A/N: This one is pretty long, my longest one yet, but it's a week in the making. Hope you enjoy what happens next!
When Jake got the call it was close to midnight and he had been dead asleep, sprawled haphazardly across the double-size bed in the hotel room that had been his home for close to a week. Even in his groggy state he knew it had to be some sort of an emergency situation if someone from City Hall was calling him so late at night, and on a Sunday at that.
He had braced himself as he slid the unlock button on his phone, already expecting the worst. Yet and still nothing could have prepared him to hear the words that came next: Fitz had been shot and his condition was critical. They weren't even sure if he would make it through the night.
Jake was up on his feet and en route to the office in the blink of an eye. When he arrived he was briefed by the mayor's team on the details of the brutal and senseless attack, all of which left him more confused, stunned and worried than he had been originally.
They had called Jake in because the mayor was shaken up by the incident and demanding that his security be increased and tightened. Although it was still unclear what the motivation was behind the attack, if any, the mayor wanted to preemptively protect himself and simulataneously quell the fears of the public by presenting a 'firm on crime' stance in the morning's press conference. The plan was to minimize the incident by framing it as a random act which had taken place outside of the city limits, and was being handled by the authorities.
Somehow the mayor had pulled strings so that the story wouldn't break until the following morning's news cycle, allowing them a little time to prep for the press frenzy that would undoubtedly ensue. In the mean time, the mayor was requesting that someone visit the hospital to get a brief update on Fitz's outlook and try to wrangle a hopeful quote from a qualified representative, preferably the lead doctor.
Jake immediately volunteered because Fitz was his friend and he needed to see for himself how he was doing. At least that what he was trying convince himself was motivating him. Part of him, a larger part than he was willing to acknowledge, was desperate to see Olivia again. He wondered if she was hurt and if she was alone, if she was hysterical or calm.
It bothered him that she stuck in his mind, no matter how many times he reminded himself she belonged to someone else, his friend at that. Even after going out and getting his rocks off he still couldn't shake his infatuation, much to his dismay, so he had promised himself that he was going to stay away, far away, from her. Nevertheless, it seemed life was thrusting them together and he was going to seize the opportunity.
Jake arrived to a hospital alive with constant movement of patients, staff, and security, scrambling around hurriedly in a chaotically orderly fashion. It took some time, but after flashing his credentials to three different nurses, one finally was able to steal the head doctor away from his post for a moment to give him an update.
"Unfortunately, things are not so good Captain Ballard. Two bullets," he lectured as routinely as if he were discussing an everyday check up, "one through the clavicle, one through the cranium. The head wound exited cleanly, but there is a lot of swelling and bleeding in the skull. The remaining bullet is traveling and possibly causing nerve damage It's too early to determine what the permanent prognosis will be. He's currently being prepped for surgery so we can circumvent the damage, but it may be awhile before he's out of the woods."
"Well, thanks for being honest with me, but the mayor was hoping for something a little less...ominous. What's the most optimistic thing you can report about his condition? Can we hope for any changes anytime soon?"
"We are hopeful that his vitals will stabilize after the surgery if we can successfully alleviate some, if not most, of the pressure on his brain. However, it's still touch and go at this point. Once the lingering bullet is removed, it'll be more clear what kind of long term effects Mr. Grant is looking at, it's possible that he can come to and completely recover his faculties, with proper rehabilitation."
"Thank you, sir. Oh, and any word on his wife?"
"Examined by emergency responders on the scene, and determined to be physically unharmed. The family waiting room is just around the corner if you'd like to speak with her."
Jake extended his hand, "Once again, thank you for time Dr. McMillan."
Olivia was mindlessly pacing the room in circles, still clothed in her bloodied attire from the evening. Jake watched her from the doorway for a few moments and she didn't seem to take notice of his presence, her head clearly someplace far away. The despair and worry, amongst other emotions, were playing out on her face as she moved about the room on physical autopilot. He could tell her mind was racing a mile a minute and he felt bad for intruding, but he wanted to talk to her.
"Olivia?" he called out to get her attention.
She finally stopped and acknowledged him, but there was no hint of recognition in her eyes. "Yes?" she responded blankly.
He stepped into the room, "It's me, Jake."
"I know who you are. What are you doing here?"
"I heard about Fitz and I wanted to come see how he was doing. Everyone at City Hall is worried sick. What happened tonight? They're saying it was a carjacking, is that true?"
She flopped dejectedly onto the tan couch that spanned the back wall, "I already told the police everything."
"I know," he prodded softly, "but would you mind telling me?"
"I don't remember anything else," she replied sadly, staring straight ahead.
He crossed the room to sit down beside her, "I'm sorry, now isn't the right time. I won't push."
She turned to look at him and he swore he could feel his heart breaking, "Please tell me this is a bad dream? It has to be. This is not happening?"
"I wish I could tell you that, Olivia, but unfortunately it is. I know it's not much consolation, but the police are going to catch whoever did this and Fitz is going to be okay. I know he is," he tried to convince her as much as himself.
"You don't know that," she shook her head listlessly. "You don't know," she repeated, putting her head in her hands as she began to cry softly.
He wrapped an arm around her trembling shoulders to comfort her, the quivers from her cries sending vibrations up his arm that made his hair stand on end. He tried to pull her closer to him but her body remained stiff, so he moved over to close the distance instead, the scent of her hair filling his nostrils.
God, she smells amazing, he thought to himself, even though he felt like a jackass for noticing at a time like this. The skin on her arms felt like silk beneath his finger tips, and as much as he was trying to fight it, he couldn't help but wonder how it would feel beneath his lips. As if she could sense his inappropriate thoughts, she pulled away, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"I'm fine," she mumbled through her sobs.
"You shouldn't be by yourself at a time like this. Do you want me to stay with you?" he offered.
"No, really, I'm fine. I'm okay," she insisted.
"Are you sure? Is there someone I could call-"
"Honestly, it's okay, really. I'm not in the mood for company right now. No offense."
