Olivia walked quickly to the door and opened it. Arianna was in Alexander's arm in the doorway with two other guards surrounding her. She opened the door wider and let them in, unsure of what to say to Arianna. She knew logically that it wasn't her fault what happened to Arianna but that didn't make her feel any better.
Alexander carried her over to the sofa and laid her down. Olivia walked towards them while the other guards rested Arianna's suitcases on the floor by the door.
"Are you feeling okay?" Olivia asked Arianna.
"No," Arianna said. "I'm having a crisis and I think you're the only one I can talk to."
"Can you walk?" Olivia asked.
"Yeah but I just didn't want to."
"Oh-" Olivia said, surprised. When Arianna texted her that she would like to stay with her for a while, she wasn't sure what to expect. She sat beside her on the couch and Arianna immediately leaned over her lap and hugged her belly.
"Hey niecy," she said. "I'm your aunt." Arianna looked up at Olivia. "You have a cute baby bump," she said casually. She noticed the lumps on Olivia's chest. "Do you have something in your bra?"
"My pregnancy hasn't been easy on my nipples. I put a warm, damp cloth under my bra," Olivia said.
"Was it hard for you?" Arianna asked, suddenly tearful.
"What?" She asked, even though she had an idea of what Arianna meant.
"To call me outside? Was it hard?"
Olivia nodded slowly and swallowed hard, "it was really hard. When he called you the first time I refused to speak, that's why the call cut off. I told him I wouldn't do it. Then he held me over the roof and you know- for a moment I was gonna let him drop me because I couldn't hurt you. That's how much I love your brother. Then he pulled me back over and all I wanted to do was protect me and her."
Arianna wiped her eyes, "I wouldn't have wanted you to die for me or even be badly hurt," she said then she chuckled. "But I don't want to die either."
They were both silent for a moment.
"How can you have it so together- the way you do? I feel like I'm falling apart."
"I don't have it together. Not at all," Olivia said. "I spend most of my time thinking about your brother and when I'm not doing that I'm thinking about almost dying and then on the off chance I'm doing neither of those, I'm probably in surgery with my hands in someone's body struggling to stay focused."
Arianna chuckled, "I think I have PTSD. I looked it up on google. Do you think you have it?"
"No, but I wasn't affected the way you were. You got shot and had surgery. Do you think you should see someone?"
"I can't really tell them what happened and it makes no sense to go there and lie and I refuse to talk shit about Fitz to mom and dad so that's why I'm here talking to you."
Olivia nodded. "It's been more than 3 weeks since your injury. How do you feel?"
"Physically, not the worst. They gave me good pain meds. It's the mental part- I can't be out in the open because I feel like I'm gonna get shot again."
"Have you told Fitz how you feel?"
"What is he gonna say? Marco is dead. I asked for his heart and he brought it to me. The funny thing is that I said I was gonna compost on my terrace but I'm too scared to go out there so now it's in my fridge."
"You have Marco's heart in your fridge?" Olivia said, too astonished to believe.
"Freezer actually and that's where that piece of shit is gonna stay."
"I saw it on the news but he never actually told me he did it," Olivia said. "The kids were left alive."
"Of course, my brother might be cold-blooded but he isn't a monster. Killing other assholes is one thing but if he went around slaughtering kids I'd never speak to him again. I don't care who's kids they are. In fact, I'd be testifying against him at fucking trial. I'm loyal not fucking crazy."
Olivia smiled then it faded to sadness, "does it make you feel better that he's gone?"
Arianna nodded.
"Me too. I didn't think it would but it does."
"It's good to know that if someone fucks with us they can only do it once," Arianna said, "still, that one time will really destroy you."
Olivia took a breath.
"Fitz cheated on me."
Arianna sat up from Olivia's lap.
"What?"
She nodded, "with Camilla."
"Did he tell you that?"
"Camilla sent me pictures of them together with his penis by her face and she said that he always comes home."
Arianna was quiet for a moment, "are you sure? I really don't think he would do something like that. The pictures could be old."
Olivia cleared her throat, "he said he didn't do it but every guy says that. I don't want to believe it but come on...they've been sleeping together for years. Going back to Camilla is his thing and he did it like a day after I got out of the hospital."
"Fitz wouldn't fuck Camilla the day after you left the hospital for something he blames himself for while you're pregnant Olivia come on. I know him, he can be a dick but that's not even dick territory, if he did that I'd be mad at him because that's- nope, there's no way he did that and on the off chance that he actually did have sex with her, he wouldn't lie about it. He'd tell you."
"You really believe that?" Olivia asked, she could feel tears coming.
"I know it. I know Fitz and all his bullshit tactics and he knows me. He did not cheat on you, not two days after everything happened. No fucking way." Arianna leaned back on Olivia's lap, "well, he tells me almost everything. He didn't tell me you two broke up, Mom told me."
"He didn't?"
"Yeah, he called me every day to check on me. Whenever I asked about you he just kept telling me you needed space and whatever."
Olivia sighed, "why did you say you were in crisis?" she asked, trying to switch the topic.
"I'm almost 30 and I've done absolutely nothing with my life. Literally, everything I have, I've gotten from my brother; my apartment, my cars, all my clothes and jewelry. I flunked out of college. The man I love dumped me because according to him I'm beautiful but he wants someone serious to start a family with, apparently I'm too shallow and immature for him. I'm a failed model. If I died, the only people who would care are my family."
"I'd care," Olivia said.
"I said family Olivia. My niece is in your stomach so now you have to deal with my dysfunction. No, I'm kidding, you don't have to deal with that."
Olivia shook her head and laughed.
"What about the money Fitz gave you to start your boutique?"
"Please- he doesn't actually think I'm gonna open it. He's probably just looking for a reason to cut me off as some sort of life lesson. He thinks I need to get my shit together too."
Olivia was almost surprised at how well Arianna knew her brother.
"Prove him wrong then," she said.
"That's easier said than done," Arianna sighed, "Which room can I stay in?"
"Any one of the guest rooms you like," Olivia said.
Arianna nodded, "I'm hungry but I can't even eat anything good. They don't want me eating solids for a month! I poop like a newborn now."
Olivia laughed, "I can't poop at all."
