Author's Note: What's up, y'all. I said that I would write a VermontGate fic a couple of weeks ago and I am a woman of my word. Since I start each year with a new story (see my profile under the SSS subheading for the deets), you guys will be seeing another SCANDAL-ous offering between the 31st and the 2nd of the year. I'm currently stuck in my drafting for Loose and Shattering right now but I'll power through it soon. Writing smut, especially hot and long awaited canon, fill in the blanks smut cures writer's block for me. Who knew? Anyway, keep your alerts, your Tumblr dashes, and your Gladiating hearts open for more CMW2/Trumpetnista offerings of all kinds. Be safe and sane out there. Have a good 2013-2014 transition.

Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"

" …when it looked like there was a chance for us, I brought the land and I had it built. I couldn't really be mayor but you can make jam. And there are bedrooms for lots of kids…this was going to be you and me raising a family and growing old together in this house. It was supposed to be our house Livvie. And I just wanted you to see it at least once. At least once before I sell it. I wanted you to see the dream…"

The words resonated through Olivia Pope's mind and spirit like blows upon a gong. Was he serious? Of course, he was serious. Regardless of everyone and thing that kept them apart, Fitzgerald Grant III did not play around when it came to them. He had lied, he had maneuvered, he had even killed in the name of their Bond and what floored her was that just the sheer thought of them being together legitimately motivated his latest…he built them a house! He built them a manor! He had picked a quiet, secluded, beautiful place and built them a home to be together in, to make a family in. The Trail, the Election, Amanda Tanner, America's Baby, Defiance, the murder of Verna Thorton, her ill advised dalliance with Jake Ballard, B613, Operation: Remington…so many big and small things that they been through. So much pain that they had inflicted upon each other, her to him more than him to her, and yet…he never gave up. He never changed his devotion, even in his fiercest, most hateful rage towards her and everything she had helped perpetrate, his endgame had never changed.

She was his endgame, the one person in the World, other than his children that he deeply, unconditionally loved…and now, it seemed that he was teetering on the precipice of giving up for good, not because of him but because of her. Just her. Not Eli Pope and his dark deeds, not Cyrus Beene and his patented form of emotional terrorism in the name of the republic, not even Mellie Grant and her sugared arsenic. He was ready to lay down arms and sell their home and a tangible piece of their future because of her.

No.

Please, no…

Olivia moved forward swiftly and claimed his mouth, pulling him to her possessively, needily, lovingly…don't give up on me, baby. Please, please, please don't give up on me, on us...

Fitz responded to her immediately, his hands caressing her and holding her to him with equal fervor. His body was warm, his arms were strong and right where they belonged. He tasted of coffee, cranberries, scotch, and just pure Fitz, pure love, pure…home.

This beautiful man was her home.

His face was a study of disbelief and rapture as they broke for much needed air. Questions blazed through his seeking gaze. Why had she just kissed him? Why had she stopped kissing him? Was she going to do it again? What did all of this mean for them, now? Was there still a them to begin with? After all, wasn't she with Jake, now? Did she want him to sell the house? Did she want to keep it? Was she going to run away again? Did she actually have to run away? Was she in danger from B613, her father? Could he help her? Did she…

Leaning forward, her next kiss was soft and tender, one of her hands guiding his to the front of her long coat. They would hash it out later. Right now, she wanted to touch and be touched. She wanted to make love. She wanted to make love with him in their house, the house that he had built for them.

She wanted to not only see the dream but live it, if only for a night…

He nodded and nimbly undid the buttons, sending the coat to the floor with a low whoosh. She shivered as he drew their lower halves together and she ground hard against his arousal, advancing them towards the sitting area. Ending the kiss, she pulled the beige tarps covering the long, wide couch sectional off and he put them in front of the fire, his body primed to pounce on hers. Giggling to herself, she dodged his grasping hands and shoved him onto the couch firmly. Surprised laughter lapsed into a soft groan as she clambered eagerly onto him, putting his cell phone on a nearby table after it fell out of his jeans pocket.

Anger, frustration, and fear had kept her from really focusing on his appearance before but she could feel her arousal deepen as she caressed his chest. While he could certainly fill out a suit, she liked him best in causal wear. He was more approachable, more organic, more hers in his causal wear. Not that it truly mattered. He could be wearing nothing and he'd still be hers in all the ways that mattered.

Mellie had him legally but she had him primally, emotionally and for all practical purposes, Olivia was his wife, his soulmate, his other half.

No amount of inner denials and excuses nor passive aggressive judgments from outside, unworthy, ignorant parties could change that.

His hands followed the bend of her knees up to her hips and she leaned forward, kissing his cheeks, his neck, his smiling lips. Their shoes hit the floor and he sat up, presumably to put her underneath him. Before he could, Olivia slid her hands under his forest green sweater and moved it upwards, prompting him to raise his arms so it would come off. Finding the freckle at the base of his neck, she kissed it firmly and flicked her tongue over the pounding pulse point there. Fitz unclasped and unzipped her slacks and she squirmed out of them, discarding them carelessly. Again, he moved to reverse them and she shoved him back, placing her palms firmly on his shoulders. Meeting her gaze impishly, he tried to move again and she made a motion as if she were going to get off of him entirely.

"Where do you think you going?", he grumbled while spanning her middle with his hands.

