Raymond Reddington Jr. (EDITING)

Chapter 9 // The Slap

I woke up the smell of food and right on cue my stomach grumbled .I was about to get up when I heard the stairs creak. The steps had more of an echo so 'they' must be a heavier set, that was either Red or Dembe. I quickly jumped back into the hammock. I started to even out my breathing so it would look like I was asleep.

The door propped open.

"Alex." Someone whispered...Dang it was Red he would be able to tell...."Sleep well."He murmured before kissing my forehead soon after. They old Navy Man fell for it!Hah!I made sure he was down stairs before I launched my 17 year old body up into the bedroom. Sneaking around I grabbed my jacket, wallet, and gun just in case.I heard the stairs creak again,"Crap."I whispered to myself. I quickly darted out through the French doors and looked over the balcony...it was only a 15 feet drop, I've done worse. I braced myself for the landing thankfully it wasn't that bad.

I heard a female voice yell up above."Red he's gone!"I chuckled and headed out into town. I was careful to remain in the shadows, incase they sent a search party .I was at a booth getting food; first I was hungry, second it looks delicious, third I was hungry! I turned around and saw Liz checking through every stand. I quickly thanked the old lady and made my way down the street.

"Alex!"Someone one shouted behind me. I made a quick left, they found me...How, I was wickedly careful and sneaky? Then I thought about it, Red had taken my .45 and gave it to Dembe in the plane. The old bastard put a tracking device on it! I made my way into a alley way taking the gun out of my shorts and dumping it in a corner.

I heard Dembe shout 'I found him.'He soon swore after it.

I explored for a little bit, although I stayed in highly crowded places to stayed covered but other than that I enjoy myself; I tasted food, played with kids, and took a long walk on the beach watching the sun set. I finally got to our safe place around 10 pm, jet-lagged as ever.

"Well did you guys miss me?"I asked them. Liz got up first and looked me in the eye, unfortunately for her, I was taller than her.

"Where the hell have you been?"She screeched in my face."Relax Lizzie-"

"Don't call me Lizzie..."

"Why Red calls you that,unless you two are secret lovers!"I teased

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"

"Alexander, upstairs now." Red's voiced boomed over Liz. I tracked up the stairs as slowly as possible not wanting him to be yell at me.

"Sit."He commanded pointing at the chair. He glared at me trying to read my facial expressions. He finally spoke. "Don't ever do that again. Do you know how much you frightened us? Know what I've had it...You're grounded, you must remain in this house until we leave."He bellowed, I scoffed "What makes you think I'm going to listen to you or obey your rules."I argued

"Wh-What makes me think your going to listing to me...I don't know maybe because I'm your father!" He shouted his anger rising.

"What makes you think after not being in my life for 17 years you can prance right back in and boss me around?I've taken care of myself for 11 long years relaying on me, myself, and I! Do you know what it feels like to be me. Abandoned by a father who didn't even know I existed, I had to leave my family when I was six because there were to many threats on my life.Then finally finding someone who cares about you and not your past or your decisions, then you make them leave for their safety!
Do you?"

"You don't think I know about your life, ever since you were 12 I've kept my eyes on you. I payed for your middle school education.I was at your first date. I was at your first day of Junior High, should I go on, your first job when you were 13 being a carrier. I was so proud of you. I know about her...Eloise. And I'm so sorry you never deserved any of this, and it's because of me.

"Still, you never answered my question."I argued back. "You're right I know some of those feelings but I was much older and had already found out who I was, plus I had a backup plan." He said.

I started to speak, "I was right, you abandoned me-"I was cut off by a searing pain in my cheek. He slapped me...the man who swore to protect me after I met him, hit me.

"Alex-"He tried to explain.

"Don't even try." I whispered holding back the tears. Some of the reason of why I was going to cry was the pain, it was beyond excruciating, the other pain was emotional. At that time Liz happened to walk in to make sure everyone was alright. She glanced from me to Dad.

"Please tell me you didn't Red." She stopped seeing the burgundy color on the right side of my cheek.

She gasped.

A few moments later we heard Dembe come up the stairs. "What's wrong, Liz didn't come down yet?" He stared, at me looking down at the floor, Liz glaring at Red,and Red trying to get my attention.

"Raymond." He mumbled.Red left silently going across the hall to his room and locking the door.

"Alex he's never lost his temper before like that it's very rare. He's stressed from Russia to the FBI to a billion other things and very rarely he explodes like that." Dembe tried to explain for Red.

"I probably deserved that."I told them about our argument and what we had said except I left out a major detail her...I still can't get over the girl of my dreams.

"Nobody deserves to be slapped that hard." Liz said giving me a ice pack she found in the crowded freezer.

Dembe knocked on the open door.

"He won't come out, I've been trying to get him to for 15 minutes."I stood up and walked across the hall, I got up and knocked on the brown wooden door. "Go away." Red muttered.

"Dad it's me." I breathed. I heard the latch unlock. I pushed open the door to find a rather weary looking Raymond Reddington slumped over in a chair with a glass of well aged scotch in his hand.I leaned back and forth on my toes,"I probably deserved that."I laughed."Maybe."He responded with a small grin on his face.I eventually convinced him to come out tomorrow,I went back to my room to find Liz asleep on the floor I smirked...prank time!😈