Chapter 4: Air Bubbles and POTUS Pancakes

Olivia and The President walked up to the elevator that would take them up to the residence. It was a little awkward, but both did their best to make small talk. Olivia asked him about his kids. Jerry, his oldest, is 9 nine years old. He was sure he was going to be tall like him, and he has his dad's "charming" personality.

Olivia asked him, "Does he have your curls and eyes too?" She blushed.

Fitz looked down at her. She was looking away from him. "Actually he does Miss Pope."

Olivia asked what kind of things he was into. Fitz mentioned he loved to play some sports, on the computer, and enjoyed to read science fiction. He liked anything to do with Space, and Robots. Robots especially because when he got older he wanted to build one and enter it in a competition. His newest obsession was "Angry Birds." He wanted to play it all the time, and his daughter Karen loved the game also. Olivia then asked about Karen as they walked off the elevator.

He told her that Karen, his youngest was 7, and was obsessed with the show "Once Upon a Time." She watched it every week and was addicted to it. She insisted on watching it tonight but it came on right at bedtime so Fitz recorded for her. Olivia smiled at this. She also loved to read, and was starting to get into picture taking. She got a small digital camera for Christmas and was taking pictures all over the White House, which drove Fitz bananas. She wanted to place the pictures in a scrapbook.

When Fitz finally finished telling her about Karen they reached the door to the residence. He announced his return as Olivia walked passed him. He got a smell of her perfume, and leaned into the door a little more to brace himself. Whatever that scent was, it sent shivers all the way down to his toes making them curl.

Then from out of nowhere a little dog came running up to her. It looked like beagle, with the long ears and markings. But "she" had no tail. Olivia bent down, and Fitz went with her, smiling at her. The dog was licking Olivia all over her face, and as soon as Olivia touched her stomach, the dog rolled on her back for her.

"And who's this, Mr. President?" Olivia asked him.

"This is Mocha. She's a…"but before he could finish his sentence, "she's a borgie, isn't she?" Olivia finished for him.

He was taken back. "How did you know, Miss Pope?"

"Oh a friend of mine wants one and has been looking for one for a while now. She works with me actually. She wants to get a puppy to see if she can "settle down" with a dog, before she gets into a long term relationship."

"Smart girl. Mocha is a good dog, and loves to run and play. Plus she small enough and can't get into too much up here in the residence. We got her shortly after I won the election."

"How come the press has not seen her yet?"

"Well Miss Pope, you are just going to have to help me find a way to introduce this new lovely lady in my life to the world now aren't you." Fitz tilted his head, really smiling at her now. Olivia knew he was not just talking about Mocha. Fitz knew she did too, because she began to blush.

As they continued to pet Mocha, their fingertips would lightly brush against each other. Any time this happened, their eyes would glance at each other. The small intimate touch between them, felt like small bubbles full of electricity popping every time they touched hands. Olivia then quickly moved to another part of Mocha to scratch, which of course she didn't mind. Fitz noticed and gradually tried to get close to her fingers again. Before he could say anything else to her, he heard Karen and Jerry coming.

/

"Hey guys. Do you clean your rooms?" Fitz said to them.

"Yes Dad, we did. Who's your friend?" Karen asked.

"This is Olivia Pope. She's the new Press Secretary. I hired her on Thursday." Fitz answered her, as him and Olivia stood up.

Olivia put her hand out for each of them to shake, which they did of course. "Nice to meet you. Your dad told me lots about you."

"It's nice to meet you too, Miss Pope." Karen said.

"Please, you can call me Olivia." Olivia said to them.

"Wow dad, you were right, she really is pretty." Jerry said, after Olivia shook his hand.

Olivia snapped her head to look at Fitz who was blushing, and now his hands were in his pockets again. She couldn't believe that the President of the United States thinks SHE IS pretty.

"Um your dad said I was pretty?" She asked Jerry, leaning towards him.

"Ah yah. Actually he said you were beautiful the other day when we asked him." Karen piped in now.

