Chapter two: Voices, Phone calls, and Visits.

"Jake?!" Fitz answers, his voice echoing both surprise and disappointment at the unwelcome caller. What is he doing calling on Livvie's phone? He thinks as he resting his head against the cold window. "I thought we were done playing phone tag today Ballard. Is there any particular reason you are calling me at damn near 2:30 in the morning?" Gathering his thoughts Fitz seats down behind the resolute desk, leaning back in his chair as he contemplate Jake's possible motives. "And more importantly why are you calling me on Olivia's phone?" he demands.

"Trust me Fitzgerald," Jake sneers through his clenched teeth "I wouldn't be calling you if I had a choice."

"Now that I do not doubt," Fitz responds sarcastically noting the clear venom he hears in Jake's voice. "But that still does not answer my question: Why. Are. You. Calling. Me. On. Olivia's. Phone?" he inquires once again, this time stating each word slowly as he attempts to quell the rapidly growing sense of unease he feels. Please don't let it be Liv Fitz prays.

"It's Olivia." Jake finally conveys as though he has read Fitz's mind. And just like that he feels his stomach drop "She's-"

"She's what?" Fitz shouts out as he sits up in his seat. What is wrong with Livvie? His breath uneven, Fitz cannot help but panic as the worst case scenarios start to invade his mind. Was there another attack? What happened? Is she hurt? Please don't let her be hurt he pleads silently. "Is she ok?"

"Ok?!" Jakes roars "No she is not ok Mr. President! She was almost blown apart today, came within an inch of death. If that wasn't bad enough now she is sitting on her bed not moving, staring off into space. So no Fitzgerald, Olivia is not ok!" Jake huffs off his voice full of outrage.

For a moment Fitz is stunned silent by Ballard's omission. Of course he knows she was not ok, because he isn't either. "Jake I know-"

"And to be completely honest I don't think there is anything you can do" ignoring him completely, Jake continues on his jealous filled rant. "Even though this is partly your fault, but Huck said that you should know-"

Entirely tired by the aggravating sound of Ballard's voice, Fitz has had enough. "I'll be there in ten minutes" he states curtly as he slams the phone shut. There is only so much a man can take in one day and Fitz has no room left for the jealous ranting of an envious man.

Taking a deep breath, Fitz takes a moment to let the unfortunate information sinking. Olivia was not o.k. She wasn't hurt, not physically anyway, but she is in pain. By the sound of it she was breaking down again, just like after Edison proposed. Heremembers how desolate her voice sounded then, how vacant it was. He had known instantly that something was wrong, and hated the fact that he could not help the love of his life when she needed him then. But I can help her now

"Tom, Daniel we are on the move."

Shrugging on his suit jacket decision made up makes way out of the Oval Office. With a single thought repeating in his head:

His Livvie was not okay…His Livvie needed him.

(One Hour Earlier)

There were voices at her door, whispering back and forth. Fighting over something but Olivia didn't care, she was too preoccupied by the own argument raging in her head.

You are a failure

I am the best fixer in all of Washington D.C

You couldn't fix Mary…you couldn't fix Fitz

I tried…

You failed. You are a failure, nothing more than mediocre

No!

Just like Rowan said…why would anyone love a failure?

The sound of the bedroom door opening jars Olivia out of her own mind. Expecting it to another one of Jake's useless attempts to make her talk, Olivia turns her back as the footsteps approaches. Steeling herself wrap cover around goes into fetal position she prepares grating sound of his voice.

"Liv?" But the voice isn't Jake; no instead she hears the low, graveling voice that could only mean one person: Huck. She should have known that he wouldn't just accept her lie. He knows her far too well to leave her alone.

Sighing deeply Olivia keeps her back turn towards Huck as he lies in bed next to her. The silence between them stretches timelessly as his unique scent of dust and cleaning supplies fills the air.

Why can't I just be left alone? Olivia thinks as silently prays for Huck's swift departure.

"What do you need? What do you need me to do?" Huck asks, waiting eagerly for his orders. He needs to know how he can fix this, what he can do fix the fixer. "Just tell me and I'll take care of it Liv. I know we decided that in this circle killing people is wrong but I will of you need me to." He mumbles quietly knowing how sensitive Olivia is on the topic of murder.

But she doesn't react at all. Even as she feels Huck stare holes into the back of her head Olivia continues her lifeless gaze. She hears him, knows that Huck is doing his best just to try and help but she honestly doesn't know what to say.

At the minutes tick by Huck realizes that there was no getting through to his head gladiator. Shuffling his way towards out her bed room Huck makes one last statement.

"I'm going to get you what you need Olivia."

But what do I need? Olivia thinks as she hears the final sound of the door click close. As the murmuring outside her door continues, Olivia draws her body in closer thinking over Huck's words.

What can fix me?

"Well?" Jakes whispers impatiently as soon as Huck appears out of the doorway. Looking eagerly over his shoulder, Huck briefly scans for any sign of movement before gently closing the door.

"What happened?" Jake demands angered at the silence he is receiving.

"Call him" Huck replies shortly, brushing past Jake as he makes his way towards the living room. He knows that this conversation is not going to go over well, but all he wants is to help Olivia. And only one man can do that.

"What?!" Jakes states as he following quickly behind. "What did you say?"

