A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter! This story has been such a joy to write :)
Chapter 10: Survivor
Olivia sat on her white blanket as her body instinctively took its routine position. She focused on her breathing finding the familiar spot on the water across the distance. Once her breathing became totally even, she closed her eyes and began mediating, placing her hands equal distant from one another on her legs.
She took up mediating soon after she moved to the beautiful Maldives island nearly a year ago. The island was one of her favorite places to visit mainly because of her ability to disappear from the public eye. The locals on the island kept to themselves, rarely interacting with her except when she ventured into town. Here, she not only felt safe to roam freely but also the privacy of her secluded home on the water. The ocean had always brought Olivia calm so naturally she gravitated to mediating on her balcony every morning.
Today she spent extra time, focusing on the fact she would be coming face to face with Fitz within the next twenty-four hours. She knew extending the island to James for his upcoming wedding meant Fitz would more than likely also make the trip. To her surprise, a friendship sparked with James after his release from the hospital and she made it a personal mission to take care of him financially for the rest of his life.
After all, it was the very least she could do considering he almost died protecting her.
She was forced to do some serious souls searching after realizing someone closest to her was the reason behind so many terrible things happening. After countless hours spent with the police department she was finally allowed the peace she craved; and the only way she knew to achieve this need was to leave her life in the states behind.
Her lawyers were instructed to sell her condo in LA while she escaped to her favorite island getaway, deciding to permanently call it home after spending six months in Maldives. Patrick made the move at first, likely thinking it was a phase she was going through but the longer she stayed, the more homesick he grew.
Olivia finally convinced him to return back to the US after threatening to never release another album again. Considering Olivia was the main source of his income, he had no choice but to oblige, returning back to Los Angeles to be with his own family.
Life in Maldives was everything Olivia hoped for. Her daily routine consisted of journaling, mediating, running, yoga, and Face Timing her friends back in the states, including her long time therapist. It was a combination of this new way of living that brought Olivia much peace within.
A peace she didn't want to ever lose.
The events which transpired almost a year ago was exactly the wakeup call she needed. She was living a life of chaos, associating herself with people that truly didn't have her best interest at heart. It wasn't until Fitz entered her life; she realized a huge piece was missing. For the short time she was with him, she not only felt safe but also protected.
The way he left her was the biggest wakeup call of all. She never again wanted to feel that level of pain, so she devoted much time to the self-care she understandably needed.
Once her meditation time ended, she stood and folded her blanket heading back inside. She hit a button on her wall which instantly opened a section of windows by the kitchen. There she grabbed some items from the fridge and was about to make herself a smoothie when her iPad rang indicating an incoming FaceTime call.
Patrick's face lit up the screen making Olivia smile. She pressed the green accept button and continued chopping up the fruit making small talk with her dear friend.
"Don't tell me you're still making those dreadful smoothies?" He teased, smiling at Olivia.
"They're NOT dreadful! How dare you call my favorite smoothie that! They're delicious!"
"Anyone who puts Tabasco sauce in a smoothie should be legally fined."
"Is there a point to your call?" Olivia finally asked, putting her foot down. "You have 5 seconds to begin talking or I'm hanging up."
"I do have a point," he smiled again, feeling quite amused with himself. "People magazine wants to feature you on the cover, do an inside exclusive since the anniversary of the bombing is approaching."
"No exclusive... I don't even know why you'd ask."
"Because it's my job to ask, Olivia. You can't avoid what happened forever."
Olivia frowned at his response and placed her fruit into the blender, adding some almond milk and a splash of Tabasco for spice. The moment Patrick continued she purposely turned on the blender, drowning his voice out.
She watched as Patrick sent her a scowl, rolling his eyes at the gesture. When she was finished with her smoothie, she poured it into a large glass continuing not to pay attention to her manager.
"Are you still flying Pit and his fiancé out to the island?"
This question caught her attention, forcing her to answer.
"They should be landing fairly soon."
"Well I'm glad you'll have some company, even if it's for a few days. I just wish you'd get tired of playing Survivor and come back home."
Olivia laughed at the survivor comment and waved goodbye to Patrick before pressing the red button to end the call. She continued drinking her smoothie and walked into her large bedroom looking for her cell. The last time she texted James, he indicated they would be arriving that evening. She contemplated arranging a small dinner to officially welcome them to the island but wasn't certain if the invitation be received.
She decided to call Mama Two, a Haitian woman the island affectionately looked to when needing things done in a timely manner. Mama Two was a native and spoke with a thick accent, often needing a translator from time to time.
Mama Two's youngest daughter, Johanna, answered the phone taking down the information from Olivia. She assured her this would get passed along to her mother who was busy tending to some business of her own. Olivia thanked Johanna for her time and ended the call, and checked the time wondering if when James would indeed land. To her surprise her cell rang, nearly startling her in the process.
"I was just thinking of you," Olivia answered. "I was wondering when you guys were landing. How was the flight?"
"Hey, Liv," Nic chimed into the receiver, apparently on speaker phone. "We are so excited! We can't think you enough for ALL you've done! The first flight over was a dream! Thank you so much for flying us first class!"
"I'm glad you all finally made. I'm sure the small plane ride here was not as comfortable," she replied laughing. "Overall, it seems like you made good time. I'd love to arrange dinner for you all in town. It's about a 10-minute walk from your villa."
