Happy Easter EVERYONE (That celebrates it)! Sorry for the vanishing act. RL has been... Something... But I is here and I give you a new chapter. :D

A Shout out to ALL my Reviewers and a Thank you VERY much to all that have Favorited and followed me thus far. I love you ALL.

Special Thanks to to my Darling Beta. And as always: I. OWN. NOTHING...

Enjoy.

P.S. This is a filler chapter so no Red/Lizzie action. (Sorry)

Lizzie was lying in the middle of the bathroom floor, finding herself two steps away from throwing a tantrum. What about was the crux of her particular problem. She didn't know if she was about to engage in a spectacular show of a hissy fit because of how she had acted or better yet, how she had reacted to Red the night before or -and this she found to her great dismay- the fact that the man himself wasn't there in bed with her when she woke up. So, on the verge of a fit, Lizzie collapsed in a heap onto the bathroom floor, covering her face, trying to decipher what was going through her mind and heart. Little did she know that somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, the man consuming her thoughts was equally consumed by his desire for her.

2 hours earlier

Lizzie woke up to a beam of sunlight hitting her face. It wasn't harsh, so it was either still very early in the morning or the curtains were filtering the light. Lizzie stayed suspended in between worlds, fluttering in and out of consciousness for a few moments longer before a thought made her frown…

The safe house didn't get any morning sunlight from this angle.

That's when everything came rushing back to her. The mission, the auction, and the…Lizzie opened her eyes wide, now fully awake. "Oh my God… What. Have. I. Done? What did I start?" she thought, frozen in place. She stayed stock still, taking in her environment. She quickly came to the conclusion that she was alone in the room. She slowly got up, looking around her, taking in the beautiful room she was in. "Where are we?" She stood up slowly, checking her balance and noticed that she still had Red's jacket on. Closing it around herself, she ventured out of the room with extreme caution.

"Time to face the music I guess," she thought to herself, resigned.

The house she found herself in was not only magnificent, but also big. After searching the entirety of the place and finding only one other occupant, "Thank God she's safe," Lizzie made her way to the room she had woken up in and entered the suite bathroom, somewhat disappointed, and decided to have a shower. She was feeling confused and restless. "I'll just take a nice long shower to clear my head; I'm still drugged… that's it. I'm still drugged… why would I be disappointed that Red isn't here? It's good that he's not here. That way I don't have to talk about last night, because obviously Red would want to talk about it and he would come to the wrong conclusion and then I would have to set him straight and he would just be him and then we would argue over it so it's a good thing that he isn't here because I don't want to talk about it I mean HOW DARE he just leave… what, like I don't deserve an explanation either? I wasn't the only one there… He was there too, all touchy feely and hard and big… Thank God he's not here, even if he is the most sexy man I have ever met and God would I have loved to finish what we star..." Lizzie caught herself then… She turned off the water, wrapped herself in the available towel and stood, looking at her reflection.

On one side she felt ashamed for how she had reacted to the whole predicament, but on the other side she felt frustrated because Red wasn't there to pick things up where they left off and that made her feel even more ashamed and angry for how she had reacted. It was a never-ending circle of… of… something she couldn't quite understand. Letting out a frustrated growl, Lizzie collapsed onto the bathroom floor, covering her heated face with her hands and fighting valiantly against the tantrum she felt bubbling inside of her trying to get out. The fact that she didn't know WHY or WHAT she was feeling didn't help her at all. She started to silently cry at first, then her sobs grew. This was the second time she had cried because of this man and the effect he had on her. These were tears of anger because she was crying, tears of frustration because she didn't know WHY she was crying, but the final straw was when she started to laugh out of confusion. "I'm going insane…. I have officially lost my mind," she thought in the midst tears and hysterical laughter.

Meanwhile over the Pacific Ocean

Rén and Dembe were asleep as Red looked out his jet's window. He had tried to close his eyes for a bit, but every time he did he was plagued with visions of Lizzie. He felt his heart tighten and his breath became labored. Adjusting himself in his seat, he exhaled tiredly. It had been easier when she had been nothing but a fantasy, a dream. But now… now she was real. He knew what her lips tasted like. The feel of her skin. Yes… Red felt tired. Tired about many things… Berlin, The Alliance, Fitch, The Fulcrum, but above all...the loneliness rooted into his very soul. "First Berlin…" he thought solemnly "…then… then we see… If she wants to stay we stay until the end of my list… if not… the hell with my list…" Having reached some sort of conclusion, Red lay back in his seat and closed his eyes if only to rest them… sleep wouldn't be coming any time soon. Thankfully, for when it did the torment would be unbearable.

