Right Here in this Moment

by Fewthistle

Disclaimer: If they were mine (and honestly, Fate has never been that generous to me), there would be no more angst. There would be much kissing and much more than kissing and there would be rejoicing in Otalia-land. As it is, they belong to CBS and Telenext, and other idiots who have squandered a jewel richer than all their tribe.

A/N: This is set in some future time, say five or six months down the road. Canon went to 6/22 and stopped there, as it should. If I even mention it at all.

I am in the process of writing an AU to Natalia's leaving, one which I feel is WAY better than the current load of BS being shown on the air. However, this sneaked out of my brain while I wasn't paying attention, and so I decided I could do both. That one and this much lighter fare. So, I hope that you enjoy. Can't promise when it will be updated, but soon, as I have people who nag me (not mentioning names, of course).

Beta'd only through the first part by the lovely duo of Peanuts and DiNovia. Don't blame them for the rest.

Chapter One

“Sign right here.”

With a flourish of pen and ink, Natalia Rivera owned half of Olivia Spencer's hotel. The fact that she owned all of Olivia Spencer's heart meant a hell of a lot more to her, but half of the Beacon was nothing to scoff at. Looking up, she met Olivia's green eyes, marveling, as she often did, at how colored irises and reflected light could reveal to her the workings of this woman's heart. Just a moment's connection could show her, like Technicolor images across a screen, glimpses of tenderness and love and pride that left her breath caught in her throat like the brambles that clung to Emma's socks when she trudged across the meadow.

“So, how's it feel to be hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt?” Olivia laughed, leaning back against the desk, head tilted back in amusement.

“I knew there was a reason why you were so anxious to sign over half the hotel to me. Don't want to go to jail alone if the Beacon goes under, huh?” Natalia countered, needing to maintain this public image of lightheartedness, at least until they left Olivia's lawyer's office. The rest of her emotions were too near the surface, too overwhelming to trust right now, as she watched the lawyer put the final touches on the paperwork.

“I can't think of anyone else I'd rather share a cell with, baby,” Olivia smirked, her expression relaxed and happy.

“Great. Carrying on a grand tradition of Spaulding, or ex-Spaulding, jailbirds,” Natalia quipped, unable, as ever, to resist the grin that lit Olivia's face. “So, do I need to sign anything else?”

The lawyer looked questioningly at Olivia, who motioned with her head toward the door. With a slight smile, he eased out of the room, leaving the two women alone.

“What? Olivia, what is it?” Natalia asked nervously, as the door clicked shut.

“Nothing,” Olivia smiled, shaking her head gently as she moved to sit in the empty chair opposite Natalia. Reaching out, she snagged the younger woman's hand, amazed for the millionth time at how their hands fit together, fingers interweaving perfectly, like the finest of Gullah baskets. “There are a couple other things that I want you to sign, just to verify that you accept them and the conditions.”

“Like what?” Natalia's eyebrows furrowed a bit over her eyes, leaving a tiny crease that Olivia found adorable.

“A couple powers of attorney forms, one for health care, one for finances, and custody papers for Emma, should anything happen to me,” Olivia said softly, her thumb rasping gently along the back of Natalia's hand. “Nothing major.”

“Um. Power of attorney and custody of Emma? Nothing major? Olivia,” Natalia felt the wave of unease she had been fighting at accepting half of the hotel begin to rise, lapping her mind and threatening to overflow with another drop. “Agreeing to take half of the Beacon was hard enough.”

Olivia sighed, a flicker of exasperation ghosting across her face.

“I thought we covered that, Natalia? Look, I know we can't legally get married in Illinois, not yet anyway, but if we could, all of this would be half yours,” Olivia began, trying not to let her impatience with the conversation creep into her tone.

“Not if your attorney were doing his job, because you'd have an airtight pre-nup,” Natalia began, only to be silenced by the feel of Olivia's fingers pressing softly against her lips.

“Which I would tell him to shove up his ass. Natalia, I've given you the only things that matter to me: my heart and my daughter's heart. The rest is just paperwork,” Olivia said softly, the immense sum of her feelings laid out, the answers to every question, every eternal truth evident in the depths of her eyes.

Natalia's head jerked, nodding quickly as a few tears escaped her eyes to fall silently onto the back of the joined hands.

“So. Custody of Emma? How's that going to work? I mean, Phillip isn't going to hand her over to me.” Natalia's voice mirrored her expression: grave and not a little anxious.

“Actually, he is. I've already talked to him and he's agreed to continue the custody arrangement we have now. Except he'll share her with you. She'll live with you and you'll make all the day-to-day decisions in her life. Just like you do now,” Olivia explained patiently, knowing that Natalia's seeming reluctance had nothing to do with not wanting to keep Emma, and everything to do with two years of watching the malicious machinations of the Spaulding family.

“Why would he do that, Olivia? Sharing isn't a Spaulding trait,” Natalia pointed out, eyes watching the subtle shift of greens in Olivia's eyes as thoughts and emotions rushed through them at warp speed.

