Disclaimer: I own neither Boston Legal nor The Blacklist.

Please forgive the terrible delay on my update. I haven't abandoned this one.

Chapter 5

Back at The Mandarin, Dembe and Red returned to their adjoining suites. Red immediately hit the mini bar, and was pacing from door to window, a tumbler of scotch in hand. This was the side of Red that was seldom seen. Behind the stoic, fast-talking facade was a man who brooded behind closed doors, thinking and rethinking over the multitude of ways he could approach even the slightest of confrontations.

He sighed heavily, picking up the phone.

Lizzie answered on the third ring.

"Red! Hi. How's Boston? Have you had a chance to catch up with Denny, yet? I've missed you." She was shamelessly gushing. She really had missed him.

It felt so good to hear her voice.

"I've missed you, too."

He should just say it. He was making mountains of molehills, and he knew it.

"Sweetheart, it's been wonderful seeing Denny again. We're having dinner tonight at 8:30. There's something I need to tell you though. I've made a bit of a mistake."

"Okay, I'm listening." Lizzie hoped she didn't sound anxious.

He took a deep breath.

"I slipped a bit when answering Denny's questions about why I needed him to look over my deal. He felt that its perfection was apparent and he wasn't satisfied with what I'd already told him. I got exasperated and slipped a 'her' into my response."

"So?" Lizzie inquired, instantly relieved. She loves the man, but he could stand to ease up on the drama.

"Denny's quite relentless. It's what makes him such a good lawyer. 'Tenacious' hardly begins to describe him."

Lizzie smiled and lamented that Red couldn't see it. She was well-aware of her power over him.

"He sounds like me!" She laughed, and it was music to his ears. "I can see why you like him so much."

Red brought the tumbler to his lips and took a very relieved gulp from it. This wasn't going terribly, so far.

"I'll have to tell him about us." He paused and waited for the other shoe to drop.

"Red, ease up on yourself! You trust Denny, don't you? And we're going public soon anyway, right?" Seriously, what does he expect Denny to do, hold a press conference? Write a letter to Cooper?

"Yes. Yes, we are." He sighed. "So how much can I say?"

"Red, you can tell him anything. You can tell him everything." She paused. "Just.. leave out the details of our sex life, if you could. From what you've told me about Denny, I wouldn't be surprised if he asks."

Red nodded. "Oh, he will." He laughed. "Especially when he finds out about our age difference."

She smiled. That was something other people would probably care about. It never bothered her.

Red thought it was a good time to change the subject. "How was your ride today?"

"Wonderful! The private lessons have really paid off. Thank you again, by the way. I do worry sometimes that Hudson's too much horse for me, especially since he's so green. He should have a stronger rider. He deserves that." It still felt a little strange admitting her insecurities to him, but she was working on it.

"Sweetheart, you'd been out of the saddle for a long time. I wouldn't forgive myself if you got hurt, especially if I could have prevented it. I acted rashly when I bought him for you, but I'd never take him away."

Lizzie was used to that, by now. It was a tremendous point of contention between them for years. She was accustomed to fighting her own battles, carrying her own weight, and looking over her own shoulder. When Red suddenly showed up and started doing things like this for her, she seriously questioned his motives. Once she finally understood, she still resented it. Her resentment was the hardest thing to overcome. Red had worked long and hard for her to give him her heart. She had his long before she even knew it.

"You know that Sam would be so proud." It was bittersweet to mention Lizzie's adoptive father, and Red's oldest friend, but it felt right. Sometimes, she needed to be reminded of how proud Sam would be.

"Yes." She agreed. "I suppose he would."

A moment of mutually-contemplative silence passed between them. It was Lizzie who broke it.

"Hey, Red, you should try to squeeze a nap in before you go out with Denny tonight. If I know you, you haven't slept since you left."

He chuckled. Indeed, she knew him well. Red tried to make light of her concern. "That was just a lucky guess, but I suppose I should acquiesce to your suggestion. A nap sounds nice. I sleep much better with you."

"I know. Me too. Enjoy your dinner with Denny and relax. Call me tomorrow sometime. I love you."

"I will, and I love you too. Goodbye."

"Bye, Red."

Red stared at the phone in wonder and shook his head. She knew him a little too well, and that realization always came as a surprise.

He stripped down to his boxers, eyeing his imperfect reflection in the mirror, and crawled into bed, pulling the blanket up to his chin. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine her lying there beside him. He dared not turn on his side, for he'd be confronted by the cool sheets-unimpeachable proof that she wasn't.