Even Lovers Drown CH 47

“Wow.”

Whatever other thoughts are on her mind, they are momentarily superceded by the look in his eyes.

“If this is how dress up for a friend, heaven help what you’d look like on a real date.” Jake said.

There wasn’t a woman in the world who wouldn’t smile at such flattery. Olivia let herself indulge in it and smiled at him.

Her hair was sleek and waved, imitating a vintage classic old Hollywood look. She was dressed in icy white, from the diamond drops dangling from her ears to the matching diamante encrusted shoes on her feet. For some reason, she had decided to emphasize her eyes, carefully outlining and contouring her eyeshadow combination, palest white with a deeper gray in the creases, making them stand out against her pale foundation and lip color.

Remembering Shireen and her unknown suitor’s demand to wear the hairpiece, she had donned one of her own, so as to help to not draw unnecessary attention to her client.  She had chosen a crystal hair-pin fashioned in the shape of a delicate orchid. It’s lines were simplistic but the results were scintillating, like starsparkle against the dark waves of her hair.

The bodice of her gown was made up of interwoven bands of sparkling silvery fabric, leaving her arms and shoulders bare, while the rest of the gown was left to float down in filmy layers of white chiffon around her feet.

From Jake’s reaction, Olivia guessed that her ensemble was a success.

“Shall we go?”

“I am at your command. Your every command.” Jake said as he offered her his arm. “Can I ask you to not abuse the privilege?” he added with a laugh.

“Would I do that?” Olivia asked as she took it.

“I’m pleading the fifth.”

They were chatting pleasantly in the limo, when Jake received a call. It was very brief, but enough to put a smile on his face.

“I’ve got something for you.” he told her. Something else, he would have teased her with it, but he knew this would be too important to her to play with. “The female hostages have left hostile air space.”

Her smile blossomed. “Yes, I received word that they were released just before you arrived.”

“Of course you had.” Jake said. He shook his head. “I heard you’d gone back to the White House for some reason - did you happen to have a delicately manicured hand in that?”

“I am only there for a temporary protocol assignment not a permanent one, and in the execution of said protocols, I can neither confirm no deny your remarks.” Maybe in not so many words, but her smile said otherwise.

He was wise enough not to push it. “Well, in any event, it gives me a reason to break out the champagne.” Jake said, as he suited actions to words, pulling out a chilled bottle from a side compartment.

“No doubt you would have found another reason, but I think this time you do, Captain Ballard.” Olivia said with a laugh. She really shouldn’t have been surprised about the champagne, should she.

Jake skillfully worked the cork loose and filled two champagne flutes. He handed one to her. “To you, Olivia Pope. You never fail to amaze me.”

Olivia said nothing but she smiled and touched her glass to his. The chime of the crystal shivered into the air with a clear ring. She took a sip and raised an eyebrow. It was very good champagne.

“The mission is hardly accomplished, you know.” she said.

“We both know that. But this is a step towards that goal. There’s nothing more that you can do tonight, so sit back and bask in the glow of your accomplishments so far.”

He gave her a look. “I think I like the idea of seeing you glow.”

Olivia just shook her head and laughed. He really was  impossible - but he did know how to make her smile.

//**//

Fitz stood in the receiving line, Mellie by his side. It occurred to him that her attire, a confection of icy blues, not only set off her eyes but reflected her perfectly. Beautiful but cold and remote, no matter how much she smiled and played at the gracious southern-warmth First Lady.

Thankfully, Mellie had decided to embrace a momentary, unspoken truce in the last few days after she had demanded and he had agreed to his presence in her bed, and it was still holding firm on both sides.

Unconsciously, he compared her smile to Olivia’s. Mellie’s smile was carefully cultured, perfectly modulated, not to wide and not too narrow. A politician’s smile, always keeping the thought of the  perfect photo op in mind. But when Olivia smiled, her eyes lit up,  their warmth soft and real, so genuine on the lips that always looked so soft and kissable.

That was the thought that was uppermost in his mind as he turned his head to glance down the length of the line.

His heart literally jolted in his chest as he saw her standing there. She was with a group of others, but for a moment, he only saw her. She was ethereally stunning in silver and white.

He dragged his eyes away from her before anyone noticed, forcing his attention to the couple before him. It was a few minutes before she and her party would actually be standing before him. Fitz tried his best to keep his concentration on the many people entering and greeting him; there were several diplomats and their wives here, not only from the middle eastern regions but from Europe and Asia as well, each of them having their own concerns about the region and hoping to make such contacts as they could under the pretense of expressing good will among one another.

Then Olivia and her companions were approaching him. He heard Mellie say something meaningless, and then he was taking in the sight of Olivia’s escort.

