Disclaimer: I don't own Scandal

AN: Hello and Happy New Year's. I hope that this year is a prosperous and happy one for you all. Anyways, I hope that you enjoy this next chapter.

"Wake up!" A harsh male voice yelled at Greta.

Followed by the voice was ice cold water being thrown onto her, soaking straight through her dress and chilling her to the bone. Shivering and shaking, Greta sat up and tried to adjust her eyes to her surroundings. Looking around, she could see that she was in a cell of some sort. Her hands and feet were shackled and there was no way that she'd be able to move let alone walk. Sitting up as best she could, she braced her back against the cold brick wall and looked past the bars that separated her and her captor.

When she made eye contact, the man slipped a key into the lock and slid the bars open and proceeded to walk in to the tiny cell. He crouched down to Greta's eye level and just stared at her for a while as if he was trying to make a decision. Even now, staring into the face of the devil, Greta did not regret her decision. A mother protected her child even at the cost of their own life and that was what she had done. Had she not, Olivia would be in this cell and that wasn't acceptable. So she welcomed her fate, accepted it as soon as she purposely stepped on that branch. If that meant her baby girl could get to freedom, then she'd do it all over again.

"Where are they going?" the man sneered at her, his alcohol and tobacco laced breath making her noise scrunch in disgust.

"North." The answer was ambiguous and obvious enough that she wouldn't be in too much trouble for answering that way.

"What are the names of the people you are traveling with?" This was a question that she would not answer.

"You see, I done up and forgot," Greta answered, looking at him dead on, her gaze not wavering. In a blink of an eye, a heavy hand slapped the smirk right off of Greta's face, the force hard enough to turn her head. She spat out the blood and returned her eyes back to the man in front of her.

"Oh, really? I got something for women who think they forgot," the man said, standing up and unbuckling his belt.

Unable to help herself, Greta laughed. She quickly hushed her noise and prayed he hadn't heard her. Although nothing was funny about this situation, the idea of being raped no longer scared her. She was that numb to it. Had this man known what she had been through, what had been happening to her since she was sixteen years old at the hands of her masters and overseers, he wouldn't threaten her this way. She had become a pro and tuning out, playing dead and going someplace else until long after it was over. The only times that being raped hurt her to the core was the first time it happened, the time Eli found out, and when Olivia saw Big Gerry mounted behind her. Her abuse was the main reason Eli wanted to run and she blamed herself for his death everyday afterwards. When she came back to their cabin, he had held her while she cried, sobbing that she didn't like it, that she loved him and that Olivia was his. Sometimes the slave men weren't strong enough to deal with what master was doing to the women but Eli had been and he began formulating a plan to make sure that it never happened again.

"What the hell is so funny?" He asked, lowering his pants.

"Nothing," Greta said, biting her tongue. Had she mocked him for his form of torture, he'd think of something more painful, something she hadn't become immune to.

"That's what I thought. Now I'm giving you one last chance, what are the names of the people you were traveling with?" He practically yelled at her.

Before Greta could tell him to go fuck himself, loud steps echoed off the walls of the hallway lined with cells. The man in front of her quickly re-buckled his pants, tucking in his shirt and turning away from Greta to face whoever was coming. Another man quickly appeared, he seemed almost out of breath like he was running to get here. He wasn't too tall and he had a beard that looked more like a few days of going without shaving rather than some of the bushy ones that Greta had seen. He had an olive skin tone that spoke of maybe a Spanish heritage but he was light enough to pass as white. Maybe they thought he was of Italian lineage. Whatever it was, Greta could see there was something off about him.

"What Huck?" Greta's captor asked, annoyance clear in his tone.

"Sorry to interrupt Jake, but some of the men have made progress on the others and I thought that you would be interested," the man named Huck said.

Greta's heart dropped. If they caught Olivia, she didn't know what she would do, what she could do. She had hoped that her sacrifice was enough to get Olivia to a free state and out of the direct line of fire. However, Greta wasn't naïve enough to think that just because they got to a free state that everything would be okay. She knew that even if they had free papers that they could still be returned back to Big Gerry under criminal charges. Fitz had killed three men and severely injured his father, and while Olivia played a very minimal role in it, just because she was black and was there she would be prosecuted. And the fact that she was in love with a white man warranted death in the south. They wouldn't be truly safe until they got to Canada.

