Chapter Ninety Five - Old Ways
Three weeks later;
Blake strode down the halls of the seventh floor, coffee in one hand and a bundle of files balancing delicately in the other. He walked past his desk and gracefully bent his knees to place the mug on his desk. Using his free hand he slipped on or two files off the pile and continued to walk towards Elizabeths office, humming the tune of Sherry.
'Sherry, Sherry Bab- Oh Madam Secretary, I didn't realise you were back from your appointment. Sorry Ma'am' he cleared his throat. Elizabeth didn't move from behind her desk, she glanced above her glasses, her eyebrows raised as a smirk appeared across her face.
'I didn't know you could sing' she teased
'There are many things you do not know about me Ma'am, as I do not know about you' he quipped, walking towards her and offloading the files down onto her desk. 'Don't mind me, just dropping these off'
'Arh, but you know I can't sing, I'm with the two percent of the population that are tone deaf apparently' she slumped back in her chair, watching as he continued to place file upon file neatly on her desk.
'Well, it's a good job you heard me singing and not the other way around then' he mocked playfully as he fiddled with the edges of the file, lining them all up perfectly. Elizabeth chuckled and leant forward, nudging his hand away from the files as she reached for the top one.
'I wasn't finished' he teased and she rolled her eyes
'What are these anyway?' She asked, the pages flicking before her as she eyes scanned the information.
'Russell Jackson sent them over. None of them are important for tonight. It's getting late, wouldn't you rather head home for the weekend?' He asked, a glint of hope in his voice.
'Nice try' she dipped her head deeper into the pages of the files. Blake paused for a moment, watching her intently as she didn't move her nose from the page.
'Is everything ok?' He hesitantly asked and she nodded silently. 'Hmm, Nice try' he mimicked her, taking a seat in front of her desk and waiting patiently, watching as she glanced above her glasses once again. 'Humour me for two minutes' he requested. She pursed her lips together for a moment before closing the file and placing it down on the desk.
'Two minutes' she raised an eyebrow at him as she slipped her glasses off, giving him her attention.
'I just assumed as it was the weekend, after your appointment earlier today you'd head home… with Henry….' He bit his lip anxiously
'By appointment I suppose you mean therapy session?' She sought clarification and he nodded. 'It didn't quite go as planned today, so, well, I had work and Henry had things to do, sooo that's it really' she smiled falsely as if it was nothing.
'Ma'am' he sighed 'Can I speak to you as your friend for a moment?'
'You're going to anyway' she half giggled as he agreed with her
'I don't know what happened, nor do I think that part is any of my business, but what the hell are you doing? If you're telling me the session didn't go to plan because it caused tension between you and Henry I can tell you that hiding here in your office is what got you divorced in the first place'
'Wow, you really went for the honest friend role there' she sighed inwardly 'I'm not hiding, not from Henry anyway. More like I am hiding from an empty house, He had to go back to the farm and I, well after todays session I didn't want to go back there and be faced with reality. So-' she paused picking up the file from her desk and flicking it back open 'Russell Jacksons bedtime stories it is' she dipped her gaze back into the wording on the pages.
Blake sighed, leaning across the desk and slowly placing a hand on top of her file, forcing her to lower it and look at him once again.
'It's not important enough for tonight. Your reality is changing now, it's not as dark and lonely as it might have felt recently, go home, this isn't the place you hide anymore' he slipped the file from her and placed it back onto of the pile, adjusting the edges so they all lined up once again. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at his confidence as she watched him.
'Oh don't give me that look, I did that as a friend not an employee' he chuckled and she let out a small giggle with him.
'Good, because otherwise I'd have to fire you' she warned as he stood up ready to leave. He straightened his jacket down and glanced up at her
'No you wouldn't, you have so much more to learn about me first' he winked before walking to her couch and picking up her coat, handing it too her. 'Go home, the files will still be there tomorrow, as will I'
'Hmm, as a Friend or an employee?' She teased as she stood up, grabbing her coat and slipping it around her.
'Both, you'll always have me as Both Madam Secretary' he smiled with pride as he thought about their relationship.
'Good' she smiled back. 'Goodnight Blake, and Thanks' she nodded softly, grabbing her bag and heading out her office door, back towards her motorcade and heading home.
As she allowed her body to sink into the plush leather seat beneath her, she slipped her head back and closed her eyes. The events of earlier today plaguing her mind, If only she could escape them.
'Is everything ok? Things feel a little… off today?' Dr Sherman pressed carefully and Elizabeth chewed her lip. Echoes of Henry asking her the same question prior to the session crept in her mind.
'Elizabeth?' She pressed a little harder
'Yeah fine, I've just been busy lately so we've not seen much of each other' she sighed
'I see, and how has that been?' Dr Sherman asked, her eyes falling between both of them.
'It's been a little difficult, we didn't speak properly for about four days and when you're trying to get back on track its hard' he admitted, awkwardly glancing at Elizabeth
'It's my fault. Work has been stressful and I've left late, or been in the situation room all night so my communication has been sporadic. Its just like old times, you can say it Henry, nothing has changes has it really' she shrugged, her voice flat as she dipped into their past.
'No that isn't true' he attempted to answer
'It is, it's the first step backwards isn't it? I work late, you resent it, then we argue and then in between our argument I get a call to return to work and we unravel all over again.' Her voice thickened as her speech increased in tempo, her mind spiralling
'Why don't you take a sip of water Elizabeth' Dr Sherman suggested as she watched her.
'Henry, why don't you share your thoughts around the lack of communication lately?' She asked but Elizabeth didn't let him speak, she gulped her drink back and shook her head
'No need, I don't need to hear him blame me for working. I've heard it all before. I sent him a message before his journey up here and he didn't reply, and just outside he hardly spoke to me, you hardly said a word-' she spoke, fear and grit in her voice as she turned to Henry -' I've seen this before and I-'
'Can I speak' He cut across her, his tone a little hard and abrupt as he tried to speak above her spiralling thoughts. Elizabeth sighed heavily, her heart sinking as she took his tone for anger. Things hadn't changed.
'I don't think I can sit here any longer, I'm sorry but I've got to go, I've got to get back to work, I'll probably be there all weekend. Sorry, bye, bye' she mumbled her words as she hurriedly grabbed her things and rushed out the door. Henry stood to follow her but she closed the door behind her and almost ran down the corridor. He sighed heavily and sank back into the chair looking blankly at Dr Sherman.
The door opened and the cold air flooding in broke her thoughts as she lifted her head and blinked her eyes open adjusting to the light. She shuffled across the seat and stepped out, her home suddenly feeling larger than ever before and she inhaled deeply.
'Thanks Matt' she cleared her throat and walked up the path towards the front door, pushing it open and stepping inside.
'Henry?' She stopped, stunned to see him waiting for her. 'Wa, Wha. How?' She glance back and caught the smirk from one of her DS agents as they pulled the door closed.
He walked closed to wards her, capturing her attention as his hands running up her arms, his eyes falling to hers watching as they began to brim with tears. 'Let it out, then we will talk' he whispered 'But first…welcome home' the softness of his words gently nudged her to crumble into him. His arms squeezing her tightly as he just took a moment to hold her. He had always been the best welcome home committee.