They had all left and Olivia was cleaning up a little, thinking about her get-together with A.J. and how she would handle that situation. John was still going over some documents not paying much attention to her. ''I'm gonna head to my place'', she said grabbing her purse. ''Hmm'', John agreed but as she prepared to leave, bugged that he cared more about anything but her, he ran towards her.''I thought you were gonna sleep over tonight, you're feeling better right'', he pulled her towards him and looked deeply into her eyes, grinning lightly. ''Uhm… yeah… I mean, I just need something from my place'', she stammered mildly, thinking about anything she might be needing and that justified her leaving. ''I forgot my phone this morning'', Olivia improvised. ''Oh, ok but you're coming back right ? I missed you yesterday'', John whispered teasingly but Olivia wasn't sure what to answer, the pressure of talking to A.J. soon and keeping things from John was suffocating her. ''I'm kinda tired but in case I wouldn't come back I'm gonna call you ok baby ? '', she reached up to kiss him on the cheek but he held on to her pressing a passionate kiss to her lips and it felt good, almost too good to leave him but she had to clear things up with A.J. for her own and John's sake because A.J. wouldn't let her go if she refused to talk to him. Olivia hugged John tightly before leaving and he had the weird sensation it was like some kind of goodbye but dismissed that thought immediately to focus on the work again.
As Olivia unlocked her door, the familiar smell of paint got to her, even though she hadn't been painting in an eternity it seemed to her. She dropped her purse at the threshold and walked across the small living room towards the window, her favourite spot if she needed inspiration or just a few moments to think quietly. The last days had been way too moving for her, A.J. being back, the crew back together, her infidelity, everything was gliding out of her hands and she needed to take back control, she was no longer that person that would agree to everything and having decisions made for her. The knocking ripped her out of her thoughts and the weak feeling in her stomach was back again as she took a deep breath to banish it. She reached for the doorknob with trembling fingers but on the other side of the door wasn't the face she expected but an enormous bunch of bluish lilacs that smelled fantastically. Olivia couldn't hide her delight over her favourite flowers and smiled widely. ''Surprise ! '', A.J.'s head appeared behind the blossoms and to his joy she was obviously pleased. ''You didn't need to bring me flowers'', she told him but he immediately interrupted her : ''Maybe I didn't need to but I wanted to'', he stepped in and handed her the flowers. ''So this is your place then, very nice, very you'', he stated while walking around, checking out everything until he stopped at her scaffold and the canvases. ''Wow these are amazing ! I think you've gotten even better over the years''. ''Oh that, yeah I haven't been painting in some time though. '', she explained while putting the flowers in to a vase that was slightly too small, so she separated the bunch and filled two vases with it. ''Why did you stop ? I mean you're terrific'', he asked with a puzzled look on his face since he had always supported her passion for art and had even asked his wealthy parents if they were interested in showing some of her paintings to their wealthy and snobby friends. That was a big step for A.J. because the relation with his family had always been complicated due to the path the youngest member had chosen. Asking his parents for that kind of favour had proven Olivia how much he had loved her at the time.
''I just hadn't had much time lately'', she explained as she sat onto the couch. ''A.J. ? We really should talk about this entire… situation'', she started and he turned around at her words to join her. Olivia didn't want to start and since he asked for this meeting he could begin to talk. ''So ? Why did you want to talk ? '', she asked forwardly. A.J. touched his hat, she sensed that he was a little nervous, which was so not him and made her even more anxious about what he was going to tell her.
''Listen I'm sorry I behaved this way, I know you love him but I couldn't stop myself from being close to you and I love being around you again, I truly missed you and the other night in Jake's club I had the feeling you missed me too'', he explained and Olivia was stunned, she hadn't thought he would be this honest, it seemed he had grown up too even though not completely yet. ''What happened at Jake's wasn't any sign of me missing you A.J., I don't know why I slept with you but the only thing I know is that it was a huge mistake'', she wouldn't tell him that she had enjoyed it way too much, she knew that if he had the slightest hope he wouldn't give her a rest. ''Oh and that's why you invited me to your place instead of John's, don't tell me you don't like being alone with me and don't tell me you get that sparkling sensation every time I look at you and every time I touch you'', A.J.'s voice was a tempting whisper, his eyes were mesmerizing as he sat closer to her. ''A.J. I thought you would understand it if I told you quietly from face to face that this cannot happen, us, it won't work anymore. We're not good for each other and I don't like the person I become around you'', she said trying to focus on anything but the weak feeling in her knees. ''I've changed and so have you and maybe this time it will work so much better. We had great times together you can't deny that Frixie'', he reached for her cheek and she held on to his hand. ''I can't'', Olivia's voice was just a light whisper, the huge lump in her throat wouldn't let the sounds come out. When A.J. leaned in to kiss her she didn't know what to do at first : his face was only seconds away from hers and she could either give in and feel gloriously for an hour maybe two and then when reality would hit her, there was no way she would be able to look at herself again. She jumped up and ran towards the window with A.J. totally confused, yet he wouldn't give up this easily. He had loved her for many years and even when they were apart he hadn't stopped thinking about her and he couldn't let her end up with John who couldn't appreciate her entirely. A.J. walked in her direction putting both of his hands on her shoulders. ''I don't want to make your life difficult but I… I can't help it Olivia ! '', he whispered into her right ear. Olivia didn't say a word, she just kept looking out of the window but she wasn't seeing anything she was just paying attention to his hands and the breath that hit her ear like a soft breeze. He let one slid down and rest on her waist but that was too much, she flipped around to face him and his soft face that was smiling at her. ''I don't know what to do ? You're turning me into something I no longer am'', she walked passed him, not able to stand the closeness. The apartment seemed to become smaller and smaller and she was on the point of running away her rising heartbeat numbing her slowly. ''I think you should leave A.J. before…'', ''Before what ? '', he asked calmly. ''Before I make another terrible mistake'', she answered but A.J. wouldn't back off, he grabbed her gently and kissed her. Olivia pushed him away and felt the tears rising. They were tears of powerlessness. When she tried to put her hands up to her face he grabbed them and put them around his neck and hugged her tightly. ''I still love you'', he breathed. She couldn't resist him any longer, the familiar feeling of them being together was too soothing, too beautiful and when she looked up she gave in and kissed him longingly. A.J. picked her up and headed for the bed by the window. He layed her down and stroke her cheek, it was what he had wanted, both of them reunited again, in love not in lust. Olivia's mind seemed to be locked inside a box guarded by her heart. The bond between them hadn't died over the years and she still couldn't say no to him. A.J. was the man that made her heart beat fast, maybe even too fast. He got in between her legs and started kissing her neck while trying to undo her white blouse. Olivia felt like floating and grabbed his hair tightly, pulling his face close to hers again.
When he layed next to her she couldn't believe the intensity of their love making. She was still out of breath and completely overwhelmed at the entire situation. A.J. looked at her and was absolutely happy, lying there and holding her in his arms again and she kissed him once more before putting her head on his chest to listen to his uneven heartbeat. As her own heart calmed down, the lock on the box of her mind was suddenly coming undone and John's face was about to appear in front of her inner eye, when A.J. got back on top of her once more.