Executive Orders

CH 49 | Glowing Looks Good On Her

"I'm just about to head out for the evening." Harrison said after she'd waved him in. "Just checking in to see if there's anything that you needed before I go."

Olivia started to shake her head, then her gut changed her mind. "Is there anything you can tell me about Huck and the way he's acting?"

Harrison quirked a smile at her. "Are you seriously asking me about Huck acting strange?"

Olivia returned his smile with one of her own. "Okay, how about strange in a new way?"

"In a new way? Yes, and I know why." Harrison grinned at her. "Well, for one thing - because you're glowing."

"I'm - what?"

"You are glowing."

Olivia felt the blood rushing to her face. Was her happiness so apparent? "Glowing?"

"Glowing." Harrison said. "And don't worry - it looks good on you."

He didn't give her a chance to protest. "Even better, you look rested - and that's the opposite of how you looked the last time that Huck and I saw you."

Harrison's smile dimmed, just a little. "I think it's safe to say that Huck blames himself for not picking up on what was going on with you - and not pushing when you told us you were okay."

"We both knew you weren't okay, but we let you go anyway." His expression shifted a little and Olivia saw a flicker of guilt in his eyes. "We shouldn't have done that."

It was her turn to feel guilty and Olivia felt the emotion flood through her with a sharp pain. "Harrison - I should apologize to the both of you - I didn't tell either of you the truth -"

Harrison didn't let her finish. "No." He shook his head, even as he smiled at her. "Don't you even start getting down on yourself over that. It's not in you to look for help - from anyone. Everyone looks to you, that's what you're used to and what we're used to and we all know it."

What could she say to that, especially when it was one hundred percent true?

"I'll try to do better in the future." She said at last.

"Isn't that all any of us can do?" Harrison gave a reassuring smile gestured at the door behind him. "And don't you worry too much about Huck; I don't pretend to know everything that goes on in his head, but I do know that your feeling guilt over something pretty much out of your control is the last thing that Huck would want."

"What about you?" Olivia asked; she took a deep breath. "I didn't tell you the truth either and that makes me feel like I let you down somehow."

"What about me?" Harrison deliberately tried to joke to lighten the mood, but seeing the look in her eyes, he took a serious tone. "That's the last thing I want too - and no, you didn't let me down. Don't worry about any of us, Liv - not about that. Not when we can see that you took care of you, whatever it was that you needed."

She knew that there was truth in what Harrison was saying, but it was a hard truth, one that made it a little hard to meet his eyes.

Harrison read her expression. "I said not to worry about it - you took some much needed time for you and that's all that matters. We know you're good for real this time."

"You do?" Inside, Olivia found herself thanking him for his mostly unspoken support silently. Yes, the two of them have discussed Fitz before, but even so...

Harrison's next words startled her again. "We do." He said. "Didn't I just tell you that you were glowing - I meant it."

In spite of what she'd just told herself, his words sent heat crawling into her face. It's Harrison, she reminded herself. It's Harrison and he already knows and it's okay that he knows.