Olivia felt someone watching her in her sleep and her eyes fluttered open to meet Fitz's sapphire irises head on, he was smiling.

She yawned and sat up. It was bright out and she was still in the doctor's lounge.

"What time is it?"

Fitz checked his watch.

"Let's see," he said with a smile, "it's almost 11am."

Her eyebrows shot up.

"What! Did I sleep here last night? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I tried, you kept going back to sleep, at one point you told me to leave you alone, which was really rude by the way."

She chuckled.

"Where's Harrison and Stephen?"

"They've been in and out."

"I still can't believe you guys let me sleep this long, I need to go home and shower and eat something, I need to check on Gerry," she stood up and stretched, "I'm usually not this tired after a surgery, I've got to work on that."

Fitz stood as well.

"You did an amazing job, they've been running tests on Gerry all morning, it started working already. I'm not sure how to thank you for this,"

She smiled slyly.

"I'm sure we can figure something out."

She said it with a suggestive undertone that confused Fitz.

"What have you been up to?" She asked.

"Well last night once the nurses summoned me and told me Gerry was in the recovery room, I went to go check on him and then by the time I went to find you, you were knocked out on the couch. I've been back and forth between the recovery room and here since last night."

"You slept right?"

"Yeah I put in a couple hours."

"Good, you need to make sure your sleeping, I don't want you to over exert yourself."

"You just did a 14 hours surgery, you should be last person talking about over exertion."

She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"God, I'm starving."

"I'll let Tom know to get the car ready."

"Okay, I'll check on Gerry in the meantime."

Olivia checked herself in the mirror before heading to the door. She had bed head, which she tried to smooth out but apart from that she looked fine. As soon as she stepped out of the lounge she ran into Harrison.

"Hey Liv, you finally up?" He joked.

"Not funny, why didn't you wake me?"

"We tried but if we really needed you, we would have woken you up."

Olivia sighed.

"How's Gerry?"

"He's good, he's doing as good as we can expect."

"You ran prelusive tests?"

"Yep, looking good."

"Where are they?"

"Stephen's office."

"Perfect."

She turned around and wondered where Fitz was but then she saw him exit the lounge and head her way.

"There you are."

"Yeah sorry, I got a call after you walked out, I had to take it."

"New girlfriend?"

Fitz chuckled, she said it with a seriousness that he found hilarious.

"Shut up."

She smiled.

"Let's go see Gerry."

"Let me warn you, Mellie's in there. I suppose that now that Gerry's surgery is done, she'll turn up the heat on you."

"Please, I'm not afraid of her."

Fitz smiled.

"Okay."

He led the way to Gerry's room. They walked in together to find Mellie by Gerry's bed.

"Good morning," Olivia said cheerfully.

"Good morning," Mellie said with less fervor.

Olivia walked over to Gerry's bed and checked his info chart.

"He should wake up by tomorrow morning, we just need him up for a few hours then we're gonna put him to sleep for a week or so."

"Why does he need to sleep for a week?" Mellie asked.

"It'll help him heal faster, I can't give him a lot of pain medication because that will delay his recovery but sleep is good, he won't feel any pain and his body can focus on repairing itself."

"Oh okay."

"Okay baby let me take you to get something eat."

Olivia was surprised Fitz could refer to her as such in front of Mellie, Mellie seemed more than surprised, she was shocked.

"Yeah, but come with me to Stephen's office let me look at Gerry's test results first."

"Of course, let's head there now."

She smiled.

"Okay babe let's go."

She walked over to him and they walked out together. Mellie's mouth was still hanging open as they walked out and Fitz seemed to be reveling in it.

"You are so petty," she said laughing as they headed to Stephen's.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it, she didn't even say thank you."

"I didn't do it for her you know."

"Still though, it's the least she could do."

They walked into Stephen's office to find Stephen and Harrison together.

"Results Harry, where are they?"

Harrison handed her a folder and she flipped through lab images and she was pleased, they were exactly as she projected. She walked over to Fitz and showed him the x-Ray and computer image tests taken directly before and after the procedure.

"Look, these are before and these are after, do you see the difference?"

Fitz's mouth dropped open.

"This image shows nerve activity, before it was blank from the lumbosacral region of the back and now-"

"Wow, there's no way, I mean you just finished last night, that's impossible."

Olivia tried not to smile but she couldn't help it, she grinned proudly.

"And he'll only get better."

Fitz closed the folder and looked down at her. He looked at her with so much love and admiration that she had to look away. He was proud of her and she knew it and after everything that she'd been through, that they'd been through, she could see the bright, blinding light at the end of the tunnel again.

"Fitz, quit looking at me like that," she said coyly.

"Looking at you like what?" He said with a goofy, faux ignorance that made her laugh.

"I don't know," she glanced up at him and blushed, "like that."

