EPISODE 14: Being Everything
CHAPTER 52
Olivia and Fitz weren't the only ones having a late night conversation; Elizabeth was having one of her own - but it was nowhere near as pleasant.
The smile on her face was not necessary a pleasant one, but she was doing her best to inject the right tone into her voice. She was assuring her caller on the other end of the conversation that she had things under control. Mostly.
"Mostly?" There was a chuckle that held very little humor in it. "Then you have an invite to the Caldwells?"
She felt her teeth grit in spite of her smile. "Not yet."
"Pity." The word was meaningless; there was no pity in the familiar voice in her ear and she'd expected none. "Do I need to point out that if Nathaniel Caldwell hasn't called you by now - and make no mistake - even though it might be said that it's Peter Caldwell's birthday bash, the only invitations that go out, go out under his word and no one else's -"
"I'm very much aware of that fact." Elizabeth said.
"I'm sure you are."
Time to remind someone that they were partners in this. "I'm also aware that the old man is eccentric and always has been. I'm sure that you are also aware of the fact that there are always last minute invitations. Everyone knows that and I'm sure that it has nothing to do with any eccentricities; he does it on purpose just because he can."
Her caller laughed before agreeing with her and there was something in the sound of that laughter that escalated Elizabeth's tone in the direction of something close to a rant.
"Nathaniel may have changed his party affiliation - I doubt if that's changed his ambitions. There's something he wants, and I'm in a position to help him get it. He'll deal with me one way or the other."
"Maybe. You may be in a position to help him get it."
"Do you doubt me?"
Again, the chuckle that was annoying the hell out of her. "I would never make the mistake of doubting your ambition, Ms. North."
She accepted the scant apology implicit in the words; she knew it was probably all that she would get, but Elizabeth didn't mind - she was a woman who had always enjoyed a challenge and in her mind, she restructured the conversation into such a mode. "Ms. North? I would think that we were past formalities at this point."
"I would think that that would depend on your continuing value."
"I have something you want as well." She reminded him.
"That you most certainly do." There was a pause. "I can think of several things that I want."
His words restored some of her good humor. "See that you remember that."
"You've made yourself unforgettable."
"See that you remember that too."
She glances at the pad and pen that lay close at hand, but Olivia knew that she'd need no written notes to remember their current conversation. This is them at their best, minds sharp, incisive - in sync in the best of ways, finishing each other's words and thoughts. The only thing better than this would have been to have Fitz here with her in the flesh, but then they wouldn't be talking, would they? The thought made her smile.
Other than that, she was happy - more than happy; something undefinable in her was content beyond imagining.
"Enough." Fitz was saying, breaking her out of her little reverie, having mistaken her silence for sleepiness. "You need to get some sleep."
"You too, Mister." Olivia said. "You have a very busy morning schedule."
"So do you - so say goodnight." Fitz said.
Olivia leaned across her bed and turned off the bedside lamp before slipping beneath her sheets.
"I'm not ready to say goodnight " Olivia said. A sigh followed her words. "I wish you were here."
"I wish I were there." Fitz closed his eyes, all of his senses attuned to the woman at the other end of their connection. His woman.
Fitz could almost feel the warmth of her skin, almost breathe in the unique scent of her. For a moment, the only sound was of her breathing and for a moment the distance between them barely existed.
His love for her flooded up from somewhere deep inside him, making Fitz ache with longing. Without her, his life is just a little bit dimmer. "I know we've only been apart for a single night, but I miss you so much."
"I know, Fitz." The sound of his name on her lips was a caress of its own. "I know that I'll be seeing you tomorrow, but you know I miss you just as much."
They fell into another long silence where words were unnecessary.
Olivia yawned and then laughed softly. "This is silly."
"What's silly?"
"That I still can't bring myself to say goodnight. Why are you allowing me to make myself look silly?" In spite of herself, Olivia felt her eyelids getting heavy; after a very brief struggle, she allowed them to drift shut.
Fitz thought about that for a minute. "Then don't."
"What do you mean?"
"Don't say goodnight. Just lay your phone down on the pillow next to you…"
"And?"
"…and let me tell you a bedtime story…"
"Fitz, you don't have to -"
"It's my turn to be silly. Besides, I want to, Livvie." And he did.
"That does sound nice." Olivia admitted.
