Disclaimer : I own nothing of the show or characters. I'm just having fun with them. No copyright infringement intended.

Background : This story takes place right after Frank offers to mentor Rafe so Rafe doesn't have to stay at the halfway house, and then Frank shows up at the farmhouse to see Rafe while Olivia and Emma are there.

Selfless

Olivia stands by and watches as Natalia thanks Frank profusely for acting as mentor to Rafe, saving the young man from an extended stay in the half-way house. The former fiancés discuss the activities that the two men will be doing together as well as a tentative schedule. Olivia notes the way Natalia's eyes light up when she speaks to the police chief, and the green-eyed woman's heart sinks. She recalls how Natalia had insisted that the two of them could not move back in together. Of course, at the time, the Latina had reasoned that it was because Emma and Rafe would not yet understand the nature of their relationship, but watching how animatedly and cheerfully the younger woman is speaking to the man to whom she had been engaged not that long ago, Olivia begins to feel that she's fighting a losing battle. She feels Natalia slipping away right before her very eyes. She decides to beat a hasty exit as the sight of Natalia standing so close to Frank looking so happy is unbearable to her. The hotel owner struggles to hold back the tears as she calls to her child.

OLIVIA (voice cracking) : "Come on, Jellybean. We gotta go."

Natalia's head whirls around upon hearing Olivia.

NATALIA (disappointed) : "You're leaving?"

The 8-year-old runs to Natalia and hugs her before hopping into her mother's car. Olivia makes a monumental effort to avoid crying as she responds.

OLIVIA : "Yeah, Emma has a sleepover so I have to drop her off."

NATALIA (hopefully) : "Are you coming back after?"

OLIVIA (shrugging sadly) : "No, I think you and Rafe need some time alone."

NATALIA (face dropping) : "Oh, o-ok." (reaching out to hug Olivia, whispering) "I'll miss you."

Olivia quickly takes a step back, effectively avoiding the younger woman's embrace, looks away, and clears her throat in a desperate attempt to stop the flow of tears that threaten to erupt at any second.

NATALIA : (giving Olivia a look of concern) "Are you ok?"

OLIVIA (teary-eyed, heading towards her car) : "Yeah, yeah. Just kinda in a hurry, that's all. I'll see you tomorrow."

With that, Natalia sadly waves good-bye to her love and her little girl. That night is a sleepless one for both women as each is unable to stop thinking about the other. Natalia misses Olivia and wonders about the green-eyed woman's reaction to her touch. Olivia is pained that Natalia is slipping through her fingers. The hotel owner wonders to herself whether that might not be for the best after all, Natalia ending up with Frank and the two of them forming a family with Rafe. As she had surmised early on, there would certainly be more safety and security and far less danger and drama in the more conventional relationship the Latina could have with the police chief as opposed to the relationship the Latina might have with another woman, namely one Olivia Spencer, and Natalia's health, happiness, and welfare are all that Olivia cares about. Her tears seem to have no end as she cries through the night, well into the following morning. An hour before her alarm goes off, Olivia is no longer able to stay in bed. Wearily, she drags herself out from under the covers and into the shower to prepare to face the workday. An hour later, she is downstairs in her office, sitting at her desk, bleary-eyed and exhausted. Beacon business papers before her, she's unable to focus. She shakes her head to clear the cobwebs, but it does no good. Just then, the Latina walks into her boss' office, a hopeful, though cautious smile gracing her features.

NATALIA (putting her belongings down) : "Hey."

OLIVIA (weakly) : "Hey."

NATALIA (noting Olivia's coffee mug on her desk with surprise) : "You made the coffee this morning?"

OLIVIA (absently) : "Yeah."

NATALIA : "O-ok. Thanks."

Olivia shrugs without looking up from her papers. Natalia pours a cup of the steaming liquid into her own mug, picks up her belongings, and heads over to her own office. Five minutes later, the younger woman rushes excitedly back into Olivia's office.

NATALIA : "Oh, my God! You bought me a new desk!"

OLIVIA (weakly) : "Oh, yeah. Well… your old one was falling apart, so…"

NATALIA (approaching Olivia) : "I told you you didn't have to do that, silly."

OLIVIA (shrugging, voice low and flat) : "It's a business expense. No big deal."

NATALIA : "Well, I love the new desk and I really appreciate it. Thank you."

Natalia leans in to give Olivia a kiss on the cheek, but the older woman shifts back under the pretense of looking into Natalia's face and avoids the contact.

