Chapter 9: Return to Innocence

Don't be afraid to be weak,
Don't be too proud to be strong,
Just look into your heart my friend,
That will be the return to yourself,
The return to innocence – Enigma

They got an early start and didn't take many breaks. Everyone was eager to make it to the hot springs that day. Liv noticed that Fitz was much more tactile than before. His large hands would linger on her thighs or brush her hair out of the way, or grab her torso just under her breast when the horse jolted unexpectedly. She felt his touch long after his hands had moved. She kept on playing with the horse's bridle, trying to find something for her fingers to do.

Liv and Fitz finally made it to the little valley that contained the hot springs. A large stone building stood mostly intact although its windows were blown out decades ago. Liv had heard that people used to strap sticks to their feet and fly down the mountain for fun once upon a time. She didn't see the point of it, but apparently these mountains were a place where people traveled from all over the land for recreation. A series of connecting natural pools surrounded the lodge. One pool even ran under a part of the building where long ago bathers could alternate between the springs and an indoor pool. Spin and Twitchy had already set up camp inside the building, using a large indoor fireplace located near the pool. They wasted no time before they were gallivanting around. Twitchy spotted Liv and waved at her telling her to come on in, the water was fine. The fact that she was naked with her legs wrapped around Spin mid-thrust didn't seem to faze her. Liv responded that she was good for now. She didn't want to be anywhere near the lovebirds for multiple reasons.

Fitz also wanted his distance from them. "I know another place to set up camp, if you wanted. If we go up the stream a bit there's a cave we could use as shelter. It opens up right next to a pool." He kept his tone neutral and she couldn't really read his expression. Things could get out of hand quickly, she knew, but there was a part of her that wanted to take the risk.

She nodded her head slowly and said, "That would be nice."

The daylight was receding, bringing colder temperatures and a chance of more snow. Fitz told her that he would setup the campfire if she wanted to go swimming. The steam coming off the pools looked warm and inviting, so she skipped the protestations and thanked him instead. She grabbed her bag that contained some soap and a natural shampoo she traded for back in some Western town. Fitz led the horse to the mouth of the cave and unloaded the gear before finding a tree to tie the horse to. Once he went inside the cave, Liv quickly stripped off her clothes and jumped in. The warm mineral water enveloped her and she felt the stress of the past couple of weeks leave her body along with the grime. Her thigh wound was healing nicely and she needed to remove the stitches soon.

After she swam a few laps and washed up, she found a natural stone seat in the pool and just soaked in the heat. She lay back until only her face peaked above the surface. The only thing she could hear was the sound of her breath and her heart beat. She closed her eyes and relaxed. Images of Fitz's broad shoulders and muscled arms began to fill her head. She brushed fingertips on her lips thinking of the kiss they shared. Her fingers unconsciously traveled lower on her body as she remembered how his legs molded to hers on the horse.

Her eyes flew open when she heard the huge splash of Fitz hitting the water. She heard him whoop and laugh. She sat up and curled over to maintain her modesty. He dunked his head in the water and then pushed his hair off his forehead when he emerged again. His blue eyes shined bright with the late afternoon sun. "Feels good, doesn't it?" His grin was infectious and she found herself returning it in spite of the awkwardness of being naked so close to him.

"Yes, it feels good," she stated simply.

He sat about ten feet away from her on the other side of the pool. Fitz had seen her lying in the water with her eyes closed. He could just make out the shape of her body underneath the surface. He thought about letting her know of his presence, but then decided to forego a halted conversation and just dove in. He scratched his beard and realized that he finally had a good opportunity to shave. Fitz turned away from her and popped out of the pool to grab his own bag of cleaning supplies. She caught a good look of his firm buttocks and toned thighs before she averted her eyes. He hopped back in and started lathering his face. She watched him as he confidently used his blade to make short work of his beard. He then worked the soap in his hair and down his body. She probably should have just swim off and let him wash in privacy, but she seemed entranced by his every movement.

She started a conversation to get her mind off his body. "So, you've been here before."