"Really? What kind of progress?" Jake softened his tone and Greta strained her ears to listen.

"It seems as though they caught a train heading to Kentucky thinking it went to Pennsylvania. I've already sent men to try and catch them at the next stop and have alerted the police in Kentucky via telegram," Huck informed him.

"Good work. I'm going to go and see where we are with that and you stay here and watch the prisoner," Jake said, handing Huck a set of keys and patting him on the shoulder as he left him and Greta alone.

Greta was having a tough time holding it together. She thought for sure that her daughter would be making it to freedom and she was heading away from it. Tears fell down her cheeks despite her best efforts to keep them at bay. And before she knew it, deep sobs were wracking her body as she struggled to take in air. Her head throbbed and her nose ran as she cried from the pits of her soul for her baby. Her vision was blurred but she could barely make out the figure of Huck walking towards her.

"I lied," was all he said in a solemn, definite tone. Greta didn't have the wherewithal to try and distinguish what he was saying. She was too caught up in her all-consuming grief. "I lied," he repeated.

"What?" Greta croaked, her throat raw from how hard she was crying.

"They're not heading to Kentucky. I lied. They're on a train going to straight Pennsylvania, no stops. They should already be there and will be able to either get on another train headed for New York or stay in Pennsylvania for a few days. But they are not going to Kentucky," he told her.

And Greta cried even harder.

When she gave birth to Olivia on the floor of the small cabin, her mother delivering her while Eli held her hand, Greta hoped for a million things she didn't think would be possible. As she cradled the tiny life that she had created and stared into her big brown eyes, she made promises to her that she never thought would come true. She had whispered to Olivia about a life that she wouldn't have, feeling like a liar as she spun the wonders of a world they didn't live in. But now, a little more than 18 years later, she was able to keep her promises, to give her daughter a chance to explore the world without the weight of shackles holding her back. Her baby was free.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Grant, we did all we could do but we couldn't save Gerry," Dr. Rosen said.

Late last night, Gerry had suffered a major heart attack and they weren't able to revive him. Ginny had been given hope that he was going to survive. He had woken up, had spoken a little, and had even drank some water. She had praised Jesus that her husband was spared and had went home for the first time in days to sleep in her own bed. When she had gotten up that morning, she was expecting to head to the hospital and see her husband, to speak with him and to find out when he was coming home. But that was not the case.

As soon as she walked into the wing of the hospital that housed Gerry, Dr. Rosen had intercepted her. His eyes told her all she needed to know. Fitzgerald Thomas Grant II was dead. She didn't even get the chance to really say goodbye. She had asked Dr. Rosen if Gerry had suffered and he told her no but she could tell he was lying. Gerry was probably awake when it happened, feeling not only the pain of his heart betraying him, but also the deep ache of his broken limbs and constant pounding head. Yeah, he had suffered.

"We have his body down in our morgue. We would've kept him in his bed until you got here but we had other patients," Dr. Rosen explained, "I can have one of our aides take you to him."

Ginny nodded numbly, not sure if she was strong enough to speak let alone see her husband's dead body. But her feet carried her forward as she followed the aid down a long hallway. At the end, the aide opened a door and stood aside to let Ginny in. In the middle of the room, on a table, was her husband. He was naked except for a white sheet that covered up to his waist. For a second, she thought that Dr. Rosen had made mistake, that her husband was merely sleeping. But as she rushed over to shake him awake, she realized that he was indeed gone as her hand touched his cold, stiff, lifeless body.

He didn't look like her Gerry. His was so pale, his lips were blue, and he was still bruised and battered. For a second, she wondered if this was what God did in death. Bring the inside out when people died, matched the personality with looks because for the first time, she was finally seeing Gerry for what he was. She knew that he wasn't a good person, hell, she herself wasn't a good person. But if this is what death looked like on someone that she had once loved, she wondered if it was too late to save herself.

On the train in the cargo section, they had found huge wooden crates that had holes for air. Luckily the cargo had already been dropped off in Virginia and they were on the return. Climbing in, Fitz and Olivia took one crate and Harrison took another. Fitz shut them in and while it was cramped with both of them in there, Olivia wouldn't have it any other way. She snuggled into Fitz's side and tried to shut off her brain. She didn't want to think about the journey they still had ahead of them or the fact that her mother wasn't going to be taking it with her. She didn't want to think about the men coming after her or the bad people in the world. She just wanted to be. For one minute, she just wanted to be.

