A/N: Once again, I'm begging for forgiveness about being MIA with this story! I hope you enjoy this update. There will be many more (hopefully) to come XO

Evermore

Chapter 7

Washington, DC

OPOV

"Mom, PLEASE!" Lia begged. "We haven't seen Mama Rosa in YEARS! We can't miss her birthday celebration!"

Olivia exchanged looks with Fitz hoping he would help cease her daughter's pleas. Instead, his silence made her feel like he was siding with their daughter making it clear she was being outnumbered.

"Lia, traveling all the way to Trinidad takes a lot of planning. This is not a quick weekend getaway like our trips to Vermont. This would be a weeklong affair- maybe more and I just don't think the timing works for my schedule right now."

Utter disappointment spread across Lia's face leaving Olivia feeling like the worst parent in the world. Rosa's oldest son, Marco Jimenez, personally called the Grant family to invite them to Rosa's 70th birthday celebration taking place next month. Honestly, this left them with plenty of time to make the needed arrangements which Lia likely sensed.

Eventually, her daughter gave up and left both Fitz and Olivia alone in the living room.

"Thanks for your help, Fitz. I really appreciate you backing me up."

Fitz immediately put his book down and raised an eyebrow at the comment.

"I didn't say a word, Liv...what are you talking about?"

"That's exactly my point! We agreed the timing of this trip wouldn't work. But I just did all the talking so I look like the bad guy!"

Olivia stood clearly upset and purposely didn't give Fitz a chance to respond. She walked into the kitchen and ignored his stare not bothering to look back.

She spent a few minutes tidying up the kitchen replaying her conversation with Lia over again. Her emotions felt scattered and she wasn't certain why this topic hit such a nerve. Their last trip to Trinidad was to pay their respects to Michael. It had been well over a year since he passed away and she promised the Jimenez family they would keep in touch. Deep down Olivia knew she didn't keep her end of the bargain but now that the twins were bigger and more involved in school, staying connected to Rosa grew more and more difficult.

And least that's what she kept telling herself.

Olivia was about to head upstairs when Fitz entered the kitchen eyeing her suspiciously. She could tell he wanted to finish their conversation, but she simply wasn't ready to go there.

"I'm going up to take a bath...I'm exhausted."

She touched Fitz on the arm making her way past him while she spoke. He instantly grabbed her from around the waist and pulled her close cupping her chin up, so she faced him.

"Where's all this coming from? You were pretty harsh out there."

His blue eyes surveyed her over and that alone was enough to weaken the wall she put up.

"I need us to be a team-"

"Olivia, STOP. We are a team. Our children know, no means no. If you wanted my input, you should've asked for it."

They stared at one another for a few moments until Fitz kissed the corner of Olivia's mouth finally releasing her from his grip.

It was clear he wasn't going to keep pressing the issue and Olivia watched as he exited the kitchen leaving her alone with her thoughts.

FPOV

Fitz walked up the stairs and headed straight for his daughter's bedroom. On his way down the hall, he heard the twins talking and he slowed found himself eavesdropping on their conversation.

Liam appeared to be upset with his sister, and the closer he got to Lia's room, the louder his voice sounded. He stopped just outside the door and knocked twice before walking inside.

The look on his face made it very clear someone needed to start talking and pronto.

"Hey, Dad. What's up?" Lia chimed, acting as if nothing at all was going on.

"You tell me," Fitz was quick to reply.

He focused mainly on Liam who seemed pretty worked up.

"Lia knows how hard it was on Mom the last time we went to Trinidad. She loved Michael and I'm sure going again would bring it all up."

Liam pushed his glasses back up his nose and shook his head looking towards Fitz for validation. The image reminded him so much of Olivia it nearly took his breath away.

"Mom also PROMISED Mama Rosa we would come back and visit, and we NEVER did! I know the last trip made her sad, but she promised. And Grants never break a promise, right?"

Now it was Lia's turn to look towards Fitz who was slightly taken back by how seriously the twins were behaving. He decided to play referee another night and end the discussion. One thing he tried to instill in his children is never jumping to conclusions.

It's a lesson he learned the hard way when he was their age.

"Enough about the trip, you two. It's getting late and I'm heading to bed. I want you both in bed by midnight."

"But Dad, it's summer!" The twins cried out in perfect unison.

"That's not fair! Mom doesn't make us go to bed by a certain time in the summer!" Lia pouted, crossing her arms like an overly annoyed teenager.

"Well at least you both agree on something...midnight. Goodnight."

Fitz kissed both his children on the head and exited Lia's room leaving them alone to sulk. He was certain this impromptu curfew would get their minds off Trinidad and after taking several steps towards his bedroom he heard Lia now complaining about him instead of Olivia.

When he entered his bedroom, he saw the bathroom light on but decided not to enter. Instead, he changed into his pajama bottoms and climbed into bed reaching for his extra pair of reading glasses he kept by the nightstand.

