A/N:

Okay, I got this chapter out as soon as I could as you all have been so patient with me. I may need to come back and edit a bit more though.

THIS IS NOT THE FINAL CHAPTER! Sorry to disappoint you again. Gosh, you're probably sitting there thinking I'm not reading another story by HER EVER AGAIN! I hear ya. But stick with me for a little while longer, ok?

RESULTS OF THE POLL: 48 people voted for option 1 (read final chapter). Option 3 got 7 votes and the rest went to option 2. Some people voted for two options.

It surprised me option 2 (open ending) got just a few votes, I expected more. But what surprised me the most was the voter turnout. I really wasn't expecting that many, seriously.

All I can say is that I really thought I couldn't write another word for this fic. On the other hand, I would feel bad about doing all this build-up for the sweet surrender and then fail to deliver the goodies!

So here I am back with another chapter. A big shout out to Da Princes and Me's. Her story Miracle on Hope Street is one of my favorites. This chapter would not have been possible without you. I loved the No Holds barred quote you gave me so much I build the chapter around it ( I put the entire quote word for word in bold). When first read it, It just hit me. I started thinking I could do this, I could certainly write this one scene with Fitz and his mother. Yeah, I can at the very least do that, I told myself. Then from there I added the scene between Fitz and Olivia. I'm not super-happy with it, I might have to come back and add a little something to the dialogue. But it's still good. It's written in Fitz's POV for the most part.

Chapter Ten

No Holds Barred

Fitz didn't remember much of the night before. All he remembered was having another couple of drinks before heading home with Olivia. She'd been quite determined; there was no way she was letting him get behind the wheel. Next thing he knew, it was morning. He woke up in his bed from a deep sleep, hung-over, with a large headache, and clad only in his boxers. Olivia. Whoa! He got a hard on just thinking of her undressing him. Where was she? The indentation in the pillow beside him showed that she had slept there next to him. At some point during the night she must have crept back to her room.

Lo and behold, there was a full glass of water on his next stand and a bottle of ibuprofen next to it. How thoughtful of her. In the next moment, he downed the capsules along with most of the liquid and lingered in bed giving his erotic fantasies full reign. He imagined her in a silky nightie and his hands caressing her smooth caramel skin. I want to make love to you, Olivia, I've waited long enough. In his fantasy, she melted in his arms and continually begged him to make love to her. His lips brushed hers tantalizingly and her lips parted wanting more. She trembled, throbbed all over, wanting it. Be patient, sweetheart. Yes. I'm going to make love to you slowly until we're both too weak to move. He groaned, thinking of the slow teasing foreplay, the act in various positions, the wild crying out climax.

He got in the shower after shaving, intending to make it a quick one but ended up fantasizing some more and pleasuring himself. He groaned as the hot beads of water beat a soothing pulsating rhythm against his taut muscles. His release was quick and intense. It made him weak in the knees and he leaned against the shower wall for support. After catching his breath, he lathered up and rinsed off.

At last, he turned the water off and wrapped a white towel around his waist. It sat too low and snug on his hips, revealing his rock-hard, ridged abs.

Well, at least the headache was gone; he realized gratefully. In a carefree moment, he towel-dried his tousled hair and tossed the hand towel in the hamper. Not bad, not bad at all, he decided, catching his reflection in the mirror. He smoothed his tousled hair with his fingers and smiled. Wouldn't it be something if she walked in on him right now like he'd walked in on her just the other day?

He came out of the bathroom, smiling at the memory of her flushed face the moment she'd accidentally exposed her naked beauty. Man, get a grip. If you keep this up he was gonna need a cool down period, he thought as he rounded the corner to the master closet, catching a flash of movement in his peripheral vision.

"Liv?"

"I'm out in the balcony."

"I'll be right there," He mumbled sliding into a pair of jeans and a solid blue t-shirt. He then sauntered over to the balcony and said her name barely above a whisper.

Olivia turned to him, lips parting and her back pressed against the railing, the city of Los Angeles as a backdrop.

