AN: I'm not even going to make excuses for the amount of time I've been away, but at the end, I'll explain a few things about the story and what made me finally finish it. Happy reading :)

"Run Fitz, Run!" Olivia screamed, tossing and turning wildly on the bed.

Her movements and cries woke Fitz and he immediately sat up to see if she was ok. The only light in the room came from the moon outside. Though his eyes were still adjusting to the dark, he could clearly see that Olivia was covered in sweat, the covers were kicked down to her feet, and her face was scrunched up as mumbled nonsensically about them having to get away. She was having a nightmare. Fitz gently shook her and called her name. As soon as she felt his hand on her, she shot up, her hand connecting with his jaw as she did. It took a few moments for her to bearings, but when she did, she burst into tears. Ignoring the slight pain in his jaw, Fitz wrapped his arms around her and let Olivia cry into his chest.

"Ssshh, it's okay, we're safe now," he whispered into her ear, hoping that it would calm her down.

"I dreamt…I dreamt that Big Gerry found us. He forced you to watch as he did things to me," Olivia sobbed, still not completely believing that she was fine.

"Big Gerry will never hurt you. Ever. You're free, we're fine. It was only a dream," Fitz tried to reassure her.

Just as he thought that she was finally realizing that it was only a dream, a new wave of tears broke free. He soothingly rubbed her back, listening as she hiccupped and cried. He had an idea of what was bothering her, but this was something that he couldn't fix with loving words. "They're gonna kill my mom. He may not hurt me, but they have her."

Fitz had no idea what to say to that because he knew it was probably true. All he could do was hold and console her and pray that Greta would be okay somehow. Eventually Olivia drifted back to sleep, but Fitz stayed awake. He was on guard, watching to make sure that no more bad thoughts plagued her. He knew that it was going to take months, maybe years even before she was truly ok and felt like she was safe. One thing for sure was that he was going to be with her every step of the way.

About an hour before the morning sun would break through the window panes, Olivia woke much more calmly than she had a few hours before. She remembered Fitz whispering to her over and over again that they were ok as she went back to sleep. She knew that he'd do anything to protect her, but couldn't help but feel there would always be some sense of danger for them as long as she was black and he was white. She looked over at Fitz beside her, his hair unruly and he body curled towards her. Almost all of his bruises had faded away and his ribs were on their way to healing nicely. He'd still need the sling for a few more weeks, but after that she knew he'd be fine. She was reluctant to wake him, but knew that they needed to get going again.

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his cheek and moved his hair from his forehead. He stirred a little before finally opening his eyes. He gave her a crooked smile then covered his mouth in a yawn as he sat up. She could tell he didn't get very much sleep, there were bags under his red eyes and he was sluggish. He must have been up all night watching her.

"We should get going before the sun comes up so we can get an early start. We still have a ways to go," Olivia said as she inched out of the bed.

"You're right, plus we should be out of here before Abby and Stephen come to open their store. We don't want to give them any trouble," Fitz agreed, getting up as well.

They gathered their clothes from the foot of the bed and quickly got dressed. Olivia helped Fitz reapply his sling and they smiled at each other before they exited their room. Fitz peeked in to see if Harrison was there, but he seemed to be long gone. They silently wished him luck as they headed down the stairs. They were about to exit the store when they spotted a package on the counter. It had both of their names on it so they figured Abby and Stephen must have left it for them. Opening it, inside was a map, a compass, two tins of biscuits and a good sized chunk of ham. There was also a hand written note that Olivia took and read:

Dear Fitz and Olivia
Meeting you all has really humbled Stephen and I. As Quakers, we fight against the injustice of slavery, and it is a blessing to see you and your friend Harrison get a piece of freedom. We hope to hear from you when you get settled. Fitz- please continue to take care of Olivia. And Olivia- you continue to love Fitz like you do. You both have friends here in Philadelphia. Good luck on the rest of your journey,

Love,
Abby and Stephen Finch.

Olivia stumbled on some parts and Fitz had to correct her in others, but overall, she read the note well. They smiled as they thought of their friends and Fitz made a mental note to remember the address of the store so they could keep in touch. Maybe even one day they'd journey back to Philadelphia to visit them. Fitz grabbed the box and Olivia's hand and led her out of the store. They walked down the street in the dusk of the morning, not too many people out and about yet. It was almost surreal that no one was looking at them and wondering why Fitz was holding a colored girl's hand. They just walked.

"Fitz, how are we going to walk all the way to Canada? We barely made it here alive," Olivia said as they were nearing the edge of town.

It could take weeks going at the pace they were and both were ready to get to where they were going. Fitz stopped for a minute and looked at his surroundings. He saw only one option. "I have an idea, and you probably won't like it. But see those horses over there? We're going to take them," Fitz said, subtly pointing to the horses that were tied to a post outside of a store.

"But isn't that stealing? Fitz we can't bring any mo' attention to ourselves," Olivia said even though they were already walking towards the animals. She didn't like the idea of stealing, but she didn't know any other way.

"It is, but this is going to be the fastest way to get to Canada," Fitz said. Both horses were already saddled and had sacs attached to them. They likely belonged to people that were on a journey of their own and the sacs probably had some contents that would help make their travels easier.

They walked quickly to the horses and Fitz swiftly hoisted Olivia up on hers before untying her horse and handing her the reigns. He did the same for his and hopped up as best he could with his ribs. He gently kicked the side of the horse to get it moving and he and Olivia rode off away from the store. They went as fast as they could without looking too suspicious until they had finally cleared the city borders. Ahead of them was open land and open possibilities. They picked up their pace and rode as the sun shifted positions in the sky.

Every few hours they would stop and stretch and give the horses time to rest They found in the sacs materials to make a small tent, two blankets, canteens of water, matches, a loaded gun, another map, some beans, a pot, and two spoons. They rode about an hour after a sun went down before they finally deciding to call it a night. They stopped off about half a mile from the main trail and tied the horses to a tree. There was plenty of grass to graze and they were lucky enough to be by a small brook so the horses to drink and for them to refill their canteens. Fitz set up the tent while Olivia gathered branches for firewood. She got the fire going and started the process to cook the beans. She added a few small slices of ham for flavor before putting the lid on the pot for them to simmer. Fitz had gotten the tent up and set the blankets up so they had a pallet to sleep on. She sat next to him by the fire as they waited for the beans to cook.