"This place isn't far from one of the discarded government bunkers the old army used to use." He could sense her anxiety and tried to ease it. "Don't worry; the General doesn't really use them anymore and only in the summer when he does. My Mom would take me here during that time when I was a boy. We used to catch fish in a fresh water stream nearby and spend the whole day just swimming or hiking."

"Your Mom was in the militia?"

Fitz hesitated a moment before saying, "Something like that. Anyway, this was our place that we didn't really share with anybody." His expression softened at the memory.

"It was a beach in Galveston for me and my Mom," Liv blurted out. She almost gasped in surprise at her own admission. She never talked about her family to anybody, much less someone she had only known for a short while.

He took in the pained look on her face. "You lost your mother too, didn't you?"

"She didn't die, if that's what you mean," Liv spoke quietly. "She left when I was thirteen."

Fitz's mouth dropped a little. "She abandoned you when you were thirteen?"

Liv shook her head and gave a rueful smile. "No, she asked me to come with her but I told her I didn't want to. I wanted to stay with my Dad more." He didn't say anything but she could almost feel his pity, which unnerved her. She couldn't believe she had revealed so much about herself. "She made the right decision for herself. My father could be a difficult man." She didn't know why she felt the need to justify her mother's actions.

He remembered their conversation about how she started bounty hunting. "And you left just four years later." She just nodded her head, her eyes glistening in the dying sunlight. He felt an overwhelming urge take her in his arms and hold her, to protect her from all the terrible things in this world, including some of the parents that came with it.

She could see him start to move towards her. If he reached her first, she wasn't sure she could keep herself from breaking down. She couldn't cry in front of him. So she stood up abruptly, stopping him dead in his tracks. Her skin was smooth and dark; she had an athletic body and yet still had generous curves. The water hit her mid thigh, just below her injury which was the only thing that marred her perfectly shaped legs. His eyes wandered up her body, from her dark patch of pubic hair, to the curve of her stomach, to her ample breasts with their dark areolas. Her wet hair came to just above her tight nipples. She had a long neck and a graceful jawline, full lips and high cheekbones. He gazed directly into her wide brown eyes as he let out his breath and simply stated, "You are so beautiful."

She thought for a moment of leaving. It was the safer option that was certain. But she didn't really want that.

She wanted him.

Liv walked over to him slowly. Fitz sat perfectly still as she reached out and touched his chest feeling his taut muscles under his skin. She rubbed his chest gliding her fingertips over his coarse hair as she looked directly in his eyes and felt herself drawn in deeper. She gasped as he placed his hand on her belly, searing her flesh. She bent down, palmed his face and then gave him a feather-light kiss. His lips were firm but inviting. She nibbled a little bit of his lower lip trying to decide what he tasted like. He pulled her down and folded her in his arms. She could feel his hard erection pressing on her bottom as she sat in his lap. She moved a little closer to his chest and felt his skin slip on hers. He swiped his tongue over her lips which she parted to receive. Their tongues dueled with each other as he ran his hand up her back and through her curly hair.

Fitz broke off for a moment between kisses and said, "Let's go by the fire." When she nodded her head, he easily picked her up and exited the pool. He grabbed his shirt and wrapped her up in it, cradling her in his arms as he strode to the cave. He had set up the campfire near its mouth. Fitz laid Liv down on his mat and bedding. He took the shirt from her body, dried himself off with it and brushed off the dirt on his feet. She admired the ripple of his muscles as he preformed this simple task. He then stretched out beside her, propping himself up on one elbow. He gently traced his hand from just below her belly button to the center of her chest between her breasts. She quivered at his touch. He caressed one of her full breast, rubbing her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. He tasted the base of her throat, nibbling his way up to her mouth. Fitz swallowed her groan as she brushed her fingers on the side of his chest and slipped them down his back to grip his ass. His mouth followed a trail down her body, licking and nipping the curve of her breast. She gasped when he finally drew her nipple into his warm mouth. He increased his suction as his hand moved down her body to her inner thigh. He cupped her mound and slipped his middle finger into her slit. She cried out and arched her back and he felt a surge of wetness in his hand which left his groin throbbing.