"Maybe I will prove him wrong," she said, "even if he did cut me off it'll last for a couple months and he'd give up from all my begging. He's a big softie."
Olivia chuckled, "I really think you should try. You have such great taste, it'd be a waste not to use it."
"Thanks, Liv."
They sat quietly for a while until Olivia broke the silence.
"What was Fitz like as a child?"
"He was a neurotic little asshole, that's what he was."
"Really?"
"Everything had to be perfect and he had to be the best at everything and if he wasn't he'd freak out."
"Really? How?"
"Well, once he had a basketball game in junior high and his team lost and really it was because of one kid on the team that was just really good. He kicked Fitz's ass. A normal kid would be fine but Fitz freaked out after the game, bawled his eyes out, and wouldn't eat. He made dad stay outside by the garage hoop playing basketball until like 2 in the morning after the game. He was like 12."
Olivia frowned, "that's intense."
"He was intense, he still is. I'm the opposite, I'm calm, almost...arguably- to a fault."
Olivia chuckled.
"Over time he controlled his emotions better but he was always like that, with grades, with basketball and everything. He always needs to be the best and have the most."
"I'm terrified," Olivia admitted.
"Why?"
"That it's over. It's been almost a month and out of that month, I haven't seen him in over two weeks. I'm trying to hold my ground, I don't want him doing what he does anymore but the more time that passes the more I'm ready to give in because I can't be without him. I love him too much but if I give in I don't want to end in a relationship where he does whatever he wants and I'm just a pushover no matter how it affects me."
"Wasn't your deal that he'd slowly pull back over your pregnancy? You're a little over three months now, is the few months difference that big?"
Olivia nodded, "I can't have what happened to me happen again. I just can't."
"Exactly so hold your ground," Arianna said.
Olivia was frustrated.
"What do you feel?"
"I want him to stop for sure. I can't get shot again but him stopping doesn't mean that everything ends there. I think it might lift a weight off your shoulders mentally but in reality, it might be different. I'm willing to give him time. If he just drops everything and up's and leaves who knows what can happen. They might start trying to rob his businesses or take them or whatever those assholes do to each other. Someone could even say -oh he's out of the loop now let's go get him or they could totally forget about him. He could stay and something like this never happens again or he could leave and it does happen again and vice versa. It's really tough so you just have to decide what makes you sleep at night and stick with it."
"Way to be a pragmatist?"
"I'm gonna sound stupid but what does that mean?"
"It just means you're taking a very practical approach."
Arianna nodded, laughing, "I 75% knew what it meant I just wanted to be sure." She sat up from Olivia's lap, "you can lay in my lap now but I haven't showered in almost two days so if you smell something just politely move away."
Olivia's mouth curved up into a smile.
"What?" Arianna said, "I used wipes."
Olivia settled her head in Arianna's lap and felt Arianna stroke her hair lightly.
"Fitz is the second person to come after me because of my father."
"Seriously?" Arianna asked.
Olivia nodded, "I haven't had a relationship with my dad for over a decade, almost two and people still come after me because of him. I know it won't be all roses and sunshine if he stops but still, I want him to stop and I want us to try to have some kind of normalcy before our daughter comes. What comes after we'll just have to deal with."
"That's fair," Arianna said.
In the morning of her doctor's appointment, Olivia woke to a text from Fitz. It was almost 5am. She planned to go in early and then leave a little earlier than midday for her appointment then return for her shift. She took a breath and she sat up and opened her phone to read it
There was an audio recording attached to a text that read:
Listen to the entire thing.
Olivia stood and walked to her purse in her closet and took out her AirPods to listen to the recording.
"I wanna go in," Camilla said.
"He's sleeping. He doesn't want anyone to bother him," a male voice said. It was a guard but Olivia didn't know which one.
"He asked me to do something. I gotta go take care of it," Camilla responded.
Olivia heard the door open softly and then nothing but shuffling for a few moments then she heard soft kissing and the quiet shutter of a camera. Camilla was taking pictures.
She swallowed hard and tried to continue listening.
"Livie...baby," she heard Fitz groan. He sounded raspy.
She listened intently, trying to figure out what was going on.
"No, it's me...I know she couldn't handle you so let me do it, daddy," Camilla said.
Then Olivia heard a thud.
"Ouuu-" Camilla called out in a painful groan.
Moments passed.
"I don't want you….look at me….I love Olivia. I don't want you."
She heard sobbing from Camilla then what sounded like the door slam moments later.
Olivia looked down at the recording and it had a date, time, and location in the file. It was in Panama City, hours before Camilla sent her the pictures.
She pulled her earphones out and locked her phone. She really wasn't sure what to respond to him. She felt like a weight was lifted from her shoulder but she couldn't enjoy the relief she felt because their future was still in doubt. She felt more disconnected from him than she ever had and though she wanted it badly, it didn't feel easy to get back to where they were just a month ago. Fitz wasn't talking. She hadn't seen him in over two weeks and the only time they communicated was when he asked about her pregnancy. That's what she'd asked him to do but she still found herself unhappy he listened.
He'd texted her just minutes before she woke so she knew he was up as well.
She took a moment to collect herself then opened her phone to text him back:
I'm sorry.
She locked her phone and brought it with her to the bathroom. When she got there it chimed with a text. She didn't know why she was so nervous but she could feel her heart pounding in her chest.
Fitz: It's okay...though the soft penis should've been a dead giveaway that I had no fucking idea what was going on. I'm driving up for your appointment. I'll pick you up at 10:30."
Olivia bit her lip to stifle a laugh but she couldn't help her smile. Still, she was almost shaking as she texted him back. The two weeks apart did a number on her.
Olivia: Driving up? Where were you?
Fitz: NYC
Olivia: Are you texting and driving?
Fitz: I didn't leave yet.
Olivia: Please drive safely and I'll see you at 10:30. I'll be at the hospital.
Fitz: I know.
Olivia: Of course. Tell me when you're close.
Fitz: Sure.
Olivia locked her phone. She replayed the conversation over and over as she got ready, trying to decipher his tone even though it was impossible to do over text. When she finished with the conversation, she began to replay the audio Fitz sent her; she couldn't get over the fact that he called out her name and told Camilla in no uncertain terms that he loved her and that was after they'd broken up. He's said as much when he called her before he came back to Boston but she was too busy hating him for thinking he cheated to listen to him. She wondered if she should have apologized more for it and decided to do it in person when she saw him. It was clear what happened, he was sleeping and Camilla went into his room trying to initiate sex. Olivia figured she must've taken the pictures, assuming he would actually have sex with her and she could rub them in her face to prove it but when he didn't she sent them anyway.
