It was left with two more checkups before Olivia could start work, and two weeks since her altercation with Fitz. Emergency at the hospital kept popping up, preventing Fitz from spending some quality time with Olivia. He has been working day and night with little time for himself, but nevertheless, still trying his best for Olivia to trust him. He didn't want to push it with her. Fitz asked her out on a date once but couldn't make it due to another emergency at the hospital. He called and apologized profoundly to her, why he couldn't make it. Olivia understood and accepted the apology. She was to go for her second to the last checkup today, and has been restless the whole day. Many thoughts were running through her head, like how was this checkup going to end, and what if she bumped into Margaret Thatcher again in Fitz's office.
Olivia knocked on Fitz's office door and he asked her to enter. He seemed not to be in a cheerful mood. Olivia could see he was mad and sad at the same time. Fitz greeted her and asked her to sit down. She sat down, wondering why he was such in a grumpy mood. Contemplating whether to inquire from him or not. Fitz asked her to follow her to the x-ray room. She followed him in silent. He told her to place her belongings on one basket and changed into the hospital's gown. She did, and laid on the x-ray thingy. He was about to press the bottom to start with her checkup, when she asked him to wait.
"What's the matter, are you OK?" Olivia asked, lying down looking up at him.
Fitz could see, she was genuinely concerned about him, but he wasn't in the mood to bother her with his job. "I'm fine, just tired" He tried to smiled at her. "I've missed you" trying to change the topic, he bent down to give her a kiss. She turned her head away for him not to.
With a concerned face, Olivia looked at him. "Tell me what's wrong with you."
"You don't want to kiss me but you want to know why I'm grumpy?" Fitz teased her, slightly smiling.
She rolled her eyes at him. "Never mind don't tell me, you can continue with my checkup"
He led out a sigh of frustration. "I lost a patient this morning due to fault of mine" he said and sat down on the X-ray thingy with her.
She got up and sat closer to him. "What happened?" Sincerely concerned and a little worried.
"He was a patient I grew to love, Sully St James, that was his name; my pride wouldn't allow junior Dr. Reid to work on him. I was tired and just coming out from a seven hours surgery. Due to my personal attachment to him, I was determined to work on him at all cost." Fitz paused, and looked at Olivia. "I did same with you, you know. Dr. Reid was suppose to work on you the day of your accident, but I didn't let him."
She smiled briefly at him. "Yet I'm alive. Sometime thinks happens and there's nothing you can do about it." She held his right hand with her left hand, to console him. "You're not 100% sure he would've survived under Junior Dr. Reid. So beating yourself about it is not helping anyone." She hoped her little intervention helped.
Fitz smiled at her; Olivia's words brought him some sort of comfort. He was certain he did his best with Sully, but deep down he was thinking his best wasn't good enough. This was a habit he grew up with, always trying to impress and second guessing himself.
Olivia noticed he was still struggling inside. "There comes a time and place where you just have to accept things the way there are and move on." She added.
"Like us?" Fitz said. "Can we accept we can't resist each other and take the next step?" He asked looking at her.
Olivia was a little spellbound, staring at his lips, and then his eyes. She came back to her senses and replied. "I'm not talking about us, we're talking about you."
"Let's talk about us." Fitz insisted, holding her attention with his eyes. "Nothing is going on with Mellie and me. I know I kissed her which was wrong, but the last time we did the sex call stuff was eight months ago. And I only went because she was having a tough week" He paused and thought for a while, and then added. "OK maybe I needed the release too."
Olivia made a face at him with 'the release' line, and brushed over it. "Abby told me about the eight months." Olivia replied, in a manner that showed she wasn't pinning or angry with the matter anymore.
Fitz could see Olivia was over what happened in his office with Mellie. "I love Abby." He said.
"Too bad she's married" Olivia replied.
They were smiling and just staring at each other. All of a sudden they stopped smiling, the atmosphere around them got intense. They started bringing their heads together, slowly at the same time, going in for a kiss. Olivia's phone rang; they jerked and looked at the direction of the phone. Fitz went for it in the basket, where Olivia placed her belongings, and saw the caller ID, and it was Jake. He thought of the almighty Jake Ballard at the hotel during their first encounter. He gave her the phone and left the room, to give her some privacy. After Olivia was done talking to Jake, Mellie walked in.
"Hello Olivia, you look well" Mellie approached her.
What do you want Margaret Thatcher. "Thank you very much Mellie" Olivia replied instead.
"You know my name? I go by Margaret Thatcher around here. The nurses thinks it an insult, I love the title, it's empowering" Mellie informed Olivia.
"Fitz told me your name" Olivia gave her, her best fake smile ever.
Mellie went straight to the point. "Olivia Pope, you have my permission, you can have him. Try not to be heartbroken when he runs back to me, because he always does." She smiled and touched Olivia's arm as if they were friends.
Olivia was like, two can play this game. "Thank you very much Mellie or if you prefer Margaret Thatcher. I would try my best not to." She answered sarcastically touching Mellie's arm too, smiling in the process just like Mellie.
