When The Past Comes Knocking

By: Magical

Disclaimer: I don't own Scandal or any of her amazing characters; that right belongs to ABC and the extraordinary Sharonda Rhimes.

Summary: It's been about three years since the Season One Finale. Olivia has recently had a dramatic shift in her life when tragedy strikes her family. However, before she even has time to adjust and breathe, she gets an urgent phone call from First Lady Mellie Grant in the middle of the night saying she needs Olivia's help.

Prologue

August 2011

After zipping up her toiletry bag, Olivia carried the bag from her personal bathroom into her room and set the bag down next to two large suitcases. Then with a heavy heart, she took a cursory glance around the room that she has called her own for the last four months. She couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips as she took everything in. She felt so attached to this room, as if it was an old friend. The feeling was very similar to how she felt when she sold her mother's house after her mother's passing several years ago. There was a lifetime of memories in that house; every square foot of it could tell you a different story of her childhood. Some might say how could she even compare the two? But then again every square foot of this room had a story to tell as well. So much of what Olivia thought she knew about life and even herself had changed in the past few months. She definitely was not the same person she was when she first entered this room.

The soft trill of her phone pulled Olivia from her internal assessment. She looked down at the caller ID and smile when she saw who it was. "Stephen, you know that you all do not have to take turns calling to check on me," she greeted him. Since yesterday afternoon, she was almost positive if she looked at her call logs she would see that Abby, Stephen, Harrison, and even Huck have been systematically calling her every few hours. "I leave for the airport shortly and I should be in D.C. by 7:00 this evening." The thought of being back in D.C. caused a bittersweet smile to spread over face.

Olivia was more than ready to be home. Islesboro, Maine has been kind to her the past four months, but it was just too slow here. She was going through some serious withdrawals of the cut-throat fast pace tempo that the Nation's capital provided. And yet there so much here she wasn't ready to leave, as well as, some things at home she wasn't quite ready to face.

Ready or not though, she would be home this evening just as she promised Stephen before rushing him off the phone stating she was getting her stuff together. To be honest she had done most of her packing during the wee hours of this morning; the few miscellaneous items she still had left to pack away she had just zipped up. Packing was the last thing she wanted to spend her time doing right now; she had more important matters to attend to.

After pulling all her bags out into the hallway, Olivia stood in the doorway of her room. Giving the room one last look, Olivia was quickly flooded with all her memories of the last four months. Closing the door behind her, she pulled her bags to rest at the top of the stairs of the captivating neoclassic house that has been her home for the last few months.

The house belong her cousin, Lily, and her husband, John Morgan. The house was massive at 9,360 square feet, with six bedrooms, six bathrooms, two half bath, a expansive kitchen, and plenty of living and recreational room. If that wasn't enough space, the house itself sat on ten acres of land. It had once belonged to John's uncle, Wesley Morgan, who raised John. John's father died in the service before he was born and then his mother, Wesley's sister, died while giving birth to him. So when Uncle Wesley became sick two years into John and Lily's marriage, they came to the Maine in order to oversee the care that Uncle Wesley was receiving. On Uncle Wesley's deathbed two year after that, he thanked them for filling his final days with joy and peace. Uncle Wesley also left the house and all his money John.

After some discussion John and Lily decided to stay, because it seemed like the perfect place to raise the big family they both desired. That was nine years, hours in a fertility clinic, and two painful miscarriages ago. All six hundred and two people that resided in the small town of Islesboro knew of the tragedy that befell the Morgan family. It was for this reason that everyone was so excited when news broke that Lily was pregnant again. Moreover they felt their hearts warmed when it was said that Lily's cousin from Washington D.C. was coming to town just help Lily after she had been order to bed rest during the last trimester of her pregnancy.

This was another reason that Olivia was ready to get out of Islesboro, Maine. She missed her privacy. Yeah, Washington D.C. might be littered with news reporters trying to get the next scope and politicians always looking for dirt on their opponents, but that was has far as it went. People did not care to know all the little details of your everyday life like they did here in Islesboro. It was driving Olivia mad.

