Chapter 29

Fitz's heart pounds in his chest as he refuses to leave Olivia's side, despite the doctor's attempts to shoo him away. His grip on her hand tightens with every passing moment, willing her to wake up and come back to him. The doctor's words are reassuring, "Her vitals are stable," he reports. "We need to give her time to wake up. Sometimes the brain protects the body when a traumatic event occurs."

"How much time?" he demands, desperation lacing his tone.

"It's up to Olivia," the doctor replies before walking out, leaving a trembling nurse behind.

Monica sobs quietly in the corner while Gregory tries to speak to Fitz, but he cuts him off with a cold stare. He doesn't want their pity or apologies. They may be Olivia's biological parents, but he is the one who loves her and needs her more than they do. Gregory kisses Olivia on the forehead before leaving the room. Monica does the same, wiping at her eyes. She turns to Fitz, "I'm sorry," she whispers allowing the tears to fall down her cheeks. "If anything changes, please call us." Fitz doesn't acknowledge her statement. He doesn't say goodbye when they leave. His attention is on Olivia. Fitz takes a deep breath and steadies himself before sitting next to Olivia again. He slips her engagement ring onto her finger, a reminder of their love and future together. He whispers a soft "I love you," before pulling the two chairs together, creating a makeshift bed. As the night drags on, Fitz struggles to sleep, knowing that he can't allow his body to succumb to a nightmare. He paces inside the room realizing he hates hospitals - the smell, the sterile rooms, the constant beeping of machines. He reaches for a cup of water on the table but cringes at its lukewarm temperature. He longs for something stronger like scotch, anything to numb the ache in his heart.

He leans over and kisses Olivia's cheek, whispering "I miss you. Come back to me, please," before getting up to grab some snacks from the vending machine. With shaking hands, he punches in the numbers and watches as the bag slowly drops down. He returns to Olivia's side, scrolling through photos on his phone from their recent time away. His heart breaks as he looks at the picture he took of her sleeping in his arms after they made love.

"I need you to wake up," he says, desperation creeping into his voice.

Day two

Fitz paces the hallway outside Olivia's room, his heart pounding and hands clenched into fists. He cannot sit still or focus on anything else, consumed by anger and betrayal. His voice rises to a shout as he confronts Gregory, who emerges from Olivia's room shaking his head. The nurses at the station stare in their direction, their eyes filled with concern and curiosity. "I will never forgive you," Fitz seethes. "You have destroyed everything."

Gregory watches as Maya, Eli, and Monica exit Olivia's room, their expressions heavy with guilt. His own face is a mix of regret and sadness. "Holding a grudge with Olivia's family is the wrong thing to do," he pleads with Fitz.

"Family?" Fitz scoffs, pointing accusingly at each of them. "You call yourselves a family? You broke her heart!"

Monica can barely meet his gaze as she speaks up through tears. "It wasn't intentional. I was struggling with postpartum depression and could barely take care of myself."

Maya cuts in sharply. "But you had enough strength to chase after Gregory."

Monica sighs heavily. "He was my source of happiness and I needed him." She turns to Eli for support but he remains silent.

Maya lets out an exasperated huff and rolls her eyes. "And yet, you didn't even tell him he'd fathered a child," she says scathingly to Monica.

"He didn't want children and I didn't want to ruin what we had. Listen, I take full responsibility for Olivia's heartbreak. I caused it!" Monica yells, her voice echoing through the stark white walls of the waiting room.

Maya turns her head and looks at Eli, her eyes filled with a mix of anger and sadness. "We should get back to the bed and breakfast," she says, trying to diffuse the tension in the room.

"Are you going to say anything to me?" Monica asks sternly, her gaze fixed on Maya.

"Monica," Maya says with a chuckle. "The only thing I want is for Olivia to return home where she belongs. Back to Georgia."

"Over. My. Dead. Body." Fitz grunts, his voice full of determination and defiance.

"You don't get to make decisions for my daughter," Maya stands tall, linking her fingers with Eli's hand. "Olivia listens to me. I will have the final say."

