Olivia was sitting in her office waiting for her potential client. She was really curious about why he wanted to hire her.

Olivia Carolyn Pope was 30 years old. All she knew was success. It was instilled in her by her parents Rowan & Maya Pope. Success to them meant trying her hardest. She had a younger sister Kimberly who was 25. She was in medical school. They were all close. Olivia worked at a couple of law firms before heading back to California to open up her crisis management firm. With the support of her parents she was building her own empire.

She heard the door open so she stepped out. Her breath hitched. She had seen this man on television countless times. She thought he was good looking, but in person the truth was he was fine. Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third was in her office in the flesh, and her panties were soaked. She dated Jacob Ballard for five years, and not once did she feel like this.

Six months ago she went over to surprise him with dinner. They had recently gotten engaged. She was trying to be more domesticated. The surprise was on her when she walked in to see his secretary riding him like a stallion. She should have been mad, but she was relieved. She had a valid reason to walk away, and she did never looking back.

Olivia put her hand out, "Mr. Grant it is a pleasure to meet you."

"The same Ms. Pope. You come highly recommended."

"I'm sure but I'm not God. I don't perform miracles."

"Okay, please explain."

"I can't save your run for Governor which is sad. You are perfect for the job, but your frigid wife killed it from the moment that you announced. Thank god you have no children that would have been used as chess pieces. I knew one of you was having an affair. You stand apart. Another couple could stand between the two of you. I always thought it was her. You are a saint in the political world which is hard, but you do it. I'm sure to stand apart from your dad, who has had his own brilliant career but I know he didn't always get it on the up and up which is the opposite of you. I'm good Mr. Grant, but no one is good enough to save you."

Fitz stood there stunned. He didn't know what to say. She was right about most of what she said, but it hurt to hear the truth.

"Thank you Miss. Pope for your time."

Olivia realized she never let him speak. She never did that with a client. She treated this man like she knew him. She knew she couldn't save her getting the job, but she had to apologize.

She stopped him, "I'm sorry. I forgot we were just meeting for the first time. This is not how I conduct business."

"So you just talk to your family and friends this way?"

"Truthfully, yes. I'm brutally honest with them. They are the same with me for the most part."

"So you saw me as a friend when I walked in the door?"

"I don't know what I saw Mr. Grant. We shook hands, and I. Wow, I'm not usually speechless."

"I'm sure after the tongue lashing you just gave me. Nevertheless, I could use a friend. I didn't come here for you to save my campaign."

Olivia looked at him in shock. "Well if you can use a friend how about we head into my office, and have a drink. Since I've ruined being hired I can listen."

"You didn't ruin anything. It was just hard to heard the truth from someone who has no invested interest in me. That is all."

Olivia was quiet. All of sudden she was shy. What was this man doing to her? He was married. It didn't matter. Nothing would ever happen.

As she was fixing their drink she looked at the man sitting on her couch. He looked similar to the pictures she had in her folder, but the man on the couch looked tired and defeated. Fitz had recently turned 40. What should have been a wonderful day was a disaster. Someone used his 40th birthday gala to air out his wife's many affairs. Someone had switched out the slide show. It was supposed to be Fitz's life. It started out that way but when it got to college it showed all the affairs including the last one with his best friend and running mate Andrew Nichols.

The news coverage was brutal. They were so busy trashing Mellie, and using it to tank his campaign that no one really saw the pain he was in. His parent Fitzgerald "Big Jerry" & Sharon Grant were by his side. Olivia could tell he had a good relationship with his parents, but he was closer to his mom. She wasn't sure why. He also had a brother. Theodore Grant was 25. She was curious why the large gap. Nothing she read gave her a hint.

She handed him his drink. He took a large gulp. She could tell the sadness was real.

Fitz looked at her, "If we are going to talk then I'm Fitz. You are Olivia. Otherwise I'll feel like I'm in therapy. Not to say that is bad, but right now I can't do that."

"Okay Fitz"

"Thank you Olivia. I came to you because I want to divorce Mellie. Trust me my birthday was the icing on the cake. I married her for all the wrong reasons. I wanted to make my dad happy I wasn't in love with her, but I loved her. I suspected she cheated on me in college, but there was never any proof. I knew of two affairs. Only one did I confront her about. So yes seeing the more than dozen affairs was a shock, but not the reason I am now ready to divorce Mellie. I do want to be Governor and eventually run for President, but truthfully my heart wasn't in it. It wasn't my campaign from the start."

"So if seeing all of the affairs is not the reason for the divorce what is?"

"Because Livvie I want to be me. I want to be happy. I talked to my mom and she reminded me that I haven't been happy in a really long time. I enjoyed being a lawyer. I enjoyed spending time with my brother, being a Big Brother, and enjoying life. I hate throwing my wealth and status around. The world doesn't give a damn that I'm a Grant and worth hundreds of millions. They care about what I can do for them, and right now that answer is nothing."

"Okay so let's fix it. If you don't want me I can find someone to take your case Fitz. Tell me what you want."