Fitz was so speechless that he couldn't say anything to his kids at first. Olivia just stood there staring at him for a few seconds, watching him become nervous. Not only did she find out that he thinks she pretty, but he said she's beautiful. WOW. It was making her nervous and calm all at the same time. The truth was, she thought he was the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on too. Something told her, that HE KNEW IT.

"Okay kids, that's enough of embarrassing you're dear old dad now. Now that you revealed some privileged information, let's go start breakfast, and show Miss Pope to the kitchen." Fitz told them.

Karen and Jerry took each of Olivia's hands and lead her to the kitchen. Fitz walked behind them still a little embarrassed that his children told her, what he said the other day. He could tell that she was shocked, but it was true. Not only was she beautiful, but she was completely breathtaking to him. Being around her, breathing the same air, is the best feeling he has felt in a long time. And his kids seem to like her right away, which was fantastic.

/

The kitchen was a not as big as one would think, and had a small table in the corner. The table was big enough to sit at least six people and right by the windows. The island in the middle, had a light granite countertop, with a stone sink. There was also a "bar" there, with stools which is where Olivia sat. The cabinets and island were made of a light oak, with some light engraving in them. The stove was a good size. It was perfect for a first family. The kids told her that a "staff" kitchen was downstairs where the meals are cooked at during the week.

Olivia watched as the President and the first children got out everything they needed to make pancakes. It was not from a box either, which really impressed her. Not only was this man the Leader of the Free World, but apparently he knew he way around the kitchen (or seemed to.) Before Fitz started to the ingredients in the bowl, she reminded him of their deal.

"Mr. President, are you forgetting something?"

Fitz looked around, trying to think of what it could be. The kids had no idea what was going on. "Miss Pope, I have no clue what you are talking about."

"Have you forgotten about our little deal?" She got up and saw an apron hanging off one of the cabinets. Fitz watched her walk over to it and KNEW he was in trouble.

Karen and Jerry started to laugh. Karen finally said, "Oh my, Dad she's actually going to get you to wear an apron. That is fantastic."

Jerry then said, "Karen let's go and get your camera. This is something we want on film later, just in case Dad tries to ground us or something. Plus with Olivia here, she can leak it the press."

Fitz looked at his kids. "This is so not funny." Olivia was holding back a huge laugh.

Olivia walked over to him, and said "Come on Mr. President, I am sure you want to keep the peace don't you." All of sudden she had all this confidence, and had no idea where it came from.

Fitz was going to take advantage of this situation. He bent down so Olivia could place the apron over his neck. She motioned for him to spin around so she could tie the apron, but something told her, he was not going to make this easy on her one bit.

She looked up into his eyes, as she placed the apron over his head. Their heads were less than a foot apart. They could practically feel the other's breath. Gathering her next words, she asked him, "So are you going to spin around, so I can tie this on you or what?"

Fitz looked at her. "Nope. I said I would wear it. I never agreed to how it was going to be put on my body now did I Miss Pope," as he gave her this BEYOND sexy smile. Olivia was feeling lightheaded all of a sudden.

"Fine," she said to him, "move your arms up, so I can tie this behind your back then."

All Fitz could think of was, "She's actually going to put her arms around me. Lord I think I am going to lose it. I never thought put an apron on could be so wonderful."

Fitz moved his arms up and out so she could tie the apron behind him. As she did this, he could smell her perfume and shampoo. The closer she got to his body, the more his breathing hitched and so did hers. His arms were feeling heavy because all he wanted to do was put them around Olivia and pull her closer. To be this close to her was heaven and hell at the same time. All the molecules in the air were ready to pop because of the tension between them.

She could not believe that she was putting an apron on the President. She started to tie the apron around his body. She could smell "him" and it causing havoc with her body. The smell of whatever he was wearing was sending shock waves through her system. She told herself "I need to make this quick, before I do something I regret." When she finished she looked up into his eyes.

He finally spoke, trying to find his words. "Miss Pope," gazing down at her.

