Chapter 6

They woke up the next morning in a tangle of limbs and sheets. They had made love three times during the night and neither of them had felt so content and just happy in over a year.

Fitz was laying on his back and Liv crawled over so she was resting on his chest. She propped herself up on one elbow and was using her other hand to stroke his cheek very gently.

After one minute of staring into each other's eyes, Fitz leaned up and pressed the softest kiss against her lips. When his head hit his pillow again he started rubbing the back of her thigh with one of his hands and whispered, "Good morning Livvie."

"Morning," Liv replied with the most genuine, but small, smile on her face.

"You look happy."

Olivia kept smiling and nodded her head, "Happier than I've been in a long time."

Fitz leaned up and kissed her again, longer this time, and when he pulled back replied, "me too."

"Are you hungry?" Olivia asked him.

Fitz bit his lip and nodded his head.

Liv shook her head and scolded him, "For breakfast, you perv. Real food?"

Fitz quickly flipped Liv under him and she let out a shriek. Fitz started nibbling on her neck and whispered, "Baby, I just want you." When Olivia tilted her head and let out a moan as Fitz sucked on a sensitive spot, Fitz smirked because he knew he had her right where he wanted her. He added, "Waking up with the love of your life, as gorgeous and as naked as you are… I'm surprised I have waited this long."

"We have been up for like five minutes," Olivia somewhat-protested.

"No no, baby. You have been awake for five minutes. I have been awake for half an hour… with your sexy naked body on full display.. Which I am not complaining about at. all.," Fitz finished with a smirk and a bite to her bottom lip.

Liv let out an Ow! and shook her head at him, "Again I say, you are a perv."

Their natural banter felt so good and they were both so extremely turned on. Fitz traced his hand down her body and when he parted her lower lips and felt how wet she was said, "Baby… you are so wet."

Liv arched her neck as Fitz started rubbing her clit and she moaned out, "Baby."

"Now for breakfast… Can I eat you, baby? I wanna taste you," Fitz seductively whispered into her ear.

Olivia let out a whimper, "please."

Fitz pecked her lips five times, each time the kiss got a little longer, then he lowered himself down her body licking his way to her center. When he got down to her pussy he opened her legs and held them open with his hands. He pressed a soft kiss to her clit and whispered out, "Oh my god, I've missed this."

He then flattened his tongue against her and gave her three long swipes up the length of her slit. Liv tangled her hands in his hair and said, "Yes, baby. Don't stop."

"Oh I don't plan on stopping, sweet girl," Fitz said teasingly up to Olivia before he continued going down on her.

XXXX

After Fitz gave Olivia three orgasms with just his mouth, they were laid in bed with a spread of room service, finally eating breakfast. Liv had one of Fitz's t-shirts on with a pair of lacy underwear and Fitz was wearing just a pair of boxers.

Liv was all of a sudden very quiet. Fitz tried to ignore her obvious sad demeanor for the first few minutes, but after a while he decided he needed to figure out what the problem was.

Fitz tucked one of Liv's curls behind her ear and said sweetly, "You okay, baby?"

"Mhhm," Liv nodded without making eye contact.

"Well that was the most unconvincing thing I have ever seen. What's bothering you, Livvie?"

"It's embarrassing." Liv still wasn't making eye contact.

"I doubt that."

Liv shook her head and whispered, "This is not like me."

"What's not like you, Livvie?"

After a few moments of Liv very obviously building up the strength to say whatever she was going to say she finally let out, "You have to go back to the White House. I don't wanna leave you. Like… I am actually feeling sick that I have to leave you. My stomach hurts. When I look at you… I wanna cry."

Fitz stared at her and smiled, "Because you loooovvveee me," he said in a sing song voice.

Olivia cut him a sharp glance and was prepared to say something sassy, but when she saw his adorable face she just said, "I really do."

"Well, we only have one more week and then I am coming home to you," Fitz continued smiling. "And to make you feel better, I know the exact feeling you're talking about. Every time I didn't know the next time I was going to see you or I already hadn't seen you for a while, I would feel physically sick... I need you, baby." Fitz finished with a kiss to her temple.

Liv nodded, "One week." She tried convincing herself it would be okay.

"Just one week." Fitz replied, matter-of-factly.

