A/N: Not a prompt, but I always wanted to go into Elizabeth's mind in season 3.

I also want to thank everyone who took the time to review these dribbles. You've put a smile on my face!

Quiet

Elizabeth wasn't a fan of quiet. That sounds strange, but in moments between crises, she wanted some noise.

And she often reasoned that there was a difference between peace and quiet. Peace came when her children smiled at her. Peace was found in her husband's eyes or embrace. Peace was the moment a negotiation came together. Peace was contentment.

Quiet were those moments between heartbeats of panic and adrenaline. Quiet the buildup to war. Quiet was the moments when her children were hurt or angry because of something she did. Quiet was found when Henry was anything but happy and healthy and there.

So when she found moments of peace in the State Department, she relished them. And she dealt with the times of quiet as best she could.

She was in her motorcade, about to head home for the day enjoying a bit of peace when a moment of unavoidable quiet struck.

Her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Is this Elizabeth McCord?"

"This is she. May I ask who's calling?"

"I'm calling from George Washington Hospital. I'm afraid that your husband is here. He's stable, but he'll need to stay a couple of nights. He's asking for you."

There was a beat of quiet before Elizabeth could respond. A beat of terrifying quiet that threatened to seal up every ounce of noise and peace that she'd ever experienced.

"Thank you. I'll be right there."

To keep her mind off the quiet that was threatening to overtake her completely, she called Henry's partner at DIA. She was filled in on the bad meet and the... injuries.

She thanked Mo and hung up her phone. They were 15 minutes away from the hospital. And quiet overtook her. Quiet Christmases with no family, quiet arguments with Henry over the CIA. Quiet moments where she was left feeling insecure and frightened. Quiet moments where peace seemed alien, quiet dorms and silent halls. Quiet moments of worry that snatched at her throat making it hard to breathe or swallow. Quiet moments of adrenaline laden exhaustion forcing her down to the hell of nightmares. Quiet moments where her family were threatened. Quiet moments of hellish worry.

Finally reaching Henry's room, she was nearly sprinting to get to him in a hurry. "Hey babe!" he'd said, and his smile lifted some of the quiet.

Their minor argument ensued bringing with it a sense of normality, and a place of safety in the quiet. The quiet stayed even when she figured out that they were looking for the same supplier. The quiet stayed even when she was at the White House. The quiet stayed when she called her children and fed them the cover story. The quiet stayed to the point that even her own heartbeat felt loud. Her own breathing too obvious in the state of quiet she was wrapped in.

Her phone vibrated in her hand. A text from Henry. "They're discharging me in the morning. Go home, babe. Get some sleep. Then come rescue me in the morning!"

She grinned at his message, his thoughtfulness spreading a thin layer of contentment over her like a blanket.

She stood watching her children. They'd fallen asleep in the living room, piled on one couch, tangled in a sleepy mass.

She smiled at the sight before pulling out her phone. Jason was tucked under Stevie's arm and cuddling Alison's leg, and there was no way that Elizabeth could let that moment of blackmail go. This moment of peace she treasured. Her Henry would be home tomorrow. Her children were safe and sound asleep. She took a deep breath and exhaled pure peace.