"You can call me Olivia, if you want." She started to move away from him, with her eyes lost in his still. She started turn around when she heard him say…

"Olivia," her name coming from his lips sounded like her favorite song, "only if you call me Fitz." That stopped her dead in her tracks.

She took a breath, and faced him. "That would be inappropriate. You're my boss, and the President."

"So let's be inappropriate." Fitz said to her, in a lower sexy voice. Olivia let out a sigh and looked down. Fitz walked closer to her.

"Olivia, for starters were in the residence, and it's just me and you. Then I caught you from falling this morning in your office. You ripped me a new one TWICE the day we met and left me speechless. And you just got me in an apron. I think you can call me by my first name, don't you?" His voice went up, and so did his eyebrows, with a smile that made her knees go weak.

Not sure how to answer him she just looked at him. She was about to say something when Jerry and Karen coming back. Once they saw their Dad, a flash went off, and Fitz blushed some.

/

After some teasing from the kids about the apron, Fitz then went to work making the pancakes with their help. Olivia went to sit down at the breakfast bar, watching the First Family. She enjoyed how both kids took turns helping their "POTUS" dad place the ingredients in the pancake batter. While getting the flour, the kids placed some on their fingers, and "flicked" some at him, and he of course did it back. Granted he was the President, but right now he just looked like a "normal" guy making breakfast for his family. It made her heart melt just watching them.

He was sweet, kind, reassuring, and when needed a disciplinarian. But most of all she could see how much he loved his children. They were his entire world. Any woman would consider herself lucky to have a man like him. She started to wonder what happened to his marriage, besides what she guessed the other day. She had a guess but wouldn't dare bring it up unless he opened the door himself.

Olivia asked if there was a place to plug in her laptop so she could set it up to get some work done. Karen told her there was a plug right underneath where she was sitting. She smiled back and placed it on the counter. After the kids were done helping their dad, they came over to sit with Olivia. Once the computer was up and running, the kids noticed her desktop photo.

"Olivia is that your family?" Jerry asked her.

"Why yes it is. We just took that over the Christmas holiday."

"Dad, come and look, please. It's a really nice picture." Karen asked him.

Olivia looked up at him, and Fitz started to walk over. Fitz stood behind them as he looked at the computer screen. In the photo, were her parents, her brother, sisters, and it looked like some nieces and nephews. He could see the huge Christmas tree in the background.

"Wow, big family. So who is everyone?" Fitz asked her.

She could tell that he was not standing that far away from her. Every few seconds, she could feel his shirt brush against her back. She also knew that his hands were in his pockets again, which meant he was nervous about being that close to her. A smile came across her face.

"Well, this is my dad, Edward Pope. He's a lawyer in Boston. This is my mom, Josephine, or "Josie." She is a pediatrician. This goofy guy right here is my older brother Kevin and his wife, Samantha. These are their kids, Caleb, and who's 8, and Jayden, who's 5. Yes two boys. My sister in law is pregnant with baby number three. They find out if it's a boy or a girl in a few weeks I think. I am hoping it's a girl."

"Wow, is that your sister?" Karen asked her.

"Yes, that is my older sister Jeanette and her husband, Thomas. These are their kids. The oldest is Addison, who is 7. The younger little girl, is Meredith, who's 4. They are trying for a boy. I am the youngest, unfortunately."

Fitz listened to her, tell them about her siblings and their kids. He just loved to hear her speak about her family. She told Karen and Jerry that maybe after breakfast she would show them more pictures if they wanted to see more. Of course they wanted to, so did he.

"Olivia, do you have kids?" Karen asked her.

Fitz was afraid of her answer. He noticed that she tensed up for a brief moment and took a deep breath.

"Nope," was all Olivia could get out. Fitz detected some sadness in her voice when she said that. Her voice got softer, as if she was trying to bury some pain away, so that no one would notice. He wasn't going to ask anything, but he could tell Karen hit a nerve.

