By time everyone was loaded into the car Olivia realized how exhausted she was. She and Fitz had been awake late, and then went out for breakfast early, or at least that was the goal when he had been shot. Michael was driving, with Fitz in the passenger seat giving him directions to the airstrip. She was seated directly being him with Claudia next to her and Huck in the last row, still working on his computer. Every few minutes Fitz would turn around and watch her as she yawned or struggled to get comfortable. She could see that he was worried about her, as she sat quietly; it was extremely out of character. He and Olivia were always talking, listening to music, or bickering about some current event. He noticed her eyelids getting heavy and he put his hand on her knee and gave her a few squeezes. She put her hand over his and relaxed back into her seat allowing her eyes to close.
She fell asleep soon after holding on to Fitz's hand. Huck sat in the back silently, but Michael and Claudia began to warn Fitz about their mother. Michael would normally harass and try to scare any men that even dared breath around his sister, but she was different with Fitz. It drove him crazy to have to trust this relative stranger with his sister, but he saw what they had and he respected it.
"If it were up to me we would let her handle her own consequences, but Liv is a fixer. She thinks that if were good enough or love her enough our Mother will some how become a better person. I think she gave up on hoping for a Mom, a while ago, but she wants to try anyway. She's loyal to a fault. It's like she wants to take all of Maya's bad qualities and make them her own. Liv tries to be selfless and loyal and brave just to prove she isn't like our mother," Claudia knew what Olivia was feeling, because at one time or another she had felt it too, but it all but evaporated when she found out her mother risked her youngest child's life. She wanted to help Fitz understand as well.
"I know things were strained between her and her Mom, I mean she's always talking about you guys or Cammie and your Grandma, but never your parents." Fitz voice was reverent; he didn't want to tell Claudia and Michael that she often was depressed after getting off the phone with one of her parents, especially her Mom. He wanted to be careful and not add fat to the fire. Everyone in the car, except Olivia, was hesitant to go help Maya he didn't want to give them a reason to fight Olivia.
"I'm sure its hard for you to understand how Maya could be so selfish with her own child, I mean I grew up with it and I was still disturbed…" Michael wanted him to be patient with her, but he figured a rich kid with a plan wasn't likely to understand it, he figured Fitz's biggest problem was being raised by nannies.
"I understand it unfortunately, some people just shouldn't have children." Fitz was thinking about her own family, he tried to avoid the memories. It took years of therapy to be able to accept what happened, if that's what he could even call it, he didn't like to dwell on it anyway. Michael was going to press Fitz for more information about his past, but he like the other Popes could read people and Fitz's face told him not to force it, he knew Olivia knew and that's all that mattered.
Fitz was telling Michael which turns to make as they were getting closer and Claudia was just about to wake Olivia, but Michael and Fitz both said nearly at the same time,
"Let her sleep." She smiled to herself thinking about how much Fitz wanted to take care of her sister, and how he managed without her really knowing and being able to protest. Most of her fears about their mother running him off went away. It would take a lot to manage that, she realized.
They parked the car and began to empty everything out, Olivia woke up and realized she was in Fitz's arms and he was carrying her to the plane. When he realized she was awake he felt bad.
"I was really hoping we could take off before you woke up." Fitz told her sympathetically.
"I'll be okay." She was unconvincing. She hated flying, she wasn't afraid of much, but metal soaring through the sky made her knees weak and her palms sweat.
"Do you trust me Livvy?"
"Without a doubt." This time he believed her.
"I'll keep you safe up there, okay?" She nodded in response.
"You can put me down you know right?"
"I figure as long as your brother is watching me like a hawk this is probably the only chance I'll get to have you in my arms." She smiled at him.
"Good thinking," she snuggled in closer. Huck had already made himself a nest towards the back with all his gear. Claudia was flipping through a magazine not really paying much attention, she looking perfectly comfortable. Fitz thought that Claudia's calm might help Olivia so he brought her over there and helped her into the seat. She still looked apprehensive. He grabbed his bag from the front two seats where Michael had left them. He came back to her and handed her the biography she had been reading about Henry Halleck and her iPod with a pair of headphones.
"Thought you might want these," he smiled at her trying to be as helpful as possible; he knew she was miserable.
"I can't believe I forgot this! I don't think I've ever gone anywhere without a book."
"Well I'm not surprised, you forgot your wallet too, but it's in my bag. I've got you covered Livvy." He kissed her, squeezed her hand and headed into the cockpit to get them on their way. He had called ahead, so that all he had to do now was fly the plane. Michael followed him, and he and Olivia watched as he started up the plane, closed all the doors, checked and rechecked. From her seat Olivia could hear Michael telling Fitz that Huck got them cleared to land at a small private airport near their house. They went back and fourth talking about Cessna versus Learjets and his training in the navy. Before he got ready for take off he looked back and Olivia winked at her and got into his zone. Michael made his way back and sat across from her, giving her a scrutinizing glare. He knew she hated flying, not to mention the reason she was flying. Claudia was in her own world reading about some celebrity's marriage, as in tune as she was with her sister, this time she was more worried about what they would find when they landed than what was happening in the moment.
