II Corinthians

by CMW2

MULTICHAPTER SEQUEL TO GENESIS;This is a collab with ByThePen90/still-ill-cant-chill. I couldn't have done this without her!;Now that our POTUS and Fixer are back together and out to the public, they've got to stay together by any means necessary and in this story, they will;SPOILERS FOR SEASONS 1-7 within;Rated for language, imagery, and lovemaking;15th in my 2015 SSS Project

4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: It's a long and winding and pretty damned ugly road for Olivia and Fitz, now. On the television and according to Twitter leaks and speculation, the road seems to be leading to a long breakup with new suitors between our mass OTP until the last minutes of the Season ala Scandal's Season 4 (and Grey's Anatomy's Season 4 MerDer, for that matter…The Creator just loves to recycle bad ideas, doesn't she?!) so the show doesn't get cancelled but as for this story, as for HandsUp and I, we are writing the Olitz that we should've gotten in 5A.

This is officially a Fix-It fic for Season 5 and beyond. Even if (better be fucking WHEN!) things get put right for Liv, Fitz, and Olitz in 5B, there was a better way of doing things with #OlitzAtLast and we're going to provide it and more. This is another long one but it'll be worth the read. Sit back and enjoy the chapter and more will come from us as soon as we can.

Disclaimer: "Honestly, it's not mine!"

"...still no word from Senator Melody Grant's office, the Junior Virginia Senator herself, or from Former White Chief of Staff, Cyrus Beene..."

"... inside sources say that Marine One was spotted in a heavily guarded private hangar at Burlington International Airport...President Grant and Olivia Pope may have spent their weekend in Vermont, New Hampshire or in Quebec..."

"...images of Olivia Pope and President Grant's walk to Marine One have been the most searched and saved in America and Europe according to Google and the official video on YouTube reached 10 million hits at Midnight EST..."

"It's been 4 days and the hash tags #OlitzRevealed, #OliviaPope, #FTGIII, #GrantDivorce, #PoorMellie, #TeamOlitz, #TeamMellie, and #ImpeachGrant are still among the top 10 in 20 countries... today a new Pope and POTUS hash tag has spread throughout the Black Twitter community succinctly asking what we're all dying to know: #DoesPopeLovePOTUSTooOrNah..."

"#TeamOlitz, #TeamMellie, or #Team I Don't Give a (bleep): call in with your opinions, folks because that's all we're talking about today and tomorrow..."

"...some are hailing this as the biggest romance story since Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, others are saying that it's Jefferson and Hemmings all over again or a side chick's ultimate wet dream..."

"On Friday afternoon, President Fitzgerald Grant III confessed to the American and International audiences that he loves her but how does Olivia Pope feel about him? What are her future plans? Her actions are saying that the feelings are reciprocated but she has yet to say anything herself..."

"Senator Edison Davis' office and the man himself have declined to comment on the unfolding story..."

"Jeannine Locke confessed on Saturday afternoon via Facebook that her bedside sizzler book 'Taken for Granted' is a fabrication but who encouraged and paid her to go forward with her story? Was it a senior member of the Grant Administration, Olivia Pope, or someone else... the book is now being marketed and sold as a fictional romance novel ala E.L. James' 50 Shades of Grey..."

"Olivia Pope and Associates' doors are still open but for how much longer? Olivia Pope has been seen as the best Fixer in the land for years but can she Fix herself? Can she weather this storm well enough to maintain and grow her Client base? None of her associates have spoken to the Press yet..."

---

"We'll be at OPA in 20 minutes, sir."

"Tell everyone to leave the sirens off and to and head for the back entrance, Kevin."

"No. We're going in the front. Sirens and all. Let the rest of the Motorcade know."

"Are...are you sure, Ms. Pope?"

"Absolutely."

"Sir?"

"...you heard her."

After the new orders were confirmed, they were immersed in a cloud of flashing lights and wailing sirens. The Beast picked up speed as they all parted traffic. At a red light, she looked out of the lightly tinted bullet proof glass and could see people on the sidewalk gaping and pointing. The Motorcade had two motorcycles leading in the front, two SUVs in front of The Beast, two behind it, an ambulance, and they had picked up a police escort at DC's city limits.

Olivia picked up her phone and sent a text to Quinn to be ready to let them in, getting an immediate all caps ' CONSIDER IT HANDLED!' from not just her but Huck, too. That made her smile. They hadn't left. Both of them could've if they wanted to. Huck was B613 and apparently Quinn was, too. They had all sorts of skills, including the ability to evade circling Media sharks and go to ground. The fact that they hadn't, the fact that they were still there and in her corner (at least for the time being...) was comforting.

Reaching in her purse, she pulled out her compact mirror to inspect her lipstick. It was bold cherry red and none of it was on her teeth. She unzipped her black leather jacket and her aviators went back in their case. Instead of her usual corporate casual attire in cool neutrals, Olivia was in the sunshine yellow long sleeved v-neck sweater Fitz had put in their master suite closet, a pair of dark wash skinny jeans Abby had given her as a gag gift and a pair of 4 inch black lace up platform booties, the peep toe revealing a pedicure that matched her sweater.

She had put in her white diamond studs, polished Doux Bebe, their Ring, until it appeared to glow from within and another thing that would shock the Sharks would be her hair. Instead of having it bone straight and styled to hide her face, she had let it dry into its natural state of mane like coils and a gold headband held it back. Her entire outfit screamed of confidence. It was feminine but with a bad ass edge and sent up a subtle but potent middle finger to her critics.

Yes, she was young. Yes, she was black. Yes, she was beautiful. She was capable of looking pretty and still being a businesswoman. She was capable of being The Fixer and the President's Girlfriend. She could have it all and flaunt it all.

That didn't mean that she didn't care about what they thought about her anymore because she certainly did but their opinions, the Worst Case Scenario of slut shaming and digs at her Race, would no longer make her cower, make her sabotage and destroy.

It was a new day. It was a new Era.

She was still Olivia Pope but now, she would become a more balanced and layered Olivia Pope.

She would be a Woman in love with an incredible Man, openly and unrepentantly.

"Livvie?"

She turned her head and met his gaze head on. His face was surprised but there was a smile in his wide beautiful cerulean slate eyes, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Why?"

"This is what reality is, now. We can't avoid it so we might as well hit the ground running."

"Take control of the narrative. We can't stop the sharks from circling but we can decide what they get to chew on."

"Exactly."

Fitz finally grinned like a loon and she couldn't help but giggle, shaking her head at their situation, at the audacity they were showing. The President and his "Mistress" were coming out in public again and Olivia knew that their Friday afternoon South Lawn exit would be overshadowed by their grand Monday morning entrance. They pulled up across the street from OPA and the Media was already heading for them fast, intercepted by Secret Service and law enforcement. Reaching, she straightened his blue and gray striped tie and they both looked out into the street, into the path that was cleared to the door.

"Ready?" he asked her.

She was sitting on the side closest to the street so she would be the one to open the door, to exit The Beast first.

"No...but let's do it, anyway."

And with that, she opened the door.

/

Even in the daytime, the flashes of the cameras that went off were bright enough for her to see spots in her vision and Olivia kept her head up high and her face calm. She was not a scared and hiding little girl under the bed. She was a scared but resolute grown woman in the Arena. She was Olivia Pope. She was Olivia fucking Pope and she would not run away anymore. She would not cower. She was a Gladiator! Gladiators were strong and brave. Gladiators fought to the end, one way or the other!

Fitz emerged from The Beast and they stood side by side in the street. His black coat blew in the breeze, a breeze that was starting to hold a hint of a chill within it, and she looked up at him. He was in a navy blue Brooks Brothers suit and a snow white dress shirt. His salt and pepper hair was combed neatly and his left hand was still unadorned, the tan line already fading into nothing but a distant horrible memory. He turned his head to look back at her and her lips curved upwards in a soft smile.

Fitz had to be as terrified as she was but he still had that relaxed joy about within his body language, the bone deep relief of having their Secret out. He no longer had to hide her away in the shadows. If he wanted to and if she would let him, he could scream that he was in love with her from the highest rooftops, jump on top of every interviewer's couch for her like a love (and just plain) crazy Tom Cruise did for Katie Holmes that day on Oprah.

She would not let him do that ever, especially the couch thing, but the freedom, the options that were now open to him and her were intoxicating. Even with her lingering terror, the freedom to stand beside the man she loved in broad daylight made giddy bird sized butterflies erupt in her stomach.

In response to her smile, he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead and waited patiently for her next move, trusting her so fully, so freely again! She would do her utmost to make sure that it wasn't in vain again. Silently, she offered him her hand and he took it immediately, entwining their fingers. As if they were a pair of high school sweethearts, Olivia started forward and Fitz walked right by her side, sending the assembled reporters into a frenzy of shouted questions and Live updates to whatever station they reported to. The President and his Mistress, The President of the United States and Olivia Pope were walking together, visibly calm.

Olivia could only imagine the look on Mellie's face, on Cyrus' face, on Rowan's face in the prison he was rotting in. Every second of her and Fitz being so blatantly together had to be torturous for them, agony to all of their delicate sensibilities, fire to all of their carefully laid plans and Olivia suppressed the urge to cackle like a madwoman.

Just The Whore, was she?

Just The Help, was she?

Just a stupid little girl that they had to save from her own folly, was she?

No. Not anymore, not ever again.

Things had changed.

It was a new day and a new Game.

The three of them and all of those who dared to look down on her, who had dared to use her as a puppet to their whims could go fuck themselves.

She was out of their cage, out of their control, and they would never manipulate her again.

Ever!

/

He wasn't sure he had ever felt freer in his life than he did in that moment. He felt light. They were embracing the secret they had kept for so long and he reveled in the very public togetherness. It was new and it would take some getting used to, but it felt good. It felt hopeful. It felt like home.

It was what he had been waiting for.

The press, in all forms, had been buzzing with every possible story regarding the two of them. Their past, present, and future were being discussed and speculated about by every major, and minor, press platform. Social media was frenzied. The negative opinions were somehow balanced out by a surprising amount of positivity and support. But it was still chaos. Fitz could only imagine what was going on in Olivia's head. Her Fixer tendencies were certainly struggling and fighting to get out. He was proud. So far, she had held to her promise. She was trying.

She was allowing him, and the World, to see her for who she was. The woman that hid behind her well-tailored business attire was a pillar of walking confidence in her casual wear, even her hair in its natural state. Fitz loved seeing a different side of her. He knew that there were layers that even he had yet to see and he was looking forward to the unveiling. It was a new world they were living in. A new them.

It would bring out parts of them, details that hadn't had a reason to be known before in the previous context of their relationship. They were head over heels in love, but it was like they were just beginning their relationship in some ways. Odd, but still comforting. They were going to grow together and watch as they flourished, both as individuals and as a couple. It was so different for them, but Fitz couldn't wait to continue their journey.

Together.

He had it so bad for her. The simple act of holding her hand as they walked on the sidewalk had his heart racing. It was like his first high school love all over again, but this time for real. This time the girl has all of him. His whole heart. His whole body.

He belonged to her.

And now everyone knew it.

