Chapter Ten

"Through the Fire"

March 13, 12 P.M.

Fitz wasn't surprised when his brother Marcus tossed him his cell phone. Of course, their father had the car towed, and probably already sent the car back to California. Big Gerry's materialistic ways knew no bounds. It was a BMW after all.

However Fitz had bigger problems, once he'd charged his cell phone, it was just a chaos of messages from Mellie, and voicemails from Jake cussing him out (which didn't surprise him) and still he didn't feel bad for Jake.

Mellie on the other hand was a different story, he'd had the day to come up with what he was going to tell her. And lying wasn't an option, he'd already done enough lying to Olivia, and he didn't want to lie to his fiancé too. Though he was still utterly confused by what to do. Burn Mellie and hope that Olivia forgives him so that they could give it a shot.

Selfish bastard.

Lying in a hospital bed, legs elevated by pillows, a bandage covering the slit across his forehead, his neck still hurt but he couldn't feel sorry for himself. He blindly ran out to save Olivia. As his mother would describe it, it was the first time that he actually felt love. His lungs shrinking in size making it hard to breathe, heart violently beating against his rib cage, only to realize that his heart was in that car.

Of course, Fitz had been ready to come clean about what happened on the trip. He kissed another woman and he was sure Mellie already knew because Jake couldn't wait to spoil his life. Fitz couldn't forget that he was the bad guy in this situation but that didn't matter now. It was between choosing Olivia and breaking the heart of the girl who stood by him unconditionally, but for the first time he was following his heart and that road led to Olivia.

Sure that after the dust settled and she came out of her coma she'd be ready to talk to him just so she could understand where he was coming from.

He had to hope.

Catherine wrapped up what Fitz hoped was her last call for the afternoon, she'd been calling clients to assure them that she was still planning weddings, and most of her work would just be done from the east coast.

"Are you in pain sweetheart?" Cathrine asked, glancing over the rim of her glasses.

"No, just tired."

"You should rest then instead of sneaking down the hall every time I leave to the restroom" She gives him a signature motherly look that says she isn't the least bit fooled by him.

"Who is she?"

Fitz sighs as he sinks into his pillow. "Olivia, she goes to my school."

"So Jacob wasn't lying…he called Marcus. Said you and his girl slept together."

"Jake and I aren't friends anymore and I'd appreciate it if you didn't listen to liars over me." Fitz pouted, folding his arms like a petulant child.

"Something happened with that girl, something that has you sneaking to her room in the middle of the night." Cathrine frowned "What is it?"

"She's in a coma, medically induced and her parents won't wake her up. I just want to hear her voice again, and apologize to her."

"What about Melody?"

"I love Mellie but I can't shake the feeling that I'm missing out on something with Olivia. Like we complete each other, I almost need her like air."

Catherine's expression blanked, her lips pulled down into something sad. "When I got the call that you'd been in an accident, I couldn't breathe, your father thought I was having a heart attack, and I was. The thought of losing you scared the hell out of me, but it also made me realize that I was holding you back, if you love Melody, marry her, start a family but if this Olivia girl is the one then you can't play with her heart." She shrugged at his expression. "I'm done meddling in your life, do what you feel in your heart is right. I'll support you no matter what."

"What if she doesn't want me anymore?"

"You have to at least try."

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Mellie slinked into the room, cradling a bouquet of white flowers.

Fitz had half expected something a little less warm. But she came in smiling and was at his side within seconds. His mother excused herself, mouthing something on her way out.

"How are you, Fitz?" Mellie spread the curtains letting light flood the darkened room. "I was so worried-" Fitz heard the small crack in her voice before she turned around to him.

"It's okay, I'm alright, c'mere." His arms wrapped around her and he kissed her forehead, scooting over he let her invade his bed. Caressing her shoulder, "I didn't mean to scare you."

"I know I just-the thought of losing you actually made me sick."

"I'm so sorry Mellie for this weekend for everything."

Mellie looked at him bewilderingly. Then he clarified.

"I know Jake told you something happened and I'm sorry."

Wiping her tears away, Mellie straightened her face. "We don't have to talk about that right now."

"I'm the one who screwed up, Mel, you get to be angry at me. I-"

The door swung open fast, and noise from the hallway filled his room. Nurses running, carts being pushed.

