Make This Go On Forever by Snow Patrol

35. Watching you

This splintered mast I'm holding on won't save me long
Because I know fine well that what I did was wrong

Ten years have come and gone since that fateful day when he last spoke to her. Red has gone no more than a hundred yards near her, and even when he does dare to approach her, she is completely oblivious to his presence. She can sense him, no doubt, of that he is sure

When he stands across the street from the small cafe she likes to frequent, he catches sight of her through the window, deep into her book with that quirk on her lips; so at ease with the world. A different person from the one she was slowly becoming in his company.

But his Lizzie is a smart girl. He disappears into the crowd when her gaze lifts from the words in front of her, directly to the spot that he was standing at only seconds before.

Red had kept his promise in more ways than one. He had loved her, albeit from a distance. But he had loved her nonetheless. Every fiber of his being screamed to be closer to her. This distance was what kept her safe and alive, fulfilling the other half of his promise to Samuel Milhoan.

Elizabeth Keen was a name known across the nation amongst all of the law enforcement agencies. She had appeared on several news broadcasts at the request of her superiors, building a fine facade of competence for the FBI. The CIA had consulted her on several cases that Blacklisters had been connected to in one way or another. She'd easily been able to shed light for them with her knowledge of the criminal mindset having worked with one of the best criminals in the world. Red had watched as her reputation flourished, making a name for her in the best possible way. Her dreams had come true. She was a successful agent; with only a slight tip of his hand she had managed to become famous, Lizzie had done the rest of the work herself.

All the same. He watched from a distance. She would put on a mask for the world, feigning happiness. Red could see the raging war within her. She was on the lookout for him. While walking down the street, she would look over her shoulder, feeling the tickle of prying eyes crawl down her spine. Her eyes scanned the crowds, trying to pull his face from somewhere amongst the hustle of rush hour.

For a long time, Red felt as if their time together was nothing but a dream. As if the eight years spent working together was nothing but a sick fantasy he played out in his mind. His mind had played many cruel tricks on him in the past, and he wouldn't have questioned whether this was just another one of those tricks. Had it not been for her brand on his neck and his cracked heart to remind him otherwise, he would have accepted that it was his mind at work, making up another story for him to tell.

The final word in the final sentence you ever uttered to me was love

And I don't know where to look
My words just break and melt
Please, just save me from this darkness

A/N: The last two chapters have been switched to make the continuity of the rest of the story go smoothly.