The Architect. [The Blacklist. Donald Ressler X Oc]

Up.

Ressler.

I locked the bathroom door behind me and opened the faucet, splashing water on my face.

I felt hot and cold at the same time, I felt like I was about to faint. It was amazing how much a phrase had fucked me up, today of all days.

"Samar and I are leaving" Aram said pulling me to the side "I got a message from the hospital, they said Liz woke up"

Liz woke up, and I didn't know if I should be happy or a little sad. My job now was the perfect clash between two worlds, between me being able to still do my job as an agent, and not having to put my family aside for a case, no surprise trips, no people constantly wanting to kill my partners, not the occasional overwhelming sensation of putting everyone I loved in danger.

I dried my face with a towel and took a deep breath before opening the door again and exiting the bathroom. I walked back out, taking the paper plates I intended to reach to Maggie before I got the news, then walked out to the back yard.

Maggie was standing next to the table with the cake, talking with one of her aunt's who'd come from Maryland to Alma's first birthday. Surprisingly enough Maggie hadn't gone all out for Alma's birthday, saying that the kid wasn't going to remember it. She just made a good cake, and since it was the dead of summer we made a huge outside BBQ party for her, pool included for the kids and everyone who wanted to take a shot at it.

I placed the plates next to her on the take, she looked at them and took one, looking to start serving the cake, we'd already done the happy birthday thing and Alma had already messed her and Maggie's cute dresses with cake frosting.

Everything had been just fine, I had been excited for the birthday, excited to see my girl all grown up, she was more like a little girl each passing day, she just babbled and said made up words in her own language. I was trying so hard for her first word to be Mom and not Dad, I didn't know why but I felt like Mags deserved it more than I did.

I was like a robot the rest of Alma's party, dragged things from one place to the other, quietly helped clean up the table, every time someone asked me a question I answered shortly, I was so mind boggled with this whole thing.

I mean, what was going to happen now? Was Liz going to be ok to operate? Was she going to want to keep operating? Just the thought of someone telling her that it had been a little over 10 months and that her husband was now dead made me sick to my stomach.

I don't know exactly when, but at some point there was no one else at the house, night time was falling upon us, and I was absorbed into my own thoughts, cleaning a tray that I was sure was already cleaned, but I needed to be doing something.

"We lost your there" I heard Maggie say next to me, I gave her a quick look and continued.

"I was here" I tried to answer nonchalantly.

"Yeah, and then we sang Happy birthday and you like, shut down, what happened?"

I have her a quick twist of my lips, as if I didn't know what she was talking about.

"Hey" she said leaning in and shutting down the stream of water, I looked at her and put the tray aside to dry. "What happened?"

I looked back and took a quick step to the kitchen stool, sitting on it heavily.

"Aram got a call, Liz woke up" she walked a short step to me, her arms crossed at her chest.