Chapter 7 - Special Present

AN: Hi... I hope you're all enjoying the story so far. I just wanted to say a big big thank you to everyone that has taken the time to read or comment, it means a lot.


Fitz had been awake since before five. He knew that it was still way too early to call Olivia but, he couldn't stop thinking about the next couple of days. He knew it would be tough for both Michael and herself based on what he'd already seen, and he hates the fact that he has to leave so soon after.

How do you cope with losing not just one, but both parents at such a young age? It had been a year, Olivia had told him, when does it get easier he wondered? Does it ever get easier? He wanted to be there for her, as much as he could but ultimately that decision would be hers to make. He couldn't and wouldn't force the situation.

He looked at his watch again, 6.05am, was it still too early? Hedging his bets he decided on sending her a text message, that way if she was still asleep, she hopefully wouldn't be woken. He'd know for definite before long.

He quickly typed out a message then hit send. Within minutes Olivia was calling him, guess she was awake too.

"Good morning." Fitz said softly into the phone, as if he was trying not to wake someone.

"Good morning,"

"I know this is going to seem like a dumb question but, how are you?"

"Okay..."

"Livvie," He said gently.

There was a moment of quiet before she spoke again.

"Not okay," she mumbled sadly.

"I'm on my way round, okay?"


When Fitz made it to Olivia's, he took the steps to her house two at a time and knocked on the door. He saw the door open, only to be met with Olivia talking on the phone.

He stepped inside, closing the door behind himself. Olivia briefly moved the phone away from her ear so she could greet him.

"Hi." She said quickly pecking his lips.

He watched her walk away before he moved to catch up with her. He quickly caught up to her and wrapped his left arm around her waist from behind.

He felt her lean back and relax into him as she carried on speaking into the phone.

"Fitz. No Cy it's ok."

Fitz listened to her side of the conversation, nuzzling his head into her neck.

"No probably not. Maybe tomorrow, I'm not sure."

Fitz hugged Olivia a little bit tighter, and began lightly kissing her neck, when suddenly he stopped, causing Olivia to turn slightly in his embrace.

"Fitzy?"

Fitz felt Olivia start to move away from him, so he helped by untangling himself from her.

"Cy I've got to go."

The two of them stood there watching Michael. Olivia was still waiting for Cyrus to finish talking, so she could hang up.

"Libs is sad." Michael said, standing still in his spot by the doorway.

"Why do you say that bud?" Fitz said looking at Olivia.

"Because... You were giving her a big cuddle."

"Erm..."

"Like when I'm sad. I get big cuddles from Libs and Uncle Cy, and, and you." Michael said slowly walking towards Fitz.

"Mikey..." Olivia began. "Fitz was just saying hello." Olivia jumped in, seeing that Fitz didn't seem to know what to say.

Olivia watched as Michael stepped closer to Fitz, stretching his arms. Signalling that he wanted to be picked up, Fitz quickly obliged sitting Michael on his hip, holding him securely against his side.

"Hi Fitzy." Michael said sweetly, leaning into him and resting his head against his shoulder.

"Hey Mikey." Fitz replied smiling at Olivia.

Fitz stretched his free arm around Olivia's shoulder drawing her into the hug as well.

"No Libs! You already said hello to Fitzy. It's my turn." Michael said angrily, it was his time with Fitz now.

Olivia started to move away from the two of them when Fitz pulled her back into his side.

"It's ok Mikey." Fitz said looking at the small boy. "Liv can say hello again. She was on the phone when I got here."

"Okay…" Michael reluctantly agreed, stretching his arm to reach his sister.


"Liv go home, you don't need to be here today."

"Cy…"

"Go… spend some time with Michael." Cyrus said looking around. "Where is Michael anyway?"

"He's inside with Fitz."

Olivia was stood with Cyrus outside, on the edge of the training pitch, pleading with Cyrus to let her train. After the morning she'd had she just wanted to be out of her own head, and the best way for that to happen was to train. So she thought anyway.

"Please Uncle Cy." She tried again.

"No. What about Michael? He'll need you today."

"He doesn't want me… not today." She muttered sadly. She couldn't decide if she wanted Cyrus to hear her or not.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing." She snapped, getting frustrated.

"Liv…" He pleaded, guiding her further away from the pitch and the other players. "Talk to me."

She tried to walk away from him but he gently grabbed her elbow as she was turning, stopping her in her tracks.

The minute she turned around he could see how broken she truly was.

"Liv, c'mere." He tried to pull her towards him but she refused to go.

It wasn't that people didn't know her situation, they did – at least some of them did, she just didn't want to appear weak. That wasn't her. Besides, there was enough rumour resentment in the locker room already surrounding her without adding more fuel to the fire, with her being cuddled by the team coach in the middle of a training session.

"Lou!" He called his assistant coach. "Run the passing drill, I'll be back in a minute."

