"Lil, are you OK?" Martin said through the closed wooden door.
"Yeah," she opened the door after brushing her teeth, "it just felt like it was happening all over again."
"I know." He took her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "It's going to for awhile."
"You sound like my shrink."
"Maybe, but I'm just telling you what I remember from when I was shot. It'll pass eventually."
"I hope so."
He kissed the top of her head again. "Are you ready to go back in there? I can always end it and send them away."
She actually felt herself laugh as she looked into his eyes, kissing him lightly. "Secret Agent Man, you will do nothing of the sort. These are your friends and colleagues and I can handle myself around FBI agents."
Jack watched a more confident woman walk into the dining room as he rose. "I'm sorry to have upset you, Lily, but the U.S. Attorney didn't want to go to trial without a positive ID."
"I understand." She smiled politely. "So, shall we continue?"
"Miss Lily," Robert appeared, "Senator Todd is here for you."
"I didn't hear the bell." Lily frowned. "Please excuse me for one moment, gentlemen." She rose and smiled as the three FBI agents stood with her. "Senator, it's good to see you." She lied with a patented fake smile on her face, the one her mother had taught her long ago.
"Lil, please don't play politics with me right now." The good looking, brown-haired, blue eyed man dressed in the designer polo shirt and beige khaki pants shook his head as Lily walked into the formal living room. "I'm not in the mood."
"Well, then, by all means, please allow me to rephrase, Todd. What the hell are you doing here? I have guests to attend to and I'm not supposed to see you until the next session starts in two weeks." She scowled. His behavior was very out of character for a man who had been polished and trained. Even when they were dating, he rarely allowed her to see the true Todd George; the one who wanted to be a doctor, not a lawyer, and who had mixed feelings about becoming a senator from Virginia.
"Then I won't keep you, but I wanted you to be the first one to know about my resignation."
"Todd, why? You are next in line to become the senior senator in November when Hancock doesn't seek another term. Don't quit now." Her tone softened and she took his hands. "There is still good that you can do."
"Lil, I've just been asked to open an investigation into your kidnapping and I refuse to do it. I've read the report from the FBI and your notes. I just don't see a case, but I've been told that there will be a hearing regardless of my opinion. It will be the first vote on the twelfth when we're back in session and I've been told it will pass. If I don't like it, I can resign. So, I am resigning."
"Over something so stupid? Todd, if there are going to be hearings, then let there be hearings. You don't want me politicking you, don't do it to me. What's going on?"
"I just feel you've been through enough and this is a clear waste of time and resources."
She shook her head. "You're resigning because my father helped you get elected and now he's asking for payback. You might as well humor him because he's still going to try to collect in some other way" They shared a laugh. "Now, this resignation talk has ended, right? Because I really don't want to have to break in another committee chair."
He hugged her with a smile. "I should have married you."
"Sure. There's only that little fact that we didn't love each other."
"No, Lil, you didn't love me. I am still in love with you." He kissed her cheek. "Well, I've kept you long enough. Thank you for your advice and I'll call you later." Walking out to the main foyer, he hugged her again. "I'll call you later, Lily."
"You better, Todd." She watched him walk out the door and she shook her head before returning to her guests. "Please forgive me, gentlemen, I appear to be trapped in an episode of "The Twilight Zone" today."
"Is everything OK?" Martin questioned the confusion on her face.
"Nothing to worry about."
The smile on her face as she sat down was one he'd seen on the face of his mother on numerous occasions. It was fake and never reached her eyes, but on Lily, it was also soft and almost flirty. Still, it didn't leave him with a good feeling. "What did Senator George have to say?"
Jack smirked at the look exchanged between the Lily and Martin. It was the same look he'd received from his ex-wife too many times. "Actually, Lily, we are almost done here. Like I said before, our plane doesn't leave for another," he checked his watch, "five hours. If there is something you need to take care of,"
"No, this situation needs to close before I can give my full focus to my job. Thank you for your offer."
"OK, then, I just need to get your statement of events and we will be out of your hair. After, of course, you give Danny a tour." He grinned and caused her to smile. "Whenever you're ready, I'll start the tape." He watched Martin move closer to her as all the color drained out of her face, the younger man gently messaging her neck as she took a deep breath. "Take your time, Lily."
An hour later, Martin followed as Lily left the dining room again, that same forced smile on her face, as though she had to disguise the fact that she was on the verge of tears again. No one, at least no one in the room anyway, expected her to be a rock, and when he placed his hand on her shoulder once they were within the safety of her father's office, she turned to him and lost all control. "Shh, Lil, I've got you. You're safe now." He whispered in her ear as he held her to his chest, her delicate female body hitching and wailing. Unlike his colleagues, Martin could relate to what she was feeling; the nightmares and the flashbacks, unable to remember without reliving the moment. "Sweetheart, you're going to be just fine now. We'll get you through this." He kissed her as she pulled away, tasting her tears, and gently cradled her face in his hands, listening to her take a ragged breath. "Just wait here, I'll get rid of them. You can give Danny a tour some other time."
"No," she composed herself, "I promised him a tour and I never break my promises."
"He'd understand, Honey."
"Maybe, but I wouldn't." She smiled and grabbed a tissue from the desk. "I'm fine. Thank you, Martin."
Kissing her again, he looked into her eyes. "You never have to thank me. Tiger Lily, I'm going to be your husband. I'll always be here for you."
The words, 'I'm going to be your husband', washed over her like a cleansing rain. They cleansed her of her fears, of her doubts, and she kissed him as she sighed. "I love you, Martin Fitzgerald." Smiling, she walked back to their guests. "Shall we go on a tour?"