XXXX

It had been two days since Liv and Fitz got back to DC and Fitz was out of office in five days. They decided they could wait until Mellie's inauguration for them to see each other again, even though they knew it would be hard to pretend nothing was going on between the two of them in public. They wanted to wait a little bit before they came out as a couple to the public, they didn't want to deal with the same mess that they dealt with last time.

So on the second day, Fitz called Liv at lunch like he promised. Before they left New York, he promised that he would call at lunch and around the time they went to bed, not to mention that they were constantly texting throughout the day as well.

"Hi," Fitz said and Liv could practically hear his smile through the phone.

"Hi, love." After Liv finished her sentence she went into a coughing fit.

"Livvie? Are you okay?"

She sniffled, "I'm fine."

"Are you sick, sweetheart?"

"Not at all," she tried to convince him, but couldn't when she broke into another coughing fit.

"You liar. Livvie… what's wrong? Tell me the truth."

"Remember how I said my stomach physically hurt to leave you… While I still believe that partly to be true… It definitely was also the beginning of whatever I have right now."

"Aww sweet baby," Fitz felt so bad that he wasn't there to take care of her. "What other symptoms do you have?"

"My whole body hurts… I can barely get up off the couch. My head is pounding. I'm freezing but burning up at the same time. I am so nauseous. And I think I'm going to cough up a lung."

"Olivia. It sounds like you have the flu. You probably got sick when we were walking around Central Park, it was so cold.. Oh my god, I knew you were freezing and now you have the flu. Baby, I am-"

"Fitz… calm down." Liv said half-heartedly. She would never admit that she loves when Fitz fusses over her.

"I am coming over there after work."

"You can't. We only have 5 more days."

"And if I don't help get you healthy again you probably won't be able to leave the house in five days and make it to the inauguration. The flu is tough, Liv. Lord knows you are just going to starve yourself… you need someone to take care of you. Plus I want to be there… I need to be there."

Liv was about to reply but instead she started violently coughing again.

"Yup. It's happening. I'll be over around 10."

"Okkaaayyyy," Liv whined.

"I love you so much babe. Just try to stay comfortable until I get there."

"Love you too."

XXXX

When it was 10:15 and Fitz still hadn't come home, Liv couldn't stay awake any longer and drifted off to sleep. Fitz had gotten caught up at work talking to staffers for an extra half an hour and showed up to Liv's apartment at 10:45. He let himself in with the key she had given him after they had the talk about him moving in and came in holding two grocery bags filled with what he believed to be were necessities to nursing her back to health. After he set down the bags in the kitchen he noticed Liv curled up in a ball on her couch, fast asleep. She was wearing white thermal pajamas with pink fuzzy socks, her hair was a huge mess of curls, and had a big fluffy blanket wrapped around her. Fitz couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. Even though she was so sick, he thought that she had never looked more precious.

Fitz kneeled down on the floor next to her head and started brushing her hair back away from her face. She started to wake up and when she knew that it was Fitz she barely opened one of her eyes and gave him a sad smile.

"Hi, babe," Liv croaked out. She had lost most of her voice from coughing so violently all day.

"Oh Livvie," Fitz pouted. He kept stroking her hair and pressed sweet kisses against her forehead, "Baby.. you are burning up."

Her bottom lip started to tremble and nodded her head, "I have never felt so sick in my life. I think I'm gonna die," she finished and started to cry. Her emotions were all over the place because she felt so miserable.

Fitz's heart physically ached for her. He kicked off his shoes, scooped her into his arms, and settled back onto the couch. "I'll help you feel better, sweetheart."

She nodded into his neck and kept sniffling, "You're gonna get sick."

"I got my flu shot… and even if I do get sick.. I don't care. Then I would have you to help me feel better," he finished with a long kiss to her temple. "Have you taken anything today?"

"No, I didn't have anything," she was still crying, Fitz had never seen her like this. "I was going to go get some medicine but when I tried to get up I thought I would pass out."

"Okay, love. I brought some stuff with me. Let me go get it."

She nodded and he gently placed her back onto the couch and soothingly rubbed her back a few times. He lowered himself so his face was a few inches from hers and added, "Good news is you're the most precious and beautiful sick woman I have ever seen."

She shook her head, "I'm gross… you're not gonna love me anymore." She was feeling absolutely miserable.

"Olivia," He pulled her chin up so she would look into his eyes, "There is not one thing that could make me stop loving you." He kissed her nose and quietly said, "Me and you. Forever."