Olivia and Fitz heard Harrison break out in a laughing fit. Harrison loved teasing Olivia, she was like a little sister to him so he never missed an opportunity to make fun of her.

"Oh shut up Harrison, god - embarrassing."

He held his stomach and laughed, Fitz laughed too. It was funny seeing Harrison antagonize her in that way.

"Shutting up ma'am."

She rolled her eyes.

"I'm gonna go home and take a quick shower and eat something, I'll be back soon so just hold the fort and once I get back you can take the rest of the day."

"You got it boss," Harrison said with a smile.

"Okay, later Steph."

"Later Liv, Mr. President."

"Thank you gentlemen, goodbye," Fitz said with a casual wave of his hand.

Tom was waiting for them outside of the office and as they stepped out he took them down to the car in the private entrance and they headed to Olivia's apartment.

As soon as they got to the apartment Olivia headed to the bathroom. Fitz sat on the couch with his head laid back and waited for her to finish her shower. He had one of his agents run to the cafe to get food so that once she was dressed and ready, it was there for her. He also had called his assistant from the hospital and asked her to drop off a couple suits and clothes for him, she was a few minutes away. He figured he might as well shower here instead of going all the way to the White House.

As he shifted in the couch and got comfortable because he thought she might be in the bathroom for a while then moments later he heard the bathroom door open. Olivia walked out with a tiny white towel wrapped around her body. She seemed to be holding it tightly and walking carefully so it wouldn't fall off.

She was still wet, he could see drops of water trickling down her perfectly toned legs and he briefly salivated at the mouth but then he caught himself. The very last thing he wanted was an erection so he got up and walked over to the window. Her apartment in D.C. wasn't as huge as the one in New York and since it was only a studio apartment, the only room that had a door was the bathroom.

"Are you gonna go shower?" She asked.

"Yeah, Lauren is bringing some things over."

She walked over to the chest of drawers beside her bed and pulled out a pair of underwear and a bra. Fitz turned a snuck a peek and saw her bent over slightly at the chest of drawer and then he turned back to the window.

She could feel him staring and she began to feel conscious so she took her underwear and a pair of yoga leggings and a t shirt and hurried back to the bathroom to get dressed.

While Olivia was getting dressed Lauren finally managed to drop Fitz's clothes off and Greg came by with food from the cafe.

When Olivia emerged from the bathroom, she went straight to Fitz on the couch.

"Hey," he said as she walked over.

"What'd you get?"

"Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream for you."

She sniffed the food as she sat down.

"Oh god it smells so good- wait," she sniffed again, "I smell bacon."

She gave him the side eye.

"I got eggs and bacon for myself."

"How did you know I didn't want eggs and bacon?"

"I just assumed, you were the one who told me how much you loved waffles."

"I do but not more than bacon."

Fitz smiled.

"Here," he took his plate from the paper bag and handed it to her, "have some of mine."

"You shouldn't have- okay- just a tiny bit."

Olivia took her fork and took some of his eggs and bacon, a little more than a tiny bit.

"You know I'd offer you some of mine but I don't want to, I'm hungry and I wanna eat it all," she said as she stuffed a quarter or a waffle in her mouth.

Fitz laughed wholeheartedly.

"Of course not."

Fitz took some of his eggs.

"How are you not fat - sorry, that was stupid, I shouldn't have said that."

He thought that after she almost starved to death, that was an insensitive thing to say.

"Fitz it's okay, you don't have to overthink everything you say to me, it's okay, truly."

He nodded.

"So what's next, with Gerry?" He said trying to change the subject.

Olivia sense the change and happily obliged.

"The most difficult obstacle was the actual surgery, now that that's over, you just have to wait. Like I said earlier, he'll be sleeping for the next week while most of the healing is taking place, once he's up he'll feel pain but that's good because that means his nerves are firing, I'll give him cortisone and that will help until for another week and then most of the pain will be gone. I'll be giving him daily laser therapy sessions and by the end of the last week, you should be able to blow on his legs and he'll feel it, that's when you know he's completely healed."

"And then physical therapy right?"

"Yes therapy, which will last a few more weeks."

"So by the beginning of summer he should be good."

Olivia smiled.

"Ideally, yes."

"Wow, I'm still thinking about those images you showed me earlier, the before and after. You know I tried getting congress to allocate money for the labs last year and the republicans wouldn't do it."

Olivia smiled.

"That's your party right," she joked.

"I can't argue with you there baby."

Olivia took her last piece of waffle and then turned so she was facing him.

"I felt you staring at me earlier. I know we have to get back to that place in our relationship, I want to be at that place but I'm not there yet."

"Liv I'd never ask or want you to do anything you don't want to, surely you must know that?"

"I do, trust me, I do, I just want you to know that it won't be like this forever, I just need a little time."

"Take all the time that you need, I'll wait, there's no rush."

