Mellie got to D.C, and she almost turned around and got back on the plane. She was nervous; more nervous than she had been in a long time. She smiled at her driver, and got into the car.
The car pulled into the White House, and Mellie smiled when she saw Fitz playing with Teddy in the yard. Teddy was laughing hysterically, and Fitz was smiling too. Mellie was about to get out when she saw Olivia suddenly appear. Mellie felt her heart drop to her feet when she saw Teddy run to Olivia to get whatever she had brought out for them. Mellie wasn't expecting this at all. She had everything planned out, but Olivia being there didn't fit into that plan. Mellie out on a brave face, got out of the car, and slammed the door behind her.
Fitz's head turned when he heard the door, and his face automatically looked shocked. Teddy ran to Mellie as soon as he saw her and jumped into her arms.
"Hi, mommy!"
"Hi, honey. Are you ready to go?"
"I thought you weren't coming to get him until tomorrow," Fitz said quickly.
"I had a change of plans, and I had to come tonight. I called you when I got into town, but you didn't answer," Mellie looked at Olivia and Fitz exchange a look, and Mellie rolled her eyes.
"I left my phone inside. Sorry, Mel," Mellie cringed at the use of her nickname. She felt sick and just wanted to take Teddy and leave.
Mellie couldn't believe she came to tell Fitz that she wanted to give them another chance, and he had Olivia over. After everything he had said to her, he had Olivia over and playing with her child.
"Fitz, I have to go. I'll see you later," Olivia said quietly and turned to go.
"Always a pleasure, Olivia," Mellie said sarcastically. Olivia smiled weakly and left.
"Mel..."
"Don't even. I'm here for Teddy, and we're leaving now."
"You made your decision, didn't you? You came here early to talk to me."
"I did come here to talk to you, but you definitely made my decision for me. Whatever we are or were is over. I am done with you."
"Will you let me explain?"
"Like you let me explain things over the years? No, you do not get to explain. I am done. Now please go get Teddy's bag, so I can leave."
Mellie was doing her best to not break down. Every time she was ready to be with him again, he always had Olivia Pope back and hanging around. Olivia would forever be in between them, and she wasn't ever going to go away.
Mellie silently followed Fitz inside to get Teddy's bag. Mellie walked into the residence and got a sick feeling when she thought of Olivia being there before she had arrived. Fitz came out of Teddy's room and handed her the bag.
"Mellie, I'm sorry."
"Please don't."
"She was just here as a friend. Nothing more."
"You think that I would ever believe that you and Olivia Pope are just friends?"
"Dammit, Mellie. I love you. I am in love with you! I have told you countless times."
"Don't you dare expect me to believe you now. Not when you've handed me another reason to walk away. I don't want to have to constantly wonder if you're off seeing her every time you're running late, or if every time you walk out of a room to answer a call, it's her on the other line. I cannot do it," Mellie grabbed the bag and left.
Teddy fell asleep as soon as they got on the plane, and Mellie was left alone to her thoughts. She told herself she wouldn't cry over him any more. She was going to move on. Maybe she would even give her and Noah a shot at a real relationship.
Mellie got home to find Noah in the kitchen making dinner. He was singing and dancing around the kitchen as he cooked, and Mellie leaned against the wall watching him with a huge grin on her face. He turned around and suddenly stopped when he saw her watching.
"How long have you been standing there?" Noah laughed nervously.
"Long enough. What are you doing?"
"Making dinner for two of my favorite people. Your agent called and told me you were coming home, so I figured you'd need me here. You can tell me what happened if you want, but if you don't, that's okay too," Mellie walked over to Noah and hugged him.
"Thank you," Mellie whispered, and Noah held her tighter.
"He doesn't deserve you."
"I know."
"I'm here as long as you need me."
"I appreciate that. So what's for dinner?" Mellie stepped out of his embrace and looked around the kitchen.
"Bruschetta chicken pasta for us, and regular spaghetti for Teddy. I got the wine out, and there's already bread on the table if you or Teddy want to snack on it. Dinner is almost done."
Mellie walked out to see Teddy already eating most of the bread that Noah had set out. He hurriedly his the piece he had in his hand behind his back, and he tried to make it look like he hadn't been chewing anything. Mellie tried not to laugh at the deer in the headlight look that he had on his face.
"What are you doing, sweetie?" Teddy just smiled at her because he still had bread in his mouth.
"Theodore, how much have you eaten?" Teddy swallowed what was in his mouth and thought for a moment.
"Not much, mommy," Mellie turned when she heard Noah laughing behind her.
"He looks like you just caught him robbing a bank."
"I would never do that. Mommy wouldn't be happy with me."
"Well right now, mommy isn't happy that you're hiding bread behind your back, and you've probably spoiled your dinner because you won't have any room left. Noah made dinner for us, but you ate all the bread."
"Oh no, mommy. I'll eat dinner. I promise."
"If you say so."