"I understand. We all deal in our different ways. Don't hesitate to call me at any time, for anything. I'm a great listener."
"Thanks."
He left her there, kicking himself as he entered the elevator and only realized then that she didn't have his number.
Huck sat in his room in utter disbelief just as morning was beginning to dawn upon them. He always rose before daybreak, executing army-approved push ups until his mid-section was sore, preferring only the local news for background music. He was no where near close to his limit when a familiar name in the broadcast caused him to freeze mid-crunch.
Huck refused to believe his ears the first time he had heard the newscast, so he listened to the report six times, on four different channels, until it finally sunk in. He held each one in his mind, comparing and contrasting them for disparities that would soothe his rising nausea. However it was getting harder to question the authenticity of the story when each network was reporting the same thing: random carjacking, shooting, Fitz in critical condition and no suspects in custody.
He didn't know whether to feel anxious or relieved that there was little mention of Olivia and part of him wanted to hold out in hopes of hearing more about her. He was praying that it was intentional oversight since her lack of injury wouldn't add to the sensationalism of the story, but he couldn't be sure. Thirty-five minutes had passed when he gave up on getting more detailed information about her and decided it was past time to wake up Harrison. It was clear to him at that point that the news wasn't going to tell him anything more and he couldn't put it off any longer.
Harrison was his partner in crime and he knew him like the back of his hand, but in this matter he was uncertain of what his reaction would be. Olivia was Huck's friend, but she was Harrison's family and closer to a sister than a cousin to him and if she was hurt there was going to be hell to pay.
He followed the familiar route to Harrison's room and knocked on the door, the sound of Harrison's boisterous snores oozing through the walls.
Huck cracked the door, "Yo!" he raised his voice to an urgent level, "Harrison, get up!"
Harrison's snores were broken up by a short grunt as he turned over in his only slightly disturbed slumber.
Huck entered the room and flicked on the light without warning, "Seriously, dude, wake up."
"Huh, what the hell man?" he grumbled sleepily, "what time is it anyway?"
"It's almost six," he huffed back, "we really need to talk."
"And it couldn't wait until after I woke up? What's wrong?"
Huck sighed, "I need you to promise me you'll remain calm."
The sleep vanished from Harrison's voice and he sat up in his bed, "Tell me what happened."
"I'm not really sure how to tell you,-"
"Just give it to me straight."
"It's Fitz. He was jacked last night and got shot. Doesn't sound good. The news is reporting that he's in 'serious' condition."
"Shit, what about Olivia?!"
"She was with him, but I don't know anything else."
"Shit, do you think-?!"
"If she was hurt, they would've reported it, I suspect. But they really only discussed Fitz."
"Which hospital?"
"Boston General."
"I am going to kill them, whoever is responsible for this shit," he seethed.
"Dead men walking."
"Glad we're on the same page. I know Liv is going crazy right now, she needs us."
"I know, I honestly can't believe this shit. Hurry up and get dressed, we need to get over there, now."
Olivia wasn't sure how long she had been sitting there in that same position Jake had left her in when she felt firm hands on her shoulder. When he had left she had briefly considered going back to pacing until fresh sobs welled up in her throat, zapping all of her energy.
She wondered what time it was as she looked up, surprised to find light filtering through the blinds and Harrison and Huck now occupying the room alongside her. They were talking, at least their lips were moving, but she couldn't make sense of what they were saying. Her head was spinning. It felt like someone had kicked her in the stomach with steel toed boots and then punched her in the face, and if another person asked her how she was doing she was going to scream.
Everything was wrong and she couldn't imagine how anyone could fix their lips to say things would be okay when her Fitz, her sun and moon, was laying lifelessly on some operating table and no one could tell her when or if he would ever be getting up.
Their voices were drowned out by the sounds of the scene replaying in her head, over and over again.
One minute he was casually pulling over to check out a malfunctioning headlight, the next minute three men were surrounding him. Olivia had tried to get a good look at the car and the guys, but the glare of their high beams in the mirror made it hard to see. Somehow, even though she couldn't hear the conversation, her gut was screaming that something was not right. This was the moment she has been dreading since she had awoke earlier that morning and it was worse than anything she could have imagined.
Before she could think better of it, she was exiting the car and walking towards the group of men. Sitting in the car just waiting was making her feel helpless and she was scared for Fitz out there by himself. There was nothing, physically, she could do to help but she didn't want him to be alone, either. She had tried to ask what was wrong, but his only response was to tell her to get back in the car and she knew it was just a matter of time.
After that everything seemed to happen so quickly. Not more than thirty seconds from her door closing she heard one pop and then another. Olivia flew out of the vehicle towards him, not caring about her own well being. His body was crumpled on the ground and two men were fleeing toward the car that was pulled up behind them. She was confused when she heard the car rev to life and pull off and then saw the lights from Fitz's car taking off behind it.
Olivia didn't have time to focus on that, though, because Fitz was in her arms, bleeding profusely and choking on his own blood. She was holding him, trying to will herself not to panic and keep him from going completely unconscious, but she was failing. She almost panicked when she realized her phone was in the car, but luckily Fitz's phone was in his suit pocket. She dialed 911 as the tears blinded her eyes, praying that the love of her life didn't die in her arms.
She came back into the moment and Huck was watching her quietly and carefully, while Harrison goaded her for answers about the night's happenings.
She knew he was trying to comfort and support her, asking questions to gather information so they could track down the perps, but really she just wanted peace to bask in her sorrow. Harrison usually knew when to back off but the questions were beginning to feel overwhelming and relentless.
"Olivia, look, maybe you should go home? Get a little rest? Change?" Harrison fired off.
"Are you crazy?" she snapped in disbelief.
"Huh?" he asked, clearly taken aback.
"I said, are you crazy? My husband is on an operating table, probably about to die, and you're asking me about changing clothes. Does it look like I care about what I'm wearing right now?"
"No."
"Then please, let me be for just one second. All I need right now is silence, can you please just do that for me?" she rasped.
