So guess who finally freed the hostage chapter. I am so sorry for leaving you all hanging.

Let me know what you think of this update.

XoMariaXo

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Elizabeth waited behind her desk with bated breath for Henry's return. Unable to focus on any work, she allowed her mind to wander properly for the first time since she saw Henry at the restaurant. She thought back to what she has really seen: Blake's face falling, the woman's arm entwined with Henry's, Henry opening the car door for her, and placing his hand on her back as she got in, and that was it. She started to have serious doubts about what she thought was going on

Could I be wrong? Could she just be a friend? Could I really have just blown this whole thing out of proportion? Men and woman are allowed to be friends without there being more to it. Christ, Elizabeth, you have male friends with wives and husbands of their own.It looked platonic, so why didn't I go there rather than immediately suspect cheating?

Placing her head in her hands, she let the tears fall, frustrated with herself.

Henry has not given me any reason to doubt him; in fact, he has been nothing but a complete gentleman. If it had been about the sex, he would have let it go further on Friday night. I told him I trusted him. Do I trust him? Yes, I do trust him. I wouldn't have been able to say it otherwise.

"Oh my god, Elizabeth, what have you done?" She said aloud, chastising herself. She lay her head on her desk and sobbed, unable to control her emotions any longer. She didn't hear or notice Blake enter her office and come around to her side of the desk until he had her scooped into a hug. She tightened her grip on him and cried, annoyed at herself for crying but also comfortable enough with Blake to know she needed to let it out. Eventually loosening his hold on her, he walked them over to the sofa.

"Blake, I think I might have been wrong. What if I lose him over a stupid misunderstanding?" Elizabeth asked.

Pulling her into a side hug, Blake tried to reassure her as much as he could, "Elizabeth, you won't lose him. I feel it in my bones and you know how right I am about everything."

She let out a half laugh at his comment.

"He obviously has some very strong feelings for you. What other man comes to a meeting with popcorn and ice cream for you?"

Elizabeth looked at him, confused. "Huh? What do you mean popcorn and ice cream?"

Blake reached across the table, opened a cooler bag and pulled out a tub of ice cream and a bag of popcorn. "Supposedly, he handed these off to a member of staff and instructed they bring them to me when he had gone. He said I would know what to do with them. I swear Elizabeth that man has the smoothness of someone from a movie, he is an enigma, a one-in-a million find and I have faith that he will explain everything."

Elizabeth reached across for the ice cream. Opening it, she almost felt the coolness soothe her soul; he really did know her, she thought.

"You are right, Blake. I know in my heart that he will come back here with an explanation and that I am going to look like a total fool. I am ok with that, I deserve it but what if he doesn't forgive me for losing trust in him and for just thinking the worst? What if I have damaged us beyond repair? Trust is the basis of any relationship and they don't work unless it is there as a solid foundation."

"That is true, but trust is also earned and can be built back up. Have the faith that it will sort its self out, ok?"

She smiled at him meekly and reached for the popcorn to eat alongside her ice cream. Blake chuckled as he got up to leave. "That man had you sussed out in less time than it takes anyone to break through the Elizabeth Adams façade. I have no doubt you will both be ok." He walked out leaving Elizabeth alone with her thoughts, ice cream and popcorn.

An hour later, Henry called Blake ahead so he and his guest could be cleared through security. Riding up the elevator, Henry asked Blake quietly how Elizabeth was doing.

"She's ok, I think she has realised this all may have been a big misunderstanding," Blake returned lowly.

Henry fidgeted with his tie, adjusted his cufflinks and started running his fingers through his hair. He needed to keep moving. His sole purpose for the past 2.5 hours was to make sure that Elizabeth understood what she thought she saw was a compete misunderstanding. He had never felt this way about anyone in his entire life and the thought that she could believe he would do such a thing drove a knife right through his heart.

They exited the elevator and made their way towards Elizabeth's office.

"Henry, go straight on in," Blake instructed.

Elizabeth's head bounced up when she heard her door open; she felt like she was sitting on the edge of a cliff since Henry left, waiting for a gust of wind to push her over the edge. She immediately saw that he had THE woman with him and her breath hitched with worry and anticipation and her eyes darted between the woman and Henry.

"Madam Secretary, I would like you to meet Erin McCord, my sister," He said, using Elizabeth's formal title. He had not told Erin the real reason he was taking her to the State Department or why he was introducing her to Elizabeth. He wasn't sure if Elizabeth was ready for anyone to know about them, but, hopefully, there still was a them.

Elizabeth heard the words, 'McCord' and 'sister', and thought she might die from relief right there and then, but she had spent the best part of the last hour putting herself back together and putting her walls in place for protection. It was a coping mechanism she had used for years. Using self-control skills she had honed at the CIA, she regulated her breathing, her facial reactions and her tone. Henry had used her formal title so she played along. She got up from her seat and made her way around it to shake Erin's hand.

"Hello Miss McCord; it's very nice to meet you. Henry tells me that you have not been to DC before and you wanted to get a glimpse of the state department and White House. Henry will have to sort the White House tour, but we can certainly take a tour of the 7th floor if you would like?" Erin took her hand and shook it firmly and confidently, while Elizabeth hoped she had covered her surprise well enough.

