The next morning Edgar made his way into her office and Olivia was already there. With Ellis. Barely 8am and his day couldn't get any worse. Or so he thought...

"Morning." he smiles and nods at them both, noting Ellis's rather familiar stance, perched on the edge of Olivia's desk.

"Morning." Ellis reciprocates the smile, Olivia does not.

"So how about it? Cinema on Saturday night. My treat." Ellis turns back to his conversation with the brunette.

"Oh go on then. I assume neither of us is going to get any work done unless I agree. Not one to take "no" for an answer, are you?" Olivia smiles.

"Nope." Ellis replies simply. "I'll pick you up, say 7.30pm?"

"Deal." Olivia nods.

"It's a date." Ellis positively coos.

"Ellis..." Olivia chastises.

"Relax, I'm kidding. I get it, we're just friends..." he seals the deal with a handshake "...with benefits?" he chuckles as he uses Olivia's grasped hand to pull her in for a quick peck on the cheek.

"Get out." Olivia laughs heartily, shaking her head.

Left alone, she and Edgar are at a bit of a loss.

"She was just kidding, about the friends with benefits..." Olivia casts her eyes to the heavens. Shut up, Olivia.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me." Edgar is cold and clipped.

"No. Right. Fine." Olivia goes back to her paperwork and tries to concentrate.

After an interminable and excruciating silence, Edgar cracks first. "Olivia, about last night..."

"Please, Edgar let's not go there." Olivia didn't have the strength for this.

"I just don't understand." Edgar's eyes shine with tears. "You said you wanted me but then you -"

Olivia interrupts him. "I just can't do this anymore, Edgar. What happens to me if you decide to run again? I can't let you break my heart again. I just can't."

"I made a mistake. I told you that I know I shouldn't have walked away from you. Please Olivia, I want to be with you." Edgar was inconsolable.

"And what do I do when you change your mind? When you get scared and pull away from me?" Olivia struggled not to cry, seeing Edgar's desolate face.

"I won't." Edgar was adamant.

Olivia wanted to believe him. She just didn't know if she could. "This is for the best. We can move on with our lives, forget about all that's gone on before. You'll find someone else." Olivia was dying inside.

"I can't watch you be with Ellis or Elliot. I won't. Seeing you with Ellis tears me apart. I'm so jealous I can't think properly." Edgar is distraught.

"We'd just be making each other miserable, we could be happy with other people." Olivia isn't even convinced by her own argument.

"I don't want anyone else! And neither do you." Edgar stepped up to the brunette until they were almost touching. "Well, tell me I'm wrong." he challenged.

Olivia was wavering now but she had to be strong. "Edgar, this wouldn't work. I want a real relationship, one that I'm not constantly terrified of losing. I don't want to get hurt anymore. If we cut our losses now, maybe we can still be friends." She ignores Edgar's snorted indignation.

"You're not telling me I'm wrong though, are you?" Edgar clung to his last glimmer of hope.

"And you're not listening. We're done." Olivia's lip quivers and she breaks eye contact. She tries to leave but Edgar has a hold of her wrist.

"I don't accept that. You look me in the eye and tell me you don't want us." Edgar is running out of hope.

To Be Continued

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