Harrison sighed and sat back in his seat and Huck averted his gaze, giving her the outer quiet that she needed to deal with the overwhelming loudness inside of her brain.
An hour later, the doctor informed Olivia that she could see Fitz, but only for a few minutes. She was led into a small, private room, completely still except for the beeping machines that Fitz was hooked up to and dependent upon. She barely recognized him, his head and chest wrapped in bandages and his the rest of his body hidden beneath the hospital sheets.
She numbed herself and took her mind someplace else so she wouldn't buckle and fold onto the cold tiled floor.
"He's still unconscious, Mrs. Grant, but it's okay if you want to touch him, to hold his hand. The surgery was successful in extracting the bullet, but we may need to go back in to follow up."
"When will he wake up?" she managed to squeak out without crying.
"I...we can't predict that, unfortunately. It could be hours, days, or longer. But I promise you that we are doing everything we can and his vitals have improved." She nodded and he continued, "He is under close supervision and will require a high level of care. For that reason we can only allow families to stay in the room for five minutes every hour. As his condition progresses, we can allow you more time. I'll leave you alone with him."
Olivia moved to his bedside and looked down at him, hating how the tubes and wrappings made him look so small and broken. Even with the doctor's blessing she was afraid to touch him for fear of somehow getting entangled in the tubular mess and unhinging something important.
"Baby," she whispered, hoping beyond hope that this was all some long, cruel dream and he would open his eyes and she would wake up.
She grabbed his hand, "Fitz...can you hear me? I'm here and I'm not leaving, I promise baby. Even if I'm not in this room, I'm right down the hall. You're stronger than this, you're gonna make it, okay?" she choked out, her tears falling in a torrent onto their intertwined hands. "Please don't leave me, Fitz," she pleaded quietly.
Looking down at him Olivia didn't care if she never ate, showered or slept again, she was not leaving, not when any minute could be his last. No, she could never leave him.
"Hi Quinn, when did you get here?" Olivia asked in a haze, genuinely confused as to when the young woman had appeared beside her.
"About an hour ago. I came Monday morning, and yesterday, too, but you didn't seem much in the mood for conversation."
"Yeah," she replied, turning her eyes back to the linoleum floor.
Was it really Wednesday? she pondered in awe to herself. Olivia was running on fumes. She was so tired and keeping track of the time was the last thing on her mind because her body was reeling from the lack of sleep and stress. One of the guys had gone to her apartment so she could change out of her stained dress, but she still hadn't showered and she had no intentions of moving from her post anytime soon.
That was until she felt a hand gripping hers and she looked up to find Quinn smiling disarmingly sweetly at her, "Come on, let's go grab something to eat downstairs, Liv. Just the two of us."
"Okay," Olivia replied, allowing her take the lead. Now that she thought about it, her last real meal was Sunday night and since then she'd only consumed sweetly flavored cups of coffee and a couple of bananas, all other attempts at eating had failed. Anxiety was currently occupying her stomach and there didn't seem to be room for much else.
The twosome entered the small hospital lunchroom and Olivia grabbed a simple selection of a buttered roll and a bottle of water, hoping she could keep it down.
They sat at the red and blue checkered table quietly, and she could feel Quinn's eyes on her.
"I'm sorry, Olivia," Quinn started.
She sighed, "So am I."
"I know you've been through a lot these past couple of days and I can only imagine what's running through your mind. Fitz is a good person, he didnt deserve that."
Olivia just nodded and picked at her roll.
Quinn leaned in, "I need to tell you something."
Olivia's ears perked up at that, "Something like what?"
"The other day Billy Chambers stopped by Fitz's office without an appointment, demanding to be seen and that has been on my mind. Billy used to have Fitz's job and water cooler talk is that he's super bitter about it. I don't know what happened to cause him to lose his position, but part of me thinks he blames Fitz."
"You think he had something to do with this?"
"I mean, I don't know for sure, but things got heated between them in his office. Voices were raised and the meeting didn't last longer than a few minutes, which really made me wonder. Nothing moves that quickly in politics. Shit, it takes most of the councilmen twenty minutes to decide which side of their bagel they'd like their butter on. But anyways, when he left he completely ignored my presence and I could swear I heard Bill mutter something like, 'he'll learn.'"
Olivia's wheel began to turn, "He was at the banquet that night, too. Right before we left he and Fitz came out of the bathroom within moments of one another. I only remember because I remember wondering why Billy looked so smug and Fitz looked so irritated. Right after that Fitz decided we should leave instead of waiting for the closing remarks.I wonder if they spoke to each other."
"Suspicious as hell! See, I didn't know what to do with the information, but I'm glad I came to you. I considered going to the cops, but I thought they would laugh at me but I thought you should know. Not everything is as it seems, and I want you to be safe."
After talking with Quinn, Olivia felt suddenly claustrophobic. She needed to get out from the white walls of the hospital, her head was spinning and she needed to lay down.
As soon as they crossed the threshold to the apartment Olivia regretted her decision of coming there. She was overwhelmed by the smell of his scent still lingering in the air, the sight of a pair of his shoes discarded by the door, the fire red couch that he loved so much, his framed painting on the wall. It was too much, it was choking her. She opened her mouth to speak but felt the tears welling up in her eyes and the sobs choking her throat. She left Huck standing in the living room as she rushed down the hall to their bedroom, closing the door forcefully behind herself to escape.
Except it was worse here. The light blue tie he had originally planned to wear was strewn across the bed, reminding her of the blue of his eyes that she might never see again. Olivia knew she was in desperate need of a shower because she hadn't had one in almost seventy-two hours, but she was afraid of the feelings that being in their bathroom would drudge up and she was barely able to keep the tears at bay as it stood.
In many ways, it seemed like her whole life had begun in that bathroom: it was where she had first ever touched him, the place where they had kissed for the first time, where his marriage proposal had taken place.
She looked in the mirror and saw herself crying and was angry with herself. She knew it had been too good to be true, that someone like Fitz could love someone like her and they would live happily ever after. Impossible. She should have known the bottom was going to fall out sooner than later, it always did.