She batted them away and pressed a sloppy kiss to the underside of his jaw as she stretched out over him.

"Stay where I put you…Mr. President."

The purring way she said it never failed to melt his mind before and that certainly hadn't changed. The tip of his tongue went over his lower lip but he remained obediently still as she stroked down his body, following the trail of hair and dipping her tongue into his navel. Scooting back and getting up on all fours, her black bikini clad ass in the air, she unbuckled his belt nimbly, pulling it out and playfully snapping it like a whip in the air.

"Olivia…",he growled warningly as she looked speculatively between the belt and his wrists.

"If I wanted to, you'd let me and we both know it."

Still, the belt was dropped on the floor and he was very helpful in removing last of his clothes, leaving him bare, wanting, and hers to enjoy. This time, she allowed him to sit up and she moved out of the way so he could switch sides of the couch. He initiated their next round of kissing and she melted against him, his fingers undoing the buttons on the back of her blouse swiftly. If she could crawl inside him, she would. Fitz's face was drunk with pleasure as he gently removed the blouse, revealing a bra that matched her panties, panties that she discarded like they burned. She was burning up with need, a raw, near desperate need for his touch, his kisses, him moving inside of her…

She shivered as her bra came loose and his fingers trailed fondly over her back, the fabric cast away. Skin on skin, finally. In his arms again…yes, she needed this! She wanted this! Moving apart, they sat staring at each other, becoming familiar with each other again. She ran her fingers through his hair and he stroked her sides, her trembling abdomen. Fitz moved to kiss her and their noses bumped, prompting her to smile and return to his lap. Both of his hands went to her ass and drew her slowly onto his waiting, throbbing arousal.

Gasping, she let her head fall back as his lips blazed tender trails over her collarbone, the tops of her breasts, her cleavage. His moans were soft but raw, murmurs of her name and 'yes' as she began to ride him. Her arms wrapped around him and her wrists crossed as they fell into a fluid rhythm, slow and hard to make them both shiver. In her peripheral, she saw one of his cherry red ears and remembering how much he enjoyed it, she captured the top of it and suckled, nipping at it to make him groan.

"Fitz…"

Her climax slammed into her out of nowhere and before she could stop herself, she buried her face in his neck and screamed hard. Loud. Raw. Passionate. Her heart pounded in her ears and his knowing fingers stroked her, prolonging the near painful pleasure until she tried to squirm away. Shivering, she looked up at him and he tenderly kissed the tears pouring from her gaze.

After she got her breath back, she was delighted to feel him still hard inside her and curious as to what was going to happen next.

Gentle but firm hands moved her off of him and turned her around. Olivia shuddered as she rose up on all fours and his mouth found her shoulder. She loved when he took her like this. His whole body felt fused with hers and…

A breathless whimper escaped her as he thrust hard into her still quivering walls and she pushed back at him, her fingers digging into the cushion. They were making love. They were making love in their house…

As his hips moved faster, she turned her head to look at her Fitz, to see the sexual and emotional bliss on his face. He lowered his head, seeking a kiss and she gave it to him, gave herself over to the roiling emotions that were bubbling over. Passion. Pain. Want. Need. Devotion. God, yes. Harder, deeper, faster, take me, take me, take me…

"Mine."

She jumped at the hard smack on her ass and nodded fervently, her voice lost in strangled moans, pants, and groans of ecstasy. Yes, yes, yes…fuck me…love me…love me forever…

His head fell heavily on her shoulder and his fingers found her pulsing clit as he started to come. Olivia's eyes snapped open wide as he slammed her back onto him and her whole body quivered in a fierce orgasm, her wordless screams blending with his deep cries. Her body gave out and he followed her, his torso flush with her back. Both of them twitched with aftershocks and a soft sob escaped him as she stroked the base of his neck.

A low buzzing and a loud chiming made them both look towards the table and her coat, respectively. Their phones. She couldn't see the screen on his but she was certain that it was either Cyrus or Mellie, looking for him. The phone vibrated off the table and landed in his shoe, going silent as hers kept up. Slowly, she turned onto her back and he stood up with wobbly knees. After getting his bearings, he eased her up and down onto the pallet of tarps. Picking up two folded blankets from a nearby wicker basket, he handed her one to use as a makeshift pillow. Olivia shifted into his reach and he held her, loosely cocooning them as he was prone to do.

Her phone continued to ring and she slid her eyes shut, focusing on the warmth of his body and the fire. She didn't want to deal with whatever crisis was brewing within OPA. She didn't want to talk to her father. She didn't want to talk to Jake. All she wanted, all she needed was Fitz.

Time was so precious between them and for once, she was going to be utterly selfish and leave whatever fire out there to rage.

"That could be important."

"It could."

The phone in her coat stopped and resumed for another 3 intervals before after the vibration that indicated a voicemail went silent.

"Are you going to…", he started.

"No."

To accent her statement, she curled even closer and matched the soft kisses he was pressing to her neck and shoulders. Exhaustion pulled at her and she nuzzled him, resting her cheek on where his heart was.

The real world would return in the morning, with its duties and responsibilities.

For now, though, it was time to sleep in the arms of the man she adored in the house he had built them with his own time, money, and most importantly, faith.

Faith was a beautiful thing.

Almost as beautiful as love.

"Hold me while we sleep, Fitz."

His arms wound around her and squeezed tightly.

They slept.