Note: I originally intended this story to be a quick single chapter one-shot but it's grown longer than I intended. I hope to have Chapter 2 up tomorrow.

"The baby's fine."

Liz leans back against the pillows and lets the tears flow after the doctor leaves the room. The baby? How did she not realize it? Suddenly, it all makes sense. The exhaustion. Her loss of appetite. The nausea. The feeling like she could burst into tears at any moment. She thought at the time it was just that her life was out of control while she was on the run. Irregular meals, irregular sleep, constant stress. But now? The reality is overwhelming.

"The baby's fine."

What does that mean? A week ago she was nearly drowned in a sink in West Virginia, slammed to the ground, hard, by Ressler. She nearly died from nitrogen suffocation. A bullet missed her by inches. And today she was beaten, badly. The thought that this person – this tiny human – has survived…she swallows hard. She's barely a mother – a mother! And already she's been unable to protect this child. The doctor thinks she needs to be more careful. No kidding.

"The baby's fine."

The baby may be fine, but I'm not. That's her reality. How can she have a child right now? She was barely able to rent an apartment. She can't even go the supermarket safely. A baby…it's all she's ever wanted. But not now. Not like this.

She runs her hand along her abdomen….there's just the tiniest bump. A hint of firmness that wasn't there before. She feels so stupid for not noticing it sooner. For not realizing that she hadn't had a regular period in a long time. And suddenly, she realizes she never asked the doctor– how far along is she?

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She leaves the hospital the next day with a referral to an OB/GYN and a prescription for an ultrasound. Her mind is still whirling. She's not ready to see anyone or talk to anyone yet. Not until she's figure out what she's going to do.

She unlocks the door to her apartment and stops at the sight of Reddington sitting on her couch amidst the moving boxes.

"What are you doing here?" she asks.

"Lizzy, why didn't you call me?" He stands and studies the bruises on her face. "What happened?"

She sighs. So much for not talking about it. "Some guy in the parking lot when I was shopping…people still think I'm a monster, a terrorist…."

"Lizzy, you need security, protection. You need to let me provide that for you."

"I'm not going anywhere for a while," she replies. "Not until these bruises heal, at least. Can you cover with Cooper for me? I really just need to rest."

"I'll talk to Harold. Don't worry about that. But I'm serious, Lizzy. You are not out of the woods just because the charges were dropped. You are still in danger. You need to accept that and accept my protection."

He stands and moves towards the door, hat in hand and suddenly she has to tell him – has to know his reaction.

"I'm pregnant."

He turns slowly and she sees his jaw clench tightly. His eyes bore into hers. He's silent. And then – "Who's the father, Lizzy?"

She stares at him for a moment and blinks, the question coming as a surprise. "I'm sure it's Tom's – why would you ask me that?"

His lips flatten into a thin line. "Are you sure, Lizzy? Because I'd be very sure before you go and tell Tom Keen you're having his baby."

And with that he's gone. She sinks on to the couch, her mind swirling. It has to be Tom's baby, right? It can't be….she closes her eyes, remembering.

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It was her birthday. Ressler had surprised her with dinner in the office just when she'd been feeling at her absolute lowest. They'd shared Sam's wine and dipped into Reddington's spare bottle too. She'd felt happy for the first time in months. Then, she'd gotten back to the motel and Tom was there. Lurking in the shadows, begging for his passports. Red and Dembe had shown up and sent Tom packing. Right before he left, Red had told her "I want you to remember what your life really was with him and imagine all that it could be without him." After they left, she'd sat there for a while and thought about what Reddington had said. And eventually she'd grabbed a cab and shown up at Ressler's door.

He was surprised to see her – it was late – but he'd welcomed her in, brought her to the couch and sat next to her.

"What's wrong Liz? What's happened?"

"Tom was waiting for me when I got back to the motel." She saw his jaw clench and he licked his lips but waited for her to continue.

"He asked me to get his passports out of evidence. The ones he got from Reddington because they're clean. He says he'll be gone forever if I do it."

"You can't do that, Liz. You know that. What if you're caught? You'll be the one taking the fall for him again."

"I know. I just….that's not why I'm here."

"So why are you here, Liz."

She studied his face…took a deep breath…"I wasn't completely honest with you earlier."

His eyes narrowed, "About what?"

"I told you I was saving that wine for a special occasion. But really, when Reddington gave it to me, he told me to share it with someone special." His expression immediately softened, giving her the courage to continue.

"And I needed you to know that. How I really feel."

He picked up her hand then and traced circles on her palm. "And you came all the way over here at this hour just to tell me that?" His voice was husky, his eyes searching hers.

Instead of responding, she leaned over and kissed him on the lips, gently at first, feeling his hesitation and then more deeply as he began to respond. His hands cupped the back of her head and he pulled her gently down on top of him. She felt his breath quicken and his body harden beneath her. He tasted sweet and musky all at once and she wanted more – more of him – all of him. She felt her pulse racing as she reached for the buttons of his shirt and began to unbutton them.

He'd stopped her then, his hand gripping hers. "Liz, are you sure about this?" And she'd stared into his eyes, never more sure of anything in her life. She'd eased up off him, his eyes following her, questioning, and grabbed his hand and pulled him with her into his bedroom.

The next morning, lying in his arms, she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so comfortable, so content. She'd traced circles with her finger on his bare chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, enjoying his warmth. He'd held her gently, stroking her hair and back and laughing with her. Eventually she'd had to get up – had to head back to the motel to grab a change of clothes before work.