Huck was staring at the ceiling instead of sleeping and trying to clear his head. It had been a long few days and he was feeling a mix of emotions which bothered him. He was used to being numb but a sense of sadness was awakened in him in that hospital. Olivia and Harrison were the closest people to him, and now Fitz was a part of that circle too, and someone had violated his circle. That was uacceptable.
When Huck had first met the older man he didn't trust him and his initial determination was that the guy was way too old for Olivia. Knowing this, he had searched and searched for Fitz's ulterior motive, but found none. Seeing the two of them together he realized that Fitz actually truly loved her and was willing to do whatever it took to protect her and keep her happy, so he softened to the man. Olivia had gone through a lot and Huck felt she deserved someone who loved her unconditionally, and Fitz seemed to be that guy.
The more time the four all spent together, he and Harrison had come to agree that Fitz was one of the good guys. As much as he abhorred small talk, he felt comfortable in his presence, and liked having him around. He was family now. And someone had tried to kill him.
Huck could tell that Olivia was on the brink of losing it and he was worried for her mental health. Another thing that was bothering him was the way the whole incident was being spun in the media. Something stunk and he planned to leave no stone unturned. Someone, in fact he bet a number of someones, was going to pay.
But for now he was trying to think of a way to push Olivia's sobs that were coming from down the hallway back from the forefront of his consciousness, but he was failing. She had been weeping uncontrollably since the door had closed behind her over three hours ago. He wanted to give her space to grieve, but he also wasn't sure how much longer he could listen to her cries before he lost it.
Huck got up and started off down the hallway towards the room, hoping he would be able to find the right words to comfort her. He knocked but got only more sobs for a response, so he opened the door. Olivia was balled up in one corner of the bed, crying into what appeared to be one of Fitz's t-shirts.
He laid on the bed beside her and the words came out before he could think about them. "When I was a kid, my family lived in a huge green house on the end of our street. We had a pool, so I thought we were rich. There were six of us altogether, including my mom and dad, and I was the youngest for a long time. When I was seven, my parents told me we were having a baby and I was so excited. My dad told me I was going to have a little sister now, and as a big brother it was going to be my job to protect her. They named her Annabelle after my maternal grandmother. I can still remember the day she was born."
"When they brought her home she was so tiny and little and perfect. I was nervous but they let me hold her. I never knew what he did, my father, but he would go away for work for weeks at a time, often, so I tried to help...changing diapers, watching her while my mom showered, just basic stuff. If she was crying she would always stop when I sang to her. She was perfect."
"A couple of weeks after my eighth birthday, my dad came home after being away for over a month. He usually brought gifts and laughter and cheer to the house after being gone for so long, but this time was way different. He seemed visibly tense and nervous. He just up and told us we were moving in two days, no warning. The worst part was that the girls were going to be leaving with my mom and us boys were supposed to go stay with my grandparents. I was so angry- I screamed, I threw a tantrum, broke things. I didn't want to be split up and I didn't understand why we had to be, but no one seemed to care how I felt about it."
"The day before we were set to depart, I was playing with Anna upstairs in her crib and I heard a commotion in the living room. Door slams open, screaming, popping noises, more screaming. I heard people on the steps and I went into panic mood. Rolled under the small space beneath the crib and pressed myself up against the wall. I could hear them moving through the adjacent bedrooms, trashing things, and I was sure that they were gonna bypass us. But then she started crying. Before I could blink the men were busting in the room and in my eight year old mind, I thought, no way anyone would hurt a baby. Maybe me, but not a baby girl, she couldn't even talk yet...Next thing I heard was a pop and then her crying stopped."
Olivia looked at him in horror, her eyes wide with shock. She was unable to find words to speak so he just continued,"I could hear them on their walkie talkies, screaming 'there's supposed to be one more, there's supposed to be one more,' but they were running out of time."
Huck sighed, "I laid under that bed for what felt like an eternity after they had long been gone. I don't know what scared me more, the thought that they might still be in the house laying in wait to kill me, or having to face my baby sister's dead body. I'm not sure how much time elapsed until the police came, but I know it was dark and I was soaked in piss. I'll never forget the stench of the blood and urine melding together in the air."
"Anyway, they took me to the precinct where I was turned over to some guy who said he was a coworker of my father's and he told me the real deal. My dad was CIA and he had infiltrated a terrorist cell and been discovered. The higher ups told him he was on his own to deal with fall out and boom. My whole family gone. He took pity on me, though, convinced them to put me in protective custody because they knew the guys would come looking to tie up loose ends. As long as anyone knew who I was and who my father was, I would never be safe. Unfortunately that 'anyone' included me, so before I could be placed with a family I had to be "re-educated," which basically amounts to being brainwashed."
"I don't know what they did, or how they did it, or for how long, but I can't recall my family's faces, no matter how hard I try. I couldn't tell you what street, or city, or state that green house was in. I know Huck isn't my real name, but for the life of me, I couldn't tell you what my birth name was. I don't even remember my brothers' and sisters' names, except for Annabelle. As hard as they tried, I could never, ever forget her, and every night, whether I have a dream or a nightmare, I hear the shot that killed her. Every. Night."
"Huck- I'm sorry, I-"
"Olivia, I'm not telling you feel sorry for me, or to make it a competition to see whose had the harder life. Just know that in some ways, I understand. Since the day we met I could always see the sadness in you. Loss has a way of damaging us, irrevocably. People will tell you it's going to be okay, but it won't, and it may not ever be. Harrison is used to being your rock and fixing you, but on a fundamental level, he can't relate to people like us. He doesn't know what it's like to wake up one day and have the rug ripped out from beneath you. To have everything you know and love taken from you in a second and be completely powerless. To be completely shattered and have to try to put yourself back together again. Hopefully, he never will. As much as he hates his parents, they're alive, and they're his to hate. If he changes his mind, he has the option. But for you and I, this little circle is all we have, so we have to protect it. Protect them. Those who haven't lived it will never understand."