He released her nipple after one final tug between his teeth and then planted a series of kisses down the center of her body, lapping her navel and then working his way lower. He situated himself between her thighs and gazed up at her. She was panting heavily, her eyes heavy with desire. He then parted her folds and used the flat of his tongue to slowly taste her every ridge. She was tangy and sweet and he couldn't get enough of her. Her hands gripped his hair while his held on to her thighs. He found her clit and swirled it around in his mouth. His tongue pierced her opening, dipping it in and out as wave after wave of her essence coated it. She curled her toes against the flesh of his back as he continued his onslaught.

"Fitz," she called out breathlessly. "I need you in me . . . now."

He didn't need to be told twice. He scrambled on top of her and plunged into her warm depths. His mouth found hers as he withdrew almost fully and penetrated her tight passage again and again. She wrapped her thighs around his waist and squeezed tightly, raking her fingers down his muscular back. He took his time, finding a steady pace that she met him every thrust. He called out for Livvie between groans and kisses. She joined his cries as she never broke eye contact. He could feel her heart thumping against his flesh and the sound of his own seemed to match hers. Every nerve was on edge as he could feel tension gathering in his loins. She reached her peak as he surged within her. At one point she couldn't tell where he began and where she ended. He too felt one with her flesh as he thrust into her one last time and found his release. They shuddered as waves of pleasure coursed through their bodies. He collapsed on top of her, fully spent.

"Livvie, that was . . ." He could barely get out the words as he tried to catch his breath. He actually couldn't articulate everything he was feeling. He had his share of lovers, but he never experienced something quite like this before. He never felt so connected to someone before. "That was just . . ."

She grinned and finished his sentence, "Amazing?"

He returned her smile, "Well, yeah."

He started to disengage with her, but she wrapped her legs around him again. "No, you stay put," she commanded. She loved feeling his spent member inside of her and the weight of him. She was afraid she might float away without it.

"I must be getting heavy," he said reluctantly.

"I don't care." She planted a series of kisses on his mouth. "I like it." She pressed her hand against his buttocks. He stayed there a few minutes while she traced circles on his back. He then flipped them around so she lay on top of him. He rubbed her arms and back.

"Are you warm enough," he asked as he drew a blanket over them.

She snuggled on his chest and gave it a kiss. "I'm good." And she was good. She had never felt so comfortable and relaxed after sex. She usually just wanted to escape or ask the other person to leave. But it almost felt like she had already known Fitz for years. "These hot springs were a good idea," she sighed contentedly.

"They were definitely a good idea," Fitz agreed as he crooked her chin up and kissed her mouth again. They stayed wrapped in each other's arms, trading stories about their adventures in the Wastelands. After awhile, their touches grew fevered and they made love once again by the crackling fire. The hunger inside them seemed insatiable. Soon, Liv could feel another kind of hunger as her stomach growled. They did not have dinner yet, so Fitz threw on some pant and grabbed the rabbit they had killed earlier in the day for them to eat. He stoked the fire and put another log on it. She started to get up to find some clothes so she could help him, but Fitz told her he would take care of it. "Just stay put. I like seeing you just where you are."

"Do you," she asked as she threw back the blanket, exposing her naked body to the warmth of the fire.

"Yes, exactly like that," he grinned wickedly. She watched as he deftly skinned the rabbit and put it on a spit for roasting. He sat on the other side of the fire, knowing if he touched her again they would wind up with a burnt rabbit. When the meat was cooked, she found a shirt to throw on and sat next to Fitz. The meat was hot and the juices dripped down the side of her mouth. Fitz couldn't help but reach over and kiss it off. She smiled and kissed him back. They fed the rabbit to each other, licking each other's fingers and making out between bites. His bare chest became smeared with rabbit fat.

"Want to go for another swim?" He asked.

