COMING HOME

Adele – Hometown Glory

Round my hometown
Memories are fresh
Round my hometown
Ooh the people I've met
Are the wonders of my world

7:32 at Union Station found Olivia at DC's Union Station.

Sleep was something she viewed as being a waste of time and wasn't dwelling on any frustration from lack of rest. For the past three weeks she had been wired and absent-minded. Even her colleagues had noticed but none had commented, in fear and respect of her reaction.

She had been up since 3. At first she had tried to work but when that was deemed impossible, she busied herself with finding the perfect outfit. After twenty costume changes, she decided that the white pantsuit would subdue. Underneath she had a light blue silk blouse that matched her platform heels.

She never was one to worry about her appearance but it was him. It was always him; something about him just made her lose sense of herself.

This made her thankful of the grounding sound of her Blackberry. Reaching down into her bag, she answered the call. "What?"

"Are you still at the train station?"

Rolling her eyes with an easy smile she replied calmly. "Yes Huck. You don't have to keep checking up on me" she mused with a faint smile.

"I know, I just…"

"You worry about me" she guessed and pondered over the thought. It was a strange feeling, having someone who cared and worried about her. Still, she couldn't fault him because she worried over him too. "Did you eat?" she wondered and her reply was the silence that followed. "I got those chocolate chip pop tarts you like" Olivia informed him.

"You didn't have to" Huck sighed tautly.

Olivia pushed up from the bench and warily glanced at the crowd that began to form.

"I told you to make yourself at home" she whispered over the phone, still anxious about his wellbeing. They had formed a bond – nothing romantic but more like a sibling bond. After he shaved the beard and allowed Olivia to take him to the barber's shop, Huck had set up camp in her guest bedroom. When they left the office, they found themselves driving home and sometimes humming to the radio.

Sometimes, Huck would cook. However, when Olivia expressed her surprise by his impressive culinary skills, Huck seemed to shut down, muttering numbly about a past life. Somehow, she had been able to pull him back in and they moved on.

"Thank you" he rasped.

She smiled, touched by his gratitude. "I'll see you soon" she promised and made a move to hang up but paused with his departing words.

"Be careful"

Once the line went dead, she noticed how the station was slowly becoming crowded. Her brown eyes roamed over the different families and partners streaming around. A few were holding flowers and other wrapped gifts. This made Olivia feel incompetent. Should she have brought something?

She glanced at the time. 9:29.

Just as she looked up, the train began to reel in.

Right on time.

The crowd immediately buzzed with excitement, oblivious to the woman in white who seemed to have frozen. Olivia's breath caught in her throat and her nerves kicked in as she began to run over the possibility of rejection. Their last encounter hadn't exactly been amicable.

Nonetheless, she refused to turn away. It was better to face the fear than go home and run over 'what if' scenarios.

Biting down on her lip, she watched as soldiers filed out and reconciled with loved ones. One particular couple caught her eye and she watched as the man in camouflage wrapped his arms around his partner. His lips crashing down onto hers as both lovers lost themselves in each other.

Olivia couldn't deny the envy that was sparked. It wasn't malicious but more wistful.

She looked around, feeling more lost and disoriented with the flurry of movement and raging sounds surrounding her. Her heartbeat began to race and her ears were ringing while her doubts continued to toy with her. Any second now she w-

"Looking for me?"

The voice was so familiar; soothing velvet tones with a slightly husky octave. It was dark and lowered as the sound brushed against her ear and pleasurably tickled her skin.

Turning around slowly, she tried to remain calm at the sight of him. Swallowing down the different emotions overwhelming her, she gulped and finally found her voice. "I see your huge ego is still intact" she taunted, falling into their easy banter.

A grin broke the hardened mask and blue eyes gleamed, entrancing her. "God I missed you" he spoke again and before she could say anything, strong muscled arms encased her. Instantly, she was being swung in the air and a surprised laugh left her as she hung onto him.

When her feet landed back on the ground, neither of them let go.

