It was Saturday. There hadn't been any new developments in Olivia's case so the remainder of the week Olivia and Fitz spent their days at the station and their evenings together at Fitz's house. Over the last week they had fallen into a very comfortable routine. The kind of routine couples share. Olivia didn't feel like a guest and Fitz couldn't remember feeling so complete. They were both happy despite the circumstances that brought them together and they were grateful and amazed they had found one another.

'Baby?' Fitz shouted. Olivia was in the shower and Fitz had just come back from running with Sabra on the beach.

'I am in the shower. How was your run?' she said back. A few seconds later Fitz was pulling the shower door closed behind him.

'It was good. Your dog is a great running partner.' He said as he tilted his head back in the shower stream. Olivia had moved back to give him room.

'Well she certainly loves the attention you give her. I think you have officially taken my place as her favorite human on the planet.' Olivia wrapped her arms around him and laid her face on his back. Fitz rinsed the soap from his eyes and then turned around to face her. Olivia kept her arms where they were but traded his back for his chest. She sighed happily when he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

'I don't think that's true. I think we serve different purposes for her.'

'Nope….like every other female on the planet she is smitten with you. It's ok though. I am too.'

'What do you want to do today?' Fitz asked as he ran his hand down her slick back and rested it on her ass.

'We can't just stay like this all day?'

'That would be amazing but I was thinking something that required clothes.'

'Why on earth would I want you to ever put on clothes?' Olivia pulled back and looked at him seriously.

Fitz laughed. 'Is that all I am to you Miss Pope? A piece of meat?'

'Nope. You're my hero. I just prefer my hero naked and wet sometimes.' She smiled at him.

'How about I take you and Sabra to lunch at the Promenade and then we can walk around some?'

'That sounds lovely.'

'Yeah?' he pulled her close.

'Yeah. Let's do it. It's supposed to be beautiful today and I could use a little bit of normal.' She said.

'Perfect.'

One of the things Olivia loved about the beach towns in LA was that they were so dog friendly. Nearly every restaurant would allow you to sit on the patio with your dog. Fitz chose a small bistro whose patio had a gorgeous view of the ocean. It was supposed to be a warm day so Olivia was dressed in lavender spaghetti strapped sundress and matching sandals. Fitz had opted for a plain white t-shirt that hugged his definition perfectly and a pair of khaki knee length shorts. He was wearing a maroon San Francisco Forty-Niners baseball cap. Both were wearing sunglasses.

'You look like a frat boy in that baseball hat, Detective.' Olivia teased.

'Well I guess that makes you a cougar, Miss Pope.'

Olivia gasped. 'How dare you! I am nowhere near forty and everyone knows you can't be cougar until you're forty!'

'Oh….well my apologies. You are correct, you would be a Puma.' Fitz replied.

'Whatever….my point is you look really cute in that baseball hat and I am not the only that noticed.' Olivia smiled as the waiter came over to take their drink order. Fitz ordered a beer and Olivia ordered a glass of white wine. She was typically a red wine drinker but the sun and beach made her crave something lighter.

'Who were you talking about? When you said you weren't the only one who noticed me?' He asked after the waiter went to get their drinks and some water for Sabra who was sound asleep at Fitz's feet.

'Only every woman in here. You really don't know the effect you have do you?' she asked somewhat shocked.

'I don't know what you mean.'

'Wow. Well let's just say as I watch every woman in here check you out, I know I lucky I am to be the one sitting here with you.'

'Well thank you. That was sweet of you to say, baby. Even if it's untrue.' He laughed. The truth was he had noticed every single person since they had walked in. He was always on guard with Olivia. He was grateful she hadn't picked up on it. Fitz had over the last few days tried to keep things as light and normal as possible. She was having nightmares almost every night. Sometimes they woke her but most of the time she would just whimper in her sleep and toss and turn. The only thing that would calm her would be for Fitz to pull her to his chest and stroke her hair. After several moments she would settle down and sleep soundly. Fitz could see the lack of rest was taking its toll and she'd mentioned on Friday that they had to apply extra makeup to hide the blackness that was under her eyes before Harrison would put her in front of the camera. Olivia had been playing that she was fine but Fitz could see she was starting to crumble. More than anything he wanted to save her from that.

'So is this our first date?' Olivia asked sheepishly.

'What?' he asked.

'Well we kind of jumped into this thing and we haven't really been out anywhere together. I just want to have an answer when someone asks me about our first date.' Olivia explained.

'Oh….I see…no this is not our first date. This is just lunch.' He smirked at her.

'Okay.' Liv was slightly confused but didn't explore the topic further. The waiter came and took their food order. Olivia excused herself to go to the ladies room. She stood in front of the mirror and didn't recognize herself. She was exhausted. She had been having nightmares. She couldn't sleep unless she was tightly being held by Fitz. At first his presence worked and then if he was simply touching her she could sleep without the dreams but over the last couple of nights it had escalated so that she had needed to be nearly on top of him to get a good night's sleep. She felt terrible. There was no way he was resting well with all of her tossing and turning but every morning she'd wake up wrapped tightly in his arms and she knew he pulled her there. She never fell asleep that way. He hadn't said a word about the nightmares but she knew he knew. 'Oh Liv time to get it together.' She said to herself out loud. She applied some lip gloss and left the restroom. She was heading back out to the patio when a man approached her.

'Excuse me? Aren't you that reporter? You're covering the Chad Bristow case right?' the man asked. He seemed friendly. She raised an eyebrow at him. Men his age weren't exactly the demo for Chad Bristow or his trial. 'Olivia right? Olivia Pope?'

'Yes.' She smiled uneasily. Something seemed off. She didn't feel unsafe because the restaurant was full and she was in the middle of the room but her senses were raised. She was alarmed.