"How far do you think we've gone?" Olivia asked, looking over to him.

"I'm not sure, but probably really far. I looked at the maps, but I couldn't pin us down. We're probably somewhere in New York, we were travelling pretty fast on the horses," Fitz said.

"This is New York?" Olivia asked, looking around and not seeing what all the fuss was about.

"Yes, not all of it is the city, so this is what the rest of it looks like," Fitz laughed, realizing she was expecting buildings and lots of people.

"I guess you never really think about the other part," Olivia admitted sheepishly.

"No one does, though I admit that I thought we'd be passing the city too. Maybe even running into Harrison along the way," Fitz mentioned with a shrug of his shoulders. "Tomorrow we should make it through at least half the state. From there, within the next two days or so, we should make it to the border of Canada. We're almost there Livvie," Fitz said with her favorite grin.

Olivia got up and sat on Fitz's lap. She grabbed his face and kissed him, pushing her tongue into his mouth in a way of thank you. She didn't think she'd have made it this far without him. Even though she had always planned to be free one day, she was happy that she got to be free with the love of her life. Fitz hugged her closer and kissed her back as they sat in front of the crackling fire. After a few minutes they broke apart, gasping for air.

"I think the beans are done," Olivia murmured against his mouth. She reluctantly got up and pulled the pot from the fire. They didn't have plates so they ate it straight from the pot. Fitz licked his lips and told Olivia that it was the best meal he'd ever eaten. She knew that he was exaggerating but she blushed and thanked him nonetheless. When they were done eating, Fitz put out the fire and followed Olivia into the tent. Even though it was summer, the nights were cooler in the north, less humidity, so one blanket was laid on the ground and they used the other to drape across them. They were curled up together, Olivia's back to Fitz's front. Fitz backed up a little and placed his thumbs on her lower back, working them in circles to knead out the kinks from riding all day. She started to moan and Fitz's breath hitched in his throat.

"Livvie…" he groaned in warning.

Olivia moved her arm behind her and pushed his hand away. Fitz was confused until she sat up and pulled her dress over her head. Immediately he was aware of her. Of the rise and fall of her chest as she took air in, of every sweep of her eyelash as she blinked, of every new skin prickle as the goosebumps arose. The full moon outside shined through the thin tent and highlighted her in such a way that he wasn't sure if she were human or an angel. Her hands went to the buttons of his shirt, methodically taking each of them out of their loops. She leaned forward in hopes of capturing her mouth, but he moved away.

"Not yet," he said at her perplexed look. "No, first, I'm going to start at the bottom and work my way up."

He gently pushed her back until she was spread for him and he could see every inch of her. Once she was laying comfortably, he took each of her legs in his hands and pulled them apart. She turned her head and blushed. Even though they had made love twice before, she had never been so exposed to him. The way he was looking at her made her feel both hot and vulnerable. "Look at me." He called softly.

Slowly, she turned her head towards him to find that he was kneeling at her feet. He took her right leg in his hands, starting at her ankle and kissed and licked his way up her leg. By the time he was at her inner thigh, she was trembling and aching for him. She bit her lip as his mouth grew nearer and nearer to her center, hovering ever so close. Just when she thought he was going to place his mouth where she ached the most, he moved away and started back at her left ankle. He paid special attention to her thighs, kissing away the soreness from being on a horse all day. When he got close to her core again, she fisted his hair in her hands and directed him to where she needed him. She could feel him smiling against her and had his mouth not been suddenly busy, he probably would've laughed at her directness.

Her back arched high in the air as he explored her. This was as new to him as it was to her but he quickly found his rhythm, doing things to make her moan and scream. She could feel her body tightening in that delicious way it did before she exploded. Her fingers never left his hair and his mouth never left her heat. She could hear him, groaning as his tongue worked and it had her panting. With expert precision, he tugged her clit into his mouth and she came, her hips rolling and legs shaking. He kissed his way up her stomach, stopping at each nipple to pull them into his mouth. When he finally settled on top of her, she grabbed his hair again and tried to bring his mouth to hers, desperate to feel his kiss. But he resisted.

"Kiss me," she pouted at his smirked expression.

He lowered his head just enough to skim his lips across hers in a whisper of a kiss. She tightened her hold on his hair, but he wasn't budging. Taking her fingers from his hair, he pushed them above her head and held them there. She groaned and tried to lift up to meet his mouth but the way they were positioned made it impossible for her to move. Once again he lowered his face to hers, but this time only the tip of tongue came out to flick against her lips. It wasn't enough.

"Fitz, please, kiss me," Olivia moaned again, begging for his mouth. "Please."

Finally he did, plunging his tongue in so that there was no doubt she could taste herself on him. And she kissed him back, her fingers curling around his as she rubbed herself against him. She ate at his mouth, nipping and sucking until she knew they would be bruised, the intensity coming from him denying her. She could feel him shoving down his pants, trying to break the kiss so that he could take them all the way off. But Olivia held fast, keeping him locked in place and leaving him to a more creative way of getting his pants and underwear all the way off.

When they were finally cast aside, she spread her legs wider for him and hitched her legs about his waist. The invitation was clear and he took it. He guided himself in one inch at a time, her head digging into the ground below as he did. She could feel him shuddering above her, his bottom lip between his teeth as he concentrated on making this last. He still wasn't used to the tight clasp of her walls and he felt himself about to lose control. But he was determined to make it good for her. Once he was fully in, he paused for a second to catch his breath before he started moving.

She tried to contain her moans, to control the deep groans that he was eliciting from her. But he wasn't having it and encouraged her to scream as loud as she wanted. The love present between was overwhelming. She couldn't imagine what her life would be like today had he not seen something in her, if he had not loved her the way he did. She tugged his ear lobe into her mouth and whispered hotly how much she loved him. Whispered how much she loved what he was doing to her right now, that she couldn't get enough. And he whispered back, telling her how she felt around him. Telling her that he would go all night for her, that he couldn't wait to feel her come. It didn't take her long to reach her peak with the way he was working against her. He followed soon after, reaching above her to grasp the blanket in order not bruise her with his grip.