Olivia changed the subject quickly then. "Hey look, I have ALL THREE Angry Birds games. Who wants to play, while your Dad makes pancakes?"

Right away, Karen and Jerry said yes. Fitz smiled and walked to get the grill out. While working on breakfast, he would look over and see Olivia and the kids playing "Angry Birds." She was so good with them. She just clicked with them in such a way that their own mother never did. She was interested in them. Even though she just met all of them, she just "Fit." It seemed that she is SUPPOSED to be here with them.

"Hey do you want a drink? I am sorry we forgot to ask you." Jerry asked her.

"Sure, um, hot tea works. I can get it, where are the cups?" Olivia asked him.

"There over by Dad, in that cabinet behind him." Jerry told her. Olivia got up and walked over to by where Fitz was working. She opened the cabinet and noticed the cups where on a shelf she couldn't reach without help. She didn't want to bother anyone, and didn't want to ask for a stool, so she hopped up on the counter.

Fitz heard her, turned around, and walked up to her. She was so focused on getting a tea cup she didn't hear, or see him coming. (Not that he was far away.) As her hand reached up and touched the cup, his hand met hers. She literally froze realizing who it was (duh.) She turned and looked at him, as both of them brought the cup down together, fingers partly intertwined in the other, eye locked into the others.

He gradually let it go into her hand, but he was still pressed up against her knees. "Thanks, but you scared me. You're getting good at that?" She told him.

"Well, you're getting good at almost falling, Olivia."

"And who says I was going to fall off, Mr. President?"

"I don't know, but I didn't want to take any chances." Fitz smiled at her.

"Nope, I was fine on my own. I didn't want to ask for a stool either because you know what happened the last time I was on one." She looked down now, beginning to feel her cheeks getting red.

He scrunched down and met her eyes again, "Yes I do remember. Catching you was the best part of the ordeal."

Her eyes, met his again. She hopped down, and they were inches from each other. "Very funny, Mr. President." But this time her voice changed, sounding sexier. (Oh my god, I'm flirting with him. This is not good,) she thought to herself. She walked over to the sink and got some water, and found a tea bag that was put out for her.

After her tea was made, she went back and sat with Karen and Jerry to play and watch "Angry Birds." Her being this close to Fitz was playing havoc with her emotions, heart rate, and everything in between. This constant almost touching, to touching, to moving away, and even flirting with each other was going to be her undoing. She wondered "Why the heck does he have to be so charming?" However, she was not only seeing the President of the United States, but he was showing her Fitzgerald Grant the man, and father that he is to his children. She liked what she saw.

After she walked away from him, Fitz's heart was going a mile a minute. He was enjoying their bantering back and forth, but she this flirting was driving him crazy. He noticed that once she realized she was going so, she would immediately pull away from him, or change the subject. She had this invisible wall around her, like he did. He would get glimpses of her, then once she realized it, it would go right back up.

His children only saw this side of him, and now Olivia. That wall he put up around his heart, was being pulled down brick by brick by Olivia Pope. In the beginning he did not know it had been there. Now meeting her, and having her here, it was coming down. Meeting this incredible woman, was changing him,and his family. He watched her a little more, and put the pancakes on the grill and finished breakfast.

/

"POTUS PANCAKES!"

Breakfast was finally ready and everyone sat down to eat. Olivia was in the middle and Jerry and Karen crowded around her already. Fitz was kind of bummed out, but he thought it was adorable how the kids ran over and sat next to her right away.

Olivia was quite impressed she told him. The pancakes were nice and fluffy, full of air bubbles. They were actually some of the best she's had in a long time. Apparently it was his mom's recipe, and she taught him how to make them. As they ate the kids talked their ears off about everything under the sun. From school, to living in D.C., to being in the White House, and their favorite things.

Olivia then asked Karen about "Once Upon a Time." She told her that she loved the show too and never missed an episode. Once Karen heard this she right away asked Fitz if Olivia could come over and watch it with her tonight. She was practically begging her Dad to let her come back over.