OLIVIA (momentarily glancing at Natalia, but then quickly directing her attention back to her papers) : "You're welcome."

Natalia is not fooled in the least and is fully aware that Olivia purposely dodged the kiss. A moment earlier she had felt incredibly happy, not so much that she had a new desk, but that Olivia had done something thoughtful just for her, had gone out of her way to do something special just for her. Now, the Latina just feels hurt that Olivia seemingly does not want her supposed more-than-friend to touch her. Natalia can make no sense of this. In her confusion she can do nothing more than retreat to her own office.

NATALIA (confused) : "We-ell, thanks. See you later."

Olivia gives a barely perceptible nod of her head without lifting her eyes off of her papers. The instant Natalia is out of the room, the green-eyed woman buries her face in her hands and struggles to silence the sobs that threaten to escape loudly from her throat. An hour later, Natalia is unable to concentrate on her work as her fears about Olivia bubble over and invade her mind, forcing all other thoughts out. Damn it, she thinks to herself with a frustrated shake of her head, slamming her papers down onto her new desk. She lets out a deep breath, musters her courage, and marches back into Olivia's office. Once there, she finds Olivia on the phone, voice sounding tired and hoarse, defeat clearly evident. With her elbow propped up on her desk, her forehead resting in one hand, both eyes closed, Olivia looks haggard and worn. Natalia's heart catches at the sight. Olivia finishes her call, hangs up the phone, and ventures a furtive glance at her assistant before dropping her gaze back down to the files before her. When Olivia is unwilling to speak first, Natalia lunges forward and breaks the silence.

NATALIA (softly, apprehensively) : "Hey."

OLIVIA (softly, apprehensively) : "Hey."

NATALIA (hopefully, trying to sound cheerful) : "I was thinking we should get some breakfast. We could just order from downstairs. Wouldn't have to go anywhere."

OLIVIA (shaking her head sadly, wearily) : "Nah. You go ahead," (gesturing towards her mug) "Coffee's fine for me, thanks."

Natalia is unable to mask her pain and disappointment at what she perceives as yet another rejection from the older woman. Her face drops and her shoulders slump as she begins to slink back to her own office.

NATALIA (calling over one shoulder as she walks out) : "Oh. O-ok."

Natalia has no desire for breakfast, either, as she puzzles over Olivia's demeanor. Over the course of the next three hours, Natalia has occasion to revisit Olivia twice more on official Beacon business. Both times, as she attempts to get closer to the object of her affection, the Latina finds herself crashing into the defensive emotional walls that the older woman has put up around herself. Natalia's heart is breaking as she feels the distance growing between them and she starts to feel desperate. The brown-eyed woman gets one more idea and decides to try once again to break down the barriers between herself and the woman she loves. Making a monumental effort to sound casual, she strolls back into the boss' office.

NATALIA : "Liv? What do you want for lunch? I'll go get something for the both of us."

OLIVIA (shaking her head wearily) : "Thanks anyway. I'm not hungry."

NATALIA (pleadingly) : "Olivia, you didn't have breakfast, either. All you've had today is coffee. You have to eat something."

OLIVIA (unconvincingly) : "No, it's ok. I'll be allright."

Natalia shrugs her shoulders, defeated. Head lowered, she sighs sadly and exits without another word. She passes on lunch as well. Her stomach is tied in knots due to the discord between herself and the woman she most cares about in the world. Six hours later, all the Beacon employees on dayshift are preparing to leave for the day. Natalia had purposely limited her interactions with the love of her life throughout the remainder of the day, painful though it was, in order to avoid any additional awkwardness between them. Though she missed Olivia awfully, Natalia had been unwilling to put either one of them through any further stress, deciding instead to just give Olivia some space. Now, gathering her belongings, she has an internal tug-of-war raging inside her as a part of her fears the cold treatment she would surely receive from Olivia, were she to pop into the older woman's office to say good-bye. On the other hand, she reasoned that Olivia was still her boss and still needed to be informed of her comings and goings, and therefore should be alerted that her assistant would be leaving for the day. That is how Natalia justifies her decision to go speak to Olivia.

NATALIA : "Hey, Liv. I'm going to head out now unless you need anything."

OLIVIA (sadly) : "No, no. Everything's under control. Enjoy your evening."

NATALIA (disheartened, speaking softly) : "Thanks."

Upon hearing the click of the door closing behind Natalia, Olivia drops her head onto her arms where they rest atop her desk and sobs uncontrollably.