"We're going to be okay," She murmured a few minutes later. This was the first time Olivia said and fully meant it.

"Yes we are. I'll make sure of it."

Back at the Grant Plantation

Ginny was sitting on her porch, watching as the slaves worked in the fields. She had borrowed some overseers from the Dutchmore plantation that allowed the slaves to get back to work until she found more permanent help. She sipped her ice tea and thought of her son and where he might be. She hoped he was safe, but decided not to dwell on it. She had received word from Jake that he would be arriving in the middle of the day with Greta. Ginny had still not made up her mind what do with her. On one hand she had run away, an inexcusable act for a slave. On the other, she was trying to protect her daughter and Fitz, something one mother to another could relate to. She was conflicted on how harshly she should punish her. Greta had been through a lot on the plantation. Ginny was well aware of the relationship between her and Big Gerry and had seen what losing Eli had done to her. There was no doubt that there would have to be some type of punishment, she couldn't have the other slaves thinking she was soft. But she just didn't know what yet.

As she sat and pondered, a horse drawn carriage with a cage attached to the back was coming up the dusty path to the house. Greta had arrived. Ginny stood and walked to the edge of the porch, not going down the stairs. She wanted to appear looming and powerful, especially since the plantation belonged solely to her for the moment. But because she was a woman, she'd soon have to work out a deal with the Dutchmores that would enable her to keep her property, but she'd worry about that lately. The carriage made its way until coming to a stop about fifty feet from the house. Jake stepped out of the carriage and shuffled through his pockets and produced a key. Ginny watched as he went around and unlocked the cage that contained Greta. He roughly pulled her out and dragged her up to the main house. She kept up as best she could with her hands and feet shackled. As they neared, Ginny could see how broken and dejected Greta looked. There was bruising under her eye and her dress was tattered and dirty. Even with the defeated look in her eye, the woman still managed to hold her head up strong.

"Thank you for bringing her back where she belongs, Jake," Ginny said as they reached the bottom of the steps.

"Why, of course ma'am. It's my job to return runaways. I have tried to get her to tell me exactly what happened to Big Gerry and who did it, but she wouldn't budge. She's as stubborn as a mule," Jake told her, still having a firm grasp on Greta's arm.

"No need to dwell on that anymore. The people responsible for Gerry's death are long gone now," Ginny told him, still looking at Greta. Greta did not waiver under her intense gaze, just met her head on.

"Well, this'un here can take everyone's share of the responsibility. I have been known to punish runaways as well ma'am, is there anything you want me to do?" Jake was almost smiling at the prospect.

"Actually yes, will you build me a fire right here in front of the house. Then will you have the overseers gather all the slaves in front of the house. Also, get me a pitcher of water from. I'll be right back, I have to go get something from the work-shed out back," Ginny announced, finally thinking of the perfect punishment.

About five minutes later, with everyone present and the fire burning, Ginny walked up to Greta, an iron rod swinging in her hand. "Now everyone here is well aware of what Greta has done. She has not only aided in the murder of my husband, but also helped Olivia and Fitzgerald runaway. She has to be punished and the rest of you niggers need to know not to run either."

Ginny went over to the fire and dipped the end with the R welded on into the flames. As it heated to white hot, Greta prepared herself for the pain she knew was sure to follow. She was thankful that being branded a runaway was all that was going to happen. She could've been whipped or hung, but she'd take the flash of pain and permanent scar over being dead any day. When the rod had been heated to max capacity, Ginny removed it from the flames and walked quickly to Greta so it wouldn't have much time to cool. The other slaves that were being forced to watch turned their heads as Ginny jabbed the hot metal into the soft flesh of Greta's cheek. Greta grit her teeth and groaned as the pain brought tears to her eyes. She could hear and smell her flesh burning as Ginny held the rod to her face a few seconds too long. Finally she pulled it away and Ginny almost fell to her knees. She pulled in a few deep breaths, the burning so intense that she felt lightheaded. She thought that that would be it, but she was wrong.

Ginny dipped the end with the R into the pitcher of cold water, quickly cooling it, before flipping it upside down and putting the blunt end of the rod into the flames. Greta's eyes widened with fear as she tried to fathom what was going to happen next. When Ginny came back, Greta closed her eyes and turned her head, not wanting to see whatever she was going to do. For a brief second, she didn't feel anything, though she knew she had been stabbed because she could feel the pressure. But her brain had yet to process what had just happened. Then her right foot felt like it was on fire and being split in two all at once and Greta howled with the pain. Ginny had driven the hot rod through the center of her bare foot. She had used so much force that she Greta could feel her foot stuck to the ground because the rod had pierced the dirt. This time she did pass out, the only thing she remembered was Ginny pulling the rod from her foot and telling Jake to clean out the wound because she didn't want her dying from infection.

Greta awoke in the main house, her eyes taking a minute to adjust before realizing she was on a cot in the room that Olivia used to occupy. She was in a lot of pain and realized that she'd likely never walk without at least some type of pain again. She lifted her fingers to her cheek and winced as she traced the R that would forever be branded on her flesh. She looked down to her foot and saw it was wrapped up in rags. She knew this wasn't done for her benefit. And still Greta was happy that this was all that happened. Her daughter was free and she'd take any type of punishment knowing that Olivia was safe.

Before she had a chance to truly get her bearings, a figure appeared in the doorway. It was Ginny. Greta tried not to cower in fear, but it was hard not to shake as the evil woman came near. Ginny pushed aside Greta's legs and sat on the cot. "I'm not going to hurt you anymore, Greta," Ginny said.

Greta was still leery, but decided to play along. "Why, ma'am?"

"Because you've already paid the price for your wrongs. Being raped by Big Gerry nearly every day and losing the child you bore for him is all those years ago has been part of your punishment." Ginny stated.