She nodded, "I don't know if I can take losing him, Huck."
"You can't and you won't. Fitz is a fighter and he is in the hospital fighting for his life, and we can't give up on him. I won't let you give up on him. It's too late for me and I'm okay with that, but you, Olivia, you've got a chance. Don't let life turn you cold. Don't succumb to the darkness and let it break you. It's not over til it's over. You have to channel it or it will destroy you."
"Is that why you do what you do?" she asked.
"I think so. When I'm...fixing, I feel alive. Not the mind numbing coldness that I've had to employ to keep life from destroying me. Sometimes it feels like I'm chasing ghosts. I know I'll probably never find the people who murdered my family, so I'm content to take out assholes like them. I wonder sometimes, who would I have been if I had never heard that shot? It would have still hurt, but somehow I think I could have recovered more normally. I guess it doesn't matter any more, though. Tell me something, Liv, do you think what happened Sunday night was about the car?"
"No, definitely not."
"Me neither. Whatever is going on, this is deeper than what meets the eye, and I want to handle these motherfuckers. They can't get away with this."
"Me too, but I don't know where to start. The police-"
"Man, fuck the police. They're in on it, too, I bet. They should have already been all up and through here, and in Fitz's office, checking everything to see if there's even the slightest possibility that someone had it out for him. A shot to the head and chest sounds premeditated, not really like grand theft auto gone wrong. But they're fixated on framing it this way and there's a reason why. Someone is giving the orders to run with this carjacking story, it's on every channel. It's too streamlined. They did the same thing with my family, said it was a burglary. Somebody has something to hide and I want to find out what."
"Me too."
He nodded, "I thought you would. Is Fitz's laptop here?"
"He has one here and one at work, too."
"We need to get our hands on that computer. Do you know what he was last working on?Anything out of the ordinary?"
"He was pushing for a block against this company trying to backdoor some land from Harvard through the city. You know, Quinn says she heard something strange, too. A guy named Billy Chambers came into his office and he was being hostile, walked out looking pissed. She has access down there and she's good with computers...she might be willing to help us."
"Can we trust her?"
"My gut is telling me yes, but I don't know for sure."
"I would trust your gut."
When Olivia opened the door, Quinn was smiling nervously at her and her boyfriend was behind her. "Hey Liv, I hope you don't mind me bringing Stephen along? He knows a few things I thought could be of use to us."
"Sure, it's totally fine."
She led the couple to the sofa where Huck and Harrison were already sitting, "Okay, so before we get started, I just wanted to say thank you guys for being here for me. I know I haven't been very outwardly responsive, but I don't know where I would be right now without you all. It really means a lot to me. We're all here meeting because we care about Fitz and we know in our hearts this attack was not a carjacking, nor was it random. Unfortunately, Fitz has landed in someone's political crosshairs and whoever he pissed off wanted him gone by any means necessary. Luckily for us, Fitz is strong and fighting for his life, but I want to do something about these murderers and bring them down. It's clear that the police are either in their pocket or extremely obtuse and will not let go of this car angle, so that's why we're here. Quinn, do you want to tell everyone what you overheard?"
"Okay, well, first thing's first, I was able to access Fitz's office and collect the laptop in question," she handed the computer to Olivia who passed it to Huck. "The Friday before the banquet, Billy Chambers came by Fitz's office requesting to be seen without an appointment and when they were talking it sounded heated. I didn't hear anything specific, but my instinct is telling me that he has something to do with it. I'm pretty sure I heard him mumble 'he'll learn,' on his way out."
"I'm gonna jump in here," Stephen spoke up, "because I know a little something about City Hall. My masters is in Public Policy and Urban Planning, and I have spent quite a lot of time down there. I was really interested to see the security side of public policy, and how that affects the flow. Anywho, one of the dopey guards opened the wrong door by mistake and I saw a room full of screens, footage not of public spaces, but offices. I only got a quick look, but I'm willing to bet all of them are under surveillance, even the mayor. I got to know the dope a little bit better since it piqued my interest and after a few drinks the guy gave me the scoop. Apparently, the NSA has new software called Thorngate which is currently being employed in all the major government offices across the nation and god only knows where else, or why. But I was thinking, if somehow we can hack the system, Billy and Fitz's meeting should be on there and we can see what really went down, amongst other things."
"Wow, this is serious shit," Harrison huffed. "Sounds like some Orwellian, 1984 type shit. Huck do you think you could handle that?"
"I think so, but who knows how long it could take, especially with government level firewalls and coding, it could be days, weeks even to crack it."
"I could help," Quinn spoke up, "I've been hacking since I was ten, not this level of stuff, but I'm willing to learn. If you want an extra set of eyes and ears."
Huck eyed her curiously for a second as if he were wondering if she would be a hindrance instead of a help, "Okay, fine. Liv, do you mind if we work in Fitz's study?"
"Not at all, while you guys are doing that, the three of us can do some digging on Billy and this vote Fitz was working on. If we can find some kind of connection there, we can be sure we're not wasting time looking into the surveillance cameras."
Harrison grabbed the documents assigned to him, "I'm gonna take these back to my post at the hospital. I'll be back to get you in a couple hours, Liv," and at that Huck and Quinn started off down the hall and Stephen began flipping through the papers.
"Harrison?" she called out after him as he moved to gather his jacket and scarf.
"Yeah?"
"I...I wanted to apologize. I snapped at you at the hospital and I shouldn't have. I know you were just trying to help."
"Already forgotten, Liv. I know how you operate and I was being pushy when I should've backed off. It's nothing. I love Fitz too and I was worried, scared, all that. I tried to jump into gladiator mode to avoid feeling helpless."
She smiled, "Fitz loves you too, Harrison."
"We're not going to let these assholes get away with this. With all of us working together, it's only a matter of time. Once we find out who was driving that car, or get that footage, I know it won't be long."
"Speaking of cars, I was wondering if you could help me with something?"
"Anything, what's up?"
