A/N: Feel free to a leave a review or comment. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Song: Did That Hurt? - From The Fifty Shades Of Grey Score

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing from ABC's Scandal or anyone/anything else.

I was sitting in a wheelchair in a little private garden downstairs outside with Ben with me. It was late Sunday afternoon, after all my tests were done. Jade came and got Mellie and Chris to go eat and go get some things from the house, and to just try to get Mellie to relax. She had a doctor's appointment Wednesday, and I already told her she was still going. Jade and the guys even offered to go with her. Jackson was setting up the state address about my condition, and Pete was delivering it and handling my job until I was ready to come back. He told me to keep my salary while I was out and not to worry about the office. I thanked him immensely and began to relax. Relax until the thought came back that everyone would now know I wear a prosthetic leg. What will they think of me then? Will they think I can't do my job?

I was just trying to get some fresh air and think while I waited for my lab results. I leaned back and took in the sun rays, warming my cold face. I knew I needed to go through with this, but I couldn't bring myself to come to terms with it. My heart knew it was right for my family, but my mind couldn't accept it.

I needed to make a phone call. I needed to hear it from someone else close to me.

I pulled my phone out and called the second person on my speed dial.

"Hello?" A soft voice answered.

"Hey Hailey, it's Fitz," I said, needing to hear her thoughts.

"Fitz? It's good to hear from you, it's been a few months," she said happily. "How are you?"

"Well, that's actually what I was calling about," I sighed. I proceeded to tell her everything that was going on and she listened. All she did was listen until I was done.

Hailey held a special place in my heart because she was Warren's wife. She was the last piece of him I had left in this world. Mellie always had been and always would be my best friend and lover, and she understood my relationship with Hailey.

I just needed to know what Warren would say about this.

"Fitz, I am so, so sorry to hear about this," she said. "Is there anything I can do to help? Do you need us to come out there?" She asked, ready to pack her and her teenage son up and come out and help us.

"You don't need to come out," I said. "Just...just answer this question for me," I paused.

"What would Warren say? What do you think he would say to me?" I asked, my heart sinking. "I just need to hear it." I still missed my best friend.

I heard her sigh softly on the other end and gather her thoughts.

"I think," she said softly, "that he would tell you to go through with it. He would want you to be here as long as possible and you know that this amputation is the only way for that to happen. He would want his best friend to do what needs to be done."

A tear rolled down my cheek and I knew she was right. It was exactly what Warren would say.

"And then he would promise to buy you a beer once you got out," she laughed softly.

I couldn't help but laugh back and smile.

"You're right," I said. "I know I need to do it, but I just can't bring my mind to accept it. You helped," I told her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Fitz. Let me know how it all goes," she said.

"I will. Thanks again. Bye," I hung up and felt more at ease. But as soon as I put my phone down, it rang again, and this time it was Dr. Carroll.

"Hello?"

"Fitz, good news and bad news. Good news is, the clots haven't moved or gotten worse. But the tests did show that 80% of the cells in your lower leg are dead and it will get worse and spread if we don't amputate soon, if that's what you want to do," he told me.

"I do," I said, a lump forming in my throat. It hurt to say those words, but I knew it had to be done.

"There an OR open at 9:30 a.m. and another at two. I can schedule it for either time or something later," he said.

"Two is fine," I said, not able to believe I was agreeing to this.

"I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, then. Bye."

I hung up and sighed, texting Mellie and telling her about the surgery. She immediately texted back and said she was relieved I was going through with it, even though it would be tough.

So I was relieved, too.

I was waiting to go into surgery at 2:15. The surgery before mine took longer than expected. I had been waiting in a curtain by myself for about thirty minutes now. The anesthesiologist had already spoken with me and a nurse promised to start it soon.

I knew Mellie was concerned. We prayed with the guys and Jade before they took me back, and that put us all at ease. I was glad Jade was here to help pass the time with Mellie.