All of a sudden Fitz is reminded of her nightmare, of how she'd been alone, and it's not that he thinks that she will have one simply because he wasn't there - he knows how strong Olivia can be - but the thought of Olivia slipping into sleep with the sound of his voice easing the way… it was a comfort he could give. "Baby, please?"
How could she ever tell him no when that note of longing in his voice echoed so deeply in her heart? She did as he asked.
"I'm all tucked in." Olivia said, her voice a half-whisper in the dark.
"Me too." Fitz said as he turned off his own bedroom light and settled himself. "I wish I were there to tuck you in."
"I wish you were here too - except I'm pretty sure that if you were here, all thoughts involving sleep would be sent right out of the window." Olivia's voice was already blurring with sleep but he could still hear the shadow of laughter in her voice.
He smiled. "Maybe, maybe not. Just for the record, I would like it to be stated that I would be more than happy to simply be able to fall asleep with you in my arms."
She knew it was true. "I like the sound of that." Olivia murmured in his ear.
"I thought you might." Fitz pauses as a thought occurred to him, one that sent warmth through him - one that suffused his heart with happiness more than anything else. "I know that we'll have to be careful tomorrow, and I know this Caldwell thing is business on one level, but at the same time, just the idea of us being - well, being us - away from DC and the usual routine of suits and ties and all the rest, it makes me happy. You don't know how much I'm looking forward to it. "
"With you being there, so am I." Olivia said. Fitz's voice was a perfect music in Olivia's ears; she can see the scenario he's painting and it's a wonderful picture - a perfect picture - framed in her mind's eye. "Peter has invited me to these events more than once over the years, but I usually turned them down - I don't particularly appreciate command performances."
He was positive that she didn't; Olivia didn't take kindly to orders and he can only imagine her fierce reaction. "But you're making an exception?"
"For you, I'm making an exception."
"I'm flattered."
"You should be."
Olivia realized she was smiling up into the darkness. "I know how these things run. There will be some interesting names on the guest list, and there will be a ton of entertainment happening and a lot of friends and family type stuff and this is me taking the long way around to saying that if we're very careful, maybe we can relax - just a little - and have ourselves a good time."
"I like the sound of that." Fitz said. A thought came to mind and he couldn't resist asking a question. "Does that mean that I'll get to see you in a pair of jeans?"
"Is that a request?"
The idea of seeing Olivia's pretty little bottom in well-fitted denim became firmly fixed in his mind. "If it influences your decision, yes it most definitely is."
"I guess I'll be making another exception…" Another yawn took a hold of her and she no longer had the will to fight it.
"Are you sure I'm worth that much trouble?" He could sense her starting to drift off; he was tiring too, but that couldn't keep the smile from Fitz's face. Their silly little banter was making Fitz happy about the idea of their being together tomorrow - it really didn't matter what the circumstances. The countless eyes of DC would be off of them and if what they have is only a fraction less of tension, then he'll take it. From this woman, he will take anything he can get, any time he can get it.
What Olivia said next sent his heart soaring.
"Fitz, you're worth everything." Sleep blurs her voice to softness but it's also loosened some parts of the remnants of the emotional wall he knew still shielded her heart. But what was also clear was the pure and real emotion in her voice.
"That's you, Livvie - you're everything." Fitz says without hesitation. "I've felt that way about you from the moment I looked into your eyes and told you that yes, I'd be lucky to have you. But even then, I had no idea how true those words were."
"If I recall correctly, I told you so first."
"You did. And you've rarely steered me wrong since."
"Make sure you remember that, Mister." Despite her best intentions, she felt herself sliding towards sleep.
Fitz could sense her drifting away. "Close your eyes, Livvie."
"I don't want to say goodnight - not yet." But her eyelids were deliciously heavy and Fitz's voice was so warm, so soft, softer than the pillow beneath her head or the comforter that covered her body…
"Then don't." Fitz told her, feeling a tenderness well up inside him. "Don't say goodnight - just close your eyes and let me take you to dreamland."
"I like that, Fitz - I really do."
"I like that too." Fitz said. "I love it - I love us - and most of all, I love you and the life we're going to have." Fitz felt the heaviness in his own eyes, but he continued to speak love and life into them both until the sound of Olivia's breathing told him that she'd drifted off into sleep and only then did he allow himself to follow her, into dreams that lingered on until morning.