Damaged

Lieblingsmensch

"They're pretty good," Abby commented, rubbing her arms as she stood beside Olivia on the sidelines, watching the Hampstead Wildcats score yet another touchdown. Olivia watched as the girls, in their blue and white uniforms, shouted even louder, competing to be heard over the crowd.

"They've always been good."

"Your girls are good, too. I'm proud of you, Liv." Abby wrapped an arm around her friend's shoulders, huddling with her for warmth.

"Thanks." She dug her toe into the soft ground, it was only the middle of September – they hadn't had their first frost yet. The loose dirt gave way to the insistent movement of her foot, staining the white toe of her sneaker a light brown. She buried her hands inside her blue jacket, Wildcats Cheer emblazoned across the back.

"Here." She and Abby turned at the sound of a male voice and Olivia grinned. Fitz stood behind her, a steaming cup of coffee in his outstretched hand. "No promises it's any good – I got it from the concession booth. At least it's warm though, right?"

"That's really all I need. Something to warm my hands," Olivia laughed, taking the warm cup and sighing as the heat seeped through to her hands.

"Hi, Fitz," Abby greeted, smiling at him. The last time the two had seen one another was before he and Olivia had broken up. She had taken Olivia's side, of course, but she had also made it clear that she didn't agree with what Olivia had done. She knew better than anyone else that Fitz and Olivia made the perfect couple – he grounded her in ways that no one else could.

"How's it been, Abby?" Fitz stuffed his free hand in his jacket, sipping at the warm liquid in his cup and wincing at the taste – it wasn't near strong enough.

"Busy."

"Olivia said you decided to go for your J.D."

"I didn't realize you two were speaking again," Abby raised a brow in surprise, sneaking a glance at her best friend who was off to the side, speaking with her squad. "But yes, I am."

"We've been talking a lot. She let me take her out to lunch yesterday. As friends." He shrugged. "She said she was going to mention to you that I've been looking for a secretary."

"She texted me about it last night. When do you need my resume?"

"It would have been nice about a month ago when I first told her," Fitz chuckled, "Her medicine makes her forgetful, sometimes. Anyway, I've been dragging my feet on hiring because I assumed you would apply. It's yours if you want it, Abby. I can text you later with details. It won't be too glamorous at first, but it will open doors and it's close to home."

"You and your sales pitches," Abby laughed, "That sounds good, Fitz."

"Does she talk to you much?" He inclined his head toward Olivia where she stood, rushing her girls toward the middle of the field.

"Some, but she's holding back on something. She's been having nightmares about what Edison did to Jason, Liam, and..." Abby's blue eyes brimmed with unshed tears. It was hard for her to speak about Chris. They had been as close as any brother and sister, and losing him had been hard. Especially when she had lost him the way she had.

"I sometimes have nightmares about what Edison did to them and I'm sure you do, too. If it wasn't bad enough that he..." Fitz shuddered. He could imagine why Olivia was having nightmares. She had witnessed what Edison had done afterwards. The rest of them had only had to hear about it and spend months speculating what the murderer had done after the details of the murders had been released to the families. Abby's family had even decided on cremation for Chris – they didn't want to explain to everyone why an open-casket funeral was out of the question.