"Well, my cell was in the car when the guys took off, so I kinda need someone to take me to get a new one."
"For sure, whenever you're in the mood to go."
"One more thing, though. Since Fitz's car is God knows where, I was wondering if you could maybe help me get another one?"
"Another what? A car?" he rasped in disbelief.
"Yeah," she gave him a crooked smile.
"For Fitz, or for you?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"For me, silly."
"I thought you didn't do cars?"
"I don't. I didn't. But desperate times call for desperate measures. As much as you guys are a great support system, I know you all have your own lives and stuff. It's unfair to expect you guys to play the role of my personal chauffeur, especially when we don't have a timeline on his recovery. I hope Fitz's condition improves, but whether it does or doesn't, I need to be there at the hospital and able to get back and forth at a moment's notice, independently."
"Look at my Liv, all grown up. Wish it was under better circumstances, but this is a good move. We're gonna have you whipping around like a boss in no time," he grinned.
Over the next four days the group fell into somewhat of a routine. Olivia was super appreciative of how the four of them had effectively put their lives on hold to support her in her time of need. Although she still spent the bulk of her time at the hospital, she felt less guilty leaving to shower, rest and research for a few hours out of the day, knowing that Huck, Harrison, Quinn or Stephen would be there in her place in case anything happened.
Even so, for as much as she willed herself, she found it impossible to sleep for more than an hour and had completely given up on attempting to occupy their bedroom. Everything in there was him and it was just too hard, emotionally. She hated the way the bed seemed to swallow her up without Fitz in it. One of the crew was always home with her, so she took her catnaps in the living room, feeling less lonely and vulnerable in their presence.
This particular morning Harrison and Stephen were at the hospital and Huck and Quinn were locked up in Fitz's study. Huck liked the heavy drapes that closed out the sunshine and the two of them seemed to lose track of the time as they hammered away at the complex coding of the government software. Huck had brought over and set up five of his own computers and the two of them took breaks pretty much only to eat and visit Fitz.
Olivia was fifteen minutes into her nap when she heard the unusual sound of Huck's voice raised in cheer, "WE'RE IN! WE'RE IN!"
She heard the study door fly open and Quinn's voice ring out down the hallway, "OLIVIAAA! GREEN LIGHT, COMEEE!"
She was bolting down the hallway at lightning speed and when she entered the room Huck was expertly punching the keyboard so quickly that she wasn't sure how he could be certain he was pressing the correct buttons.
"You guys are in?!" Olivia exclaimed in disbelief.
"Yup, now, Quinn read me the date/time code sequence for Fitz's office."
Quinn read off the numbers and Olivia saw Huck's face screw up quizzically when the screen flashed to Fitz reading instead of meeting with Billy like they knew he had been at the time.
"What the hell?" he mumbled, punching in the sequence again. "It's not here, it's not fucking here."
"Here, try this," Quinn read off another code, "it's an hour beforehand."
As soon as the last of the numbers were entered, Fitz popped up on the screen, reading papers over in earnest and sipping a bottle of water. It was like the twilight zone to see him on the monitor, peaceful and serene, completely unawares of how his life was going to be turned upside down in the days to follow.
"Fast forward," Olivia requested, the sight of Fitz making her sick with sadness.
They watched the tapes and the stills moved seamlessly, but the three of them kept their eyes glued to the numbers on the bottom right hand side of the screen.
"It's been erased," Quinn declared while pointing at the monitor, "the time stamp jumps ahead thirty minutes after he turns the page on the document he was reading. Whoever does the archives is good, if you weren't looking for it, you'd never even notice."
"Shit, now what?"
"Now, we know we're on the right path. No one would go through the hassle of deleting and threading scenes together unless there was something to hide, something people might look into."
"We should go to the hospital, catch the boys up on what we've learned and reformulate the plan."
"Okay, just give me like ten, fifteen minutes. I really should try to do something with my hair, I'm sure it hates me after what I've been putting it through."
"Bet," Huck replied, "I'm gonna run to the Starbucks across the street and go get the car warmed up. I'll pull it around and you can meet me down there. You coming with me, Quinn?"
"Sure."
"Alright, Liv, we'll be right in front of the Starbucks."
"Sounds like a plan."
Olivia was five minutes into her hair when the intercom went off. She ran to answer it, thinking it must've been Quinn or Huck who had forgotten something in their haste.
Olivia pressed the button and spoke into the mic, "Yes?"
"I have a Captain Jake Ballard to see you, Mrs. Grant."
Terrible timing, she groaned to herself. "Thank you, Hal, you can send him up," she conceded, not wanting to be rude to Fitz's friend.
Jake had butterflies in his stomach as he ascended in the elevator. He had spent over a half an hour at the florist agonizing over choosing the perfect flowers. He wanted to select something special and out of the ordinary, something as beautiful, and unforgettable as Olivia was to him.
When he laid eyes on the oddly shaped, orange and blue petals, he knew they were perfect for her. It wasn't much, but he hoped it would at least make her smile for a moment, a small escape from her sadness. He had wanted to see her again before now and had tried, but after that first night she was never alone again. He had discovered that the two young men flanking her were a cousin and friend, but he was uncomfortable making his presence known to them. He knew they were friendly with Fitz, and him showing up with flowers would probably set off alarms, and he didn't need that.
It was just Jake's luck that he hadn't given up lurking across the street in his car long enough to catch the friend and Fitz's assistant crossing the street to Starbucks. He moved quickly, not wanting to chance missing this opportunity.
Now, he was nervous. What if she doesn't like them? Or worse, sees right through me and tells me off for pushing up on her while she's vulnerable? Too late to turn back now, he reminded himself.
As the door to the elevator opened, he could see she was at the door waiting for him, her eyes immediately drawn to the beautiful bouquet he had in hand. "Hi Jake, I wasn't expecting you," her tone indicating that it was more of a question than a statement.
"Oh um, I'm sorry, I happened to be in the neighborhood. I would have called first but I don't have your number. I just wanted to see how you were holding up. I brought these for you," he offered the flowers out to her. "May I come in for a sec?"