"I'm not going to lie to you" Mellie continued, still smiling the fake smile they both seemed to be competing on. "I'm going to miss the sex for the main time though. The guy is generous in bed, I'm sure you know that." She pushed Olivia's arm in a fake friendly manner again, adding "But his office desk tops it up for me; you guys should try it there, quite a talented guy and a good surgeon too."
"Ooh! Thanks very much for the recommendation Mellie, oh sorry, Margaret Thatcher. After my session with him today, we're so gonna try it there. Just the thought of it makes me moist already." Olivia fired back with a smile on her face.
Mellie thought, I've bitten more than I can chew. Thinking of something more hurtful to say, so she could win the battle, she said. "You know, after you sacked him out of your hotel room, he came straight to me. He'll always run back to me, Olivia. It's only a matter of time."
Olivia was just staring at Mellie at this point, as she sashayed her way back to the door. She opened the door and turned to Olivia, saying "Please make sure you leave him in one piece. Don't do anything to his hair. I love running my fingers through those curls." Mellie smiled and closed the door.
A few minutes later, Fitz walked back in, without knowledge of Mellie's visit and asked her about Jake.
In a playful mood, he asked. "Care to tell me about Jake?"
"He's nobody." Olivia replied quietly, sitting on the X-ray thingy. I really don't know the name and too lazy to Google it (author's note)
"Sure?" Fitz asked.
"Stop!" Olivia replied.
Fitz could see from her facial expression she was a little upset, thinking it must be as a result from the phone call. He asked her what the matter was.
"Are you OK? I'm the one asking now. Tell me, what's the matter?" He said it in the same manner Olivia asked him not too long ago.
Olivia could see Mellie's intention was for her to get angry and it seemed to be working. She said to herself she won't ruin my day.
"I'm OK, is the phone call, not you" She smiled at him, to assured him they were good.
Fitz didn't insist and carried on with her checkup. After he was done, he told her she has recovered. No more headaches, and with her last checkup, there would be no more hospital visit for her. Olivia was very excited and thanked him.
"I'll be going for a seminar at New York for a week. Your next checkup will be carry out by Dr. Reid." Fitz informed Olivia.
"Not junior Dr. Reid like you normally called him?" Olivia teased him. Fitz always associated junior to Dr. Reid's name, to make a point he was more experienced than Dr. Reid, Olivia had notice.
Fitz threw his head back and laughed out loud with the realization he has been doing that. He gave Olivia a quick kiss on the month, telling her he was going to miss her while in New York. She knew she was going to miss him too but didn't tell him. She decided not to inform him about Mellie's visit, saying what good, would it do.
Some days later, Olivia resumed work and everybody was happy to see her. She assured everyone she wasn't going to collapse again; they all laughed and hugged her. She brought a gift for Huck, a pay trip to anywhere with his son. Huck told her Javier was going to be ecstatic, he always wanted to visit the Caribbean and to have some alone time with him without any interruption from work.
Huck informed her someone was waiting for her in her office; she asked "who is the person"? Huck told her the person said it was a surprise, and asked him not to tell her. Huck gave her some flowers from the person. Olivia was very excited, knowing there was only one person who could buy her flowers. She thought, it wasn't up to a week. It was left with two more days for him to be back, not that she was keeping counts but who cares. She opened the door and dropped the flowers on the floor, saying…
"What are you doing here?"
"Is that the way to great somebody who traveled all the way to DC just to see you?" asked Jake.
"Who gave you this address?" Olivia asked.
"Gee is that a question? Maybe you don't know your company is worldwide or let me say international? Minus all that, there is something they called Google, remember?"
"What do you want? I thought I made it clear the last time you called. You can't have your cake and eat it too."
"Can't you see I'm trying here Olivia? I've been calling and begging, what else do you want me to do? I'm sorry I let you go. It was a good thing though, because I've searched all over, and finds you're the only one for me."
"Six years later, how convenient is that. You have to go. I have work to do." Olivia wasn't mad or anything. Her feelings towards him were neutral.
"I have to go all the way back? Please let's have dinner and just talk." Jake pleaded.
"Jake, I don't have time for you, and I'm very sure you didn't come all the way here just to see me. I know you have clients here in DC, so just stop with the lying."
"I miss you Olivia, can't you see? Remember the time you couldn't get enough of me? How about the time I made you a woman? You were so scared and I told you, you shouldn't be. How about how I knew just the right places to touch you" He got up walking toward her. "How your left breast is your weakness" He tried touching her breast, and Olivia patted his hand away from her breast.
"For your information both breasts are my weakness now. Somebody can do a better job than you" Olivia had no idea when that came out from her mouth.
"Olivia, we spent six years together. I know it took me this long to see the errors of my ways; I know you once loved me or maybe still do. Sorry, cancel that. Don't you want closure, why we didn't work then?"
"Jake I don't need closure, you were heartless and selfish, I'm sure still is. This is my first day back to work, please don't ruin it for me."
"I'm not leaving without sitting down with you, to see if I have a chance."