"Livi?" Fitz spoke quietly.

"Hmmm?"

"How are you feeling?" She could tell that he had waited as long as he could before asking her that, trying to give her time to digest what had happened and wrap her head around what was going to happen.

"I feel like someone tore my soul in two," Olivia answered honestly.

Fitz was quiet after that, not knowing how to respond, only knowing that he wanted to take her pain away. He listened as she started to cry again, felt as the tears soaked his shirt and cursed himself for having caused it. He didn't know what else to do so he guided her head from his shoulder and tilted her chin up to him. In the complete darkness he could feel her questioning gaze on him, could almost imagine her expression. Then a blur of a shadow moved and her mouth was on his, kissing him hungrily as she maneuvered herself onto his lap.

And he kissed her back.

His hands dug into her hips and she rocked against him, molding her mouth to his and sweeping her tongue in when he groaned. And there was no pressure to go any further than this, both content to feel this most basic of connections. She kissed him long and hard until her pain temporarily vanished and the world went away. She needed him and he obliged, winding his arms around her and pulling her closer. After some long minutes, she pulled away, burying her face in his neck and just breathing him in, feeling so safe and secure that she didn't have the need to pin prick the tiny bubble they existed in with her words. And just like that, sitting in his lap, cocooned in his embrace, she fell asleep.

Off and on throughout the ride, Olivia would wake up. She ate the food that Margaret was kind enough to pack for them and she checked on Harrison a couple of times by tapping a few times and waiting for a response. After seeing that he was okay, she would go back to waiting for the train to come to a stop. It wasn't as long of a ride as she thought it was going to be and faster than she was expecting, the wheels screeched to a stop and the whistle blew signaling that they had arrived in Pennsylvania.

She, Fitz, and Harrison quickly got out of the crates and off the train, lucky that the sun hadn't completely risen. They blended as best they could with the other people getting off the train, walking with the crowd and trying their hardest not to look suspicious. Everything was so different here. Although it was early in the morning, there were still quite a few people out. So accustomed to not being able to be seen in public next to a white person, Harrison and Olivia walked a few paces behind Fitz. Olivia looked around at all of the people, black, white, Hispanic, and Asian. She had never seen so many types of people in all of her life. But then she saw a beautiful dark skinned woman in one of the fanciest dresses she had ever seen. There was a baby on her hip and she was holding the hand of a little girl in an equally beautiful dress that was many shades lighter than her mother. Transfixed, Olivia followed them with her eyes and she watched as the woman craned her head around the crowd of people and then a smile came across her face as she saw who she was looking for. A tall, handsome white man came and embraced the black woman, bending to kiss her and his children before picking up his daughter, taking his wife's hand, and walking away. Olivia literally stopped and stared after them, so convinced that this wasn't real, so convinced that the police or someone was going to come and arrest them but nothing happened. No one even batted an eye. She looked around to make sure that others had seen this and while some whites looked to be a tad perplexed, they just went about their business.

"Livi? Are you okay?" Fitz asked, concern etching his tone.

She covered her mouth with her hand and only then did she realize she was shaking. Tears shown in her eyes and she did a full three hundred and sixty degree turn. There were coloreds and whites everywhere, coexisting, cohabitating in a way that wasn't in a slave and master system. They just were. This is what she worked so hard, what they ran for, what she lost her mother for. It was the most breathtakingly beautiful thing that she ever seen.

She stretched her hand out, waiting to be as out there was the other couple, then folded it back into her side. She was scared. Taking a deep breath, she threw caution to the wind. Boldly, she grabbed Fitz's hand, smiling up at him and taking liberties that she wasn't previously granted. This man was hers and here she was free to flaunt it. She walked proudly by his side, no longer paces behind, no longer trying to shield her admiring gaze. She hoped that she displayed all the love she felt, not caring who saw. If this was freedom, it felt damn good.

"So what's next? Do we settle around here or do we keep moving?" Harrison asked, he too looking around.

"We have to keep going. You guys don't have free papers and you can be stopped at any time and be asked to produce them," Fitz said, trying to think of a way to get Olivia her papers.

"Alright. Can we stay here for the day though?" Harrison questioned, drunk off of his first sip of freedom.

