"Did you get there okay?"

"We're fine, Fitz. Javi's taking a nap right now. Kim says that he's been the same, but it has only been three days."

Keeping his mind off where Liv could be, Fitz decided to call Jerry and check in. Having been home alone for several hours now, still, Fitz had not gotten even a text from her.

"Good, I'm glad he's at least the same. Have you guys checked into the hotel yet? Liv wanted to be sure you got the suite so Verna could still work if she needed to," Fitz told him, distracting himself.

"We just dropped the suitcases off at the hotel and came right over here. But I'm sure it's a good suite. Tell her we said thank you." Half waiting for Fitz to yell out to her, Jerry stopped talking. When nothing else was said he continued. "I said tell her thank you," he laughed.

"I will when she gets home."

"Livia's not with you?"

"No. I'm not sure where she is. She disappeared when I was in a meeting earlier. She called her personal driver to come pick her up. And her location is off on her phone. So, I'm not sure where she went off to."

Knowing Olivia wouldn't just run off somewhere, Jerry had his concerns about her whereabouts as well. He did know that she was going to talk to James, but there was no reason that should take hours. Unless James was up to his dirty deeds again. Though he did not want to worry Fitz, he blew it off. "She'll be back soon. Livia probably went off for a run or something."

"Most likely. Anyway, how are Kim and Huck doing? Are they okay, or at least as okay as they can be?"

"They've been taking turns staying with him and sleeping at the hotel. Verna and I are planning to cover them so they can go get a real dinner."

"They'll appreciate that."

Hearing the front door open and close. "Fitz? You home?"

"I'll call you later, dad. Liv just got back." Not waiting for a reply, Fitz hung up and leaned back on the couch looking down the hall at her. "Do you know it's after eleven?"

Kicking off her shoes, Liv went over to kiss him from behind the couch and went to the kitchen. "Sorry, I didn't realize I had a curfew. Have you had dinner yet?"

"Yes, hours ago. Where'd you disappear to?"

"Just some business I had to do. How'd your meeting go this afternoon? Did you take the deal?"

"We did, it went fine. Are you really not going to tell me where you were? I've been worried about you."

Getting a glass of wine and her popcorn, Liv came over to sit next to him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. But I'm here now so you don't have to worry about me anymore," she smiled and took a drink. "What've you been doing? Other than worrying."

"Waiting for you. And worrying. That's what happens when your boyfriend doesn't know where you are." Reaching over to her, Fitz lightly ran his fingers in her hair and moved closer. "I think we're back to you running a secret spy agency again," he laughed and went to kiss her cheek. "What cologne is that?" Unfamiliar with the scent, Fitz wasn't fond of the wretched smell but knew he'd smelt it somewhere before.

"Honestly I don't know, but I can tell you it's one I'd never buy for you."

"Thank you, it's awful."

"I'm going to go get a shower and get ready for bed. I could use some good sleep tonight."

Letting her up, Fitz relaxed on the couch, grateful to know she was home and fine. He didn't like not knowing where she was, even if it was somewhere in the same building. She is a grown woman and can make her own choices. Just stop obsessing over her, Fitz. She's got this. I know she can take care of herself.

Getting in the shower, Liv turned it as hot as she could stand and started scrubbing her skin hard. She didn't want any trace of James on her. The stench of his cologne being all she could smell only made her scrub harder. He's not going to be able to touch me ever again. Nancy will keep him in line until she can get him to retire. I'm perfectly safe. And besides that, Fitz would never let him hurt me if he knew. Pausing her motions at the thought, she stood under the water for a long moment before continuing her process. Fitz can't know. About any of it. It's just going to make him angry, and he'll lash out at James and get himself arrested. There's no reason for him to know. Nancy got him to sign the divorce papers and we can all move on. Fitz won't have any further business with him. Putting the body wash back on the shelf, she heard Fitz come into the bedroom and get in bed turning the tv on and got out herself.

"You doing okay? That's the longest shower I've seen you take," Fitz asked holding his hand out for her to join him in bed.

"Just fine." Liv gave him her best fake smile and crawled in, laying her head on his lower chest and her arm around his waist as he sat up watching the news.

Lightly stroking her arm up and down from shoulder to elbow, Fitz kept his eyes on the tv enjoying the quiet time for now. Liv's mind running twenty miles a minute kept her from falling asleep.

"Did you talk to Jerry or Verna tonight?"