"Sure." They quickly stripped and jumped into the pool near the mouth of the cave, the light of the campfire their only illumination. They swam to where she was sitting before and found her soap. She lathered it and rubbed it over Fitz's chest to remove the grease. She pushed him down so he was sitting on the natural stone seat. She followed through washing the rest of his body while his hands moved all over hers touching every square inch. He massaged her breasts and nuzzled the side of her neck. The air was cold and made her nipples hard, but she was warmed by the heat of the springs and by his body. She found his shaft and began to stroke it, squeezing his scrotum gently while firmly moving her other hand back and forth until he was moaning her name.

She straddled him and lowered herself onto his cock. She kept her feet flat on either side of his thighs and gripped his shoulders for support as she moved back and forth. She grinded her clit against his pelvic bone and felt the warm water move between them. The water caressed her skin making it slick against his. She found his lips and gasped as she felt his tongue slide in hers and taste the roof of her mouth. Snow started to fall on them gently. The moment it touched her skin it evaporated, as if her very flesh burned it off. He grabbed both of her butt cheeks and thrust up to her again and again until their passion reached a fever pitch and they found release in each other's arms.

They made their way back to the shelter and warmed themselves under the covers and in each other's embrace. The new lovers explored each other's bodies all through the night; each touch, each taste, each moan seemed to reverberate in their very souls. Eventually, Liv found sleep, her body molded to Fitz. He smiled as he thought of the first time he had slept with her like this trying to break her fever. He now wrapped his arms around her naked body freely, cupped her breast and kissed her neck. He felt like he had finally returned home after a long journey.

She woke up with a start and found Fitz's arm wrapped tightly around her, cupping her breast. She carefully extracted herself from his embrace and put on her clothes. It was around 4 am and some staffers were probably already up. She took one last look at him sprawled on his bed, sleeping soundly. She smiled in spite of herself. This was a mistake she never thought she would make. She slept with a married man. She slept with a client. She slept with a candidate for the President of the United States.

She rolled her luggage down the hall and inserted the card key to her room. When she closed the door, she leaned against it and took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. She took a shower and let the hot water wash away all traces of him. It won't happen again, she told herself. This was a fluke, an anomaly for both of them. Today they would go back to being themselves; the Fixer and the Candidate.

She headed for the Baptist church before either Fitz or Cyrus left their rooms. When she arrived, the advance team was already there setting up the meet and greet and making sure the podium would get the best camera angles. The minister greeted her with enthusiasm, telling her that everyone was excited to meet the Governor. "Now, I am a humble man, Ms. Pope, but I think the ladies in the kitchen make the best pancakes in the country if I do say so myself."

"I'm sure we are all looking forward to tasting them," Olivia declared, wondering how many more pancake breakfasts she'd have to stomach on the trail.

People swarmed Fitz when he finally arrived. A little old lady cornered him and told him to give his dear wife her condolences for her miscarriage. He thanked her for her kindness. Liv watched him kiss the back of her hand and thought of how those lips explored every inch of her body just a few hours before. His eyes searched for Olivia and when he found her, he gave a brilliant smile. He slowly worked his way across the room. When he finally stood in front of her he happily greeted her, "Good Morning, Livvie, did you sleep well last night?"

She smiled and looked down, suddenly shy. "I don't know about sleep Governor Grant, but I feel energized."

"Me too," he confessed. He tried to get her to look at him, but she was avoiding eye contact. He leaned into her and whispered, "Say my name."

"You need to go and make your speech, Governor Grant. All these people are waiting for you." The chattering of the room grew louder as people looked to be introduced to the candidate. She couldn't say his name. If she said his name, then she'd know that it wasn't over. She'd know that last night wasn't just a mistake.

Fitz didn't move and he grew serious. "Say my name, Livvie, please." He could sense the turmoil in her and he needed her to say his name. To assure him that last night wasn't a dream or fantasy. That it was real.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally looked up and studied his face. "Fitz," she said under her breath so he could barely hear her.

He grinned widely in response and promised her that they would talk later. She nodded her head and he turned around and strutted to the podium. His eyes kept focusing on her during his speech. It was then she knew with both fear and wonder; that this was the start of something, not the end.

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
Lewis = Edison Davis (died in Tombstone)