A/N: OK, I'm upping the rating now. Things are getting a little bit steamier. ;-)

Chapter 6: Seen All Good People

Don't surround yourself with yourself,
Move on back two squares,
Send an instant karma to me
Initial it with loving care
Don't surround
Yourself – Jon Anderson

"Harry, untie my hands – now," Fitz's demanded calmly. He sat up with some difficulty, his head feeling like it might explode.

"Not until we get to Denver proper. What were you thinking, Fitz?" Harry shook his head with some dismay. "You don't just abandon your post with the General. Not unless you want a cold cell or worse."

Liv did a double take on Fitz. She had assumed that he was just a typical plains drifter who made his living as a bounty hunter. To hear that he was associated with the charismatic, yet hardnosed General sent her for a loop. The General was the de facto leader of the Denver Territories for as long as she knew. Her father used to tell her some stories of the man when she was young. She had only seen him once, many years ago when he addressed a crowd in Denver. She was too far back to really see or hear him, the only impression she had of him was that he had snow white hair. He was so famous in these parts he only went by his moniker and his name had all but been forgotten. A council had been appointed long ago, but they were mainly to placate smaller municipalities in their demands for representation. He was the real power and was credited for single-handedly consolidating scattered communities and groups into one of the first recognizable governments since the Collapse.

"Is that the story they are telling?" Fitz felt like he had just woken up after a hard night of drinking moonshine. But he tried to focus on what Harry was saying.

"It's the story he's telling," Harry said pointedly. At this point Harry held a cup of water to his captor's lips, which he downed eagerly. If the concussion felt like a hangover, maybe water would help. He wiped the excess water from his lips with his shoulder since his hands were still tied.

"I never abandoned anything," Fitz stated flatly.

"You've been gone for over a year, what else would you call it? And now you're freelancing as a bounty hunter."

"I guess you would know about freelancing. I heard about your work in Pueblo." When Fitz learned of Harry the Bounty Hunter, he thought it must have been someone else. He couldn't imagine Harry taking leave of the General.

"I have an agreement with the General, I was doing work for him . . . mostly," Harry qualified and looked guiltily over at Amber who was eating some jerky they had brought. She offered some to Liv, but Liv declined. "Now that I've found you and will bring you back, I can finally be free of that place."

"Leaving the Denver Territories," Fitz asked with surprised. "I thought you would never abandon it or the General. What happen to ride-or-die Harry?" He remembered back in the day when Harry, almost with a religious fervor would wax on about the General and declared himself to be his gladiator.

Harry hesitated a moment, "Things are getting . . . strange there." Fitz was about to ask more questions when Harry quickly changed the subject. "So, who's this Lyn Harmer person?" He motioned his head towards where Liv was sitting. "What's the price and for who?"

Liv felt anxious, knowing that her lie was about to be exposed and again wondered why people were looking for her. Fitz could sense her panic and played along with her sudden name change. "You think I'd really let you steal the reward I'm going to collect? Now take off these ridiculous ropes and maybe we can talk." Liv couldn't tell if this was a ploy to get free or if he really meant it. Either way, she still was in the dark about why Fitz captured her in the first place.

Harry considered Fitz's proposal for a moment and then shook his head with some regret. "Sorry, buddy. Crossing the General over some measly bounty isn't worth it."

Fitz felt irritated more than scared, all his plans seemed to be fraying at the seams. He had to figure out a way out of this mess because he would not be brought back to the Denver Territories as someone else's prisoner. He wouldn't be humiliated like that in front of the General. He still had a week until they reached Denver if the pass was still open. Fitz would have to bide his time and wait for an opportunity. He looked across the fire to Liv and again wondered if he should have let her go when he had the chance.

"Can you check her bandages on her thigh," he asked looking at the red-head. "They probably need to be changed." Both Harry and Amber lifted their eyebrows in surprise at his concern. For some reason, this embarrassed Liv. "And does she really need to be tied to a tree? Bring her closer to the fire."

"Well, I guess she must be worth a lot alive and in good condition," Harry concluded giving Fitz an odd glance. Fitz ignored the bait as he carefully watched Amber change Liv's dressings. He engaged in small talk with Harry, finding out some of the latest news outside of Denver since he left and exchanging stories of their time in the badlands.