Eli lets out a loud sigh and turns to face Maya, his expression tired and pained. "Olivia isn't a child. Did it ever occur to any of you that she might not want anything you're suggesting? Staying in Georgia? Going back to New York? She is her own woman and will decide what she wants," he says firmly, releasing his hand from Monica's grasp.

"If you love Olivia, you'll do the right thing and protect her," Eli adds, turning to face Fitz.

"Now you have something to say, Eli," Monica challenges, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Olivia is my daughter and I want her in New York," Gregory interjects forcefully, standing up and turning to look at Eli. "I've spent too much time away from her."

"You can blame Monica for that," Eli shakes his head in disappointment.

"Eli," Maya says, trying to calm the tense situation.

Monica sighs. "I bet you didn't have a problem cashing the checks we sent every month."

Eli turns to face Monica, taking a few steps closer to her until they are mere inches apart. "Do you know what we did with that money? We set up a trust fund for Olivia. We never touched it. We cared for Olivia as if she was our own. You selfish piece of shit," Eli says angrily before stepping back from Monica, his face filled with fury. Maya tugs on his arm, trying to calm him down.

"No, Maya. I've rarely said anything about this topic to you or your sister. I loved you enough to support you, but she was wrong to walk away from Olivia," Eli continues, his anger palpable.

"I did my best, Eli. You weren't there when I had sleepless nights or cried myself to sleep because I gave away a piece of myself," Monica cries, her voice breaking.

Eli's rage subsides slightly and he takes a step back from Monica, walking away down the hallway.

"Eli is out of line, Maya," Gregory says as he wraps an arm around Monica.

Tears streaming down her face, Monica pulls away from Gregory and walks to the other end of the waiting room. "We should have never told Olivia the truth." Her voice is filled with regret and sadness.

Gregory swallows hard and looks at Maya. "For what it's worth, Maya, thank you for taking care of Olivia."

Maya nods solemnly. "I didn't make it easy for Monica to be in Olivia's life. I was punishing her for living the life I desperately wanted. Being carefree, living life on her own terms. I'm sorry. I'll talk to Eli," she says, patting Gregory on the shoulder before walking down the hallway in search of Eli.

Fitz stands with his hands stuffed in his pockets, watching the emotional scene unfold. He turns to face Gregory, "I'm going to marry Olivia, with or without your blessing."

"I know you'll take good care of Olivia. I just have one request. When she wakes up, put in a good word for me," Gregory says with a small smile before turning and walking away. His words hang in the air, a reminder of the complicated relationships and emotions that fill the room.

X

Day three

The beeping machines have become a constant soundtrack to Fitz's empty days. He paces and sits, paces and sits in front of Olivia's still form, his mind consumed with anger towards her family. The routine has become his norm - waiting for any sign of progress so he can leave Georgia and take Olivia with him. But each day passes without change. Fitz becomes increasingly numb to all but the pain in his heart.

Monica and Gregory visit in the morning. Eli and Maya visit later in the afternoon. The tension between is still present and Fitz could care less. He remains silent and avoids their questions, unsure if he will ever be able to forgive them for causing Olivia so much pain. He can't bear to imagine what she will go through when she wakes up and has to face the harsh reality of what they kept from her.

He checks in periodically with Mellie about Grant Industries but keeps his conversations short and barely listens to the updates. He's given strict instructions to Rebekah to keep an eye on Mellie and make sure she doesn't do anything reckless or stupid. Josh knows about Olivia's condition, and Fitz has had to fend off his attempts to visit Georgia. He needs his focus on Edison.

He runs a hand over his stubbled face, realizing it's been three days since he last had a hot shower and a decent shave. The bird baths in the hospital bathroom aren't cutting it. His clothes are wrinkled and unchanged except for the new shirt he bought at the hospital gift shop - a shirt that reads 'New Dad.' It was the only one they had. It's bittersweet every time someone congratulates him when he steps out of Olivia's room to walk the halls of the hospital.

As he sits in the room with Olivia, the door slowly opens and his heart leaps at the sight of his mother. He must have sounded worse than he thought when they spoke on the phone last night. She places her purse on the small table and walks over to him, pulling him into a tight hug. He tries to hide his emotions, but she can sense how broken he is.

"You need a shower," she says, pulling back and looking at him with concern.

