Conversations waged on Olivia and Fitz periodically got involved but mostly kept to being in their own little world. Olivia was lost in a world all their own as she and Fitz whispered back and forth, driving herself crazy every time she felt his breath on her ear or neck. She was mid sentence when she heard Cyrus talking about Mellie. Fitz wasn't paying attention but caught on quickly when he felt Olivia tense in his arms. 'Ugh an everything not be about her for like ten minutes!?' Fitz was thinking.

"Yeah she asked me for a letter of recommendation. Needless to say I spoke to my peers and the academic is very clear on who Mellie Holden is." Cyrus told David while giving Olivia a pointed look. She wanted to feel bad for the girl who's life was literally about to decimate, but all Olivia felt was relief and vindication. Fitz was just relieved he wouldn't hear that name anymore.

The movie began everyone got quiet and got lost in the movie. Well almost everyone. Because it was one of Fitz's favorite movies both he and Olivia had seen it several times. As soon as Fitz knew everyone was too interested in the movie he began paying attention to Olivia's neck. Her hair still smelled like her shampoo from the shower they had taken earlier. He could never put his finger on the smell, but something about it made him want to breathe her in any chance he had. She was paying attention to the movie, Olivia would watch movies she liked over and over again and claim she saw something new each time, but she lost all focus when she felt Fitz begin nuzzle into her neck and pulling her sweater away so he could get at her shoulder.

He was placing soft kisses up and down the column of her neck and Olivia was trying to ignore him so they wouldn't draw attention to themselves, but failing miserably every time he hit the spot right below her ear. Olivia let out a small mewl that got Abby's attention, but it was too dark for her to see anything. Both Olivia and Fitz were thankful for the dark because otherwise Abby would have seen Fitz's hand making it's way up Olivia's shirt to rest on her stomach while his thumb brushed the bottom of her bra.

Part of Olivia's brain told her she should tell him to stop, the other part welcomed the feeling on his warm hand on his skin. She leaned her head back so that she could meet his lips as she wound her arms around his neck.

He met her mouth just as she slid her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. Both lost track of where they were and who they were with, but James must have noticed them because the next thing they hear is Cyrus muttering about breeders and Abby telling them to get a room.

"You know what Abby that's a great idea." Fitz said before Olivia could say anything he pulled her up with him and they trotted off to his truck.

"They do that a lot huh?" James asked Abby and Cyrus.

"I don't remember the last movie they made it all the way through." Abby told him.

"Those two are like rabbits. I swear, Fitz needs a do not disturb sign on his office door. Honestly the fact that none of the other students have noticed them eye fucking in class leaves me seriously concerned about the future of the country." Cyrus ranted at James, as he and Abby laughed at him before going back to the movie.

"Fitz I thought you didn't want to break tradition?" Olivia teased him as he fished for his keys.

"Well we have a tradition to hold up."

"What's that?"

"Never finishing a movie. I mean when was the last time we watched a movie from start to finish in one setting?"

"Uhm Avengers, but that was a few months ago." She said laughing at how right he was.

"It was rhetorical Livvie." He shook his head at her and he opened the truck door and helped her in. They made it home in record time. Liv barely had time to check on Zorro before Fitz was on her. As soon as she saw him curled up on the couch she put all of her attention on him.

Both Olivia and Fitz were laying on the living room floor wrapped up in each other when Olivia finally spoke up.

"It's still early and there's one thing we haven't done that we need to."

"Everything is closed Livvie, we can do it tomorrow." Fitz said sleepily and he pulled her closer to him laying his head on her bare stomach. She started to play with his curls and she could tell he was only a few minutes from falling asleep right on the floor.

"Okay if you don't want to christen the truck until later that's fine, but we

really should get in bed before you wake up sore old man."

"Okay sounds good." He shuffled up not even bothering to throw his boxers back on, "Wait what? Yes let's go!" He said excitedly once he processed what she was saying. He took off towards the door and grabbed the keys out of the bowl.

"Fitz, you're forgetting something!"

"I've got the keys and I've got my Livvie I don't know what else I need!"

"I'd start with pants and go from there." He was standing by the door completely naked holding his keys looking confused.

By time Fitz and Olivia made it back to her apartment and back into bed it was nearly dawn. Fitz stripped down to his boxers and Olivia pulled on one of his shirts from the laundry and they met in the middle of the bed. Both were asleep nearly seconds after they got comfortable together. The rest of the weekend was spent trying to get back into their routine, and trying to catch up on work that had been largely ignored over their break.

Before either was really ready Monday came as did their classes. Olivia woke to find Fitz already getting ready for the day. It was clear he was exhausted as Olivia watched him pace in front of the bed as he ran in fingers through his hair.

"Your shirts are in the closet on the left hand side. I picked them up from the dry cleaners for you last week." Olivia told him, hoping it would clear up his frustration.

"Thanks Liv."

"Your ties are in there too..." She said softly almost like a question. It was rare that he was upset and she couldn't figure out why. It wasn't a feeling she wanted to get used to.

"Good... That's good." He responded not really paying attention to her words and he never stopped pacing. She let him go a while longer before she interrupted again.

"Fitz?" Her voice was soft, unlike her usual clipped tone, it's what finally got his attention.

"Sorry Livvie what did you say?"

"Come. Sit. Talk." She said in the tone she reserved for him.