Fitz pushed off his bed, balancing on Mellie's shoulder. "What's going on?"

Laying against a mountain of pillows Olivia weakly smiled at her little brother who was running in circles to show how fast he'd gotten, bragging that he would soon join the local kid's track team. It made her think of September, she loved track and field, and from her many many trophies, it loved her too. Olivia was a fish, she never could stay away from the water long.

Maya noticed it first, and nudged Eli's side "Baby?"

"Mhm?" Olivia hummed as she stopped twisting and trying to turn her body. Lying prone for nearly four days straight wasn't the most comfortable thing. She wanted to get up and walk around, but she knew her mother wouldn't go for it.

"What's wrong?" Maya asked,

Corey stopped running around the room, he doubled over with his hands on his knees, panting wildly. Maya's eyes bounced between her children.

"You keep fussing at that cast, and twitching your feet." she clarified.

"I'm sore. I can't move, my arm itches and I have a headache." Olivia complained, throwing her head back against the pillow. There was so much racing through her mind, and she'd only been awake a few hours. She almost wished they'd put her back under, so she wouldn't have to deal with her waking life.

Fitz.

No, I hate him.

No, you don't.

I wish I could.

But she couldn't help wondering if he'd heard about what happened to her. Crazy as it may sound, she thought she heard his voice during the crash but there were so many voices booming at the time, she couldn't just focus on one.

"I can have the nurse bring a wheelchair and we can take you to the gardens."

"Iwannagohome," Olivia muttered, still messing with her cast.

"What baby?" Eli said.

"I wanna go home with you guys when I'm discharged."

Eli leaned forward, his hands clasped in one another to see if he was hearing this right. He'd thought it would have taken some convincing Olivia to get her to agree to come home and heal.

"Do you want to discontinue classes for the semester?"

"No, I'll work from home. I just don't want to be on campus…what if I transferred schools?"

Her parents turned toward each other sharing the same expression. This wasn't about school or healing, at least not the whole of it.

"What's going on?" Maya gauged.

"Nothing, I just don't love Princeton like I thought I would."

"Corey, go with your father and get me a snack, please." She pulled a five from her wallet and handed it to the energetic nine-year-old, who pumped his fist, and ran towards the door.

When the Pope boys left the room, Maya moved her chair closer to Olivia's bed in a way that she couldn't look away. Olivia didn't hide emotion well, everything she was feeling was on her face. So even if Olivia said nothing was wrong, her expression told a different story, and Maya knew it wasn't just the accident that had her upset.

"Why haven't you asked how your friend is doing?"

"Who?"

"Fitzgerald, he's been coming by every day waiting for you to wake up. I figured there was something there but now I'm not so sure."

"We're not anything and if he comes here again I don't want to see him."

"He's down the hall, his injuries were minor."

"What happened to him?" Olivia asked, brows creasing together.

Maya looked at her daughter, stunned. For a split second, she thought she was having a moment of amnesia but there was a genuine look of confusion on her face. "He wasn't in the car with you." Maya scoffed, shaking her head.

"No, I was leaving him." She said softly.

March 15, 5 A.M

It had been one day and eighteen hours since Olivia had woken up and since she'd refused to talk to Fitz. Three times he tried and on the fourth try, Eli came out and told Fitz the truth. Olivia had no intention of speaking with him, the previous excuses were just that; excuses. Olivia came out of the coma mostly fine, besides lingering headaches and muscle spasms, neurologically she was in good shape.

Although Fitz could understand why she didn't want to talk to him, it didn't hurt any less. Her father was firm without being rude but Fitz could sense that he knew the full story and was angry with him.

He should have given up then but he couldn't. If he went on with his life without ever knowing if there could be something he would never forgive himself. Sleep wasn't going to find him anytime soon, and tomorrow he was being discharged. Turns out you can't fake being in pain when there's an army of nurses and doctors all corroborating that you are in fact fine.

Mellie was fast asleep in the chair and she had been for a while. Fitz leaned on his crutches, opening the door softly so he wouldn't wake her. They never did continue their conversation as Olivia became the freshest thing on his mind. He was still certain that he wanted to come clean and tell her what happened in Cape May, and from there he didn't know what would happen but he wanted to be honest.