As his assistant nodded in approval, he turned, steering Olivia off the pitches and back towards the building.

Once they were back in the privacy of Cyrus' office he spoke to her again, really spoke to her.

"Olivia, I know this has got to be hard for you. I want to help, I make a promise. But Liv, you have to let me."

He looked at her directly and that's all it took for her to crack.

She stood there with the tears streaming down her face, gasping, trying to catch her breath.

In an instant Cyrus was to her, drawing her in against his chest. Just holding her.

After a minute or so, he moved them to sit on the couch in his office. He sat so that they were side by side, he was slowly running his hand up and down her back, in an attempt to comfort her.

"Hey Liv, you've got to breathe. Easy Liv, in and out. That's it catch your breath."

They sat in a comfortable silence with Olivia focussing on her calming her breathing. Once she had managed to get her breath back she sat upright, looking straight ahead.

"I hate this Cy. I can't do it, I don't know how."

Cyrus was confused. What was she talking about? "Do what Liv?"

"This! Everything!" She shouted as she stood up, getting worked up again.

"Liv stop," Cyrus tried, getting up and walking towards her. He placed his hands on her upper arms, to stop her from walking away from him again.

"Cy…" she cried.

"Can't do what Liv."

There was silence for a few moments before she spoke again.

"Everything is just too much. The team, training, promotion ads, pre-season, travelling, Michael, Fitz, today – this morning and, and… Saturday…" she trailed off, trying desperately not to break down any more.

"Hey, slow down. Let's go one at a time, we'll talk about it. Okay." He lifted her chin so she was looking at him. "Come sit down."

It's an on the couch again, saying that she wasn't going to talk, he started.

"The team?"

"I just feel like, they expect me to always play well, be at training on time and put in 110%, and that's how it should be. It should and I know that, but some mornings, when Michael is being stubborn, I feel like I'm letting them down. Letting the team down. Then when I do get to training, especially on those mornings, I either get the looks of pity or the looks of disgust. The 'why is she allowed to be late and still make the first team, but I can't' look."

"Who's giving you a rough time Liv, I can speak to them. I will speak to them."

"No Cy, that will just make it worse. Please don't make it worse." She pleaded with him, that was the last thing she needed.

She pleaded with him, that was the last thing she needed.

"Fine." He agreed for now, he wasn't just going to drop it though. He would speak to them all. Realising he wouldn't get much more from her about the team issues he moved on. "Michael?

"I feel like I'm not enough for him. There are times when he doesn't even like me anymore."

"That's not true Olivia, Michael adores you. He's just in a rough place at the moment, you both are. The only difference between you and him is that you are older. You understand what is happening."

"But that's just it Cy, I don't. I don't know why any of this happened!" She shouted becoming frustrated again.

"Liv…"

"I'm trying Cy," she sobbed.

It broke his heart, watching her break down, knowing he really couldn't do much to help seeing her like this was horrible. Since he'd known her, the only time she has cried was when she thought her holiday would interfere with her football, and that was when she was 11.

"I'm trying Cy, I really am, I just can't do it anymore and I know what it's going to come down to, in the end."

"Liv…"

"No. It's this," she said motioning around herself, the tears still freely falling down her cheeks, "or Michael. And Cy," she paused, "it has to be him. I need to stop, I tried to juggle both, bout it's not working and it hasn't been for a while."

"Liv…" Cyrus started, but he could already see her shutting down. "Olivia, you don't mean that, I thought things were getting better?"

He was met with silence, just as he expected.

"Okay. Tell me what I can do? I can help you Olivia."

"Let me go," she muttered, not having the strength to say it any louder. "Please…"

Before Cyrus had a chance to respond there was a soft knock on his office door. Within seconds he could see it beginning to open.

"Sorry, am I interrupting something?" Abby asked, looking questioningly between Olivia and Cyrus, not really sure who to focus her attention on.


As Fitz followed Michael to the far side of the clubhouse, he wondered how many times he'd been up here before.

Michael momentarily stopped in front of a plush looking couch, before climbing onto it. Fitz followed suit and sat down next to him, sinking into the soft cushions.

"Fitzy…"

"Yeah bud?"

"Do you have to leave? Mommy and daddy leaved, I don't want you to go." He rushed out before the tears started to fall.

"Hey," Fitz said picking Michael up. "It's not the same as mommy and daddy Mikey, remember what we said this morning?"

Flashback

"Now that we've all said hello," Olivia smiled as she nestled into Fitz a little more, "we should probably get our day started."

She looked up to see Michael smiling down at her from Fitz's arms.

"But first, Mikey, you need to get dressed. You can't go out in your pyjamas."

Once Michael was back on his own feet and wandering back to his room, Olivia interlocked her fingers with Fitz's and turned to face him properly.