She tried to smile but she continued whimpering and weeping.

Fitz bent down and cradled her head, "Livvie… please stop crying… you are breaking my heart. We'll get you feeling better." He pulled back and looked into her eyes, "Great thing about having four days left as president is that I have basically zero work to do… So I can stay here with you tonight and all day tomorrow as well, okay?"

Normally Liv would've protested but she felt so horrible, she just buried her face into his neck and Fitz felt her nod.

"Okay, sweet baby, let me go grab the things I brought. I'll be right back."

XXXX

Fifteen minutes later Fitz returned to the living room with Gatorade, NyQuil, and some chicken noodle soup that he just made for Liv.

"What'd take you so long?" Liv whined. Her eyes were wide and glassy looking up at him.

He placed everything onto the coffee table and kissed her forehead, "I was making you soup."

"You… made… me soup?" Liv asked like it was an extremely confusing concept.

"Yes, Livvie, I am capable of stirring simple ingredients in a pot." He teased her.

She cracked her first real smile but said, "Okay, but I'm not eating. I'm going to throw up."

"Mmm no," Fitz shook his head, "I'm guessing you haven't eaten anything in almost two days… you need to eat, sweet girl."

"But-"

"You need to eat. You won't get better if you don't" He reached over onto the table and grabbed the Gatorade and NyQuil, "And take this. It will help you sleep if not anything else."

Liv took the medicine and sat up and started slowly eating the soup. Well that was easier than I thought it was going to be, Fitz thought to himself.

After Liv was almost done with all the soup, she looked over at him and when she didn't say anything after a few moments Fitz asked, "What."

"This soup is really good, babe. Like… super good."

"Yea well… When the kids would get sick I would make them this and they would love it," he sighed and added in a lower voice, "Jerry really loved it."

Liv gave him a sad smile and when he started getting teary eyed she grabbed his head and laid it down into her lap. She set the soup aside and then started running her fingers through his curls.

Fitz continued talking with his head still in her lap, "I've just been thinking… Now that I'm almost out of office, this would've been my time to spend with him since Mellie insisted on having them at boarding school and everything. But now he's not here. And I didn't fight for more time with him when he was here. I'm a fucking idiot. What type of father am I."

Before Fitz got even angrier at himself, Liv leaned down and cradled his head, the same way he did half an hour earlier. "Fitz… no. You are an amazing dad. You made the most out of every situation you were given… it's one of the things I love the most about you. You are a great dad, baby."

"I miss him, Liv," Fitz said in a voice filled with pure sadness.

"I know," and she hugged his head close into her chest and let him cry. She knew that he wouldn't cry if he was looking at her.

After another half an hour Fitz raised his head and smiled. "Thank you," he said softly to Liv.

"You don't need to thank me for anything."

"I was supposed to be taking care of you. But here you are taking care of my crying-"

"No, Fitz. You are taking care of me. We take care of eachother."

After a beat, he pecked her nose and nodded, "You ready for bed?"

"This NyQuil does have me feeling pretty loopy," Liv cracked another smile.

XXXX

It was about 3AM when Fitz woke up because he heard a crash come from the bathroom. He was slightly disoriented but quickly came to his senses when he realized Liv wasn't in bed next to him. He got up and walked towards the bathroom door.

"Livvie, you okay love?" Fitz asked from the door, wanting to give her privacy.

When he didn't get a response and heard groaning, he immediately pushed the door open and found her in the fetal position on the floor glistening with sweat. Contents from the bathroom counter were spilled onto the floor.

"Oh my god, Olivia." Fitz ran to her and got on the floor next to her and took her head into his hands, "What's happening?"

"My stomach… feels like someone is stabbing me."

"How long have you been up?"

"I've been throwing up for the past hour. I just tried coming back to bed but I couldn't get up and fell when I tried to use the-," she couldn't finish her sentence and instead let out a painful groan.

"Fuck. Olivia… we need to-"

He was interrupted with her having to use all of her strength to get up enough to vomit into the toilet. When she finished she collapsed to the floor and groaned in pain again.

"This isn't the flu, Liv. I need to get you to the hospital."

"No. No, I'm fine."

Fitz was starting to get frazzled, "You are most definitely not fine. You are covered in sweat and pale as a ghost. Baby, you are-"

"Fitz, stop. I am fine!" Liv let out angrily through gritted teeth.

