As he was being asked about bringing the food out he heard heels on the floor and looked up too see a vision in white and gold and sighed in relief.
"Bring out the food." He replied to the staff member and they rushed back in to tell the chef.
"Sorry I'm late, world of politics there's always someone with an urgent issue that can never wait." Fitz watched as Liv charmed everyone and they laughed along with her. She walked around away from her chair and over to him.
"I'll explain later, I really didn't think I'd be late." She whispered into his ear, then kissed him on the cheek. She pulled away so she could see his face but more importantly his eyes. He looked up at her and smiled, it mostly coming through in his blue eyes. She quickly gave him a quick peck and then walked over to her seat opposite him.
He watched intently as she sunk down into her chair as graceful as always but he could tell a million things were running through her mind. Sometimes with Liv he really wishes he could read minds because while he is the best at reading her, she is still the person that confuses him the most. She turns to one of the woman next to her and turns up the charm with her mindless small talk. He shakes his head to try and clear his mind and get back to the conversation with the man next to him.
5 minutes pass and then the first course is brought out, he smiles at his great the meal smells. The food is placed down in front of everyone and everyone digs in with little conversation going on. He lifts up his third mouthful when he realises he hasn't seen any movement coming from in front of him. He looks up and sees Liv looking pale and struggling to compose herself.
"Liv?" He asks and she pulls her gaze from staring at her food to looking at him.
"You okay?" She nods slowly in response and then stands.
"I'm just going to go the the restroom, won't be long." She gives a smile as she leaves that's meant to calm him but he can tell it is pained. He quickly finishes his food and when she isn't back goes to follow her, giving some lame excuse to the dinner guests, but they don't seem to care.
He walks down the hall past the men's restroom straight to the women's restroom and quickly ducks inside but leaves just as quickly when he finds it empty. He stands in the hall his secret service agents staging a bit further back. He runs his hands through his hair and then looks down to the end of the hall and sees a balcony door open. He walks to it determined to find Liv, he peers through the opening and sees Liv sitting down with her head back and eyes closed. He momentarily gets distracted by the slope of her neck and wanting to kiss his way down it before he shakes the thought away and pulls the door fully open and steps out onto the balcony.
Liv hears his feet hit the tiles of the balcony and her eyes pop open.
"What are you doing here? You should be back inside at your dinner, talking up the base." She snaps at him in true fixer Olivia Pope fashion. He sighs as he squats down in front of her.
"Livvie, look at me. Please." His voice soft. She slowly lifts her head and looks at him.
"What's wrong, Liv?' He asks with a tone that tells her that her usual I'm okay won't cut it.
"It's nothing important, the smell of the food just made me feel a bit nauseous". Just needed to get some fresh air." He stares into her doe eyes and while there is something else she isn't telling him he knows she isn't lying. He runs his hands downs her arms and she smiles.
"We're done with the first course do you want to come back?" She nods in response and he kisses her on the forehead and then fully stands up offering her his hand so she can stand as well, which she gladly takes and they walk back down the hall and into the ballroom where the dinner is being held.
Dinner continues without any significant interruptions. Liv holds a glass of red to avoid suspicion and takes a couple small sips with toast and manages to eat the rest of the courses. The night is coming to an end people are starting to leave and she is just ready to curl up in bed wrapped in her man's arms. Her and FItz say the final goodbyes and then she leans into him and he automatically wraps his arm around her waist and kisses the top of her head and she closes her eyes as she sinks further into his embrace.
He slowly leads her over to the lift and up to the residence.