Tom exhaled slowly as the show the show he and Liz were watching ended. He looked down at her, hoping to see a smile, or any sort of reaction, but just as usual, she was just staring off into space. All she could think about was the move. Tomorrow morning was when were meant to pack the very last of their belongings and drive off to Nebraska. Tom saw it as a fresh start: getting away from her job, he'd actually already applied to many and was sure to get a new one. But Liz, she saw it as giving up. Sure, things were rough, and things got dangerous. But now, Red was no where to be found, and she couldn't just sit here and wait for the FBI to hunt him down.
"Liz," Tom said quietly. "Wanna tell me what's on your mind?"
She sighed silently to herself shaking her head. "Nothing's wrong" She lied.
"I've known you for years. I know when something's up."
She paused. She had to keep a smile on her face, for only 12 more hours. 12 hours, to keep him believing. She looked up at him with the most convincing face she could pull "The move it's just..."
"I know Nebraska isn't your ideal..." Tom started but she interrupted.
"No no that's not it. The idea's starting to grow on me." She smiled. "I'm just a bit stressed about tomorrow with the final packing and the long drive."
Tom smiled, seeming to be convinced. "You won't have to worry about the packing babe." He kissed her on the forehead." You just have to deal with the drive."
"I know, it's just a lot to process. The fact that this is our last night here." she paused. "I just need some sleep so I'll be on top of it tomorrow."
"I think sleep will do us both some good." Tom said grabbing her hand as they both made their way to their room to have their last night's sleep in their house.
* * *
Liz woke suddenly to the sound of a car horn just out side here room. She slowly sat up to see Tom putting a few more things into a box.
"Do you have room for this in your car?" Tom asked as he saw her waking up.
"I think so," she started. "What's in it?"
"The last of your winter clothes." Her said taping the box shut.
Yes, she thought to herself. Definitely going to need those. "Yeah, I've got some room in the back," she said trying to think of anything else she'd be missing. She had to make sure all of her things were in her car. It wouldn't work otherwise.
To the best of Tom's knowledge, they were both driving to Nebraska, just in separate cars. They didn't want to have to hire a mover, so they needed both cars to haul all of their belongings. Though Liz had managed to make sure all of her belongings were in her car, along with about half of the cooking supplies. She had to leave some with Tom.... When they'd each drive, Liz would make some excuse to make Tom think she was taking a little detour, like stopping to go to the restroom or something. As Tom would continue down the highway to Nebraska, she'd take completely new route to New York.
Liz had to find Red. And she couldn't do it with Tom.
After packing up her final box with a few blankets and pillows, she walked back into her now empty house where Tom stood.
"This is it." Tom said staring into space, putting his arm around her.
"I'm going to miss this place.": Liz sighed.
"I sure as hell won't. "Tom laughed. "The memories in this house... are not worth remembering."
She didn't have a response to this. Sure it had been a rough time, but her life changed here, Day by day it was horrid, but looking back it was nice. She'd grown as a person, this short amount of time with the FBI had changed her. All thanks to Raymond Reddington.
"I'm going to stop by Starbucks before getting on the highway." She said as the stepped outside of their house for the last time. This was her big cover up... coffee. But Tom didn't seem to think much of it.
"You and your coffee," he laughed and she smiled.
"What can I say, we have something special." She joked.
"Well," he started. "That just means I'll beat you there."
"Don't get too caried away." she laughed stepping into her car. And her stomach instantly fell as she did. After this, who know's when she'd see him again. Or if he'd even want to see her again. She was leaving him, there was no nicer way to put it. She never gave him a goodbye kiss, or even a goodbye.
"Tom," She called as she rolled down her window, he quickly walked up.
"Yeah?" he said knealing down to the side of her car.
"I love you," she said, stretching her arm out of the window into a hug.
"I love you too," he said taken by surprise, but still hugging her back. "You alright?"
She sighed in his arms, "Just leaving the house, it's getting me emotional."
"I know, me too. Just wait til you see the new one." He smiled gently kissing her. What seemed like just a regular kiss to him, was a final goodbye for her. "Let's get on the road, and maybe beat some traffic." She nodded smiling.
"Bye Tom," she whispered to herself as he walked away, getting into his own car.
Her car followed closely behind Tom's for about 20 minutes, until the split for the highway came. She kept her eyes locked on his car for as long as she could. This could be the last time she's this physically close to him for a long time. As the turn lane keeps getting closer, she debates if she's making the right desicsion. It's not too late to change her mind, She could still go to Nebraska and pretend like she wasn't debating this at all.
But someone had to find Red, and it sure as hell wasn't going to be the FBI. If they found him, he'd never be a free man again. She knew Red, and the only person who could find him was her, and that was simply because he would let her find him. She slowly turned into the turn lane off the ramp, as Tom proceeded onto the highway; she exhaled deeply as she made her slip away.