Still laying on the floor after her minor meltdown, Lizzie pondered what she was going to do next. "I should call Ressler…call Ressler and say… what? It's not like I can tell him what happened… Damn it… Of all the times to not be here…" Lizzie thought, letting out a giggle and a sob. "I'm not even sure what happened after we left. He picked me up… carried me out… He met someone… I know that much… and then we came here and… … Did he ask me NOT to leave him!? But then that means that we kissed… and he cried? I… I don't know… But staying here isn't going to solve anything!" Getting up, cold from laying on the floor for too long and feeling nauseated, Lizzie made her way back to the room. She noticed something on the pillow next to hers. As she went near it she scoffed. "Really Red? A letter on a pillow?" she quietly said to herself bemused.

On a simple piece of paper in elegant and masculine handwriting in red ink, Lizzie found Red's apology and explanation for leaving. Before reading it, however, she noticed that it smelled like him. Pulling the paper to her face, she inhaled deeply and then began reading.

Lizzie

Unfortunate circumstances have come up and I am unable to be with you when you wake up. It seems that an old associate and number on my list has found himself with some problems that will hinder his future demise should I not intervene at this time. I leave you with what is left of the drug that I had to inject you with so that you may give it to our darling Captain America… (She snorted humorously at that.) …and have something to compare it with for when they test you as they undoubtedly will. The reason I did inject you was because of the mirror. If you recall I told you they had the room under surveillance. Had I not done what I did, Wajeeh and his people would have found it strange or worse still, suspicious. I have told you once Lizzie, I will do everything I believe necessary to keep you safe. Even when I know you may not like it. For all that I apologize.

Lizzie stopped reading in a state of shock. She reread the last part just to be sure that she had read correctly. Did the Concierge of Crime…Raymond "Red" Reddington...just APOLOGIZE?" Shaking her head, astonished, Lizzie kept reading.

On the desk by the window you'll find the USB drive that Wajeeh supplied me with. It contains information about the location of someone who can lead us to the man I'm looking for. The one who will lead us to Berlin. Wajeeh was also kind enough as to give me the footage of what transpired in the room.

Lizzie stopped reading once more, but this time out of embarrassment more than anything else as flashes of the night before rushed to her mind. Flushing for another reason than that of embarrassment, Lizzie took a deep much needed breath and continued.

You don't need to worry about it falling into the wrong hands. Wajeeh assured me that no one could retrieve any of the footage. He truly does have the best working for him, some far more superior than Aram. I assure you that the record of all that happened will never see the light of day.

"Light of day sure… what about in the darkness of night? I wouldn't mind seeing it…" the pesky little voice supplied. "What? NO! SHHHHHHHHHHHH…" a horrified Lizzie answered to no one other than the voice in her head. "No… I want to see how we are together… Bet Red has kept it to watch…" the voice pushed on. "Nooooo… stop it go awa…. I'm arguing with the voice in my head again…. God… what's wrong with me?" Shaking her head to clear it, Lizzie read the final part of Red's letter to her.

As mentioned above, I ran into a certain gentleman that was once an associate of mine that unfortunately turned to human trafficking as to obtain some extra income. He was left under the impression that you and young Savanna were "one of his" shipments. Please be careful and do keep Savanna in one of my D.C safe houses until the task force can bring this despicable man to justice. Tell Ressler about the auction and tell them that had we not taken you, you would undoubtedly been disposed of. I truly regret your deeper involvement in all this. I never wanted for you to end up in the middle of all that filth. I will try to be as brief as I can. Please burn this letter when you are done. Ressler and the rest will search this safe house from top to bottom and to have them find this letter would raise some very uncomfortable questions. I wish we could have discussed all this in person. Perhaps we may still.

Red

And that, as they say, was the end of that… She did consider for a moment keeping the letter just to have proof of Red's apology, but then thought better of it. So before waking Savanna up and calling the team, Lizzie burned the letter, but not before giving its scent one final inhale.

