He savoured the moment waiting outside Lizzie's apartment.
The anticipation of seeing her round the corner at any minute and the anxiety at her possible reaction at facing him again, he who she claimed was a liar even given their intimate involvement.
'this is very unlike you,to stand on invitation'
Her soft voice broke him from his reverie, he instantly smiled in reaction.
His silence irked her as she went to put her key in the door.
She felt a hand at her wrist and without turning felt the waves of sorrow rolling off him, she sensed a storm coming.
'I didn't think it would be appropriate to make myself at home given how we…'
'you are the only one I would want to invade my personal space Red'
Her worried frown marred her beautiful face as she turned fully to face him
'now are you going to tell me what's wrong?'
Automatically her hand went to his cheek, Red's usual technique of calming her.
He managed a weak smile as he answered
'I knew if I went in, it would most likely make it harder to leave'
She stepped into the apartment and gestured for him to follow
'Red, please come in, we can't talk in the hallway'
'no Lizzie please I just came to say-
'please Red I need you…want you to come inside and then you can say what you want'
Through the smile his eyes glistened with tears like shards of glass caught in the sunlight.
Lizzie felt her heart constrict, spreading outward to her whole chest as she heaved and felt herself stumble backwards. But instead of falling she was being assisted into the closest chair by those powerful arms that had held her in a much more passionate way only days before.
The forlorn look on her face shattered Red's resolve to keep straight to the point and strong he began to waiver before he remembered the point of seriousness of it the reason he was doing this,it was to protect her of course. No doubt if they didn't get him to co-operate of his own volition they wouldn't think twice of using collateral damage to get him to pledge his alliance
In a small voice he heard her say
'It was hard enough getting you inside, I'm not going to let you leave that easily Red'
He hard the click of handcuffs and suddenly found himself rather inconveniently strapped to a chair while Liz closed the second clasp around her own wrist.