Author's note: Two updates within a day! Gotta love it. Hopefully the "stream of consciousness"-style of this chapter won't bore anyone. Red's just a ruminator. He thinks about everything, and I wanted to convey that.

Disclaimer: I have no secret ties to the blacklist or boston legal, and I'm not getting any sort of monetary gain.

Chapter 10

Thanks to his unfettered Bacchanalian indulgence, Red was actually able to catch a few hours of much-needed sleep. His first waking thought was of Lizzie, which of course was nothing new. He glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand, sighing and scratching his head. It was probably still too early to call her. He could wait.

That consideration of time wasn't extended to the man testing the DNA samples. Without even asking why, Dembe delivered them right after Red's return the previous night. By noon, Red would hold the answers in his hand. Wearing only his boxers and an undershirt, he paced the perimeter of the suite.

Upon further consideration, Red decided to hold off on calling Lizzie until he had the results. She knew him far too well, so she'd probably detect that something was up. Red didn't want to put himself in the position of having to deflect her concern, and without answers, that's exactly what he'd have to do.

He spent the meantime plotting out the potential repercussions of a positive match. What would this mean to Lizzie? Would she be angry for being robbed of so much time with him? Would she blame Denny for not insisting on shared custody with her mother? Would she say that he didn't try nearly hard enough to find her? Denny would probably agree with that sentiment, no matter how untrue, Red thought ruefully.

Red loathed the idea of introducing another element of surprise to Lizzie about her past, just when she had finally found peace. Just when she thought that she knew who she was, leave it to Red to knock her down again. Leave it to Red to kickstart yet another endless circle of questions about anything and everything.

But if Denny is her father, it's also a gift, really. Even if Lizzie doesn't see it at first, finding her biological father, even if only by accident, could potentially be one of the best things Red had ever done for her.

And Denny is a good man. His freakishly vast collection of firearms may be a little off-putting, but he was mostly harmless. The guns are really just an eccentricity. It was one of many, in fact, and Red had more than a few eccentricities himself. Perhaps Denny was still into horses. A lifetime ago, they'd once vacationed together at a dude ranch. It was hell! He wondered if Denny still kept in touch with that detestable windbag, Melvin Palmer. That's a man Red would be happy to never see again. Lizzie's seemingly-innate love for all things equestrian suddenly made sense though. She and Denny could bond over their mutual love of horses! Oh god, Denny would love that. Wouldn't Lizzie? Hopefully.

There was yet another concern Red had to contend with. Would Denny be territorial over Lizzie? He knew firsthand about Denny's capacity for that. Red only joked about wanting to sleep with Shirley. He didn't even want to think about what Denny would have done if Red had actually been serious. They wouldn't be friends. They wouldn't be reconnecting. Lizzie wouldn't ever learn the truth.

So, what could Red possibly say about this? "Denny, I've found your daughter. Oh yes, and I'm sleeping with her. We're madly in love. I intend to marry her. Can I count on you to give her away at our wedding? I know how much you love an open bar. You and Shirley can make love in the coat-check closet. It'll be just like old times!" Perhaps that's a little too verbose, but verbosity almost always served him well.

It wasn't the worst idea he'd ever had. It was the truth, and nothing less than the truth would do. He wouldn't word it so crassly, of course, but their truth is a positive thing. Wouldn't Denny be anxious to make his little girl happy? Red could only hope.

If push came to shove, he was even willing to lay out a guilt trip. He'd accuse Denny of making a negative indictment on his character, and he wasn't above getting hyperbolic about his hurt feelings. It would only be somewhat disingenuous. His feelings really would be hurt, and Denny should see that. Deeming Red unworthy of his daughter would suggest that Denny also perceives Red to be untrustworthy. That would be a swift kick in the gut, especially after Red trusted Denny to review his immunity deal.

Of course they could still marry, even without Denny's blessing, but that was besides the point. Denny's disapproval alone would cast a pall over what was meant to be one of the happiest days of their lives. Lizzie deserved all the happiness in the world, and Red prided himself on the lengths he would go to insure that she had it. This was no exception.

Red was pulled from his trance by a startling knock on the door. It was Dembe, with the DNA test results in his hand. Red grabbed it without hesitation, and Dembe made an immediate about-face exit to give Red some privacy. He trusted that Red would discuss it with him when the time was right. He always did.

This was it, finally. The moment of truth! He sat on the bed, leaned forward, and rested his head on the hand that wasn't holding the letter. He hastily opened the envelope and allowed his eyes to rapidly devour its contents. Red groaned in frustration and took a deep breath.

The samples didn't match.