"Hey," she smiled at him a smile of affection, approval and happiness at seeing him. She was dressed for work in a black and white Armani jacket and Ralph Lauren trousers.

Fitz walked to her and they embraced. He bent to kiss her lips but she turned so that he could kiss only her cheek and then backed away from him.

If he didn't know any better, he'd think that she was actually nervous around him.

"Mary made us breakfast," she gestured toward the table handsomely decorated with a flower base and more food than they could possibly eat.

"Looks good," he gallantly pulled the chair back for her before taking a seat across from her. "Did you sleep well?"

"Like a baby. How about you?"

"Woke up with a headache but now it's gone."

She was glad to hear that.

"Liv, what did we do last night after we left the party?"He had to ask just in case although he was dead certain had something happened between them, he'd for sure remember.

"You remember Tiffany and Jonathan leaving?" Her mouth lifted into a half-smile. "They left in a bit of a huff."

"Hmm. Yeah." He grinned triumphantly. He'd never forget the look on their faces when they heard the tape incriminating themselves.

They ate in comfortable silence until he spoke again. "So what happened after that?"

She downed her orange juice and set the glass back on the table. She then chewed her bottom lip and looked at him with hooded eyes. She knew this was bad, but she couldn't resist messing with him. When was she ever going to get a chance like this? "You mean…did we err…do it?

"Livvie," his demeanor was instantly apologetic.

She deadpanned. "I have no idea, I'm terrified."

His blue eyes widened and his mouth dropped slightly open. "I never, I would never take advantage-

She laughed good- naturedly. "No, Fitz. We didn't. What do you think?" She shook her head, enjoying the fact that for once she'd thrown him off his game (at least somewhat). "Fitz, you passed out so I had to take off your clothes. Not an easy task if you ask me. You weren't exactly mister cooperative."

He had to hand it to her; she really got him this time. That was a good one," he drawled as a slow grin spread across his face, simultaneously looking amused and relieved.

"Hmm…Fitz, you got to try this," she said referring to a creamy custard in a fruit cocktail.

He watched as she slid her fork in the creamy confection and put it in her mouth. His body reacted to the innocent action with heat in his groin.

She then leaned forward to grab the serving plate in front of her and serve Fitz a helping of the delicious treat in a small bowl. The action had the fortunate effect of pressing her breasts up, giving him a generous view of her cleavage.

She stared at him innocently awaiting his reaction as he tried a bite.

Did she really have no idea what effect she had on him?

Did she know?

He glanced down. His erection was well hidden in those jeans. Each moment with his wife was filled with surprise. She shocked him. She delighted him. She enchanted him.

"Well…What do you think?"

"I love it," he replied looking into her smiling face. Wow. He loved that smile. Her strength. Her beauty both inside and out. Her spirit. He opened his mouth to say 'I love you' but the words died in his lips. He longed to say it, but something restrained him. It was as if a pair of arms had been delivered straight from heaven to hold him back, keeping him from making a fool of himself in the eyes of the only person whose opinion really mattered. He didn't think he would be able to stand it if she rejected him; he needed her for his very existence. She was his everything.

…

After breakfast, Olivia promptly headed for work. And Fitz decided to stop by the Grant home to see his mother on his way to the office. Something told him his mother was not doing well and he followed the hunch.

He came to the door of her bedroom with a feeling of apprehension and knocked. "Mom?"

"Come in," a faint answer came.

At once, his worst fears realized. His mother was lying in bed looking sick.

"Hey, mom. Are you feeling all right?

"Just a little fever, I think." She ran her hand through her hair to smooth it and give it some fluff.

"Mom, you really don't look good." He looked around. Luckily, there was a bottle of Ibuprofen. He unscrewed the lid and got two capsules out. "Here, take this."

Leila took the capsules from his hand and promptly swallowed them with a sip of water. "Don't worry, Fitzy. It's nothing serious. I think I'm just coming down with a cold or something."

So typical of his mother to be worried about him when she was the one who was sick.

"I'm calling Dr. Smith."

"Fitz no, no. This late at night? He's probably at home with his family. Can't it wait till morning?"

"Mom, that's what we pay him for. We pay him to make house calls."

