded her fingers through his hair. "I should be the one asking that question."

"Raymond?" She asked and his eyes fluttered open. When had he closed them? "I love you."

He took his hands from behind his head and cupped her face. "I love you, Elizabeth."

Red had gone home that evening upon Sam's arrival. The two men had talked for a few minutes and then, with another quick kiss to his girlfriend's lips, he had walked out of her house. He had been right, it was a blessing that her dad liked Ray.

"So, what did you do today, butterball?"

It was already late, but they enjoyed some father/daughter quality time before they both went to bed.

"Nothing fancy. I went to Connor's to work on the biology project, Ray picked me up afterwards and cooked me dinner."

"You have that boy wrapped around your little finger," her father said with a chuckle.

She shrugged, but couldn't stop the grin from spreading across her face.

The bell rang and Liz stood from couch. "I got it," she said, walking towards the front door.

Two uniformed cops stood in front of her. "Elizabeth Scott?" One asked.

"Yes?"

"What's going on?" Sam asked, walking up behind her.

"And you are, Sir?"

"Her father. Sam Milhoan. What seems to be the problem, Officer?"

"Your daughter will need to come back to the station with us."

"What?" Both Sam and Liz asked.

"She needs to be questioned."

Liz looked at her father, her eyes full of fear. "Daddy?"

He wrapped an arm around her back. "Why? Can I take her there?"

The tall man shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sir, but that's not possible. You can follow and be present at the station of course."

Sam nodded. "Alright, go get dressed Lizzie, and then go with them. I'll be right behind you."

LizzingtonLizzingtonLizzington

"Is she okay?" Red asked as soon as he spotted Sam.

The older man nodded. "She's unhurt, I should've said so before, but I'm afraid she's in trouble."

Before Red could reply, an office door opened and his crying girlfriend stepped out. "Lizzie!" He rushed to her and took her in his arms. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" She could only hiccup. "Talk to me."

"T-t-they accused me of breaking into the science lab tonight and vandalizing it…"

"But you were with me tonight."

"Who are you?" The officer asked, stepping up to the couple.

"Raymond Reddington," he replied. "What's going on here? She didn't do this."

"And how would you know?"

"Because I was with her all night."

"When was that?"

Red knew the drill. "After school she went to a friend of hers to work on a school project, I picked her up at six and we drove to her house, where we stayed together until her father came home. Why would you accuse her of this?"

"Her school ID was found at the crime scene," the police officer said. "I need the name of that friend."

Liz was still crying into his chest, with Sam stroking over her back. "Sweetheart, what's Connor's last name?" He leaned back and took her face in his hands. "Connor's last name. I need it, Lizzie."

"H-Hofman."

Red nodded and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, before allowing her to bury herself further into his chest. "Connor Hofman. I'll write down his address for you, if you have paper and pen." He hurriedly wrote the address down and handed it back to the officers. "We'll be leaving now, if you've finished questioning her. Since you don't have any proof except her school ID, I'm sure that won't be a problem." With the officer's approval, Red and Sam walked Lizzie out to the car.

On the way home, Red allowed Sam to drive, since Liz didn't want to let go of him as she continued crying. He didn't ask any questions, instead he just hugged her tightly, kissing her head reassuringly.

"Thank you for being here, Ray," the older man said, as they went into the living room and sat on the couch.

"Of course. I'm glad you called. Now, sweetheart, we all know that you have nothing to do with this, but do you know what happened to your ID?"

"No," she cried. "B-but it's g-gone. I c-checked."

"Alright. It's been stolen then. They have nothing to go on but your ID, and you have an alibi. They'll realize that you've been set up soon."

"What if they don't?" Sam asked, flinching when another sob ripped from his daughter's throat.

"If it comes to that, I'll get us a lawyer."

"Son, no, I will do that myself."

Red shook his head. "No, Sam. My uncle is a lawyer in Boston. I'll give him a call in the morning, just in case. We should all try to get some rest now, because I'm rather sure they'll turn up again in the morning."

Sam stood and walked the few steps to the couple. "Please feel free to stay the night, Ray. And thank you for taking care of my babygirl."

"Of course, Sam."

"Butterball, if you need anything you just holla, alright?" He knew that there was no way his daughter would be able to discuss the event right now. "Try to sleep."

With only little resistance, Red managed to get his girlfriend upstairs and into bed, cuddling up to her immediately. He would not leave her; that was for sure. "You'll be okay, sweetheart, I promise."

"Ray…" Her voice was shaking as much as her whole body.

"I know. I'm here," he said, kissing her temple, before burying his nose in her hair. "You have me, Lizzie, and I won't let anything happen to you."