A/N: This is something that's been in my head for awhile. Fitz and Liv met five years ago but things were complicated and didn't quite work out. Now today, Fitz wants Olivia back. Can they get past their past? What happened five years ago? I've intertwined some things from the show with some personal experiences. Mostly, I tried to show how screwed up these two are. I made their ages closer than in canon for the stories sake.

As always, I don't own Scandal.

Present Day: Washington, DC

She was walking towards him. It had been five years since Fitzgerald Grant last laid eyes on the beautiful woman approaching him and he had missed her every single one of those days. Olivia Pope was exactly as he remembered her, all bouncy curls, plump lips and smooth skin. He heard her laugh float through the air like a song and he saw her lips form into a room brightening grin. She was talking on the phone as she walked and it wasn't until she saw him that she told the person on the line she had to go. She slowly approached him and sat down across the small outdoor bistro table as her smile faded and sadness replaced the glint in her eyes.

"Hi," he said when she sat. He was mesmerized by her, by her beauty, but the look of sadness in her eyes was killing him. Had he caused that?

"Hi," she replied. Her voice missing it's usual confidence.

"We need to talk," he said. There was so much he wanted her to know. So many explanations that didn't come close to being enough.

"What is there left to say?"

"Everything."

"Or nothing. I can't do this, I have to go."

"Olivia, please," he reached out for her as she began to get up, desperate to stop her. She recoiled away from his touch but stayed seated, her eyes fixed on the table's intricate pattern.

"You left me all alone."

5 Years Ago: Santa Barbara, California

He couldn't take his eyes off of the gorgeous girl sitting at the bar. She was absolutely breathtaking. He watched mesmerized as she threw her head back in laughter at her redheaded friends joke. Despite the cool metal of his wedding ring on his finger reminding him he was a married man, he had to meet her. He had to know her. Something about this girl, this gorgeous creature, was pulling him in.

I'm allowed to make new friends, he thought and turned his attention to his friends. "I'm going to get another beer. Anyone want one?"

He slowly approached the bar and internally thanked God that it was a busy Friday night. "Excuse me ladies," he said when he reached the beautiful girl and her friend, "would you mind terribly if I snuck in between you to order a drink?"

The object of his desire looked at him and inclined her head towards a slightly bigger opening further down the bar between two men who looked as though they hadn't showered recently. "There's more room down there," she said.

He looked down the bar at the location she indicated and then back towards her. "True, but I figured you two would smell better."

"How does your wife feel amount you flirting with other women?" Her replies were quick. Almost in rapid fire and there was fire and defiance blazing in her brown eyes.

"I'm allowed to have friends," he replied with a smirk.

"We are not friends," she countered. "I don't even know your name."

He extended his hand towards her for a handshake. "My name is Fitz. Fitzgerald Grant." She took his hand and shook it and he felt a shock go through his system. "And you are?"

"Olivia...Pope."

"Nice to meet you, Olivia," he said. He then turned to her friend and extended his hand, flashing her an award winning smile. "And nice to meet you too..."

"Abby," she interjected. "Abby Whelan."

"Nice to meet you, Abby. So can I sneak in?"

The girls nodded and moved their legs away so he could stand between their chairs, standing just a hair closer to Olivia. She does smell good, he thought then shook his head as if to banish the thought. Get a grip. You're married. He lifted his empty beer in the air once he had the bartender's attention and held up three fingers to indicate another round. The bartender nodded and brought over three more beers for him.

"And another round for these two lovely ladies," he told him. "The tab is under Grant." The bartender nodded his head and walked away to make the drinks as Fitz grabbed his beers and smiled at Olivia and Abby. "Have a good night, ladies."

"My god he was fine," Abby said to Olivia after he walked away.

"He was kinda cocky," Olivia retorted even as she eyed his retreating form. Something about him made her want to know him. She had built up many walls to keep men from breaking her heart but something about Fitzgerald Grant made her want to let him in. She shook her head and turned back towards the bar. He's married, Olivia, she scolded herself. Get a grip. It was then that the bartender returned and placed two new drinks in front of her and Abby.

"Excuse me," she said, "we didn't order another round."

The bartender nodded his head towards Fitz and smiled. "Compliments of that gentleman over there."

Olivia turned in the direction he nodded and saw Fitz looking at them. She mouthed 'thank you' and was rewarded with a face-splitting smile and a lift of his beer as if to say cheers.

Fitz leaned against a wall on the outskirts of the dance floor and watched in amusement as his friends attempted to dance. He felt a gentle tap on his arm and turned to see Olivia beside him. If it was possible, she looked even more gorgeous than she had just a little while before.

"Thank you for the drink," she said as she looked up at him with a smile. She was short. He hadn't realized that when she was sitting but he liked it. Her head would fit perfectly in the crook of his neck. He had to shake his head again to clear the thoughts running through.

"Not a problem," he replied.

She glanced out at the dance floor and then back up at him. "Why aren't you out there dancing?"

"Because I can't dance," he said with a laugh and a nod towards his friends. "And unlike those two, I'm not willing to make a complete fool of myself."

"You can't be that bad. Come on," she replied as she grabbed his hand and started to pull him towards the dance floor. "I'll teach you."

Fitz was about to follow her when the light hit his wedding band, making him stop short. "I'm married," he said when she turned towards him with a questioning look.

"You're the one who said you're allowed to make friends," she said with a shrug then dropped his hand and continued to the dance floor.