Silence filled the other end until James was first to answer.
"Can we have a raincheck?"
"What he means," Nic interrupted, "Is Fitz is drunk and James wants to babysit him."
Her sarcasm didn't go unnoticed bringing a rush of sadness front and center. More silence filled the line as James eventually continued.
"He's in a bad place, Olivia-"
A muffling sound soon took over almost as if someone was purposely covering the receiver so Olivia couldn't hear what was being said. She was about to hang up altogether when James returned, the sound now completely back to normal.
"We actually WILL meet in town for dinner."
"Please meet us, Olivia!" Nic bellowed quickly after. "I can't wait to finally meet you!"
Olivia paused for a moment before agreeing to meet, wondering if her former bodyguard would be joining them.
James, Nicole, and Olivia sat at a round small table in the middle of a town square eating, drinking wine, and catching one another up over the past year. It was the first time for Olivia and Nic to actually meet one another so much of the time was spent with Nicole sharing her relationship with James along with her recent real estate success.
She enjoyed their company immensely and appreciated neither of them bringing up Fitz. The truth was she felt relieved when she found only them waiting for her at dinner. He was a painful part of her past and she honestly wanted to leave him there.
After Mama Two served them a delicious dessert, Olivia stood ready to return back to her private villa. James was second to stand, giving her a tight hug, thanking her profusely once again for her generosity. Nic was last to stand, also thanking Olivia for sharing her time with them, and of course for making the arrangements for their wedding. The three continued to embrace several more times, until Olivia finally made her exit.
It was well past dark once she reached the familiar path towards her secluded home on the water. The only light came from a sheer illumination from the torches lining the narrow walkway. She spotted the dark silhouette near the front entrance from afar, knowing who it was almost instantly.
Her heart began to race as a million thoughts ran through her mind. For reasons she couldn't explain, she almost expecting to see him there at her home. Almost as if, it was a completely natural occurrence.
By the time she came face to face with Fitz, she could barely make out his face which appeared to be covered with more facial hair than she remembered. He stood near the bottom of her staircase wearing jeans and an untucked shirt. If he had shoes on, she couldn't tell and from the outline of his hair, it looked quite unkept.
"Hi."
A deep voice greeted her hello...the same sexy voice she dreamed about so many nights alone.
"Hi." She replied, stopping directly in front of him. "I just left James and Nicole. We met for dinner."
"I know," Fitz replied, almost in a whisper.
Silence fell between them and to his surprise, she walked past him heading up the staircase, sitting down at the top step near the porch. Fitz soon joined her, sitting a few steps below turning his body so he faced her direction.
"You found me."
"It wasn't hard."
More awkward silence filled the space between them until Olivia decided she was too tired to continue this impromptu visit.
"Why are you here?"
Fitz pondered the question, trying his best to come up with an answer that made sense.
"I don't want things to be awkward at the wedding. I figured if we met now, it would help."
Olivia stared into the darkness, looking at the dim lights twinkling in the distance. Part of her felt sorry for him...it was obvious he was struggling with his own demons.
"It won't be. At least it shouldn't be."
Fitz thought about a statement Pit mentioned before they left for Maldives and he couldn't get it out of his head. Something about how Olivia 'wished him well'. His words seemed to make perfect sense simply based on her reaction to his presence. She appeared completely at ease with him and he couldn't help but envy her attitude.
He knew there was much that needed to be said but he frankly didn't have the guts to go there. Olivia's calmness was contagious and the longer he was in her presence, the more he grew in awe of the way she handled herself.
"It was good to see you, Fitz. I'm glad you stopped by."
She appeared to now dismiss him; his pride wounded beyond words. The thought of leaving hurt and he forced himself to shut off all emotions, standing until Olivia followed.
"You weren't hard to find," he finally mustered up the courage to say, desperately wanting to continue the conversation. "Do you feel safe out here alone?"
"Who says I'm alone?"
Fitz swallowed hard, once again feeling as if a sharp dagger hit his heart. He fumbled his words for a few seconds, eventually responding in a coherent manner.
"I just assumed."
"I like it here. The locals look out for me. You found me because I have no reason to hide. There's only one way on this island and believe me anyone who sets foot here they're expecting."
Fitz thought about this response, remembering the welcome they received when they arrived. Everything Olivia described made sense and the more he stood there, the more he realized he was the only person pining away for someone who obviously moved on.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Olivia continued, now heading for the door.
He watched as she punched in a code near the doorknob unlocking the latch above. She didn't wait for a reply, simply stepping inside and closing the door behind her. Fitz watched her disappear feeling a familiar emptiness return. After several moments passed, he had no choice but to turn and make his way back into town.
Olivia watched him leave from behind a curtain, finally allowing herself to feel. A rush of tears flooded her eyes blurring the dark vision as he walked farther and farther down the narrow walkway. The more tears streamed down her face, the more upset she became until she wiped her cheeks clean heading upstairs to her bedroom.
She hated herself for feeling this way as it interrupted her perfectly created world. By the time she caught glimpse of herself in the mirror, she was red nosed with puffy eyes. This was the last thing she wanted to feel. She sunk to the bathroom floor while memories of their love making surfaced as she continued to sob for what could've been. Crying felt good. It felt cleansing.
And she hoped her tears would wash away the love she still felt for him.
