"We should do this more often." Elizabeth managed through a mouth full of food.

"Eat lunch?"

"Together! Spontaneously, for no reason." Their busy schedules rarely coincided, and catching a quick lunch with her husband was just the break she needed in the middle of a hectic day. "Unless there's a reason? If you're thinking you have to make up for something…it's okay. This morning is over and done." She hated the exchange between them this morning, but she knew they both had bigger issues to worry about right now. They were both stressed out, and she didn't hold him responsible for lashing out a bit.

"Here's the thing, I wasn't 100 percent honest with you on the phone."

She felt a wave of nausea wash over her without warning. "What do you mean?"

He cleared his throat hesitantly, before throwing his glasses on the table at his knees. "My mood this morning, wasn't just about work." He paused, wondering how much he really wanted to reveal. "I've been having dreams—nightmares, for a couple of weeks."

"What about?"

"Dmitri."

"I'm sorry." Compassion washed over her, as she focused solely on him. She would do anything for him, and right now was one of the moments she wished she could take his pain and heartbreak away.

"and I found out yesterday his sister Talia has been arrested."

"And you want to help her?" She could almost predict where this was headed.

"Don't you?"

"Of course. Under normal circumstances I'd do everything I could… It's just, these negotiations with Russia, it's all in a very fragile place. I guess I'm just afraid—"

"You're afraid to rock the boat." His words were short, terse; pain shot through her stomach, feeling as if she had been stabbed by his words.

"Can you cut it out? God, it feels like you don't even know me."

"I'm sorry, but it's frustrating."

"You were there when Hizb-al Shahid set off that dirty bomb, our children were there!" Her voice became louder, raising an octave as fear crept into her throat. Was he truly going to argue with her about the State Department's priorities? She nearly lost him!

"I know."

"HS still has nuclear material in their possession! Stopping them has to be our first priority!"

"I get it Elizabeth." Her name felt foreign on his tongue, like a dirty word that didn't belong.

"Well, I…" She began to speak, suddenly stopping when she heard him spit her name, as if it were disgusting to the taste, as if it were no longer something he enjoyed.

"I do." His voice softened, picking up on her noticeable recoil. Passion was guiding his words right now, something that never turned out good, but he had to save Talia, if only for Dmitri.

"Once we have a deal in place we can focus on the Talia situation, I promise, but Henry, you and I…" interrupted by Blake's knock, Henry had been called back to work, leaving their conversation unfinished, unresolved.

…

She had been frightened as they sat in her office, yet when she heard the door shut behind her, she felt anger rise up within her chest. She hastily kicked her shoes under the table, dropping her bag and coat unceremoniously causing a loud raucous to ring through the foyer. The kids were gone for the evening, and, despite the dark house, she doubted Henry was asleep just yet.

She inhaled a sharp breath through her nose, knowing she needed to calm herself before she headed upstairs for the night. Deciding it probably wasn't going to happen organically, she paced tiredly into the kitchen, pulling a glass from an upper cabinet and pouring herself a tumbler of scotch. She downed it quickly before refilling the liquid and carrying it loosely in her hand as she headed back toward the foyer. She closed her eyes, climbing the stairs one at a time, pausing between each as to draw out the process as long as she could.

When she finally made it to the bedroom door, she stood in the hallway, head resting on the cool wall before taking another sip of scotch. She really didn't want to go in there. She had nothing nice to say to her husband, but knew if she spoke even a word, he would draw it all out of her.

She took another deep breath, feeling no cleansing effects of the act. Pressing the heel of her palm against her brow, she braced herself before sliding in the door left ajar.

Henry peered over the top of his book, giving her a small nod, mustering a quiet "Hey," before turning his attention back to the page. She barely glanced his way before heading for the bathroom and preparing herself for bed.

She returned to the room makeup removed and hair tied back messily. She threw her cardigan on the chair, making her way to her side of the bed, fully prepared to hide herself under the comforter. She doubted sleep would come easily, but hopefully, if she remained still long enough, Henry would believe the act and turn off the light.

After nearly 10 minutes of silence, Elizabeth let her eyes slip closed, feeling a slight relief wash over her. It was in that moment that Henry decided to break the silence, though. He placed his book on the bedside table, taking an audible breath before speaking. "Are you going to say anything?" She remained still, hoping he would get the hint. "I know you aren't asleep."

She huffed, removing the comforter and sitting against the headboard. "Okay? Your point?" Her voice was terse, sharper than she expected. His eyes moved over her, taken aback. She simply raised her eyebrow, waiting for him to speak. When his mouth moved silently, she turned her back again and prayed sleep would come.

"No, wait." Henry stopped her before she could lay down. "What is your problem?"

"My problem?"

"Yes!"

"I'm busy doing my job, I'm sorry that doesn't fit in with your plan to save a girl who has no significance to our family."

His mouth hung open, taken aback by the cruel words she had spat at him. "How could you say that?"

She fought the urge to roll her eyes before speaking. "You and our children could have died from that bomb explosion. Sorry, right now I'm a little busy making sure that doesn't happen again."

"That's not fair." He argued, keeping his voice low as he felt a pang of hurt rush through his chest.

"No, what isn't fair is being married to a man who always feels as though he needs to save someone. Are you unaware of how scared your actions make me, or do you just choose to ignore it?" By this point she was standing, pacing the floor near the edge of the bed.