"Okay, but we just have to make sure that we blend as best as possible," Fitz answered, tucking in his shirt and straightening his stance so that he didn't look like he didn't belong here.

As they walked around, they looked for clues as to where they were, not wanting to ask people and put a target on their backs. As they were walking, they heard a little boy yelling, trying to sell his papers, and Fitz walked past him. Reading the name of the paper it read: The Philadelphia Inquirer. They were in a city where the greats had once been, in a city that was founded on liberty and justice and brotherly love. As they continued walking, Olivia's hand firmly grasped in Fitz's, they came alive. They said hi to people they passed in the streets and walked around with smiles instead of lost expressions. It was a lot to take in but they were sponges in a pot of water, thirstily soaking in all they could contain.

"Fitz?" Olivia asked after having walked around for nearly twenty minutes

"Yes?"

"What are we going to do about food and money?"

That was a very good question. He hadn't thought of that. He figured once they got where they were going that he'd find work there and would provide a life for Olivia. He had no clue what he was going to do in the meantime but he had to think of something fast. Looking around, he saw a small, two story store and figured he'd try his luck there. Tugging Olivia along, Harrison following close behind, they made their way inside the shop. A ding of a bell alerted the shop owners that someone had entered. There was a red headed woman sweeping and a man standing behind the counter at the register. Nervously, he went up to the counter and spoke.

"Hello, my name is Fitzgerald and I was wondering if we could work here for the day in exchange for either food or money," Fitz said, putting his hand out to shake.

The other man looked at them curiously for a minute before accepting Fitz's hand and shaking it. "Name's Stephen and that's my wife Abby. We could actually use your help restocking the shelves and doing some cleaning," Stephen said, an accent that Fitz couldn't quite place heavy on his tongue.

"We'll do anything," Fitz quickly agreed.

"We're a little low on money, but we can offer you a hot meal and a couple of rooms above the store to stay in tonight if you all are going to be in town for a while," Stephen offered.

"We would be very grateful," Fitz smiled.

"Great. Are you two married?" Stephen asked from seemingly out of nowhere.

"What?" Fitz questioned, his eyebrow quirking up.

"Married. I can't have the two you staying in a room together unless you're married. Goes against the bible."

"Yes, we're married," Olivia quickly lied. "I'm Olivia and this is my brother Harrison."

He looked at Olivia for a moment, then back at Fitz, then back at Olivia before deciding that he believed her. "Alright. Well, you men come with me and Olivia you go and ask Abby if she needs help with anything."

With the men gone, Olivia went to the red headed woman, nervous to approach her. While she didn't seem mean per se, there was something about her aura that let Olivia know that she was very feisty and could hold her own amongst the best of them. Meekly walking up to her, Olivia cleared her throat in hopes of getting her attention. Abby looked up from her sweeping and placed a hand on her hip.

"Hi, I'm Olivia. Your husband said that you might need help with a few things," Olivia said politely.

"Uh, well I'm almost done with the chores that need to be done here, but if you follow me to me house, I can use your help there and we can prepare a meal for the men," Abby offered.

Shaking her head in agreement, when Abby finished up her sweeping, Olivia followed her out of the shop. The two women walked in silence, neither knowing quite what to say. It was a ten minute walk from the shop to Abby's home, a quaint place very similar to the others on the row. Leading her in, Abby led Olivia to her kitchen.

"Do you know how to clean and cook chicken properly?" Abby asked.

"Yes." If only she knew.

With that, Abby handed Olivia the chicken she had purchased from the market that morning and showed Olivia where the knives were. The two women worked in tandem, Olivia cutting the chicken while Abby washed and peeled potatoes. Abby started humming as she worked, flitting around the space easily and barely seeming to acknowledge Olivia's presence. That's probably while Olivia startled a little bit when Abby spoke.

"Where did you guys come from? It's obvious that you're not from around here," Abby said causing Olivia to stiffen. "Don't worry, you may speak freely. Stephen and I are Quakers and abolitionists. We've been very active in the anti-slavery movement."

Hesitantly, Olivia answered. "We're from Richmond, Virginia."

"How did you and…" Abby paused at waited for Olivia to fill in the name.

"Fitzgerald."

"How did you and Fitzgerald meet if you don't mind me asking."

"Fitz was…is…was," Olivia struggled over which tense to use, "my slave master's son."