"I need to go." He looked at the spot next to her like it was a black hole. The looked frightened her. He knew if he sat down and got in that bed he may never let her leave his side again. He was terrified. Olivia got up and kneeled on the end of the bed taking his face in her hands.

"You're scaring me please talk." She begged him.

"I don't want to leave you." He said barely able to meet her eyes.

"Aw bee I know I'll miss you too but we both have early days, how about I make us dinner and we watch Game of Thrones and blow off studying tonight?" She bargained, thinking he was just being extra clingy after all they had been through. The few times he'd left to run to the store over the last week had left her a little sad as well.

"No I don't want you to leave me."

"I'm not going anywhere." She was confused.

"You could. He could send someone for you or come back himself and take you. I don't want you out there without me with you. I don't want to lose you Livvie." The fear in his eyes finally clicked. Aside from when she left him sleeping, he hadn't let her leave the apartment alone, and he was always on constant alert the few times they had managed to drag themselves out of bed.

"He's not coming for me." She promised him, "not yet she added quietly.

"How do you know? How do you know he will keep his word and let you finish?"

"Fitz..."

"Please Livvie, I need some of your certainty."

"Because the second he shows up with me back in Kansas against my will Michael will kill him." She told him detached as possible. On some level she knew that in the end her father wouldn't cave. If and when he needed to be stopped her brother would do it. It would ruin him but he would do it to protect everyone else.

"Livvie..."

"No that's not my life that's their life. I can't live like that. Every time I had to dress for a funeral grams would shake her head and say the same thing 'live by the sword die by the sword olly' and she's right. My father is going to be murdered. Huck, Michael, and Claudia think I'm too far removed to see it. To know that if the Russians don't kill him Michael will have to. All so that we can live.

You saw what killing a stranger did to Stephan. He was deranged. He wasn't like that when I knew him. Arrogant, obnoxious, yes but this, he broke Fitz and it's going to happen to Michael too, its what happened to all of the good guys in that life. They won't let me stop it and I don't think I can. All I can do is what he asks of me. Stay here. Go to classes. Be happy. Be normal. Be in love. Be with you. My father isn't a stupid man. He didn't get to be where he is by underestimating those closest to him. He won't show his hand and come for me until the coast is clear. Until Michael is... Out of the picture." She couldn't bring herself to utter the words. Her fathers death she had planned for since he took over the 'family business' but not her big brothers.

Fitz stood unable to say anything. There was nothing left to say. Olivia had simplified the missing pieces of the puzzle until he himself was prepared for the phone to ring telling them which of her relatives had survived the fall out.

"I... What can I do?" Should he be in Kansas helping protect her with Michael? Protecting him? Really he was so out of his depth he would probably hurt more than help. But maybe he could hire security or something. There had to be something. Her family had become his family in those short days they were all together. He already loved them.

"Just be here. Just love me. Just hold me when I find out." She looked at him and saw his mind running. "You cannot get involved in this Fitz. I have to stay away than so do you. I won't lose you to this. You've been involved enough as it is," she touches the pink scar on his shoulder, "I can't ever stitch you up again. I won't survive it." He wrapped his arms around her frame, dwarfing her with his size.

"I am supposed to protect you, I'm the last line of defense here. Maybe we should get private security or something? For us and your family."

"That's not how things work with what they do. Michael has people there to watch his back. No hired gun would be more protective than the guys he's got. And we protect each other, we are each other's gladiator. We already live in a secure building. When we get this house you can get the most expensive biggest gate and security system you can find okay?" He laughed and relaxed a bit as she mentioned the house.

Having not has the opportunity to show her what he found yet, he decided to take her up on her offer earlier and she her tonight.

"Okay so you're cooking and Game of Thrones tonight? How did I get so lucky to have THE Olivia Pope cooking for me? Wait can you still cook? Its not a bicycle you know." He asked her his arms still wrapped around her waist. She slapped his arm and scoffed assuring him that she still could.

"Hmm I think it's the curls, oh and the blue eyes. I'm a sucker for those." She made sure to give his curls a bit of a tug causing him to playfully growl and pretend to try and nip at her nose. They laughed together taking in the calm moment after the emotional lows they had just been through.

"You really do need to get ready." She told him regretfully. She flopped back onto the bed knowing she wouldn't take as long. Cyrus made his TA's dress in business attire, seeing Fitz in a dress shirt and slacks three days out of the week, it was like a personal favor from Cyrus to her. He hated it and stripped it off nearly as soon as he walked in the door, simply another bonus.

Olivia ran through her phone, replying to texts and checking emails before she met him in the bathroom to prepare for their day. They worked together so well, Fitz handing her a hand towel when she finished washing her face, and Olivia passing it back when he finished brushing his teeth. They flowed so well together, always in sync. Together they made their way out to their cars, Fitz yanking at his tie insisting that Olivia had tied it too tight, she was too distracted watching his arms fight against the fabric of his blue Brooks Brothers button down to comment on his tie. She was wearing her usual school outfit of leggings, tennis shoes, and an oversized sweatshirt, one of Fitz's.

"See you in ten." He told her giving her a quick kiss before hoping into his beloved truck. She barely had time to get into hers before she heard John Cougar Mellancamp blasting out the window, as she caught him smirking at her. She rolled her eyes at his musical tastes and revved her engine as he winked.