Nearly 30 minutes passed before he heard the water in the bathroom turn on and he powered off his iPad before setting it back down. When Olivia finally entered, he was wide awake with one arm tucked behind his head.

Olivia wore her usual silk black robe and had her hair pulled back into a make shift bun. She didn't make eye contact with Fitz while moving about the bedroom. He watched her silently as Liam's words replayed in his mind.

"In case you're wondering, Lia now thinks I'm the bad guy...I told the twins they needed to be in bed by midnight."

"During summer break?" Olivia quickly countered, clearly surprised. "You are definitely the bad guy now."

Her matter of fact tone made Fitz smile leaving him immensely pleased with himself.

Fitz continued to watch his wife while contemplating on whether he should share the disagreement he overheard the twins having regarding the trip.

"They're both pretty worked up over Trinidad," he decided to finally share. "Liam reminded Lili how sad the last trip to Trinidad made you. He seems to think that's the real reason why we aren't going."

Olivia froze at Fitz's words and turned to face him. She was half naked and in the middle of placing lotion on her legs.

"He actually said that?"

"Not in those exact words, but that's what he was getting at."

He paused and quickly made the decision to continue, wanting to share Lia's side as well.

"Lili thinks you're breaking your promise to Rosa and she's upset because Grants are never supposed to break promises. Those were her exact words, in case you're wondering."

Olivia remained motionless and he could tell she was processing the information.

"I don't understand why this is such a huge deal. When we spoke yesterday about it, you were on board with us not going," Olivia began. "Can you just be honest with me and tell me what you want to do?"

Olivia sounded defeated and something in her tone made Fitz go to her. It wasn't long before he was out of bed and at her side taking the bottle of lotion out of her hands.

"Baby, I will do whatever...I told you that yesterday. And this has become a big deal because you made it one."

Olivia rolled her eyes and untied her robe climbing into bed. She wore matching silk pajamas and it was clear her attitude towards Fitz wasn't going to change.

He watched as she tossed and turned, and he ultimately decided to let her be. Now that the bathroom was empty he took the opportunity to take care of his personal needs. There were still times in their marriage where something from their past would surface, usually bringing out their worst.

This was one of those times.

After spending a few minutes in the bathroom, he returned back to bed only to find it completely empty. A frown spread across his face and he saw Olivia's robe was also missing. He contemplated whether to search for his wife but eventually decided this was her inward battle to fight.

Sometimes giving Olivia space was the only solution.

OPOV

Olivia's mind was racing, and sleep was the now the last thing on her mind. She trotted back downstairs and headed straight for the bottle of red Cabernet sitting contently on the kitchen granite countertop. The sound of it being poured was music to her ears and she welcomed the smoothness that slid down her throat.

The house was quiet...too quiet...which forced her to be alone with her thoughts. She couldn't stop thinking about the twins and their reaction about the trip. The longer she remained deep in thought, the more wine she drank until her entire glass soon grew empty.

She was about to pour herself another when Liam appeared, heading straight past Olivia towards the refrigerator.

"Late night snack?" Olivia smiled, watching her son from across the kitchen.

"Oh hey, Mom," Liam called over his shoulder. "Yeah...getting something while I still can. Dad wants us in bed by midnight."

Liam didn't hide his irritation and Olivia took the time alone to clarify a few things.

"Dad told me about you and Lia arguing. I appreciate you wanting to take up for me but the reason we're not going is because of my work schedule...nothing more."

Liam stuffed several blocks of cheddar cheese in his mouth and shrugged at his mother.

"But if you were sad and that's why you didn't want to go that would be okay too."

The sincerity of his response struck a chord making her fight back the tears forming in her eyes. Liam continued to rummage through the fridge and appeared to not give her any more thought. After piling a few snacks in his arms, he closed the door making his way out upstairs.

"Has anyone ever told you, you're wise beyond your years?"

Olivia stopped Liam before he could fully leave the kitchen, touching her son affectionately on the cheek.

"You do, Mom…all the time," he laughed.

She kissed him goodnight and watched as he disappeared up the stairs leaving her with her glass of Cabernet. Memories of the last time Michael set foot in their DC home surfaced, and more tears filled her eyes. It was just after Fitz found out about Tom's betrayal. Michael's impromptu visit to the US was exactly what Fitz needed.

What they both needed to help put the pieces back together.

Guilt washed over Olivia and she hated herself for not being there for Rosa when she needed it most. Michael had been diagnosed with Dementia about a year before he passed. Rosa was very honest about the fact he didn't remember Olivia…or many other members of his family, including her. For selfish reasons, she avoided visiting, and she couldn't bring herself to ever admit why.

His funeral was beautiful and honored his life exactly the way it should've been honored. And Lia was right, she DID promise Rosa she would visit more. Yet once again, here she was avoiding Trinidad. Why was she like this? Why after so many years of therapy was her knee jerk reaction STILL to pretend like all this didn't happen. Why was it easier to pretend Michael was still alive and well living a happy life with Rosa?

