Olivia woke up the next morning and groaned. Stephen held her in his arms half the night when she woke from night terrors. Fitz phone call yesterday didn't help her stress level either.

The smell of coffee was drifting into every corner of the house along with the sound of a blender being tortured within an inch of its life.

Stumbling out of bed liv wrapped her bathrobe tightly before heading into the kitchen to greet Stephen. "I adore you for trying to make me a smoothie but that is a 300 dollar blender you're abusing mister."

Stephen smile at Olivia. His face was slightly splattered with mango, and banana pulp. "I apologize, but I never met a blender that needs a barista license to operate, do you mind?"

Moving away from the machine Stephen watched Olivia expertly blended the pitiful mess he left behind into a smoothie worthy of a high end juice bar.

Shaking his head in amazement Stephen gave Olivia a thank you peck on the cheek going to great pains to get some of the pulp on her face as well.

"Stephen, that was cute when you were five but I assure you ladies do not like being covered in messy fruit." Liv backed away laughing trying to head to the showers.

Walking toward her Stephen for once looked contrite. "You are right I clearly am not house broken. I suppose you could always buy me a leash. Or send me to obedience school."

Stephen stopped in front of Liv. He took her finger and placed it on her cheek. He twirled it removing a tiny bit of strawberry sauce. Keeping his eyes locked with hers he slid his tongue and lips slowly over her finger before lowering her hand, "better?"

Olivia stood there staring unable to think of a single thing to say that did not sound like innuendo.

Stephen shook her hand gently, "Olivia when a guy says he wants to take a girls breath away we didn't mean it literately, you should exhale at some point love, your turning a funny shade."

Olivia didn't realize she had been holding her breath until she heard Stephen's voice pushing thought the fog in her mind.

"Sorry Stephen that was just unexpected" she breathed out and looked up into Stephen's concerned face. She gave him a smile before making her escape to the shower.

++++++++++++++++++ Confessions of the Heart +++++++++++++++++++

She came back half an hour later to Stephen waiting for her at the breakfast table; he pulled her smoothie out the freezer when he heard the bathroom door opening.

Stephen looked at her intently clearly wanting to discuss something important, "Olivia I have a question for you and its important you answering it honestly so you can sleep without waking up in tears every few hours."

Olivia sipped her smoothie for a moment then paused before looking at him, "We have no secrets ask me anything Stephen."

He looked at her, and for once he seemed nervous. "If Fitz walked in this door right now and could marry you without losing the White house, without it becoming a massive scandal, without the world ending, would you do it?"

Olivia stared at him unsure why he would ask such a question knowing full well none of those things were true and would likely ever be true. "It's a pointless question because it would never happen. Also Fitz is not triggering my night terrors it is mostly stress."

Stephen took her hand and led her to the sofa, "Bring your drink Olivia we need to talk."

He stroked her hair slowly, "You have no idea how weird it is talking to you about this subject considering how I feel about you but I am doing it because I can't watch you suffer anymore. Even if you do not choose me I have to be sure you will be ok no matter what road you take. You have my support no matter what."

Sitting next to Stephen on the sofa. Liv held her hands trying to appear calm when she was anything but calm.

Clearing his throat Stephen tried to catch her eye and she refused to look at him. "Olivia I never talk about my family my real family. My mother was beautiful but inside she was a sociopath that sucked the life out of me. My father was kind but he stood by and let her cut my heart out, so I hate him too."

Stephen lifted Olivia's chin up and forced her to look at him. "You loved your mother but she got on a plane and never came back. Your father quickly dumped you in boarding school and only let you return for Christmas. Love for you always means being abandoned so you run from men before they can leave you first."

Stephen wrapped Liv in his arms holding her loosely as she breathed deeply unable to say anything. "Fitz will always love you but doesn't understand you. He holds you so tight that you panic and run. The tighter he holds the faster you leave."

Stephen moved her slightly out of his arms until they were barely touching, "You know why I call you my angel? It is because your wings are delicate things. I hold you gently, sweetly to let you know I trust that you will never run. You need love that allows your to be Olivia, not for what you can do for them but for who you are."

Olivia looked at her hands trying to find the words glued to the roof of her mouth. "His love scares me Stephen, he won't let me breath everything with him is 0 to 100. When I can't move at the pace he demands, then his love turns to anger in a New York Minute."

Stephen sipped his drink closing his eyes for a moment, "there is a thin line between love and hate, stalker and love of your life. Right now Fitz doesn't know how to handle it all. The love you two share is once in a life time, and that is for the good and for the ill. You fear that intensity while he runs at it without looking back."

He smiled and tucked her into the crook of his shoulder, "If you ever return to him, don't wait until he's on bent knee before being honest about your fear of commitment. Right now he thinks it's only his job and wife that's keeping you apart. "

Olivia sighed shredding her napkin, "Do you know what my honest nightmare is? Being dragged into some shotgun wedding because of some dumb ass scandal I am trying protect Fitz from. If that happened I would end up fleeing down the tunnels of Blair house like it's the Underground Railroad. I don't want that kind of love."

Stephen laughed and shook his head, "That's an image that won't leave my mind anytime soon, runaway bride indeed. Well frankly it's time to change the subject for my own mental health. I have an idea, let's go to the zoo, they have a new panda I think."

Olivia smiled "The zoo you know me too well, make sure we stop at the primate house I want to say hi to Mr. Boggles."

Stephen groaned, "You do know Mr. Boggles is only a chimp and doesn't really speak to you, that's just him blowing bubbles."

Sticking her tongue out she pushed her finger playfully into his chest, "He speaks when you're not around, and I am his muse. He ignores you because you clearly have no faith is his abilities."

Stephen laughed and grabbed their coats from the closet. Holding hands they headed out the door to the national zoo. It was a Saturday and Stephen was determined not to be trapped inside four walls and a roof.

Once they were outside her apartment Olivia turned to look at Stephen and for once she looked into his eyes. "If it means anything, you are wrong about one thing. I do not feel alone, you are my family Stephen, and you are everything to me."

Stephen stopped in the middle of the street to stare at her, ignoring all the people moving around them on the sidewalk. "Olivia no matter what happens, You are everything to me as well. You are the only person I consider my family."

Olivia wrapped her arms around Stephen and smiled at him, "I love you Stephen thank you for being you."

He leaned over and kissed her forehead, linking her fingers with his larger ones, "I love you too my angel, and I always will."

Tugging her hands he led her down the street toward the taxi stand. It was such a lovely day he wished it would never end.