She kissed him one last time as she headed for the door, wishing all the while she could just stay there.

"Liz – about the passports…" his face was suddenly serious.

"Don't worry about that," she said.

"I'll help you get them if it means Tom will go away for good."

"I can't ask you to do that – you said yourself if I was caught…"

"I want him gone, Liz. I want us to have….." he gestured with his arms. And she knew exactly knew what he meant. And she wanted it too.

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She presses her fingers against her eyes. After that one night – that one beautiful night – everything had gone to hell so fast. She'd given Tom the passports and said her goodbyes but just two weeks later she was a fugitive on the run. There had been no time for explanations or goodbyes to Ressler. Just 15 seconds in the utility corridor where he'd let her go. A decision she knew he regretted in the weeks that followed. And she'd turned back to Tom in desperation because she knew Ressler couldn't help her once she'd crossed that line.

The weeks on the run – she could see the pain and hurt in his eyes every time they were close. But she was hurting too – she hadn't understood then why he wouldn't stop chasing her. But then – after her arrest - he'd been so kind to her the night at the courthouse. They'd talked for hours. Cleared the air. Talked about everything – and nothing. She could tell he was trying to keep her calm for whatever the next day might bring. She would always be grateful for his solid and unwavering reassurance that it was not going to be her last night on earth, much as she'd struggled to believe it at the time.

She'd gone to see him the day after she was released. To thank him. To begin the slow process of trying to find her way with him again. He'd hugged her warmly, but there was still been a distance there. Too much had happened between them for there not to be. She understood that. She wasn't sure they could ever go back to where they were. He was famous all over the news for hunting her down. How could he possibly be seen with her again, much less have any interest in a relationship outside of work. A relationship with a convicted felon, no less. So she'd kept her distance. Tom was pushing her to leave it all behind and more and more, that was starting to sound appealing.

It has to be Tom's. It just has to be, she thinks. Shaking her head, she gets up and pulls out the paperwork from the hospital. She picks up the phone and dials the number of the OB-GYN's office. "Hello – my name is Elizabeth Keen. I'd like to make an appointment to come in for a prenatal visit.."

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Two weeks later, she can hardly believe her eyes as the ultrasound technician scans her abdomen. Her visit with the OB-GYN had been anticlimactic. The doctor had taken blood work and listened to the heartbeat and prescribed vitamins. But the doctor couldn't date the pregnancy without an ultrasound because she had no idea when her last menstrual cycle began all those weeks ago. So the doctor had sent her off to the hospital for a 3D sonogram. The images flicker on the screen but she can clearly make out the shape of a face. She feels the tears in her eyes as the technician points out a tiny fist.

The doctor comes in to review the results. "Can you tell how far along I am?"

"Yes – based on the measurements, looks like you are about 14 weeks. Congratulations!"

14 weeks? How is that possible? "I don't understand – I wasn't….I wasn't intimate with anyone 14 weeks ago."

"We measure from the date your last menstrual cycle started. You would have conceived around the time you ovulated, and that varies, but you probably conceived about 12 weeks ago."

12 weeks. But that means… "Is there any chance you're off by a couple of weeks? That it was really more like 10 weeks ago?" she asks, flustered.

"It's unlikely that we'd be off by that much based on the growth and development I'm seeing. But we can reconfirm the measurements at your next appointment. We'll know for sure then."

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Back at home, she stares at the picture. It's real now. She's really going to be a mother. But despite the joy, she also feels the rising tide of panic in her gut.

A knock at the door interrupts her reverie. "Tom – what are you doing here?"

"I haven't seen you in two weeks. I wanted to see how you're doing. And - I brought you a surprise," he grins and behind him a small furry bundle of hair explodes towards her. "Oh my gosh – Hudson!" she breathes.

"Ellie told me you were waiting to get more settled to bring him home. But I thought we shouldn't wait. We've all been apart long enough, Liz."

She can't help the tears that begin to form in her eyes. Because what she has to tell him next is going to shatter him.

"Tom – I have to tell you….I'm pregnant."

A flicker of fear and then wonder crosses his face. He grabs her hands, "Liz, that's incredible. I'm so happy!"

"The thing is – Tom – I'm not sure it's yours."

He takes a step back and she can see the confusion on his face, followed by anger. "Are you telling me Reddington….?"

"No! No! God, no. No." she says hastily.

"Then who? Oh wait, don't tell me. Boy scout? When did it happen, Liz. Before or after you came crawling back to me on the boat?"

"Tom, please. It was before. It was quite a bit before. And only once. And then everything happened."

"Have you told him?" he asks carefully.

"No. Not yet."

"Then don't. Liz – the minute you tell him you are stuck here. He will never let you go. This, here – with Reddington – all of it. There's no escape, once you tell him. Come away with me, we'll raise the baby together. We'll go somewhere far away. No one will find us. He never has to know. Please, Liz."

She can hardly catch her breath. "Why would you….?"

"Look, Liz. I love you. And I want to be with you. And I was ready to adopt with you before all this started so how is this really any different. I don't care if it's mine. I just want us to go away. Far away. From all of this."

"Tom, I can't….if it's his. I have to tell him, Tom. I can't keep something like that from him."

"Just think about it, Liz. Promise me you'll think about it. I have a plan. A way for us to get away from all of this, away from Reddington, where he will never find us. I just need a little time. Don't tell him, Liz, please."