The reporters that all but surrounded them were shouting out questions. They got louder as they got closer to the entrance of the building. The World wanted to know more about them. They wanted to see if it was true. If the love between them was worth Fitz offering his resignation. If it was worth ruining his image. If it was worth giving up his career.

It was.

"Ms. Pope! How does it feel to be the First Girlfriend?"

"Is that a hickey, Mr. President?"

"C'mon, let's see a kiss!"

Suddenly, he felt Olivia stop walking. She tugged on his wrist gently, pulling him back to her. They made eye contact for a moment, his expression questioning. Her hand grasped his tie and she gave him a little smirk as she pulled him down to her and kissed him. Right on the mouth, in broad daylight, rising up on her tiptoes, Olivia kissed all 6'2, 210 pounds of US President Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III, and he let her.

Cheering and rapid camera shutters filled the air. He cupped her face in his left hand and grasped her hip, drawing her flush against him. The kiss deepened mutually and Fitz briefly teased her by slipping his tongue between her parted lips. He stroked her tongue just a few times as they continued to kiss, relighting the fire that they had burned all weekend in Vermont. She hummed softly and pulled away, even though he knew she was just getting warmed up. They were both grinning at each other, happy for reasons that the cameras and microphones couldn't possibly understand.

For the first time, they were able to exist as a unit out of hiding. Fitz knew as he looked into her eyes that she felt it too. The weight lifting from them as they got a taste of the freedom that they had finally allowed themselves to have. A freedom that they had never known. A freedom Fitz hoped she would grow to love. He wondered if she was afraid. If she could still be spooked away by the pressure of being a couple out in the open. He hoped her promise meant as much to her as it did to him. The very public kiss that she had initiated told him, told his Gut, that it meant everything.

Fitz chuckled and moved his arm up to wrap around her torso, tucking her into his side and guiding her over to the door. The sounds of the Media became muffled as Secret Service ushered them into the lobby of the building. He held her to his side as they waited for the elevator, both silent, both taking in the realization of what they had just done. Fitz couldn't wipe the smirk from his face now that they were out of the public eye.

The elevator doors opened and he let her step inside first and followed behind her. As soon as the elevator doors closed and they started to move upward, Fitz wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a kiss that held even more passion than the one for the cameras.

/

She never thought that she would be able to do this.

Not only was she kissing Fitz in public, in broad daylight, now she was doing it in her place of business. She had always tried to keep a strict separation between her life in the White House, her life with Fitz, and her life with OPA. Of course, those efforts had a tendency to prove to be futile but she had come a long way. Olivia remembered when the mere threat of him coming to OPA was enough to send her into a mix of rage and panic, leading to that faithful confrontation in the Oval. She had gone in with guns blazing, demanding that he earn her, and once he had, she had (once again) sabotaged and ruined their progress forward. She had run away. She had hidden underneath her White Hat and walked away, ran away and had started an awful chain of events, the most awful chain of events!

But, now, things were different. She was still scared, still terrified to be with Fitz openly but she was no longer running away from him, from all of the big emotions that he provoked in her. Running away hadn't worked. Running away only made things worse for the both of them, along with other people they had dragged into their mess. Running away had caused bitter tears, wanton bloodshed, and deep despair, despair that had almost broken their bond for good. Running away was no longer an option so now, she was running to him, holding onto him as tightly as he held onto her...

She really had come a long way.

She still had quite a ways to go but Olivia couldn't help be proud of herself.

As the elevator began to slow down, Fitz broke the kiss but kept close to her. Her knees were wobbling and she had a fistful of his coat, her other hand resting heavily on the nape of his neck. His hands slid underneath her jacket and spanned her middle easily, his brow resting on hers. The doors began to open and she kissed him again, slow and uncaring about who would witness it. A hand rested on the left elevator door, holding it open until the fire alarm began to buzz and Olivia ended the kiss, looking at the hand's owner.

Much to her surprise, she was looking at a bemused Marcus Walker and a visibly amused yet disgusted Leo Bergen next to him.

"All right, all right, we get it. You two are in love and you give no damns. Wonderful. Come out of there. You're a fire hazard and we've got a lot of work to do before sundown."

Fitz nodded and went ahead of them into the conference room. Olivia could already see that the frosted glass window wall was covered in a thick collage of photographs, articles, and documents. Dead in the center of the collage were three large pictures. On the left was the official shot of her that had been on her White House staff badge, on the right was the official Presidential portrait of Fitz, and smack in the middle was the Money Shot of them about to enter Marine One.

"What are you doing here, Leo? What are you both doing here?"

"Red said that if I ever wanted her to do the butter thing again, I had to get my ass over here and help you clean up your Presidential mess STAT. As for R. Kelly here, I have no clue but Chipmunk let him in last night so I guess he's cool."

"R. Kelly, really?"

"You were trapped in the closet while the married chick you banged got shanked, weren't you?"

"Whatever...I'm here because I need a job and also because I owe you one, Pope. You helped me when no one else would and I'm not going to sit around and let a sister get dragged through the mud just because she fell in love with the right person at the wrong time. That's bullshit."

Olivia mulled that over and then shrugged before she headed for the open double doors, removing her jacket as she moved.

"Keep in mind that it's going to be a while before I can pay either of you but I...we need all the help we can get. Thank you."

"Like I said, I owed you one."

"I'll bill you later. All right, kiddies, gather round because now that Mommy and Daddy are back from their honeymoon, the real work can begin!"

Huck was typing on one of his laptops at the head of the table and Quinn gave her a small smile as she came in from her office with a stack of black folders.

"Jake went on a food run. He'll be back in 20."

Olivia couldn't hold back a sigh of relief at that. She knew that eventually she and Jake would have to talk but the longer she could put it off, the better. Knowing him as she did, he was going to be upset with her, possibly angry enough to put his hands on her again. Jake had said that he wanted her to be happy, that she was owed happiness but her Gut, a Gut that was slowly but surely beginning to work properly again, told her that he had said that with the expectation of her choosing him to be with. Sadly, it wasn't a completely unrealistic expectation. She had used Jake as a surrogate, as a safe substitute for the man she truly loved and wanted more than once.

Past patterns indicated that she would do it again.

She had been willing to do it again until Jake had said what he said at her apartment door. She had been willing to settle again and Jake had been willing to be used again, was probably hoping for it. After all, he had gone to jail for her and helped her put Rowan away. The fact that he had gone against Rowan at all indicated a high level of bravery albeit blended with self preservation. He said that he was doing it all for the sake of the right thing and for revenge against Rowan for all the pain he had caused as Command but Olivia wouldn't put it past him to have expected a more personal thank you from her. After all, Rowan had trained him and Russell to see her as nothing more than an objective to be filled, a little girl that they could easily distract with sex and escapist fantasies. For a time, she had allowed herself to fill that role but now...

Fitz came up behind her and she allowed him to take her jacket, draping it over the table next to his coat and suit jacket. His sleeves were rolled up and she knew that eventually, his tie would be off and his top buttons undone. He always did that during late nights on The Trail and in the Oval. He was ready to pull an all nighter, multiple all nighters, if necessary. He was ready to fight for them.

She was ready to fight by his side.

"What do we have so far?"

"What we have is a Mess but one that's not impossible to Spin. The President gave you guys a boost up by pretty much becoming a modern day Arthur Dimmesdale but without the whole dying part...what? Are you surprised that I read? The Scarlet Letter is a classic and it fits the situation perfectly. Anyway, his Press Conference has already started the only narrative that can get you both through this with your lives intact: Olivia and Fitz- a Love like No Other: from Secret Star Crossed Lovers to Public Power Couple. It's not just about sex on the Resolute, it's about love and it's real. Olivia, you need to get out there and sell that. You need to let everyone see your side of the story and that you love him, too. You do love him too, don't you?"

"Very much so."

"Wonderful because if you didn't, then the President would have no choice but to take Jay Gatsby's place in history as the ultimate SIMP. What's with the looks? I read and I keep up with pop culture, all right? You've gotten off to a good start. You did the South Lawn walk and you just gave him a tonsillectomy outside. You're holding hands and smiling at each other like a couple of lovesick morons. You're wearing bright colors and jeans, something that the old Olivia Pope would never do, and the hickey on his neck's a nice touch. Mr. President..."

"Fitz."

"Fitz, where's your wedding ring?"

"I'm not sure. Liv took it off on Thursday and threw it someplace. I'm not allowed to put it back on and I don't want to."

"Seriously? You seriously did that?"

"Yes. He's mine. He has been for the last 6 years and the only reason that we're not married with our 5th kid on the way is because I've been a coward and an idiot."

"Livvie..."

"I'm not saying that you didn't contribute to us being apart, Fitz but you know I'm right."

"There has to be a better way of putting it. I don't like you tearing yourself down like that."

Olivia smiled sadly at that and turned back to the collage, really taking it in. There were articles dating back to The Trail and more of the photographs. There was a shot of them dancing at the State Dinner. There was a shot of them standing at Verna's coffin. There was even a shot of them during his Inauguration ceremony. She was smiling right at him and he was looking at her with childlike glee, knowing that she was proud of him. Tabloid articles from the last few days had eye catching headlines such as 'OHHHH-Livia', 'Here We Hoe Again', 'Olivia Poke', 'Grant's Groupie' and 'POTUS Got Poped'. Old pictures of her during her 'Party Girl Pope' days were up there, along with pictures of Fitz with Jeannine, Amanda, and Mellie. Mellie...

"What's the status on Mellie, Huck?"

"She's booked a suite at the Hay-Adams and while she still hasn't said anything to the Media, Cyrus Beene joined her there on Saturday morning. They're probably working together."

"That makes sense. Fitz fired him. I told him to go to hell when he called me looking for help so Mellie's his only option. He's the one to really focus on. Mellie talks a good game and she's got some support but she'll end up hanging herself on her own noose. She always does. Cyrus is dangerous. He'll say and do anything to get revenge against us, even if it means that he shoots himself in the ass."

"I can take care of him."

"No, you can't. There's been enough bloodshed. No one else is dying or getting maimed unless there's no other option."

"Liv..."

"No. No more wet work. Find another way or get out!"

Huck looked taken aback at her words but Olivia looked at him placidly. She understood that Huck was violent. He had been trained and honed to be a walking weapon. She understood that Huck was off in the head. All of them were in some way, especially nowadays. She understood that he was only trying to help her in the best way he knew how but she was serious.

OPA had gotten too deep into the Spy business and she was sick of feeling directly or indirectly responsible for someone's death. She was sick of smelling blood in the air, seeing it in her dreams, and feeling it on her hands, no matter how hard she scrubbed at them. Olivia knew that she couldn't go back. She couldn't undo the choices she made that had led to other people making the choice to kill or injure but she could start a new pattern with herself and her people. No more wet work.

"We'll figure it out, Liv." Quinn assured her. "What we need is ammunition. What can we use against her?"

/

The fact that they could show such affection outside of closed doors showed that their life had finally taken a turn towards what Fitz had wanted for years. Their life, the merging of business and pleasure, had finally begun. He felt a giddiness fluttering deep in his stomach at the thought.