"Jake, there's no chance, not even a tiny little bit." She made the gesture, bringing her index finger and thumb together with the 'tiny little bit' line.
Jake not taking no for an answer replied. "Olivia I'm not going anywhere until we talk"
Knowing how stubborn and persistent Jake could be, she said "OK fine, we can talk tomorrow. And please promise me you'll leave me alone and stop calling me, promise?"
"I promise, but please not tomorrow, I have a client who needs my full attention tomorrow. Can't we make it this evening?"
"Yeah right, this is somebody who came all the way here just to talk to me, but yet not having the time for it. I will be busy this evening also" Olivia sat down waving her hands at him saying. "Sorry. Bye."
"I know it sounds bad, but please I really need to talk to you. Please, I have a confession that has been eating me alive, hear me out."
Olivia got interested with the confession line. "OK fine, what about a day after tomorrow?"
"Thank you very much; can I pick you up after work?" Jake asked.
"Yes, fine."
Jake thanked her and left. There I was thinking Fitz was the one in my office, not knowing it was this good for nothing. She asked God to forgive her for calling Jake good for nothing. All this got her thinking, why so excited Fitz might be the one in the first place. Can it be I'm falling for him? Olivia, please don't do this to yourself, is too early. I don't think you'd survive any heartbreak from him, trust me. she told herself. She had to tell herself to stop with the foolishness. She worked the whole day until Cyrus came and asked her to leave, saying Fitz wouldn't be happy.
Two days later, Olivia was waiting for Jake to pick her up for the dinner, and he was already an hour late. Fitz called her and told her he'll be coming today and that he would like to see her. Saying he wanted to have dinner with her.
"Fitz I just got back to work two days ago, I have a lot of work to do. Can we make it tomorrow? I'm really busy today, tons of papers that needs my full attention."
"OK Fine, but I would like to see you today though, even if you can't make it to dinner"
"Fitz, I would be tired from work and I know you'd be tired from your trip too." Olivia tried to make Fitz see reason why they couldn't see each other today.
"Fine, fine. You're going to be busy and tired, I get it, OK. We'll talk later, take care. I've missed you." Frustrated Fitz said, not understanding why she didn't miss him as much as he did.
"See you tomorrow then" Olivia replied.
Olivia felt bad not telling Fitz he couldn't see him or have dinner with him because she was curious to hear Jake's confession.
Jake picked her up and they left for dinner. They talk and talk. Jake was trying to convince her why he was still good for her. If there was one thing Olivia hated about him was his macho attitude. She can't believe she once thought she was deeply in love with him.
"Jake, I'm only here because of your confession, what do you have to confess about?"
Jake breathed in then said "I know you thought I broke it off with you due to my job. Well, it was part of it too. But the real reason was because I was falling for you, and my parents were skeptical about me dating you, you know, for obvious reasons. You said I was selfish, and that was true. I really didn't like going out with you because people were always staring at us. And my friends back then didn't like you at all. More to that, I was a little scared of what our children will go through. I didn't want to subject my kids to such brutality of this world.
"Wow, so for the six years we dated, you were still trying to fall for me, while back then I could do anything for you. And even though you weren't in love with me, you were worried about our kids? As for your parents I knew they were racist." Olivia brushed him off, hating herself for refusing Fitz's offer over this stupid confession.
"At least I didn't cheat on you, Olivia. After our breakup, it took me three days to sleep with another woman, three good days Olivia. It was difficult for me too."
Olivia chuckled. "If only you knew how long it took me to sleep with another man, you'll be proud of yourself."
"I know, I've seen the light, I want you back in my life. I don't care what my parents are going to say. Olivia I'm going to win you back no matter what it takes. I know deep down you're not over me. And that's why you haven't dated anyone ever since. I kept tap on you, you know."
Olivia chuckled again. "Jake I was 21 when we started dating, I was naive and stupid. Seriously, I thought I love you back then, but now I know I was infatuated by you. And the fact that you took my virginity; was one of the reasons, silly me, thinking that was something special. I haven't dated anyone because I'm trying to avoid douche-bags like you. You didn't treated me the way you did due to the eyes on us when we went out, or what our kids were going to look like. You're going to treat every single woman in your life the same. That's just you, is not a race thing. You said you've searched everywhere and you found out I'm the one for you. No, that's not true, I'm the only one who tolerated you, and you can't find any other woman that would take your bullshit the way I did back then."
Jake sat and listened to Olivia, accepting some of her point. "Am I really that bad?" He asked her remorsefully.
"Yes you are."
"If there's anybody out there who can change me, it's you liv. I need you Olivia"
Olivia laughed out loud now at him, and told him he looked pathetic. She said she has to go; she needed to get her rest. Jake insisted to drop her home, and promised he would never disturb her again, saying they should be just friends. Olivia was tired going back and forth with him, so she accepted a ride home from him, even though she wanted to leave alone. When they got to her apartment, Fitz was there looking all tired with a little ribbon wrapped box on his hand waiting for Olivia.
Thanks everyone. Please review if you can.