He took both of her hands in his and studied her expression. Yes, she looked a little depressed now; gone was the sparkle he'd seen in her eyes during the dinner party.

"Oh, you know he's not going to prescribe anything."

"You don't know that, mom."

"You know how doctors are, Fitz…they take one look at you and say it's just a little virus. Nothing that a little rest and lots of liquids won't cure." She shook her head with a wistful expression. "Gone are the days when a doctor's visit meant at least one course of antibiotics and a long list of medications. Ah,I tell you, I often left the doctors' feeling ten times better than when I first walked in the door."

"I'm still calling," Fitz insisted. He couldn't help but worry. Experience told him that his mother's chronic depression tended to worsen whenever she became ill. He leaned forward, ready to stand and retrieve his phone from his pocket.

"Fitz, no. Wait." She held on to his hand halting his movements. "There's something going on between you and Olivia…Clearly you love each other but there's something I can't quite put my finger on it."

Fitz gave her a thin smile. "Something good or something bad?"

"Oh, there is a lot of good between you two," she smiled, "but there's also something, something that's holding you back."

Fitz leaned back further toward the foot of the bed and crossed his legs. Why did his mother have to be so darn perceptive?"

"You don't have to tell me Fitz that you are in love with your wife because a mother always knows when her son has fallen in love. Olivia has always been the one for you. You just have to be willing to go after her, no holds barred."

"You think I should go after her?" He said cautiously. What on earth did she mean by that? By all accounts, he and Olivia were already married. Only the two of them (oh and Quinn, of course) knew that his was a marriage of convenience.

Leila leaned back on her pillows with a serene expression and looked at Fitz for a long time before answering. "Oh. Well. See, there's something holding her back too… and it's something I can't quite figure out, but whatever it is, it's big-

Yes, Fitz agreed. There was something holding Olivia back. It was precisely for this reason he needed to be careful. He didn't want to make things worse and end up scaring her off. Still, he had to make some kind of play to set their future in motion, he mused. The only thing was… what if she didn't really care for him in that way?

What if she only wants to stay friends?

Come on, Fitz. Don't forget the kiss at the dinner table tonight. That kiss had felt so real it was hard to believe it was part of their charade.

Either the Olivia he knew had become a hell-of- a good actress…or else.

Fitz shook his head, a thin smile crossing his lips. "Mom, there's something you need to know," Fitz started. Suddenly, nothing was more important than coming clean. "I asked Olivia to marry me because dad threatened to disown me." There. He finally said it. He finally felt as if a thousand pounds of concrete had been removed from his chest.

A flicker of surprise registered in his mother's eyes but she quickly recovered. The look in her eyes easily stated: Ah, well, that explains everything.

"Olivia agreed to the marriage to help me out."

Leila pursed her lips. "I still think she's in love with you," When she spoke again there was some disappointment in her voice. "Anyway, here I was hoping for grandchildren."

Fitz looked away. He hated disappointing his mother; but most of all, he would have hated himself more had he continued lying to her.

How the hell did he get in this mess? All he'd wanted was to step up to the plate and for once handle the responsibility that his father had wanted to give him for so long but that he had foolishly squandered. It wasn't until his position was threatened by Jonathan that he'd realized his mistake in taking his birthright for granted.

"She's in love with me?" Fitz mumbled mostly to himself. It was so easy to fool himself into thinking that she cared for him romantically. There was love in their relationship, of course. They were friends. And like most friends, they loved talking to each other and hanging out together. Did she love him as a friend or was she in love with him? There was only one way to find out, he decided. Either way, he would do whatever he needed to do to win her heart forever.

A/N:

Please continue to review each and every chapter! It really helps my muse stay focused on this story. My goal right now is to get you the goodies. Please be patient as I feel that my muse is not completely back. I feel as though I'm driving to a new destination without a roadmap but maybe it's best if I just try to see where the characters take me in the next few chapters. Tell me what you want to see happening. Lastly, I'm also considering a sequel

I really want to give this story my best but I can't do it without the encouragement of every single one of you! Leave me your thoughts