Abby's eyebrows shot up and she made a 'humph' sound, showing that she was clearly surprised. She had figured that he was perhaps a junior overseer, a local farm boy, or someone that Olivia had meet on her escape to freedom. Anything but the slave master's son. "And how did you two come to be?"

Olivia smiled fondly and she knew that she glowed with love. "I worked in the house and one night, Fitz came into my room with food. He wasn't expecting anything in return, not even my friendship. And he kept coming and eventually we feel in love." Olivia kept back the fact that he taught her how to read and write, not sure how liberal Abby really was.

"And marriage?" Abby followed up. Olivia didn't know what to say and she hated to lie to them but she would be damned if she spent the night alone or even worse, with Harrison. "That was the first thing we did when we got to Pennsylvania."

"Seems like you two are similar to my Stephen and I," Abby smiled. "Although I cannot imagine what you and Fitzgerald went through. As you could probably tell, Stephen is not from America. My family didn't really like that he was a foreigner and forbade me to see him but I didn't care. I threw caution to the wind and ran away with him. We had to start completely over here but I wouldn't trade a second of it."

"Neither would I. On the way here," Olivia pause to choke back the sob, "we lost my mother. But she sacrificed for us and I'm not going to look back."

"I can sense that you're a person with a lot of trust issues and doesn't like to be touched by people you don't know, so I'm warning you now, I going to hug you because I really think that you need it," Abby said, slowly inching towards Olivia.

Olivia just stood there, not sure what to do. The only white person that hugged her besides Fitz was Margaret and those had been special circumstances. But Olivia supposed that these circumstances were just as special. Abby come at her, arms wide open and when she reached Olivia, she wrapped her arms around her and just hugged her. Olivia didn't move for a second, but then the floodgates opened and she cried. She cried for her mother, she cried for herself, then she cried happy tears for people like Margaret and Abby. She cried happy tears that she was in a place that she was accepted just because she was another human being and not shunned because her skin happened to glow with a hue that God had hand painted himself.

Stepping back, Abby wiped Olivia's tears with her thumbs and whispered that it was going to be okay. "I know a woman that can help you. She has a few connections and her husband works with the courts…"

"Please, no police or anything like that," Olivia said, scared to death that there were going to get caught.

"What I mean is that she can get you free papers so that when you do settle, you don't have to constantly look over your shoulder," Abby said, putting a comforting hand on Olivia's shoulder. "I won't tell my husband that you and Fitzgerald aren't actually married and will let you stay together."

"How did you…?"

"You can't get married without free papers and it's obvious to me that you two have recently run away," Abby swiftly answered. "But that doesn't mean that others have noticed."

The rest of the day went by pleasantly, the women finding that they got along really well for strangers. They cooked and did odds and ends around the house, the whole time Abby doing as much work as Olivia and not leaving her to do it all. Olivia was going to be truly sad to leave Abby, but she thought that they were too close to Virginia to settle in Pennsylvania and knew that they would be going soon. They finished cooking the food and Abby told Olivia to take it to the store while she went to see her friend, Quinn, about forging the free papers.

"I'm going to need you and your brother's full names," Abby said, standing in the doorway about to leave.

"Harrison Elias Wright," Olivia said, using her father's name as a way to give her dad a piece of freedom, even if it was only on paper, and the name Wright just seeming…right. "And I'm Olivia Caroline…Pope."

Though when she married Fitz she would have to take his last name, she didn't want to have Gerry's last name as her maiden name and while it was the same name, there was a difference. One was given to her, a stamp saying that she was his property, and the other was going to be by choice. So she chose Pope; person of plighted equality. And she chose Caroline, the middle name of her mother.

"I like it," Abby smiled then went to get the documents.

Olivia carried the pot of chicken and potato stew for her, Fitz, and Harrison to the store, bowls and spoons balanced on top of the lid. It was a surreal experience to be walking by herself without a tag saying that she belonged to someone. No one asked her where she was going or even paid attention to her and she liked it that way. When she reached her destination, she walked in and saw all three men leaning against the counter laughing and joking. Fitz paused mid-sentence having sensed Olivia's presence and immediately went to her. He took the pot from her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Fitzgerald, you can carry that upstairs and I'll show you all where you'll be staying tonight," Stephen said.

