Part 11

With the fast pace nature of working in hospitals, coupled with the antisocial hours, it is particularly difficult to keep up to date with what is going on around you, and in Quinn's case, it was making it very tricky to pin Liv down. Especially now that Liv had returned to work. Obviously, Liv returning to work was a positive thing- because it meant that at the very least, she was well enough to work. However, in regards to what is going on in that head of hers, Liv was playing those cards close to her chest. Then to make matters even more confusing, yesterday afternoon, just as Quinn was pulling up into the staff car park, she happened to spot Liv and Franklin leaving the building together, with his arm draped around her shoulders, looking very cosy. Quite frankly, the scene had thrown her off guard, and if she wasn't running late, she would have called Liv out on it straight away. None of it seemed to add up... Only a few days ago she was actively avoiding Franklin, and now the pair looked as close as ever. In her opinion, Liv's behaviour appeared to be all over the place, both inconsistent and illogical, and totally out of character, and for Quinn this was setting off huge alarm bells.

Checking with admin on her way out- Quinn found out that Liv's next shift wasn't until later this evening, which meant if she was quick enough she would have a good chance of catching her at home. She needed to get to the bottom of this.

As it turns out, it would seem that her timing was impeccable, because the penny drops the minute she lets herself into the house and walks in on Liv retching her guts out into the toilet bowl... It all made sense now... Retrieving a flannel from the towel rail, Quinn runs it under the cold tap and hands it to an exhausted Liv who is now sitting with her back pressed against the bath tub... Knowingly their eyes meet... "So you're pregnant then?

"What gave it away?" Liv replies dryly as Quinn takes a seat beside her...

"God Liv, you don't do things by halves- do you?"

"I wish I did... Listen, my parents don't know yet, so I need you to keep this to yourself for now..."

"Of course- my lips are sealed... although I gather Franklin knows..."

"What makes you say that?" Liv questions, although she doesn't deny it either.

"I saw you two all hugged up in the car park yesterday..." Quinn reveals, with a slight catch to her voice.

"Oh... Yeah... he found out a few days ago."

"And he's happy about it?"

"Seemingly so... Well, he said he'll support whatever decision I make..."

"And have you, made a decision that is?"

"I'm keeping it..." Liv tells her plainly; although she neglects to admit how unsettled she is about that prospect.

Quinn however, not one to ignore the elephant in the room, decides to tackle the said elephant head on... "I see... and what about Fitz?"

"What about him?" She sounds almost petulant in her response.

"Oh come on Liv... this is me you're talking to... are you sure the baby is not his?"

"Please Quinn, can we just drop it..." She makes a move to get up and leave, but Quinn stops her; preventing her from escaping and forcing her to address the biggest issue of them all.

"Liv, if you're having this baby, you can't hide from this... you need to know for certain..."

"It can't be his Quinn... it just can't..." she replies desperately. If this baby ends up being his, she doesn't dare to think about what that will mean for the future- it's just too messy.

Quinn genuinely feel sorry for her, but she has to make her see sense... "I know you're scared Liv, but you need to find out for sure... you know that, right?"

As difficult as it may be, Quinn was effectively holding up a mirror in front of her face and she was having to take a long hard look at herself... As much as she doesn't want to face reality, Quinn was right, she must... "Yeah... I know," she admits in trepidation.

Finally, Quinn thinks; finally she was getting somewhere... "Look, when you go into work today, go straight up to maternity and get a scan done; because God knows you can't hide from the truth forever Liv."

-x-

It feels good to be back and although he realises that the conversation he intends to have with Liv is s going to be strained and difficult, he's secretly looking forward to seeing her. Vermont is a beautiful place to live, but living there by yourself with no one to share it with can be excruciatingly lonely. However he has every intention of returning to Vermont, despite the solitude- because he knows that he cannot remain in DC and watch Liv move on with another man. And there's no doubt in his mind that she will move on; she's young, fun and incredibly beautiful, she's bound to be swept of her feet by someone a lot more suited to her, and more importantly she deserves it- he wants her to be happy, that's all he ever wanted- and yes, for a brief moment of madness he believed he was the person that held the keys to her happiness, as she held his... but he was wrong, so very wrong and now he has to live with the fact that he has ending up hurting her in the process. He's truly sorry, and that is why he needs to apologise to her in person; because somehow, he has to make this right with her.

He decides that seeking out Liv first is the best plan of action, so he avoids the hospital for now- not wanting to risk bumping into Eli or Maya, because one of them is bound to give the game away to Liv once they discover he's back. So he decides to head over to her house instead, hoping to catch her there in between shifts.

When he knocks the door, Quinn greets him on the other side, looking almost shell shocked, she can't believe it... "Fitz, what are you doing here?"

"Hi Quinn, good to see you too- I came to see Liv, if she's in..."

"She's not here." She replies abruptly. When their romance first started out, Quinn had been Liv and Fitz's biggest cheerleader, but after all the heartache he's put Liv through, she can't help but feel hostile towards him...

"Is she at the hospital?"

Quinn is reluctant to say, because she knows Liv will loose her head when she see's him- and right now the scan and the the results of the scan should be her top priority. The last thing Liv needs is for Fitz to show up and throw a massive wrench into the works. But then on the flip side, there's a good chance that she is carrying his baby, and maybe she will need his support more than ever now. So Quinn relents and tells him where she is...

"Her shift starts at six".

Fitz looks down at his watch; so she should already be there he thinks... He thanks Quinn and turns to leave, but before he makes it out the gate- Quinn call out to him and warns... "Whatever you're planning Fitz- don't hurt her again..."

-X-

In a daze, Liv walks back into AAU... Following Quinn's advice she had the scan done... Well, at least she's no longer in the dark over who the father is... Although, how she feels about it is a different matter entirely. The results of the scan has left her reeling; heart pounding, head spinning; she is so overwhelmed that she is starting to feel faint- She must look it too- because as soon as Franklin spots her, he rushes over to her panicked... "Liv, Liv... Are you okay? He quickly guides her to a seat... "Liv, what's happened?"

She shakes her head, in denial... "Nothing, i'm fine..." she lies, but Franklin refuses to take her word for it... "Forget it Liv, I'm taking you up to maternity right now..."

"No", she protests... "The baby is fine... (She had seen that for herself) I just need a minute..."

And it's in that minute, for the second time today, her world is flipped over on its head...

Because Fitz; who has been looking all over the ward for her- finally spots her. But the fact that she's hunched over and with a man he doesn't recognise, rubbing her back and fussing all over her, it doesn't sit well with him at all, and only serves to trigger his protective instincts... His well rehearsed and carefully planed out approach completely forgotten, as he immediately rushes over to her, ready to offer his assistance and help... "What's wrong Liv?"

Flabbergasted... all she can do is raise her head and stare at him in utter disbelief... whilst a voice in the back of her head whispers incensed...

What's wrong? What's wrong?!... You Fitz, YOU, and the fact that this baby is yours... that's what's wrong with me!