"I don't smell that bad," Fitz chuckles weakly, lifting his shirt - a feeble attempt at humor.

His mother chuckles along with him. "You smell like a teenage boy who forgot to put on deodorant." She pulls out a small gold key from her purse. "Go freshen up. Take a break."

Fitz swallows hard, not wanting to leave Olivia's side even for a moment. "I can't leave Olivia."

"Do you really want Olivia waking up and finding you in this state? She'll think you weren't strong enough for her."

"I'm not strong enough," Fitz admits, tears welling up in his eyes. "I don't know how much longer I can do this. I can't lose her."

Laura tilts up his chin. "You won't lose her."

Fitz starts towards the door but stops in his tracks when he realizes where his mother is staying - the same bed and breakfast owned by Olivia's family. Anger boils through him as he thinks about returning back there.

"There's something you should know," Fitz says as his mother places her purse on the table.

Laura sits down in the chair next to Olivia's bed and pulls out her crossword puzzle book and pen. "What is it?"

Fitz takes a deep breath. "I proposed to Olivia. She said yes. She's going to be my wife."

Laura's eyes soften as she stands and looks at Olivia's left hand, admiring the beautiful blue diamond on her finger. "It's stunning, Fitzgerald." She sits back down and opens her crossword book again before asking another question. "Can I ask you something?" she says, pen poised over the crossword puzzle.

Fitz nods.

"Did you propose because you love Olivia or did you do it to honor your father's will?"

"I love Olivia," Fitz answers without hesitation, his voice filled with emotion. This is the one thing he knows for sure amidst all the confusion and pain - his love for Olivia is real and unwavering.

X

He sits in the limo, staring at the quaint bed and breakfast in front of him. His heart races as he remembers the last time he was here, when everything went wrong. The door is slightly ajar, waiting for him to enter, but he hesitates. He takes a deep breath and steps out of the car, the driver patiently waiting for his next move. Each step toward the door feels like an eternity as memories flood his mind. Finally, he pushes open the door and enters. Inside, a woman behind the counter gives him a knowing stare.

"Fitz?" She questions with surprise. "Olivia's Fitz? What are you doing here?"

He can barely register her words as his mind is preoccupied with thoughts of Olivia in the hospital. But as he sees the concern in the woman's eyes, he vaguely remembers Olivia mentioning her best friend lives in Georgia…Edison's sister, Gracie.

"I'm Gracie, Olivia's best friend," she introduces herself. "Is Olivia with you?"

"No, she's in the hospital," Fitz replies, his voice trembling slightly. "I'm just here to freshen up."

"In the hospital? What happened?" Gracie asks, worry etched on her face.

"She had a panic attack that caused her to pass out. She hasn't woken up from it." Fitz explains, his own emotions threatening to overcome him.

Gracie's hand flies to her mouth and tears fill her eyes. "I need to go back with you. This happened one time when we were in high school."

But before Fitz can respond, Maya interrupts them. "Gracie."

Gracie turns towards Maya. "Why didn't anyone tell me about Olivia?"

"We didn't want too many people around her," Maya answers, turning her attention towards Fitz. "Is everything okay with Olivia?"

"She's the same. I came to freshen up before heading back to the hospital. My mother is here." Fitz responds, ignoring Maya's disapproving tone.

"Your mother is in town?" Maya asks, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes, she's staying here," Fitz confirms.

"Of course, I just checked in a lovely woman by the name of Amy Ruth, was that her?" Gracie mutters under her breath.

"Yes. It's her alias name. She uses it when she's out of town. You're welcome to come back with me," Fitz says to Gracie, brushing off Maya's concerns.

"Fitzgerald, don't you think-" Maya begins to say before being interrupted by Fitz.

"Maybe if Olivia hears her voice, she'll wake up," he interjects, determined to see Olivia awake again.

Gracie nods and leads Fitz to his mother's room, with Maya following behind. "If you need anything, let me know," Gracie offers with a whisper.

"I'll be ready in an hour and then we can go to the hospital together," Fitz tells Gracie with determination. "I have one request, do not tell your brother about Olivia's condition."

"You have my word. I won't tell him," Gracie says gratefully as they part ways.