I pulled up my gown and blanket and looked at my leg for a moment. It had taken me many places; it had taken me all over this country and around the globe. It helped me go to training camp. It helped me lay my mother to rest. It had helped me save my life and get to say goodbye to my best friend. And it got me home to Mellie.

I would miss it, but I knew this was for the better.

Two kind nurses came in about fifteen minutes later and started my anesthesia and it didn't take long to kick in. I tried to keep my eyes open for as long as possible, because it would be a totally different life when I woke up.

I heard the beeping of monitors and the footsteps of nurses when I woke up two hours later. My eyes were blurry and my body felt incredibly heavy. My throat was so dry I could hardly talk.

"Hey Fitz," a sweet nurse sitting beside my bed greeted me as she kept an eye on my monitors.

"Hey," I said weakly as I nodded, still out of it.

She picked up a cup of ice chips and fed me some, and I felt like a new person.

"How's my leg?" I slurred, still coming to. I was nice and warm under my two blankets, but the IV in my arm was starting to bother me.

"Everything went well. The doctor saved as much as he could," she explained.

I nodded and hoped it looked good. I hoped it wouldn't hurt much.

About ten minutes later she took me back to my room and I found Mellie and her mom waiting for me. Mellie kissed my forehead as some more nurses gave me pain medicine and I looked over at Betty, who was smiling at me.

"I didn't know she was here," I said softly.

"I called her last night and she insisted she come," Mellie said. "She was worried about you, too."

"No need to worry," I told them. "I'm tough."

"Well, Mr. Tough Guy, Dr. Carroll said that he wants to start physical therapy Wednesday morning. I'll be gone with Jade and Chris to my appointment then, but we'll get back soon," she told me.

"I'll be fine by myself, don't worry. Where's my phone?" I asked, needing to call Hailey.

"No sir, no work for you," she said. "Nothing to stress over. I already talked with Jackson. He said he has things handled at the office this week, so you don't have to worry about anything."

"No, I just...just do me a favor and let Hailey know everything went well," I explained. "I promised her I would."

"Of course," Mellie said. "I'll call her in a minute. Do you need anything right now before I step out for a minute?"

"No, I'm fine, baby. Go get some air or food or whatever you want. Take Jade too, and Lance and Chris," I said with a yawn. I was exhausted, and it was only 4:45 now. She kissed my forehead and handed Betty my phone before grabbing her purse and going out for a minute with the guys and Jade. I pulled my blanket closer to my chin and Betty got up off the couch and came and sat beside me.

"How is she doing?" I asked, glad she was here, even if I wasn't in on it.

"The real question is how are you doing? You're the one that just had surgery," she smiled. "She'll be fine. She's a lot better seeing you now that you're out of surgery."

"Feels like I lost a leg is all," I said quietly.

"I know it'll be some work, but I'm here for y'all for anything you might need. If you need me to come out here for a while and help out, I won't mind," she offered. I couldn't let her put her life on hold to help us live ours.

"Betty, there's no way I could let you do that right now," I said, in shock. "You have a job and everything back in North Carolina-"

"They'll hold my job for me, you don't worry about that. How about you just think it over and if you need some help when the baby gets here, let me know?" She suggested.

"Deal," I said with a smile. "After this though," I whispered. "I'm starting to wonder if I need to resign."

A look of confusion washed over her face, and I knew she both understood and misunderstood my reasons at the same time.

"I know it's been hard on you two, but would you really want to give up what you've worked so hard for now? You're so good at it," she told me. "You have brought the change we needed. You're fixing the school systems and hospitals, and working on social security. I would hate to see you go."

"I know," I nodded. "I don't want to. My only concern is the public possibly thinking I couldn't handle this without my father and that's why I quit, because it's not."

"I know, Fitz. I'm sure Jackson could help you out with some sort of statement. If this is what you want," she said reassuringly.

"He'll be the first one I fire," I chuckled. I sighed before closing my eyes briefly and pulling up my blankets to see my leg. I couldn't find the strength to sit all the way up, and I stretched my neck to see. All that was left was a stump, covered in antiseptics from surgery and stitched up. A tear came to my eye. This was now a reality.