But as Olivia slowly made her way to the largest room on the second floor of the house, Olivia was confronted with the main reason she was having a hard time leaving. Pushing the doors open Olivia was assaulted with what looked like a fairy wonderland. All the furniture was made of cherry wood; the walls painted a beautiful soft shade of green with pictures and figurines of Disney's Fairies all over the room. Lily had always been partial to the little fairy named Tinkerbell in that Peter Pan book ever since they were kids; Olivia never understood the obsession. But then again Olivia was never partial to children things, even when she was a child. In fifth grade Olivia had already read The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli twice. However, even she had to admit this was a fabulous room for a little girl.

Walking to the center of the room, Olivia topped at the big canopy bed that was positioned there. Pulling back the sheer green canopy curtains, Olivia felt her heart swell at the sight of the little girl that lay there. Alayziah Thomasina Morgan. Ally for short, and she is second love of Olivia's life. Ally was born two weeks early on July 15th at 2:13 in the morning weighing in at five pounds 1 ounce and nineteen inches long. She was born at the house since she decided to come during a massive rainstorm and all the roads had been closed. She was already making her own rules; much like her mother.

Lifting Ally from her crib, Olivia cradled the infant against her as she took a seat in the large rocking chair by the window. Ally was asleep after having a full morning, with the business of being christen and all. But Olivia did not care, she could content to watch Ally for hours, whether the little bundle was asleep or awake.

Gently rocking in the chair, Olivia held Ally slightly away from her, so that she could take in all of Ally's little features. Ally was a caramel color, which everyone attributed to Sam's mocha skin tone and John's milky color. She had been born with a head full of reddish brown curls, that Lily is already having a fun time styling. Her nose slightly narrow; everyone thinks she got it from John. People see what they want to see. Ally's lips were full, like most of the women in Olivia's bloodline. And then there was Ally's eyes, Olivia had been breathless the first time she saw them; they were big oval shaped eyes with bright gray irises. Memorizing her features – since it would be the last time she could spend time with Ally like this for a while – Olivia gently creased her cheeks and rubbed her hands.

Olivia was so caught up that she didn't hear when Lily came and stood in the doorway of Ally's room. "Liv, the car is here to take you the airport," she said softly. "John is putting your bags in the trunk." It was breaking her heart to see her cousin go; the two of them were so close. To be honest, Lily felt like Olivia was more of a sister to her than a cousin. And she how hard all this was for Olivia, but that this was the way things were. Olivia's life was in D.C., while her life and the lives of her family were here in Islesboro.

For days Olivia had been preparing herself for this moment. She had always known it was going to be hard; but even in preparing for the inevitable Olivia could not stop the tears that swelled in her eyes. She wasn't ready to let go, but she responded with a shaky whisper, "Okay; just give me a minute." She glanced at her cousin with a sad smile as she spoke.

Lily nodded her head. "Of course," responded with a sad smile that mirrored Olivia's. "Just bring her downstairs when you come." Lily did not wait for Olivia to before going downstairs with John.

Looking back down at infant in her arms, Olivia was pleased to see that Ally had opened her big gray eyes. "Hey there, my love," she smiled through her tears. Then Olivia couldn't help the little laugh that escaped her lips when Ally smiled at her. But the joy was only short lived when Olivia realized that she wasn't going to be able to see it again in person for a long while. "Oh I am going to miss you so much," she cried as she hugged the infant gently against her.

As she held Ally, Olivia looked ahead at the 24x18 exquisite black and white photograph of where Ally's mother was pregnant with her. You can't really see her face, because she was looking down at her stomach and the camera angle away from her face. She was wearing a white halter maternity dress and from a profile view Ally's mother is caressing her large baby belly. Closing her eyes against the picture, she gave herself a few more moments. After getting herself under control Olivia went downstairs.

John and Lily were both waiting patiently in the foyer. Wordlessly, Olivia handed Ally to Lily, her hand gently lingering on Ally's arm. She looked at Lily; there was so much she wanted to say, but she had no words. Instead Olivia felt the traitorous tears swell in her eyes again.

Saving her cousin, much like Olivia has saved her in her past, Lily handed Ally to John and embraced Olivia tightly. "It's ok. Everything is going to be ok," she reassured her. "We always knew today would come."

Olivia nodded in agreement. "I know," she conceded. "But I hate that she is going to forget me, and I am going to miss out on so much." Lily is one of the few people that Olivia has always felt totally comfortable around to be this open and vulnerable.

