Ten

"Hi Daddy… I don't think so. Someone had better start talking – now!"

Olivia sucked in a big breath as her eyes darted around the room. She knew Fitz's anger stemmed more from fear than anger. She and his two kids practically fell off the radar for a few hours. He was bound to freak out.

It was time for some damage control.

She then turned her attention from Fitz and reached out for Karen who was hovering behind her. With a soft nudge she sent Karen over toward her brother.

"G4 babe; Take Kaz and go upstairs, we'll come get you in a little bit." She said with a tense smile.

"Liv,"

"Go on, bowl in the sink before you go."

A nod of acknowledgement was all she received before Gerry grabbed his sister and booked it up the stairs. Olivia and Fitz waited in silence until they heard the telltale click of a door upstairs opening and closing.

She then slowly turned to face Fitz.

"Hi,"

"Hi," he said, worry etched on his features.

"I'm so sorry-"

"Liv, what the hell is going on?"

"Four called me up really late last night after you had left and he was freaking out, which of course made me freak out because I love the little terror for some reason-" She was saying with a smile.

"Liv, you disappear from D.C. right after being attacked and my kids are NOT at school where they should be. I was worried, so worried. I'm not mad you came out here but why – why didn't you tell me?" He implored as he stepped forward to wrap an arm around her waist, his other hand reaching up to rest on her neck.

"I really am sorry but he called in a panic and he asked me to come. He asked me to come, Fitz – I just couldn't say no."

"Are you okay? Are you feeling okay?" He asked as he led her to the sofa.

"I feel fine, just a few small twinges. It's nothing a couple of pain relievers won't fix."

"Okay, so tell me what's going on?"

Olivia sucked her lower lip in between her teeth, a thoughtful expression forming.

"You have to promise you are not going to freak out on the two of them. They were hoping that if I came out and helped handle things before it could get to you – that well you'd be calmer about the whole thing. It hasn't quite worked out that way. You're here now and you need to know. So I need you to be calm when we tackle this."

"I promise to be calm."

She gave a small nod of acknowledgement.

"Four, Kaz you can come down." She said barely raising her voice.

"They're not going to hear-"

His two kids suddenly appeared in front of him.

"They were hovering," Olivia said with a small smile.

"C'mere you guys, what's going on?"

Karen move to settle herself on the sofa once more, right in between Fitz and Olivia while Gerry took up his place once more on the table across from everyone.

"Dad you have to promise not to start a war or something," Gerry drawled.

"A war?" Fitz asked, brow raised.

"Daddy, some kids have been saying really mean – bad things. Gerry's been fighting." Karen said softly.

"Ger?" Fitz said softly.

"Some people have just been talking a lot of crap lately, about you, about our family. Some even say some stuff in front of Karen – it's gross what they're saying. It's all bullshit!" Gerry finished harshly.

"Four!"

Gerry rolled his eyes in response but did manage to mutter out a 'sorry'.

"Wait, fighting – like physical fist fights? No way. Your school has a strict policy on that. Someone would have been notified. I know we gave your grandparents some power to act on your mother and my behalf but something like this would have come to your mother and me."

This was met with silence.

"Guys, tell your dad what you told me. It's okay." Olivia said softly.

"Mommy knows," Karen said softly as she burrowed deeper into Fitz's side.

A heavy sigh then escaped Gerry.

"Look Mom knows. The first time it happened the school couldn't get a hold of you or mom so Grandpa Vaunt was called. He then called Mom. She got Kar and I on the phone and gave us this huge lecture about how we're Grants and people will talk and to just – not listen. But Dad, the stuff they've been saying… and you always told me to stand up for myself! So that's what I've been doing, for both me and Kar."

"Wait… wait how do I not know about any of this? Both your grandparents and mother are aware that you two are having these type of problems at school?" He asked his eyes wide and upset.

The two children merely nodded in response.

"So… why call Liv?"

"She's our fixer," Karen said softly.

"Yeah I mean – that's what everyone called her during the campaign. Every day it was 'If there's a problem, get Liv on it.' and besides, its Liv – she's always had our back before. So I called." Gerry said.

"You guys… the two of you should have called me. I had no idea this was even going on."

"We know, that was the point, we were kinda hoping Liv would handle everything before we had to tell you. That way by the time you found out – it was handled." Gerry explained.

"I'm happy you felt safe and comfortable enough to call Liv, but I really don't like that you guys had no plans to tell me right away. I'm not mad – at least not at you two but guys you have got to tell me what's going on from now on. We are Grants and we are in this together!" He said, while the sentiment was directed at the children his eyes were locked with Olivia.

His children gave hesitant nods in response.

"Okay, who is hungry?"

This was met with two very large smiles.

"Alright, I'll be calling your school saying that I have you for the night. You two head upstairs and get washed up, the four of us are going out for something to eat."

At that the two thundered out of the room.

"Liv… what the hell am I going to do?" He asked, frustration coloring his tone.

With a heavy sigh, Olivia collapsed into the sofa, her eyes closing in exhaustion as she let her head fall backward.

"Right now, you are going to shelve the utter rage you are feeling toward your wife and in-laws and go out to dinner with your two awesome kids. You need to unwind from all the White House drama and now this. Dinner with the kids will do that for you."

"You do know that you're coming,"

She let her head roll to the side, her eyes opened as her hands settled on her tummy.

"Yes, I'm well aware. My presence will luckily be easy to explain away considering the situation at their school. I'm a lawyer, a well known fixer and close advisor to you. It would make sense for me to be out here, in order to help. The only thing that we'll have to cover our asses on is Mellie's absence – of course.

"Of course," he said with a sigh.

"Although it shouldn't be too much a problem considering Baby Teddy, it'd be easy enough to say that with you coming here for the children and with me as your counsel she felt things with her two older children were well in hand and made the decision to stay with the baby, makes her look maternal as all hell." Olivia said with a self deprecating laugh.