Arianna was sleeping when Olivia left for work. She spent her day anxious about seeing Fitz, so much so that she could barely focus on her patient, a middle-aged man suffering from pancreatic cancer. Olivia assisted on his Whipple procedure since she was assigned to a general surgery, which was her 3rd specialty preference, for the week. He caught sepsis after the procedure and was now in the ICU. She spent most of her morning analyzing lab results and working with the general surgery attending to treat him and other patients under her care for the week.
It was almost 10:15 when Fitz texted her that he was 10 minutes away. By then she was already finishing up for the morning to leave. She changed into the black jeans and white long sleeve wool sweater she wore in the morning. She slipped on her Hermes jumping boots and grabbed her coat and purse. She fixed her hair and checked her face in the small mirror in her bathroom and then headed down to meet him.
As she was walking across the lobby on the ground floor, the daughter of her sepsis patient approached her.
"Dr. Pope, do you have a moment?"
"Uh-" Olivia said, looking to see if Fitz was parked on the curb. She realized it was snowing lightly outside. Olivia turned back to the woman.
"That idea you said- I think I want Dr. Stewart to try it"
Olivia looked to the clear glass doors of the lobby to see if she could find Fitz. It was hard to stay focused. "What idea-oh, um, Dr. Stewart said no." Olivia looked to the door again and saw Fitz walking towards the lobby with an umbrella, she didn't see his car which made sense because no one was allowed to block the lobby entrance but she was so anxious that hadn't occurred to her. "I'm in a little bit of a rush. Can you walk with me to the door? Olivia asked. She could feel his stare from the door at the other end of the room. She tried to pretend she didn't.
The woman nodded.
"You're a doctor too, aren't you?" Olivia glanced over at Fitz quickly then turned back.
"I'm a resident doctor," Olivia said as she began walking towards Fitz. The woman followed. "I'm in my 3rd year which makes me a baby doctor. Dr. Stewart is a board-certified surgeon with over 20 years of experience. What I made was only a suggestion and a long-shot at that."
Olivia walked and stopped close to Fitz. She felt his eyes wash over her and focus on her little belly.
"I googled it, it worked for-"
"It was an experimental suggestion. The bacteria your father is infected by is extremely antibiotic-resistant, that's why we're having a hard time treating him but we're trying everything. Look, I personally believe virulent phages could treat this infection. Each phage we put in him could force a single bacterium to produce 200 more phages before killing it. They can't target his own cells, only the bacteria in his blood. I think he'd be fine in a couple of days. Dr. Stewart disagrees, he thinks it's too experimental and he's right, it's never been used to treat sepsis, so that's where my suggestion ends. There could be all kinds of side effects we can't foresee. I'm not even a general surgery resident, I'm in neurosurgery so again, I'm really gonna have to defer to Dr. Stewart."
"I agree with you- he should be able to do it."
"I'm sorry, I tried. I know it's hard but you have to trust Dr. Stewart."
The woman sighed, frustrated. Olivia glanced at Fitz again. His eyes moved from her belly to her eyes and back.
"Well, when are you coming back at least. You explain things a lot better than him-"
"-I'll be back right after my doctor's appointment. If things get detrimental in the next couple of hours I'm on call so I'll be paged and I'll head back as quickly as I can."
She nodded.
"Thank you...I guess I'll see you later."
Olivia stuck her bag between her legs and quickly slipped on her winter coat. She took a breath then turned to Fitz. She glanced up at his eyes again. They were focused on her. He looked good, which was expected but it did nothing to calm her nerves.
"Sorry," she mumbled.
"Don't be," Fitz said. He motioned towards the door and Olivia followed him. At the outer exit, he opened the umbrella. Now that she was outside, Olivia realized there was a mix of rain and snow. Fitz pulled her close and snuggled her head by her shoulder. He covered them with the umbrella and walked Olivia to his car parked not too far away.
He opened the door and waited as Olivia climbed into the passenger side then he closed it and walked around to the other side. He left the car running so when she sat inside it was warm from the heat. Fitz climbed in as well and tossed the umbrella in the back seat.
"You drove up in this weather?" Olivia asked.
"It only got bad about 45 minutes outside of Boston."
Fitz went into the GPS history and clicked on the doctor's office address. "This is it right?"
Olivia nodded.
Fitz set the GPS and then pulled out of the lot. As the seconds ticked by she felt her walls going up.
"How's the baby?"
"Fine," she answered.
"Can I get a little more than fine?" Fitz said as he drove. "Are you still vomiting a lot?"
Olivia didn't answer. Fitz waited before he spoke. "What's wrong?"
Olivia didn't answer.
"What's a virulent phage?"
"It's a virus-" Olivia stopped and turned to him. He was smiling now and she couldn't help but smile too. "That's not funny."
"Well when I ask about you, you don't wanna answer. What's going on? Have I done something between this morning and 5 minutes ago that's made you mad?"
She sighed, "I've been a nervous wreck waiting to see you all morning and now you're here and I just don't understand how you can be cool with everything that's happened."
Fitz didn't answer right away.
"I never said I was okay...I'm just trying to make conversation to work up the courage to ask you to talk later."
"Really?" She asked, amused she made him nervous.
"I'm so glad my shame could make you feel better," he said sarcastically.
"It actually does," she said with a smile. "It's usually my shame."
"When?"
"When half the ward had to see my vagina when they were giving me the bladder lavage?"
"Yikes."
"Exactly."
"Or when I threw up on my shoes last week at work."
"So the vomiting is still bad?"
"I think she's trying to kill me because I've almost killed her so many times."
Olivia waited for his response but there was none.
"That's just a little joke I tell myself," she added, awkwardly.
He groaned but didn't respond.
"When do you want to talk?"
"Why don't we eat after your appointment?"
"I have food from Simone but we can still eat."
Fitz nodded.
"Is it a good talk or bad talk?" Olivia said nervously.
"I think it'll be a good talk but what's a bad talk?"