When she finished wrapping the bandage, Amber looked up and addressed Liv. "It seems like he took really good care of this injury. It's surprising, actually" Amber said with a knowing smile, and for the first time showing a bit of kindness. Liv said nothing in return. "Look, it's nothing personal. It's just business." Amber looked across the fire to Harry and her expression softened. "We've been doing pretty well for ourselves for awhile. Harry needs to do this one last thing and he'll be free of Denver once and for all. Well, all done." Amber patted Liv's leg and began to make her own sleeping arrangements.

Liviana tried to find a comfortable position to sleep near the fire with her hands still bound. She wouldn't make it out on her own right now, but she would wait for an opening to escape. She watched Fitz talk with Harry. You wouldn't know that one was the prisoner of the other by their conversation. She felt her eyelids getting heavier as Fitz's deep baritone voice lulled her to sleep.

Fourteen days until the election.

Fitz sat subdued as her team exposed Reston's history of depression and dependence on prescription drugs. Big Jerry ran the meeting as if he was the one getting elected. Olivia admitted that BJ's idea to hammer Reston during the debate was a solid one. Sometimes she couldn't understand Fitz's reluctance to use dirt on his opponents, even though a part of her respected his desire to be above that kind of petty politics. She was beginning to think Fitz was right; it was a mistake to bring his father on the campaign. Since his father showed up everything about him seemed to change. He'd grown smaller, quieter. He was nothing like the brash, confident candidate she first met at the beginning of the election cycle.

When they got to the hotel, Big Jerry went down to the bar to be surrounded by his admirers. Mellie had already taken off for another campaign rally in Florida and would be skipping the debate altogether. Liv chatted with Abby and Harrison in the lobby. Huck left following the meeting. She wasn't even sure he was staying in the hotel room she got for him.

Fitz approached them after engaging in a few other people. He shook both Abby and Harrison's hand and thanked them for all of the work they were doing on his behalf. Even though Liv knew he thought what they were doing was sleazy, she also believed that his gratitude was sincere.

"No problem. Glad we could help," Harrison stated pleasantly. "Maybe someday you can return the favor when you're the leader of the free world."

"Maybe," Fitz said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. A roar of laughter erupted from the bar. Harrison took his leave to join the others there. Abby had an almost imperceptible sneer as they listened to Big Jerry's loud punchline. She said she needed to go for a walk to get some fresh air.

Finally, it was just the two of them. Things still felt a little awkward since the blowout they had in debate prep a few days before. She had been spending her nights alone. She told herself this was for the best, that whatever came Election Day, this needed to end. However, she missed him. He looked so dejected and she wondered how many countless arguments with his father ended the same way. For her own part, she recognized the temptation to forfeit your own desires to the will of a strong parent. "You know, there's still time to leak the story. You don't need to bring it up at the debate. We could have the media do it for you."

"No, my father is right. It will have the most impact during the debate." His lack of enthusiasm was noticeable and distressing. They were entering the home stretch, and win or lose; his energy should be sky high.

She leaned in and whispered to him, "Follow me." She turned without another word and headed for the elevator. Fitz glanced around the lobby once and then quickly walked after her. In the elevator, she pressed her floor number which was close to the top of the multi-storied hotel. Fitz stood closely behind her, she could the feel heat of his body, the warmth of his breath. She didn't think he'd dare make the first move after he drunkenly groped her in an elevator a few weeks ago.

She had both of her hands clasped behind her if she reached back just a little, she would touch him.

Wait for it, Olivia. Wait until you get to your hotel room, she told herself. There could be cameras.

Wait. Wait. Wait.

Fourth floor.

Sixth floor.

Seventh floor.

She leaned back and discretely rubbed his groin. She heard Fitz sharply intake his breath. He didn't move away, but instead slyly placed his hand on one of her butt cheeks and started massaging it.

Olivia suddenly hit a button and stopped the elevator between floors. She quickly turned around, grabbed his head and dragged it down to meet her lips in a desperate kiss. If there were cameras, it was over. It wouldn't matter how well he did in the debate or the new dirt they had on Reston.

Fitz held her neck with one hand while the other slid down her body to grab her ass and press her against the evidence of his need.

Flashes of news stories danced in her head staring herself and Fitz. This could all be over very soon, with her reputation shattered.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and tried to drown out her father's voice in her head, "Always remember the legacy you leave behind, Olivia. Nothing else matters in this life. Nothing."

