"What do you mean she's gone?" Fitz asked not entirely grasping the concept of what Cyrus had told him. He had just returned from being away for the G8 for three weeks. With the exception of Cyrus and his two kids he hadn't spoken to anyone else.

"I haven't seen nor spoken to her since that night at the restaurant." Fitz's heart dropped to the floor. That was the night he told her that he was letting her go and the moment the words were out of his mouth he wanted to take it all back. Her face may have held the brave facade she wanted to project but it was always her eyes that betrayed her and he saw how much he had hurt her by agreeing to let her go even if she had been pushing him to do it.

"Do we know if she's alright?"

"She checks in with her staff regularly and she assures them she's fine."

"She's not at home?"

"I tried to see her after you'd left but no one was answering."

"Do you have any idea where she could be?" Cyrus shook his head. He had tried all the possibilities he could think of and it always came up empty. He even had Charlie look for her but when he couldn't find her Cyrus guessed that Huck had a hand in making her untraceable.

"Please keep trying."

"Of course." Cyrus answered knowing it would be futile to argue, even if he knew that if Olivia Pope did not want to be found, she would remain hidden. With no one but her gladiators as family there was no else she could be tied to.

When word got out months later that Olivia Pope and Associates had closed without warning Cyrus wasn't quite sure how to break it to the President. For months he had Tom searching for her and always came up with nothing which meant she did not want him to find her.

"It was only a matter of time Cy. I think we both knew from the very beginning that she was never going to come back." He knew it was the only way she felt they could both move on from each other.

When Fitz had declared he was letting her go, it literally knocked the wind out of her. Sure she pushed and begged for him to let her go but never did she imagine he ever would. She knew that she had pushed him too far and too hard. In the end as much as it hurt, she knew that it was the right thing to do. As much as they may have loved each other, it was wrong. He had a wife, children and he was the president. How they ever thought it could or would ever work was unrealistic.

"Hello..." Fitz answered his private and secure line wearily. It had almost been a year since he had used that phone and there were only a handful of people who knew the number.

"Mr President, this is Huck."

"Huck, is she okay?" Fitz asked sitting up immediately alarmed.

"Sir, I need to see you. Alone, somewhere secure. It's important."

"Of course." Fitz answered without hesitation knowing that Huck would ensure they would be somewhere secure.

"I'll call your security detail to let them know the specifics. I'll see you tonight at 10pm."

"Huck,"

"She's okay." Huck answered the question unanswered.

Life without Olivia and not knowing where she was ate at him knowing that he could be mad at her for bolting, but he did let her go and they both knew that for as long as they stayed in the same vicinity they would always find their way back to each other. There wasn't a single moment where he didn't miss and long for her, wishing he was with her.

Fitz counted the hours till he was due to leave to meet Huck. He, Tom and Jack who replaced Hal were the only ones who knew of that evenings plans. Liv's absence had brought him closer to Cyrus, but he knew that Cyrus would still find it foolish that he was sneaking off to see one of Liv's trusted.

A short drive, and an elevator ride later Fitz was knocking on an apartment door. Huck answered and let his security detail sweep the loft apartment while Fitz stood anxiously by the door wondering why he was there. When the apartment was cleared Jack and Tom gave Huck a nod before closing the door behind them leaving Fitz alone with Huck.

"There is something I have to tell you, but there are rules."

"Okay,"

"What I tell you, remains in this room. No matter what you find out tonight stays between you and me."

"Huck, get to it." Huck shuffled where he stood before turning to seemingly grab something from the other room. Fitz gasped as his eyes fell on a chocolate coloured newborn in Huck's arms. The eyes and the curls confirmed immediately whose child it was.

"Her name is Isobel Grace Pope." Fitz's eyes filled with tears as Huck placed Isobel in his arms. Olivia had given her his mother's name Grace. She was beautiful. Though his own features were prominent in the little girl in his arms, she was all Olivia and he couldn't love her more.

"Where's Liv?" He asked,

"She's not here. She wanted you to meet your daughter, to not deprive you of seeing her just after she was born."

"You said there were rules,"

"She's your daughter, Liv isn't going to get in the way of you knowing her, spending time with her. She's happy for you to see her as often as you would like, but I will be there. At least till she's a little bigger. How you handle it with your family is up to you. Liv has asked that Bellie's existence not be announced to the world, at least while you are the president as she doesn't want Bellie's first few months be tarnished with a scandal nor does she want Bellie to be named the first bastard child of the United States of America." Fitz flinched but understood that Olivia's main goal was to protect their child.

"Liv doesn't want to raise Bellie in DC, she still prominently known and would rather not have to be questioned. Should you choose to want to be a part of Bellie's life she'll make a way."

"I want to talk to her. I know I don't have a right to ask but I need to talk to her." Huck nodded.

"She's due for a feed. Would you like to feed her? Liv expressed milk for her earlier."

"I'd like that." He said not once tearing his gaze away from his baby girl. Huck left the room to warm her milk before handing it to Fitz who expertly began to feed his daughter. When she was done he burped her and lulled her back to sleep.

"I love you little one. So much so that it hurts."

Olivia knew that she would have to talk to him eventually so when Huck had dropped her a message she called. Huck handed Fitz the phone taking Isobel from him to put her in her bassinet before giving him some privacy.

"Liv," Olivia closed her eyes and told herself to pull it together, his mere voice threatened to undo her.

"Yeah,"

"She's beautiful."

"She's a miracle." Olivia answered missing her daughter immensely.

"Liv,"

"No."

"I haven't said anything yet Liv," he replied with a chuckle.

"I want to give her her best chance Fitz. I know without a shadow of doubt that you love her, but you know as well as I do what her existence would mean to the world, and how cruel they will be to her. I don't want her growing up with that following her wherever she goes. I am not depriving you of being her father. The door is always open to you and she will grow up knowing who her father is and how much he loves her. I am asking you to put her first." What she was asking was to protect Isobel and he couldn't begrudge her of that.

"I want to be a part of her life as much as I can, but I understand if you want to raise her away from DC. All I ask is that it be close enough for me to steal away to every so often."

"I'm sure we can sort something out." She reassured him.

"Liv..."

"No,"

"Really?" He said in disbelief still yet to complete a sentence.

"I won't see you. I can't do this again with you. You let me go remember."

"I'm sorry." He said regretfully

"Don't be. I pushed, and I got what I pushed for. Admittedly it surprised and hurt me but it was the right thing to do Fitz. There was never going to be a happy ending for us. Don't be sorry for letting me go."

"I miss you."

"And I miss you." She confessed with a heartbreaking sigh.

"Then let me see you. Be here." He begged

"And what catch a glimpse of what we'll never had? No Fitz. This is hard enough." Imagining the three of them together as a family was already painful, but to partake in it, if only for a few minutes had the potential to completely break her.

"I love you,"

"When has loving each other ever been enough?" Olivia asked dejectedly.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to share your pregnancy."

"Me too. I have to go, sort the details out with Huck." Fitz could hear her voice crack with so much emotion that if he could climb through the phone and pull her into his arms, he would.

"Liv..."

"Goodbye Mr President."