"I talked to Dad. They both said thank you for letting them use the plane and getting the hotel set up. Javi is doing about the same. Why do you ask?" Fitz questioned holding her closer.

"Usually, Jerry calls or texts me when he lands somewhere. I hadn't heard from him. Did they say when they would be back?"

"You weren't checking your phone before for me, but you are for my dad. Good to know where I rank," he laughed but didn't see the humor in it.

Turning her head to look up at him, Liv shook her head. "That's… it's not what I meant. I saw your calls and texts when I came in. I wasn't looking for one specifically from him while I was gone. I just…"

"I'm not trying to fight with you, Livie. I know you're closer to my dad than you are to me."

"That's not true!" she shouted and shot up in bed ready to defend herself.

"It is true. I'm not an idiot. I've got it. I'm okay with it now. Dad gets you. So does Huck. You trust them, and I want you to trust them. They are your people, your family. Cyrus too. Sometimes I just want to know that you trust me too."

"Of course, I trust you. I trust you just as much as I trust them."

"We both know that's not true. You tell them things that you won't tell me. And that's fine. I don't need to know everything. I just think it would be nice if you would let me in sometimes. Livie, you know everything about me and I'm only getting bits and pieces. We've been together for ten months now. We've worked together for over a year. Why won't you let me in more? Are you afraid of me hurting you? Because, you have to know I would never hurt you. Sweet baby, I love you more than I can describe in any words. You're it for me. Sometimes I just feel like you don't…" Fitz stopped and shook his head.

Taking hold of his hand, Liv ran her thumb over his knuckles. "I need you to finish that sentence." She watched him hesitate to finish and shake his head. "Please? I can't know how to respond to that if you don't tell me."

Looking up at her eyes, Fitz wanted her to know this was the truth for him. "Sometimes I just feel like you don't want to be in this relationship. Like you're a million miles away and are set on staying there. I know you won't admit it to yourself."

Climbing over to straddle his lap, Liv took hold of his face to keep his attention on her. "I do love you. I will confess that I have been a shitty girlfriend. I'm trying to work on that. We both know I don't do feelings but I'm working on it. I want to be here with you. I do know that you would never intentionally hurt me. And I'm trying the best that I can to let you in just like I let Huck and Jerry and Cyrus in. I trust you and I trust them. I've known them much longer than I've known you. But that doesn't excuse me, I'm aware of that. We are what I want. You and me. This is what I want. I am asking, and begging, you to please bear with me. You need to be let in; I know I have to let you in. If this is going to work, if we are going to work, I have to tell you things. And I'm not trying to make excuses for myself, please know that. But I am damaged, and it is definitely not your responsibility to repair me. You have to remember that the last person I let in, the way that I need to let you in, was murdered right in front of me." Fitz kept his eyes locked on hers and wiped away the few tears that trickled down her cheeks. "I know the threat is gone, and that I did that. But the damage is still done. And that damage might not ever be able to be fixed. I might be unfixable. I could be broken beyond repair. The threat to my happiness is gone but the nightmares are still there, and still very real. If I didn't want to be here, I would leave. But you matter to me. We matter to me. I am doing the best that I can with what I have to keep the pieces on myself from crashing down around us. If you have to question everything about me, then do it. But do not question if I love you and want to be with you. That answer is always going to be yes."

Fitz took in every word that she said. Believing everything she told him. Wrapping his arms around her tight, crushing his lips to hers, Fitz held onto her as tight as he could and peppered light kisses to her lips before pulling back.

"You are not broken. You have scars just like all of us. Yes, the scars you carry are deeper than most but that makes you, you. I wouldn't change that even if I could. I love you the way you are. Secrets and all. I can't take away that pain and I so desperately wish that I could. I can only help mend whatever you need mended. I know your nightmares are still there. I've had to wake you from them many times. Just because he is gone, doesn't mean he isn't still living in your mind. Edison can be part of your past. He doesn't need to be part of your future. He's gone, Livie. But I know nothing I say is going to take away the terrors of what he's done. I'm fine with having the bits and pieces that you want to give me of yourself right now. Healing doesn't happen overnight. It will take time. I just want you to know that when you're ready to let me in, I'm still going to be right here. However long it takes, I'm going to be here. I'm not going anywhere, Livie," Fitz brushed her hair back behind her ear and smiled before leaning forward to kiss her "It's going to take more than you not telling me how you feel to get rid of me."

"I think I've had enough confessing tonight. But my last confession, I love you beyond words can describe. And I speak over a dozen languages."