It would be intriguing to see her interact with her staff, new and old members. He had seen her in Fixer mode, expertly handling the stickiest and most scandalous situations. But seeing her directly interact with her team and handle their situation, with his input and involvement for a change, would be an adventure. He was so glad that she wasn't shutting him out this time. She was letting him assist her in the way they approached their relationship in regards to the public view and their careers. Finally, they could call themselves a team, and he hoped that they would continue as one, hand in hand as they faced the obstacles for the rest of their lives.

As Fitz took in the collage of articles and photos, he remembered the moments featured in each of them.

The captured moment during his Inauguration Ceremony was a surprise. When he had been sworn into office and the applause thundered around him, Fitz had looked to her for approval. His grin had matched hers. Her pride in him had meant the world and it was obvious in the photo. The image still moved him as he looked at it. It proved to him that so many seemingly private moments between them had not been so. How many other moments like that, subtle but meaningful, had been caught?

They had stood together at Verna's funeral. Not that she hadn't already been knocking on death's door, but Fitz had escorted her through it. Not his proudest moment, but he had been preserving the legacy that she, that the group of them, had forced on him. They had made him President, and he didn't want to go down for their sins. But the way he had spoken to Olivia that day. She had finally agreed to wait for him. She had said the words aloud when before they had only been implied. And he had shut her down. His wounds from the knowledge of Defiance had been so fresh. Then, he had felt like she didn't believe in him enough for him to earn the votes on his own. But he knew that she had done it because she believed in what he could do in office. No matter how misguided it may have been, she had done it out of love.

Dancing with her at the State Dinner during his first term: she had scolded him so cutely that night, reminding him that they were in public. But his eyes wouldn't leave her. He had been so tired of being away from her, of being without her. But that was all over. The shot of them walking on the South Lawn headed for the helicopter proved that. The shot still took his breath away. It was real. They were really doing it. They were united, and that was all that Fitz had ever wanted. He wondered how long it would take for that realization to lose its shock. He wondered if it ever would.

At the mere mention of Jake, Fitz's hackles rose. He didn't want his former friend anywhere near Olivia. Even after their talk in the orchard, his jealousy regarding Jake's involvement in Olivia's life was thriving. The past made him wary. She had dropped him before in favor of a seemingly less stressful relationship with Ballard.

He wouldn't let it happen again.

The thought of it made his skin flush and he shrugged off his jacket and suit coat, draping them over the edge of the conference table. As he listened to the discussion, he rolled up his sleeves to further cool himself. It would do no good to go into it hot-headed. Besides, he definitely had the upper hand.

She had chosen him. She had showed up on the balcony. She had promised to be more open so they could make it work.

Fitz stifled a chuckle at Huck's willingness to 'take care' of Cyrus. It didn't surprise him that there were people who wanted Cyrus dead or who were at least willing to make it happen. Cyrus was a political monster. He had left a path of scorned people behind in his climb to shape Fitz's presidency. The man should choose his moves more carefully if he wanted to stay alive. Olivia swatted at him responsively without even looking or saying a word. The gesture was effortless. As if she had done it a hundred times and would do it again just as many. It was done with a sense of intimate normalcy that he adored.

He might find the thought of Cyrus being maimed amusing but she was right. Too many people had died or been harmed in some way. Because of their relationship. Because of Cyrus. Because of Mellie. It was time for it to end. He stood beside her and wrapped his arm around her to hold her hip, pressing a supportive kiss to her hairline.

"She's right, Huck. As much as we'd all like to maim and torture Cyrus Beene, we need to take a different direction with this. There has been enough of that in the past. We'll do this as clean and concise as we can. I was planning on divorcing Mellie before Olivia came to the White House. That only reassured me that it was the right thing to do. I'm tired of her selling pieces of my soul to keep me in office and build her future. She induced labor with Teddy to manipulate me away from Olivia. Karen caught her on her knees with Andrew. She provided the information that got those jurors killed. Her conscience has no boundaries, so I dare her to try to call me out for falling in love with Olivia."

Mellie had been a menace to his character. She brought out the worst in him. She manipulated him to shape their narrative. It was time for Fitz and Olivia to claim their own future and it was truly theirs for the taking.

He looked over at her affectionately, his expression softening. They had a lot ahead of them. A battle plan to form against their likely enemies. But when he looked at her, he knew that anything they would face would be worth it. She reached over and stroked his cheek and he smiled softly.

Leo nodded thoughtfully.

"So she's a power hungry, manipulative whore. We can work with that."

"So what is the Endgame? What are we trying to do specifically here? Do you want Congress to accept your offer to resign or are you hoping to finish out your term? We can make either option happen."

"I'd like to finish my term, even if they push for impeachment. I've made it this far despite the mudslinging. I want to finish strong." He paused, remembering that he wasn't the only one involved in the decision. "Livvie?"

He looked at her with the question in his eyes. He wanted to know what she wanted to do. They were moving forward together. If she wanted him to quit, if she wanted him to give it all up, he would. He had tried to do it before, but she hadn't let him. Things were clearly different. They were both All In, willing to move forward with no reservations. Her opinion mattered.

Her head nodded in agreement.

"We try to keep you in the Oval, but if it doesn't happen..."

"...then we settle down in Vermont a little earlier than planned," he finished with a cheeky grin that made her laugh.

/

"Now, is Vermont a code for something or like an actual...?"

"Fitz and I have an estate there. I didn't know about it until two winters ago but that's where we were over the weekend and where we'll be based when it's all said and done. No, he didn't use taxpayer money to buy the land or to pay for the construction. It all came from his personal funds. Everything up there is under my name so Mellie can't try to stake a claim on it under California's divorce laws."

"Would she even want to? I mean, it's Vermont, not Manhattan or L.A. What the hell is in Vermont other than maple syrup?"

"It's not about location, it's all about spite, Leo. Mellie's going to do any and everything she can to put the screws to Fitz because she is just that hateful. She would try to get it just so she can burn it down. Plus, the house and land have got to be worth at least 8 million dollars..."

"It's worth 18.6 million, give or take an acre."

"Seriously?"

"That was the last estimate I got from the realtor but I'm sure that it's worth more, now. It's been a couple of years."

"Damn. So, you took your own time and money and built a 20 million dollar love nest to share with her?"

"Mm-hm."

"You really do love her, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"Fitz, I don't know whether to call you batshit insane or the world's biggest romantic. I'll probably go with both. I take it that you also gave her a priceless family heirloom from deep within the Grant Family Vaults to go with the love nest?"

"Well..."

"I was joking! What's wrong with you, man? Don't you have any middle gears? What did you give her? What did he give you, Olivia?"

Immediately, Olivia held up her left hand and let Leo examine her index finger under the lights.

"What's the story and how did she get it?"

"The Ring was my Great Grandmother Annette's. It's very old, very rare, and it has a name. Doux Bebe. It means 'Sweet Baby' in French, which makes sense because her father bought it for her in Paris as a gift for her debutante ball. She gave it to me on her deathbed and made me promise that I'd only give it to the woman that I truly loved."

"So, it's a family heirloom promise ring?"

"That's the most straightforward way of putting it. The Ring came before Vermont. I've had it since right before Cyrus' wedding to James Novak. I've only taken it off twice in the last 4 years and those circumstances were bad, to say the least. The only way it's coming off again is if someone cuts my finger off and I really hope that doesn't happen anytime soon or at all."

/

Of course, there was more in Vermont than maple syrup. Their future was there. Acres and acres of pasture and orchards. The house he had designed, in which they would dwell for the rest of their days once his term was through. Their love would take root there. Vermont would be their resting place. The calm after the storm that they were still wading through. The waters high and treacherous. Vermont, with its lush fields and cool breezes, was home. Fitz wouldn't let Mellie try to spoil that for them. He would burn the estate down himself before he allowed her to get her selfish, bitter hands on it. As far as he knew, she had no knowledge of the place at all. He had gone extra lengths to ensure that she knew nothing about it when it was being built. Lots of hushed phone calls from his private office, going over detailed construction plans and ordering specific materials.

But they were back in DC...and Fitz missed the serenity that Vermont offered them already.

"Alright, I have to ask. What was Mellie's knowledge of your affair before you declared it to the entire world?"

"She had known about it for a long time. Maybe even from the start."

"Interesting...and she protected the secret for that long?"

"As long as it was something she could use to her advantage, it was a secret worth keeping. She has used my relationship with Fitz to bend both of us to do her bidding."

"That's a big part of why I decided to go public. As long as the affair was a secret, Mellie could hold it over our heads to get what she wanted. I was tired of her having that control over us."

"Makes sense. You took back the power. Does she know about the Ring?"

Doux Bebe was the first of many gifts that he intended on giving her. Fitz would make up for lost time. He planned on spoiling Olivia absolutely rotten. She was, after all, his great love. His light. The strings that held him together. That was why he had given her his grandmother's ring. It was the fulfillment of his promise. He truly loved Olivia. She deserved to be cherished in the best ways. All of the ways that were ready and waiting for her. Romantic gestures came naturally to Fitz and he had been forced to stifle them for too long. He was more than ready to give her every ounce of the love that he held for her in his heart. Being loved wasn't something that she had truly experience, he knew. It would be his duty to shower her with adoration. To show her what it meant to love and be loved in return.

"Honestly, I don't know. It's possible."

They all took a seat at the long conference table.

"Okay, so...love nest, promise ring, and a controlling soon-to-be ex wife. Anything else that could come up? Not that this isn't going to be difficult enough..."

"I went to war for her."

He said it suddenly, and the confession seemed to take all of the air from the room. He felt Olivia look away from him and he remembered how angry she had been with him when she had found out what he had done for her sake. It wasn't a proud moment for either of them, but it was relevant. The tracks either had been or could be well covered, but it was a potential problem that they should factor into the equation.

"You what?!"

"West Angola. It was because Olivia was abducted. Nichols went behind my back and had her Taken so that he could have his war. And it worked. I went to war in hopes that she would be returned as promised, but it became more complicated than that..."

Fitz reached over and took her hand in his under the table, giving her a comforting squeeze. It was something they hadn't discussed, but he knew they needed to. On their time. It was one of many conversational bridges that they would have to cross. Together.

"This...is a problem."

Huck spoke up.

"It is but it doesn't have to be. We can have whatever evidence is out there destroyed, virtual or physical. We'll make it happen, Liv. We've Handled worse."

Olivia nodded next to him.

"We have. It will be a challenge, in more ways than one, but I think we can handle it if we go at it the right way. We have to claim the Narrative before it is established for us."

Leo chimed in, knowing that was definitely his department.

"Star-Crossed Lovers, for sure. The world has been against you, but you're fighting to be together anyway. Gold."

"Everyone loves a love story," Quinn added.

"Especially when it's true."

Fitz ended his words with a grin in Olivia's direction.