Captain Jake Ballard.

Fitz controlled his response as best he could, but inside, a flare of irrational rage seared through his chest at seeing the younger man standing there. With her.

“Captain Ballard.” he managed to say over the sudden pounding in his chest.

“Mr. President.” he said, with a quick salute. “It’s an unexpected honor, sir.”

“Is it?” Unexpected wasn’t the word. Unexpected didn’t begin to describe things.

“One of my superiors couldn’t make it, sir - and when I was requested to take his place, one of my co-workers was kind enough to allow me to join her table.” He nodded to Shireen, who was next in line with Harrison beside her.

Something in Fitz’s chest eased a little at his explanation, but the initial heat that had flared through him feeling did not go entirely away. It simply simmered, but gave no sign that it was going to die. He knew without thinking about it that the the coil of heat in his chest was not going to die down for the rest of the night. The truth did not please him.

He turned to Olivia, who put out a hand in greeting. As always, he found himself enjoying the feel of hand in his, how small and delicate it was in his. For a moment, their eyes met and for a moment, once again, he couldn’t see anyone but her.  She smiled at him and he wondered if there was something more in her gaze than just a simple greeting.

Fitz realized that he wanted there to be more.

Without thinking, his thumb caressed her fingers in an all-too-familiar gesture; one that brought unwanted memories to them both, then the moment was passed and she was moving down the line, away from him. Fitz was introduced to the rest of her group, their names and faces coming and going in a blur though he did note that two of them were associates from her firm. He wondered at that briefly, but the thought was a fleeting one because too soon, the six of them were moving off into the growing crowd and he was forced to welcome the rest of his guests.

Fitz kept smiling and welcoming the others in line, not turning his head in either direction, knowing that Mellie was surely watching to see if he’d react to Olivia’s presence. He was damned for sure not going to give his wife the satisfaction.

//**//

In the meanwhile, once Olivia and the others moved beyond the reception line, there was a waiter standing by to glance over their tickets and then escort them to their assigned table. They were close enough to have a clear view of the dance floor but not so close to the orchestra so as to be disturbed.

“Wow.” Abby said, looking around trying not to appear impressed. She was clad in a long fall of deep green silk that set off her coloring perfectly. Her date for the evening was U.S. Attorney David Rosen. Their attraction to one another was the worst kept secret at OPA, but for now, since they’d proved to be no liability to them, neither Olivia or the rest of the associates had remarked upon it. Yet.

It had been Olivia who had asked him to come as a favor. When he asked why, she was honest enough to tell him that she couldn’t tell him the exact reason, but it might be useful to them both at a later time. David, resentful at her he might get from time to time, also knew her well enough not to argue. After all, it couldn’t hurt to be seen at a White House function, could it?

But Olivia Pope did nothing for a reason; he only wished he knew what that reason was.

//**//

About an hour later, all the guests had arrived. Fitz gave a short speech that welcomed them all and then he and Mellie stepped out onto the floor for the first dance. As always, their act as the perfect couple held true as they danced alone for a few minutes beneath the spotlight. He even managed to smile down at her. All for the benefits of the cameras, of course.

“Well done, Fitzgerald.” Mellie said, flashing her own false smile. “Now, let’s hope you can maintain yourself for the rest of the evening.”

“Well, since we won’t be forced to remain joined at the hip for the entire night, I think I might actually be able to manage a genuine smile sometime tonight while I enjoy myself - wouldn’t you agree?” They were both so good at pretending in front of others, he thought. How ironic it’s going to be to see these pictures in some magazine with banners proclaiming them as the first couple.

It was almost laughable.

Mellie did laugh, but it lacked warmth. “You’re right. Playing the gracious hosts does have some perks - and I have every intention of enjoying myself. And one of the most enjoyable things I intend to do tonight is watch Olivia Pope and her just-her-age and very handsome date enjoy themselves. Together.” She watched him carefully to see if her verbal hit had scored.

“They made a very lovely couple - very well matched.” The venom in her smile was deadly. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

Before he could answer, the song changed and other couples also began to join them on the dance floor. Fitz didn’t answer her but continued to dance because it was expected of them. He looked at her from time to time because that too was what he was supposed to do, but he had nothing else to say to her.

After they shared another dance, they were then forced to make the rounds of several groups of people that were gathered in conversations or else seated at the tables that ringed the room together. At least an hour had passed before they could finally escape from one another.

Mellie, as always, played her role to the hilt. Just before she left him, she leaned over and touched her cheek to his in a faux kiss.

“I don’t need to remind you to watch how much you drink tonight, do I?” she whispered in his ear. “Do try to enjoy yourself without it - and her.”