He noticed the lights of the war room go off behind him. He didn't want to go home. there was nothing there for him but loneliness. He was tired, but he didn't want to sleep. He looked at the empty desk across the room and gave attention to the thought that didn't leave his head. She was back there. He wanted to feel happy about catching her, but he couldn't. The image of her being locked in that cage still hurting his /As he saw there was no one else in the room, he stood up and left in a hurry, one destiny only.

He turned on the lights in the room and noticed her moving inside the cube, raising her head over her eyes to protect them from the light. then, she turned and faced him. She looked serious, exhausted, sad, scared. He knew part of that fear was caused by him.

"Hope I didn't wake you" he said, approaching the cube

"Oh, well, not very 5 star hotel here, you know." she joked, and he smiled. Her face remained the same.

"Are you alright?" he asked,

"How can I be alright, Ressler? when I'm here just waiting to be killed"

"You won't be killed here, Liz. you're safe. Why can't you see that?"

"Why can't you see that I'm not? The people who want to kill me are not out there, they are here, right behind you. In your face, and you still can't see them. It's like you don't want to see them. Like you rather believe in them than in me" He came even closer to the cube, touching it with his fingers.

"I believe you, Liz, and I know where the enemy is. I'm not a fool."

"Are you sure?" she scorned, and he felt hurt. She had hurt him long enough in this chase. It was time to stop.

"I had this dream, once. I was running to you, but I couldn't get there. and you were dying. You were dying and I was always a step behind. That same day someone put a bounty on you, and I had to go in for a presidential hearing. I had no communication whatsoever with anybody from the post office all day."

"That's when we had to fake my death." she lowered her eyes, and then sat on the chair there was in the center of the box.

"Yes. It just took a minute for me to see Samar's message. 1 minute, and it was the scariest 1 minute in my life, Liz. for 1 minute, I thought…."

"That I was dead"

"yes. and in that day I decided that I would do anything to bring you in, so I could keep you safe. I don't care if you hate me, at least here no one can hurt you"

"How can you believe that? You turn your back now and the director comes and shoots me, there, I'm dead."

"He can't get to you. I'm the only one that can open this cube. If he wants to open it, he needs to get this hand first" he showed her his hand, and then closed it on a fist. "and he'll only get that over my dead body. I promised I would keep you safe, didn't I?"

She couldn't look at him. She felt an enormous wish to cry whenever she looked at him. She wanted to look strong, as if she didn't fear anything, to show him he was wrong, she could handle herself, she didn't need his protection. But then she remembered the things she saw on his face the day he caught her. The pain, the despair, the fear. She had caused all that. It was all in him now, because of her.

They stayed in silence for a few minutes, and then he turned around to go. "I don't hate you" she said, making him stop and turn on his heels.

"I don't. I think I should, but I don't. I understand. and I trust you." they found each other's eyes, and for a minute there, there was no pain or hurt or angst, just the two of them.

"Please, stay. It's horrible here with no one, in the dark." He walked over to the cube again, and then sat on the floor next to it, his back touching the glass wall. She did the same, back to back with him. and they stayed like this all night, talking about better days, and wishing for a better future.