They went to the back of the store where a door hid a staircase. Climbing the dark and narrow steps, Olivia was actually pleasantly surprised when she reached the landing and went into the room that she and Fitz would be sharing tonight. While it was small, it was well lit with lanterns and there was a comfortable bed and a small round table set up in the corner with two chairs. Fitz set the pot down on the table then went to shake Stephen's hand.

"I really appreciate you doing this for us," Fitz said sincerely.

"And I appreciate a man that is willing to do whatever it takes for the woman he loves. I'm going to head home and kiss my wife. There's something about seeing you two together that makes me want to love my woman all the more," Stephen laughed.

"Abby is visiting with her friend Quinn," Olivia told Stephen so he wouldn't be disappointed when he got home to an empty house.

Besides a quirk of the eyebrow and a nod of the head, Stephen didn't respond. He probably knew why Abby was seeing Quinn and didn't want to delve too deeply into their business. On his way out, he shook Fitz's hand again, tipped his head to Olivia, and patted Harrison on the back before wishing them all luck.

"Should I know something about this Quinn woman?" Fitz asked.

Olivia could barely contain her excitement. "She's going to get me and Harrison our free papers. You are looking at Olivia Caroline Pope and Harrison Elias Wright," she beamed.

Fitz was a little slow to react and for a second Olivia thought that she had done something wrong by not discussing this with him first, but then the biggest and brightest smile came across his face. Despite his ribs and arm, he went to her and picked her up, squeezing her in a bear of a hug. She pulled her face from his neck and kissed him hard.

"I'm a free man. I'm a free man," Harrison kept repeating over and over, tears running down his cheeks and dropping down to knees as the full weight of the situation hit him. "I'm a free man."

When Fitz finally set her down and Harrison finally stood up, Olivia went to the table and spooned stew into bowls and handed them out. Harrison sat on the edge of the bed while Olivia and Fitz took the chairs. As they ate, everyone shared tidbits from their day. As they were finishing up their meal, they heard footsteps and were immediately on guard until they saw Abby come through the doorway.

"It's just me," Abby chuckled, sensing the tension in the air. "I have your papers and I must say, these are the best ones Quinn has ever done."

Abby handed them their prospective documents and Olivia and Harrison treated them as if they were gold. They looked at the documents, skimming their fingers over it so lightly, so gently, as though they thought it would break.

"Wow… it's a new world," Olivia awed, not believing that she actually had a shot at a real life. "Thank you so much, Abby."

"It's my pleasure, truly. I have a feeling that you guys are going to be gone in the morning, so just in case we don't see each again, I want to say goodbye now and wish you all luck in your travels. Also if you are ever in the area, you know where to find us," Abby said, gathering her empty pot and bowls.

On her way out the door, all three of them gave her a hug and profusely thanked her for all that she did for them. She accepted their thanks and then left them alone, telling them she was going to lock up the store behind her and that no one else should be coming by.

"So I've been thinking," Harrison began, "that with my papers, I'll head to New York and settle there. I know that you didn't want me with you and I think now is my time to head out on my own."

While Fitz and Olivia were taken aback and definitely a little saddened by the news, they knew this was best. It was time for them to start their lives together and Harrison didn't exactly fit into their happily ever after. Heading to the door, Harrison paused for a second before leaving. "You're not so bad, Fitzgerald. For a white person. And you, Olivia, at first I judged you for falling in love with him, but I understand why. I hope you two are happy."

And with that, they were alone.

"I've never slept in a real bed before," Olivia said, gingerly lying down on the mattress.

"When we get to where we're going, I promise that you'll have the best bed in the world," Fitz said, sitting down beside her.

"And you've never broken your promise to me." Olivia pulled her dress off over her head, leaving her in just a slip.

Fitz took off his shoes and then tugged off his pants. Soon he was in just his boxers. He took off his homemade sling and carefully set it on the ground, slightly wincing as he stretched his arm. He was definitely feeling way better, but his ribs still caused him to ache. Looking over, he was caught off guard by how stunning Olivia was. He had stared at her for days on in, but he was no less taken aback by her beauty anytime he cast his eyes her way. She felt his eyes on her and looked up at him. An overwhelming sense of desire overtook her. She needed him.

