Part 16

The silence in the car had been unbearable. And it continued in the same vain until they entered his house. Familiar with the layout of the house, Liv makes her way into the living room, whilst he strides straight over to the liquor cabinet, and pours himself a large brandy.

She's the first to speak… "I take it, you won't be offering me one." It is obvious that she still wound up from their earlier encounter…

"What do you think?" He scoffs.

"Why do you even care?"

He cares more than she knows, but for now he's keeping those cards close to his chest... "I care, because as far as I know this child could be mine…" He pauses. "So, I shall ask you again Liv… Is this baby mine?"

"Do you want it to be yours?" She is aware that she's being difficult, petulant too, but she can't help it. She's hurting, because deep down she knows this is the last thing he wants; he's probably praying that it's Franklin's.

"Don't play games with me Liv…"

"Why do you always assume I'm playing games? It's a simple question Fitz…"

"What do you expect me to say? That I'm happy about the pregnancy? Because I'd be lying if I said that I was, but I suspect you already know that… Surely, you must agree with me, if not, you would have told your parents by now, but you haven't?"

"You want to know what I think?"

"Go ahead."

She stares at him. "I think, that if you had been man enough to stand up for our love, or had the courage to stand up to my father, then maybe we wouldn't be having this conversation at all… Instead, we would still be together, blissfully happy, living in Vermont and eagerly awaiting the birth of our child…"

The penny drops. He pauses, and then whispers… "So, it is my baby."

"Yes," she confirms in a measured voice.

He knocks back his drink and sinks into his seat. He knew it, from the moment she told him she was pregnant, he knew it was his baby. God, what a mess, he thinks. Exasperated, he runs his hand over his face… What were they going to do now?

He looks over at her, and she looks back at him, uncertain and a little unsure. If she's hoping for guidance, then she's fresh out of luck, because for once in his life he really doesn't have the answers. Not anymore.

Nevertheless, he eventually asks… "What do you want to do?"

"I won't have an abortion, if that's what you're asking," she tells him firmly… "Don't get me wrong, I have thought about it, I was even considering it, but I don't think I can actually go through with it. Not again."

He nods his head in complete understanding, and then; with a level of sincerity, that genuinely rocks her, he states; "Liv, I hope you can believe me when I say, I would never ask you to do that. This is your body, so your choice." Obviously moved, and relieved by his reaction, she starts to well up. After her past experience, he can appreciate her worry, but she needn't be. He may be a coward, but heartless he is not. And regardless of their messy relationship, he still loves and cares for her, and as much as the idea of this baby scares the hell out of him, he is not capable of subjecting her to that sort of pain again.

However, despite his level of compassion and consideration, none of it deters from the impact this news is having on him. This was heavy stuff. Taking his tumbler with him, he gets up and heads back over to the bar. Silently, Liv watches on, as he pours himself another drink, necks it and then pours himself another. Lost in his thoughts, he is struggling to digest it all. A year ago, if someone had said, that in seven months he would become a father again for the second time in his life, he would have laughed in their face… And yet, here he was, about to have a baby with his best friends daughter. He cannot begin to convey the level of betrayal he feels towards his friend. And sadly, much to Olivia's detriment, he has spent far too long trying to hide his feelings for her, all in an futile attempt to protect his friendship with Eli. He had put them though all of that heartache for nothing. All of it, pointless, because he cannot hide the fact that Liv is carrying his baby now, not without destroying her in the process. And he's hurt her enough.

Which means only one thing... "We need to tell your parents." He says, flatly.

Shocked to hear him say it, she stares at him in sheer disbelieve. She was half expecting him to offer her a financial agreement, in exchange for her silence. Anything to stop her father from finding out the truth… Not this… But she has to ask: "And how do you feel about that?"

"Honestly? I'm petrified."

"Me too". She confesses; she is just as scared as he is. "Dad's going to blow".

He swirls the amber liquid around in the tumbler, staring at it pensively... "He's never going to forgive me… He's never going to understand…"

She smiles at him weakly. "How can we possibly expect Dad to understand? When I barely understand it myself…"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about you and me, Fitz... We're having a baby, but where does that leave us?"

He swallows… "Liv, now is not the time…"

"Actually, I think it's the perfect time…"

"What do you want from me Liv?" He looks exhausted and sounds it too; but she sees it as a way in. The culmination of the evening's events and the alcohol running through his system it has lowered his defences; she can sense it. Not only that, but the way he has responded to the news, has renewed her faith in him in ways he wouldn't even be able to comprehend. Did they still stand a chance? Only one way to find out, she thinks. So bravely, she gets up from her seat and stalks towards him, determined to make him see sense.

"I think you already know what I want Fitz… I want you… I haven't stopped wanting you…" She confesses truthfully.

"Liv…" He looks away; but she frames his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her… "Stop fighting it, stop fighting us… I know you still love me… and from the way you were looking at me tonight, I know you still want me too… So why keep denying yourself? I'm having your baby Fitz; we can't hide anymore… And why should we? We've done nothing wrong…"

"Please Liv, it's not that simple…"

"Oh, but it is." She refuses to give up. If it means exposing her own vulnerability, to get the response that she desires from him, then she will do whatever it takes… "Don't you want me?"

What she does next, is risky, because there is a good chance that she may face rejection to her advances, but for some reason her feminine instincts are driving her forward.

Slowly and intentionally, she slides her hand underneath his top. "Stop…" He protests, but the intensity in his eyes, and tension on his face tells her otherwise. Therefore, she remains bold in her pursuit... "If you don't want this, then all you need to do is step away, Fitz! That's all you need to do," she repeats, softly stroking him, enjoying the hair-roughened texture of his skin, reveling in the way his muscles stiffen beneath her touch, sensing how aroused he is.

He should step away, but he knows that he can't. He is powerless to her touch.

The tiny hairs at the back of his neck stand to attention as she inches in even closer; her lips just a hair's breath away from his… She wants to kiss him so badly, but she won't; not until she knows for sure… She needs to hear him say it; she needs his reassurance that this time round, he's going to be it for the long haul, and not just for the night…

"Do you love me?"

He won't lie to her, he can't, not in this moment… "I love you Liv," he whispers... "I've never stopped loving you".

Her heart soars. She knew it all along, but to hear him say it, means everything. She stares up at him, with eyes glistening in unshed tears; there's only one more thing she needs know... "Then promise me Fitz, promise that after tonight you won't send me away again, but instead, you'll stand firm in your love and see this commitment through- with me, by your side... No matter what happens, we will stand and face our future together… Can you do that for us?"

He pauses, then, in a strangled voice says… "I promise."

And without another word, she lets him back in.