Chapter Fourteen - For the Greater Good Part I

7 months ago

Elizabeth squinted her eyes as the blinding flashes continued to flicker before her, a surge of press edging closer as she stepped out of the car. Henry closed the car door and placed a hand before their faces, slipping another hand into hers, offering a place of comfort as he turned to the press.

'Hey common, let's calm it. You can all get a picture' He reasoned. Elizabeth smiled softly, he was always so protective of her and even more so when the press were concerned, despite their hardships recently it warmed her to know his attentiveness was still there. She tightened her grip in his hand and rested her spare hand on her arm.

'Dr McCord, why have you joined the Secretary of State and the President in Geneva?' One of the reports asked as they stood and posed for a photo.

'Because the Secretary of State is my wife, and my wife-' he paused, slipping his hand out of her grip and wrapping it around her shoulder, pulling her body into him '-Doesn't take too well to long haul flights. Someone had to make sure there was enough cake around for the last ten hours' he joked and winked playfully at her. The press let out a small chuckle and continued to capture the moment. Elizabeth leant her head on his arm, a rare moment of affection between them both these days.

'Madam Secretary, Are you ok?' Another reporter asked, Her silence was noticeable as she stood before them. She flashed them a genuine smile and looked back to Henry, inside she was longing for the affectionate display between them to be real, however since the evening meal at the white house just two days ago they had hardly spoken a word to one another. She glanced back to the press and nodded firmly,

'I'm happy to be in Geneva and well, I ate lots of cake on the way over' she played with the crowd, as they all responded in subtle laughs she took the opportunity to lean in for a kiss with her husband, her lips gently brushing his for a moment before she pulled back and smiled. Henry pressed his lips together tightly, savouring the taste of her, he linked his hand back up with her and walked into the hotel, where it wasn't long before they were parted to complete the task in hand.

=MS=

'Elizabeth? - Oh thank god you're here. Listen, they aborted Dimitri's extraction at the last second, I think the Russians got him. Jane won't tell me anything, but I am sure that we can still bring him in. He's got to still be in the city, so I need you to call the Swiss and get them to ground all Russian planes-'

'-Henry-' a whisper full of dread escaped her lips

'Until we can get into it with the President, come on, I know there is a call you can make. He's an American asset, and he got made somehow, or we got cold feet. Anyhow we can't just give up on him, we've got to put up a fight.'

She watched as he ranted before her, the determination to rethink a plan to extract him safely churning over in his head as his feet bore holes in the floor. Her body stood motionlessly as she tried to fathom the courage to tell him the truth. He stopped just before her, his words ending and silence taking over the room. Her gaze averted his as she was sure he'd see straight through her pain and guilt she harboured. Her chest rose and fell heavily as she swallowed the lump within her throat and forced herself to look at him.

She blinked and watched as his face fell, the realisation that she knew something crept upon him like the waves to the shore. He blinked at her, their eyes locking as the fire within them began to ignite.

'You know something, what is it?' He acted cautiously. Her breath hit the back of her throat,

'It was part of the negotiation' her voice cracked under the pressure, she had known this intel for nearly an hour and now it was finally pouring out of her. Her words hit Henry like a train, he stepped back as if they physically collided with him, gripping to the chair nearby to steady himself. His eyes sharpened as the air was knocked out of his lungs.

'What?' He asked in disbelief, she had no words for him, no explanation, no good enough rationale and least of all an apology, because she knew deep down had it come to this decision with any other assets, she'd make the same choice.

'Dimitiri was part of the neg-' His words failed him, he stood, breathing as he was unable to finish his sentence. His body turned from her as the fury began to rise. He walked away and the pacing began once more.

'No, No. N..We..Wha..We would never negotiate away one of our own assets, that's not possible. Please tell me that's not possible' his tone thickened as he walked back towards her, his chest rising and falling a little faster as the anger engulfed him. She stood with her hands behind her back, once again unable to speak. Her eyes rapidly blinked as she pushed every ounce of emotion away, she knew it wasn't her place to be emotional. Henry threw his hands into his head and once again walked away

'Oh my god' the muffled words escaped him. 'Oh my god,' the repetition hit her harder as his voice became louder. 'Did Conrad approve this?' He faced her and shook his hands in fury 'Why couldn't you talk him out of this, He's an old spy for god sakes' he snapped, his body leaning into Elizabeth as his hands became a little more animated, a clear sign the anger was bubbling over inside. 'How could he do this?' Then it hit him, she was silent, and her silence could only mean one thing… 'Please tell me you didn't agree to this Elizabeth'

'We had to think of the greater good' her voice broke in places as she attempted to compose herself. Henry's eyes were alight as he stepped forward, inching closer to her as he inhaled,

'You know what they'll do to him'

'I'm sorry' the words were barely a whisper as she dipped her head in disappointment.

'No, there has to be another way, I am going to go and talk to Conrad myself' He stormed over to grab his jacket.

'Henry Don't' she pleaded, he looked over to her, his jacket clenched in the palm of his hands. 'Please don't, We were faced with an impossible decision and it wasn't his fault'

'Here we go again. Always defining him Elizabeth!' His voice peaked at the mention of her name.

'Henry look at you! This is about America and Russia potentially going to war and you're making this about Conrad and I again, you're making this personal'

'IT IS PERSONAL' he roared, his voice bouncing off the walls and she jolted to attention. She pushed her teeth together hard to stop herself from snapping back, knowing it wouldn't be healthy for them.