She shrugged, "I've got a few ideas but I don't want to say them." She watched him take a deep breath but say nothing. "Your mother was looking for you," she said.
"She found me."
"Where's your mother, she hasn't been around."
"Of course she hasn't been around. Did you expect me to talk to her after what she did?"
"I actually did. You guys are attached at the hip."
"Not anymore. She's the reason the last month has been hell."
"I'm the reason the last month has been hell," Fitz corrected.
"You're defending my mother."
"I hate your mother and if I never see her again I'd be fine but the only reason she could do what she did was because of me. If you had a regular boyfriend whose biggest problem was...what's a regular person's problem? Their boss is annoying or something? I don't know but she couldn't have caused the chaos she did."
"You're underestimating my mother. Abby is as regular as a person gets and she almost got her kicked out of med school because she called the dean and told her Abby was cheating. My mom has a sister and because we got too close, they got into a big fight and now they don't talk, she doesn't even talk to me. She does this, every time she feels like someone threatens our relationship she tries to sabotage them. After the Herman thing, I really thought she would stop. It could've been so bad- I keep thinking about what would have happened if you didn't come upstairs."
"I think about that too."
"And until the very end he was convinced he loved me even though he spent years terrorizing me and turning my life upside down," she sighed, "ugh, I shouldn't talk about him."
She watched him tense and bit. They drove silently for a while longer.
"Are we gonna talk about the Camilla thing?" She asked.
"There's nothing to talk about, I didn't sleep with her and now you know it."
"I really am sorry-"
"She had pictures, if I had to look at pictures of you and someone else I would have reacted worse."
"Exactly, you know if she's just told me you two slept together I wouldn't have believed her but she sent me pictures...so I kind of had no choice, still, I'm sorry. How did you get that recording?"
"Wade."
Fitz pulled into the lot of the doctor's office and parked. He reached back for the umbrella and then brought it around to Olivia's side. He walked her into the office and dropped the umbrella in the little wet umbrella basket by the door. Olivia walked to the receptionist to check-in.
The wait was short before they were called into the exam room.
Fitz watched as they took her temperature, weight, blood pressure, drew blood, measured her belly, and all the rest before the doctor walked in shortly after. Olivia was sitting on the exam table and Fitz was standing beside her.
"Hey Mom and dad," she said brightly with a wave.
"Hi Dr. Fencer," Olivia said.
"It's nasty outside isn't it?"
Olivia nodded.
"So I took a look at all the vitals and they're good. Your belly is smaller than average but that isn't the end of the world nor is it something to be worried about." She slipped on gloves as she walked to Olivia, "can you lift your sweater please?"
Olivia lifted her sweater over her belly. Dr. Fencer felt over her belly with her fingers briefly.
"How is the morning sickness?"
"Terrible, I don't even want to eat anymore honestly."
"You have to eat."
"I do," Olivia said, "I just don't want to. Simone's been baking me a lot of bread, which has been tolerable- delicious actually, especially with butter or my god and this blueberry vanilla jam she makes."
"Sounds like your eating?"
"Yeah, like two things. Everything else just feels so heavy on my stomach and then I get so nauseous- ugh."
Dr. Fencer smiled, "I think it'll only last a few more weeks."
"If I'm lucky," Olivia said as she rubbed her stomach and spoke to her baby, "it's okay, you can make me sick all you want, I can take it."
Fitz smiled.
"How are the nipples?"
"It feels like I stuck them in a freezer but the nipple cream you gave me last time makes it bearable."
"That and dad tending to them should suffice for now. I can't make the symptom completely go away but it might on its own."
Olivia remembered Fitz's joke about tending to her breasts last time and when she looked over to him he seemed to remember too. She could tell by his faded smile.
"How's your discharge?"
"Alot, clear but it has been white a few times obviously because of the estrogen and sticky too."
"That's normal."
"I love talking about discharge, keep it coming," Olivia said sarcastically.
"How's your poop?" Dr. Fencer said.
"Occasionally constipated. It's been so great."
Dr. Fencer smiled, "can I tell you how much I love that you're a doctor but you're allowing me to treat you. For constipation just take some fiber, a half serving of Metamucil twice a week should be fine."
"Awesome."
Dr. Fencer smiled again, "alright, let's get to the good stuff. I know you guys want to see her."
"How big is she?" Fitz asked, speaking for the first time.
"At 14 weeks and 1 day she's between a lemon and a peach," she said. "Right now, she might have a little coating of hair on her body called lanugo to keep her warm and cozy. Her brain is growing rapidly and she's developing reflexes. Olivia should see her symptoms begin to wane, hopefully, but every woman is different."
Fitz nodded
The ultrasound machine was already on. Dr. Fencer grabbed a bottle of gel and squirted a blob on her belly and then pulled the wand from the machine. She spread the gel all over her stomach until the image became visible on the screen. Her heartbeat was loud and strong. Fitz kept his eyes glued to the screen.
"There she is," Dr. Fencer said. "Absolute beauty. At this stage, you can see her profile particularly well. There's her nasal bone and her little belly and her head and little legs."
Fitz cleared his throat. It was so loud it sounded like a truck engine. Olivia pulled her eyes from the screen and turned to him, "are you okay?"
She was surprised to see him drowning behind tears and in response, she completely froze. She had no idea what to do, this had never happened before. He'd choked up a little when she woke from the hypothermia but this was different.
"That's our daughter," he gurgled out. "That's our little girl."
He reached to her and pulled her forehead against his. Olivia closed her eyes and pressed her hand against his cheek, caressing him gently.
Dr. Fencer placed the transducer back on the machine and wiped the gel from Olivia's belly. Then she stepped out of the office, "excuse me," she mumbled as she closed the door.
The second the door closed Fitz kissed her and wrapped his arms around her tightly and nestled her against him. "I fucking love you." He whispered between kisses as he ran his hands over her small belly. "I love you so much, you don't understand."
"I do," she said softly against his lips as she moved one hand to his hair and ran her fingers through it. "Because I love you too." She pulled back from him so she could see his face and then licked slowly up his wet cheek, wiping away his tears with her tongue. She didn't realize how intimate it was until after she'd done it and she also realized that she didn't know where they stood.
Fitz kissed her again softly then broke it and stared down at her.