"It's a real honour to meet you, Madam Secretary. I followed the news coverage of you since you became Secretary of State and I'm a huge admirer of your work. You are making some real changes, ruffling some feathers which was needed I might add. I must admit that I've been using you as an example for the teenage girls I teach to show them that your gender does not define your path. I really have to thank you for that."

"Thank you, Erin, that means more than you think. I really appreciate it."

"No problem, credit where credit is due. I just can't believe I am here. Henry hasn't stopped boasting about working with you. I couldn't say no when he asked if I wanted to meet you; I would love a tour but only if you are not too busy."

Elizabeth cocked an eyebrow at Henry and saw him blush slightly at Erin's mention of his boasting. Relief continued to ripple through Elizabeth's body as she spoke with Erin. All she wanted to do was to fall into Henry's arms and kiss him until she couldn't breathe but that had to wait.

Probably best Erin is here, I might have just taken him here and now in the office and that is not exactly very PC. Maybe another time...

Elizabeth toured Erin around the 7th floor and soon realised that she was very much like her brother and that she enjoyed her conversation with her immensely.

They started to make their way back to Elizabeth's office when Henry turned to Erin, "Sis, would you mind staying out in the waiting room for a few minutes? I have something I need to discuss with the Secretary before we leave."

"Of course, take your time. I'm in no rush, I'll just sit her and people watch."

Elizabeth and Henry both chuckled at Erin, aware they each enjoyed the pastime, but were probably not quite as open about it as she was.

As they made their way into her office, Elizabeth waited for Henry to close the door before pouncing on him, her lips crashing to his as she pulled him in for a feverish kiss. Henry responded, kissing her back with all that he had, trying to convey his relief that she understood her mistake. Eventually his brain came back into action and he pulled them apart, both breathless and wanting more.

"Elizabeth, we need to talk," He said as he put some distance between them. Elizabeth immediately noticed the shift in his body language and her heart leapt to her throat.

"Henry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I doubted you, please forgive me," She pleaded with him.

"Elizabeth, this isn't going to work out between us if you don't trust me."

The only words Elizabeth's brain processed were 'this isn't go to work out between us'. She thought she was going to pass out as she made her way to the sofa to sit down.

I can't believe this.

I can't believe I ruined the first good thing to come into my life.

I'm so stupid.

Oh God, what have I done?

Just then, she launched herself forward and ran into her private bathroom and emptied the contents of her stomach. Henry raced after her and held her hair back while rubbing her back. She stopped heaving and Henry poured her a glass of water from the sink, which she took gingerly while avoiding eye contact.

Great, not only does he not want anything to do with you, you also just lost any shred of dignity you had left. Great job Adams.

She got up from the floor and made her way back into the office after using some mouthwash, never making eye contact with Henry as she moved behind her desk. She needed the solid oak in front of her to catch her. She knew she was about to possibly watch the love of her life walk out the door and it was all her own doing; maybe the desk before her would stop her from running after him.

Henry watched Elizabeth intently. He was surprised at how she had reacted, but he needed to be truthful with her or this really was to going to work. Just as he was about to speak, Elizabeth jumped in, cutting him off.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Henry, but I understand. Like I said before, we can be cordial for work and put this down to one big mistake. It was lovely to meet Erin. I like her, she is you in female form. Please let her know she is welcome to visit again if she wishes."

She didn't know how she managed to say all of that without breaking down into a puddle on the floor. She was a strong independent woman, but she had never felt the way she felt for Henry before and it had knocked her for six, plus all the anguish of the last 24 hours, and she wasn't feeling like she had much of a grip on her emotions at the minute. However, she was proud of herself for not letting her feelings overtake her once again.

Henry watched and listened to her speech and was so confused that he stood routed to his spot, unable to comprehend what she was talking about. His brow furrowed and his mouth dropped open a little as he tried to find the words to portray his confusion. "Elizabeth, what are you talking about?"

Elizabeth was getting frustrated at the way Henry just stared at her like she was talking nonsense and she was even more confused when he spoke.

"Henry, you are the one who just said this wasn't going to work out. I am trying my very best to keep this professional, but can you please leave now so we can make this as easy as humanly possible?"

Suddenly Henry realised that Elizabeth had obviously only heard part of what he said, he made his way around her desk, bypassing the solid oak that separated them. Snaking his arms around her waist, he placed a small peck on her lips

"Henry, please don't, you're just making this harder," She pleaded, unsure how much longer she could do this before breaking.

"Elizabeth Adams, you did not listen to what I said. I didn't say this wouldn't work period. I said this wouldn't work if you don't trust me."

Realisation dawned on Elizabeth and she felt the floor almost give way as her legs turned to jelly, thankfully Henry's strong arms held her in place. "What? So you are not breaking it all off?"

"No, I'm not and I hope you don't want to either"

"No, I don't." She whispered.