"Hi… is everything o…"

Olivia cut him off by kissing him, she released her left hand from his grasp and move it to the side of his neck. Fitz dropped the other hand he was holding and moved to cup her face, kissing her back passionately.

Reluctantly, she pulled back from him. Sighing heavily, she leaned against his chest, inhaling his scent. "We need to tell Mikey you're leaving. You can't just leave."

"I know," Fitz replied pulling her closer to himself. "I know… I won't. I wouldn't."

Olivia stood there, comfortable, content and secure. Without realising it, one of her hidden insecurities crept up and out. "I don't want you to go."

"I know. But, I have have to. It will go quick and you'll be busy with, well everything." He smiled as her as he moved some hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. "You won't even realise how quick it will go."

They stood there in each others embrace, a rare opportunity of peace, and a moment to themselves. After a few minutes Fitz broke the silence.

"When are you going to speak to him?"

" I was thinking maybe today… maybe. I'm not too sure. Actually, I don't know, are you… are you able to hang about again today?"

"Hey, hey… today seems great and I'll stay for as long as you want."

"Okay…" she sighed before taking a deep breath.

Shortly after that Michael reappeared, still in his pyjamas.

"Mikey?" She questioned at the sight of him.

" I can't do it Libby. I can't do it!" He cried running towards her.

She quickly knelt down and caught his small body mid-jump, allowing him to cry into her.

"Do what Mikey?"

"Mommy said I was a big boy," he sobbed, "but I can't reach them. I can't reach the big boy special clothes to go see mommy."

Olivia briefly looked across to Fitz, not sure what Michael was trying to say.

"What do you mean Mikey?" Olivia questioned.

"You said! You told uncle Cy that you were going to see mommy and daddy. I want to see them too Libs!"

"Mikey…"

"No! I want my mommy and daddy! I made a special present."

Olivia could feel the tears welling in her eyes, she was trying to think of anything, just to keep the tears at bay for now, just to get through this conversation with Michael.

"Mikey," Olivia tried again. She gently moved his small body away from her so she could see him properly.

"I'm giving big hugs to mommy and to daddy." He snivelled.

"Michael." She spoke more firmly, to get his attention. "I'm not… mommy and daddy aren't here any more remember? Remember what uncle Cy said? You won't be able to give them big cuddles Mikey."

"That's not fair!" He screamed at her, stamping his feet before turning and running off.

Still kneeling, she let her body slump back against the couch. Broken. She felt broken. Slowly the tears began to fall and she let them, she made no effort to stop them, not this time.

Fitz remained standing, slightly confused about what had just transpired. He heard the buzzing and the ringing of his phone but made no attempt to answer the call, instead he squatted down beside Olivia.

"Liv,"

"Go answer your phone Fitz." She cut him off emotionlessly.

"It's okay, I'll call them back."

"Go." She said a little more forcefully, not even looking up at him.

Taking a last look at Olivia, Fitz walked out feeling slightly defeated. Unsure of what to do, or where to go, he answered his phone. Mainly to stop the incessant noise.

Fitz was still talking into his phone, sat on the front steps, when he heard the front door open and close.

"Fitzy?"

Fitz turned to see Michael standing just outside the house.

"Hey, look… I have to go." Fitz spoke into the phone.

Just as he was sliding his phone back into his pocket, he felt a small weight hit him from behind.

"Hey bud. You okay?"

Michael didn't answer Fitz straight away, instead he crawled into Fitz's lap and cuddled him.

Moment later Fitz heard the front door open and close for a second time. Turning slightly, with Michael in his lap, he saw Olivia walking towards them. She quietly sat down on the steps besides Fitz.

"I'm sorry." She murmured just loud enough for Fitz to hear.

"Hey," Fitz lifted his left arm and wrapped it around Olivia's shoulders, drawing her closer to himself. "It's ok." He whispered, lightly kissing the right side of her head.

"Mikey," Olivia began. Sat inside, she realised that there would be no good time for her to say this to him.

"Yeah?"

"I have to tell you something, and you may not like it."

Fitz readjusted Michael so that he could see the both of them properly.

"On Sunday, Fitz is going to be leaving for a little while."

"Why?" He cried."I be a good boy, I be good Libs." He cried out, looking from Olivia up at Fitz. "Please Libs. I promise. I be good!"

Olivia could feel the moisture pooling in her eyes yet again. The sight of Michael's reaction was gut-wrenching to watch.

"It's not your fault Mikey." Olivia tried to reason with him but, he continued to wail.

"I have to go back to school Mikey." Fitz intervened trying to help calm him down. "Hey, Mikey – you can come and visit any time you want. Whenever you want to okay."

Michael, unhappy with the most recent turn of events, moved out of Fitz"s grasp. He stood up, staring directly at Olivia, with tears streaming down his face. "I hate you Libs! I hate you!" He screamed angrily before taking off.