Yes, he loved her and she loved him but their relationship was still in peril. The longer she sat there in his arms as he caressed her belly the more she felt like giving in. She wanted to do whatever it would take to have him back, even if it meant that he would continue with his life but the same problem persisted. Even if she was happy in the short term, in the long term, she would be miserable and what sense was it to have him if she was miserable with him. Olivia wiped her eyes and took a breath, she was about to speak when Dr. Fencer knocked on the door.
"Olivia, I'm coming back in," she called.
Fitz leaned up and wiped his face. Olivia did the same, though she was annoyed their moment was interrupted. She was fine with Fitz holding her for hours that way.
"Sure," Olivia called back once her face was dry.
Dr. Fencer walked in with a smile, "I was just looking at your blood work and it's great. I'll email you all the details. I got a pretty good look at her during the ultrasound so unless you want to see her again then I'll see you in February. My assistant will email you the exact appointment details."
Olivia nodded, "thanks, I'll see you again in a month."
"Thank you, Dr. Fencer," Fitz said.
"Well, thanks, and um this might be a little weird- actually I'll just email you Olivia," she said.
"Wait- what is it?"
"Well," Dr. Fencer said, "you two are such an attractive couple, and Olivia you have such a cute little baby bump that...we're actually creating some ads for our practice, my partner doctors and I were wondering if you guys would actually be photographed for the ad." Dr. Fencer waited nervously then chuckled, "it's something to think about. I'll email you, Olivia," she said quickly.
Olivia nodded.
"Okay, I'll see you soon."
Dr. Fencer hurried out, leaving them.
Fitz helped her off the exam table. Olivia pulled down her sweater and grabbed her jacket and bag. She checked out with the receptionist as Fitz grabbed the umbrella and waited by the door. He walked her back to the car and then got in on the other side. There was more icy rain now than snow. Fitz turned on the car.
"I think we probably shouldn't do lunch anymore."
"Why?"
"You can't keep anything down," he said.
"Is this your excuse to ditch me for lunch?"
Fitz chuckled, "what?"
"I think that for once you showed me that you're an actual human being with emotions and now you want to get away."
"That's not true at all," Fitz said.
Now that he could feel the heat he pulled out of the parking spot and left the lot.
"Why is it so hard for you?" Olivia asked.
"It's not."
"But you said you wanted to talk and now you don't?"
"I still do, we'll talk and if you want to have lunch we can go. I just figured that since so many things make you sick, why force it?"
"Aren't you hungry?
"A little but I can get something after."
"I am hungry too and my food is back at the hospital. I think I want to stop somewhere, I'm in the mood for salty fries. McDonald's maybe?"
"You get whatever you want," Fitz said. He searched for a Mcdonald's in the GPS as he stopped at the entrance of the lot. Once he found it, he turned on the road. He decided not to drive too quickly in the bad weather so it was a slow quiet drive to the drive-thru Mcdonalds and a slow ride back to the hospital parking lot while Olivia munched on her fries.
Once he'd parked and they sat for a few minutes, Fitz began.
"I don't know where to start."
"I'll start," Olivia offered. "I'm scared that we both love each other but that won't be enough. I'm scared that you'll choose your lifestyle over me and our daughter- like my dad did. I'm scared even if you choose your lifestyle I'll accept it because I love you and it'll make me miserable. I'm also scared of being alone… and pregnant- I mean I know I'm all over the place, I say one thing in a moment and really I want you to do the opposite but I've barely spoken to you in the last month. I don't know where you are, I don't know if you're okay and that's hard because you don't have to deal with that, you know exactly where I am and you know I'm okay."
"Olivia the last two conversations we had before today were you yelling at me about how little contact you wanted me to have with you. If you didn't have the past you did then yeah, I'd probably have tried a lot harder to talk to you-"
"What does that mean?" She interjected.
Fitz sighed, "that's my fear. You said it yourself, up until Herman tried to drive a kitchen knife in your back he was professing his love for you-"
"Herman has nothing to do with you or us."
"He does though Olivia. I don't want to be like him and you don't understand how easy it is to get there."
"Fitz-"
"-I almost got you killed and every day that passes it kind of sinks in a little more just how fucked up that was. My love for you can't be an excuse for me to stick around when you're getting hurt the way you are."
Olivia felt water burning her eyes.
Fitz unlocked his seatbelt then reached over and unlocked hers. He pulled her on his lap sideways against him.
"I'm saying that I'll do whatever I need to do for you. If that means ditching everything I do, all the deals and the agreement and connections with people I shouldn't be in business with then that's easy. The hard part is that I can't guarantee that'll give us the life you deserve, where people aren't showing up to your job to terrorize you because of me."
He waited for her response but she just leaned to him and kissed him softly and gaze at him as she traced her finger against his jawline.
"Your jaw could cut glass," she said.
Fitz laughed and shook his head.
"That was a good one," he teased.
Olivia smiled, "see my jokes are funny."
"Maybe I'm just laughing because I'm in the middle of begging you to take me back. Anything will help."
She chucked. "I was 99% there after the doctor's office," Olivia said. "But seriously Fitz, whatever comes after this, we'll take it as it comes, that's just something we'll have to deal with. I won't pretend I know what's in store for us but as long as you aren't making new enemies I think we can manage. We'll have to. "
"You say that now but it can get overwhelming. That's what happened, you woke up from the hypothermia and you felt overwhelmed, that's why you decided to break it off."
Olivia shook her head, "it wasn't just what happened that night, it was the months leading up to it."
"Yes and there's no telling that won't happen again."
"Fitz-" Olivia interjected but he cut her off. She tried to let out a breath but it was stuck inside.
"Olivia- it's okay. If it does, it's okay."
She didn't know what to respond and she decided not to pretend that what he said wasn't true.
"Are you sure this is what you want? I don't want you to hate me in a few years if you regret your decision."
He sighed and leaned back, "I fucking pay 10 million a year for security right now and that might double which is the only thing that makes my head hurt but-"
"That much! How?"
"I have give or take twenty guys, each of them makes a few hundred grand a year- at least. Then there's fucking Wade and his team who gobble up a few million for salary and tech. I'm not even including money to fly my guards all over and put them up in hotels. Now if they're gonna be in the U.S. full time with me I'll need to get them work visas so they're not dodging ICE. These are things I've thought about but now I'll need to get them done faster."