"Wow, for me? Thank you, they're absolutely beautiful. Come on in, I've never seen these before, what are they called?" she asked over her shoulder as he followed her in and closed the door.
"They're called Bird of Paradise," he replied watching her ass as she stretched on her toes to place the floral arrangement on a shelf. "I'm glad you like them. It's not much, but my mom always said beautiful flowers lift the spirits. How are you feeling?"
"I'm doing okay, as best as can be expected I guess. It's really stressful and scary, but I'm hoping for the best and trying to be positive."
"Good. I know Fitz, he's strong and he's going to pull through. I can feel it."
She gave him a weak smile, "I hope you're right. Thanks for checking up on me, and for the flowers, I appreciate it."
He stepped closer and gazed at her knowingly, "It's my pleasure. I'm spending a lot of time at City Hall, things are hectic, but just know that if you need anything, you can call me. Anytime."
She sighed, "Well, what I really need is for Fitz to wake up and hold me, but I don't think you can do that, huh?"
He tried not to groan audibly, "No, Olivia, unfortunately not."
She paused for a second and he could see her wheels turning. "Are you sure there's nothing else?" he asked hopefully.
She shifted on her feet, "Umm, there is one thing, but actually, on second thought, I probably shouldn't ask."
"What?" the hope rose up in him again, "Why shouldn't you?"
"It's highly inappropriate, just forget that I said anything."
"Olivia, you can ask me anything. What's up?"
"Okay, it's just...You manage the security administration down there at City Hall, right?"
"Right."
"So you're aware of the audio/video surveillance software called Thorngate installed in every office?"
He crossed his arms, "Olivia, how exactly do you know about that?"
"Not important, I just do. What I really need to know is if there are physical copies of the footage or is what exists in the digital archives all?"
"Olivia-"
"Jake, yes or no?"
He sighed, "Every day someone from the team reviews the previous day's data, which is encoded on a disk. Any damaging or confidential contents are deleted before it's added to the digital archives, but the captures do exist in it's original form on the hard drive. Only a few people have access to it."
"Do you?"
"You should tell me what this is all about before I give you anymore information."
"There is footage of Fitz's office missing from the digital archives from a meeting he took with Billy Chambers. I don't know why, but it's been erased, and I need that video."
"What? How the hell did you even get into the digital network? That's federally created and encrypted software, the database is monitored by the NSA, no one should be able to hack that. This is a major breach of homeland security, who are you working with?" he demanded.
She sighed, "I knew I shouldn't have asked. Never mind. Look, someone is actually waiting for me downstairs, I should go."
Jake froze. He knew if he left it like this between them she would never call him, things would be awkward and he wouldn't have an excuse to see her again, alone. He knew what he had to do. He breathed deeply before speaking, "Look if I do this, no one can ever find out, like, ever. Not even Fitz."
She smiled and his heart began to flutter, "Oh my god, seriously? You would do that for me?"
"Yeah, sure, but just this once and after this we can never discuss this again. I would be in the hospital next if anyone ever found out. That's how serious it is. The National Security Administration is not a joke."
"I promise you, this is between us. I won't tell a soul. Shake on it?"
He smiled, taking her hand in his, "Deal."
His spirits were flying high from the sensation of her skin between his and the idea of there being a secret between just the two of them, something not even Fitz could share. He smirked, "I'll be in touch."
Olivia entered the hospital room for what felt like the millionth time. She should have been used to it already, the sight of him laying there motionless, but it still broke her heart every time.
Initially, she'd been granted only five minutes to visit with him each hour, which was torturously short. Over the course of the days, however, as his vitals slightly improved, she'd been given more time. Now, she was up to twenty minutes undisturbed, and his latest room change seemed to be for the better.
This room was a little less dreary than the last two, the pale gray walls a welcomed change from the stark, sterile white that reminded her eerily of nothingness and death. His window also allowed for direct sunlight, and the bright winter rays that poked through the venetian blinds made her mood a little less sad and a little more hopeful.
Some of the bandages had been cut away so that Fitz's hair was free for her to run her fingers through, and it felt like heaven to the touch. His usually conservative mane was now longer than she had ever seen it, but she liked it. It was human and distinct in this world of grays, blues and whites which dominated the hospital. No matter how unconscious he was, his body was still functioning and fighting, and his wild hair was symbolic of that.
She hated that the nurses pulled the covers so close about his neck, making him look so small and scared, but in the sunlight it wasn't so bad because it almost looked like he was sleeping.
There was a small space on the bed on his uninjured side and before she could stop herself she was crawling into it, she needed to feel him. She picked up his good arm and wrapped it around herself, trying to simulate his usual strong embrace. It was nowhere near close, but it was better than nothing, after missing his closeness for what felt like forever.
Her body moulded to his naturally, filling in the gaps so that where he ended, she began. She looked up at him, his eyelids shut tight, and stroked his eyelashes lightly. So many nights she had watched him sleep, the beautiful auburn hairs fluttering lightly in his dreams.
"I need you to come back to me, Fitz," she whispered to him. "I'm trying, I'm really trying to be strong, but I need you so bad it hurts." She placed her hand over his heart, "Our story only just got started, you can't leave me now. I'm supposed to give you eight babies, remember?" She felt the tears flowing involuntarily but it felt peaceful as she was drifting in his arms. "You promised me forever, Fitz, you promised me," she whispered in a hushed voice as she fell asleep.
Fitz woke up gasping for air and completely lost. He felt like he had been dreaming for years, and the last thing he remembered from the nightmare was that he was drowning in a red sea. His heart was racing and he felt scared. He blinked his eyes and tried to place himself, Where the hell am I?
He tried to swallow but there were foreign objects in his throat obstructing it. He moved his head slowly to look down at the pressure on his right hand side and it was Olivia. His heart slowed a bit, comforted by the sight of her sleeping in his arms. She was snoring lightly, which meant that she was exhausted, the bags under her eyes attesting to the fact. She must've been beyond tired if she was able to fall asleep in such an awkward position. He felt a pang of guilt when he saw the dried tear marks on her cheeks because he knew he had been the cause. He ran his fingers up and down her arm, wanting to wake her without startling her. She murmured and wriggled closer to him and he smiled.