"That's my wife – the definition of maternal." He said with an eye roll.

"Fitz,"

"I don't want 'em out here anymore. I never liked the idea of them at boarding school. I want my kids with me in D.C. I want Ger and Karen at the White House. I want them to live with me full time. This should have never happened Olivia – never!"

"Okay,"

"Okay? That's it, that's your response?"

"Fitz those two amazing little people up there are your kids, if you want them with you full time then they should be at home with you in the White House full time. I imagine it was Mellie's idea to ship them off to boarding school in the first place. I know I'm not big on the sharing and… and I'm trying to get better about that but – look let me just put it this way. After my mom died, my father shipped me off to boarding school at the age of twelve. I've never lived in a home, in a house that belonged to my father since then. I am not a fan of boarding school." She said solemnly.

"Olivia,"

"No, it's okay, I'm a big girl – but if you want your kids with you. I will do everything in my power to make that happen." She said with a small smile.

A nod and smile were his response.

Two large loud thumps interrupted the peace that had settled over the pair.

"Food!" Gerry said with a smile, his sister who was giggling in the background was bouncing on her toes behind him while vigorously nodding.

Fitz couldn't help but laugh as he pulled Olivia up from the sofa, as much as he would have like to wrap his arms around her, he knew he couldn't – yet. However there would be nothing wrong with keeping her hand wrapped up with his. When she made to pull away he tightened his grip and led his family out to the motorcade that would take three of his four favorite people out to eat.

-a-u-t-h-e-n-t-i-c-

Olivia and Karen's laughter was so loud and unreserved as they watched Fitz and Gerry face off against one another in a full on Dance, Dance Revolution Showdown.

After much debate the group of four had ended up at an upscale arcade/restaurant that catered to the children of California's elite. It took some doing but both Fitz and Olivia had gotten the Secret Service to keep the sweep low-key and to allow most of the establishment's patrons to stay while the family enjoyed themselves.

"Go Four, you got this!" Olivia cheered.

"Hey! Aren't you supposed to be on my side?" Fitz complained, as he struggled to keep up with the game.

"Says who?" Olivia sassed.

"I got you Daddy! Kick Ger's-"

"Kaz!" Olivia called out, brow raised.

"Bum," Karen said with a sheepish smile.

This of course caused Fitz to completely mess up his footing, the game declaring Gerry the winner.

"Hey c'mon Kar, I'll race you!" Gerry said as he nodded toward a motorbike based game. With a grin Karen took off after her brother. Two Secret Service Agents discreetly followed the pair.

"Worn out, old man?" Olivia teased as the two made their way back to the booth.

"You are lucky we are in public, or I'd show you old man!" Fitz shot back, a wicked grin curled on his lips.

Olivia merely shook her head in response as she slid back into the booth across from Fitz.

"Today has been good for them, good for you. You guys are looking much better." Olivia said with a smile.

"So do you Ms. Pope,"

"I think we all forget that sometimes everyone of us needs to escape the bubble, even if it's only for a little while."

"Mmmm, when we get back I want to talk to the kids tonight about coming back to D.C."

"Okay, I can make myself scarce if you need."

"No, actually I'd like you to be there. If the kids are on board with this idea I want them to fly back with us at the end of the week. It's Tuesday now. I want to see if we can get this whole thing squared away within the rest of the week. I know I'm asking a lot by having you out here for nearly a week but if it means that at the end of it we all go back together to D.C. I think it's worth it."

"Wow, you want this to move quick."

"If it can, it's near mid-year break. Now would be the perfect time to move them. I know starting somewhere new sucks mid-year but maybe if they were so opposed to it we could do tutors until the next school year started. I just want my kids home with me."

"Sure, it's something to discuss between tonight and tomorrow. I have a feeling you will have two very happy children returning to D.C. with you in tow come the end of this week. I'm sure between the both of us we can avoid any bad press when it comes to moving the kids at such an awkward time of year."

"Good, I think it might be time to wrangle the little hellions," Fitz said with a smile.

-a-u-t-h-e-n-t-i-c-

Mellie Grant was settling in to have her morning coffee as she waited for her breakfast to be brought up however, the delicate china crashed to the floor as she caught sight of the front page of The Post and a multitude of other papers at the corner of the dining room table.

There on the front page was an image of her daughter Karen who had her arm hooked through Olivia Fucking Pope's. The two of them with their heads close together, large smiles on their faces. Just behind them a few steps was Fitz with his arm slung over Gerry's shoulder. Again the two were sporting smiles as the group of four headed toward the Presidential Motorcade.

Rage began to claw at the back of her throat as she caught sight of the varying headlines and captions.

'First Family lets loose,'

'President Grant takes time to spend with his two oldest children after allegations of trouble at their school with well known top aide and family friend, Olivia Pope.'

'POTUS vs. First Son – Dance, Dance Revolution Showdown'

As Mellie began to paw through the papers, her stomach rolled. In each paper there was no less than a two page spread of the group's night out. The Post was the worst, with a full six pages dedicated to the night out. It was a mixture of professional and camera phone shots of them enjoying a meal of pizzas and salads to Fitz and Gerry's dance off. There were even photos of Olivia and Gerry battling it out at an old school arcade game of Street Fighter.

Here was her worst nightmare, in print.

Mellie Grant let out such a screech that two Secret Service Agents came barreling into the room guns drawn.

End Ten

Oh my two in one day! I was on a roll and again the next part REALLY does need to be separate from this awesome piece of fluff lol. I hope everyone enjoyed dinner with the Grants. Yes the Grant Kids will be around in this fiction but have no fear they won't be taking over. Poor Mellie she dropped her morning coffee!