Fitz ducked back inside when he saw Olivia's door open and a nurse stepped out. Probably just a nightly check-up.

Or something is wrong.

Earlier in the night he watched Olivia's parents leave for the night. And he should have respected her wishes, but he couldn't go another day without at least seeing her.

The sound of the door opening caused Olivia to groan. She's had enough of her parents smothering her all day and now she has to deal with the nurses running in and out of her room as she is trying to sleep.

"I'm fine." She said loudly without bothering to raise up.

"Livvie" His voice made her tense, freezing in the position she was laying in. Turned on her side staring at the wall and waiting for her meds to kick in.

"Hi." Fitz said. "I know you don't wanna see me but I had to see you."

"You shouldn't be here." Shaking her head, Olivia faced him, darkness still shrouded the room. "Fitz I can't do this now…or ever."

"Just hear me out okay? I care about you in a way that makes me feel insane. I am a different man from you. Livvie, if you'll just forgive me, I'll show you. Just, please forgive me."

Tears brimmed his eyes not that Olivia could see it in the darkness but his voice trembled with each syllable he uttered.

"I forgive you, Fitz…but I can't do this with you anymore. We can't be friends." Olivia turned back on her side, cradling her pillow. Flinching as the door shut hard and the dam that was holding on for dear life broke and tears of her own flooded through.

Fitz arrived at his room, crestfallen heart shattered.

He messed up.

Glancing at Mellie who was still fast asleep. Fitz climbed in his bed and laid down defeated, Mellie raised up and glared at him, letting out the pants she'd been holding because she'd sprinted back to his hospital room. He seemed to believe she hadn't budged.

Doctor Reardon shined his pen flashlight into Olivia's eye, watching as her pupil dilated. He clicked the flashlight off and then tucked it in his pocket.

"From the look of things, miss Pope, you'll make a fine recovery. How's your head?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore, I know my name, I can still read a clock and I know what year it is."

Maya, Eli, and Dr. Reardon shared a small mirthful chuckle, and whereas the doctor was genuinely amused, Olivia could tell her mother wasn't pleased with her snappiness towards the man.

"I see that you'll be meeting with our in-house psychiatrist this afternoon." Dr. Reardon looked up from his chart just in time to see Olivia roll her eyes and nod quickly.

"When can I go home?" Olivia asked, all out desperate to get away from this place. She couldn't take any other day of being closely watched, nurses spilling in and out, however, they, please. It took her back to when she'd lost her sister, and the two weeks she spent recovering knowing that when she went home her sister wouldn't be there.

Back then she had a reason to avoid going home but now that's the only place she wanted to be.

The doctor's eyes bounced between Olivia and her parents before focusing on Olivia. "Well you're in good shape, I think pain medication would do you good. So as late as tonight." He smiled.

After successfully getting on her mother's last nerve, Olivia nodded to the doctor as she asked for the discharge papers to be started. Despite her mother glaring at her Olivia continued to push until Doctor Reardon promised to have them ready by the time she was finished with her evaluation. The doctor dismissed himself and that was Maya's opening to set Olivia straight.

"Olivia I'm not liking your attitude right now. Are you trying to get on everyone's nerves?"

"Maya-"

"No." Holding up her finger to silence her husband. "You've been in a mood since you woke up and I want it to stop, you've never behaved this way. It's like-"

"Like what? Like September- stubborn, bad attitude, hard-headed. What mom?" Olivia challenged.

The room temperature cooled causing Corey to turn to his father wondering what he was witnessing at this moment. He'd never witnessed his mom and sister at odds and frankly, it frightened him. Maya glared at Olivia then grabbed her purse and stormed out of the door, with Corey trailing behind her.

Leaving just her and her father, he didn't look angry just disappointed but there was a hint of sympathy there. Something that wouldn't allow him to be completely angry at her. Eli knew the relationship dynamic between Maya and September and it was a rocky one, mainly because Maya was an unmoving force and September was an ever-wondrous child who insisted on doing everything her way. But for Olivia to bring that at a time like this was disappointing because she was never the child to say such hurtful things.

"Olivia you know better."

"You can check on her if you want." Olivia shrugged with one shoulder.

"We will discuss this because your mother is right, your attitude has gone sour," Eli said warningly, letting her know that his kindness could slip at any moment.