After dinner, Mellie put Teddy to bed while Noah cleaned up. He came upstairs once he was done, and Mellie was reading to Teddy. He stood in the doorway and listened to how animated her voice got for each part. Mellie looked up and smiled at him.
"Noah, come read with me and mommy!" Noah walked over and sat on the other side of Teddy.
Halfway through the story, Teddy was sound asleep. Mellie handed Noah the book to put back on Teddy's bookshelf. Mellie kissed Teddy goodnight, and Noah went to Mellie's room to wait for her.
"Thank you for everything tonight."
"You're welcome, Mellie. You should get some rest. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"You're leaving?"
"I just figured you'd want to be alone."
"No. Stay, please. We don't have to do anything, but please stay."
"Of course."
Mellie opened her eyes and sighed when she heard Noah's pager going off. Almost every night he stayed, it went off. She hated when he had to leave. He wasn't moving, so Mellie sat up and shook him.
"Hmmm," Noah groaned.
"Get up, Noah. You're surgical skills are being paged.
"I'm not on call right now. They can find someone else," Mellie crawled on top of him, and he still didn't open his eyes. She began to kiss around his face and neck, and his eyes popped open. He grabbed her face, but Mellie pulled away.
"Now you're awake. Go save someone's life. I'll be here when you're done. It's only 2."
"Melody, that is not fair. You're a cruel woman."
"So I've been told. Now go."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm going," Noah threw on his clothes and kissed her goodbye.
"It's a beautiful morning to save lives," Mellie winked at him and he laughed and left.
Mellie checked her phone when she woke up, and she saw that she had four missed calls from Fitz. She rolled her eyes and put her phone down, but it started ringing again.
"Fitzgerald, what the hell do you want?" Mellie yelled into the phone without looking at who was actually calling.
"Mom?"
"Oh, Karen, I'm sorry. I didn't check to see who called. I just thought it was your father."
"What did he do now? He told me to call you and make sure you were okay."
"Nothing. How are you? We haven't talked in a while, honey."
"I'm good! I've just been busy! I was going to call today anyway to tell you that I'm coming home next weekend, and then dad called me and told me to call you anyway."
"Your father needs to stop putting you in the middle."
"Mom, I'm happy to help, but how's Noah? I saw you two went to Emily's dinner together."
"Noah is good. Speak of the devil, he just walked in, so I will call you later, sweetheart."
"Okay, mom. I love you."
"I love you too. Have a good day!" Mellie hung up the phone and looked up to see a very exhausted Noah.
"I just need 12 hours of sleep."
"Have you been in surgery since you left?"
"After I would finish one, another one would be handed to me to do. I think I did four. I can't remember."
"Come here," Mellie said, and Noah got in bed next to her. Mellie lightly rubbed his back as she checked her work emails on her phone. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out.
Mellie was about to go check on Teddy when she heard the doorbell ring. She went down to answer it, and she opened the door and was instantly mad.
"Fitzgerald, what the hell are you doing here?"
"No hi, hello, how are you?"
"Hi. Now do you mind telling me what the hell you're doing here?"
"I came to talk. By the way, who's car is in the driveway?"
"We don't have anything to talk about, and who's car that is isn't any of your damn business."
"Noah's here, isn't he?"
"Again, none of your business."
"Mellie, can we please talk? I flew all the way out here."
"Well that really is a shame. You should've called before your flight left. I learned that the hard way as well. Goodbye, Fitz," Mellie shut the door and turned around to lean on it. She slid down the door and sat down in front of it.
Mellie put her head in her hands and tried to hold back the tears. The knot in her stomach twisted tighter, and she felt a lump in her throat. She didn't understand why she couldn't just move on. Mellie heard a bedroom door open, so she quickly got up and composed herself. She walked into the kitchen, and Noah came in a few minutes later.
"What are you doing up already?"
"I got another page. I'll call you later," Noah kissed her cheek on his way out, and Mellie had to resist the urge to cry. She was so overwhelmed by everything, and she just needed someone to talk to. She needed her best friend, but Taylor still wouldn't talk to her.
Mellie went upstairs to grab her phone. She saw Teddy was silently watching tv in his room, so Mellie let him be. She got her phone from her nightstand and dialed one of the few numbers that she knew by heart.
"What?"
"Taylor," Mellie barely choked out before she started sobbing.
"I'll be over in fifteen minutes," Mellie heard Taylor hang up, and she crawled into her bed.
She didn't know when she fell asleep, but she woke up, and it was dark out. Mellie shot up to go see where Teddy was when she realized Taylor was in bed next to her.
"I had Fitz take Teddy back to D.C with him. I knew he was in town, and you need a mental break. He's bringing him back in a couple days."
"Thank you."
"You going to tell me what's going on?" Mellie rubbed her temples and sighed. She didn't know where to begin.
"Where do you want me to start?"
"How about you start with the first time you fucked your ex husband and lied to me about it."