Fitz slammed her against the back of the elevator. She sat perched on top of the handrails. He unbuttoned her pants while she unbuckled his and firmly stroked his shaft. He licked his fingers, pushed her panties to one side and rubbed her folds. He stuck two fingers inside of her and circling her clit with his thumb. No time for much foreplay. He wet his fingers again with his tongue, lingering on her taste before lubricating her once again. He replaced his fingers with his cock and thrust into her hard. She made a slight grimace, but tightened her legs around him. He moved her thigh for a better position as continued to pump her again and again. She held on to his shoulders while his hand explored under her shirt and his mouth made a mark on her neck. With a strangled cry he called out her name as he shuddered within her and they both rode the waves of their pleasure.

Before they resumed the elevator, they straightened up the best they could. They continued their exploits in her room all night. He barely snuck out of her room before others began to stir. Not that it would matter if there were cameras in that elevator.

She would cease to be the campaign fixer. He would cease being a viable candidate. No more talk of poll numbers, or debate prep or election rigging. It would just be over.

Would it be possible to just be them?

To just be Fitz and Liv?

To make a go of it together in this life?

All of these thoughts raced through her head as she approached the front desk, her heart racing. She told them that she wasn't quite sure, but she thought a stranger might have palmed one of her campaign phones in the elevator. She asked them if they could run the security camera in the elevator to see who it might be.

"Sorry ma'am, we don't have cameras in the elevators."

She should have been relieved. Instead she felt vaguely disappointed.

Liv awoke to the sound of a gunshot and Harry screaming out in pain, holding his bleeding arm. She immediately searched for Fitz and saw that Harry had tied him to a tree sometime during the night. He locked his anxious eyes with hers and called out, "Livvie!"

She turned to see a shadowed figure straddling Amber about to plunge a knife into her heart and knew immediately who it was. "Twitchy, no! Don't kill her," Liv called out.

The young woman turned to her with a puzzled expression, "Why not?"

It was a reasonable question. Liv never before flinched when her team had to kill someone in a pinch. She viewed it as a necessary evil. But for some reason, the idea of killing Amber made her incredibly sad. "Because I said so!"

Twitchy shrugged and said, "OK, whatever you say boss." Instead, she plunged the knife in Amber's upper arm and twisted it. Amber screamed out in pain.

"Stop! No one kill anybody, ok? That goes for you too, Spin," she shouted, not being able to see him.

"Hey, I didn't kill her," Twitchy complained.

Spin emerged from the shadows with his gun aimed at Harry. "They should die. All of them. We shouldn't risk them coming after you again."

He was probably right, but Liv didn't want any more bloodshed. "Just come over here and untie me, ok?" Spin made short work of her ropes with one hand, his eyes and the aim of his gun never leaving Harry. Once she was free, they crudely dressed Harry and Amber's wounds and bound them together. She had no doubt they would eventually figure out how to escape their confines. They rummaged through their supplies to take what they needed.

"Oh Liv, I've got something for you," Twitchy said cheerfully as she scampered away from the fire and into the dark. She returned leading Liv's horse to the camp.

Liv shook her head in disbelief. "That horse has more lives than a cat."

When they were finally ready to go, Fitz called out to her. "Livvie, don't leave me." His plea stopped Liv dead in her tracks and she felt her heart drop.

Suddenly, she grabbed one of Twitchy's knives. She plunged the knife into the tree inches from his head. He didn't flinch as she got in his face. She could feel the warmth of his breath and couldn't help but wonder what those lips would feel like on hers. "Why should I help you," she asked, mad that she let him affect her so much. "You're the one who got me in this mess in the first place." She tried to hold on to the anger she felt at being his prisoner. Her reputation could have been tarnished by her capture. All that matters is the legacy you leave behind, Liviana.

"Because we now have a common problem," Fitz replied steadily. "The General is after us both. He's the one who's put a reward out for you, Livvie."

A/N: I thought I'd start giving a cheat sheet on which present character corresponds with their past life. There are a few that might remain a mystery until the right time.

Olivia Pope = Liviana Bishop
Fitzgerald Grant III = Fitz Grant
Quinn Perkins = Twitchy
Huck = Spin
Stephen Finch = Fincher (already left story)
Harrison Wright = Harry Walker
Abby Whelan = Amber