AN: Wow! You guys are so nice - thank you so much for all the reviews, follow & favorites! Since you were so kind, here is chapter 2 with minimal wait! Please, please keep the comments coming because they literally make my day and mean so much to me. OMG Season 3 started filming today, I can't wait!

Chapter 2

Blake had arranged a coffee meeting in her office the following week. He had specially gone to Otis beanery and brought back coffee and the blueberry lemon muffins the Secretary had favored per her request.

"M'am, Dr. McCord is here." Blake announced.

"Send him in please."

As Henry strode in the room she stood up and walked around from behind her desk as she smiled and gestured to the couch. "Thank you for coming." She said as she sat, crossing her lean legs.

"Thanks for accepting my persistent invitation. I'm sure your assistant thinks I'm some kind of crazed stalker." He said with a slight laugh, and she smiled. Truth be told they were both nervous, but he wanted her to know he needed to see her again.

"I have to admit, I was hoping you would call. And don't worry about Blake. I'm sorry you had to call for two days before I was notified." She said as she sipped her coffee.

Henry smiled and sipped his coffee. They both began to speak at the same time, blushing as they stopped. "You first." Henry insisted.

Elizabeth took a breath and gathered her courage. "I just wanted to say that….seeing you again after all these years really caught me off guard the other day. I hadn't expected it, but the surprise was welcomed." She explained.

"I have to admit, when the DIA asked me to start consulting on this project, I was sort of hoping to run into you at some point." He confessed with a smile.

"So you've thought about this…." She began, "re-connecting, I mean?"

"Numerous times over the years." He admitted.

Elizabeth smiled, relieved. "Me too."

"Clearly you've done well for yourself." Henry gestured after a brief silence as they each felt out the situation.

"I could say the same for you." Elizabeth returned. After another silence, she spoke again. "But, I haven't had a state department website with a full bio to read – which I'm sure you have read and are fully caught up on my life….so tell me what you've been up to. Outside of writing 8 marvelous books and coming up with brilliant strategies for DIA."

"You've read my books?"

"Yes. And they really were marvelous."

"Thank you. Well you pretty much covered it. I've lead a relatively simple life. After the Marines I went into teaching. I taught Flight School while finishing my PhD and then at Georgetown. I did some DIA work in-between. But when this situation with Pakistan arose, I took a sabittical from Georgetown so I could do the DIA work more full time."

"Doesn't sound simple." Elizabeth commented, noting the tone in his voice.

"Well my daughter is older now so it's the right time to get back into it….."

"Daughter?" Elizabeth asked.

"Allison. 15." Henry beamed when talking about his daughter and pulled out his phone to show Elizabeth a photo.

Elizabeth smiled at the photo of Allison. She was beautiful and had Henry's dark hair, and kind brown eyes. "She's beautiful."

"Thanks…..she…"

"She looks like you." Elizabeth observed, pushing thoughts about what their children may have looked like away. "Does her mother….?"

"We're divorced." Henry confirmed, although Elizabeth had guessed from his lack of a wedding ring. "I have full custody of Allison. Her mother…..she….we don't hear from her."

"I'm so sorry." Elizabeth said kindly.

"It's for the best really…long story….."

Elizabeth nodded and smiled sympathetically. She wasn't sure what to say next. There were so many questions. Ones she was rather afraid to know the answer to.

"So you're right, I did read your bio on the website. But I'm more interested in hearing it in your own words." Henry encouraged. He was positive he noticed a slight sadness in her blue eyes when he mentioned he had a daughter. Her smile was genuine when he showed her the photo and he could tell she was a mix of sad and happy when he told her he was single. That made him happy too. He had hope that this might go somewhere.

He knew from the bio that she worked in the CIA for many years, then she took up teaching when her husband fell ill to have more time to care for him and her children. He knew he was an architect and they were married for nearly 20 years before he passed away - a year before she took the job as Secretary of State. It was why he was nervous to see her. Her bio gave nothing away that she was ever unhappy; but he could read her like no one else and he saw now that there was a sliver of something that the bio didn't reflect.

Elizabeth smiled at Henry. He always had a way of gently pushing her to open up but she wasn't sure she was ready to reveal her deep dark secret to him. Instead she pulled her phone from her jacket pocket and scrolled through to show him a recent photo of Stephanie and Jason.

Henry smiled at the photos. "They look just like you."

"Well Stephanie is very much like me. She's really stepped up since Jeff died to help with Jason. He's having a harder time with it."

"It must be hard….on them." He began sympathetically, returning her phone. "And on you."

"At times yes, but the job change has been good for them. The President's offer came at a perfect time. It's been good for me too." She admitted with a slight tinge of sadness.

Henry knew she was still hiding something, and he was determined to get her to open up eventually.

It was then that Blake came in after knocking, informing her that her next meeting was waiting in the conference room. "Thanks, Blake. I'll be right in." she said and Blake left.

Elizabeth reluctantly stood and lead Henry to the door. "I'm sorry, I have to go….." she apologized.

Henry nodded his understand as they reached the door. He eyed her for a moment and reached to grip her hand, letting her know he was still interested, yet letting her be in control. "Thank you for meeting me…..it really was great catching up."

"Yes….it was." Elizabeth squeezed his hand tighter and took the leap of faith, based on what she saw reflected in his eyes. "Henry….."

He looked deep in her eyes, listening.

"I know that there are things that happened between us….and I don't want to get into that stuff.….but I….I'd really like to get to know you again, you know start fresh. That is….you know if you want…"

"I'd like that very much." Henry confirmed, getting where she was going.

Elizabeth rewarded him with a stunning smile. "Good."

Henry squeezed her hand tighter, not wanting to leave without securing another meeting. "So…can I buy you dinner sometime?"

"Absolutely. I'll have Blake set up something. I promise he won't blow you off this time." Elizabeth half joked and Henry laughed. "You know what….better yet, give me your phone. I'll give you my number – just text me directly."

They stood, gazing up into each other's eyes a moment more after she programmed her phone number into his phone. Henry really wanted to kiss her. But he didn't want to push her. So he bent down slightly and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. Her eyes fluttered closed as she felt his soft lips on her skin and sighed.

"Goodbye, Elizabeth." He whispered softly

"Bye, Henry." She whispered as he left the office and closed the door. Her hand wandered to her cheek as she leaned against the doorframe and sucked in a breath attempting to compose herself before her meeting with the Russian ambassador. Her other hand traveled to her abdomen as she attempted to settle the butterflies. Was she falling for Henry McCord again? No. She'd never stopped loving him.