"Call. Him." Huck restates slowly as he stalks his way around the apartment ending up in front of a curtained window. "You need to call him. She needs him." Huck answers truthfully although he can see the instant denial grow wide in Ballard's eyes,

"No she doesn't Huck." Jake fumes as he paces back in forth in front of the television. "She doesn't need him, between the two of us we can fix her. We don't need to call him to come save the day." he sneers sarcastically. "She is going to be fine without him; anyway he won't be able to do anything that I haven't tried-"

"He doesn't need to." he complies as he makes a quick glance at the time on his watch. Turning around to ensure that his point is being made, Huck makes a mental note on Jake's appearance. While he had long known that some form lovers quarrel was going on between Olivia, Jake and the President, the site of Jake in Olivia's home instantly rubbed him wrong.

I'm failing her, Huck admits to himself. I'm her guard dog and yet somehow he has managed to weasel into her life. He knows that all is not what it appears to be with Jake Ballard, he can all but smell the deceptive nature rolling off of him. I have to watch him more closely, Huck determines before fully answering.

"He won't have to try. He won't try to bring her tomato soup because he knows that clam chowder is her favorite. He won't have to get her to talk, they communicate without words."

"What if we-"

"No she needs him. This isn't about your feelings, this is about Liv and she needs him so..."

"Call him, yeah I got it" Jake concedes reluctantly.

With a final glare to ensure Jake will do what needs to be done Huck exits the apartment swiftly. As he Waits for the elevator to approach he makes the quick decision to have Ballard watched. Something isn't right with him and I can't let Liv get hurt. He is her silent protector, just as she is his anchor to the "normal" world. Exiting silently out of the lobby Huck walks quickly into the alleyway, already late for his next meeting.

(Present Time)

Fitz never remembers the drive to Olivia's apartment ever taking so long. The minutes that have passed by has felt more like hours.

"Johnson, what is our E.T.A?"

"Six minutes Sir"

Leaning back in his seat Fitz and thanks the world for the small favors of empty roads this early in the morning. The last thing he needs is more footage of him appearing at Olivia's place at questioning hours. He can hear just about hear the tirade he would receive from Cyrus now. As he watches the city pass by Fitz is given the first moment to stop and actually think about what has happened.

What am I going to do? He contemplates as he starts to message the slow building headache he has acquired. Livvie needs me, but what exactly can I do? He may know Olivia better than anyone but even Fitz is unsure of how to help. Sure he has seen parts of her no one else ever had, but there were still walls between them. There are things she refuses to tell even him, she has never let anyone all the way in.

He doesn't blame her; he completely understands her need to lock away some parts. She's afraid to lose herself completely to me…to us. Liv is terrified of love. And it doesn't help that their relationship situation is anything but ideal. While his marriage is still the biggest obstacle for them to surpass, it seems like every time they get one step closer a new problem arises.

Between Amanda Tanner, Edison, Defiance, Mellie and Cyrus's incessant manipulations and least of all my Presidency there is this constantly roadblock from us just being happy. That's all I want, for us to just to be happy. Is it too much to ask?

Contrary to what his Chief of Staff may believe Fitz is neither naïve nor stupid. Overly optimistic maybe, but he knows that this isn't a fairytale. He is well aware that the life is not black and white and of the double-standards of the political world they operate in. It is Olivia who has the most to lose between the two of them. While he would be able to live through the scandal, her life would be left to shambles all, that she worked for ruined.

She has the most as stake.

That is why she has to keep some part to herself. That's why I have to protect her.

"Sir, we are here" Johnson states as he pulls their inconspicuous town car into the alley.

"Thank you, Tom…David with me upstairs." Fitz requests as he makes his way to the back elevator both agents surrounding him.

The ride up is quiet but he can all but hear the questions rattling inside Daniel's head. It is well known that Tom and Hal were his favorite agents, the ones he trusted with everything. For a while that was true, but shortly after his assassination attempt Fitz found out the Hal's loyalty lied not with him but his wife.

The last thing I need is Mellie's interference right now.

For a relative newbie Daniel has proven his loyalty without fail. His serves at the pleasure of the President no questions asks, exactly what Fitz needs.

Exiting form the elevator Fitz makes the short walk to Olivia's apartment, his nerves growing with every step. As the agents flank themselves behind him, Fitz He pauses just before the door his hand raised, but he just can't bring himself to knock. In a crippling moment of self-doubt Fitz starts to worry if rushing over was the right thing.

What if I'm not enough? What if Liv doesn't want to see me? His mind races until it reaches his true fear: What if I'm the problem?

Taking a deep breathe Fitz forces away the somber thoughts as he finally knocks lightly against the wooden frame.

AN: First off I'm sorry this took me so long! I finished finals on Friday 8pm and had to move out of my dorm by Saturday 5pm (which was very stupid of the housing office to decide). Anyway I'm free now so expect weekly(ish?) updates, barring any emergencies of course. I have more than half of the story written out just has to take time to type and edit. Obviously I've gone a little different ( ok a lot) from what was done on the show. It has always been my personal opinion that nothing in the Scandal-verse would have kept Fitz from Olivia after she survived almost being blown apart, regardless of their relationship status.

Oh yeah feel free to PM me what you think and leave reviews good or bad.

I have a Tumblr also: hisriverrunsdeep

Thanks, Cassie