“No, it isn't. But Phillip knows that Emma is happy and loved with us. It's why he's been one of our biggest supporters against all the Hillarys and Howards in town. And he knows how much you love Emma. And how much I love you. That's enough for him,” Olivia replied, her gaze distant as she contemplated the enormous change in the man who had once kidnapped her daughter, the man she had sworn to kill.

Amazing the people who find redemption, she thought. Hell, look at me.

“And the power of attorney is something you need to have, especially now that you own half the Beacon. It'll allow you to handle all our finances and Emma's. As for the health care one, I had that drawn up last year. I don't want anyone else making decisions for me. Okay?” Olivia's hands were warm and strong in hers and Natalia allowed that heat and strength to seep into her as Olivia spoke.

“So, I guess I need to do the same thing, right? Have power of attorney papers drawn up for me?” Natalia asked, her eyes scanning Olivia's face, finding the reassurance she needed in her eyes.

“Since we don't have a lot in the way of legal protections, it would be a good idea. The partnership papers will cover us both with the Beacon, but the rest will fall to next of kin. For me, that's Ava. For you, it'll be Rafe,” Olivia explained, her gaze a little worried as she watched the woman she loved.

At the mention of her son, Natalia's expression clouded. She loved Rafe with all her heart, but she knew that he wasn't ready to be left in charge of any kind of decisions, particularly those that concerned her and Olivia. After five months, he still hadn't fully accepted her relationship with Olivia and a tiny part of her worried that he would attempt to keep Olivia from making choices for her should anything happen.

“There's one more thing.” Olivia smiled at her, the corners of those full lips tilting upwards tenderly. “Then we are done with all this tedious crap and we can head over to Company for burgers and ice cream.”

“Olivia. I'm not eight: I'm not as won over by the promise of ice cream as Emma is,” Natalia reminded her fondly. “So, don't even try it. What else is there?”

“You know there isn't much you wouldn't do for a sundae with extra fudge,” Olivia teased. Natalia knew the older woman was simply stalling and she waited patiently until Olivia sighed and relented.

“I also changed my will. My estate will be split three ways, among Ava and Emma and you. And before you argue or tell me you don't want my money, just stop, okay? This is what I want,” Olivia told her firmly, her eyes glowing fiercely.

“Fine. After you're dead, I can just give my share to the girls and we'll both be happy,” Natalia rejoined with nary a flinch at Olivia's glare.

“Natalia. Come on. Don't be like that. I just want to know that if anything happens to me, you'll be okay,” Olivia murmured softly, slipping her arms around Natalia's waist and pulling her close, feeling the sudden warmth of the younger woman's body against her own.

Natalia regarded her evenly for a moment, her expression inscrutable, dark eyes merely reflecting back to Olivia her own image, distorting it a bit, like the flaking, cracked glass of the old mirror in the antique dresser at the farmhouse. After what seemed hours, she finally spoke, her voice as firm and uncompromising as Olivia had ever heard it.

“Olivia, if anything ever happened to you, believe me when I tell you that no hotel, no will, no amount of money, nothing—nothing---could ever make it okay. Ever make me okay. So don't worry about the will, alright? Just worry about staying here with me for the next forty or fifty years. The rest doesn't matter.”

Olivia knew that her tears were falling hot and fast down her cheeks, but she could do little to stem the flow. God, this woman made her feel things she thought she had left abandoned on the road behind her long ago. Made her feel things that she'd only read about in books and seen in god-awful sappy movies. Things that left her as vulnerable as a new born kitten, terrified and blindly seeking out the warmth and comfort of a familiar scent and touch.

Like she was now, pulling Natalia even tighter against her and burying her face in the soft skin of her throat and the silken strands of dark hair, inhaling the scent of grapefruit and lemon. The feel of Natalia's hands moving in abstract circles across her back and the gentle murmur of endearments in her ear eventually smoothed out all the ruffled places in Olivia's soul, the ones she never let anyone else see: the ones littered with insecurities and doubts, the ones trampled down by one too many departing lover, one too many fair-weather friend, one too many devastating loss.

Taking in a few deep breaths, Olivia moved back slightly in the encompassing warmth of Natalia's arms, fingers hastily brushing away the tracks of moisture along her perfect cheekbones, as if deliberate speed would somehow disguise them; as if their swift removal would erase Natalia's knowledge that she had once again brought her lover to tears.

“Fine, then. If you feel that way about it, you can just give me half the farmhouse and we'll call it even,” Olivia smirked, attempting a little unsuccessfully to restore her own emotional equilibrium.

Natalia's smile should have been a warning, but Olivia was too transfixed on the soft glow in those dark eyes to truly notice.

“You know, I was just thinking the same thing. Get that lawyer of yours back in here. You're about to become the co-owner of a farmhouse, a very dirty barn, a couple dozen cows, a few goats, and a flock of very hungry ducks. Think you can handle that, Ms. Spencer?”

Natalia couldn't help but grin at the sight few others had ever been privileged enough to witness. A speechless Olivia Spencer.

To Be Continued...