"Just because you're in my body doesn't mean you're not the one who lost her driver's license." Gregory complained as he buckled his seat belt.
"According to the state of California." She dug into his pocket and pulled out his wallet and license. "I'm Gregory Richards. This is my car." She turned the key and the Jaguar purred to life. "And I could get used to this."
"You'd better not." He argued as he crossed his arms and pretended to pout. "I'm not sure I'm ready to trade lives just because you happen to look like me."
She leaned over and kissed his cheek before putting the car into gear and pulling out of the driveway of the rental cabin. "I'm sorry being me is so disappointing."
Gregory looked out his window at the trees as they started to speed up. "It's not that Olivia, and you know it. I don't have anything against being you-"
"It's just that I don't have nearly as much fun as you do." Olivia finished for him as she took the curving corner a little faster than she needed too. "I don't think I really appreciated this car before."
He tightened his fingers on the arm rest and winced as the clutch engaged a half second later than he would have pressed it. "You're not really appreciating it now. This was custom built in England. I picked out the engine block myself and you're driving it like a delivery truck..."
The wheels hugged the road as it flew around another winding corner. Gregory swallowed and barely kept himself from taking her hand from the shift. "That sign back there said twenty miles per hour."
"Oh?" Olivia raised an eyebrow and slowed down a touch.
He glanced over her shoulder and put his hand quickly over his mouth. "You shouldn't really be in fourth."
Obediently she downshifted, but the next curve still came too quickly for his stomach. "Liv you might have to pull over."
"Oh darling." Patting his hand comfortingly as she pulled to the side of the road, Olivia tilted her head and smiled sympathetically. "You're still nauseated, aren't you?"
He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. "No offense my dear, but you feel like hell."
Stroking his hair back over his forehead, she put her hand over his and noticed how cold his hands were. "Next time you're me I'll try my best to feel better."
He laughed, loosing the masculine tone and slipping into a giggle. "That would be very thoughtful of you darling." Opening his eyes slowly, he dropped his hand down to hers and sighed. "I'm all right." He forced himself to smile at her. "Really, I'm all right. And we have that party to get back too."
Starting the car again she felt him sigh and drop his head to her shoulder. It took her a moment to reorder her arm to fit around his shoulder and still reach the shift. After a few minutes her arm was stiff and Olivia realized for the first time that it was a little uncomfortable to drive a car with a head resting on her shoulder. But she could smell the soft lavender of his shampoo and she felt like she was protecting him. Keeping him safe. She liked it, every part of it. The warm feeling in her stomach was new. It was like having a child again. Someone smaller who needed to be held and protected.
She kissed his sleeping forehead as she pulled into the garage. "Darling- we're home."
-------------------------
It looked so intimidating as she laid it out on the bed. Hose, garters and belt, different underwear, a bra without straps and the dress had two parts. She sat on the corner of the bed as Gregory pulled the right suit from his closet and sat it down next to the outfit she'd picked out.
"I have to put all of that on?"
Olivia grinned and started stripping off her shirt. "You'll be all right. I'll be right here to help you." Following her lead, Gregory, reached up to undo his blouse. He dropped the blouse into the laundry and removed his bra. He reached for his robe out of habit and started to pull it on. His arm stopped before he ran out of sleeve and he was able to pull it well across his chest. He glanced down at it and then over to the mirror.
Olivia stole it from his shoulders as he realized his error. Trading him for her ivory patterned silk, she wrapped her arms around his bare chest and stared at their reflection in the mirror.
"If I was going through this with anyone else.-" Gregory began darkly as he put on the proper robe. "I'd be ready to do anything to get my body back."
"But?" She wondered as she pulled on the creased black suit pants.
"I'm really rather stunning. Aren't I?" His serious expression and the vain tilt of his head made her shake her head in disapproval.
"You're definitely too beautiful for someone like me." She quipped as she buttoned her pants and reached for her shirt.
"I'm sorry." Softly reticent, Gregory offered "It's just-" Dropping his voice to a whisper, his cheeks flamed up in embarrassment. "I'm not sure if I think I'm the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, or if I should be worrying about how my stomach's going to look in that dress."
Olivia caught his shoulders and pulled him in. She'd been dying to see what it felt like to take him in her arms and kiss the daylights out of him. He sighed, sinking into the kiss and her arms. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." She whispered as he wrapped his arms around her neck when they came up for air. "At least, with these eyes."
"You really think so?" Gregory wondered as he studied the face that so recently had been his. "Even though I'm-"
"You think I'm gorgeous." Olivia explained playfully. "I can't help but agree."