'Hen-'

'No! NO! You've just given up the life of a young boy and for what Elizabeth? For what? To protect that son of a bitch in the oval office!' His body shook with anger, his jacket flew onto the floor and his fists balled before him.

'Conrad was right Henry! We were facing the loss of thousands, millions maybe. We had to choose' she tried her best to explain but Henry came charging closer to her, his face inches from hers, she looked up and panted heavily as the anger in her quickly began to match his.

'You're Elizabeth McCord, you always find the middle way' He sighed heavily. 'You used to,' he muttered.

'Henry it was an impossible decision and I'm sorry you got caught up in the middle of it but-'

'You know what, I'm sorry I got caught up in the middle of you and Conrad.' He snapped, the instant regret consuming him but the words were already spoken.

'Pardon?' She raised an eyebrow and scoffed in his face. 'Do you think I'm having some sort of sordid affair with my boss?' She questioned. Henry shook his head and backed away from her. 'Do you?' She pressed further.

'No, don't be so ridiculous. I just think you've lost sight of who you are because of him. Conrad isn't all that you know!' He shouted at her from across the room. 'He knew what he was doing today, luring you in to be a part of that decision, he knew that we were having issues and what does he do? Good old Conrad goes and adds to them. Cheers pal' the sarcasm and rage poured from him like hot lava, Elizabeth getting consumed in the heat with every second that passed.

'Now you're just being paranoid, who are you? Who is this version of Henry? This isn't the man I married, you're impossible lately' she shouted, her own volcano of emotions erupting into the room.

'So do something about it then'

'What?' She questioned

'You heard me, if I am so impossible why are you still here? Why are you still married to me?' He didn't mean a single word that was pouring from his mouth right now but the anger had taken control, all rationale was gone.

'Henry' she paused, the destruction of him before he tore her in half. She attempted to step forward and reach out to him 'Because I love you' fear spoke for her now, her tone had cooled instantly, this wasn't the Henry she knew, and she refused to believe he really thought this about her, about them.

'Do you?' His head snapped to the side as his voice harshly forced the words upon her. She let out a shocked breath and looked at him puzzled.

'Ho..How can you even ask that?'

'How? Really Elizabeth? How about because you've been coming home accusing me of cheating, or the fact we haven't even slept in the same room for the last few days, or maybe its the constant arguing, the lack of affection from you, or I know, its the fact that you haven't even been coming home recently, you've been working so much I don't even see you and it takes a GOD DAMN FUCKING CAR ACCIDENT FOR YOU TO EVEN SPEND TIME AT HOME' he bellowed above her. She stood silently and forced her eyes shut, tears dripping from her eyes.

'You're scaring me' she whispered

'GOOD BECAUSE THIS IS SCARY!'

'Stop please' she whispered again, her breathing becoming erratic as she tried to calm, the panic rose in her chest and squeezed her lungs.

'No! Elizabeth, before we left you said this needs to end when we get home, and I am not coming back until I know Dimitri is safe. Have a nice trip home' he spat and stormed off, leaving her standing there clutching at her chest unable to calm her breathing, she frantically searched through her coat pockets for her medication and reluctantly swallowed one as her whole body shook intensely. 'Henry' she cried as her own wrongdoings towards the failings of their marriage finally began to sink in.

=MS=

'No Henry?' Conrad asked as they walked out of the hotel together. Elizabeth shook her head.

'I haven't seen him since he left the hotel room last night'

'I seen him shortly after he left you' Conrad paused awkwardly, Elizabeth turned to him with an apologetic look across her face

'I am so sorry sir-'

'It's fine. I expected it. Although I am sorry if I caused a rift between you both.' Elizabeth shook her head almost too eagerly

'It's nothing we can't bounce back from' she nodded. 'I am just going to try and give him a call before we head home' she retrieved her phone from her pocket and walked off towards the motorcades. She repeated his earlier actions of pacing around as her anxieties grew inside. 'Come on Henry, Come onnn' she groaned in frustration.

Elizabeth pulled her phone from her ear and noted the poor signal, she huffed and walked around a little until eventually a connection was made, she stood in front of the Russian motorcade and hoped Henry would pick up. Her eyes closed and her heart lay heavy as she reached his voicemail for the eighth time over the last few hours. She began to leave him another voice message until she became distracted by all the commotion around her, until everything stopped and turned dark…

=MS=

Henry was sitting in the car with Jane fellows when he received yet another voicemail from Elizabeth. He quickly discarded the notification and put his phone away.

'You should pick up' Jane encouraged him

'It was a voicemail'

'Ok, well then you should listen to it. I know you're mad at her but you need to hear her out' She raised an eyebrow at him. 'Running away to find Dimitri's sister isn't going to help your relationship' she pressed further and Henry sighed, taking his phone back out and listening to his voicemail from Elizabeth…

'Hey Henry, It's me, Elizabeth. Listen I know things didn't end well between us the other night, and well… I am sorry Henry, I do love you and I just want you home. We can fix this together.' She paused 'Or not, however you want, I just..Henry I lo-'

Henry tilted his head into his phone as he began to hear some of the commotion in the background. 'Oh my she gasped — Henry I love you' she panted almost like she was running and cried, a clear change in emotion. *BOOM* the sound of an explosion came rattling through his phone, the sound of Elizabeth screams came flooding next until the line cut dead…