Greta turned her head away and silently wept for the child that was stolen from her. Olivia had only been one when Greta got pregnant again. She had hoped and prayed that the baby was Eli's but when she gave birth to a brown haired, grey eyed white baby boy she knew that it was Gerry's. And even still, she had been allowed to keep her son for a few months. After all, this was not the first child that Gerry had fathered with a slave. But this had been the only boy and the only one that could pass for white. As the months went on and Teddy didn't get any darker, she knew that this would create an issue. Her little boy was beautiful, his skin looking like he had simply stayed outside a few minutes too long. And despite how he was created, Greta loved him. But Ginny had a problem with Teddy. She knew that since he could pass, Gerry was going to want his son to be in the house alongside his brother, especially since Ginny couldn't have any other kids. She had made a big fuss and threatened to tell everyone that Gerry preferred relations with niggers instead of pure white women until he finally relented. One day Gerry came in and snatched Teddy from Greta's arms without saying a word. She tried to fight him, to get her baby back, but Eli had held her back. Teddy was sent to live with distant relatives and Greta never saw him again. She cried for weeks after losing Teddy, but eventually tried to move past it and vowed to never mention it to anyone again, especially not Olivia.

"You have both physical and emotional scars that will last the rest of your life here," Ginny continued. "I'm going to let you stay in the house and you will serve me and only me, got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," Greta answered automatically, so conditioned to do so that it almost seemed natural.

"Good, your work starts tomorrow," Ginny said and left the room.

"How much longer do you think we have, Fitz?" Olivia asked, trying to stretch her back as they rode along.

It had been another day and a half into their journey and Olivia was tired. She didn't know how much longer they could take. They passed through several small towns along the way in New York and seemed to be headed in the right direction. Fitz had looked at the map a few hours ago and the compass read they were going in the right direction. He figured they shouldn't have too much longer. Maybe another day or so.

"Would you like to stop for the day?" He asked, looking back at her. He knew she was going to say no, but could see she was tired and sore.

"No, I'm okay," she half lied.

"How about we go for a little longer and then we can stop for the day," Fitz bargained, feeling the effects of riding all day himself.

Olivia looked so relieved and she readily shook her head in agreement. They had been traveling along a large body of water for the majority of the day so they knew they'd be coming to a town soon. They traveled for maybe another thirty five or forty five minutes before seeing a town off in the distance. As they approached, Fitz read aloud a sign that welcomed them to the town of Burlington. Confused about where it was, Fitz stopped his horse and reached for his map. He looked but didn't find a city named Burlington in New York, but then it caught his eye. They were in Burlington, Vermont. He didn't know anything about Vermont or how they would feel about him, or more importantly, Olivia.

Worried, he turned to her and said, "Livvie, I'm going to ride into town and check it out before we stop. You stay here and have your free papers ready in case anyone comes by." He could immediately tell that Olivia did not like this idea.

"And what if someone does come and thinks my papers are fake? They could take me and you wouldn't know," Olivia pointed out, not wanting him to leave her there by herself.

"I'll leave you the gun. If you have to use it, I'll hear it and come running, I promise," Fitz vowed.

"I'm not staying here by myself, Fitz. We are in this together, you and me."

He could argue the fact that he was trying to keep her safe, but he honestly didn't like the idea of her being alone in a strange place either. He relented and they rode into town together. The landscape was beautiful. There were full trees and a nice breeze coming from the water that cooled them on this hot summer day. Olivia could see mountains in the distance and the amount of peace she got from this place was surreal. She pulled fresh air into her lungs and smiled as she took in the small town. She and Fitz kept riding until they reached a small grocers. Fitz hopped off his horse and tied his and Olivia's to the post outside, he then helped Olivia down from hers. He held her hand as they walked in.

At the counter in the back, there was an older white woman that looked to be sorting things into place. Fitz approached and got her attention. "Hello, we've been traveling all day and were wondering if there was a place we could rest for the night. We don't have any money but we'd be more than willing to work for our keep," Fitz explained.

The older woman, with her glasses and gray hair, looked from Fitz to Olivia then back to Fitz. "Well, with no money, not many people will let you stay," she answered back.

He figured that, which was fine because they still had the tent and with the warm weather, they'd be fine tonight. "Ok, but what about you? Do you need any help today, we'd be willing to work for some meat and bread," Fitz tried to haggle.

The idea of having some chicken or beef made Olivia's mouth water and she shook her head in agreement. The older woman eventually gave in and told Fitz he could put out some boxes she had in the back and asked Olivia to do some light cleaning. She introduced herself Jane Van Sicklen, the wife of one of the owners of the newly opened Van Sicklen and Walters grocers. Fitz and Olivia formally introduced themselves then proceeded to get to work.

The rest of the day when new people would come in, they would all greet Olivia in a friendly tone. Not once did any of them look down at her for being colored. There were even a few negroes that came in that would make conversation with Olivia for a little bit before buying their items and leaving. It was one story in particular that made Olivia really feel like she was where they were supposed to be. Jane had given Olivia a break from working and Olivia went and sat on the bench outside, watching the townspeople walking past. A black woman came and sat down next to Olivia and just started talking.

"Beautiful here, isn't it?" She spoke, her words annunciated in a way she had never heard another colored person speak before.

"Very, but we just passing through on our way to Canada," Olivia informed her.

"I was little when my parents ran away. We were on our way to Canada too, but stopped here along the way. We never left," the woman said. "Oh, excuse my manners, I'm Lily."

"I'm Olivia. And I'm not a runaway, I'm free. I have my papers," Olivia clarified, not wanting any rumors to start.

Lily just nodded her head. "Just think about staying. The people are fair and they don't look down on you for being colored. This place is different from any other town I've been in. I was raised here and I've started my own family here. Its peaceful. The winters are a little harsh, but nothing compared to Canada. Just think about it." Placing her hand on Olivia's leg, she gave it a light pat before getting up and walking away.

Before Lily could get too far, Olivia called and asked, "What is the best part about living here?"

Lily paused and thought for a second. "Being my own person and not someone's property and not having to flee the country to do so," Lily answered, then turned and continued on her way.

