She felt it. Strongly. Urgently. Demanding. It burned in her. Starting slowly, now grown into a ragging fire. It eroded her inside. Blinding hot.

Power.

Either you have it or you don't. And Olivia had it. All of it. President Mellie Grant signed the papers, but never without her approval. Everybody knew it. She had all of Washington catering to her. All of Washington vying for her attention and favor.

Nobody had her favor but one. That someone was not there anymore. She missed him everywhere she went. Whether she was at home , at work or out on a jog. He was always on the back of her mind, always in her dreams. He was always her What if. This time she had asked him to stay, but he had left. Like she had always left. And she couldn't blame him really. She had waited untill the last day to ask him to stay, when he had work and commitments already lined up.

She sat at her desk in her office next to the oval. She was going over some papers that she needed to finish, but her mind was drifting. She thought of their last time making love together. It had been five weeks ago, the day of the inauguration. Had their night be full of agressive satisfactions, that morning was for gentle, slow lovemaking. They had kissed slowly, savering the contact. She had heard him ask to look at him. And she had. Into his blue eyes;so intense; who always made her come undone. Who had always read her so well. He had told her he loved her. She had held him close, never wanting to let go. He had kissed away her tears. Emotions she rarely let out, less she fall apart. Only he brought out everything in her :Love, passion, anger, kindness . It was all consuming.

She sighted and continued reading her notes. Her cellphone rang. She answered without looking : " What."

"Hi", she heard on the line and time stood still for a second. Her heart sped up. She felt flushed and breathed in deeply before she responded :" Hi."

And just like that she was drawn in, back into the richness of his voice. " I am coming to D.C. for a few days for meetings...i was wondering if you had a spare bed for me to sleep on...or if i should book a hotel." She grinned : " I don't have a spare bed." He was flustered : " Right, ok, sorry i asked. I..." "Fitz", she interrupted, " Let me finish, i don't have a spare bed, but i do have a kingsize bed, that's very lonely without you in it." He laughed relieved : " I believe i remember that bed, miss Pope...It is a very comfortable bed indeed. " She smiled and teased him : " Fit for a president...". "Hmmm...i mostly remember not sleeping in your bed, Livvie ". She had to catch her breath and responded : " I hope you don't sleep too much tomorrow night , Fitz ". He smiled :" I hope so too, baby...how about i pick you up from work around 8 ? Let me take you to dinner ?"

She colored. He was going to come to the White House to take her out to eat? She nodded her head : " See you at 8 pm ... i think i can get you a day pass ...". She was rewarded by his laugh and he said " see you tomorrow Liv", before he hang up.

The next day she kept herself busy. She kept looking at her watch, willing the time forward. Around 7.55 pm her secretary told her she had a visitor. "Send him in, please ",Olivia responded, standing bend behind her desk, putting away her paperwork. "Hello, I came to take you out to dinner ", she heard and she looked up startled: "Jake...go home to your wife". He came near and put his hand on her back :"Come on, Liv, i miss you, we can have a meal and than go to your place..." She walked away and with her hand to her forehead she sighted : " Jake, this is the last time i am telling you. No. I do not want to go out with you. I do not miss you. I do not want you back. I love you as a friend, always have and never has it been more. You know im in love with Fitz . Just go please." Jake looked sullen and challanged her :" He is not here... i am. I'm always here for you." "Actually, i am here", his voice sounded and she turned to look into his eyes. Those soulful blue eyes, who came closer and before she knew it he softly kissed her lips..She pulled him closer and kissed him more deeply, something he responded to with passion. He kissed her so thoroughly that she moaned. Jake was embarrassed. Never had she sounded like that with him. Never had he seen the longing on her face as when she had seen Fitz walk to her. He finally got it through his thick head that she really never saw him the same. She truly only loved the man in her arms. He walked away. Not that Olivia or Fitz noticed, too wrapped up into each other, too happy to feel themselves touching and kissing again. He finally came up for air :" Are you hungry, baby?"..She nodded once:" Yes, im ready to go ", she grabbed her bag and with her other his hand. They walked into the hallways of the White House and she noticed left over people staring at them. They had always been so private during his term. And it wasn't every day that they saw the former president of the United States back in the White House.

He took her to a little Italian restaurant, not too far from her home. They enjoyed their meal with talk and soft touches. She looked at him with a bitter sweet smile:" We finally get normal, Fitz. He nodded his head :" We deserve it,Liv. That only took 10 years." After the meal, they walked to her apartment, he had his arm around her shoulders. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so relaxed. When they got to her place, he used his key to open the door and they watched the news, before going to bed. She snuggled up to him, he kissed her gently and they fell asleep peacefully. They didn't make love, yet she had never felt closer to him before.