/

Shyly, Olivia smiled back and suppressed the urge to look down at her shoes like a smitten schoolgirl. Essentially, she was and there wasn't anything wrong with that but she was still Olivia Pope, damn it all! She had an image to uphold, at least in front of Leo and Marcus. Leo was a rival Fixer and although she and Abby were friends, a case could be made for the brassy yet soft hearted redhead being her best friend (sans Fitz, of course), she didn't know Leo from Adam, Eve, or Steve. She knew not to trust him fully and she appreciated that authenticity. It was rare, especially around D.C. and Olivia knew that even if they didn't become friends, Leo would prove to be a valuable ally long term. Perhaps, he'd even become family adjacent. He and Abby seemed to be getting serious. She would have to ask the redhead the next time they both had downtime. Even if she and Leo weren't serious, they seemed to be much more solid than her and David Rosen (which was partially Olivia's fault...) or that no good bastard Charles Putney!

Huck and Quinn were family, just like Abby so she didn't mind showing them a little bit of underbelly. It was long overdue. All 3 of them trusted her with their underbelly, as had Harrison and Stephen. She owed them and they had earned the same courtesy from her.

Mutual respect had been forged between her and Marcus during the Brandon Walker protests (not to mention the Incident with the Mayor's wife...) but Olivia didn't feel comfortable enough to soften completely around him just yet. Familiarity would come with time. Marcus reminded her a lot of Harrison, honestly. Bold, brash, and ready to fight the good fight, even if he had to play a bit dirty at times. Their family would always have a Harrison shaped hole in it (just like there was a Stephen shaped one) but that didn't mean that there wasn't room for new members...well, except for one approaching exception.

Jake Ballard was laden with enough Gettysburger to feed an army and she could feel sharp tension radiating from him as he set it on the conference room table, especially as he took in her appearance. She was glowing like a firefly from her interlude with Fitz. Her lips were still swollen from the kisses she had fully participated in with Fitz outside and in Vermont. She was in bright colors, denim, badass black leather, and there was a deep contentment in her body language, even with the Media storm raging outside and on the television screens.

For the first time in far too long, Olivia felt anchored and free, confident in most of her decisions and was willing to ask for help in the ones she wasn't, help that would not be coming from Jake anymore. Jake's last words of advice to her had set her on the path to boldness, the path to long overdue honesty with herself and the World, and the path to genuine joy with the man she genuinely loved with all of her heart, mind, and spirit.

That man was not Jake and it had to burn him to know that, to see her like this and to know it wasn't and would never be because of him. Olivia couldn't trust or love him enough to let him see her true self.

While he had seen her as "carefree" Julia Baker and a distressed Olivia Pope, Jake had never gotten to see her as her original badass self. Rowan (and sadly, Fitz...) had thrown him into her orbit at a time where she felt raw, confused, dirty, and unloved. She had been smarting from Fitz's sound rejections of her and the accompanying heartbreak that she refused to fully acknowledge since the heartbreak had come from her own actions, or rather, lack of actions. She should've tried harder to stop Defiance or at least found some way to tell Fitz the truth about it earlier. Maybe he wouldn't have been shot, maybe the Cytron Bombing could've been prevented, maybe...maybe she and Fitz would be happy together instead on the road to it…

Anyway, Jake seeing her now, seeing her as the Olivia Pope of old blended with an emerging brand new one, a new one whose actions screamed that he no longer had a place in her bed or the forefront of her mind...they would have to talk. They would have to talk and Olivia would have to lay down the law. She would have to discard him as a substitute and safety net. She would have to be a true Gladiator in her personal life. Being a true Gladiator in her personal life wasn't just fighting for the good life that she wanted and deserved to have with Fitz. It was also about cutting off and burning the toxic/unhealthy people within her life, too.

Dealing with Jake would be just like dealing with Cyrus, Mellie, and Rowan, only more complex. Jake believed himself to be in love with her and while she had made it clear that her heart was not his to have, her actions in using him repeatedly gave him false hope. And she had grown fond of him but it was nothing compared to how she felt about Fitz. Even if she had never met Fitz, she would never be able to love and want him like Jake wanted her to. It just wouldn't happen.

They would have to talk.

She would have to stand her ground and tell him all the truths unspoken between them and hope that he'd eventually understand. Olivia knew that he would be hurt and angry but she still hoped that he'd find a way to accept and understand the new reality.

She would have to keep him from putting malicious hands on her in the process and most of all, she would have keep Fitz from putting malicious hands on him without just provocation, especially if Jake decided to keep sticking around despite her ending it with him.

She and Fitz were finally in a good place, a good place that wasn't built on shaky ground and the last thing she wanted was to have to cover up an attempted or accomplished murder of the man he saw as a huge rival for her affections, worse than Edison Davis or Franklin Russell. Edison and Franklin had never managed to take her away from him. Jake had. She had ran off with him to the Island and held onto the unhealthy attachment to the other man so tightly before and after doing so, Fitz had genuinely felt that she had fallen in love with Jake, which was just not true. It would never be true. Fitz was the only man for her and the absolute love of her life. He always had been and he always would be. No one else mattered.

Just because Fitz knew all of that in his mind didn't mean that his heart and ego were going to be reasonable on the subject.

When it came to her and Them, Fitz and rational thoughts were mutually exclusive, something that both endeared him to Olivia and also made her want to punch his lights out.

Not to mention, there was some kind of beef between Fitz and Jake dating back to their time in the Air Force, one that had tainted their friendship and one that had only become worse once she was added into the picture. She didn't know the whole story, only pieces of it. She did know that it was just a big mess, an adjacent mess to the larger one she had created out of cowardice, but like the Mess she and Fitz were publicly, she would find a way to clean it up and make some good come from it down the line.

No, they would. She and Fitz would. They were going to work together and Handle it together. They'd let others help them but they would plot the course of their paths together. They were going to be a Team, a real team, not like the "Team" he had been in with Mellie nor like the "Team" they had been in with Cyrus.

They were going to do this and it was going to be great.

They were going to be great.

They were already great…

"What did I miss, other than the obvious?"

"Fitz loves Olivia. Olivia loves Fitz. They're awesomely Olitz so all of us are going to put our heads together with them so they can love each other without ruining their lives until their 3rd reincarnations. We're gonna take them from a Hemmings/Jefferson reboot to a grand love story on the scale of Cleopatra and Marc Antony without the whole dying and making the existing Kingdom fall to pieces parts. At least in theory. Oh, and he built her a 20 million dollar love nest in Vermont and gave her his great-grandmother's priceless ring at Beene's 2nd wedding as a symbol of devotion and of true love. Awesome, you got the extra gravy and A1 sauce...Olivia, I know you were engaged to Edison Davis back in the day but is there anyone else that was important to you that could bite you and Fitz in the ass?"

"No...well, Jake and I were together for a while but it wasn't a real relationship to me. It was friends with benefits. I used him for months and he let me. I'm not proud of doing so but it's the truth."

"Wow...that's...that's cold."

"It's the truth, Leo. The only way to Spin this correctly is for Fitz and me to be as honest as possible. Plus, I don't like it when my Clients lie to me so I'm not going to do it to you. There was Jake and there was also a guy named Russell but he was a three night stand and he had his own reasons for being with me."

"What kind of reasons?"

"Bad and classified reasons that going into detail about could get you killed or maimed enough for you to wish you were dead."

"All righty, then I don't need to know about them. They can stay a mystery. Let's break for lunch and I'll see about getting you a Primetime interview set up, okay? Okay."

/

Seeing her smile so often, so openly, was new. Before, there had been so many reasons to keep a reserved expression, so many dark clouds gathering over them, even in their few and far between moments of bliss. But the last few days Fitz had seen her smile and heard her laugh. It was balance to the tears he had always watched her shed. They were finding their level ground, finally, and though they were still slightly shaky, they were learning how to stand on it without buckling. Together.

He tensed immediately as Jake entered the room. It was involuntary. A conditioned response after the role he had played in Olivia's life. He had been the arms she had run to instead of going to Fitz. Instead of going where she belonged. Jake had been the exit route when all she needed to do was go home. But that was over. She was home.

Regardless, the other man had touched her and kissed her, and the knowledge of that infuriated Fitz. He wanted to take out that anger by beating him to a pulp, and clenched his jaw and fists as he tried to relax and hold back. Olivia wouldn't want him to make a scene.

Relief washed over him when she confirmed with her words that Jake hadn't even been a blip on her radar. Her choice was clear, but the presence of the other man still left him uneasy. Jealousy was a bitter bitch. Fitz knew because he felt it. Who knew what Jake could decide to do if he still had lingering feelings for Olivia? But Fitz would fight for her now.

They had been given a breathtaking glimpse of what their lives would be like. Falling asleep together. Making love whenever they wanted instead of on rare, rushed occasions. Showing affection in public without worry of being exposed. They had started to pave the way. He would be damned if he let that slip away.

Her words did give him some comfort though. She didn't have to say it that way. She could have acknowledged whatever had existed between her and Jake, but she shut it down. She refused to give it meaning. That had to mean something. Didn't it? They were gathered at her office, forming a plan and fighting to paint their relationship in the right light, the real light.

They were going to show the world who they were as a couple. They were going to stand in the public eye and declare their Truth. But he still couldn't stand Jake being in the same room. It sickened him.

He needed coffee. Really, he didn't. The caffeine surely wouldn't settle his already unsteady nerves. What he needed was scotch, but it would dull his edges. He wanted to be sharp, for her. For them. So strong, black coffee would have to suffice. They had a long night ahead of them. Walking over to the kitchenette, Fitz took a black mug out of the cabinet and poured it full of the rich-smelling liquid from the coffee pot.

She saw the tension in his frame as she approached him. His shoulders and back were rigid with it. He had gone from smiling at her cutely to bordering on brooding and the only noticeable shift that could have caused it was Jake returning to the office. It didn't surprise her. Fitz, rightfully, had doubts and insecurities when Jake was involved. That was her fault. She had done that to him. She knew it would take time, but she would do whatever she had to do to convince him that she belonged to no one but him. She was irrevocably in love with Fitz. No one would ever make her stray again.

Her hand smoothed affectionately over the space between his shoulders, the muscles there rippling beneath her touch. He turned around halfway and offered her a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Hey...you okay?" she asked quietly, her expression a touch concerned.

He took a sip of his coffee, the bitterness dripping down into his gut that was already burning quietly with emotion.

"Yeah...it's just...a little awkward with him here..." he admitted.

That was the light way to put it, but he met her eye, knowing she would clearly read the words in his gaze that he wasn't saying. Their soul-deep connection whispered to her what he couldn't.

/

"More than a little awkward, actually. I was hoping that he wouldn't be here. Each of us has gotten a chance for a new start with Rowan in prison. Jake should've taken his and ran with it because there's nothing left for him in DC."

"His job is still here. You're still here."

"There truly is nothing left for him here in DC. He doesn't have a real job, anymore. B613 is weakened right now and there's not going to be a place for him there once it recovers. He's damaged goods because of being one of Rowan's "sons" and that makes him disposable. If he's waiting to be with me again, then he's wasting his time. I don't want to be with him. I don't love him. I've never loved him. I did use him but I don't want or feel the need to do that, anymore. I told you that I was done being insane about us, Fitzgerald. I told you that I didn't want to make the same stupid mistakes I did in the past. I told you that if I have a choice, I'm staying here with you. I promised to stay with you and to love you like I should've been doing from the start. I always keep my promises."

"You do keep your promises and you've been amazing so far, Livvie. You really have. I just..."