Later that night, under the tent, Olivia cuddled up close to Fitz. "I think we should stay here," Olivia said quietly, wanting to see how he felt.

"Are you sure?" Fitz asked, putting the decision solely in her hands.

"Positive. We could build a house outside of town by the lake, you could go to the university, and I would raise our kids." Olivia said, smiling at the thought.

"I like that idea. Okay, we'll stay here, which is good because Mrs. Van Sicklen offered me a job at her store today," Fitz announced proudly.

Olivia reached up at kissed him in congratulations. "We have to start building soon because it'll be winter before know it."

"We'll start tomorrow," Fitz agreed, "Right after the wedding."

"What wedding?" Olivia asked, genuinely confused.

"Our wedding of course," Fitz stated smugly.

"Wedding? I don't remember being asked to marry you, Mr. Grant" Olivia teased.

"Well, I'm asking you now, Olivia will you marry me tomorrow?" Fitz asked, turning towards her.

"I think you're forgetting that you're already promised to Mellie Dutchmore," Olivia sassed back, loving the look on his face as it soured in disgust.

"Livvie…"Fitz huffed, getting impatient.

"You're such a spoilsport. Of course I will marry you, Fitzgerald. Tomorrow, tonight, right now, whenever. I will marry you."

Five months later

The house had been done for a few weeks now, Fitz having done the majority of the work on their small cabin. He had a few men from town help with the heavy lifting and structural work, but he really took pride in doing it himself. It was modest, but it was theirs. The cabin had two stories, the bottom floor being just one big room that held a kitchen, a handmade table, seating, and fire place that was getting its fair use in the beginning of what was shaping up to be a freezing winter. There were two bedrooms upstairs and Fitz made it so that the fireplace continued up to the master. It took him nearly the entire time it took them to build the cabin, but Fitz followed through on his promise of a bed. He hand carved the headboard, placing their interlocked initials in the middle. The first night Olivia slept on it she nearly cried at how soft it was. But now, the bed that she had made love to her husband on, had slept on for the past few weeks, had rested on as her belly started to swell with their first child, may well become Fitz's death bed.

"Are you feeling better today?" Olivia asked, dabbing a warm rag on his sweaty forehead. Fitz had caught pneumonia.

He still looked pale, his normally bright eyes were dim under the dark, heavy bags that rimmed them. His hair was soaked with sweat and slicked to his head. He could barely move his arms, he was so weak. And even though he was burning with a fever, he shivered constantly and Olivia had to put extra blankets on him to keep him warm. She could hear him wheeze with every breath and he was coughing to the point that he almost threw up. He warned her to stay away from him in this state, he didn't need her getting sick or harming the baby. But she wasn't going to leave him to suffer alone and made sure he knew that she was going to be there for him.

He weakly nodded his head yes to her question, but she could tell he was lying. He had been sick for two weeks now and each day he seemed to get worse. The doctor had already been by and said that Fitz was in bad shape. He had lost weight and his fever hadn't broken yet. She didn't know what she was going to do without him, especially with a baby on the way. She just prayed he got better.

She thought that he caught pneumonia when they went out to experience their first ever real snow fall. It wasn't look after thanksgiving that the few flurries began to fall in heavy sheets. Dazzled by the beauty of it, they stayed out for hours, long after they could barely feel their toes. The next day Fitz started coughing and had a runny nose, but didn't think anything of it. Soon it turned to full blown pneumonia and it was looking like he wasn't going to survive their first winter.

"Are you hungry? Can you try to eat some soup for me?" Olivia asked, turning to the night table to get the soup she made for him. She put a little on the spoon and brought it to his lips.

As soon as he opened his mouth, he started coughing. He could barely catch his breath between hacks and Olivia could feel her eyes prickle with tears as Fitz started crying with pain. When he finally calmed, she held the spoon to his lips and he tentatively swallowed the offering. She gave him a few more bites before he weakly told her he could handle no more. The doctor had mentioned keeping him hydrated so she then reached for the water. He was only able to drink a few sips until he had enough.

"Just get your rest, you're going to need your strength for when you get better," Olivia smiled weakly. Neither believed he was going to get better.

As she did every night, she pulled up her nightshirt and took Fitz's hand and placed it on her belly. The baby fluttered so softly that she wasn't sure if he could feel it. But then his hand pressed down a little more firmly and he closed his eyes as a smile graced his chapped lips. He was at peace, feeling his child move, with his wife beside him, he was at peace.

May, 1861

"Thomas, do mommy a favor and go fetch some fresh water from the well," Olivia called to her son.

He huffed like he always did when she asked him to do something, but he trudged out the cabin and did so anyways. Life was completely different than what she thought it was going to be. She could look around her home and see Fitz in the walls, could see him in the smile of their son, but without him here, it wasn't the same. Thomas came trudging back in the house with the water and slammed the bucket down.

"Thomas, do not slam things down. You wouldn't be doing that if your father was here," Olivia scolded.

"But he's not," Thomas huffed back.

"But he will be tonight and I will be telling him about you slamming things," Olivia threatened, Thomas knowing that Fitz would straighten him out.

Even though she saw Fitz every day, he was away at work most of the time and she missed him. He had recovered from the pneumonia despite everyone telling her that he wasn't. It had been touch a go for a minute there, but then his fever broke and he slowly regained his strength. By the time the baby came four months later he had been fully recovered. When Thomas was a couple of months old, Fitz enrolled at the University of Vermont and studied political science. He had breezed through school in the four years and graduated top of class. He used his degree to get a job at the mayor's office and was hoping to run in the next few years or so. Olivia could tell that he really enjoyed his job, but it sometimes required him to travel and he worked long hours especially around election time.

Thomas' eyes grew big at the threat of his father and he sat down at the table quietly in hopes of erasing his bad behavior. Before she could even address him even any further Fitz came through the front door. She could tell by the look on his face that he had bad news. Right away, she knew exactly what it was. The war. Fitz had been mentioning wanting to help in some way since it began a month ago. He felt he owed it Olivia to help the Union fight for the freedom of slaves and for the reunification of the country. She had been opposed to it and had been admittedly selfish in wanting him to stay with her. She knew that soon he wouldn't have a choice and would be drafted in anyways, but she thought that day would be months or maybe even a year away. She naively thought that the war wouldn't last that long for him to even be drafted.

