Ok ladies and gents, this is my first everrrr fanfiction. After reading all of your fabulous stories and having this sit in my head I decided to lay it out and post it. I leave it at your feet for guidance to leave as a one shot or add more. I appreciate any and all criticism! Oh and let me just point out while I am a huge Bellamy Young fan and don't ever want to see her go, I am completely 100% Team Olitz and am ready to see some action! (From my lips to our savior Shonda's ears)

Disclaimer: Wish I was lying when I tell you that Scandal is not mine….

Pull Me Back

The stridulous ringing of the phone echoed through the silent filled apartment. In the bedroom only a small sliver of moonlight from outside the window shone in through the minutely parted curtains. At the fourth ring a groan rang throughout the room, bouncing off the walls, and an arm emerged from beneath the plush comforter.

"Pope" Olivia forced out, eyes still closed tight.

The silence that answered back caused her to emerge out of the sleep induced haze she was in when she picked up the phone. She peaked at the alarm clock resting on the center of her nightstand, the arms pointing out what the silence and darkness of the room were already telling her, it was late. It was late, much later than any of the previous phone calls had taken place in the past. She briefly wondered what had caused the late, late night phone call but brushed it off quickly so she could focus. Olivia didn't move, hardly took a breath, she just laid there and listened. She listened to the silence. To the slow, steady breaths coming from the other end. To the barely there sound of ice clinking against glass. To the words stuck in her throat, her head, just stuck. Just like they were.

Neither of them could, or would- that part she still did not know, budge from their place on top of the mountain. But Olivia knew, knew that if the first step was taken, if someone would take the leap off the cliff then they could move. Move forward, move past, move on from where ever it was that they were. This floating in the abyss sucked. It sucked because she had no control over any of it; hell she never really did, did she? Sure she knew that she could be the one to take the plunge but why should she? Yes, yes she had done some terrible things in the past, things she couldn't even forgive herself for. But did he not see that what she did, while completely stupid and illegal and shameful and this, and that, and everything… did he not see that she did it all for him. For his happiness, for his dream, for everything he ever wanted.

What he did though, his terrible thing, he did out of vengeance and spite. After months, of being together and assuring her that the negative thoughts she had of herself and what exactly it was that they were doing did not apply because they were the exception. Yes, even he admitted that ideally in the situation he would not be married and that technically being in love with a woman who is not your wife is considered wrong, but what they shared went out the window. That they did not fit the black and white moldings of right and wrong, because them, together, would always be right. They would always be right because their love and bond made it true. But he was mad and looking to hurt her when he called her a mistress. He was aiming for the kill when he dragged her into the electrical closet and after degrading her to nothing more then street walkers.

See she knew she was in the wrong for everything about Defiance and could/would admit to that but she did it out of confusion and pressure and love. He… he did what he did to break her. Out of whatever dark place he was in at the time and out of hate. That's why she wouldn't make the first move, which is also what put her higher on the pedestal, because her wrong was not calculated to hurt him.

So no, no she wasn't going to be the one to move; she liked the view on the top of her mountain and was not ready for the storm clouds that would eventually ruin it. Yes, the forecast would definitely predict a huge, violent storm coming but it would not be tonight. Instead she snuggled back into the pillow, never removing the phone from her ear and listened. She allowed the deep breaths to wash over her, to calm her down like they had so long ago on the campaign trail. No words were needed; hell right now it was preferred that way from both sides.

Eventually Olivia heard his deep sigh and knew what would come next, knew that this would be the end, no words would be said and the dial tone would come, then they would both succumb to the late hour. The dial tone always hurt though, it always felt irrationally harsh to her, final almost. But tonight was different, tonight there was change, tonight there was progress, tonight a move was made.

"Sweet dreams sweet baby."

The dial tone came immediately after that, never allowing her a chance to think of responding in any kind. She set the phone back in its cradle and replayed those four words again through her mind. No big speech, no begging for forgiveness, no demands of an apology, just four simple words. Simple words that through the gauntlet to the ground, leaving a loud ringing in the air. Yes, tonight progress was finally made.

Olivia sank further into her mattress, allowing the comforter to swallow her body whole and turned to face the windows. The curtains were drawn, but the slight opening that had allowed a splinter of moonlight into the room now showed dawn approaching rapidly. A storm-less morning was on its way, and for that Olivia was able to drift back into her slumber. She knew a cloudy day was coming but for now she would enjoy the seemingly clear weather that was in view.

XOXO