"You need more time for it to sink in that it's real, that we're real and that I'm not going to fuck us over again. I said that we were in it together at the Constitution and I ran. I ran away before you found out about Defiance and pushed me away. I ran away after you came and ran out the clock with me. I ran away during your re-election campaign and I ran away when you needed me most. I gave you hope, gave us hope, and when push came to shove, I ran away for no good reason and without even saying goodbye most of the time. I created a bad pattern between us that you've gotten used to. You're still waiting for the other shoe to drop and I get it. I really do and I'm sorry, baby. I've done a lot of damage to your trust over the last 6 years and it won't get undone in just...wow, it hasn't even been a week since I came to the Truman, has it? It's only been 4 days."

"It's been the best 4 days...I don't like that he's here, Liv. I don't trust him as far as I can throw him, not just because of you but also because of his strong connections to Rowan and B613 but...even after everything we've been through, at the end of the day, I still trust you so if you say that you and Jake are done, then you're done."

"I can't speak for him but as for me? Jake and I are done. Never again."

"No more running away?"

"No more running anywhere unless it's to you or with you."

As soon as she said that, the majority of the tension in his body language drained away and the look he gave her was full of raw devotion. He was still wary of her words, of all the words that she should've said to him earlier, but her actions were matching up. She was standing her ground. She was involving directly him in the plans to Spin, Fix, and Handle them. She was being honest with him about her feelings, despite how uncomfortable the honesty made her feel, and she had bluntly said that she loved only him to her Gladiators, to Leo and Russell, and to Jake. The fact that he was standing in OPA, her inner sanctum because she had brought him there instead of bad circumstances alone, had to help boost his already deep confidence in her and them.

Olivia was still afraid. She would always be afraid, it seemed but at least she wasn't destructive with it, anymore. She wasn't letting the fear hold her back. Being with Fitz openly would be difficult but the alternatives of hiding in the shadows or ending it permanently would be agony, especially now. They had gotten to taste the forbidden fruit of legitimacy, only to find that it wasn't so forbidden, after all. In fact, it was sweet and healthy, more than ready to be devoured fully.

She wasn't going to back down. She wasn't going to back away. She was All In and she was all too aware that Fitz was, too. He had been All In from the get-go. He just had to wait for her to catch up. Thankfully, he had. She had given him ample reason to give up on her, to give up on them, but he hadn't. He had kept the faith and now...oh, now...

Closing the distance between them, Olivia embraced him tenderly, resting her head in her place on his left shoulder. Fitz's arms went around her and she looked up at him. She didn't have words at the moment but words weren't needed. When she allowed him to, Fitz could read her as easily as he read security briefs. He could see past all of her defenses, all of her The Olivia Pope bravado, and find her as Olivia or more accurately, his Livvie. She was his Livvie and she loved him with all of her heart.

Just like she had outside, she initiated the kiss and Fitz gave himself over to her, following her lead. His lips were warm from the coffee and she could taste it on his tongue as their affection deepened. His left hand went to where her neck and jaw met and a shiver of delight went through her as she felt his bare ring finger on her cheek. There was no metal there, anymore. There wasn't a reminder that their time was limited, that he wasn't hers, anymore. She had taken Mellie's ring off and he would never put it on again. He probably wouldn't even see it again. The cleaning crews had to have found it and with the new reality, the honest reality out there for the whole World to see, there was no point in returning the band to him. It would probably end up on eBay or in a private auction like his Eisenhower Pin and Doux Bebe. It may even end up in the Smithsonian. The wedding band of the first American President to ever get divorced in Office would be a good centerpiece to a 'Scandalous Politicians of America' exhibit. Honestly, Olivia didn't care what happened to it.

She would give him a new ring to go with their new life together. She would be Mrs. Grant...Mrs. Pope-Grant and even if she wasn't going to be FLOTUS, she would be his First Lady, the First and Only Lady of his heart.

It was something else to strive for and to look forward to.

Slowly, the deep long kiss became shorter ones, still passionate but tapering. They still had a lot of work to do before they could return to each other's eager arms. Plus, she didn't want to make love with him at OPA. All right, she did but not when the others were around. Their sex life was already getting enough scrutiny inside and outside. There was no need to provide a soundtrack.

The kisses stopped and her eyes remained closed, his warm hands cupping her face.

"Look at me."

Olivia did so and returned his somewhat dopey smile after he pressed one last kiss to her brow. Picking up his mug of coffee, Fitz retreated back towards the conference room and she watched him go fondly. Damn, he was fine. He was so fine and sweet and hers...

"Friends with benefits?"

The tender warmth in her body drained away and she turned to face the second doorway, the one that led straight to Huck's domain and what used to be Stephen's office. Judging by his stiff body language and the tic of his jaw, Jake had been watching her and Fitz, listening to them for at least the last 5 minutes. The censure in his eyes made her bristle and she folded her arms across her chest before looking at him defiantly. She had already been shamed by Mellie, Cyrus, and especially herself. The Media was having their field day, now. She'd be damned if she let Jake condemn her too, especially since he didn't even have figurative high ground to stand on. He was as dirty as she was. Hell, he was ten times worse than she was!

"That was the nicest way I could think of describing us. Would you have preferred substitute or fuck buddy, instead?"

"I would've preferred that you...forget it."

"No. You've obviously got something to say so let's hear it."

"Olivia..."

"You would've preferred that I chose you. I was supposed to choose you and I didn't."

"I'm actually glad that you didn't choose me. I'm too good for you."

"You weren't too good for me when I was letting you fuck me, Jake. And let's not forget that less than a week ago, you were ready and willing to whisk me away from all of this, to rescue me like the damsel in distress that I allowed myself to be. You have no right to judge me."

Jake winced at that and sighed jaggedly before replying, "I'm not trying to judge you, Olivia. I'm just worried about you. I want to be sure that you're not letting him pressure you into doing something that you don't want to, into living in a fishbowl just to make him happy and because you feel like you owe him something. Yeah, what he said at the Press Conference was beautiful but the reality...it's not going to be easy, Olivia."

"I know that it's not going to be easy but making a path to happiness rarely is. The last time we spoke, you said that I was owed happiness and I should pursue it. If you meant that, then you had to know that I wasn't going to choose you. Even if Fitz rightfully told me to go to hell on the Truman, I wouldn't have come back to you. I'm done settling. I want to be happy."

"And he makes you happy?"

"When I allow him to, Fitz helps me make my own happiness. Jake, I'm sorry that I hurt you. I'm sorry that I used you and made you think that there was a real future for us, that we could stand in the sun together. I truly am but I'm done apologizing for loving Fitz and I'm done running away from that love. We're done. You need to move on."

The obstinate expression on his face told her that he had no intention of doing so but Olivia just shrugged before leaving him to brood in peace. She knew that Jake seeing sense quickly wasn't going to happen from the moment he saw her but that didn't stop her from being honest with him. She needed to be honest with him and to continue being honest with herself. She wasn't going back to him. She wasn't going to go backwards into bad habits anymore, at least not on purpose.

Olivia was certain that she'd have her Moments, the Moments when bolting and denying herself joy seemed to be the right thing to do. She had been living with that pattern of behavior long before Fitz came along. He was just the most prominent and painful example of it. That pattern wouldn't leave her Playbook immediately. It would take time and bravery, along with support from those who loved her and who truly wanted the best for her. That list of people was sadly short and in flux, except for one person, the absolute love of her life. Fitz was the absolute love of her life and despite all of the hell mainly she had raised between them, he still loved her with all of his heart. Olivia was eternally grateful for that.

Jake Ballard didn't love her. Just like she had never loved him, he had never loved her. He may have said the words but his actions screamed otherwise. People in love do not take advantage of their partner's compromised emotions (even when encouraged, which she had done more than once...) and they certainly didn't choke, shove, and concuss the one they claimed to adore. It just didn't happen. He didn't love her. In fact, looking back on things, Olivia was certain that Jake had no idea what love truly was. That wasn't to say that she herself was an expert on the subject but compared to Jake, she was a Nobel Prize laureate. What was going on with him in regards to her was infatuated lust, a bruised ego, a savior complex, topped off by with the now horrifyingly obvious fact that in order to justify his actions and to reduce his guilt, he had pulled a Rowan.

Rowan did all sorts of malicious, immoral, and disgusting things but justified it under a cloak of Love. Love of country, love of liberty, love of his offspring... and it was all a load of bullshit. Everything about Rowan was a pile of steaming bullshit underneath a thin veneer of civility, wonderful oratory in the form of long monologues, and hubris. That hubris and his ego fueled his destructive actions, just her own hubris and ego had fueled hers. In Rowan's mind, he was the puppet master and the most brilliant man in the world. It didn't help that he actually was intelligent but he overestimated himself. He had become so accustomed to getting his own way that when he didn't, it was like the end of days with him as a vengeful God.

Jake followed that pattern to a T but on a smaller and less skilled scale. He claimed that he wanted to slay the monsters but he was one of them, one of the biggest ones that she had so foolishly protected just so she could be "safe". God, she had been an idiot! She had been an idiot, a coward, a liar, and...well, she couldn't go back. God knows that if she could go back and undo the damage her cowardice had done, she would've done it twice over. More than twice over, really…

She couldn't go back but she could go forward. Going forward not only involved the good things with Fitz but tackling the bad things like Jake, Rowan, Mellie, Cyrus, and most of all, the Demons that still raged inside her mind and heart, fueled by longtime insecurities and her recent traumas. It would be difficult, back breaking, tear stained work but work that would be worthwhile in the end.

It had to be.

Go Big and Stay Home.

---

4 Days Later...

"Olivia Pope will break her silence tonight in an exclusive interview with BNC..."

"The top trend on Twitter right now is #DoesPopeLovePOTUSTooOrNah with over 9 million mentions, some even coming from prominent celebrities such as..."

"The Olivia Pope Interview is tonight and I am eager to see the carnage..."

"...it's going down tonight and my body is ready! Do not call me, do not text me, don't even look at me because like millions of others, I will be glued to my TV in my favorite giraffe onesie with a bowl of popcorn in my lap and a big ol' glass of chardonnay in my hand. I might even take notes. The Olivia Pope BNC interview will be legen-dary, once in a lifetime scorching Tea and should not be missed..."

"Sally Langston's The Liberty Report will be moved to tomorrow night at 9EST... 30 minute delays for Dancing with the Stars and The Voice..."

"What will she say? What will she wear? Will Olivia Pope be as resolute as President Grant? There are so many questions..."

"President Grant's approval numbers are all over the place. They're low within his Party, particularly with married women over the age of 40 but surprisingly high with..."

"Karen and Teddy Grant have been relocated to the main Grant Ranch-Compound in Santa Barbara, California under heavy security. There's been no activity on Karen's social media since before her father revealed the truth of about his relationship with Olivia Pope …"

"Mr. Clarence Parker, the father of 17 year old racially motivated police shooting victim Brandon Parker and namesake of the hotly debated Brandon Bill spoke out in defense and support of both Olivia Pope and President Grant during an early morning service yesterday at Shiloh Baptist Church..."