"Olivia-"

"Fitz, if you don't-"

"NO!," Fitz yelled. "I am taking your ass to the hospital! Stop being so fucking stubborn, you are lying on the damn floor writhing in pain!" Fitz started to get very worked up and added, "I am not letting anything happen to you!" After he said that, Liv realized that this was hitting very close to home for him, especially after the night he just had. She was immediately filled with guilt.

"I'm"-

"Stop. I'm putting on clothes, helping you change, and then we are having the agents take us to the hospital. No discussion."

Fitz quickly walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, put on jeans and a Navy sweatshirt, and called down to his agents to tell them to get the car ready. He briskly walked back into the bathroom and Liv was trying to get up using the bathroom counter again.

"What are you-"

"I need to brush my teeth," Liv let out without looking at him. Fitz helped her brush her teeth and then zipped her up in a sweatshirt and put a pair of leggings on her before slipping on her UGG boots.

He then scooped her up into his arms in a bridal carry and when Liv started to protest and Fitz curtly let out, "Don't."

Fitz got them down to the car and Liv was laid in the backseat next to him, still in fetal position. She felt Fitz watching her for every second of the ten minute car ride but she refused to look up. She didn't want to look at him because he was being an ass and she also felt bad for being so stubborn.

They got to the hospital and while one of the agents ran in to get a wheelchair along with two nurses. They called right after Fitz told them so the hospital would be prepared for the arrival of the President, they had a protocol set in place in case something like this were to happen.

They got up to a private room and the nurse found that Liv had a 103 degree fever and a pulse that was way too high. She got an IV inserted, pain medication immediately administered, and the doctor came into her room.

"Mr. President, Hi, I'm Dr. Charles." The doctor shook Fitz's hand.

"Thanks for accomodating my friend and I, Dr. Charles." Fitz said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Friend? Really? Olivia didn't know why Fitz referring to her as his friend bothered her so much. She knew they weren't public. But that word, friend, struck her heart.

The doctor walked over to Olivia and said, "Hello, Ms. Pope. What seems to be the problem?"

"I thought I had the stomach flu. But for the past two hours I've been having excruciating stomach pain and vomiting."

The doctor pushed over her appendix and Liv shrieked in pain. Fitz closed his eyes, he couldn't stand seeing or hearing Liv in pain like this.

"You have appendicitis, Ms. Pope."

"No, I can't. I have a cough?"

"You could very well have appendicitis and just so happen to have a cold simultaneously. I would run more tests to further support my diagnosis but I am 98% sure and there is no time to waste. You seem to be in the late stages, how many days have you been having the stomach pains?"

"Two."

Dr. Charles nodded his head and cracked a smile, "We need to get you in, Ms. Pope. We have to get that out before it bursts and you are facing a much bigger problem."

Olivia nodded, "Alright."

Fitz was trying to remain calm but Liv was being rushed into surgery. He had to interject, "Is she going to be okay? This surgery? Is she?-"

The doctor interrupted his rambling, "This is a routine procedure. I could do it with my eyes closed," he joked.

When Fitz didn't crack even an ounce of a smile the doctor added, "but of course, I won't. Ms. Pope will be just fine." He could sense that something was going on between the two of them, Fitz seemed too nervous for Olivia to just be a friend. Plus everyone knew their history, or some of it, after Olivia's brief time spent as his public girlfriend. Dr. Charles wanted to give them a moment to themselves, "I'm going to go and get everything situated and then I'll be back in 10 minutes to bring you to the OR, Ms. Pope."

Olivia nervously nodded, "Thank you."

Dr. Charles left and Fitz looked over at Liv. She kept her eyes set straight forward and refused to look at him.

"Liv." And when she didn't reply he said with a strained voice, "Olivia, you are not about to get cut open on a table without talking to me."

"It's fine, Fitz."

"No, it's actually not fine. You are not about to go into surgery with us being like… this… whatever the hell is going on right now."

Olivia scoffed, "Nothing is going on, friend."

Fitz pulled up a chair and looked at her incredulously, "What?"

"Oh nothing! I'm happy I have my great friend here with me, I'm so lucky," Liv said in a voice dripping with sarcasm.

