"Good afternoon, Bess!" Conrad paced from behind his desk to shake her hand amicably.
"Mr. President." She nodded politely before taking a seat.
He settled in his chair, leaning back comfortably before beginning easily. "Russell said you scheduled a meeting. What can I do for you?"
"In light of the recent developments, I have decided at the end of this term I am going to quietly slip out of a life in public service."
Conrad folded his hands, staring intently. "Can I ask why?"
She nodded, maintaining her composure and strength. "I used to, and still do, believe that one person can make a great deal of difference. I think my time is done, though. I have served in a combat zone, I have been an analyst, I have brought together peace treaties…Now it is time for someone else to step up. If I go back to UVA, I believe I can guide those in the political science department to change establishments in their own ways."
He merely nodded, pursing his lips as she continued. "The past few months have given me a peek into the glaringly harsh realities of life and death. My children are growing up so quickly. By the end of this term Allison will be in college, Jason will be looking at colleges, Stevie will probably be married…" She trailed off thinking fondly of her three children. Oh, how she loved them. "Henry and I were so happy teaching together at UVA. It was less stress on our family, on our marriage. We have all talked about it extensively, and I think it is the best decision for us."
She saw a glint of sadness crawl across her boss' face. Fearing the worst, she immediately felt her neck begin to tense. Instead, however, Conrad let a smile grace his lip as he spoke across the desk to one of his closest colleagues.
"I'm proud of you, Bess," she stared back at him, a confused expression painted upon her face. He continued speaking, clarifying his intent. "I'm proud of you for recognizing what your family needed and taking action to support them, once again. I saw it in your resignation from the company. You had three babies and a husband who needed you more than we did. There's always going to be someone to step up to the plate. I may not be as fond of them, but replacements are always available. There is no replacement for you in the hearts of your family." He stood, taking a step around the desk to place a firm hand on her shoulder. "I think you're making the right decision."
She stood, shaking his hand as she smiled, a wave of relief washing over her. She knew she still had to make it through another 18 months, but solidifying a plan that she, her family, and the president all approved of was a step in the right direction.
"Thank you, Sir." The two walked toward the door and into the hallway, settling into a comfortable conversation, reminiscing her earliest days at Langley.
Xxx
Elizabeth returned to the seventh floor of the State Department please when she saw the building hadn't caught fire in her absence. Blake stopped her at the side of his desk, informing her of her meeting with the Canadian ambassador, then a staff meeting that would end her day.
"Thank you, Blake." She smiled softly before mentally going over the NAFTA brief she had been given this morning. Hopefully the ambassador was in a pleasant mood. She silently scoffed. Who was she kidding? He was Canadian, she wouldn't even be able to tell if he was furious.
"Ah, hello Mr. Ambassador!"
Xxx
Hours later, Elizabeth sneaked through the front door, grateful she was finally able to slide off her heels. She placed her briefcase upon the hall table, and kicked her shoes under it. Letting a deep sigh leave her lips, she ran a hand through her hair, wincing when she caught a tangle.
"Hey babe." She nearly jumped out of her skin feeling Henry's arms surprise her. In no time, though, she relaxed against his chest and tilted her head back to grant him a kiss.
"Hey yourself." She turned to face him, wrapping her hands around his neck, smiling organically for the first time in a long while. He leaned in, kissing her so gently, so tenderly it nearly broke her heart. They both exchanged contented grins when their lips parted.
"How did your meeting go?" He asked softly.
"Conrad took it better than I expected." She took his hand, leading him up the stairs as she recounted her day. "I explained our decision and the reasoning behind it, and he thinks we are making a good choice."
"I told you he wouldn't be disappointed." He shed his pants, heading toward the bathroom to prepare for bed.
"Logically, I knew he would understand." She unbuttoned her shirt and let it fall to the ground, then unzipped her skirt, searching for her favorite pair of lounge pants. "That didn't settle my hesitation in the moment though." She made her way into the bathroom, temporarily giving up on her search for pajamas.
She leaned in to brush her teeth, ready to continue the conversation after spitting and rinsing out her mouth. When she turned to speak, though, she found Henry staring at the counter. "What's on your mind?" Her words were gentle as her fingers lay softly upon his chest.
He met her gaze, eyes cloudy with uncertainty. "I love you, Elizabeth. I love you more than anything, and I want nothing more than to protect you." He wrapped his warm hands around her waist, inching closer. "You can count on me. You will always be safe with me."
She nodded, running a hand along his neck, one resting on his cheek. "I know…" she whispered hoarsely, swallowing her tears. "And I cannot thank you enough for that. I spent most of my childhood feeling alone with nowhere safe to go. You are my safe place now."
"Do you still think we made the right decision?"
She leaned her forehead against his, slowly inhaling the scent of his aftershave. "Absolutely. I'm grateful to have a job; I'm grateful to be busy, but stepping back down a notch is not going to be the worst." She smiled, a shiver running down her spine as the warm flesh of her back hit the cool countertop.
Henry felt the goosebumps rise on her stomach and he wrapped his arms fully around her back, placing a string of playful kisses down her neck. "Come on, babe." He pulled her through the closet and back into the bedroom, stopping at the edge of the bed. "Let's warm you up." He pulled her into his chest, bodies flush. She wasted no time meeting his pace and connecting their lips in a fiery kiss.
…
Her eyes continued to flutter, alternating between open and closed. A light hand rested on Henry's chest as she curled her body comfortably into his. She softly grazed her nails across his defined muscles, simply relishing their connection.
"I love you." She finally ventured into the comfortable silence, finding the words she needed to tell her husband. "Thank you." She met his eyes, conveying her gratitude that stretched far beyond the past day, the past week, even the past months. "Thank you."
He reached for her hand, immediately intertwining their fingers. He kissed the back of her hand, then kissed her ring finger, just above her wedding ring. "Thank you for building a life with me." She moved her head, resting it under his chin. "I'm always going to be here with you." She finally let her eyes fall closed, feeling herself breath easily for the second time that day. Everything was going to be okay, as long as Henry was by her side.
As I said, i didn't expect this to happen when I began writing. In the first few chapters I planned on focusing more heavily on the uncertainty between Juliet and why she would want to take Elizabeth out. It kind of just morphed into a giant fluff piece between Mr amd Mrs McCord. Regardless, I hope you have still enjoyed. There will be a final chapter, an epilogue, and then we'll be done! I can't believe it's over so soon! Please review and let me know your thoughts, they make me smile!