The hospital Psychiatrist popped in for less than twenty minutes and concluded her written evaluation in less than an hour. Olivia was used to psychiatrists and doctors for nearly two years it was the only contact she had with people who weren't her family. So when Dr. Savey entered the room she already knew what to say and what not to say- the last thing she wanted was to end up back in the psych ward under observation.

Her parents didn't come back until after she'd signed the discharge paperwork and they only came in to take her belonging to the car. While the nurse administered a sedative that Dr. Savey recommended since the Pope's would be driving home.

The dose had Olivia feeling loopy within ten minutes. Her lids felt heavier than usual and her legs were dead weight. Eli lifted Olivia from the bed and deposited her into the wheelchair. Trying to hold her head up Olivia looked up at her mother with a loopy smile on her face.

Three slurry words tumbled out of her mouth. "I'm sorry mama."

"It's okay baby. Your father is gonna take you to the car while I grab your prescription." Turning to the nine-year-old "Do you wanna go wait in the car?"

"I wanna stay with you, mommy," Corey said, jumping.

Eli wheeled Olivia away, so Maya went and did a double-check around the room just to make sure they had everything. Corey was getting restless but that was his own fault because Maya had told him to go sit in the car.

"Alright come on boy," Maya called to her son who was laying across the chair dramatically.

As Maya closed the door, she looked up to see Fitz advancing down the hall with a bouquet of pink peonies in hand and leaning on one crutch. Corey let go of her hand and ran to meet him at the halfway mark.

"Hey, Corey how's it going."

"Awesome!"

"What are you doing here?" Maya asked, cutting her son off from his rambles.

"Mrs. Pope, I know she doesn't want to see me right now but I bought these for her they're her favorite," Fitz said.

"She's in the car, we're going home."

Fitz's heart fell. "She's coming back to school right?"

"Not this semester, she needs to heal, mentally and physically." Maya's gaze hardened "She's not a toy or something that you can play with when you're bored or fighting with your girlfriend."

"That's not- those weren't my intentions. I didn't mean to hurt Olivia but I'm sorry that I did." He swallowed hard. "Will you give her these for me?"

"I think it's best if I don't." Maya walked off shaking her head. She'd thought Fitz was different by the way Olivia talked about him but he was just as flawed as any human, and his flaw directly hurt her baby. That she couldn't forgive so easily.

Corey snagged a single flower out of the bouquet and hugged Fitz's good leg. "I'll give it to Livia k." The boy promised before taking off after his mom who was already down the hall.

"Thanks"

Sun Hotel 11 P.M

The door beeped, a green light flashed and the lock popped. He was exhausted and desperately wanted to sleep, between the throbbing pain in his leg and his head pounding Fitz was in bad shape. It was later than Mellie expected him to be back but he stopped at the hotel bar for a drink. To take the edge off, not that it helped a whole lot.

"Honey?"

"Yup," Fitz tossed the key card on the table, lugging himself to the bed where she was, not bothering to switch on the light. But Mellie made sure to flip on the lamp, letting gentle light flood the room.

"How was dinner?"

"Din-" Think, Fitz "Decent, Marcus says 'hi'" He said, feeling even shittier for lying to her once again. He plopped down on the bed, throwing his head back with a sigh.

"Fitz," Mellie said softly. "I thought I was pregnant- I was late and I took a test-"

pregnant? That sentence was like being doused with cold water, it sobered him."Are you pregnant"

"No, but I thought I was, which is why I wasn't up to flying down and driving for hours, but getting that call that you were hurt in the hospital, I thought it would just be me and the baby. Oh god, Fitz, you can't leave me, I won't survive. I know you want to wait until you're ready and I'm fine with that. I'll wait for you as long as you need, just don't ever scare me like that again."

Just for half a second when she mentioned pregnancy, Fitz envisioned a life where he was a father, better than the one he had. And it was just within his reach. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that alone. I would've been there- did you want to be pregnant."

"Of course Fitz, I want to give you the family you deserve." Fitz stood up despite his booted leg that the doctor advised him to stay off of. And pulled her into his arms, he couldn't quite push the words out but they were in the back of his throat "I'll never leave you."

I need to get my shit straight.

Everyone put the pitchforks down, we're back on our regular schedule. One other thing #OLITZENDGAME.

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