"You knew that about me. You knew you were marrying a marine." He stood, pacing on his own side of the bed.

"You aren't a marine anymore." She snapped coldly. "You have a wife and three children to think about." Her rose ever so slightly, her arms folding across her chest, inching toward him.

"Don't you think that is what I'm trying to do?" He raised his voice, nearly yelling, though she stood steps away. She felt anger swell within her stomach, bubbling to her surface, itching her tongue.

Her voice was dangerously low as she stepped in front of him. "You're doing a shitty job." She saw the fire she lit blaze within her eyes as he stepped closer.

"I'm only doing it for you." She felt the bitterness of his words rest idly in her jaw, his hot breath grazing her face. She felt rage swell within her as she pulled her arm back, her hand connecting with his cheek. Her slap rang through the quiet room, leaving them both speechless. Ragged breaths heaved from both their mouths as they stared angrily at one another.

Then, without warning, he lunged forward, immediately encircling his arms tightly around her waist, kissing her hungrily. Her arms moved to his shoulders, shoving him roughly.

He stumbled back, fire still raging in both of them. "Don't. Touch. Me." She cut off each word, daring him to defy her demand. They stared at one another for what seemed an eternity, before gravitating toward one another once again like stray magnets. Her palms moved immediately toward the back of his head, her nails digging into his scalp as he pulled her hips flush with his.

He moaned into her mouth, digging his own short nails through the thin fabric of her pants. Her head felt foggy. She felt utterly dizzy as she lost herself in his embrace. She was so angry with him, so frustrated, what was she doing? She quickly pushed her objections away, shutting her mind down as she leaned heavier into her husband's embrace.

"Henry." She gasped, keeping her hands in his hair. Fearing another objection, though, he quickly sealed his mouth with hers again, shoving her roughly into the dresser behind her. "Oh, god." She moaned into his mouth, her tongue moving desperately against his teeth.

A strangled squeal passed through her throat as he lifted her up, surely leaving fingerprints on the back of her thighs. The commotion of their flustered bodies shook the dresser enough to send Elizabeth's glass of scotch tumbling to the floor, remaining unnoticed by the two.

Her ankles instinctively locked as she wrapped her legs tighter around his waist, grinding her hips against his pelvis in the process. He involuntarily bucked against her, mumbling incoherently into her mouth.

He moved, as best he could, to the bed, dropping her onto her back before forcing his tee shirt over his head and connecting their lips once more. Their hands moved simultaneously, hers pushing down his boxers, and his lingering at the waistband of her pants.

"God Damnit!" She growled harshly before pushing her pants down her legs and kicking them off the bed echoing the motion with her shirt, and pulling him against her body.

Her slight hand reached between them, stroking his already hardened length. His hands, however, moved slowly, methodically against her thighs, touching her so lightly as if he knew she would shatter beneath him. She let a stressed groan pass her lips, scratching her nails down Henry's back in frustration.

There was no way he would get her to plead.

She ground her hips against his hip; he knew exactly what he was doing. She met his eyes angrily, slapping his hand from her thigh before taking control. She rubbed her clit vigorously, nearly crying out when she felt him push her hand away, pinning it to the mattress beside her head.

She threw her head furiously from side to side, desperately seeking a release. "You asshole! God!" she yelled angrily, pressing her hips in every direction. "I hate you." The pressure within her chest, within her stomach, between her legs was building and she could feel hot tears settling behind her eyelids. "I swear to god…Uh, YES!"

Her rampage was cut short when he swiftly and abruptly entered her, finally meeting her pleasure. He began moving, slowly at first, as he kept her wrists pinned to the mattress by her head. He leaned down, whispering in her ear as his pressure became greater with each thrust. "Hmm…Do you still hate me?"

She turned her head, clenching her jaw as she squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to answer him. She wouldn't give him that satisfaction. Her mouth betrayed her, however, when she let out a series of breathy pants, struggling to keep her breathing under control.

A small whimper escaped her throat when he finally released her wrist, moving his hand down her heaving abdomen and between them to rest on her clit. She immediately moved her hand to rest on his neck, pulling him to her lips, sucking furiously on his bottom lip.

His pace increase as he felt her muscles tensing around him. Though she wouldn't admit it, he instinctively knew she was close. Rubbing his thumb against her clit once more, combined with one final thrust, he watched her fall apart under him.

"Oh God! Yes, Henry, yes oh…" her knees tightened around his waist, as her core trembled and her voice faltered in pleasure causing him to explode within her and collapse beside her. Elizabeth panted, trying her hardest to regain breath. "Oh my god." She breathed in exasperation. "That was so good." Henry nodded, staring at the ceiling, mumbling in affirmation. "It was so…" she paused, searching for the words. "primal, and raw, and…"

"And hot." He finished for her, noticing that she, too, stared at the ceiling in a daze.

"So hot." She confirmed, rolling to her side to tangle her limbs within his. "I'm sorry." The anger had been purged and exhaustion finally washed over her.

"I'm sorry too. I know you're doing the best you can." She nodded, pulling the comforter closer to their chests.

"We'll help Talia, babe, promise."

"I know." He placed a gentle kiss her forehead before turning to the bedside table to kill the light and curl up beside her, ready for a good night's rest.

A/N: holy crap, I have no idea where this came from. I just know that it was stuck in my head and I needed it out. Ha. So, I mean, I hope you liked it? I don't know, my brain is strange.