Later that night, Dawson was animated about her day at school. She just had to tell Olivia about each and every thing that they'd done, and she mentioned Mr. Grant in almost every sentence. Olivia, however, had a busy day at work and had a number of annoying problems come up; she had two meetings, back to back, and the clients weren't quite confident about Olivia's course of action regarding a deal.

Olivia hated to be doubted in any capacity, but she'd personally reviewed the documents associated with the account; she'd made no error in her decisions. But, of course, Olivia wanted to appease her client, so instead of taking her daughter to her ballet lesson, she had to ask her father to pick Dawson up from school at 3:00 and take her. Olivia wanted to make the night special, because she felt incredibly guilty about missing yet another of Dawson's lessons.

Instead of the dinner of spaghetti Olivia had planned to make, she took Dawson out to Carmine's- a place Dawson seemed to love just as much as their home- for some of Dawson's favorite ravioli. Dawson skipped beside Olivia, who strode in her six inch heels toward the restaurant. Olivia thought that they must have looked funny- such different ends of the spectrum. Olivia looked professional, almost severe- while Dawson was an adorable sight in her ballet practice outfit; her black leotard, pink skirt, pale stockings and pink ballet shoes. Her puffy parka was pulled haphazardly over the ensemble- Olivia was always vigilant about the weather, and that evening was particularly chilly. Olivia didn't want for Dawson to make a habit out of wearing her ballet slippers outside of her lessons, but she was always so excited to wear them that Olivia often allowed it.

Olivia had to admit to herself that she hadn't envisioned being the mother of a six-year old- ever. She loved Dawson more than what she could have ever fathomed, however, if she was being honest with herself, Dawson was a mistake. Olivia wouldn't have wanted children with Edison; he was controlling, neurotic and had an overinflated sense of importance about himself. It hurt to even allow herself to think about the precious human singing softly to herself as she purposefully avoided the cracks in the road- as to not break Olivia's back. Olivia's entire life was defined by Dawson, insomuch as she unconsciously divided the parts in her life as 'Before Dawson' and 'After Dawson.' Dawson was her everything, and that was not a mistake.

Thinking about Edison made Olivia angry. Really the only reason she was thankful for his existence was because he gave her Dawson. That was his only purpose in life, in her life anyway.

She wanted to tell Dawson only good things about her Dad- when it was time.

She looked at Dawson's constant leaping, skipping and scrambling, and couldn't imagine dimming that spirit. Was she supposed to tell her baby girl that her father had practically rejected her the moment she was born? That he chose a job over her? That he often claimed he would visit Dawson, but never showed up? Olivia remembered when Dawson was turning two, and Edison called out of the blue and asked to take Dawson to the zoo to celebrate. Olivia was skeptical- she always was when it came to Edison, but she couldn't keep him from seeing Dawson if he wanted to. So, Olivia reluctantly got Dawson dressed in one of her best dresses and pulled her pillow soft hair into puff balls, and waited for Edison to pick her up. He never came.

Olivia couldn't comprehend how Edison could reject his own daughter the way he had. It wasn't her job to comprehend- she'd realized that a long time ago. Edison operated in the best way he saw fit, and he only thought about himself. Dawson didn't need him to be amazing and beautiful- she was doing just fine.

They were seated in Carmine's- Dawson was so tiny, Olivia often worried that she would slide out of the high chairs the restaurant offered, she requested a baby seat for her, and watched her daughter's tiny legs swinging inches above the ground.

Dawson read the menu with expertise, pausing only to ask Olivia a certain word-

"Prosciutto." Olivia answered calmly, as Dawson pointed impatiently to the word.

"Lovie, why not just get ravioli. Okay?" Dawson thought for a moment, pressing her small hand to cup her cheek- this was her default pose.

"Mhkay," Dawson finally answered, putting her menu down and sipping her juice that had just arrived.

"Can I see that please?" Olivia asked of Dawson's apple juice. Dawson pushed out her lower lip automatically, knowing what her mother was doing. Olivia took the cup and pulled the lid off, pouring half of the apple juice into an empty cup, and pouring in water as a replacement. Dawson continued to pout as Olivia mixed up the juice and water combination.

"Here you go, Lovie," Olivia cooed, guilt once again sweeping over her as she took in her daughter's face. Maybe Olivia was too strict with her food and health rules, but Dawson wasn't old enough to handle how much sugar was in that apple juice. Dawson had seemed to forget about her watered down apple juice by the time their food arrived.

But before Dawson could even dig into her food, she dropped her fork and perked up, making the hilarious face she only made on holidays and when she was surprised (although she usually found a reason to be surprised). Olivia discovered that it was the latter as Dawson clapped excitedly,

"Mr. Grant! Teddy!" Olivia turned in the direction that her daughter was squealing and recognized her daughter's teacher- the handsome Mr. Grant, who was wrangling a small boy; the boy seemed to want to jump into Dawson's chair, but Mr. Grant had him firmly by the waist, trying to calm the boy's excitement.