Fitz felt the loss of contact immediately but was more stunned by the look in her eyes. She looked hurt and despite barely knowing her he hated himself for being the cause. Without thinking he ran to catch up with her.

"You're right. Teach me." She smiled at him so brightly that he forgot there was anyone else around. You're in trouble, Grant, he thought. So much trouble.

Olivia led him out onto the dance floor, turning so her back was to him and placing his hands on her hips. She brushed her hair to one side and he had to swallow hard to calm down. He assumed it was to avoid hair flying in his face and while he appreciated the effort currently all he could think of was how she would react if he placed his lips there. Or his tongue.

"So you really just need to feel the rhythm. Follow the sway of my hips and try to move in time."

She started to move her hips and Fitz did his best to keep in rhythm with her. When he couldn't quite keep the beat Olivia reached back and put her hands on his hips, pulling him impossibly closer. She moved her hips in a repetitive pattern, twirling and twisting until Fitz caught on. When he finally did, she switched up the pattern, moving her hips slowly. Fitz sucked in a breath of air as she turned around and put her arms around his neck, moving in time with him.

"See, you're not that bad," she said with a laugh.

Fitz looked down at her and felt the overwhelming urge to kiss her. He already had an erection that was threatening his sanity. He wasn't sure if Olivia just didn't notice or had chosen not to say anything, either way he was immensely grateful. He knew he shouldn't be dancing with her but she was intoxicating. It's not like we're having sex, he thought. Fitz smiled at her and realized if he didn't break this spell, things would go too far real soon.

"I need another drink. How about you?"

She nodded and he led her off the dance floor to the bar while trying to think of every un-sexy thought he could muster.

"No you didn't," she exclaimed through hysterical laughter. "You did not streak through your campus!"

"I swear I did," he laughed. "I was at a party and a bunch of my friends bet me I wouldn't do it. I made like $200 bucks off that streak! And I got a couple dates out of the deal."

She was laughing so hard that Fitz really thought she might pass out but he couldn't stop watching her. When she laughed heartily, her whole beautiful body shook and her brown doe eyes shone with amusement. After grabbing two more drinks they found a quiet booth and had been talking about anything and everything for over an hour. It was one of the best hours that he could remember having in awhile.

"Okay. My turn to ask a question," she said once she calmed down. "What did you want to be when you were little? I wanted to be a veterinarian. I loved animals and thought it'd be fun."

"A race car driver." She raised her eyebrows at him and he laughed in response. "What? I was a typical boy! I liked fast cars. My turn. Hmmm... what's your favorite food?"

"Popcorn."

"Seriously," he asked and laughed when she glared at him. "Okay then. Mine is steak, cooked medium rare. Your turn."

"What's one place you've always wanted to visit?"

"Antarctica. I've been a lot of places but I just think that would be amazing."

"No way. I was going to say Antarctica too!"

"You're lying," he replied with a grin. "What's your biggest fear?"

Olivia looked down at her glass and twirled the straw of her drink around. "Love," she said softly. Fitz looked at her until she lifted her gaze to his eyes. "I've been hurt a lot. Every time I think I've found the one, something changes and suddenly it's over. I've gotten so good at being alone because everyone leaves me. I've stopped believing I deserve true love. They always leave me alone." Olivia looked down again when she was done speaking. She wasn't sure what about him made her want to share all of that but she knew he wouldn't judge. She felt perfectly safe with him.

Fitz leaned back in his chair and peered at her curiously. How could she be alone? She was absolutely perfect. The perfect combination of smart, funny, and breathtakingly gorgeous. He knew he could never let her go. Even if she was destined to only ever be his friend.

"Being stuck in my father's shadow." Olivia looked up at him with wide eyes and he smiled reassuringly. "That's my fear. I fear living the rest of my life in his shadow. There is so much expected of me in this life and sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be enough."

"You're enough," she said. The determination had returned to her voice. "You're more than enough."

"And you, Olivia Pope, are amazing and beautiful and if I were a single man I would be doing everything in my power to make you mine. You'll meet the one for you someday. Of that I have no doubt because you. are. amazing."

Olivia slid into the booth across from Fitz and smiled. "Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III. Age 29. Married to Melody Grant for 4 years. Father is a successful lawyer and CEO of Grant & Associates."

"You googled me," he replied with a laugh.

"Something like that."

Fitz leaned back in the booth of his favorite diner in Santa Barbara. After talking with Olivia for hours the other night he had found out that she was a first year law student at Harvard and here for the summer visiting a friend and interning at a boutique law firm. That wasn't enough information for Fitz though. He found that he was thirsty for knowledge when it came to Olivia Pope. Like a man who was lost in the desert, information was his water.

"Well I googled you too," he said with a smirk. "But you're very hard to find, Ms. Pope. Although I did find some adorable photos of you on a youth soccer team."

"I have some friends who are... skilled at computers."

Fitz eyed her carefully and laughed. "You're very vague sometimes." She just nodded in confirmation and he felt his thirst quench the tiniest bit. More information. "What would you like to do today," he asked.

"Show me something."

"Like what?"

"This is your city, right? You grew up here?"

"Yes."

"So show me something you love."

A/N: So let me know what you think of it so far in the reviews. This is going to be a 5-chapter story and I'll interweave their conversation with the background of what happened. I've got a good 2/3 of this written so you should get a pretty regular update. Possibly one per day. And if you're reading After The Storm... sorry. I've got writers block. I will try and update soon. :)