"Can you afford that many guards? 20 million a year is insane? You'll be making less and spending more."
"Don't worry about that part- let me worry about it."
"If we're gonna be partners then you have to tell me stuff so I'm not freaking out."
He chuckled and shook his head.
"You have more than half a billion dollars, you're not gonna be poor but 20 million a year is...a big bill."
He sighed, "yes and that's my problem to worry about."
"But I still will," Olivia said. "You act like I'm not spending your money, I need to know if it should stop."
"Olivia, as long as at the end of the fiscal year I'm not into the negative and eating into what I have now it'll be fine. I'll still have all my businesses, properties, and investments. I did set myself up for the eventuality that I would leave. I just can't be as greedy as I was. I'm sure that my fear of losing it all has everything to do with the fact that my father lost all his money but it's still there, nagging at me."
"You're not your dad and also, you have so much more than he ever had. Like a hundred times more."
Fitz shrugged, "it's a fear and it's slightly unreasonable but it's there."
"Fitz, you'll be okay...we'll be okay."
He ran his fingers against the line of her lips, "I tried to picture my future without you and I couldn't. You and her are all that fucking matter to me." He took her hands and kissed them. "I love you and I'm sorry for what I put you through this last month. I'll make it up to you, I promise."
Olivia wrapped her hands around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Oh, I love you too- so, so much. You're completely forgiven."
Fitz pulled her to his lips and kissed her hungrily. Olivia pressed down on his groin as she shifted her body and straddled him then heard him groan. She couldn't help the cackle that escaped her throat. He wrapped her arms around her waist and laughed too, "shut up, I haven't cum in weeks."
It didn't take long for her to feel him, rock hard under her. "I can tell," she teased.
"Wait-" Fitz said, "there is bad news though."
"What?"
"I have to leave- only for a few days to take care of things I have to do in person. I would have done it sooner but if I did I would have missed your appointment and that wasn't an option. After this, I'm yours for months on end with no breaks."
She smiled, "take as much time as you need to take care of what you have to then come home. I really missed you."
Fitz smirked as he watched her squeeze her legs together just a little.
"I missed you too. I swore I'd have to beg a little harder-"
"I'm very easy," Olivia interjected with a chuckle. "Only with you though." Olivia gently stroked his cheek. "So, what are you gonna do when you get back? Just focus on your businesses?"
"That's the other thing- I'm planning to step aside for a little bit."
"What's a little?" Olivia asked as she reached for a cold fry.
"I don't know- I just need a break. I'll still oversee but I'm gonna have a few of my general managers step up."
"What will you do in the meantime?"
"I actually called my old coach about the assistant coaching job with the Celtics."
Her eyes widened, "really? I thought you said you didn't want to have your face out there?"
"I was bullshitting a little."
She chuckled, "do you think you can manage to be someone's assistant?"
"No," he said, honestly, "but I know my coach and he knows me so I'll just see how it goes. It's just while I'm stepping away, eventually, I'll go back to my business but until then I'll keep myself occupied with this."
"That's really exciting?"
"Is it?"
"Yeah."
"It'll be only home games for a few months but that works fine."
"I get to see you more so I won't complain," she said as she clapped excitedly.
"Did you tell your mom?"
"I didn't tell anyone, this whole thing hinged on you taking me back."
"Oh," she said, "Fitz, you don't have to do this. I love you and you can still run your business-"
"I want to," Fitz said, "I've been out of control...I really need to take a step back."
Olivia was quiet for a minute. "Okay, that's fine by me." She fed him a fry.
"You'll never guess what I got while you were gone?"
"I give up," Fitz said as he chewed.
"I got a vibrator," she said, then waited for his response.
"It's been that bad? Huh?"
"You have no idea-"
"-I think I have some idea," Fitz countered.
They both laughed. Olivia leaned down and kissed him again. "Do you want me to help you out?" she whispered.
Fitz let out a breath and ran his hands down her back and planted them firmly on her ass and squeezed. Olivia ground her hips against him and felt him stiffen underneath her as his dick hardened. "I think I could use some help, yeah."
He sucked on her tongue and lips as he pushed her down hard against him. Olivia moaned against him as she felt him pressed against her crotch. Fitz reached up and squeezed her breasts. Olivia choked out a gasp and fell against him. She reached down and grabbed his dick over the fabric of his pants. It felt huge in her hands like she'd forgotten his size when he was hard. She felt him grip her tighter. "Fuck me right here," she moaned in between kisses.
It was afternoon and though it was raining and overcast, it was still daytime but they were on the far end of the parking lot.
Before Fitz could respond, her pager went off in her bag.
"No, no, no," she whimpered against him as she reluctantly broke their kiss and reached into her bag and pulled out her pager. She read the message. "Dammit."
"What?"
"My patient went into septic shock- I have to go."
Fitz took a breath and ran his hands through his hair. "Wait- let me drop you closer." He ignited the engine. Olivia climbed out of his lap back into the passenger seat. She pulled on her jacket quickly and Fitz reversed from the spot and dropped closer to the hospital entrance. She looked over and saw he was still hard in his pants.
"Um...when are you leaving?"
"I planned to go right after I talked to Arianna. I wanted to go and come back as fast as I could."
"Dammit-okay, umm...just I'll call you when I get a second but I really have to run."
Fitz grabbed her and kissed her, "this is the last of it. I promise."
Olivia smiled, "I know." She opened the door, "I can't believe I tried to have sex with you in the parking lot. This is what happens when you're gone for like a month," she said then ran out to the hospital entrance.
Fitz smiled watching her run and waited until he could no longer see her then drove off.
Olivia changed as quickly as she could manage and ran to her patient's room. His daughter ran to her, "Dr. Pope-."
Dr. Stewart stormed up to Olivia, "Dr. Pope, we need to have a word." he said to Olivia, "excuse me, Mrs. Longchamp," he said to the woman as he walked from her.
Olivia followed him two doors down and stepped inside.
"I understand that Dr. Roberts lets you run roughshod over his neurosurgery board but when you're in general, under my direction you follow it. I told you the phage therapy was not an option so why the hell did you convince my patient's daughter it was."