He gave her arm a squeeze and her breathing changed so he knew she was rousing even though her eyes weren't open yet. Just as he did that the door was opening to reveal the doctor and his nurses coming in.
"Mr. Grant," he smiled, "you're awake."
The commotion caused by the footsteps and voices finally woke Olivia, and she stared down at his hand clasping her arm curiously, clearly in disbelief. She looked at the staff and doctors who pointed at Fitz and she looked up at him hesitantly.
"Fitz?" her eyes were as wide as saucers.
He nodded and tried to speak but it was garbled and the doctor spoke instead, "We'll need to remove those tubes before he'll be able to speak much. Mrs. Grant, would you mind giving us a few minutes to run some tests, and then he's all yours?"
Fitz answered and performed everything the doctors wanted in record time so he could have his Livi back, and minutes later she reappeared. She stared at him from the doorway as if she was seeing a ghost.
"Come," he said as he motioned to the bed and she was on him in moments. He wrapped his good arm as tightly as he could around her waist and she began sobbing into his chest.
"I was so scared, Fitz, I thought...I thought I'd never see your eyes again, or your smile, or hear your laugh. I thought I lost you," she wept.
"It's okay, sweetheart, I'm so sorry. I'm right here Livi, and I promise you, nothing can keep me from you," he whispered into her hair before pulling her face from his chest so he could kiss away her tears.
Fitz hated the hospital and the two long weeks he had been contained to his bed for was beginning to make him stir crazy. They were treating him like an invalid and it was driving him mad. On top of the fact that the menu was already limited, they always managed to screw up his order somehow, like putting in onions when he specifically requested none, or slathering ketchup on his eggs and other petty mistakes that, in the grand scheme of things shouldn't have enraged him as much as it did, but when you can't move, every bit of volition feels crucial. He was bored of television and not being able to get around was making him snappy at the nurses. It wasn't in his nature to go off on people, but he couldn't seem to help it.
When Olivia was around, it was easy to be in a good mood, but visiting hours were only from eight to eight, some of which she had to leave during for class and things, so he was frustrated. He had an odd inkling that she was spending nights in the family waiting room instead of going home because she was always there bright and early, but he didn't ask. He was happy that she was there with him, but he was beginning to worry about her rest and well being.
She had already came to sit with him for a couple of hours that morning, but it was noon when she reappeared in his room, smiling, "Hey baby, how you feeling?" she asked.
"Hey sweetheart, I missed you," he grinned up at her as she ran her fingers through his hair. "How was class?" he inquired innocently.
Her smile vanished, "I didn't go."
He moved over to make room for her small frame and patted the space beside him on the bed, "Why not?"
"Babe, I'm just totally losing steam. I tossed and turned all night and I was just so tired when the alarm went off, I felt like I had just fallen asleep. There was supposed to be a quiz today that I knew I wasn't prepared for, so I just skipped class entirely."
"Baby-"
"I know, I know, it was dumb."
"Livi, no, don't feel dumb. You're just tired. You've been through a lot these past few weeks and you need rest. I know you love me babe, you don't have to come here everyday and spend all your free time here. I won't be upset. I know you need time to sleep and study. This part of the semester can be crazy and you should be focusing on that. Don't worry about me, I'm fine. Maybe if you talk to your professor he'll let you take a makeup later this week."
"I was thinking about something," she gazed at him seriously, stroking his cheek.
"Something like what?" he asked, leaning in to kiss her.
She breathed in deep and brushed her lips against his lightly, "Like taking the rest of the semester off from school."
Fitz pulled back sharply, "What? Why would you do that?"
"Because I want to take you home."
"Olivia, no. Absolutely not."
"Fitz-"
"Livi, there's no way I could ask you to do that. No."
"Well, you didn't ask me, I want to do this. I've missed so much in school the past couple weeks, there's no way I can catch up and finish up the way I want to because my head is not in it. You're not happy here, Fitz, you think I don't see it? I want you home, but someone needs to be there with you, and I don't want it to be a stranger."
"It would be a trained health professional, that's not the same as a random stranger off of the street," he countered.
"I talked to some of the people here and our living room would work fine for a rehab specialist to come and work with you during the week if we move the furniture around, so instead of doing it here, you can just come home next week. Everything else I can help you with, we don't need someone else. Believe me, I asked."
"I am not about to let you drop out of school so you can be my home attendant, Livi."
"Babe, it's one semester. I'm not dropping out, plenty of people take time off, for various reasons. It's not the end of the world for me. If everything works out, maybe I can take classes during the summer and extra credits next year to still graduate on time. But whatever the case, I don't care if I have to stay in school a little bit longer, it's more than worth it to me."
"Honey, I just, I don't feel right about this," he shook his head to illustrate his displeasure.
"Let me do this for you Fitz, for us. It's one small sacrifice, and you've made so many for me." She took his face in her hands and kissed his forehead, then his nose, then his lips, "In sickness and in health, do you remember that part?"
"Of course I do," he whispered.
"Then come home with me, please. I don't want to be without you anymore. Don't make me beg," she gave him a small smile and she could see him softening to the idea.
"Are you serious about this?" he asked tentatively.
"I couldn't be any more serious if I tried. Harrison is helping me find a car so that I can get you back and forth to your appointments and anything else you'll need. I've got a list of the best physical therapists in the city that I'm working through, and now all I need is for you to say yes."
"But baby, you hate to drive."
"I do, but I'm going to get over it. I need you, Fitz, tell me you need me, too."
"I need you, baby, more than anything," he replied without hesitation.
"Then we're going home," she smiled.
A/N: okay, hope it wasn't tooo long! Tell me you think! Is Olivia doing the right thing by putting herself on hold? Asking Jake for favors? I love hearing your reactions lol!