She picked up the bottle of wine and headed upstairs to their balcony unable to escape her feelings any longer.

FPOV

Fitz stirred at the sound of the balcony door open and he immediately felt Olivia's side of the bed. He stood and peaked out the door finding his wife outside with a bottle of wine on the small patio table. She was facing away from him and he didn't hesitate to join her. The Washington air was brisk and felt wonderful against his skin. He suddenly had the desire to smoke a cigar and tried to remember if his stash was still where he left it in their bedroom.

"Sorry if I woke you," Olivia whispered, slightly turning her head.

Fitz wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the back of her neck in response. Her body was warm and instantly conformed against his. He kissed her again, this time on the other side of her neck allowing his hands to freely roam her petite body.

"Things would be so much easier if I could just turn things off…you know like I used to?"

Fitz smirked and kissed her again on the neck, once again switching sides. He wasn't certain if it was the wine or the fact she had some time to think, but she was finally opening up and that was really all that mattered.

"I miss him, Fitz. He died not even remembering me. After all we went through together…it hurts like hell."

"Which is why you try everything in your power not to think about it," Fitz finally responded.

He knew his wife well and it was her in her DNA to avoid feeling at all cost. It was how she was wired and there simply wasn't anything he could do to prevent it from happening.

Olivia remained quiet and continued to drink her wine, so Fitz continued.

"Remember what Rosa told you…there were times he didn't even know HER, Baby. And you know how much he loved her."

Olivia suddenly turned and practically threw herself into Fitz's arms nearly spilling her glass in the process.

"What if that happens to us, Fitz? I couldn't take it. I couldn't take you not remebering who I am."

Finally, her deep dark fear was spoken out loud.

Fitz closed his eyes and soothed his wife holding her as tight as physically possible. He listened as she quietly cried against his chest and searched for the right words. She went through something very similar after learning about Michael's death but never spoke of this fear. It made complete sense this would be her biggest fear and he was disappointed in himself for not figuring it out sooner.

"I can't promise you something like this won't happen to us, Livvie. But I do know us avoiding Rosa won't keep it from happening."

"I should've been there for her the way she was there for me. I can't imagine her going through something like this alone."

"She had her family, Baby. You know she wasn't alone. And you had us here…she didn't want you to uproot your life. Your responsibilities were here. You're being too hard on yourself...you can't let this paralyze you."

"Why didn't you say this yesterday? We talked about not going, Fitz and you were fine with that!"

"Olivia, I am fine with not going!"

Fitz paused and broke contact, pulling her back so he could get a better look at her.

"You can't keep putting this on me. You weren't ready to hear what I had to say yesterday. I knew us not going wasn't about your work...and so do the twins. It's not rocket science! You ARE OPA and take time off all the time."

Olivia appeared shocked by Fitz's brutal honesty and from her facial expressions, he wasn't sure if she was going to revert to giving him the silent treatment. Despite his own fears, he stood his ground and waited on her next move. To his relief, she didn't leave the balcony, instead sitting down on the chair behind him.

"I hate when you're right."

Fitz smirked again and joined her forcing Olivia to stand and sit on his lap. He buried his face against her skin, inhaling her scent while helping her adjust her robe covering her exposed flesh.

"It's okay to change your mind about going…just think about it for a while. There's honestly no pressure to go."

Fitz paused and restated the comment, adding one small caveat.

"Well there's pressure from Lia, but she's focused on hating me right now, so I've bought you a few days."

Olivia laughed hard, and the sound was so welcoming. His smile widened as Olivia stood and repositioned her body, so she directly faced him. He could smell the wine on her breath and part of her robe fell open allowing her breasts to touch his skin. The sensation drove him crazy and he longed to be inside her…longed to feel her naked body against his.

"Let's go inside," he whispered against her lips. "Unless you want to be spontaneous and stay here."

He purposely sounded mischievous and it made Olivia laugh again. He sat back and watched as she slid down her robe completely exposing her dark nipples. They were erect from the breeze and were no match for Fitz. He devoured one and then the other, keeping his eyes focused on the woman he loved more than life itself. The harder he sucked, the more her face transformed right before his very eyes.

She mesmerized him, and his growing cock was proof he simply would never be able to resist her.

"Ride me," Fitz commanded, deciding not to mince words.

Olivia's brown eyes twinkled in the moonlight and the satisfaction on her face let him know his wish was her command.

"Ride you or suck you?"

Her response caught him completely off guard and hearing the vulgar comment nearly made him ejaculate on the spot. He pulled at her hair and kissed her hard sucking her tongue until his own mouth tasted of wine. She was rough with him at first, eventually slowing things down when his cock was fully inside her mouth.

Everything about her overwhelmed him and he concentrated hard on savoring the moment. It was raw and real and intoxicating, like so many of their previous encounters together. A perfect combination of love and lust intertwined with trust and utter devotion.

A perfect reflection of their marriage.