Their bedroom door burst open before he could do more than interject a kiss between them.
"I thought you had a truce!"
Gregory whispered "Caitlin" as he turned away to tie up his robe.
Olivia bit back her annoyance and smiled at her daughter. "What can I do for you sweetheart?"
"You can tell me why Cole's not here." Caitlin folded her arms stubbornly and refused to leave the doorway.
Olivia waited for her to come in for a moment, then she shook her head innocently. "I made sure he knew he was invited."
"But you did something. You must have! And after you promised me to leave him alone!" Caitlin advanced on Olivia, drawing up her hand like she meant to slap her.
Olivia blinked and shook her head again. She hated doing this to her daughter. Guilt was cold and uncomfortable in her stomach but she had done the right thing for everyone. Losing Cole might hurt Caitlin now, but knowing the truth would hurt her for years to come and rip her family to shreds. Cole being gone was best for everyone. "Cate, sweetheart, Cole and I talked this morning. I told him- that your mother and I own a condo on the shore and you both were welcome to have it."
Caitlin's stormy expression took on a touch of abandonment. "You really said that daddy?"
Olivia swallowed her guilt. "I did. We want you to be happy darling, that's all we want. When you left it nearly killed your f- mother and I. We didn't know where you were, or when you were coming back-"
"Bullsht." Eyes blazing, Caitlin snapped furiously. "You had me followed every minute daddy. You just can't get over the fact that I'm not your little girl anymore."
"Now Caitlin-"
Starting her, Gregory's hand suddenly caught her arm from behind. Olivia turned around as he brought both of his hands to his head. The room was starting to go black as a rush of heat slammed into his head from beneath. He stumbled and felt Olivia catch his arm. Then the blackness abruptly won out.
He came to slowly, feeling as if he were a leaf tossed in the wind who just couldn't remember how to get home. A man's face stared down at him with gentle concern and he felt the hand on his face that tried to shake him away. He started to ask Olivia what happened, but as soon as his lips moved the man started talking. "Oh darling, thank god you're all right."
Olivia lowered her head to his ear and firmly whispered. "Call me Gregory, remember?"
In his confusion it seemed like a good idea. Though it felt nearly as odd as his body to say his own name. "Gregory?"
"It's all right." Olivia repeated as she moved the dark shadows of his hair from his eyes.
Another voice, Caitlin asked from behind Olivia, "Is she okay?"
His head was still swimming somewhere far off from his body. He wasn't she. Was he? Olivia's hand found his searching fingers and anchored him to his body. "It's my fault really Cate. I was so excited to take your mother on our trip, I just didn't think about how tired she's been lately. I'm afraid this flu hit her pretty hard."
"She fainted yesterday." Caitlin piped up helpfully as she returned from the bathroom with some water. "She made me promise-"
Olivia waved off Caitlin's confession. "I know." She pulled Gregory up from the floor with great care as she helped him lean against the bed. "I know darling." She cupped his chin and assisted him as they held the glass together. "Why don't you give us a moment?" She suggested easily as she smiled to assuage Caitlin's fears. "I'll make sure she's feeling better before we try standing up again."
Uncertain, Caitlin looked over her parent's faces. "Are you sure you're okay mom?"
Gregory blinked at Olivia in confusion when she nudged him subtly. Then it hit him. He was mom. "I'm fine." His voice was a hundred times weaker than he intended and he had to swallow some of the water before it started to improve. "Really Caitlin. Your father's going to take good care of me."
Olivia snuggled up next to him and pulled him in close. He felt Olivia nod to Caitlin and shoo her out of the room with a hand. "it's all right, you go get dressed. Call Elaine and see if she's seen Cole. Go on."
Gregory sighed heavily and dropped his head onto Olivia's shoulder. "What the hell is going on with me?"
Kissing him seemed like poor consolation, but the one she planted on his head at least made him smile. "I'm sorry darling. I'd give anything to switch us back so you didn't have to go through this."
"I've never been nice enough to you when you're sick." Gregory pointed out with quiet disgust as he tried to hold his head still. "Never. I had no idea-"
"Shhh." She let him fall over to rest his head in her lap. "If I'm still feeling ill-"
"Awful." Gregory corrected as he closed his eyes against the light in the room.
"Awful when we switch back." Compassion was rich in her voice. "I'm sure you'll be exactly what I need. As always."
"You really think so?"
Her hand was warm as it rested on his forehead. "Oh darling. I know so."