Wing Yee's Year 1

Author's Note: Just an idea. Please leave a review.

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Donald Ressler stood outside the Chinese Restaurant thinking this was an incredibly stupid idea. Audrey had only been gone for a few weeks and this would be the first time he was out, around people, expected to be happy, expected to be himself. It was easy to hide everything at work, focus on the job, don't let up, go home exhausted, and do it all over again the next day. This…this was a birthday party. One, he sensed she had only invited him to because she felt badly for him.

"This is stupid," he said as he turned on his heel and walked a few steps from the door to text her.

Sorry I'm missing your birthday. Have a great night, Liz. Ressler

He clicked send and stepped to the curb to try and hail a cab. After the third cab had passed him with passengers, he debated taking a train or even a bus…

"Ressler!" He heard his name called from behind and he dropped his head. He should have walked another block before he stopped to get a cab.

He turned and looked at her with a sheepish smile.

"Caught," he said with his hands raised as if he was a perp being taken into custody.

She walked toward him and looked at him concerned.

"You can't come in?" Liz asked him.

He shook his head in the negative. "Sorry, it's just…"

"I get it," she sighed as she stood far too close to him. "I just thought a night out with others that don't know…"

"Yeah," he agreed. "I was thinking that might work too, until it didn't."

She swallowed and nodded in agreement before she stepped forward and placed her hand on his arm. He was waiting for her to say something, but she said nothing, she just looked at him. He shifted under her gaze and wondered if he was expected to say or do something, if he'd somehow missed a cue.

"Promise you'll stay here for 2 minutes?" Liz asked him with a soft smile.

He furrowed his brow and nodded then watched her walk back into Wing Yees. He walked up and down the curb and looked inside. He saw Liz speaking with a man, grabbing things, and then walking back toward the front door of the restaurant.

When she walked outside, she was carrying a few take out containers and smiling.

"Go home," she said as she handed him car keys. "And have some birthday dinner."

Ressler looked at the keys in his hand, the take-out containers she had shoved into his other hand, and then back at her confused.

"Take my car," she said as she looked up and down the street. "This neighborhood sucks for cabs. We'll get a ride home from our friends and you can pick me up for work tomorrow."

"Liz, I can't…"

She stepped toward him and wrapped an arm around his shoulder and walked him down the street a little and gestured to her parked car. "Of course, you can. But I expect a birthday coffee in the morning when I am picked up."

He chuckled and nodded. "Thanks."

"I know it's really hard," she said as she turned and met his gaze. "I can't imagine what is going on with your head and your heart…"

He felt his eyes start to water and he looked away from her.

"But know that I'm here, to talk, or to not talk, whenever you like," she said softly as she rubbed her hand up and down his arm. "Have a good night Ressler."

He nodded and watched her walk back toward the restaurant. At the last moment, he called out to her.

"I'll take you to dinner one night to celebrate your birthday before the next one rolls around," he said as she turned and smiled at him.

"We've got a whole year!" Liz laughed before she walked back into Wing Yees to continue the celebration.

Ressler chuckled softly to himself, clicked her car unlocked, got in with his take-out and drive home. It wasn't how he was supposed to spend her birthday, but this year, it would do.

The end.