"Thomas, go outside and play," Olivia said, still looking at Fitz. The little boy grumbled but did as he was told. "No." She spoke to Fitz once Thomas was out of earshot.

"It's already done, Olivia. I signed up for the Navy today. I leave tomorrow," Fitz told her, going towards her in hopes of getting a hug.

She put her hand up and stopped him. Not once had she turned away his touch, but she was angry with him, and even more present was the fear she had of losing him. "What about me and Thomas, Fitz? Did you think of us?"

"I am doing this for you, Olivia. Are you forgetting where you came from? Forgetting what Thomas will have to go through because he's mixed? I am doing my part in trying to change that," Fitz replied, throwing his hands up in frustration.

Olivia took a deep breath before she replied. "I am well aware of God awful place I came from. And I am well aware of the color of my skin, Fitzgerald. I don't want for any other colored person to feel like they are just somebody's nigger. If this war that President Lincoln is waging is going to change that, then great. We deserve our freedom. But I don't want my husband, the father of my child, and my best friend to die in the process," Olivia said, tears starting to come down her cheeks as she realized there was nothing she could do. He had already signed up. He was leaving.

He went to her again, but she just turned her back. She knew that he needed her support on this to be able to leave with a clear head, but she just didn't know if she was capable on giving it at the moment. She felt betrayed and hurt and terrified, but underneath all of that was an immense feeling of pride. Fitz had always fought for them, had always fought for what was right. And now he was putting his life on the line to make sure that no one else had to suffer the way she had, the way millions of others had. She heard him sigh, then turn around and go outside to tend to their son. God, she missed him already.

Later that night, Olivia finally came to bed after putting Thomas to sleep. From what she gathered from her chatty child, Fitz had explained that he was going to be gone for a while and that Thomas needed to be the man of the house and help his mommy the best he could. Thomas' chest puffed with pride as he promised Olivia that he was going to be the best helper he could be and that he wouldn't even complain. She made him promise to the last part before kissing his head and blowing out the candle by the bed.

Fitz was already in bed, bare chested and propped up against the headboard. Olivia took him in, scanning him and committing everything to memory. She remembered when his body was bruised and broken from his father's hands. Remembered how caved in his chest looked when he was sick with pneumonia. She mentally saw every scratch and scrape from when he was building their house. His chest had taken a lot of punishment. But she also recalled how he would hold Thomas close to his heart when he was born. Remembered laying her head on it every night and listening to his heartbeat. She didn't forget how a few of those scratches came from her own nails when the passion between them got so intense. And soon, he would be gone.

She climbed up on the bed and straddled his lap, laying her head on his chest, her chest, and just started sobbing. Fitz's arms went around her and held her close, trying to console her as he did so many times in the past. She hated this feeling of weakness, but wasn't afraid to admit how much she needed him. Between her cries, she managed to choke out, "You promised."

He didn't have to ask what she meant. He promised he would never leave her and this was the first promise he made to her that he would have to break. "I know, Livvie. But I'll make you a new promise. I promise that I'll come back to you and Thomas."

She looked up at him and she could tell that he meant it. Not that it mattered. Him coming back was not in his control. The men shooting at him didn't care that he had made promises, that he was somebody's everything. If they found out that he was with a negro, they'd probably shoot at him all the harder. But she didn't say that, she simply took off her night shirt and kissed him with everything she had in her.

Quickly the kissing turned into her grinding into his lap. She didn't want to bother with preliminaries. They could do that after. Right now, she had a primal need to claim him, to get him inside of her as fast as she could. And he seemed to be of the same mind as he yanked down his boxers and lifted her above him. In one swift move his was all the way in. Olivia tossed her head back and reached out for the headboard in front of her. She placed the other on the top of his thigh and began to ride him.

"Look at me, Livvie," Fitz called gently, wanting to see her eyes. It took her longer than usual to tip her head back up and when she did, he knew why. Her eyes were shiny with the tears she was trying to hide from him.

"Come back to me," Olivia moaned then buried her face in his neck. Fitz let her, his hands falling to her waist as he helped her rise and fall.

"Always."

They stopped talking after that and let their bodies do the communicating. They went round after round, trying to make it last until he returned. The sun had come up and they were still entangled in one another. The thought that their son would be getting up soon and that Fitz would have to leave in about an hours' time was the only reason they stopped. They finally broke apart, Olivia moaning as he slid from her for the last time in God knows how long. "Maybe they'll think you're too tired for you to leave today," Olivia joked sadly.

Fitz didn't reply, just simply kissed her and went to get dressed so he could wake Thomas up and get ready to say goodbye. While the boys had their final guy time, Olivia went downstairs and started cooking. She knew she didn't have a lot of time, so she quickly whipped up some biscuits and slathered them in jam to go with her eggs and bacon. She had just finished putting the plates on the table when Fitz came down with Thomas in his arms. Even when he sat, their little boy refused to be put down and stayed right on Fitz's lap. Olivia tried to muster something positive to say, but every time she opened her mouth, nothing would come out. It seemed to be the quickest hour of her life because before she was ready, she was walking Fitz out the door.

She had offered to go with him into town, but he told her he wouldn't be able to leave if she was there. That of course made her push harder to go with him, but he put his foot down. Instead, he pulled her in close on the porch of their home and kissed her like he'd never see her again. Olivia pushed her tongue into his mouth and wrapped her fingers in his hair. She thought if she held on tight enough that he wouldn't be able to leave. But he finally broke away and for the first time since he announced he was leaving, she could see that he was crying. He then bent down and picked up Thomas. He whispered something in his ear that she couldn't hear and Thomas just nodded his head emphatically. When he put him back down, Fitz looked to Olivia on last time.

"I love you so much, Livvie," Fitz said, wiping his tears on his sleeve.