"Fitz…"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Knowing that his ribs prevented him from being on top, Fitz scooted back further on the bed. Leaning back against the headboard, Fitz watched as Olivia crawled over to him and threw her leg over his and straddled him. On her knees, she tugged her slip off and threw it to the ground, not caring where it landed. Slowly and looking at him the entire time, she guided her mouth to his. Fitz's hands went to her waist before circling her and bringing her closer. Olivia twined her fingers in his hair and kissed him harder. She could feel him harden underneath her and it made her grow even warmer. Her finger tips tingled and she throbbed between her legs for him.

Trailing a hand down his chest, she palmed him through his boxers, needing to feel how much he needed her. And he didn't shy away. He lifted his hips into her hand and trailed his lips to her neck. The tips of her nipples brushed against his chest causing her to whimper and squirm. She lifted up a bit and used both hands to pull his boxers down as far as she could get them. He did the rest of the work, using his foot to kick them completely off.

For a while she thought that she'd never have this pleasure again. That she wouldn't feel him inside of her, his hands on her body, seeing his lips part to groan as they made love. Taking his length in her hand, she ran it all the way, down causing him to shudder, before sinking down onto him. She threw her head back and let out a long moan as she settled all the way down to the base. Guiding her movements with steady hands at her hips, she and Fitz moved in tandem, rising and falling, rising and falling.

She circled her arms around his neck, skimming her lips across his ear before nipping the lobe between her teeth. Nothing ever felt this good. She pulsed around, clenching her walls in attempts to never let him leave. Acting on instinct, she rode him until she was at the brink. His hand slipped down to her slit, rubbing her nub and making her pant his name. She was so close and only needed a little bit more to fall over the edge. And that's when he kissed her, plunging in his tongue and taking her breath away. She came, moaning into his mouth how much she loved him. Fitz was only a split second behind, shaking underneath her as he found his completion.

"That was very nice service Ginny," Anne said as they headed away from Big Gerry's lowering casket.

They decided to bury him in the family plot on their land. The first Fitzgerald Thomas Grant was buried there as well Big Gerry's mothers and siblings. There were several generations of Grants buried there and one day Ginny would be laid to rest next to her husband, the last Grant to do so. She had cried during the ceremony and tossed flowers into the casket before they closed it. She knew that God had forgiven Gerry for any wrongdoings and that he was in heaven. At least that's what she told herself. The Dutchmores were in attendance along with some other friends. It really was a lovely ceremony.

"It really was. That Negro girl sang beautifully. If anything, they sure do have pretty voices," Ginny said as they walked.

"Ginny, I want to let you know that while we haven't caught the others yet, I will. And we have received word that they have Greta," James told her.

"Let them be," Ginny spoke quietly.

"Excuse me?" James questioned, not sure he heard her right.

"I said let them be. Bring Greta back here, but let Fitzgerald and Olivia be," Ginny spoke up.

"And why would you do that? He killed your husband and ran off with a nigger." James was sure that it was the grief talking.

"The bible says that I have to forgive. While I may not like what my son has done, he is still my son. Just let him be. As for our land, we will still conduct a deal, but it will be on my terms," Ginny said, hoping to make herself clear.

"And why not just release Greta too," James said in an incredulous tone, throwing his hands up in the air.

Although Ginny knew it was a rhetorical question, she answered anyways. "I have my reasons."

AN: So Big Gerry has died. So sad. Not really. Greta is still alive for now and got some good news from Huck, but Anne wants her with back. Wonder why? We met Abby and Stephen, great people who are abolitionists and Quakers which a lot of people were in Pennsylvania. We also got a glimpse of Quinn but because I feel she is unnecessary (on the show. I really don't like her), we didn't get much. Harrison is going to be venturing out on his own. It's about time. And Olivia and Fitz got some much needed alone time. Leave a review and tell me what you thought.

Fun Fact: Pennsylvania's interracial marriage law was passed in 1725 and absolved in 1780, making it absolutely legal for people of different races to marry way before the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement. There were several other states that had laws passed and absolved before the 1900s and even some that never passed laws against the act at all. Vermont happens to be one of those states that never passed a law. Hint, hint.

P.S: I'm sad to say this, but there is only going to be one more chapter and an epilogue. I could probably write for days, but quite frankly, I don't have the time. I hope to have this story done before school starts back up and that's why I'm ending it early. But I promise it will feel complete. Also, to the person that promises me baked goods for updates, I have yet to receive a package, lol. Just saying. Oh, and the title of the chapter means Almost There.