She was on cloud nine from her afternoon with Fitz and nothing anyone could say would change that.
"Dr. Stewart, I am unsure of what you mean when you say that Dr. Roberts lets me run roughshod over his neuro board because that's not true and I didn't convince Mrs. Longchamp to do anything. During rounds, you ask my opinion on possible treatment options and I gave you that opinion, Mrs. Longchamp was in the room and she heard. When she followed me down the hospital entrance I told her exactly what I'm telling you now, it was an experimental suggestion and that if you are unwilling to try it then that's where the suggestion ends."
He grimaced, "well, she's requested another surgeon who seems interested in your insane and untested idea." He turned and headed back to the door, "I never want you on my service again." He said before walking out.
Olivia smiled and stepped out the door behind him. She walked back to her patient's room. "Dr. Pope, I'm interested in your phage therapy idea," Dr. Loniage said. She was younger and recently promoted to an attending in General surgery. "Where would you source the phages?"
"We have them isolated in the bio-lab upstairs."
"Well, Mrs. Longchamp signed all the necessary forms. This is a hail mary option because as it stands, Mr. Tarley's organs are shutting down rapidly. Can you mix the viral cocktail?"
Olivia nodded quickly and went to make the cocktail. It was a long evening and a longer night. After the injection of the viral cocktail, all she could do was wait. During the night when she went back to her on-call room, she called Fitz.
"Livie?"
"Baby, hey, where are you?"
"In a plane?" he said.
"Oh, I thought maybe you landed. What are you doing?"
"Googling what the fuck a virulent phage is."
She chuckled, "it's just a virus that infects bacteria, not humans. The virulent phage is just one that kills bacteria faster than the temperate phage."
"Did it work?"
"We're not sure yet. I'm nervous. He's in a coma and we're gonna test him in the morning."
"Why are you nervous?"
"Because I could be wrong. The reason no one does this is that it hasn't been tested."
"Don't start freaking out about it."
"I know, I know," she said and sighed, "I can't wait until you get back. We'll have to set an entire day aside where we just-"
"-fuck," Fitz interjected.
"Yes," she chuckled, "and I want you to hold me for hours and just rub my belly and my ass and my breasts."
"I've been fighting off erections all flight Olivia, don't do this to me."
She laughed, "but I miss you."
"I miss you too but that doesn't mean you should torture me, especially after what happened in the car."
"I didn't plan that and I suffered too. I spent half the afternoon walking around in soaked panties."
"There's that torture again."
"Fine, fine, I'm sorry. I have to go to bed anyway. I love you, let me know when you land okay?"
"I love you, baby, I will."
The next morning Olivia woke early to the sound of her pager and rushed down to her patient. When she arrived at his room, he was still asleep but his daughter was smiling.
Olivia stopped at the door and she was speechless. There were a few nurses and Dr. Loniage.
"Look at your work, Dr. Pope," Dr. Loniage said. "He had a really good night. He is no longer in septic shock, we took his cultures and the bacteria in his blood is down by 57%. A few hours before that he vitals began to strengthen. I ..uh..think you might have made a few medical journal covers with this one," she said as she walked to Olivia and pat her on the shoulder. "Start running the tests so we can have a good look at him before we start to celebrate huh? His scans show that he regained normal brain activity so he should be waking within the day as he's no longer comatose."
Olivia nodded, still unable to digest the moment.
Olivia walked into her apartment after spending another 30 hours at the hospital tracking her patient's progress. He was awake and speaking and effectively free of sepsis. Arianna was in the living room, lounging on the couch.
"Hey Liv," she said. "Do you usually work for such a long time?"
"Sometimes, especially when I'm making medical history," Olivia answered with a smile.
Ariana turned to her, "my doofus brother walked in grinning just like you are now when he came to talk to me."
"He told you we made up?'
"Yeah," she said, "do you want to do something? I'm really bored."
"I'm exhausted," Olivia said, "tomorrow is a better day. I'm off."
"Fitz comes back tomorrow, are you sure you two won't be playing balls and holes all day."
Olivia laughed, "he comes back tomorrow night so you can have me during the day...well actually I need to go get waxed and I wanted to get a mani-pedi so I'll just take a little nap and then we can go later so we aren't too busy tomorrow."
"Sure," Arianna said with a sigh.
"Did you tell Fitz how you were feeling?" Olivia asked.
"Not really- I think he could tell something was off but I don't even know what I'm feeling so I wouldn't know what to tell him."
"Tell him why you told me."
Arianna shook her head, "he shouldn't have to deal with my shit. I told you because you're nice to talk to. If I tell Fitz then I'll actually have to deal with what I'm feeling. He'll make me and I'm not ready to."
"Okay," Olivia said, "take your time and tell him when you're ready."
Olivia patted her on the shoulder and then went upstairs to nap then she met Arianna later in the afternoon to go to the salon.
After she returned home she wrapped her hair up and showered then changed into a light cotton nightgown. She climbed into bed and grabbed her phone to call Fitz.
Fitz saw the incoming call and answered as he climbed into the car at the airport.
"You just can't help how much you miss me?"
Olivia chuckled, "I just wanted to say goodnight before I went to bed."
"How was the salon?"
"I feel smooth and very pampered," Olivia said, "this is all for you, of course...well...maybe 50% for you."
He laughed, "I'm honored."
"How's my girl doing?"
"Good, unbelievably, I only threw up once today. I think my morning sickness days are coming to an end."
"That's great- I'm excited for you to only throw up when you lie your little ass off."
"The good ole days," Olivia said with a smile. "Anyways I'm gonna let you go. I can't wait to see you tomorrow."
"We'll finish up where we left off."
"Yes, we will," Olivia promised then hung up. She rested her phone on the nightstand and turned off all the lights. She turned in her pillow and closed her eyes and waited for sleep to take her. After a few minutes of lying awake and growing hornier by the second, she turned on the side lamp and reached into the nightstand drawer, and took her vibrator wand from its case. She pulled up her nightgown and then pulled her underwear to her thighs. It was powerful so she turned on the lowest setting on a steady vibration and pressed it against her pubic bone, just above her clitoral hood. Her nipples stiffened immediately.
It was the first time she got to relieve herself since her encounter with Fitz.