'Wow. My wife will never believe I met you. She watches you every day. She loves all that true crime stuff. Could I take a picture with you? Please? It will make her so happy.' The man asked.

'Um….sure.' Olivia agreed. The man turned to a patron and asked if she would take the photo. She agreed and stood up. Olivia and the man took a couple of steps back and stood next to each other. The woman gave them a countdown and then took the photo with the man's phone. They thanked the woman and she returned to her seat.

'Thank you so much! My wife will be thrilled.' The man said to her.

'No problem. Have a great day.' Olivia said as she turned to walk back to the patio. She got to the door and started to push it open. Fitz saw her and stood. Suddenly the man was back at Olivia's side. She turned her head quickly and was startled at the man's closeness.

'One last thing if you don't mind Olivia?' he said.

Olivia stood with the door opened. 'Yes?'

'Number five will happen soon if you don't do as you have been told! And trust me Livvie; this one will be very close to home. Choose wisely!' He then quickly jutted his hand into her side. Something pricked her and she pulled back and gasped. Fitz was at her side but the man was gone. Olivia's eyes darted around the restaurant but didn't see him.

'Livvie?' Fitz said to her. 'Are you all right? Who was that?' he asked her.

'Fitz he…I can't…..' Olivia's breathing became inconsistent. She felt lightheaded and everything around her started to blur. 'He poked me with something.' She said and then collapsed into Fitz's arms.

'Livvie? Livvie….'

Olivia opened her eyes and looked around. She was in the hospital but why? She turned her head and saw a visibly shaken Fitz standing over her.

'Baby? Livvie. Oh god you scared me.' He said as he peppered her face with kisses.

'Fitz? What happened?' she asked.

'Some guy approached you at the door out to the patio and he pricked you with something. The doctor's said it was some sort of anesthetic. It caused you to lose consciousness. But otherwise it's safe. Do you know who that man was? By the time I got to you he was gone and you passed out before I could look for him.' Fitz said to her as he stroked her hair. He was so relieved. When she went down he had never been so scared. He thought he was going to lose her on the patio. He didn't tell her but the anesthetic had been potent and caused her heart to stop. He had to perform CPR on her until the paramedics arrived.

'He stopped me on my way out and asked for a picture. He said his wife was a fan. We took the picture and then I went to go back out to you. He was suddenly next to me and he told me that I needed to what I was told or the fifth victim would be closer to home.' She repeated the man's words. She was scared. Who did he mean? 'Fitz, where is Sabra?'

'Harrison came and picked her up when we got here. The hospital wouldn't let her in.'

'I want to leave. I want to go get her. Please. Fitz, I want her with me. He said the next victim would be closer to home. She's all I have. Without here I am all alone.' Olivia got up and started to get dressed. She was in a panic.

'Livvie. Calm down…you need to sit down. You just woke up from a poison being injected into you. You need to wait for the doctors.'

'NO! I need you to take me to get my dog and then I need you to take us home. That is what I need!' Olivia was shouting. Fitz looked at her and his heart broke. She was completely beside herself. He wasn't going to be able to talk her down.

'Ok. Ok. Just please slow down and let me help you.'

Fitz helped Olivia get dressed and watched as she signed her discharge papers. They had picked up Sabra and were back at his place within an hour. Olivia sat on the sofa with Sabra's head in her lap. She looked so sad and small sitting there. He just wanted to help her but he didn't know how. Captain Young and Nick had gone to the restaurant to question the employees and see if they had video cameras.

'Hey? Why don't you two go into the bedroom? You've had a long day and you need to sleep.' Fitz said to her.

She looked up at him and nodded. She stood up and called for Sabra to follow her. Fitz watched as Olivia stripped down to just her pink cotton panties and crawled into bed. Sabra curled up next to her and Olivia wrapped her arm around her. Fitz watched for a moment when his phone rang. He stepped into the kitchen.

'Grant?'

'Grant, the restaurant had video we went over it and saw the man that approached Olivia. We went back and looked and the tapes from her apartment the night the photo of victim number three was delivered.' Nick was on the other line speaking quickly.

'Ok?'

'The man that approached Olivia today is on the tapes from her place that night. The way the cameras were lined up we couldn't see if he approached her door or not. But we did see what apartment he did enter. He went into her neighbor's place. The school teacher whose prints were on Olivia's door, Caroline Stillman. I am heading over there now with the captain. Do you want to meet us?'

'No. I need to stay with Olivia. She is really shaken up and I don't want to leave her.' Fitz explained.

'I can send a uniform so she isn't alone.' Nick said.

'No, it's fine. She needs me here. Just let me know what you find out.' Fitz said and hung up his phone. He walked back into his bedroom and watched Olivia for a moment. He realized his priorities had changed. Three weeks ago he would have jumped at the opportunity to go with Nick to talk to Ms. Stillman but there is nothing on the planet that would pull him from her side right now. She was everything that mattered. He crossed the room and took off all of his clothes except his boxer briefs and crawled into the bed. Sabra immediately moved down to the foot of the bed. Fitz pulled Olivia's tiny body to him. She sighed and curled up to him with one leg and one arm draped over him and her head on his shoulder.

'Sabra is not all you have, Livvie. I will never let you be alone. You have me sweet baby.' He said softly to her.

'Promise?' she whispered back.

'That's a promise.' He pulled her close and felt her relax and fall asleep. After a few moments he followed.

So next chapter is going to be ALL fluff. After that ridiculousness that took place last night I am going to take some artistic liberties and NOT have MY Fitz and Liv make decisions that make absolutely NO sense. God I hope Shonda has a plan. I feel like Tony Goldwyn's brilliantly directed episode was wasted and that's not cool! I am actually glad we have the summer off. Anyway let me know what you think of the chapter!