The next week was spent in the safe house under a form of house arrest. Personal time to get whatever was in her system washed out, they called it. Lizzie knew better… whatever higher up that ass in the cheap suite that put Red behind bars last time was, was afraid she was corrupt and would flee the country with Red... And then there was that whole investigation because of her husband… Savanna was kept at a F.B.I safe house. She had been questioned and both had been debriefed. They both came out clean with no lasting effects, but they both had to see an appointed therapist once a week. Oddly, Ressler had gotten her out of that one.

"Look, she doesn't need to see a shrink. She's an agent and she knows the risks of the job. I agree that she should get a phsyc eval but that's just about all. With or without Red we're still F.B.I agents and our task force is running low on numbers as it is. You send her home and you might as well close up shop and send the rest of us home."

Cooper had been fast to agree, and sensing a mutiny on their hands Mr. Cheap Suit and Diana Fowler 2.0 were forced to relent. They still had her heavily guarded, though.

Her phsyc eval came out. She barely passed it. At least she had had the foresight of saying she was having difficulty sleeping and was starting to doubt her capacity as a profiler. She also threw in that she was having trouble trusting those around her. Maybe that would give the Dynamic Duo something to chew on… It meant that she didn't trust Red, but she no longer trusted the system. A dangerous gamble. But they needed her to get Red, and if all went well they would spend the foreseeable future reassuring her that the system still worked… giving her some space. Thankfully the doc inaccurately assumed that her lack of sleep was stress related, on account of everything that had happened over the last year… "Has it been a year? It's has… Christ." she realized, astonished. So much had happened… changed… No wonder she thought she was losing it.

"Agent Keen, it's perfectly natural to lose faith in your profiling abilities. You have just found out that the man you married was the enemy. This unease you feel around those you work with is because when you came to them with your suspicions about this man that you built your life with, that you considered building a family with, was declared clean by members of this team who, in turn, kept on suspecting you of foul play, only to have him reveal himself as the proverbial bad guy...the man you loved and still do, at some level at least, fooled you for two years. As a woman you feel betrayed and used and as a professional you feel like you have been made a fool. You now see shadows where there aren't any. I'm going to prescribe some sleeping pills and a week's rest to get you back to form. I'll perform another evaluation next month. You will be functioning on a probationary function. No field work. Just your regular nine to five desk job until then."

So, with a prescription in hand, Lizzie left for the following week. Halfway through the week, Lizzie noted that the security had been dialed down considerably, and later that day Ressler had called informing her that Mr. Cheap Suit had inquired about her health and wished her a fast recovery, stating that every single member of the task force was a valued member. When Ressler asked her if she knew what was going on she just said that maybe Red had gotten to him… Ressler had laughed at that and hung up. Lizzie smiled to herself. The gamble had paid off after all. Her smile quickly fell when she realized what a "Red" move that had been. "That son of a bitch is rubbing off on me…" were her last thoughts before letting herself be submerged the latest episode of Mob Wives.

Shanghai – Hidden Blossom Tea Room

Red currently lay face down, surrounded by Dembe, Rén, his son in law Dao, the boy's brother Tai, and finally an old uncle that wasn't really an uncle simply known as Bao-Zhi, though Red had some serious suspicions that that wasn't the man's name to begin with, on a massage table, desperately trying to keep his imagination in check. Dembe, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying himself profoundly.

When Rén showed up at their luxurious home with Red in tow, Dao had been set on edge, something that Red was expecting to rapidly defuse. Sensing that discretion and time would be the better way to deal with this problem, Red lamented the time he knew he was going to lose… time that he would much rather spend with Lizzie.

In the middle of their comings and goings, Bao-Zhi suggested that the men should go to a tea house and discuss business.

"As honored as we are for Mr. Reddington's visit, it is highly doubtful that a man such as he would come here for nothing but a friendly visit while passing by."

"My dear Bao-Zhi, your perception is outstanding. You are quite correct in your assumption. You must understand though that I do not wish to have my business discussed in a public place. There's no knowing who could be listening in. Why don't we go somewhere more private and secluded and then go to this surely magnificent tea house you mentioned. And please, call me Raymond. Whenever someone calls me Mr. Reddington I get the urge to turn around and look for my father."