"Good, but I am not going to lie to you. I am not ok with the lack of trust and communication you showed over the past day. If this is going to work, we both need to trust each other and, just as importantly, we need to communicate with each other. Otherwise, we will just have a repeat of this and, honestly, Elizabeth, I am not sure I could cope with this all over again. The past few hours have been among the hardest of my life. I need to know you truly trust me, that you are in this for the long haul, and that you are going to communicate with me instead of closing yourself off and thinking the worst."

Elizabeth took in his words and thought carefully about her response. She needed him to understand that she did trust him and she wanted a relationship with him.

"Henry, I am truly sorry for everything that's happened. I really do trust you and I can't fully explain why I reacted like that. I think I got scared because I had let you in and you became so important to me so quickly, that when I saw you with Erin, my self-preservation instincts kicked in and I closed myself off for fear of getting more hurt. I promise I am in this for the long haul, I want to be with you, I have never felt like this with anyone before. It might take time for you to properly forgive me and to build trust in our circle of two, but please, tell me you will try?"

Henry placed both hands on her face, holding her in place and looking deep into her eyes. "I promise," He whispered and connected their lips in a sensual kiss.

Breaking apart for air, they tangled themselves in a hug and snaked their arms around each other's body, holding that position for a couple of minutes, no words spoken but silent promises declared.

Neither was ready to disconnect and they wanted to remain in their circle of two. As they pulled apart, Elizabeth suddenly had an idea about how to prove to Henry she was serious about them and how much she trusted him.

"Henry, how long is Erin here for?"

"She leaves tomorrow afternoon, why?"

"Do you think she would want to come to mine for dinner, just the three of us? I would like to get to know her and get to know your family a little, but only if you are comfortable with it."

"Elizabeth, are you sure that's what you want? I will have to tell Erin we are together. I doubt I'll be able to keep my hands off you for a full night outside of work. She is pretty intuitive so she will figure it out sooner rather than later. Are you prepared for that?"

Elizabeth smiled at him. She appreciated how he was looking out for her feelings but she wanted to do this for him, for her, for them.

She walked to the door and asked Erin to join them in her in office, and went back to stand beside Henry who looked confusedly at her.

Erin was surprised she was being asked back into the office. She thought they would just be leaving but, as she walked into the office, the atmosphere had changed somehow; she wasn't quite sure what it was though.

"Erin, I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner this evening at my place?" Elizabeth asked. Erin couldn't believe this was happening to her

"Me and you?? Dinner? Your place? Am I dreaming right now? Erin replied, utterly confused.

Elizabeth chuckled at her reaction; it still astounded her that people thought of her as a celebrity when, until a few months ago, she was just a normal woman leading a normal life.

"Yes, dinner at my place, but Henry will be joining us as well." She slipped her hand into Henry's, taking him and Erin both by surprise. He turned to look at her and smiled his most genuine smile.

Erin did a double take, making sure she was not imagining things: her brother and the Secretary of State, Elizabeth Adams, were holding hands in the State Department and asking her to come to dinner with them at her private residence. She almost had to pinch herself until Henry broke her out of her stupor.

"So what do you say, Sis, you wanna come hang out with me and Elizabeth? In case you needed it spelled out, she's my girlfriend."

This was the first time they had placed any kind of label on their relationship, and Elizabeth felt her stomach do a thousand somersaults as he said the word. She couldn't control the smile that broke out over her face.

"Well, if she is willing to put up with your sorry ass, I suppose I have to come. She needs the inside scoop on the real Henry McCord."

"Thanks, Erin." Henry said as he and Elizabeth laughed at her statement.

"Ok, we will let you get back to work, babe. You want to order in or will I cook?"

She looked at Erin and winked, "Oh, I think I should put you to work so I can test out more of those skills."

Grabbing her keys from her bag, she handed them to him, "Here take these, I'll let DS know you are going, and you can get started before I'm home. Erin, you are not to lift a finger; this one is to do all the work."

"Oh, I have no problem with that and don't worry I will keep him in line until you get back." she sniggered.

Henry moved his finger back and forth between the two women, "I don't like this, you two are not allowed to gang up on me. And, Erin, no embarrassing stories"

"Don't you listen to him, I want to hear them all! The more embarrassing, the better."

"I have plenty of ammunition, don't you worry."

As they headed out, Henry stopped by Blake's desk while Erin walked ahead,

"Thanks for your help. I appreciate it again. I really do owe you one. Maybe now that we are hopefully friends again we can grab a drink sometime."

"A drink sounds nice, but, really, you repay me by keeping her happy. Remember, you have me to deal with if you hurt her and I can't promise I will be as nice again."

"Duly noted, Mr Moran. Catch you later."

In the elevator on the way down, Erin turned to Henry, "So brother, you kept that one quiet!"

"Honestly, Erin, it's very new. Please don't tell any of the others until we have had a chance to work out who we are as a couple first, ok?"

"My lips are sealed, but Henry, I really like her and I've never seen you look so comfortable with anyone. I think you will be just fine."

"Thanks Erin, I think she is the one. I just don't want to jinx it or mess it up."

"You wont, keep the faith."

Henry was quiet the whole way home as he processed the events of the past 24 hours and what the future held for him and Elizabeth.