"...still no word from Junior Virginia Senator Melody Grant on the unfolding situation. She seems to be biding her time. Sources say that she is staying in the Hay-Adams Hotel and that former White House Chief of Staff Cyrus Beene is with her..."

---

"You look perfect!"

"Of course I do. I know how to dress and things like this were a big part my former livelihood, Leo."

"No, no, no...think positive! You've only lost 5 Clients and people have short memories in this town. They're a pack of drooling sheep like idiots and that works to our advantage. If you can work your Pope magic on this crowd, then I guarantee you that you'll still have your Firm as long as you want it. I mean, yeah. You're about to officially debut as the President's Side Chick but let me tell you something: if I'm in trouble with a capital 'T' and Olivia Pope offers to not only get me through it but to break even at the end of the day, you're damned right that I'm gonna hire her, regardless of who's making her kitty purr."

"Don't ever say that again. Not everyone is that reasonable."

"Nope, but there's enough people who are. Go out there and reel them in. Sell Olitz the Star Crossed Lovers like hotcakes. Be as honest as you can without putting a bigger bulls-eye on yourself, remember to smile when you talk about him, and don't be afraid to turn on the waterworks when things get heavy. Don't pull a Kim K-West with the gaping ugly cry but...you've got to be human on that couch. You've got to get them to see past the White Hat and your new red 'A'. Let your gooey, happy Olivia in love, elevator macking self shine through. Can you do that for the next 60 minutes?"

"I can do it. I will do it."

"Thatta girl. I'll see you in the other side. You can do it, Pope! I believe in you! I also believe in elves..."

Snorting ruefully at Leo being Leo, Olivia stood up from the makeup station and crossed over to the mic handlers. She was set up quickly and then left to her own devices. The stage was bustling on the other side of the gray wall and peeking around it, she saw that Noah Baker was already settled into his seat. He was a good choice for this 'coming out' interview. He was one of the few Talking Heads who were staying neutral about the whole Team Olitz/Team Mellie battle and he had interviewed with the Grant family before. The stock footage from past interviews could and would be used to compare-contrast easily.

He was BNC's top broadcaster and known for being tough but not brutal. He allowed his guests to set the tone. If they came out hostile and shifty, he would put the hammer down but if the guest showed vulnerability, genuine vulnerability and honesty, he'd cut them a break. Plus, despite a couple of hiccups involving the aforementioned Grant interviews, she and Noah had a decent rapport, one of mutual respect.

The overhead lights flashed in a 5 minute warning and Olivia swallowed back bile. Her stomach was a mess of burning knots and she clasped her hands together in an effort to get them to stop shaking. It wouldn't do anyone an ounce of good if she passed out before the interview or publicly afterwards. The last thing that she and Fitz needed was a pregnancy rumor added to the mix. That wasn't to say that she wasn't interested in having his baby ("two babies, I think...") but the circumstances surrounding them were crazy enough at the moment. After the Media lost most of its interest and his divorce mercifully became final, they would sit down and talk about it. Well, more accurately, she would let him know that she was ready and a very excited Fitz would pounce on her, pick her up, and insist on making their firstborn on the nearest solid surface...which wouldn't be that bad, honestly.

Fitz would be worth getting stuck to and falling off of a piano, provided that she didn't hit her head again in the process.

A quiet whimper escaped her as the BNC Special Report theme began to play and Olivia let her thumb go over Doux Bebe as Noah began his opening monologue. Everyone was watching. The whole World was watching. Fitz, her remaining Gladiators, Abby, the White House staff, Leo, Russell, Jake, Mellie, Cyrus, Rowan, whoever was left in the wake of Rowan's Great B613 Purge...they were tuning in to watch her. She wasn't in the background. She was the Client. She was the Scandal. She was the Headline and she... she...oh, god...

"You can do it, Livvie."

Fitz. What was Fitz doing here? He was supposed to be at in the Residence or at OPA or even at her apartment. She had given him keys to all of her locks. Was he really in front of her or was he in her mind? The presence of new Secret Service agents answered her question and she let out a surprised huff of laughter.

"What are you doing here?"

"Leo called me. He said that you needed me and according to him, my being here is good Optics for us."

"...I'm scared, Fitz. I want to go home. I can't do this."

"Yes, you can. You can do anything. Go out there and show them who you are."

Fitz embraced her and Olivia held onto him with white knuckle intensity. She made a mental note to buy Leo a bottle of his favorite alcohol or to set up a nice date night for him and Abby. Fitz being here was just what she needed to anchor her. Her nerves were still shot to hell. They would be until the Interview was done but the urge to run was gone. To her credit, she had wanted to run to Fitz. She wanted to feel his arms around her, to hear his reassurance and utter faith in her. A less mature part of her had wanted to hide underneath some blankets with him or perhaps underneath the bed itself. She was certainly small enough to fit and Fitz wouldn't mind indulging her.

With a fortifying breath, Olivia reluctantly stepped away from him and smoothed her hands over her outfit to get rid of any wrinkles. Her top was a short sleeved lilac v-neck sweater. Her snow white pleated skirt was tea length and she had on a pair of floral print 4 inch heels, the flowers being white, lilac, and plum purple. A black cardigan with white pearl buttons topped the outfit and her waved hair was in a messy yet elegant updo, once again leaving her face fully exposed. Her makeup was minimal, black mascara and a soft cotton candy pink for her lips. The only jewelry she had on were her usual gold studs and Doux Bebe, which again had been painstakingly polished.

Fitz came up behind her and she met his gaze in the full length mirror.

"I can do this. I will do this."

"You're going to be great, Livvie. Just be yourself and they'll love you."

"I hope so. You'll...you'll be here when I'm done?"

"Of course."

"Good."

The commercial break theme played and the stage door opened.

"Ms. Pope? We're ready for you."

---

NB: So, you are the President's mistress?

OP: Yes, I am. Fitz and I have been involved since his first campaign. Physically, it was off and on but emotionally, we have been together for the last 6 years.

NB: Last Friday, President Grant made it clear that he is in love with you. How do you feel about him?

OP: I love him, too. He's the love of my life.

/

NB: How did your relationship with him begin? Who pursued whom?

OP: It was a mutual decision, one that both of us fought against at first. In fact, he tried to fire me after our first meeting. Initially, I thought it was because I had bruised his ego. He asked what was going wrong with his Campaign and I told him in front of all of his staff members and...I thought he was angry at me.

NB: But, he wasn't?

OP: No. He was impressed and intrigued and...honestly, I turned him on and that was not a good thing. He knew that he was in trouble and he tried to get me away from him. It didn't work. Cyrus told him to chase after me and it just...he fell for me immediately but with me, it was a more gradual thing. I saw how kind he was and how intelligent he was and how funny and...by the time I realized what was going on, it was too late. Not only had he become my best friend, I had fallen for him and it couldn't be undone, no matter how much I wanted to believe otherwise.

/

NB: Who knew of your affair?

OP: Just about anyone who interacted with us figured it out quickly, including Mellie and Cyrus. Fitz and I tried our best to be discreet but it became the worst kept secret in the White House by the end of his first 100 days in office. It was the driving force behind resigning from the Director of Communications position. It was too painful to be in the White House with him but not by his side.

NB: You're saying that the First Lady knew?

OP: Oh, yes. She actively encouraged it in the early days. She saw it as a win-win situation, a neat and tidy arrangement. She could keep her place as First Lady without having to actually be Fitz's wife. She turned that role over to me. Once she realized that there was genuine love between us and that it wasn't just about sex, she changed her tune. She actually blamed me for the Amanda Tanner situation. Her exact words were: 'you fell down on the job and you let that girl get in his pants.' When things were status quo between her and Fitz, I was nothing but the uppity homewrecking dirty little whore that he couldn't keep his hands off of but when it hit the fan, when she felt like he was slipping out of her control, all of a sudden, I was the absolute love of the life and the only one who could save the day.

NB: And Cyrus Beene?

OP: He felt that my being around was for the greater good of the Grant Administration, at least until he realized that Fitz loved me enough to walk away from the Presidency, which would put the roots of his personal political power in jeopardy. After that, he constantly played us against each other. And like with Mellie, he particularly enjoyed condemning me until he needed my help. They are not innocent victims of me and Fitz's relationship. Both of them benefited greatly from it and when it suited them, both of them happily used it as leverage to make us feel trapped and desperate enough to do whatever they wanted to keep each other safe. Do not let them tell you otherwise. If they say otherwise, they're lying.

/

NB: You've been seen with other men in the last 6 years. You were engaged to Senator Edison Davis of Florida and were connected to Captain Jake Ballard last year. If you were in love with President Grant, then why did you...

OP: Cowardice. Shame. Guilt. I was running away from my feelings. I was trying to have a normal life again. I was trying to avoid being known only as Fitz's Sally Hemmings or Monica Lewinsky. I was...I thought that if I could just move on, if I could just make a good life with someone else, then the feelings I had for Fitz could be compartmentalized and forgotten. I also thought that I was doing what was best for him, politically and socially, while completely ignoring his wishes on the subject in the process. If it had been left up to him, then we would've been out and proud years ago.

NB: What has changed your mind? Why did you allow him to confirm your relationship? Why are you coming forward now?

OP: I'm tired. I'm tired of running away. I'm tired of settling for mediocrity and I am so tired of hurting Fitz and myself by living in denial. It's better to be honest, to stand in my own Truth than to keep hiding in the shadows. I'm certainly not happy about being called a whore and a homewrecker by Mass Media. I'm not happy about the scrutiny and condemnation that I'm facing as a black woman who had the audacity to fall in love with a powerful and married white man but…I really don't regret coming forward, now. I should've done it sooner. Things are hard for me right now and will likely get worse before they get better but I don't regret falling in love with Fitz. I could never regret loving him like he loves me.

/

NB: Your father, Eli Pope was just arrested and convicted of embezzling over 2 billion dollars from his curating position at the Smithsonian. Do you have any comment on that?

OP: I love him but he is exactly where he needs to be right now. Just like there are consequences for me falling in love with the right man at the wrong time, there are consequences for his actions. I wish him the best.

/

NB: What are your future professional plans? Will you be closing your Firm?

OP: I would like to be able to strike a balance between being with Fitz openly and continuing my work as a Fixer. I'd prefer not to have to close or turn over OPA to new leadership but if it comes to that, so be it.

/

NB: You keep running your thumb over the ring on your left index finger. Is that a gift from the President?

OP: Yes. He gave it to me before Cyrus Beene's wedding to James Novak. It belonged to his Great Grandmother Annette. Her father bought in Paris as a gift for her debutante ball. It's called 'Doux Bebe', Sweet Baby and on her deathbed, she gave this ring to Fitz to give to the woman he loved.

NB: Has he given you anything else?

OP: We share real estate.

NB: Have you given him anything like your ring?

OP: Yes. I gave him his Flag Pin on Inauguration Day. I found it at a private estate auction in New England. It was made for Dwight Eisenhower during his Presidency so there are only 48 stars on it.

/

NB: What has kept you and President Grant together for this long? Why are you determined to stay together?

