I know I leave you all wanting more every time I post a chapter and then leave again but as you all know life gets in the way lol! This chapter like a few of others has a musical inspiration and was thought about while listening to Ms. Jackson. So without further ado here's my latest spin on Liv and Fitz's wild ride, enjoy peeps!
The bunker was filled with their silence as Fitz lazily lounged in his seat and Olivia stood on the steps with hands clasped in front of her while Mellie took her leave of the room not being able to bear the tension of their present situation any longer. With a small thud the door slid shut leaving the President and his "alleged mistress" to themselves.
"Liv," Fitz spoke first breaking the seal of silence that had formed.
"I'm fine," Olivia descended from the steps and walked toward the table where her purse sat waiting for her to grab.
"I'm sorry; I know that wasn't easy for you." Standing from his seat Fitz placed his hands in his pockets and began walking toward her.
"I'm fine." Picking up her purse she turned to leave but only to be halted by Fitz's next words.
"I'm not! How are you, really?"
"I'm fine," Olivia started but was interrupted by Fitz.
"Your names a headline Liv," said Fitz as he tried to get her to admit how she was truly feeling.
"I tell my clients all the time it's not personal, the reporters are just doing their jobs. It's not about me it's the story. I'm fine!" Her voice began to waver as the brave and calm façade she'd put into place begin to crack in front of the one man she couldn't show her weaknesses.
It was already too late she knew he could hear how delicate and fragile she had become by the sound of her voice and the tears that were threatening to spill over. She knew he fully understood how she felt when he began to take off his suit jacket, tossed it on the table and started walking toward her.
Shaking her head Olivia just knew that if he touched her, showed genuine concern, truly played the role of the man she loved more than life itself she would shatter into a million pieces.
"Don't," she warned.
Fitz paid no heed to the warning and steadily came closer and closer, a look of determination crossed his face.
The sound of fear and loneliness was back in her voice. "Don't," she repeated as she took a couple mild steps away from him.
Fitz filled the space between them in two quick steps even as she backed away. The moment he placed his left hand at her waist the battle was won and Olivia was lost to the raging vortex that were her emotions.
Wrapping both arms around Olivia and pulling her close, Fitz held her to his chest hoping to draw some of her fears, loneliness, doubt, sorrow, and pain into himself. Hell his life wasn't a picnic right now either; he couldn't stand to see the love of his life being called a mistress, home wrecker, whore, and other obscene names.
Olivia allowed her armor to crack for a moment and relish the feel of Fitz's warm embrace. She didn't know she needed this until the moment it happened and she thanked God for this man and his timing.
She was still for a moment but seconds later she brought her arms up to rest on his shoulders and allowed the floodgates to open.
She cried. She cried for herself, she cried for Fitz, she cried for the lost times, she cried for the stolen moments, and she cried to let all her fears out.
No words were spoken; no soft glances or heated looks were exchanged between the star crossed lovers just comfort and a shoulder to cry on with the occasional tear drop landing on Fitz's powder blue dress shirt.
Pulling herself away from his embrace was hard but necessary lest she forget the dire circumstances that circled them. Shaking her head she began putting her armor back in place so she would be ready to face the world.
"Not yet give me these last few moments, you can at least do that for me," Fitz requested as he reached a hand up to gently wipe the tears on her cheek.
Olivia stopped and just stood there allowing the only man to truly know her inside and out a few last precious moments before the world swallowed them whole again into reality.
"I'm sorry," Olivia sniffed as she tried to ward off a fresh wave of tears.
"Don't apologize because we love each other it's not wrong nor is it a mistake or something dirty. I know things look bleak right now but Livvy we WILL get through this I promise you that much," Fitz placed a hand on hip, gently stroking it with his thumb.
She wanted to believe him, she really did but past situations kept running through her mind reminding her of what could never happen. A true happy ending with them together, she'd was destined to be alone for now.
"Fitz, I know I don't say it often but I love you, truly, deeply, and unconditionally. Forgive me for not saying it often; expressing my feelings and emotions weren't something I grew up doing with my parents," Olivia confessed.
He gripped her hip tighter and with his left hand he tilted her chin up to look into her eyes.
"I forgive you because I love you too Livvy, I love you too." Fitz then leaned down and placed the most gentle and sweetest kiss upon her lips. It was a kiss to be savored and held onto until they could embrace each other again.
Olivia loosened herself from his grip, picked up her purse from table and turned to exit the bunker. Without looking back she knocked on the door waiting for it to slide open, when she saw the light on the other side she walked out leaving Fitz behind.
Placing two fingertips to his lips Fitz closed his eyes and embraced the loneliness that came with being leader of the free world and thus the price he paid to be without Olivia.