The room was mostly silent except for the hushed sighs of passion and moans of delight that intermittently filled the air. Olivia was pinned up against the door by Fitz's body as he continued to explore her mouth with his own. His right hand was buried in her hair as his left roamed her body. Olivia wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and hugged him close as his lips left hers and played along her throat and collarbone. He lightly traced the throbbing vein in her neck with his lips and tongue as he softly chanted her name. He felt himself getting lost in Olivia and finally understood what the fuss was all about – why men went to war over a woman; why men would kill for a woman; and why some would risk everything for a woman. She was water and he was quickly drowning with no desire to be saved.

"Wh-, umm, wh-, wait Fitz" she whispered as she tried to catch her breath. He pulled back just enough to stare into her eyes. He noted that her eyes were black with desire and her lips were swollen with his kisses. Desire shot through him and he pulled her to him so that their hips were flushed. He smiled as she gasped in surprise. He watched the struggle between her heart and her head play out across her face. He could see that as much as she wanted to ride the current of passion and desire that flowed between them, her head was fighting for its proverbial life. Her head was teetering on the brink and quickly losing the battle. Fitz knew that with a little coaxing – sweet kisses and softly whispered words – they would be in her room, under the covers in no time; but he wanted more. He wanted her, completely. With a sigh of resignation, he took a step back from her, captured her hand and led her to the sofa.

"You trust words. I know that about you. Umm, so, ok, let's talk about this." He exhaled when he saw her relax. He stood up and began to pace the floor in front of her. How was he to explain what has happening between them and not completely scare her away in the process? He watched her walls begin to reassemble as she braced herself for whatever he was going to say. She was water. With a deep breath, he jumped – head first – into the deep end.

"I've known Mellie my whole life. I mean, literally my whole life. We grew up together. Our fathers were business partners out west and our mothers were best friends. My father was, he was a man – much like most powerful men back then I guess – who placed a lot weight on being from the right family, having the right upbringing, breeding. All that crap. In California, the Grants are, ha, somewhat royalty I guess. My father's father was the governor, my father was the governor, and I was born and raised to one day be not just the governor but also the president. Kids my age, they didn-, they couldn't understand what kind of pressure I lived with or how my life wasn't really my own. All they saw was this rich kid with everything he could ask for. But Mellie, she understood what I was going through. She was living the same hell in a way. She was being groomed to be the consummate politician's wife. Mel and I became friends, you know like we sorta found refuge in each other." He paused and snuck a glance in Olivia's direction. She sat silently on the sofa with her head slightly hung and her hands resting in her lap.

"Our parents, as you can imagine, were thrilled with our 'closeness' and I learned rather quickly that Mel wasn't being groomed for just any future politician; she had been groomed for me. Those were the kind of men our fathers were, all of my choices were made for me. I liked Mel well enough and she was a sweet girl. She was, is quite beautiful so I figured why not, it could be worse. Before we went off to college I asked her to do me a favor. I asked her not to fall in love with me because I didn't think I was capable of loving anyone. I hated my father and I think I resented my mother for not protecting me from the life I was thrust into, so I couldn't imagine myself capable of an emotion like love. After college I married her. That's what people did right, you dated someone and if you survived college with the person, well you married her. The night before our wedding I snuck into her hotel suite and we talked. I made her a promise that night. I promised I'd always take care of her, that I would be good to her and respect her as a human being and not my trophy. " Fitz paused to catch his breath and forged ahead, "I told her that she deserved someone who would, who could love her completely. That I was, I was numb inside and probably never be able to love her like she deserved. And I promised her, that no matter where we were in life, what office I held or what position I was aspiring to, that if she ever found that person who would love her, be in love with her, that I would let her go. Be-because, she didn't deserve to go through the motions of life, to only be partially alive. So, I promised to let her go." Olivia's head shot up and she swallowed back tears as she watched him fight off his own. "Don't get me wrong, I love her. She is the mother of my children and has been by my side for most of my life. Bu-but, I was only going through the motions until I met you." He whispered the last part of his statement as he sat down beside her.

"I feel like for the first time I can breathe, I mean like really breathe. And yet, at the same time, you take my breath away. I'm sorry, but I think I'm in love with you. Like totally, completely, head over heels, sun shines brighter and blues are bluer kinda love." He held his breath as he waited for her to say something. She sat unnaturally still and stared back at him with slacked jaw. "Livi, say something." She continued to stare at him with a shocked expression that was quickly giving way to panic. "Please, Liv" Fitz begged as he reached for her hand, desperate to make a connection with her. He watched her eyes fill with tears and her mouth open and close without sound. She shot up and began to pace back and forth.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed as she threw up her hands over her head. "This, you and me, this, this, THIS, no. No."

She was quickly becoming unhinged and Fitz knew he had to get a hold of the situation quickly. He stepped into her path, which caused her to stumble slightly. He placed his hands on her hip to steady her as she stared up at him. "This, you and me, yes." He whispered against her lips before kissing her with everything he had. He tried to instill his confidence in them in her through his kiss. As he deepened the kiss, he hugged her tight against him and prayed that her heart would win out. With a sigh she threw her arms across his back and gave in.

She didn't need to say anything in response to his revelation. He knew that it wasn't that she didn't want to respond; but rather, she couldn't respond. She wasn't ready; it was too much, too fast and it scared her to death. He would wait – for her and for them. He would take what she was able to give and push for more when the time was right. But right now, in this moment, he was content to get lost in her and drown in all that was her.