OP: I can't speak for him but...I know that this is going to sound cliché but love has kept and will continue to keep us together. We're two very flawed people who are at their best, most authentic selves when we're together. We build each other up and we balance each other out. Yes, how we came together was less than ideal, a case could be made for completely immoral, but we are good together. We have something special and that something is worth fighting for. I've spent my whole life running away from love because I was afraid to lose it and that's still a distinct possibility but I don't want to run anymore. I want to fight. I want to go down swinging. I want to be loved and to give love. I want painful, difficult, devastating, life changing and affirming love and that's with him. I don't just want to be happy. I want to have joy. Joy is with Fitz. My heart is with Fitzgerald Grant III and that is where it's going to stay. That is why I'm still with him.

---

"And we're clear!"

It was over. It had been so simple yet so hard. She had gone forward and told her Truth in a public forum. Millions of Americans, along with millions of other people around the globe had tuned in to see her speak. The whole World watched and listened as she spoke not just the truth but from her heart. It had been the shortest and longest 60 minutes, 56 seconds of her life. Olivia had gone forward. She had told the truth. She had defended herself, her man, and their love.

And the World had not fallen off of its axis nor had the sky exploded before falling into the sea.

Her mic was removed and she was given a glass of water to soothe her throat, which she downed in one long swallow. Silently, she extended her hand for an impressed looking Noah to shake and once that was done, Olivia returned backstage. As promised, Fitz was standing at one of the monitors and the smile on his face when he saw her, his relaxed body language...

She had done yet another thing right between them. Even if the Interview went over like a ton of bricks with the Public, knowing that Fitz was happy with it, knowing that she hadn't hurt him tonight made her feel like the Queen of Everything.

Looking away from Fitz, she couldn't help but snort at a rapidly approaching Leo Bergen's appearance. He was practically vibrating with excitement. His hair looked like he had grabbed onto it a few times and his tie was undone, along with the top button of his dress shirt but he was also happy. He had been worried but she had pulled it off and they both knew it.

"That was awesome! You did it! I knew you could do it!"

"Did you really?"

"It was touch and go for a while but seriously, you kicked ass out there, especially during that last bit. That was a nice play, a real tearjerker moment."

"It wasn't a play, Leo. It was the truth."

"Which makes it even more awesome! It's not every day that I get to have a sane Client who can tell the God's honest truth and things don't end up going terribly wrong. I've got to check in with the rest of the Avengers and Red to be sure but things are looking good for you and El Presidente, Olivia. Tonight was a win. Enjoy it. Enjoy each other but keep it PG in public, kids. I'll call you in the morning."

"Okay. Hey, Leo?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, Pope. See you tomorrow."

/

The streets of DC were full of people enjoying the evening and went past their car quickly but not too quickly. There were no sirens, flashing lights, or police escorts this time. The car in front of them held Secret Service Agents and there was a second car two streets over, mirroring their movements towards their destination. No one would look twice at the late model black sedan they were in. It was black and the windows tinted enough to look like a high end cab or Uber. Of course, the entire car, from the panels to the floor mats was completely bulletproof.

The car had been waiting for them in the lower level parking garage and had driven right past the clustered Media. They had been expecting her to exit into an SUV or a grand limousine. They had also hoped to get another look at them together in the aftermath. Although Fitz had kept his departure from the White House incognito, there was no such thing as a secret nowadays, thanks to social media and the overabundance of devices with built in cameras. People knew that he had been backstage during the Interview and one lucky person had even got a shot of him in profile, a tender smile on his face. When Olivia showed him the shot on her own phone, he had informed her that it was right after she had told Noah that he was the love of her life.

Such a simple statement...such a potent statement...getting up on that stage in front of all of those cameras had been one of the most frightening things she had ever done but it had been so rewarding. Not only because she had made Fitz happy but because for the first time in a very, very long time, she could relax. There weren't a ton of secrets and fears weighing down on her soul, anymore. The World knew the truth (well, most of it...) and she was still standing. Fitz was still standing.

Just like after the Press Conference, her phone was a rapidly buzzing beacon. She was being mentioned in Tweets, Facebook posts, Tumblr posts, and the local news radio was already playing highlights from the Interview. Her confirmation of being Fitz's 'mistress', the story of how they met, and especially her ending statement were on loop with attached commentary. Surprisingly, most of it was positive. Sure, some people were implying that her answers were scripted and yes, some were still very upset with her, especially her perceived 'attacks' on Mellie but overall, the Media was praising her honesty, her humility, and of course, how she presented herself on stage. Even if she had spoken with the eloquence of every great orator, if there had been a single wrinkle in her outfit, then...such was life for women. Hopefully, one day it would change but until then, Olivia would carry on.

Fitz's phone was a buzzing beacon, too but the calls were coming mainly from Mellie and Cyrus. He had already spoken briefly to Lizzie North (who sounded very rattled on the line...) and checked in with a worried but ecstatic Abby. Why the Undynamic Duo was bothering him was beyond Olivia's understanding. It wasn't like he could undo what she said even if he wanted to and he certainly didn't want to. Of the two of them, Fitz had the least amount of patience for Mellie and Cyrus and what little that he could muster up died when they left the White House. No, they hadn't left. Fitz had thrown them out, cut them off, and it had been glorious. He had cleaned house. He had burned off the leeches and he was better off for it, as was she.

It really was amazing what being brave could get them. The last few days proved that the majority of the obstacles that kept them apart were little more than paper tigers. That wasn't to say that the war for their independence was finished, far from it, but...it was doable. It was possible. As long as they kept moving forward together, as long as they (mainly she...) kept being brave, then they could do it.

They would do it.

/

Olivia placed the full laundry bags next to her locked apartment door. Inside of them were all of her sheets, her pillows, and her comforter set. Since they were still usable, she would take the haul to the dry cleaners to be tended to before turning them over to the Salvation Army.

Getting rid of the wine stained couch cushion had been the first step towards healing for her.

Getting rid of the bedding that she had shared with other men would be another step towards healing for them.

Fitz would've never asked or demanded for her to do it. Her POTUS paramour was a jealous man but not a petty one. He was just happy to be back in her life, in her arms and bed where he belonged. He wasn't lingering on the past but she still wanted to replace it all. Olivia made a note to replace the bed and headboard themselves when she eventually bought a new couch or at least the mattress.

She didn't want to have the specters of Edison, Jake, or Russell anywhere near her final new beginning with Fitz. It was a new day, a brand new start that she would not squander, and she wanted even the smallest details to reflect that. Plus, since she was adding more color to her wardrobe, then it only made sense for her home decor to follow.

After checking that all of her locks were secure, Olivia returned to her bedroom doorway and took in the sight in front of her. Her bed was now covered with umber 1500 thread Egyptian cotton sheets, 4 large goose down pillows enclosed in taupe pillowcases, and one comforter. Fitz was carefully unfolding the second one. The first comforter was solid mahogany brown and the second one was scarlet with a black vertical pinstripe pattern. He was shirtless, his suit jacket and shirts in the chair near the windows. His belt was open and the button to his suit pants undone, causing them to ride tantalizingly low.

Apparently, it was laundry day at the White House because instead of the waistband of his preferred Calvin Klein boxer briefs, Olivia could see where the hair on his cobblestone abs descended into shadow, along with the top of the vee where his legs met torso. She also spotted the fading mark of her teeth there and the images of her refreshing that mark, along with the other fading ones on him deepened the coiling heat in her lower abdomen.

As soon as it became clear that the Interview had taken a turn in their favor, her nerves had been replaced by relief and arousal. If Fitz hadn't been backstage, she would've gone straight to the Residence or called him to meet her at her apartment. She wanted to see him. She wanted to hold him. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to strip him bare. She wanted to climb him, scratch him, and feel him all the way inside of her because there was nothing stopping them anymore. Nothing insurmountable, anyway. There were still the matters of settling his divorce, seeing how the inevitable Impeachment hearings would turn out, and all sorts of minor obstacles but overall, they were free to roam about the cabin. They were out of the shadows and could now choose to have stolen moments instead of being forced into them by circumstance. They were free to say that they loved each other and to show it, in and out of the bedroom...

"What are you thinking about, Livvie?"

"Us."

"Good things?"

"Very good things. I...I'm happy, Fitz. For the first time in a long time, I feel happy and I'm glad it's with you."

Fitz nodded and then sat at the edge of the freshly made bed, looking at her expectantly. In response, Olivia toed off her heels and neatly straddled him, matching his bedroom eyes with her own. There had been enough words tonight. Now, it was time for action. Saying how she felt was nice and needed but action was more fun. Plus, they still had quite a lot of time to make up for.

Crossing her arms at the hem, she pulled her lilac sweater over her head and added it to the pile of Fitz's clothes. Today's bra was periwinkle with little white snowdrops embroidered along the band. It was also front clasp and Fitz's fingers shook as he slowly unhooked it. The cups spread and Olivia removed the lacy garment before placing a guiding hand on the back of his head. In the past, she had been insecure about the size of her breasts, wishing that they were a bit bigger but the fact that they could fit easily in her beautiful man's mouth were a major point in their favor. Olivia moaned and rocked against the growing bulge in his pants, hissing in pleasured pain as his teeth grazed her budded nipples. One of his hands went to her hair and she whimpered as he used it as a lever to tilt her head back before kissing her galloping pulse point, heading straight for her ear...

"Do you feel what hearing you say that you love me did to me?"

She nodded and ground harder against his erection, pulling his belt out of its loops to join her bra on the bedroom floor.

"It was all I could do not to go out there and kiss you right in the middle of your Interview, Livvie, especially when you called both of them out, especially that fucking 'you fell down on the job' bullshit. I swear if I had known that she had said something so disgusting to you..."

"'S okay, baby..."

"No, it's not okay! Nothing about that is okay, especially since I said something worse after Ella's Christening! You must've felt awful..."

Shaking her head, Olivia pushed at his chest until he laid back and she grabbed his chin so he couldn't look away from her.

"I did but that's all in the past, now. I forgave you a long time ago. Just like you've forgiven me."

"But..."

"Fitzgerald, I'm half naked on your lap and I would very much like to ride you. Can we discuss this later?"

"...yes...yes, of course..."

"Wonderful."

/

She shuddered against him, her hands holding onto the mattress tightly as aftershocks jolted her mind and body. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears and her mouth was wide open, moaning loudly. Olivia could feel Fitz's hand stroking her back and the upward curve of his lips as he kissed her shoulder. The shaking subsided and she whimpered as he resumed moving inside of her, still hard and pulsing inside of her in all the right ways. Fitz's other hand went to her back and he smoothly reversed their positions, still stroking inside of her. Olivia cooed and started to meet him halfway, following his lead.

Looking up, she saw fulfillment in his facial features, along with a bit of happy disbelief. Was he really here with her? Was she really here with him? Had she really gone in front of the whole World and said that she loved him? Had she really claimed him and brought him home with her? The answer to all of those questions were a resounding YES and she smiled, just as giddy as he was. Fitz's mouth descended on hers and their rhythm slowed to a deep, rocking grind. He was hitting all of her spots and she rewarded him with squeezing her walls around him. Her nails went over his back in the way he loved and he hissed in pleasured pain.

"Livvie..."

"I love you."

"Say it again..."

"I love you."

"Again..."

"I love you...I love you so much...a-always...Fitz, I...oh, god..."