"I know. I love you, too. Now you go and you fight for our… for my freedom," Olivia gave him her blessing.

Too choked up to speak, he nodded his head and hugged her one last time. He kissed her ever so softly on the lips, then turned and hurried down the steps. Olivia and Thomas watched as he made his way down the road and towards town, never once turning back. She knew that if he had, it would've broken him. They stared long after he was gone, for minutes, maybe hours, just hoping that he'd reappear soon.

May 1865

"Liv, I think this might be the best batch of jam yet," Abby said as she helped Olivia jar up the last of it.

About three years ago, Abby came to Vermont to live with Olivia. Though they were Quakers, Stephen had been drafted into the war and went to fight for the Union with pride. Unfortunately he had been gunned down within his first year of combat. Abby had written to Olivia asking if she could stay with her because she couldn't stand to be in Philadelphia by herself. Olivia readily agreed, wanting a friend as well. Abby sold the store and moved to be with her friend. To make extra income, Abby went back to school and became a nurse. In her mind, every man she helped save was Stephen. Because they were in the north and often short staffed, Olivia could've become a volunteer nurse. But she couldn't, she didn't want to check the face of every soldier looking for her Fitz.

So instead she sold jam. Every day she went to town with a basket full of jams and the people would come faithfully and buy it. She had become so successful in her small business that Mr. and Mrs. Van Sicklen offered her a shelf in their store. Because of their relationship with Fitz, they did this free of charge and simply requested free jars to which she was more than happy give them. She started selling biscuits with her jam and those sold quickly as well. However, with the war continuing, business had become slim for a minute there. But with it coming to end and soldiers trickling back into town, she was making a return.

"You can take some to David if you'd like," Olivia told Abby.

A year ago, Abby married the only lawyer in town, David Rosen. Despite moving out and working as a nurse, Abby still made time to come see Olivia almost every day. Especially when she stopped receiving word from Fitz. During the first three years of the war, they exchanged letters frequently until one day they just stopped. Abby said that was exactly what happened with Stephen. She had continued to write him without receiving anything back for three months until one day a letter came saying Stephen had been dead for two months and was already buried. But Olivia never received word that Fitz was dead. Instead, she chose to believe that he would keep his promise to her, even though the war ended nearly a month ago and he still hadn't returned.

"I will, in fact, I better be heading out now. Tell Thomas that he can come over tomorrow to pick out which puppy he wants," Abby said as she grabbed a jar of jam and headed out. Abby's dog had recently given birth, and after much begging, Olivia finally agreed to let her nine year old have one.

Olivia continued to clean up in the kitchen when she heard Abby calling for. "Olivia! Olivia! Come quick."

Thinking there was something wrong, Olivia came rushing out, a jar still in her hand, to see what Abby was yelling about. And that was when she saw them. Coming up the road, still at a distance where she could barely make him out, was Fitz and someone else. Olivia dropped the jar in her hand and went sprinting towards him. As she neared him, she could see that the person he had with him was Greta. She was alive and well. Olivia nearly dropped at the sight of her, but continued running. Fitz was running too and they met in the middle. She leaped into his arms and he caught her, holding her tight and refusing to let her go.

"You came back," Olivia cried, leaning back to get a good look at her face.

"I promised you I would," Fitz smiled.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Olivia asked, looking him over as best she could while still being in his arms.

"I'm okay, I wasn't hurt more than a few cuts and bruises," Fitz told her.

"Oh, thank you Jesus," Olivia praised. "I missed you so much." She traced her fingers over his face, trying to reacquaint herself with him.

"I missed you, too, Livvie," Fitz told her then leaned in to kiss his wife after four long years.

She wasn't prepared for the taste of him after so long. Soon she became lost, not knowing or caring where she was at or who was watching. She explored his mouth with her tongue and nipped at his lips. Like she dreamt about doing for so many nights, she ran her fingers through his wavy hair, reveling in the feel of it underneath her fingertips. Finally when air became a necessity, they broke apart, both mouthing their love for each other. Reluctantly, Fitz let her go and Olivia remembered that he was not alone.

She turned to see her mother still coming up the road, a slight limp slowing her movements. Olivia went to her and as she did, examined the older woman. It had been nine years since she had last seen her mother. Though there were differences, such as gray hairs and frown lines of woman that had had a hard life, Greta was still as beautiful as ever. Olivia noticed there was an R branded into her check and that broke her heart. But as soon as she saw her daughter, Greta broke out into a full-fledged smile and opened her arms wide.

"I love you so much, Mama," Olivia spoke as soon as she was nestled into her mother's embrace.

"I love you, too, baby," Greta replied, her voice tight with emotion.

"How…how are you here?" Olivia asked. Long ago Olivia resigned herself to the fact that she'd never see her mother again.

"When the war ended a month ago, I was free but I had nowhere to go so I stayed on with Mrs. Ginny. Bout two weeks ago, Fitzgerald came walking up to the Grant Plantation in his uniform and Mrs. Ginny almost had her a heart attack. He said he had come to find out what happened to me and when he found out I was alive, he refused to leave without me." That was her Fitz, always putting others first.

Olivia looked over to her husband and gave him a look of gratitude. "Well, you all must be starving, come on in the house," Olivia said, going to Fitz once more and holding his hand.

They began walking, and as they neared the house, there were three people in the doorway. Abby, Thomas, and someone Fitz had never seen before. "Livvie?" Fitz asked, eyeing the little girl up and down.

"I didn't mention I was pregnant in the letters because I didn't want to worry you," Olivia rushed to tell him. She had had a difficult birth with Thomas and she didn't want Fitz to be distracted. "Her name is Amani Greta Grant."

Thomas immediately ran to his father, but Amani stayed behind and clung to her Aunt Abby. At three years old, all the commotion and new people scared her. Fitz hugged Thomas and marveled at how big he had gotten. Thomas informed Fitz that he kept his promise and was the man of the house while his father was away. Olivia confirmed that this was true and smiled when the two saluted each other. Thomas chatted away as Fitz made his way up the porch. He told him all about what he had missed the last four years and told him that they were getting a dog tomorrow. Fitz listened and responded but never took his eyes off Amani. He knelt down on one knee before her and cleared his throat before he spoke.