17 years had passed and she had deluded herself to thinking she had matured; that she had embraced womanhood and hardened her heart. However, just seeing him brought all those feelings back, overriding her gut and any logic.

"I missed you too" she whispered, blinking away the tears that brimmed.

He was the first to pull back – that hadn't changed. Still, her kept one arm around her waist as both stared into each other's eyes. Darkened cerulean locked onto glistening chocolate brown.

"Come on, I'll buy you a drink" Fitz finally said and moved the arm up to wrap it around her shoulders.

She pulled back slightly and gaped at him, "It's 10 o'clock in the morning" she laughed at the audacity but also overcome with how easy it had been.

"Your point?"

He hadn't changed.

The boy that had gotten back her blue stuffed bunny in kindergarten was still there; sitting across from her at O'Donnell's.

However, Olivia couldn't help but notice the subtle differences. Like the light stubble that was growing, which she found herself itching to touch. Apart from that, he had gained weight and muscle, which was defined by the grey NAVY t-shirt hugging his body. Also, the worrying change was how the light had dimmed in his eyes. She could see through the falsified smile he plastered as he conversed with the bartender, but knew better than to ruin his coming home. Maybe they would talk later…

"So, what can I get you?" the bartender asked, anxious about them being there so early but not having the heart to turn away paying customers.

Olivia looked towards Fitz knowingly. "Scotch on the rocks" she revised his favourite drink which the bartender began to prepare.

"You remember?" Fitz smiled warmly and reached up to push his locks back. "And if I remember correctly, it's a Victory beer?" he pointed at her, musing over their college days.

Olivia shook her head, adorning a sly smirk as she looked towards the owner of O'Donnell's. "Actually I'll have a glass of Merlot" she ordered.

Her best friend nudged her, narrowing his eyes. "You hate wine"

"People change" she shrugged and happily accepted the drink.

"Clearly"

Fitz shrugged and sipped at his scotch. After seven months away from normalcy, the first thing he wanted was alcohol. Not just any alcohol but a drink from O'Donnell's. Of course, the other motivator of needing a drink was seeing the almost unfamiliar woman dressed in white, waiting for him at the station.

He didn't know anyone was coming and hadn't expected them to. In fact, he had making a beeline through the crowds, towards the exit but been she stopped him. Seeing her after all these years made the world disconnect and he tried to find his ground. Maybe being intoxicated would help.

"So how did you know I was coming in today?" Fitz voiced the question that had haunted him.

She licked her lips and leaned back on the chair. Fitz caught how she avoided his gaze as she did something all too familiar; trace the rim of the glass with her finger. "Cyrus was my mentor in Georgetown" she replied in a collected manner.

"You know Cyrus" he piped up, eager with this information that now linked them.

All she did was offer a nod.

"And you came all this way for me? I'm touched" he teased her, loving how she ducked her head behind a curtain of hair, to hide her embarrassed smile.

Finally she looked up and took another sip. "Actually I live here now"

"Couldn't stay away?" he taunted again, wiggling his eyebrows at her. "I thought you were some big hot shot lawyer in New Jersey" he wondered, trying to figure out who the woman before him was. For Fitz, Olivia was almost a stranger…and he didn't want her to be.

Maybe it was because of how different she looked or the way she seemed to have herself…together. Maybe it was just how disconnected he felt with everyone. The only time he knew it was his Olivia was when he hugged her, held her in his arms and felt like he was home.

"I wanted to work for myself" Olivia announced, the mask still held in place as she tried not to look like a love-sick teenager. She was an independent working woman now and she didn't want that to change because of her…her Fitz.

"Well you never were a follower" he surmised with a mischievous glint that had Olivia staring. "You never liked taking orders. You always gave them" he chuckled under his breath.

"You make me sound like a control freak" she exclaimed.

His response was simply eying her quietly and before she could help it, she slapped his arm. Both were stunned by the familiar banter they fell back into. Fitz found hope in the gesture and the smile he gave was enough encouragement for Olivia.