"Please Daddy. Please let Livvie come back." Karen pleaded with Fitz. "You never let me stay up to watch it. But if she's here to watch it with me, can I, please?"

Fitz looked at Olivia. "Well that is up to her. But it's your bedtime Karen."

"I know Daddy." She said. "But it's a good episode tonight. Emma and Mary Margaret are supposed to get back to Storybrooke. Please…"

"It's up to Olivia, I guess." Fitz almost couldn't breathe waiting for her answer.

Olivia finally answered. "I'll tell you what Karen. If your dad remembers to record it, I will make sure I come up tomorrow night, after dinner to watch it with you. I promise I won't watch it tonight and wait till tomorrow."

"You'll really wait for me to watch it?" Karen asked her.

"I never make a promise I won't keep." Olivia said back looking at Fitz too, and looking away. Fitz's heart melted then and there.

"Dad is that okay with you?"

"Sure. I guess it's settled." Fitz was really excited now. He would get to hopefully spend some time with her after her long first day.

"Consider it handled Karen. I will watch it with you tomorrow." Olivia said to her. Jerry just rolled his eyes, and said he would hide in his room, which made everyone laugh. Olivia told him that she would watch his favorite Sci-fi show with him if he wanted. He said "yes" and they would talk about it tomorrow.

Once breakfast was over, and the dishes were done, Olivia knew she had to get going because of the time. Despite how much she wanted to stay longer, she knew she couldn't. She said goodbye to the kids, and Fitz offered to walk her out. He did not have to, but for some strange reason, she wanted him too.

The ride down the elevator was kind of quite but they made small talk. As they got out and started to walk to down the halls, Fitz was not sure what to say to her at first. He went with his gut though.

"Thank you for coming up for breakfast today Olivia."

"Oh it was fun. Your kids are sweethearts. And your POTUS pancakes were really good."

Fitz broke out in a laugh. "My POTUS pancakes? Seriously?"

"What, you are the President of the United States right, and you made pancakes. So POTUS Pancakes." Now she was laughing.

After their giggle fit, she noticed his hands were back in his pockets.

Olivia stopped walking and looked at him. "Mr. President, are you okay?"

"Yes I'm fine." He thought about his next response. "I just had a lot of fun today that's all."

She noticed that he looked a little nervous. "I did too. I had a great time. Thank you for breakfast and everything."

"You're welcome," he said as they reached where she would leave the building. He did not want her to go. He knew that she could sense it in his voice. "I will see you tomorrow Olivia."

"Wouldn't miss it, Mr. President. I get to go all Evil Queen on the press core." She smiled at him.

"If you do, I'll make sure to be there watching."

She smiled and turned to head out the door. "Bye."

"Bye." He told her. He stood there for a few more minutes, just watching her walk away.

Today was the best Sunday he's had in a long time. She was breathing life back into every fiber of his being. This woman was capturing his heart, body and soul. His children were even enchanted by her. He thought to himself, "This incredible woman is a breath of fresh air. I didn't know I was drowning till she saved me. Olivia Pope, you saved me in more ways than one."

He walked back up to the residence, so bouncing and bubbly that it almost felt that he had air bubbles in his shoes. These air bubbles, breathed life back into his spirit, and his heart. And the air bubbles, were courtesy of Olivia Pope. ;-)

/

Okay pumpkins, here's the next chapter. I wrote a LONG one and I hope you enjoy it. There was so much to write and I wanted it all in there. I love how they interacted with each other and how the kids loved Olivia. It was also fun to write about her putting an apron on Fitz. Can't you just imagine TG wearing an apron, making pancakes…SWOON! Not the same as the tie, but I thought this was cuter, and definitely had more ANGST. It's fun for me to hook them up this way.

So it's wasn't a date, but was it? I'll let you be the judge of that. ;-)

I'll try to update soon. Leave me "POTUS Pancakes and Syrup"

Peace, Luv, and Pumpkins…

Me's

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