"Who's Henry Halleck?" Michael was trying to distract her before take off, he already knew the answer, but he knew getting her talking about politics and books was a sure way to get her attention off of take off.
"Huh?" She never took her eyes off the back of Fitz head as he was in the cockpit, she finally turned her head towards him briefly and he inclined his head at her book.
"Oh uhh civil war general, grant's chief of staff, Ulysses S. Grant," she smirked at the coincidence, "Lincoln thought he was a moron, but Grant saw something in him, well maybe I haven't gotten very far…" She started to go on about his time served as a general and the virtues of having a weak chief of staff rather than one that wants to dominate the office. He was relieved when she finally took her eyes off Fitz's head and loosened her grip on the book in her lap. The conversation had some how segued to the civil rights act, then to the dropping of the atomic bomb, then to him trying to get her to pick a position instead of arguing both sides. Somewhere in 1947 Claudia had moved to sit back by Huck and watch him work and continue to dig through papers. She was going stir crazy, not wanting to get into another debate about abortion. The last time Huck had to break them up when Claudia started yelling and asking Olivia is her vagina is apolitical.
They had been up in the air for about an hour when she had Michael had finally given up their debate. He was leaning back in the chair with his eyes closed and she was listening to her iPod on shuffle. When a song from the Arctic Monkeys new album came on she immediately pulled the ear buds out, realizing that that's where she should be. She should be putting on her tightest jeans and highest heels to torture Fitz and dancing with her best friend, instead she's on the way to save her mother from herself. Despite her nerves she got up and headed to the cockpit, hoping so one would notice. She didn't want to startle him so she tapped lightly on the opening,
"Fitz?" her voice pulled him out of his reverie. He had loved piloting a plane, literally being above all of your problems, looking straight a head and just thinking about what he would need to do to stay in the air or to land soothed him, but Olivia did that too for him now.
"How are you doing?" He was worried.
"I'm fine."
"Liv you've said that so many times today it doesn't even sound like a word anymore. Why don't you sit down?" He gestured to his lap.
She grinned at him as she deepened her voice, "but Captain Grant I don't think that's the proper place for a co captain," he didn't give her a chance to move as he pulled her onto his lap. He kissed her neck while trying to keep his hands on the wheel, which was proving more difficult as she squirmed in his lap. Before things got too distracting for him she stilled and pulled away slightly.
"Honestly Fitz I don't know if its because its you flying this thing or because I have other things I'm trying to find a way to fix in my head, but right now at this moment I really am fine." She leaned further back into his lap looking out the front window and watching his hands as they moved effortless to control the plane. It would have been a massive turn on had she not been preoccupied with her mother.
"You're going to have to take me up again when things die down, if they do," she huffed, "although its going to be really hard trying to join the mile high club with you up here." Fitz eyes went wide and she felt him shift underneath her.
"You are asking for trouble Livvy."
"Well I don't want to do that, I better go back to my seat Captain Grant."
"Don't even think about it." He gripped her tighter. After a while sitting like that Olivia got uncomfortable and headed back to grab her book, then curled up in the spare seat in the cockpit. She switched off between looking out the windshield watching him and reading her book. Pretty soon she dozed off again. Fitz called back to Claudia and asked her to throw a blanket over her. Before any of them realized how much time had passed Fitz was beginning to prepare to land the plane and the change in the atmosphere was intense.
Fitz didn't even have to ask them this time not to wake Olivia. He was bound and determine to keep the peaceful look she had on her face in her sleep there as long as he could, and her family seemed to unconsciously agree. He landed the plane without any problems and opened the doors while Huck and Michael started bringing the bags to the car. Michael had one of his guys drop it off for them earlier. Claudia helped gather Olivia's things and help Fitz get everything put back on the plane. Before anyone really wanted to Fitz went to wake up Olivia.
She could feel him stroking her hair, but she knew what she would wake up to so she let him try to rouse her longer than necessary. "Livvy? Were here. Come on I know you're awake under there." He moved her hair out of her face and she finally opened her eyes.
"Let's get this over with." It was all she could say really. She wasn't pleased to be home, because really Kansas wasn't her home anymore. It was in Providence with Fitz and Abby and even David. Having her family be there with her just reinforced that in her mind. She let Fitz help her up and take her hand as they walked down the stairs from the plane to the tarmac. Claudia was waiting at the bottom, looking the exact way Olivia felt.
"There's no place like home huh CeeCee?" Olivia asked her.
"Too bad we can't just pour a bucket of water on this problem." They walked in sync together to the car Fitz following behind them.