"Remember your tenth birthday. You played pin the tail on the donkey in an alphabetical order. You measured the cake slices!"

Both began laughing with the memories but when the laughter subdued, Fitz leaned in slightly and stared at her with apprehension. "So you're staying?"

She nodded again. "I thought I'd stick around"

"Good. Washington is boring without you" he smiled with the assurance and brought the glass up to his lips. Olivia tried so very hard not to notice how his tongue traced his bottom lip as he set the glass back down.

Realising her fault, she berated herself silently and dropped her eyes back to her wine. Only, this distracted was interrupted as she felt his stare on her. When looking up, she was surprised with the intensity behind his gaze. His eyes held intrigue and awe but as always underlined with his amusement.

"What?" she demanded with a slight self-consciousness.

He leaned in again and she caught how his eyes moved away from her face and to the top of her head. "Your hair's longer" he noted and reached up to trace his fingers down the tresses. "I like it" he assured her with another easy smile. "Though I do miss the curls" he added and began to twirl one of the locks around his finger.

"Only when it's wet" she gulped.

"I can help with that"

His eyes met hers and both realised just how close they were.

"You're still a disgusting dirty minded pig" she replied sweetly and ducked her head, drawing back from him.

He grinned wickedly. "I love how well you know me" he jested and continued to stare at her with amusement. Silently, he watched her scoff and drink her wine. "Don't act all high and mighty princess" Fitz interrupted her with the accusing finger he pointed at her. "If I remember correctly, you were a fallen angel all through college"

"I am a good girl now" she argued feebly.

He hitched an eyebrow and regarded her with another charming smile. "Is that what you're telling yourself?" he laughed when met with silence. "Summer 1988, Vegas?" he reminded her and had the satisfaction of watching her drop her head in shame.

"Don't" she shook her head defiantly.

Fitz being Fitz didn't want to let it go. "You kissed the groom and sucker punched the bride" he recalled, loving how she groaned in embarrassment.

"I was drunk" she excused herself and then turned the tables onto him. "And you're the one who dragged me down there. For some dead-end shot gun wedding" she growled.

He laughed with ease and fell back on the seat. "At least something hasn't changed"

"What?" she countered, blinking up at him.

"You're still cynical" he jabbed and allowed his eyes to fall down onto her hands, which were wrapped around the glass. "And single by the looks of things"

She found no use in lying but didn't appreciate his tone either. "I'm a busy girl with a busy life. I don't have time to date" she replied, proud of the lack of wistfulness in her voice. She couldn't exactly tell him that the reason she didn't date was because she always ended up comparing them to him.

"And you still do that thing with your nose when you're talking about relationships"

She whipped her head up again and furrowed her eyebrows. "What thing?"

"It's like a little nose twitch" he demonstrated and laughed at how she hid behind her hair.

"What nose twitch? There's no twitch" she contended profusely.

"Like rabbits" Fitz continued to tease her and brought his fingers up to gently and playfully pinch at her nose. "It's adorable" he tried to appease her when she swatted him away.

She was about to retort but they were interrupted with the low vibrate of a phone. As Olivia made a move to search for her bag, she paused at Fitz standing up. "Excuse me, I gotta take this" he gestured towards the phone in his hands and walked towards the men's bathroom.

Reading into the terse tone, Olivia knew exactly who it was.

She peeked up to the corner he now stood in as he grew frustrated. His fingers already clawing at his wispy locks confirmed her suspicions.

Their conversations were brief so Olivia was quick to order another round as well as tequila shots. Just as the drinks arrived, so did he.

"Big Jerry" Olivia guessed and he simply exhaled, pulling his seat so he could sit back down. "I can fix that" she promised and pushed a shot glass towards him.

"I can only do one" he warned her but his gaze would frequent towards the drink and he realised that she was no stranger. Olivia knew him better than anyone. "I have a reservation to get to" he sighed and downed the tequila, humming at the bittersweet burn that it left in his throat.