"What is the… oh my god." A lightbulb went off in Fitz's head, "Liv, you're mad I called you my friend?"

"Not mad I just- We're not just friends."

He sighed and softened his tone, "I know, baby. You know I'd tell anyone and everyone that you are mine, but we're waiting. For a lower profile." When Olivia nodded and seemed content with that answer he asked, "Is that the only problem?"

"Well that plus the fact that you've been a huge jackass to your very sick girlfriend for the past hour."

Fitz dropped his head in embarrassment, "I know, Liv. I just - when you were laying on the floor like that, it was all too familiar. And I know that doesn't give me the right to be a jerk to you but… with Jerry, I was completely helpless. I was not about to feel helpless with you." He started to get worked up again.

Olivia took his hands and said, "Okay, okay, shhh, love."

"I couldn't just stand there and do nothing, Olivia" Fitz got up and buried his head between Liv's breasts and squeezed her sides. "When I feel like I'm starting to lose you I just… I can't lose you, Livvie."

Liv picked up his head and tried joking, "I don't think that will be a problem, babe. The universe seems to have plans for us. Every time you lose me, we end up right back together," She said in a whimsical voice, "I can be kidnapped and-"

Fitz gave her a discontented look and interrupted, "That is not funny. At all."

Liv broke into a smile and said, "give me a kiss." Fitz leaned up and pressed a series of sweet kisses to her lips before covering her face in more kisses.

"Come back to me, Livvie." Fitz whispered centimeters from her mouth.

Liv ran her hand through his hair, "I always do."

XXXX

Liv was back in her private room no more than an hour and a half after she was taken into surgery. Fitz felt so thankful because he was sure he was going to burn a hole in the ground with all of his pacing. After the nurses who brought Liv back left, Fitz sat back by her bed and took her small hand into both of his and held it to his mouth giving it repeated slow kisses.

Dr Charles walked in and awkwardly smiled, "Hi. I don't mean to interrupt."

Fitz quickly stood up, "No, of course."

"Ms. Pope's surgery went perfectly. Will she have anyone available to look over her this next week or so?"

"I'll be there."

Dr. Charles gave him a knowing look and said, "She'll need to be on bed rest for the next week, and then minimal activity for the week after that, then she comes back to me for a check-up and I hopefully clear her for her normal activity. She will need her incision site cleaned and rebandaged every two-to-three days. No high intensity activities, including sex."

Fitz tuned out briefly after he heard no sex for two weeks. I just got it back and now it's being taken away again… Fitz whined to himself.

"... this will all be in Ms. Pope's discharge papers."

"Of course. Thank you so much for helping, Olivia, doctor."

"Anytime. And don't worry… you and Ms. Pope… you don't need to worry. You have my silence."

"Thank you. Olivia and I appreciate it."

Dr. Charles smiled, "Now… when she wakes up she's going to be doped up. After the nurses feel she's okay to head home, she will be discharged."

"Thanks again, doctor."

Twenty minutes later Liv started to wake up and Fitz raised his head from where it was laying next to her legs on the bed.

"Good morning, sweet baby."

"WOW! YOU ARE HANDSOME." Liv exclaimed in a voice that was way too loud for 7:30AM in a surgery wing in a hospital.

"Woah, okay, Liv. Let's lower our voices." Fitz chuckled.

"Oh okay… Wow I feel AMAZING! And you… Oh my god are you a model?" Liv was now talking in a dramatic whisper

Fitz looked at her with huge eyes filled with amusement, "No… I'm afraid Vogue didn't want me this month."

"Well… They are smoking some shit because you look like an angel."

Fitz had to let out a laugh at her completely serious statement. "I am so in love with you."

Liv's jaw dropped and she asked him in disbelief, "Really? You are?"

Fitz had to kiss her at this point. So he did. When he pulled back she said, "Oh my god AND you're a good kisser. Do you have a wife? A girlfriend?"

Fitz couldn't stop laughing, "I do, actually."

Olivia looked genuinely upset and said, "Well that's shitty. Who is it?"

"It's you, pretty girl," Fitz kissed her again.

"Seriously? Wow. I did a good job. You seem old but you're fucking sexy so-"

Fitz almost snorted from laughing so hard, "Okay, Livvie, time to go back to sleep. I love you."

"Mmm love you too, handsome."

AN: There it is! Please leave reviews! Thanks for reading, guys! :)