"Mommy, Mommy. Can I get out? Pleaseeeeee?" Olivia jumped up automatically, not wanting Dawson to hurt herself, she was squirming like crazy, and she was up too high to make a jump that Olivia was comfortable with.

"Hold on babe," Olivia called as she began to undo the baby seat that Dawson was strapped in. Dawson tried to make a jump for it as soon as she was free, but Olivia pulled her up by her armpits into her arms, as Dawson settled into a comfortable position on Olivia's hip.

Olivia walked them over to where Mr. Grant was still wrestling with his son. Finally, Mr. Grant managed to coax him into being picked up. As soon as Teddy and Dawson were at a suitable eye level, and were speaking in small sentences to each other, Olivia and Mr. Grant relaxed. Olivia tried to avoid his eyes, but it was impossible, as Teddy and Dawson reached out to hold each other's hands, swinging their intertwined arms back and forth.

Olivia chuckled shortly, meeting his eyes as he spoke.

"Looks like they're having a good time." Mr. Grant observed, smiling wryly.

Olivia agreed.

"Yeah, it does. Are they fast friends or am I just out of the loop?" Mr. Grant's smile widened as he watched their children play together so effortlessly; Dawson was smoothing Teddy's wayward chestnut brown hair.

"They're very friendly. I hadn't realized that they were this close but kids have their own language we can't even begin to understand." Mr. Grant announced seriously. Olivia raised an eyebrow.

"You mean baby talk?" Olivia inquired.

"Listen." Mr. Grant motioned to the kids.

Olivia turned her attention back to Teddy and Dawson as they seemed to babble incessantly. Olivia was taken aback; Dawson hadn't spoken like that since she was a toddler. She and Teddy seemed to be having an enjoyable conversation that neither she nor Mr. Grant could understand.

"Wow," Olivia replied, impressed.

Mr. Grant shrugged. "I spend my entire day with five and six-year olds. It comes with the territory."

Olivia laughed lightly and turned back to Dawson.

"Lovie, you ready to finish eating? You need to say bye to Teddy and Mr. Grant."

"Fitz," Mr. Grant corrected, grinning. Olivia rolled her eyes playfully, a smile pushing its way onto her lips.

"Say bye," Olivia requested as Dawson's face crumbled, and she looked at Teddy- who had begun to do the same.

"I don't wanna say bye, Mommy. I want Teddy."

"Don't start this, Daws. You'll see Teddy tomorrow, okay? It's only one sleep until you'll see him." Dawson shook her head hard and tried to make a break for it, but Olivia held on tight.

Olivia looked at Mr. Grant with pleading eyes, but he too was trying to regain control over his child, they were a tangled mess as Teddy simply fell backward in his arms, refusing to move, he hung there limply as he cried still, his face turning a beet red.

"Why don't we just eat together?" He suggested, as Dawson wailed; Olivia was trying to return Dawson to her hip, but like Teddy, Dawson was slumped over, in such a way that Olivia had to hold her baby-doll style just to prevent from dropping her.

"That's- that's fine." Olivia replied, irritated that Dawson was making such a scene. She hated to reward her after she'd just had such an outlandish tantrum, but she saw no other way to stop it, short of leaving the restaurant altogether.

"We hadn't ordered yet," Mr. Grant explained, carrying Teddy over to the table and sitting down in one of the four chairs with Teddy on his lap. Teddy perked up as he saw Dawson being strapped in her baby seat. Dawson beamed over at Teddy happily, tears streaked her face, as she began eating her ravioli again.

When the server appeared next, Mr. Grant ordered chicken parmesan for himself and spaghetti with meatballs for Teddy, along with a baby chair so that Teddy and Dawson could sit next to each other.

"As long as they're happy, right?" He motioned to their kids who were both swaying side to side as they shared Dawson's ravioli, Dawson then reached for Teddy's hand. Olivia grinned.

"Yeah. I'm surprised, Dawson never throws tantrums like that." Mr. Grant laughed good-naturedly, as he met Olivia's eyes. Olivia tried hard to focus on her chicken pesto pasta, but his eyes were hard to ignore. They were a steel blue, deliberate and twinkling.

"Would you like me to call you Mrs. Pope or is Olivia okay?"

Olivia blinked, feeling her face heating.

"Ms. Pope. And that won't be necessary. Olivia is okay. Our children are best friends, after all." He nodded.

"So that means you'll call me Fitz?" Olivia grinned, seeing what he'd done.

"Yes, I'll call you Fitz. No problem."

"Good."

Olivia tried not to blush at his insistent eye contact, but she had no choice. His stare was intense, but thankfully, Dawson saved her.

"Mommy."

Olivia turned immediately, as Teddy watched Olivia with wondering eyes.

"Can Teddy come over to play today?"