"Fitz, you're a man, I know you think about sex."

"I think about other things too like steak and scotch, doesn't mean I have to eat steak and scotch everyday."

"But you would if you could, wouldn't you?"

Fitz shrugged.

"Sex with you is amazing, of course I'm gonna think about it."

She smiled.

"It was amazing, wasn't it?"

"Yes but with everything that's happened, I just want you to okay, don't worry about me and my blue balls."

Olivia decided to ask to him something that had been nipping at her for months.

"I want to ask you something."

"What?"

"Have you slept with anyone since I left?"

"Wait, what?"

"You can tell me if you did."

"I'm gonna pretend you didn't just ask that,"

"I'm just saying I'd understand if you did."

"Well I didn't."

"Sorry, I was just asking."

"Why?"

"I don't know Fitz I'm sure at one point maybe you thought of moving on but now I see I was wrong so let's just forget I asked."

Fitz stood up abruptly.

"I'm gonna go shower."

"Come on Fitz don't be like that."

"I'm not being like anything, I'm just going to go shower."

He pulled off his jacket as he walked in the bathroom and then shut the door behind him.

While Fitz showered, she took one of his suits out of the garment bag and laid it out on the bed for him and put away all the trash from the food they ate on the coffee table. She wasn't sorry for asking because it had been bothering her and she wanted to know.

As she was tidying up her cellphone rang, she checked caller ID and it was Abby so she answered.

"Abby?"

"Hey Liv."

"Uh Hey."

The was an awkward silence before Abby continued.

"So uhm Harrison called last night and told me about the surgery and I guess I just wanted to congratulate you, I know I was not the most supportive about you doing it in the first place but that was just because I was worried about you but obviously I was wrong and I'm glad I was."

"Thank you, it means a lot to hear you say that."

"So does this mean we're not fighting anymore?"

Olivia smiled.

"I guess it does."

"So now that the surgery is over when are you coming back home?"

Olivia was a little caught off guard by Abby's question, she still hadn't told her she didn't know how she was going to take it.

"About that…"

"What do you mean 'about that'?

Olivia didn't answer.

"Liv?"

"I'm gonna stay here in D.C."

Fitz stepped out of the bathroom and saw Olivia on the phone standing by the window.

"You're staying in D.C.?" Abby asked.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Abby, you know why."

"No, I don't know why."

"I miss him and I wanna be him, I can't do that all the way from New York now can I?"

"If I didn't call were you going to tell me?"

"Of course I was going to tell you Abby."

"When?"

"When we made up."

Abby was getting louder and louder.

"I can't believe you'd do this."

Olivia scoffed.

"You can't believe I'd do this? We've lived together for many years Abby eventually someone was going leave, I don't understand why you're being so difficult about it, you didn't care when I stayed in D.C. the first time?"

"That's because you lied about it."

"Yeah because I knew you would have acted like this."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, look Abby, I'm my own person and I made his decision because it's what I want."

"After everything that's happe-"

Fitz, who had quietly walked his way over to Olivia took the phone from her ear and ended the call.

"Fitz why-"

"That was getting a little out of hand don't you think?"

She turned around to face him. He was bare chested with a towel wrapped around his waist and she was a little thrown off by it. She stared him up and down a few times before she landed at his eyes and stayed there. Fitz was still the entire time and seemed content to just observe her. She didn't want to send him mixed messages but the urge to kiss him was too strong to fight.

"I'm sorry baby, I just have to kiss you," she said as she grabbed his face.

Fitz was caught off guard by the way she grabbed him and kissed him but he put up no resistance as she eased her tongue in his mouth and tasted him. She slowly ran her index finger up and down his torso, she needed to feel him, even if it was just the soft hairs that covered his chest.

The kiss was hot, too hot, she was feeling things that she wasn't sure she was ready for as yet so she broke the kiss and stepped back.

"You look good, have you been working out?" she asked as she tried to catch her breath.

"I had to do something while you were in New York."

She cleared her throat and took a few steps further away.

"About what I said earlier-"

He smiled.

"Don't worry about it baby."

He walked over to the bed to finished getting dressed.

"How much of me and Abby's conversation did you hear?"

"Enough," he paused, "you don't regret your decision to stay in D.C. do you?"

"Not even a little bit," she said with a smile.

Fitz was about to remove his towel and put his boxers on so she turned her back so she wouldn't see him naked but about 5 seconds after she turned her back the curiosity was too much so she peaked quickly and saw his butt then she turned back around.

"I know you looked," he said with a chuckle as he pulled his pants on.

"You can't prove anything."

"My pants are on, you can turn around you know," said Fitz.

She turned around and walked over to him. By now Fitz had his shirt on, so she grabbed his tie and fixed it around his neck. When she was finished she held his jacket out for him to put on and then she put on her shoes and grabbed her purse and then they headed back to the hospital together.