"No she won't," Lily shook her head as she pulled back for Olivia to see you. "Or did you already forget our weekly Skype chats with Auntie Liv." She gave Olivia an encouraging smile; then turn completely serious. "I promise that she will never forget you Liv, and I am going to document everything," she promised. Then she hugged Olivia to her once more. "Because without you she would not be here; I will forever be grateful for all you have done … for all you sacrificed." She pulled away again to look Olivia in the face. "Do you hear me?" She searched Olivia's eyes for her answer.

Nodding her head, Olivia attempted to compose herself again. "I love you," she told Lily with a hug. Then she looked at John. "Both of you," she said with a little smile. Holding Ally at one side he pulled Olivia to his other and hugged her to him.

John was raised as an only child; his mother and his uncle where the only children his grandparents had. John was his mother only child and his uncle never had any kids … he never even married. With that being said, John had always envied the relationship Lily and Olivia shared. But in the past few months he had come to see Olivia as if she was a sister to him. She now has her own special place in his heart outside of Lily. "Make sure you take it easy," he cautioned her. "And I love you too." He gave her a brotherly kiss on the head.

Knowing that if she didn't get out of the door soon, she would miss her flight; if she missed her flight, she didn't know if she would ever leave. Saying her final goodbyes to Lily and John, Olivia kissed Ally on the head and rushed out the door. She told the driver to go and took everything in her to not look back. As they pulled out of the driveway, Olivia knew she was closing a chapter in her life. In terms of time it was a small chapter, but it was a chapter that has redefined her whole life.

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"Oh my; she is a gorgeous little thing," Abby exclaimed as she looked through the pictures Olivia had of Ally in her purse. "You said that she is seven weeks?"

Wanting to feel like a big girl after the emotional breakdown she had just hours ago at her cousin's house, Olivia had insisted to Stephen that she could get herself home from the airport. She thought for sure he had listened until she saw him waiting for her by the baggage claim. When she saw him – though she would never admit it – she was happy that he didn't listen to her. However, for a moment she had begun to second guess that private sentiment when instead on taking her home – where she desperately wanted to be – he brought her to some office building.

After much coaxing she followed him into the building, through the lobby and up the elevator. They went all the way to the top floor before the elevator pinged open. Abby, Huck and Harrison was standing in the hallway with a warm welcome as they revealed her new office to her. Now they were all in the conference room having a celebratory glass of wine.

"That's right. Seven weeks; she was just christen this morning." Olivia smiled with pride. "That's auntie's baby," she said with a sigh as she took another sip of her wine. Her team had been quizzing her about her time away since they popped the cork on the first bottle of wine; they were on their third.

Stephen came over and picked up one of the photos. "What is her name again," he asked as he began going through the other photographs.

"Alaiyziah Thomasina Morgan."

"That's a mouth full," Harrison chimed in from the other side of the conference table. "How did they come up with that?"

Taking a deep breath explained. "Lily has always been big with names. Alaiyziah means product of an undying love; as soon as she came across it Lily knew there was nothing else could name her."

"And Thomasina?" Olivia could hear the disapproval in Abby's voice.

"That was Lily's mother's name; my aunt," Olivia stated as she opened a fourth bottle.

Stephen sensing Olivia's uneasiness he interjected, "So what do you think of the office?" He was actually curious to know.

Thankful for the save Olivia graciously looked around the office again. "It has a lot of potential." They already had most of the basic furniture in the office, but she still needed to add her touch. She was getting ready to say something further when they hear the front of the office open.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and walk out into the foyer area. Standing there was a woman with a slightly torn dress, shaking noticeable. "Umm, I was told I might be able to find someone that can contact Olivia Pope here," the woman said in a soft voice.

"What do you want with her," Harrison asked.

"I was told that she was good at helping and I really her help," she said on the verge of tears.

Olivia stepped forward then. "What kind of help," she asked.

"I just killed my cop husband," she exclaimed as the tears fell, "after years of abuse."

Olivia did a quick cursory glance around the room at her team. Their expressions all told her what she needed to know; they were all on board. So walking towards the woman, Olivia gave her a welcoming expression. "Welcome to Olivia Pope and Associates."