Otalia fic - Facing the Truth, 1/?

Title: Facing the Truth, (1/?)

Fandom: Otalia

Rating: PG (if I continue, something higher later)

Spoilers: Yep, for recent and upcoming episodes.

A/N: I do write serious fics sometimes. This is one of them. If you all like it, I’ll be glad to continue it. Since I read some spoilers for this coming week, I’ve been dying to write this.

Summary: Natalia runs away from her feelings, but Olivia can’t deny how she feels. Will she stop Natalia from making a mistake with Frank?

 

 

She runs her hands over the ornate wood of the door, waiting a moment before entering in case a lightening bolt would see fit to fly out of the clear blue sky and strike her down. She hadn’t been inside a church, deliberately or purposefully, for a long time. She had given up on faith or love or even hope until Natalia Rivera entered her life. The woman was a walking contradiction. One moment she could spout off church doctrine and Bible quotes and the next she could stand beside you while you blackmail Springfield’s closeted lesbian mayor and even be gracious about it. Was it any surprise that she gave Olivia mixed signals and now the hotel mogul stands in front of a church following her own personal Pied Piper to her demise?

 

A tug on her skirt got her attention, “Mommy, why is Natalia marrying Mr. Frank?”

 

“That’s what people do when they love each other, honey,” she watched Emma play with her gloves and shift in the uncomfortable flower girl dress. Even if she got to dress up, it wasn’t much fun for her. Olivia completely identified with her daughter at that moment.

 

“But you love Natalia, right?”

 

Olivia swallowed down the bitter bite of tears, “Of course I do.”

 

“Then why did we move?” Olivia sqatted as best she could in front of her daughter.

 

“Because we can’t stay there with Natalia and Frank,” Olivia couldn’t form the words to say, “And my heart can’t take that much pain.”

 

“Why not?” 

 

“That’s what people do when they get married. They live together and not with a bunch of other people around.”

 

Emma looked down, thinking over what her Mom had said, “If we lived there then and there weren’t a bunch of other people around, does that mean that you and Natalia were married?”

 

“No, honey. It doesn’t, and no, we weren’t married.”

 

The little girl scrunched up her eyebrows, “It seemed like you were.”

 

Olivia let out a rush of air. Trying to explain something like this was hard under normal circumstances, but it was harder with an exasperating eight year old hanging on every word.

 

“Yeah, maybe it does, but we weren’t, okay? We’ll find a nice house and make it a home of our own, ‘kay?”

 

Emma genuinely smiled this time, “’kay, but I want Natalia to move in with us.”

 

Olivia screwed her eyes shut and pushed the heavy wooden door open. Me too, honey, me too. Jane was already there so she shuffled Emma off to let them get her ready. She looked around and saw a door to the right with a white sign over it that said, “Bridal party.” She assumed this was where everyone was changing and getting ready so she went over and tapped lightly on the door. 

 

Reva poked her head out, “Olivia!”

 

“Can I come in for a minute?” She could hear the sudden stop of movement and talking at Reva’s exclamation, and when Reva looked over her shoulder a moment before stepping back, she knew she had looked to Natalia for approval.

 

Springfield wasn’t a place where secrets lived for long without coming out, and everyone was well aware of the fallout Olivia and Natalia had had in recent months. The first time had been over her and Emma moving out of the farmhouse. Olivia had made sure to do the packing during the week so Emma wouldn’t hear the fighting she knew would come. Somehow she had managed to get through those few days without breaking down and telling Natalia the truth about her feelings. 

 

The second time they fought hadn’t turned out quite the way she expected. Natalia had been still desperately trying to remain friends and Olivia had felt some relief not to be in the house and watch the woman she loved plan her wedding to someone else, but the pain all came rushing back when Natalia asked Olivia to be her maid-of-honor.

 

“You’re kidding, right?”

 

Natalia looked at her in shocked dismay, “Um, no, I’m not. What’s the problem?”

 

Olivia dropped to the bar stool in her new apartment. It was a temporary space, spartan and simple, with unopened boxes littering the wood floor. She wanted to find the perfect place for her and Emma, but nothing had been as perfect as the farmhouse. She put her head in her hands and fought to hold back a condescending laugh.

 

“I just can’t do it.”

 

“Okay,” Natalia didn’t buy it for a minute, and she crossed her arms signaling to Olivia that this conversation wasn’t over and she was bracing for a fight. It was what they had been good at the last few months.

 

“I thought you were my friend.”

 

Olivia did laugh this time and wiped away the beginnings of tears before Natalia could notice, “Oh, I’m your friend!”

 

“But a real friend would stand by me when I get married. Why can’t you? Are you that petty and jealous about it? The one man in Springfield that you couldn’t have so now you’re all pissy about it.”

 

Olivia jumped off the stool and got in Natalia’s face, “Are you seriously that blind? You really think that I want Frank and that’s why I’m upset. Why in the world would Frank appeal to me? At all! He’s boring and dull and in your words, safe and everything you wanted. So, go for it! You’re perfect for each other! Clueless and cluelesser!”

 

In frustration, Olivia turned from her and ran her hands through her hair to get herself back together.

 

“You’re such a bitch!” 

 

Olivia turned back in surprise, “Oh, wow! A real emotional reaction. How ‘bout that? Yeah, I am being a bitch, but did it ever occur to you that I’m doing it to protect myself?”

 

Natalia looked at her with confused brown eyes and Olivia wanted to melt into them. How she turned on the look that got under Olivia’s skin, she’d never know. Olivia had had enough. It was too much pressure and too much weight on her. She had to let it go for good or ill.

 

“It’s too hard to sit back and watch the person I’m in love with marry someone else. I can’t do it, Nat. My heart’s breaking, and I can’t do it. I know I’m usually the strong one, but I can’t take the pain anymore.” Natalia looked even more confused.

 

“But I thought you said Frank…”

 

Olivia reached up and stopped her with a finger to her lips, “I’m not talking about Frank. I’m talking about you, Natalia Rivera. I’m in love with you.”