Disclaimer: The characters in this story are oroperty of ABC Disney and Shonda Rhimes and the TV Show Scandal. All credit to them.
Fitz was out on his normal morning run that seemed to be getting longer and longer since his break from Liv. At the time it seemed like a great idea but now he isn't so sure. Yea Stephen had a nice guest room but nothing is like being in his own bed with the woman he loved even if she wasn't around that much. He found himself reminiscing about the time he and Liv first met.
Flashback 6 years ago.
"Dad, I think I have enough experience at the firm and I'm ready to go back to school to finish my Doctorate. Not hang out and babysit a new intern." Fitz huffed growing tired of the same argument he had with his father almost daily.
"Look Fitz, I'm already supporting your decision not to follow my footsteps and take over the family business the least you could do is stick around one more year and help the family out. You can continue your Doctorate here and transfer where ever you want after this year is up. You act like you didn't finish high school early and complete your Masters Degree in record time. Plus, it's not just some intern either this one of Harvard's top students and comes with high praises from Cyrus Beane. The Cyrus Beane-"
Fitz cuts him off before he can finish, "Dad, please don't go on another rant about Cyrus I know how much you value his opinion. How about I meet with them once. They get one shot to show me how much of a tool they aren't and I'll make my decision then. Can we agree on that?"
"I'm glad you said that, they will be here around 11. Why don't you show them around then grab lunch and see how you like them."
"Fine." Fitz says as he gets up and leaves his dad's office back to his down the hall.
3 Hours Later.
Fitz was so caught up in his work that he didn't even realize that it was 1130. "Shit." He mumbles under his breath knowing that his father wouldn't let him hear the end of it if he missed his lunch with the new intern. He heads to his dad's office praying the new intern is still there and hasn't been cut loose for lunch and he see his dad at his desk. "Hey dad sorry I'm late I got caught up in my work. Don't worry I wasn't trying to blow off my babysitting job. Speaking of, Where is the new intern anyway?"
Big Gerry gives him a death glare as he nods to the couch behind Fitz. "Olivia Pope, I would like you to meet my son Fitzgerald Grant III. Fitz meet Olivia our new intern and your new protégé."
When he turns around he is met with the most beautiful site he's ever seen. Olivia was wearing a well tailored powder blue pantsuit that hugged her in all the right places, with a silk under blouse that displayed the right amount of cleavage, her hair was bone straight with a slight flip to the left of her eyes. Those eyes, she had the cutest brown puppy eyes that he knew would make it difficult to deny her anything. Then he saw it, the hint of sadness behind them as she shook his hand.
"Olivia Pope, nice to meet you. I don't want to be a burden to you so I can go to lunch by myself and meet you back here. Nice meeting you Big Gerry." And with that the connection he felt when their hands touched was gone and so was she.
"Dammit Fitz! How hard is is to take a glance around a office before you start speaking out your ass!" Big Gerry boomed.
"Dad, I'm sorry! It didn't seem like you were talking to anyone in here. My bad I messed up, I'll make it right. "
"Damn right you will! Go that poor girl knows no one out here and will probably be eating alone. I can't afford for word to get out that we treat our interns like shit Fitz."
"I'm on it dad!" Fitz says as he runs out of the office. He makes it to the parking lot just as Olivia is getting to her rental car. "Olivia, Olivia!" He yells getting her attention.
Great what does he want now Olivia thinks to herself.
"Hey, sorry about back there that was rude of me." He says as he finally catches her.
"Why?" she asks looking him directly in the eyes.
"Why? I don't understand."
"Why did you say that stuff in there? I busted my ass at one of the top Law schools in the nation and graduated in the top of my class at said school and to come here to be reduced to less than that of a teenager who can't take care of myself therefore needing a babysitter. I need to know why."
Fitz had never in his life been so turned on and pissed off at the same time before. He was stunned. "I, umm..well-"
"Look, Fitz, Can I call you Fitz?" she paused for his response and he nodded, "if that's what you came out here to say you could've waited until I returned from lunch." She said growing impatient at his response or lack there of.
"No, wait. You're right. I had no right to assume you were like all of the no brain interns that we have been getting here the past two years. And I'm sorry for that assumption. Let's start over. Hi, I'm Fitz Grant and I will be your mentor here for the next year." He smiles and extends his hand.
Olivia can't help but soften at his smile that was currently making her knees weak. She took in his appearance, one of his curls had come loose from the rest of his well gelled hair, probably from the run down to catch up with her. He had nice broad shoulders and his dress shirt fit him just right, squeezing his biceps in all the right ways. His blue grey eyes were looking through to her soul as his intense gaze never wavered. She didn't know a lot of things about where she was going after this year but she knew that she wanted him to somehow be apart of that journey.