"You are a very cautioned and wise man, Raymond. First we go to the tea house to eat drink and relax… then we may go discuss business somewhere secluded." Red had smiled at that and agreed. Much like the Taihe Tea Room near Dongfang Road, it combined tea drinking, tea set and other things...selling, dining, and massages. By ordering a pot of tea, you could enjoy various snacks for free. In addition, tea art and other types of performances such as traditional dancing and live music were played there. The difference was that the people massaging the patrons of the tea room were all young men and women dressed in tiny Kimonos. The sushi was served on naked bodies and everything was all very sensual, something that Red did not need at the moment. He was starting to see Lizzie everywhere. He was once a man in complete control of his mind and body and still was in all things, but not Lizzie, it seemed. Breathing in deeply, Red simply followed the group in, followed by a snickering Dembe.

The young lady appointed to him was a truly adorable looking creature, dressed in a blue, sexualized three piece Mandarin gown, but his body and mind still yearned for it to be his personal temptress. "Perhaps someday soon… I still don't know what to do about the scars… Lizzie is too bright not to put two and two together…" Red decided to leave that to when the day came and started to relax in to the masseuse's ministrations.

D.C – Post Office

Lizzie was bored… Bored beyond all else. The information provided by Wajeeh was proving to be worth less than its trouble. Aram was at his wits end Ressler was acting… strange… always on edge for no reason, mood swings, secretive, the works. Cooper was looking tired and preoccupied with something and everybody else just seemed to function. They had their job. Ressler got out chasing bad guys and Lizzie stayed there… filling out paperwork, helping out in the profiling and data analyses, but she was still grounded. At first she had been worried about Red… then angry, then frustrated, back to worried… she was now angry at him because of his disappearing act. Three weeks with zero on his whereabouts. Not a word, a message, NOTHING. At least the last time he went underground he had called… this time it was a letter…the strangest night in her life and a letter. She was angry and she was bored. At least she was four days away from her next phsyc evaluation. God she hoped she could get away from this desk.

Aram burst in the hub, frantic.

"There's been a Red sighting in Shangai…" He started pulling up all sorts of images onto the screen. The images were blurry, but they could still make out three men running… One of them was Dembe… there was no mistaking the tall, athletic beauty of the ebony colored man. The other was Asian and then there was one that looked eerily familiar to Red. There was really nothing strange with the picture except for the picture itself… "Are they naked?" an incredulous Cooper asked… Lizzie just started laughing hysterically.

Somewhere in China

Of course they got drunk… What had initially started off as a treat of drinking the wonderfully rich and fragrant but rare Anji bai cha also known as Anji white tea… which, considering that it was actually a Green tea, privately tickled Red's humor, and a large variety of sweet, sour, and spicy Dim Sum quickly took a turn to more spirited drinks. Not wanting to offend or disrespect Bao-Zhi so that his true mission wouldn't be suspected, he and Dembe where "forced" to indulge. Even though they didn't overdo it, the sting of the traditional Baijiu made them slightly light headed. The initial sweetness was then overtaken by its vicious spicy bite. In addition, Tai switched to the more commercialized Er Guo Tou flavored with walnuts and Ginseng that just made it all worse. Red's head was already buzzing and Dembe was starting to look a little cross eyed…and of course like it always happened when alcohol was involved… Dao and Rén got in to it… He still wasn't very clear where the guns came from (they were all in nothing but their towels and Dembe had checked that room when they arrived) but the result was eight dead, Tai wounded, and a very naked Bao-Zhi, Red and Dembe wrapped in nothing but their towels running in broad daylight in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the Shanghai streets. By the time it was all said and don, Rén had decided that they retire to a family property. Refusing to tell even Red where they were headed, the three still naked men were shipped off with an unconscious Dao to places unknown.

D.C – F.B.I Phyc department

Lizzie was… content. She was cleared for duty and after what she was now calling the Naked Running Incident, Aram had managed a breakthrough. It wasn't what they had hoped it to be, but it was still better than nothing. They would have to go to Chicago and she would have to go under cover again, but this time she would be overseeing her cover story and she would be working with Aram. Maybe Red would be back by the time they had to move out to Chicago… With that decided it was a very content Lizzie that left the F.B.I headquarters and drove off to the Post Office.