"First of all I want a friendship with you. My life sucks and before I called you I read about you. I'm not sure how much of what I read is true. You are a fixer so I'm sure you control the narrative in your life, but it seems like you are going through changes as well. Maybe down the road we can explore why after minutes we feel the way we do. You know what I'm talking about. I'm in no rush. That being said I want you to handle my case. I know your parents have multiple law firms. You partner with them when an attorney is needed. We know I need a divorce attorney. Before you ask yes my family has attorneys, but this is my life. I inherited 500 million dollars when I turned 35. I use it, but not like people would expect. I like working. That was my main reason for coming to you. I want the drama to die down so when I lose, and yes I know I will. I want to lose. I want to work. I want to build my own brand. I know I'm a Grant. There is nothing wrong with that. I just want to build my own brand."

"I will take your case under two conditions."

"And those are?"

"You trust me completely and I will do with the same with you. No secrets ever. You are right I do feel something, but the timing sucks. Most of what you read is correct. He did cheat on me, and I didn't leak the story. His secretary did after he tried to fire her when I dumped him. The other is in four years you will run for Governor again."

"Only if you run my campaign or are by my side."

Olivia wasn't sure what the hell was wrong with her, but she remembered a conversation she had with her mom. She told her to stop trying to force things in her life. Accept things when they came even if it made her uncomfortable or unsure. Everything happens for a reason."

"Deal"

They ended up talking for several more hours. They drank a couple bottles of wine, and talked about anything and nothing. She had forgot to turn her phone on so she didn't know her dad was calling. He headed over to her office.

When he saw his daughter it stopped him in his tracks. He had never saw her be so carefree. Olivia was rigid. Part of it was his fault. She was always trying to please him. That was why he thought she stayed with Jake so long. He was perfect on paper. His family owned several law firms as well. There was talk when they married they would consider a merger. The Pope's were the larger firm. They were international. Jake kissed his ass more than his daughter now that he had time to think, but in the moment he had missed the signs.

He saw her with the Governor. She was relaxed. She knew who he was. He actually felt sorry for him. No one deserved to be embarrassed the way he was on his birthday no less, and although he knew Big Gerry loved his son he was too hard on Fitz. He wanted him to live his dreams. Father and son were alike in a lot of ways, but there were many differences.

He walked into his daughter's office scaring the two. He could see they were waiting for his reaction.

Rowan walked over to them, "Mom just wanted me to check on you. We called to see if you wanted dinner and no answer. Normally you call or text us but you didn't so we kept checking in. I went by your house and you were not home. So I came here."

"Dad, I'm so sorry. I got to talking to Fitz, and we lost track of time."

"Fitz"

"Dad"

Fitz stood up, "Mr. Pope I apologize. I'm not trying to bring your daughter into my drama. Well not in a personal way."

"Son stop. Both of you seem relaxed and happy. My daughter could use that a little more. I know because of me she feels the weight of the world on her shoulders. I put too much pressure on her. For being the oldest and when she decided to become a lawyer. I think that is why her sister went into medicine. Hoping that it would take some of the pressure away. I get it. Unfortunately, the nation has played your pain over and over. They forget people are humans when these situations happen."

"Thanks Mr. Pope. You seem like a great man. After meeting your daughter tonight, you might have been hard, but you raised a jewel. Mr. Ballard messed up. He was lucky to have her. I'm lucky she is helping me, and she has been a great friend tonight. It has been awhile since I could just be myself other than with my mom."

"Dad, I was going to call you tomorrow but Fitz is moving forward with divorcing Mrs. Grant. So I need you to assign someone to assist me."

"Fitz, seems like his is a good man."

"He was good on paper daddy, and the man I met tonight was even better."

"How many times have we tackled a case together?"

"Never, you and mom only handle a maximum of five cases a year. Besides this is a divorce case. You don't handle those anymore."

"Well, this will be our first. Maybe our only one. Before I retire I want to work with my brilliant daughter. I'm sorry I lost sight of my daughter. So let's take care of Mr. Grant here. It'll be fun."

"Sir, I know you are a busy man. My drama is so beneath you."

"Maybe so but everyone could use a bit of humble pie especially me. My daughter almost married a man because of me. She won't admit it with me in the room, but I've always had her on this pedestal and she refuses to ever fall. Until she finally broke up with him I realized how hard that had to be. I want my daughter to be happy inside and out, and I don't want her to fake it for anymore. I'm happy all the time. So should she. So should you Fitz. You might not get the support from your dad at first, but he will come around. I know because I did. Okay."

"Yes sir"

"Oh and Fitz if you and Liv are friends then I expect to see you around, and when the time comes you two do what's right for you. Don't let how you met decide anything. Okay?"

"Yes sir"

Olivia shared a long embrace with her dad. He left.

Fitz looked at her, "Was he right?"

"About what?"

"Why you stayed with Jake as long as you did?"

"Yes"

"Livvie"

Her breath hitched

"I'm sorry. I realize how rude it was to give you a nickname."

"No ruder than it was for me to assume why you were here. Besides I love it. No one calls me that. It is with Olivia or Liv. So I like it."

"Good. I want this friendship, but I'm not going to lie. When the dust settles I want to know where this between us goes."

"Okay."

Both of them left her office knowing that their budding friendship would one day be something more.

A/N-So I had plans to post this story when I finished Bound Together, but I haven't decided how I want that story to end. With me going into surgery I decided to go ahead and post. Trying to make up for the time it has taken me to have the energy to edit and post, and then the time it will take to recover. I hope the readers enjoy this new journey. I look forward to hearing from you.