"Hi, Olivia Pope." She said as she took his hand in hers and returned his smile.
Fitz didn't know much about where his life was going after this year but he knew that he wanted her to be apart of it.
How did things get to this point Fitz wondered as he got dressed for work. He and Olivia had always just worked. It wasn't hard and it wasn't forced. Loving her was so easy, it was like breathing for him.
They rarely fought or neglected each other. They both had a healthy appetite for each other but something had changed in the last six months. Olivia became distant and started working longer hours. Which he didn't mind when she told him in advance so he was prepared. However, this was out of the blue and when he asked her about it she wouldn't go in to detail about any of it. Maybe it's me, he thought. Maybe I haven't been giving her what she needed or supporting her the way she needed.
No, this is not on me, he fights his initial thoughts. I've given her everything with little to no effort on her part. Here it has been six days since I've asked for a break and she's only reached out to me once! Maybe she doesn't care.
"Professor Grant!" He's shaken out of his thoughts by someone calling his name.
"Professor Grant!" He turns to see a young woman trying to catch her breath like she has been running behind him for quite a bit.
"Can I help you?"
"Professor Grant my name is Melanie Carson and I will be your student TA this semester." She holds her hand out for him to shake.
"Oh that's right. Nice to meet you Ms. Carson. Follow me to my office and we can go over my scheduled and my expectations for this semester."
"Lead the way." Melanie says with a smile. "This is going to be the best semester ever" she whispers to herself as she watches Fitz walk towards his office.
"Abigail Whelan if you don't stop topping off my wine glass like we don't have work tomorrow!" Olivia laughs as she slaps Abbys arm.
"C'mon Liv you're the boss you can come in whenever you feel like it."
"That doesn't mean I want too." she laughs taking another sip.
"Seriously though Liv, what happened? You and Fitz never have problems you guys are like the golden couple."
"No we are not Abby."
"Yes you were Liv don't try and deny it you too were so sweet on each other it was sickening. So what happened?"
"Honestly Abby I don't know. I've been so wrapped up in closing this case and dotting all the I's while crossing the T's that I don't know where things went wrong." Liv said in a sad tone.
"That's where you went wrong Liv."
"What?"
"You heard me. That's where you went wrong. You have no business in the nitty gritty of cases anymore Liv. You need to take a step back and trust the team that you built to handle these things for you."
"Abby you know that's not how I work. I get in the details I gladiate and handle things. That's the only way I know how."
"I know, I know but add the CEO duties you've had plus the cases you tend to get your hands mixed up in and you are have absolutely no time at home with your sexy ass husband."
"Hey!" Olivia yells as she slaps Abby with a pillow, "Only I can call my husband sexy!"
"Seriously, though Liv I think you should consider hiring a number two. Someone to do the little things that you don't have time for and that you trust to handle the big things when you want to be hands on with a client. You two can work closely together so that you never miss a beat."
"My father never needed a number two Abby." she says almost offended at her friends insinuation that she couldn't handle the pressure.
"And your father also divorced your mother. Now, before you go off Liv think about what I said and decide if you are willing to give up your marriage just to prove that you can handle everything on your own."
Olivia nodded still in deep thought as she took a sip of her wine. It was getting late and she was ready to get in bed. "Well thanks for coming over Abby but my bed is calling me."
"Okay but don't forget what we talked about!" Abby hugged Liv and left.
Olivia knew Abby was right and she needed to figure someone out soon to take up some of her work load. She finished off her wine and quickly sent Fitz a goodnight text.
Liv: Goodnight. I miss you and I love you.
She didn't expect a text back so she started undressing and slipping on one of his old t-shirts when she heard her phone go off.
Fitz: Goodnight. I love you too.
He fights the urge to say more as he quickly presses send. He had been lying awake hoping she would text him.
She smiles as soon as she reads it and decides to push her luck.
Liv: Soo you don't miss me?
She presses send as she gets under her blanket and snuggles with his pillow.
Fitz reads the text and still frustrated at the whole situation decides he is not going to play her games if she wants to talk to him it will be via phone or in person not text message.
Fitz: It's late Olivia and I have to be up early. Good night.
She instantly feels the sting of tears in her eyes as she reads the text. She knows he is just angry but she has let him breathe long enough. She made a plan, tomorrow she would go to his classroom after his evening class and surprise him and make him talk. She had enough. This is not how they were and this is not what she would let him become. Satisfied with that plan she set her alarm and went to sleep.
Author's Note: This one was a little longer than the others but I didn't want to end it short and leave something out. So Olivia is finally ready to go get her man. We will see how that plays out next chapter. Also, we got introduced to Mellie in this chapter looking like she is up to something. Let me know what you think. Until next time..