"No, Lovie, you have bedtime when we get home. You'll see Teddy tomorrow." Dawson pouted, but didn't argue.

Olivia turned back to Fitz, who seemed to have an idea brewing.

"Why don't we set up a playdate for them? Would tomorrow work for you?"

Olivia pulled up their schedule in her head; she didn't want to be monster Mommy, she wanted to make a playdate for Dawson and Teddy happen.

"Hm. No. Daws has ballet three times a week, and I chose Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week. She's done around 5:30, if that works? She'll be pretty tired but…"

"Actually, it would have to be right after school tomorrow, Teddy has swimming on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and he's not done with that until 6. We could try for Thursday, Teddy's piano is over."

"That could work. Dawson doesn't start back up at gymnastics until the spring." Fitz smiled.

"Great, so Thursday, 3:15, at the park near the kids' school?"

Olivia smiled back politely as she returned her attention to her meal, trying to ignore the butterflies that were forming in her stomach.

The fussy side of Dawson rarely came out, but when it did, boy was it awful. Olivia had woken Dawson up that morning, only to be greeted by wary brown eyes. Dawson clutched her prized elephant by its ear as Olivia tried to coax her out of bed. Dawson always looked younger in the morning, which probably wasn't hard to believe since her daughter was often mistaken for a four-year old.

Dawson needed to take her bath, and she wasn't making it easy on Olivia. Dawson wailed as Olivia gave up on trying to get her six-year old out of bed on her own, she lifted her squirmy body from the warm cocoon that was her bed and comforter. Olivia held Dawson to her body securely as Dawson dug her bare heels into Olivia's lower back.

"Can you help me out here, Daws?" Olivia asked, trying not to let her irritability leak into her voice.

Dawson continued to wrap herself inconveniently around Olivia as they arrived at the bathroom. Olivia pulled off Dawson's cotton highlighter blue striped pajamas and beckoned her off into the warm tub. As Dawson settled into the bathtub and started washing herself with her baby Aveeno bath wash, Olivia sat on the bench across from the bathtub.

Dawson was more independent than any kid Olivia had ever came in contact with. Her best friend, Abby's kids still wanted/needed Abby to give them baths, and they were five, seven and nine. Dawson seemed to like doing things for herself, if Olivia even tried to help her with a task she hadn't quite mastered yet- like fastening her ballies or reaching one of the high built in shelves in her closet- Dawson would protest, and insist that she could do it herself.

Olivia bounced her crossed leg, antsy for Dawson to finish her washing routine.

"Don't get your hair wet, Daws." Olivia warned as Dawson's washcloth was dangerously close to one of her plump Bantu knots.

"Okay, Mommy."

Dawson sang, as she seemed to be out of her funk.

Olivia smiled at her daughter's singing voice, hoping that the rest of their morning routine went seamlessly.

Olivia pulled herself out of her reverie a moment later as her phone rang- a look at the ID told her that it was her best friend- Abby.

"Morning Abs," Olivia greeted, keeping her eyes on Dawson's hair.

"Liv. Please tell me your morning is going better than mine."

Olivia surveyed her morning- she'd had only a little resistance with Dawson, and they were still ahead of schedule.

"I'd say it is." Olivia chuckled, "What's up? You alright?"

Olivia heard Abby's chaotic background- Abby's three boys- Austin, Avery and Adam were rambunctious, all over the place and too much for Abby and her active husband- Andrew to handle. Olivia couldn't recall a day where Abby hadn't been overwhelmed.

"Define alright! Austin I swear-"

Olivia pulled the phone away from her ear as Abby started yelling at her middle son- Austin who was seven.

Dawson giggled as she heard the commotion going on.

"Liv! Its days like this that I wish I only had one kid. One perfect kid. Jesus Christ."

Olivia grinned at Dawson, who had turned her attention back to washing herself, singing once again in her small voice.

"I can see why," Olivia agreed.

Thursday came quickly, much to Olivia's surprise. She was all set to leave on time for Dawson's playdate around 2:30. She had reviewed the necessary documents needed to satisfy her decision on one of four deals she was working on, and was slipping her coat on by 2:45.

She took her empty tea mug and briefcase and headed out of her building, thankful that she had allowed herself time to get to Dawson's school in time.

Thinking about an afternoon spent with her daughter excited Olivia, but, she realized that she was yearning to see Fitz again. She felt butterflies soaring in her stomach as she thought about his handsome face, how he towered over her in that delicious way, and how he made her feel so at ease. She could envision herself talking to him for hours.

I could envision lots of things.

Olivia thought as she pulled into the parking space, spotting her daughter jumping up and down at the sight of her mother. She held on firmly to Fitz's hand, with Teddy clinging to Fitz's other hand.

As she emerged from the car, she noticed Fitz surveying her, his cool blue eyes looked eager. Olivia bit her lip as she walked to meet her daughter, Teddy and Fitz.