"Hi," he said meekly, not wanting to scare her.

"Hi," she said back, blinking her brown eyes at him. She was absolutely gorgeous. Her curly brown hair fell to her tanned shoulders. She had her father's nose and ears but that was about all she got from him. The rest was all Olivia.

"I'm your Daddy," Fitz explained, just hoping that she liked him even a fraction of how much he already loved her.

"I know," she told him, then said, "Me, Mommy and Tom Tom was waiting for you."

"I know. I've been trying to come to you guys, and now I'm here. Can I have a hug?" Fitz asked, his arms stretched out wide.

His little girl nodded her head and stepped into his embrace. Fitz picked her up while everyone else watched the special moment. After a few minutes, Fitz looked up and acknowledged Abby. "I am so sorry about Stephen. Our paths only crossed once, but I assure you he died a hero," Fitz said, pulling a pin from his pocket from his free hand. "He gave this to me and told me to give to you in case he didn't make it."

Abby grasped the pin and wiped the few stray tears from her eyes. She thanked Fitz, then told them she had to go. Everyone else went into the house and Fitz noticed it hadn't changed much since he had been gone. There was a new stove and an icebox, but other than that, Olivia had kept the house exactly the same. She told him and Greta to sit while she was made them something to eat.

Fitz sat with Amani, who told him she went by Ama, in his lap. His children talked nonstop and he found himself laughing at the crazy things they said. Greta listened too, so intrigued with her grandkids that she barely touched the food Olivia placed in front of her. When they were all talked out, Fitz took his turn to speak.

"When I was fighting, later in the war I saw Harrison again. He became a crew member on my ship. In the years before, he had become an apprentice in New York for a law firm. He had also met and married a woman and they were expecting their second child when he was drafted."

"Did he make it out?" Olivia asked, hoping her friend was still alive.

"He did. He lost his arm, but somehow he survived and made it home to his family," Fitz said with a slight smile. "He's one tough man. He covered me many times and is part of the reason I'm still alive."

"I'm thankful for him then," Olivia said, joining her family at the table. "What about you Mama, you haven't spoken much. Was it hard at the plantation when you had to go back."

"It was hard on my soul, but Mrs. Ginny was good to me. She let me stay in the house and I didn't have to do much work at all. But every day I worried about you and where you were. But I can see now that you're okay and I'm at peace."

"Oh, and Big Gerry is dead. He died not too long after we left," Fitz told Olivia, knowing that she still harbored some residual fear that he would come for them one day.

"Good."

Later that night, Fitz and Olivia lay exhausted in their bed. After dinner and family bonding time, they had a proper reunion with just the two of them. Olivia, still breathing hard, mustered up enough strength to drop her sweaty body onto Fitz's chest. She lay her head above his heart and closed her eyes as she listened to the sound she missed so much.

"Fitz?" Olivia questioned, trying to get his attention.

"Hmmm…?"

"There's a scar at the top of your head, right by your hairline that wasn't there when you left. How did you get that? Please be honest." Olivia knew it was going to be hard to hear, but she needed to know what happened.

"Our ship came under attack by a Confederate ship led by Colonel Verna and his crew. I was on the top deck when a bullet came whizzing by and grazed my head. I'm ok, I promise. It was just a flesh wound," Fitz explained, remembering how some people hadn't been as lucky as he had been that day.

"I don't know what I would've done if you had not come back to me. The thought alone…"Olivia began, so thankful that he was home and he was safe when other women, her friend Abby, were not so lucky.

"I'm here now and we don't have to think of it ever again," Fitz whispered into her hair. "You know, I was thinking, maybe I should run for mayor next election. Do you think I'll win?"

"I know you'll win," Olivia said confidently.

"So I'll be the mayor, and you'll..."

"And I'll make jam," Olivia finished for him.

"And it's going to be great," Fitz smiled.

"And it's going to be great," Olivia echoed, then turned in his arms to love him some more.

AN: So first I'd like to thank everyone for reading and leaving me reviews and pm's curious about when the story was going to be finished. To be completely honest, I had no intentions of finishing it. I've basically given up on Scandal and writing fan fiction, but then three things happened. The first is that I watched Django again and Kerry Washington playing a slave really inspired me to continue writing. But that was weeks ago. The second thing that happened was last weekend when a white friend of mine asked me what black culture was. Like, she was genuinely confused to think that there was such a thing. I was so stunned that I didn't know how to answer correctly and I think that I just made her confusion worse. But after thinking about it, I realized black culture was created by a people that had nothing else. When slaves were brought to this country and stripped of their names, their original culture, their language, and their freedom, they had to create something that whites couldn't take from them. They had to create something that was uniquely theirs and something they could pass down to further generations so that they would realize that they are more than just someone's property. That they were part of a community, that they had an identity outside of the one that their master gave them. And as the years turned to centuries, we have adapted new traditions and tweaked certain things, but the root of black culture is still there. The third thing that happened is Darren Wilson not getting indicted for killing Mike Brown. To be honest, I completely expected him to get off, it's written in history and has been that way for centuries. Its not right, but that's what it is. But the renewed talks of racism still being ever present in America gave me the final push to finish this story. We've come a long way, and while we still have room for improvement, I don't really think its going to get any better than this. Leave me a comment telling me what you thought of the story, what your definition of black culture is, and if you feel America will get any better as far as race is concerned.

Fun fact 1: Rebecca Lee is the first black woman to receive her medical degree in America in 1864. The first black person to receive his medical degree in America was James McCune Smith in 1837

Fun fact 2: Van Slicken and Walters was a real grocers that opened in Burlington, Vermont in 1856.

Fun fact 3: Amani means peace in Swahili.

Fun fact 4: The Civil war began April 9, 1861 and lasted until April 12, 1865. Over 300,000 black soldiers fought on both sides and black women were volunteering as nurses both on ships and in hospitals.

The title maisha, uhuru, na harakati ya furaha means life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Our inalienable rights as people and as Americans.