Chapter 11

One minute.

Fitz felt Olivia relax into him and he wrapped his arms even tighter around her, taking the time to breath Olivia in.

But the minutes ticked by and all too soon, he knew that the world would intrude once more and there were words that needed saying.

Fitz stirred a little, speaking without opening his eyes. "I have a subject I'd like to address before you leave, Ms. Pope."

He was so attuned to her that Fitz felt the tiniest shift in her body language. She tried not to, but her body tensed ever so slightly.

Fitz took a deep breath before he continued. "It's about what you said about having Kimberly Mitchell on the list."

He lifted his head so that he could look at her, holding his position until she raised unwilling eyes to his. "I know what that's about - you're worried about the fact that you are you - "

He raised her hand to his lips to kiss her warm brown skin, then entwined her fingers in his paler ones. The both of them looked down in silence at the contrast.

" - and you being you, and me being me - you think that there'll be trouble." His voice was whisper soft, but that didn't make his words any less true.

Olivia looked up at him and for a moment, she managed to drop her walls down and let her concern show. "It's not a matter of if, Fitz - it's a matter of when - and it's political trouble you can't afford -"

He cut her off gently. "That's just one of the issues that Cyrus sees potentially coming down the road, and I don't doubt for a one minute that this is at least one of the things that he wants to talk to you about in private, away from me. He thinks that I see the world through a pair of rose-colored glasses and I can't - or won't- see that there just might be a battle ahead based solely on the difference in our skin colors."

Fitz's eyes darkened with intensity and so did his expression. "I see the world very clearly, Olivia. Never think that I don't. The one thing I can't see is my world - my life - my future - I can't see any of it without you by my side."

He kissed her then, long and slow and deep until the world went away again and left them holding on to one another, which is just the way he wanted it, knowing it was just what they both needed.

It was Fitz's turn to cradle her face in his hands, to look searchingly into her eyes. Not for the first time, he couldn't help but wonder if that were all it was; he knew Olivia well enough to understand that there were dark places inside her where she couldn't even bear to go. He'd been allowed only the barest glimpse into them and then only at the rarest of times.

What he'd seen had been enough for him to recognize that he couldn't push her to share them - not yet. He didn't know how to get her to let him in; it might take a lifetime before she would be ready, but he knew that he had more than enough love for Olivia to give that to her.

What he did know was how to love her enough to get them both through these times when they happened and to believe that one day they would be a part of their past.

So he wouldn't force any answers from her, not in the here and now. Instead, Fitz drew Olivia close again; one hand came up to gently press her head into the comfort of his shoulder while he buried his face in her hair.

"Don't let Cyrus get to you. Don't let him let you doubt us. Promise me, Olivia."

When he kissed her like that, Olivia could barely breathe, let alone think.

"Promise me, Livvie."

Somehow she managed to get the words out. "I promise..."

He's always having to always has to bolster me up, prop me up, as though I were a child. The thought comes unbidden, unwanted to her and she hates the weakness in her that makes this happen again and again and again.

She couldn't even promise him that it wouldn't happen again. What was wrong with her?

Olivia squeezed her eyes shut against the hurt, pain and anger she felt inside. "I'm sorry…"

"No." Fitz said, not allowing her to finish. "Don't -"

He placed two fingers beneath her chin, shifting so that he raised her face to his and waited until she opened her eyes. "- don't ever think that you have to apologize to me for feeling whatever it is you feel, for being who you are."

He let some of his own walls fall. "It's just that -" Fitz struggled to find the right words. He wanted Olivia to know just how very much he trusted her - how much he trusted in them. "All I want is - whenever you're afraid, of anything - I want you to feel that you can come to me about it. If there are any troubles -no - when - there are troubles - we'll face them together."

Olivia leaned into him as his arms tightened around her again, breathing in everything she loved about him, his scent, his strength, the love that was in his arms that held her close. The heart that beat strong and steady left an echo in her soul that stilled her fears and made her feel safe.

Unbidden, a smile came to her face as she rested in him, one that grew wider as she felt Fitz smiling in return, his face buried in her hair.

"Remember, we're in this together." His words were a gentle reminder of the truth.

"We're in this together." She whispered back, nodding a little. It was silly, and she knew it, but Olivia also knew that she felt better already.

"When I say trouble, I mean that to include Cyrus if I have to. I don't want to take on my dragon-slayer, but I will if he takes it there."

"Are you planning on going all barbarian at the gates on him?" Olivia tipped her head back to look into his eyes.

"Why? Do you think it might be necessary?"

"Could be." Olivia said. The tiny smile that momentarily graced her lips banished the last of the darkness between them. "Or just maybe I like the idea of seeing you in barbarian mode."

"Whatever you want, Ms. Pope -" Fitz murmured. He leaned in and brushed his mouth firmly against hers.

"Don't worry about North either." Fitz said. "I know Cyrus wants me to make nice with Elizabeth and he'll try to see just how far he can push me in that direction. I also know that in spite of what he says to our faces, there's a part of him that would suit him just fine if you and I went on a break and she filled that space - even if it was just for a very little while. And I'm sure Cyrus is going to want to see just how far he can push me - how far he can push us - for our own good, of course."

"And for the good of the party, and all that." Olivia didn't want to talk about any of this any more; instead she concentrated on Fitz's closeness and the taste of his lips.

In this moment, all she wanted to think about was kissing him and being kissed by him. Slowly, deliciously. She leaned in and caught his lower lip gently between her own, very pleased with the quiet sound of pleasure this caused in Fitz as he kissed her back gently.

She was disappointed when he pulled away. His eyes told her that he wanted to not only be honest with her, but wanted to ease her fears - even if he weren't quite sure what they were.

He knew her well enough to know that they were there and that was enough for him. "Olivia, I just wanted you to not to worry about Cyrus and his never-ending machinations -"

" - I'll try not to." Olivia did her best to be honest. How could she not - his patience, care and concern only made her love him even more. "But I have to admit that I'm inclined to agree with Cyrus on this one. Whatever else Elizabeth North is - she's smart. She's also ambitious. It's a combination that could work just as much for us as it could for her, and no doubt she already knows that."

"It worries me that it could also work against us. Elizabeth didn't get to where she is without spilling more than a little blood." Fitz shivered as Olivia's mouth continued to play with his in between each word she spoke.

"The needs of the many -" Olivia started.

"- outweigh the needs of the few." Fitz finished for her. "I get it. It's why I haven't rejected her outright."

He paused for a minute."But - if she does turn into a problem?"

Olivia's smile was a genuine one.

"Then I will take a very great deal of pleasure in shutting her down." Her voice was soft but there was no mistaking the sudden steel in her voice.

"Ms. Pope, I love seeing you in Fixer Mode." Fitz found it incredibly sexy, always had, and even more so when she was wielding her talents on his behalf. He felt himself shift, his entire body tightening as his senses flared, taking in her scent, her softness, the sound of her breathing as it quickened as he pulled her against him and their bodies registered the lack of space between them.

Fitz let one hand find the small of her back, pressing her to him briefly, then slid along the curve of her hip. He began back Olivia up towards his desk; at the same time, bending his head down, nudging the soft waves of her hair aside to press his lips against the warm silk of her throat.

He smiled against her skin as he felt her pulse began to beat a little bit faster and a wordless sound of pleasure escaped her lips. Fitz loved how easily she went all soft and melting on him, loved that he could do that to her with just a touch.

"Fitz -" her voice caught itself on the edge of a moan. "Fitz, what do you think you're doing?"

"I think that I have the better part of sixty minutes left..."