AN: Thank you all so much for the well wishes. We're getting there! I am feeling somewhat more human and hoping to be back to posting daily maybe next week! I need to slow the updates for a little longer just so I can catch up on some writing. There are still are fair few chapters of this story to go!

For now, enjoy...

Chapter Eighty Nine - Coin Toss Part II

The evening skies continued to roll in, lights in the distance becoming dimmer and dimmer as the summer sky grew darker, dusk approaching. Elizabeth felt a shiver run down her spine as the blanket fell from her shoulder. She quickly moved to remedy the situation, shifting in her chair and pulling her feet up, wrapping the blanket around her back and holding it close to her chest as she yawned.

'Do you want to go inside?' Henry offered softly but she shook her head

'I've sat in silence alone for a long time, it's quite nice to enjoy the peace with someone' her lips softly curled as she sleepily blinked at him. Henry couldn't help but smile as he drank in her beauty. He poured them both another glass and sat back into his chair.

'Are you cold? Did you want to head inside?' She hesitantly asked, but settled once she saw him shake his head with a sip of his drink.

'No, No I'm quite warm, I got a little sunburned in the last few days so my shoulders are keeping me warm' he chuckled and she rolled her eyes

'Why do you always get burnt when you're anywhere but America?'

'Different sun?' He teased, knowing she hated it when people would make silly remarks like that. She shook her head and Rolled eyes again as she reached for her wine, laughing into the brim of the glass before taking a sip.

'I'm sorry about what happened at the farm'

'No it's totally fine' he teased with a gentle tone, making her giggle once again

'No seriously, I should have come to you, not yelled at you. I just panicked, everything suddenly became too much. I don't know how or when I let it get so bad but I did and I took it all out on you, I shouldn't have' she pressed her lips together as her eyes glanced into her lap.

'I wasn't bothered that you took it out on me, I was just glad you were actually talking about what was wrong. But I was worried, very worried. I've never seen you so hysterical and I didn't know what to do. I was scared because I've always known how to help you and I was clueless' he admitted, the sadness evident within his words.

'I don't think anyone did, I kept it all to myself. It was only when Will called me that night after you left that I broke down, he was straight on the phone to Dr Sherman, he told her everything. She knew I think, I just never fully confessed. Then the next time I seen her was a few weeks after the state visit to Cuba and she challenged me about it and that's when I broke in front of her' her eyes fixed on the floor as she finally opened her heart

'Do you know why It became so much?' He asked kindly

'I think it's because I stopped showing those around me I was hurting, Conrad, Lydia, Russell, Blake, all of them. They all thought I was ok, that I'd moved on. That was the hardest part, keeping up this facade that Elizabeth McCord was on top of her game, especially because he had the election at that time.' She sighed heavily 'I just couldn't break in front of the camera, so it had to happen behind the scenes' she shrugged, her lips pressing together for a moment as she chewed at her lips.

'I don't know if this helps but I knew you were struggling' he commented, capturing her attention, her gaze walking over to his delicately

'You did?'

'Yes, I think it was In part what made me withdraw from everyone around me. I would see you on the news, or in an article and see or hear everyone comment about how you are glowing, looking happier than ever, or how you stole the show at one of the campaign fates, but I could see straight through it. How you were just trying to get back, the bags under your eyes that you only get from crying, not from lack of sleep, or how your hands were always holding something, I'm assuming because if they didn't you'd be fiddling with something or they'd be shaking, how your hair grew longer and you began to tie it up more, something everyone thought was a new style, but I know that means you're not getting out of bed earlier enough to do your hair, so you were sleeping in, probably because you were not sleeping well and it hurt. A mixture of wondering how much of that I had caused, and how much pain you were causing yourself by not letting me in, or anyone." His voice was heavy as he recalled his memories. His hand wrapped around the glass, his eyes fixed on hers, a saddened smile on his face as he watched her tear up at his words, her emotions echoing the truth he'd spoken.

'I couldn't open up, about any of it, to you or anyone. All everyone wanted to talk about was the divorce, or Stevie's wedding and then came questions about my own wedding, I couldn't do it. I couldn't answer.' she sniffled

"Why?"

"Why? Because it's a hard time to talk about"

'But half of it is fantastic to talk about' Henry smiled

"Yeah, but when you know what's coming; when you know that it doesn't end in the way it could have done, that makes it hard" She sniffled, her hand rising to her cheek to wipe away her tears. Henry swallowed hard, these moments between them were not easy, but he knew they both had to endure them, it was necessary for their growth.

'That night I came up? After the situation at the farm," he paused, clearing his throat. Elizabeth looked across the table, her eyes still glistening but all her attention was his. 'I mentioned counselling, I said that we need to look into it, and I don't think you were in the best frame of mind to understand what I was saying, which was part my fault I should have thought about it but, what I meant was we as in you and I need to look at counselling, together' he clarified speaking with a new found ease.

'Oh my' she gasped, the exact moment vivid in her mind as she closed her eyes, instantly feeling like a fool. 'Oh gosh, Henry I am so sorry!' She slapped her hand over her mouth as the realization dawned on her. 'Did you really mean that?' She asked

'Still do, I know I haven't been receptive to the idea in the past, but I want you back more than anything, I'll do anything to make that possible' he sighed, hoping his sincerity reached across. Elizabeth smiled softly, her heart swelling at his words. She wrapped herself and walked over to him, standing between his legs, tilting her head down, his hands slid up her thighs, resting on her hips, gently squeezing them as she drank in the sight of him. There was a time when they felt like two opposing sides of a coin, forged together but never facing the same direction only now, they could see that both sides were needed within their entirety for the whole thing to be worthy.

'Thank you' she whispered, 'but you already have me back' her words dripped from her mouth down to his ears. He pulled her body closer as she dipped her head further down, pressing her lips across his, her fingers slipping around his tie. She kissed him deeply, her tongue racing along his lips as she pulled him up to his feet by the simple tug of his tie. Henry ran his hands up to her waist, groaning as she took control. She pulled back and smirked at him

'Have I told you how sexy you look in that suit?' she winked sexily, pulling him out of the cold and towards the bedroom…