/

He hummed his satisfaction and nipped at her neck, his breath hot against the skin there. Her body felt like bliss personified. She was pleasure in the flesh. Every pore, every dip and curve of her frame, every breath and moan. Their bodies fit together like puzzle pieces, meant to couple with only each other. No one else would ever touch her again. She was made for him and only him. His name was branded on her heart. Her nails raked over him and her thighs trembled as he pleased her.

"Fitz, yes, baby…" She whined softly, her body shifted beneath his in cooperative encouragement.

He was right there with her, kissing her deeply as the jolts of heat began to shoot up his spine. Her back arched, her flat stomach pushing up against his rock hard abdomen as she peaked with a breathy cry. His breath caught and he groaned out as he fell into her love, the intoxicating sensation coating him, leaving him love drunk and grinning. He buried his face into her neck, panting and brushing his lips against her as her hands smoothed up his back soothingly.

"I love you too, baby," he murmured.

Fitz gazed down at his love where she had her head rested on his chest, her hair tickling his skin. The dim light of the room gave him just enough illumination to observe her features as she slept. The perfect curve of the thick lips that he loved, which were swollen from his repeated kisses. Her dainty nose. The long eyelashes that she often looked through as she peered up at him with her wide doe eyes. God, he loved her. Her arm was draped over his abdomen, her finger splayed further up across his ribcage. Her breaths came evenly, letting him know that she was relaxed and resting well.

Which she should be because she had worn herself out, surely. After all of the lovemaking that had made him tired over the weekend, she had taken her turn and given him just as she had received. Her hips had moved in such perfect rotation over him…and then under him. She hypnotized him with her grace. She always had, from the very beginning. It could be something as simple as the way her body swayed with such confidence as she entered a room and took control of a situation. Or something much more seemingly mundane as the way she applied her lipstick. Every breath she took, every motion she made, took his breath away.

And she was finally his. She had been, admittedly, for a very long time, but it was real. It was official. The entire world knew that they were undoubtedly in love with one another. It was a freedom that they had never known and it felt so blissful. He wanted to stay with her in bed for days, showing her with his body just how proud and thankful he was that she had spoken of their love and owned their truth. He had never thought they would see a day when it was possible. The world was at his feet in so many ways. He had everything he wanted that was possible, if not, it was within reasonable reach. While he couldn't bring back his son or change some of the tragedies that had taken place in his life, he felt the returned love of the love of his life surrounding him. It was a comfort, a peace that he had never known. One that allowed a heavy restful feeling to settle over him and granted him a sleep so deep that his mind didn't dare to dream.

/

"...record breaking ratings...multiple shutdowns of Twitter due to the sheer amount of Tweets related to...

"...Olivia Pope's Friday night BNC interview was classy, raw, and had just the right amount of expertly thrown shade. She looked good, she sounded good, and I believe her when she says that she loves our POTUS, too. I adored every bit of the interview and I think that I can speak for a lot of people when I say that I'm shipping Olitz like FedEx..."

"Mel-lie, you've got some 'splainin' to do because that 'you fell down on the job' line was a little too The Color Purple and Django Unchained like for my comfort. I know you've got roots in the Deep South but c'mon, now! We're over a decade into a new millennium and if you still insist on being a racist, you've gotta be a lot more subtle or you should just grow up and accept the melanin around you..."

"...still think that we're getting Poped. I think that Olivia Pope's controlling the situation down to a T and as soon as things calm down, as soon as she gets her fill of all the power or bored, she'll leave Grant high and dry like all of her other conquests..."

"You can't claim to have a husband stolen from you if you gave him away like homemade lemonade in the summer..."

"We cannot just ignore the moral implications here! All right, maybe there is genuine love between my former political comrade in arms and Ms. Pope but should we really compromise our morals to accommodate them? President Grant has been an adequate leader for these last few years, better than most, but there is room for improvement and he did do the correct thing in offering his resignation to be with Ms. Pope openly. We must give him credit for that and why shouldn't we give him what he wants? Why not let Romeo and Juliet live happily ever after? And let us not forget about the soon to be ex Mrs. Grant turned Junior Senator. She is no angel in the situation. If she can so callously pawn her husband off to another woman, then how easily would she give in to those who threaten our freedoms at home and overseas? It's something to think very hard about. Who have we allowed to represent us, Lovers of Liberty? What have we done and more importantly, what can we do as responsible Americans to repair the damage..."

"All pieces of Olivia Pope's outfit have been sussed out with the power of the internet and are sold out on various websites..."

"A ring claiming to be President Grant's missing wedding band has been put up on eBay and with proper authentication could be sold for up to..."

"You don't give your mistress your great grandmother's Ring. You don't share real estate with the mistress. You don't offer to leave one of the best jobs you could ever have for the other woman. That's what you do for your wife or your Number One Girl. Senator Grant may have his name for now but Olivia Pope has what really matters: his heart. If I were in the Senator's shoes, I'd just sign the papers and move on. Co-parent and find a new man because if she goes against #Olitz and they keep standing united..."

"President Grant spent the weekend outside of the White House...presumably at Olivia Pope's apartment..."

---

"You have to go and run the country...you seriously need to go and run the country..."

"Liv-vie..."

"No way, Mister. We had an agreement. If I let you stay for the weekend, then you had to get back to the White House before the Press Corp arrives today. We shook on it and everything!"

"I've got time."

"No, you don't. With the morning rush and the Press still lurking around, you're already late and as much as I'd like to play hooky with you, we both have work to do. You have to go and run the country and after I go to the dry cleaners, I need to go to OPA. I need to see what my Client Base looks like and I need to hear what Leo has planned next for us and...Fitz..."

"Hmm?"

"You're not playing fair."

"You're one to talk about fair when you came out here in nothing but a robe."

"This is my apartment. I can be in nothing but a robe. I can be in an evening gown or I can be naked if I want to be."

"I choose naked."

"Of course you do...if I promise to call you at lunch, will you get off of me?"

"Nope."

"Fitzgerald!"

"I don't want a phone call. I want to have a lunch date with you."

"And just how are we supposed to explain that?"

"You're my girlfriend coming to see me because you missed me..."

"You'd have to get off of me and leave like a responsible adult for me to actually miss you."

"...and we're planning our next move as a couple together. That's a perfect Spin and it even has the novelty of being the truth."

"...you have a valid point and a good idea. That annoys me."

"No, it doesn't."

"No, it doesn't...okay, I will poke the bear and come see you at lunch."

"And I thank you for your noble sacrifice, Ms. Pope."

Olivia grabbed one of the couch's accent pillows and walloped him a good one, much to his cackling delight. Chuckling, she stood up and gathered the tray holding their breakfast dishes. The tray had been resting in the space where the wine stained couch cushion used to be and they had set up camp on the living room floor. Someone had restocked her refrigerator and pantry so instead of having breakfast delivered, Fitz had made them french toast stuffed with sliced strawberries and cream cheese.

Olivia was in her pale yellow plush cotton robe and Fitz was dressed for work sans suit, tie, and shoes. Fitz being Fitz and them being them, breakfast had turned into them exchanging lingering kisses and him nuzzling her neck, right on the spot that made her toes curl.

If she could, she would keep him with her but the real world hadn't stopped just because they had let their Secret out. Things still needed to be done, clothes had to be put on, and hands needed to go back to chaste, sensible places. The Media was having a field day with her Interview and the focus, the condemnation was shifting away from her and onto Mellie.

Olivia estimated that she would break her silence within the next 24 hours, 36 being generous. For all of her talk of being a political animal and for all of the venom she spat, Mellie was a typical schoolyard bully. She could dish it out all day but she couldn't take it. As soon as her victims stood up against her, she was the wronged one and needed to be coddled. She'd feel the need to save face and get even or more accurately, pass the buck. After all, if she didn't, then Mellie would have to accept the full consequences of her actions and that just would not do!

Olivia was sure that the buck would promptly go to an already volatile and ticking Cyrus, which would make him unleash hell.

Cyrus actually did have political chops of his own but he was also a bully, a petty and scorched earth bully when he felt wronged.

Fitz firing him and Olivia refusing to help him before rightfully calling him out on his lies in front of a riveted national and international audience would have him seeing red.

The only threat bigger than a vengeful Cyrus Beene to herself and Fitz was a vengeful Rowan.

Fitz's Press Conference and her Interview had taken away a lot of their ammunition but not all of it. There was Defiance. There was West Angola. Both of those things were disgustingly wrong and impeachable offenses, felony offenses. Mellie and Cyrus were typical parasites. If they had to die, then their host had to die or be irreparably damaged in the process. They weren't going to be reasonable. They weren't going to accept the new reality of a public and happy relationship between herself and Fitz, not without a fight. They were going to do whatever they could to stall the divorce process and turn the Media against them both, especially her.

Both of them saw Fitz as weak and spineless. To them, Olivia was the strong one, the rational one, the one who understood how the real world and the Greater Good worked. She was supposed to be their ally, their tool, their servant, and their key to all things Fitz with the power attached to him. Her new attitude was unacceptable to them, an incomprehensible betrayal. She was supposed to play her Role and now that she had stopped, now that she had "gone crazy" like Fitz, all Olivia was to them was a threat to be eliminated. And Fitz could go too, they supposed. He had committed political suicide by committing to Olivia so what use was he to them, anymore? He may be able to pull through the mess but since they wouldn't be able to benefit if he did, it didn't matter.

Olivia would take them out first and with prejudice.

Her Captivity had damaged her but it had also taught her what it really meant to survive. Sometimes, one had to get rough and take the shot without a second's hesitation. If there was a choice between giving up, between letting those who had you win, and fighting to the death, then it was always going to be the latter. Even if you failed, you had to go down swinging, especially if you had something or in her case, someone, worth the World to get back to and to protect.

After she turned on the dishwasher, Olivia made to continue their playful banter but the ringing of her landline cut her off.

She wished that she could ignore it. It was probably just another reporter looking for a scoop but she had to be sure. It could be a Client. It could be Abby. It could be one of her remaining Gladiators or Marcus or Leo. Hell, it may even be (temporary) White House Chief of Staff Lizzie North or Vice President Susan Ross looking for their Boss because he was so late for work...

The fact that they and everyone else knew that they could call her any time of day or night and Fitz may be around was nice.

It was yet another mundane couple thing that she and he thought they would never get to do...

"What?"

"Olivia..."

Immediately, ice flooded her veins and she could feel her whole body stiffen.

"What do you want?"

Fitz came up behind her and she held the receiver tighter, using it as an anchor point.

"I need to see you. I need to talk to you."

"No."

"Olivia, please..."

"No!"

She slammed the receiver down savagely and squeezed her eyes shut, trying valiantly to hold her tears back. She had already shed enough tears because of that bastard, damn it! He wouldn't get anymore from her! He didn't deserve anymore! He...he...

Fitz turned her around slowly and his thumbs gently wiped the tears away, his face the picture of dread tempered with concern.

"Who was on the phone, Livvie?"

He already knew. Just like she already knew. God, of course...of course, he would call now. Nothing good ever happened in her life without bad following promptly in its wake like a reversed Pandora's Box…

"...Rowan."