She closed her eyes and took a breath as she waited for her inevitable orgasm. It was still unbelievable how easy it was for her to cum now that she'd opened herself up sexually. Two minutes of the wand buzzing on her pussy was enough to get her off if she wasn't ready. If she was already horny it would take seconds.
Moments passed and the loud buzzing drowned out everything else as she lost herself in thoughts of how Fitz's hard dick felt against her crotch as she straddled him in his car. She imagined him kissing and licking her and it pushed her to the edge immediately.
Fitz closed the front door behind him, leaving a team of guards outside for their night shift. It was dark in the living room which meant Arianna was probably locked in the guest room sleeping too. He dropped his bag and unzipped his coat and hung it in the closet. It felt strange coming home to stay after spending so much time away. When they weren't together it felt like he wasn't welcome in the apartment, now it felt like home, just as it did before.
He kicked off his shoes and then walked quickly to the half-bathroom by the study. He planned to have his fingers inside Olivia in a minute. They needed to be clean. When he was done he headed up the stairs, teeming with excitement from the thought of being inside her tonight and then waking next to her in the morning. He walked quietly up the stairs and stopped in front of their bedroom. He heard low moaning and for the smallest instant jealousy overcame him and he had the urge to burst open the door only to remember that another man couldn't be there with Olivia. She was masturbating. He took a breath and listened closer and heard buzzing.
He grinned and slowly pressed against the doorknob and opened the door. He stepped inside and could see a low glow of light from the side lamp.
Her moaning rose an octave and his cock stiffened as he walked to her. Fitz stopped at the edge of the bed and took her in.
She was a sight to behold.
The straps of her nightgown were pulled down and one hand caressed what he was sure was her aching nipple. She had a vibrator pressed between her legs with her panties half pulled down and her legs open. Her eyes were closed and her lips were folded together.
"Fitz," she moaned softly.
He thought she saw him but as he stared down he realized she didn't, she was just moaning his name as the vibrator buzzed against her pussy.
He leaned forwards and ran his finger down her thigh. Olivia flung her eyes open and immediately realized it was him. She was frozen with the wand on her as she tried to register what was happening. Her shock was evident in her widened eyes. He wasn't supposed to be home for another day but it wasn't the first time he came sooner than she expected. The shock wore off quickly as he raised her legs up and pulled her panties down then widened them and leaned down. She was breathless before he even touched her, panting widely as she waited.
She felt his tongue immediately as he kissed her hungrily between her lips and over her clit.
"Ahhh-" she choked out as she moved the wand and switched it off, giving Fitz free reign.
He wrapped his hands around her thighs and gripped her tight as he bore down with more pressure, driving her mad with just the tip of his tongue. She wrapped her fingers in his hair. Fitz deepened the slow, sweet kiss between her legs. Olivia arched her back and curled her toes. "Right there," she whimpered, "oh my god."
She was burning up with heat radiating from her core. Her legs began to tremble and Fitz raised her hips up from the bed with his face, from his nose to his chin buried in her fold of flesh, feasting on her sweetness.
She fought her orgasm at every turn and still it took her in a swift, violent wave. Her throat was dry from her cries as he lapped and slurped the rush of wetness that came down as she rode out her orgasm on his mouth.
Fitz leaned up and began to pull at his clothes furiously, trying to get out of them. He pulled off his shirt and sweater while Olivia leaned up, still breathless, and pushed down his sweatpants and underpants in a broken motion. The second he was free from his pants, like a magnet he was drawn inside her. She barely got a glimpse of his cock before he was pushing her tight walls apart with his girth. She gasped and could hear herself choking on her breath. She pressed her fingers into his back as she held him.
A deep, loud, guttural groan roared from his throat as he pushed further inside her. It gave her chills.
He leaned down and kissed her slowly only to feel Olivia break the kiss and begin licking her wetness off his chin and around his mouth.
He rocked back and forth and she grabbed his bicep. Fitz closed his eyes and savored the feel of her around him just for a moment before he lifted one of her legs around his hip then he rocked again.
"Fuck," Olivia cried.
"Fuck," Fitz groaned exactly in unison with Olivia.
She'd never felt something that tickled her in a way that made her want to leave her body. The head of his cock was touching somewhere inside her that was too sweet to exist.
The muscles in his arm flexed as he bore down and thrust his hips hard. The bed moved with him and banged against the wall. He thrust again.
"Fitzzz-" Olivia bawled out.
He thrust again and again and slowly built speed. Olivia closed her eyes and tried to feel every part of him; the curve of his tip, his thick shaft with protruding veins to feed blood to his erections.
The thought sent her over the edge. She locked her shaking legs around him as she moaned wildly through her orgasm. Her walls spasmed violently and she heard Fitz cry out on top of her. He thrusted faster and until he threw his head back as he released cum inside her.
He collapsed on top of her, mindful not to bear his weight on her. Moments passed then Olivia pulled his face to hers.
"Happy birthday," she whispered through a smile.
Fitz chuckled, "happy birthday." Then he leaned down and devoured her lips. He pulled out slowly, careful not to break the kiss, and began to pull her dress that was dangling around her waist down her body. Once it was off, he tossed it to the side and pulled her closer to him so he could feel all the places her dress was hiding.
Olivia felt blobs of warm cum plopping out of her once he was no longer inside her. She ran her hands up his abs, feeling the curve of his muscle as she went. Fitz leaned up and then kicked off his pants that had been pushed down his thighs.
Olivia laid against the pillow and caressed her belly as she waited for him to finish undressing.
Once he finished he leaned over and kissed a line up the middle of her belly then he lifted her and pulled her on top of him, switching their positions. Olivia straddled him then leaned down and kissed him, "I love you," she whispered.
"I love you too," he said as he pressed both palms against her cheeks and ran his thumb along her cheek. "You're my entire world, Olivia." Fitz pulled her forward so he could gaze directly into her brown eyes. "Tell me you understand."
Olivia nodded, melting under the intensity of his gaze. "I understand." She leaned in slowly to kiss him, only to feel him lift her ass and bury himself into her folds again. He was hard as a rock. He reached under her and spread her lips wide with his fingers. Olivia bit her lips and braced herself for a sweet, long night.
A/N - Don't get too comfortable guys. Papa Pope has been very quiet.
Anyways, what did you think about this chapter?