"Dinner with your dad, sounds fun" Olivia replied gravely and followed with her own shot. Only she couldn't help but cough at how the familiar burn was presented. Flames now scorching her tongue but then leaving a poignant warmth. "Do you need an ally?" she offered, looking up at him with concern.

"No" he shook her head and she couldn't help but frown. He noticed the change in her demeanour and began to explain himself. "I don't want to put you through that" he elaborated and began to drink the refilled scotch. "…but, we should meet up after" he suggested and Olivia tried to fight back her excitement.

"Breakfast for dinner?" she offered, remember how much he loved that.

Fitz grinned and raised his glass. "And shots for dessert"

"One more?" she waved the bartender over before he could refuse.

"One more" he agreed.

Olivia felt her head swim pleasantly and the warmth spread to her toes as she called. "Two more shots please"

This time, it was a waitress who approached them. She spotted the two at the counter and her eyes zoned onto Fitz. Lust in her gaze as she sauntered toward them, pushing her blonde hair behind her shoulder to show off her cleavage. This becoming more noticeable as she bent to get the tequila bottle.

Olivia noticed how Fitz had also been tranced by the woman and began to snap her fingers before his face. "Eyes over here" she ordered with a snarl, hating the jealously that resurfaced. After wallowing through it through high school, she despised it's return.

"Someone's jealous" Fitz joked and Olivia's breath caught.

"Get over yourself" she pushed at him again and snatched the glass from the waitress, suddenly needing a stronger drink.

After Fitz finished his, he sighed and began to stand again. "Okay then, I better go before I get you into trouble" he announced and began to throw on his jacket again.

"I don't have to sneak in through the window anymore. I'm a grown woman and I know my limit" Olivia snapped, still annoyed with how other women caught his interest. From a young age, she already knew that her best friend attracted women – how could he not. What bothered her was how he gave them the attention they craved but never once to her. "Do you need a ride?" she asked, trying to rid herself of the thoughts that had driven her childhood to insanity.

"No, we're eating at 1789 so I can walk there"

"1789?!" she exclaimed and swivelled around to face him. "He's pulling all out. Must be some dinner party" she taunted, hoping he would read into her tone. "Did you know that Chancellor Merkel went there?"

"No I did not" he narrowed his eyes and could easily tell that she was trying to say something. "Your point?"

Olivia tapped her chin. "Why would the ex-Governor of California invite his prodigal son to a dinner where politicians tend to get together, smoke cigars and make history?" she answered, cautioning hikm of his father's diabolical ways.

"I don't even want to go there" he shook his head, knowing that she was probably right. His father had been set against him going to the army as he wanted his golden boy to follow in his footsteps.

"Are you going to change?"

He paused and crossed his arms over his chest, taking two steps towards her. "Why? Don't I look good?"

"Oh no, you look very sexy" she replied and cursed how her brain seemed to have lost it's function. "I regretted that the second I said it. Don't let that get to your head" she swivelled back around to hideaway from his egotistical smirk.

However, Fitz leaned on the counter beside her and leaned in. "You think I'm sexy?"

"I didn't mean that" she shook her head.

"Yes you did" he poked at her side and she bit down on her lip to stop from laughing. He knew that she was ticklish. "The truth always seems to come out of you when you're drunk"

She turned to him with a gasp. "That's why you always offered to pay for my tab"

"I was being a gentleman"

"Sure…" she drawled out and they shared another smile.

He straightened up, hating that he had to leave her. "Okay then, I should go" he inclined his head towards the door.

"You should go" she agreed, knowing that Fitz's father was a man that shouldn't be tested.

"Don't miss me too much"

She rolled her eyes. "Conceited" she muttered under her breath.

He simply grinned and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Love you too" he quipped and walked away, missing how Olivia had frozen; struck by how easy it had been for him to do that.

Her eyes trailed after his path and watched as he winked at her before disappearing. The door closing after him and his presence already leaving a chill. "I love you" she whispered and turned around to order another mind numbing drink

A/N: What do you think of their friendship? Should I go on?