"I'm so sorry, Fitz," she whispered, stroking my hair back. "If I could've prevented it, I would have. But you won't let this stop you, because I know you are ten times stronger than this."

I nodded and fought the tears. I was stronger.

My phone began buzzing rapidly, and I knew it was a call coming it. She looked at the caller ID and looked up at me.

"It says it's blocked. Want me to answer it?"

"Let me see it," I said, and she handed me the phone. I hesitated, then slid the answer tab across the screen.

"Hello?" I answered curiously.

"Fitzgerald, how are you doing today?" The man asked, and I couldn't quite place his voice. But I knew I knew it.

"Who's speaking?" I asked, almost afraid as I looked over at Betty, who was just as curious. Strangers calling from blocked numbers weren't unusual, but this one was strange.

"Oh, Fitz, don't play this game. You know who it is," the voice said, almost with a slight laugh. "How is she?"

"I asked who was speaking," I repeated myself. I didn't enjoy this stranger asking about my wife.

"How is my daughter? I'd like to come see her," he said, and I almost dropped the phone. My worst fear was also a reality. My mouth fell open and I sat there in shock, trying to form a sentence.

"Well, you won't," I said sternly. "Why would you care now-"

"I'll book a ticket, for say, next week?"

"Over my dead body," I growled into the phone. "You stay away from her. Where are you these days?" I motioned for her to go get Ben and she quickly got up and brought Ben back.

"Like that's any of your concern, Fitz. You don't need to know anything about me," he smirked.

"Tap this line and track it," I mouthed to Ben, who pulled his phone out and worked on receiving Sam's signal to track him down.

"I could have your head, here, on a platter, right now if I wanted," I fired back. "I told you to stay away. I watched her walk away years ago and never look back. She doesn't want to see you."

Betty looked into my eyes and couldn't believe he had actually called. Ben gave me with thumbs up that he was tracking it.

"Come near her, and it's all over for you," I said, hanging up.

"Why is he calling me?" I sighed, handing Betty my phone. She shook her head and couldn't believe it either.

"I can't believe he got ahold of you after all these years. What did he say?" She asked.

"He just wants to see her. Wouldn't say why. I'll have him arrested-"

"It's an international number. Coming from the U.S. Virgin Islands," he said.

"Why the hell is he there?" Betty said under her breath. "I know I haven't heard from him in years, but what business does he have down there?"

Ben quickly traced the number to Sam and searched for information on him, anything he could find.

"There's no activity record available publicly," he sighed. "Everything stops five years ago, and only one private report comes up from three years ago. Nothing about him going to the Caribbean."

"Get into his bank accounts and security cameras," I demanded. I felt helpless from the confinements of this bed. "He will not set foot in the state of Texas. I'll make sure of it," I growled.

Ben nodded and sat down beside me, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Fitz, I think now is the time to get more security. The state will pay for you more men, and I already have a few guys lined up, waiting to be interviewed," he told me. I sighed because I knew he was right. Things were getting testy lately and I needed my family safe.

"Get me the information on them so I can read it over and figure out what to do then. Meanwhile, you work on keeping Sam away and let Chris and Lance handle everything else, understood?" I told him. "Go wherever you need to, use whatever you need to. If it's not covered by the state, let me know and I'll wire you whatever money you need."

"Yes, sir," he said. "I'm going to check the houses and get tools I need and I'll be back shortly. I'll call in someone to come-"

"No need for that. You or the guys one will be back here soon," I said. He nodded and left, and I leaned my head back against the pillow, closing my eyes.

"If he lays a hand on Mels, I swear I'll kill him," I said quietly to Betty. "I can't have him near her."

"You worry about you right now. I can handle Samuel if I need to," she assured me. "You just rest. I'll wake you up if anything happens, ok?"

"Ok," I whispered, drifting off to sleep.