Disclaimer: I don't own Scandal, but if I did for just a day, boy the things I would do...
AN: So sorry for long time between updates. The finale really threw me for a loop and to be honest, I just wasn't feeling it. But then I got over it, for the most part, and started writing again. Speaking of writing again, check out my new story Out of Nowhere when you get the chances. Anyways, here's the next chapter
7 months later
"Ma-Ma, can you say Ma-Ma," Olivia cooed, trying unsuccessfully to get her nine month old twins to say mama.
They were sitting in their high chairs, snaking on mushed bananas and pureed mangos. Bennett had most of his smashed between his chubby little fingers and in his curls, smiling, showing off the few teeth that had come in. His gray eyes were bright with mischief and he reared back his hand, fully prepared to start a food fight with his sister. Lila on the other hand was a little diva. She cried if Olivia didn't wipe her mouth fast enough, hating being messy. Olivia could already tell that as soon as she started walking that she'd be the first to be potty trained. Grabbing the piece of banana from Bennett's little hand before he could throw it, she placed it back on the high chair table and gave him a spoonful of mangos to keep him busy.
"Da da da da da," Lila's high pitched squeal broke the silence as Fitz strolled into the kitchen. He was dressed for work, wearing a blue suit with a white shirt and blue tie. He looked very handsome as always.
"Little traitors," Olivia grumbled, extremely envious that 'dada' had been their first word.
"Aw, don't be jealous, Livi," Fitz laughed. "Hi princess, hi Benny bear," Fitz greeted, dropping a swift kiss to each of their heads.
"It's hard not to be. They've said dada, toes, no, ball, please, yes, and gos," she whined, the latter being the twins word for mangos.
"Baby, we have two very smart children, especially since you're doing that whole My Baby Can Read and Baby Einstein route. I'm sure they'll be saying mommy in no time. Don't worry about it," he tried to cheer her up.
Picking up the baby wipes that she always kept near, Olivia wiped down Bennett's hands, face, and picked bits of food from his hair. She did the same with Lila although her cleanup was drastically less thorough being that she was practically spotless.
"My mom is going to be here soon, can you watch them while I go get my briefcase?" Olivia asked, standing up and going to the sink to wash her hands.
She had started going to work about three months ago and had her mother come in to watch the twins during the day. Because of what she did, her schedule was pretty flexible and she took any opportunity she could to work from home. However, today she had the last steps of a merger to finalize at her client's building and would be in that meeting for most of her morning.
"Of course, but first," Fitz came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
She tilted her head back so that her lips could connect with his. What initially was supposed to be a brief 'good morning' kiss turned deeper the minute their lips touched. Moaning, Olivia turned in his arms and wound her fingers in his hair. No matter that he had taken her in the shower when they first got up, she was just as hungry for him as she ever was.
"Fitz, baby, I have to get going," she murmured against his mouth, making no attempt to move out of his arms.
"You shouldn't have worn that skirt this morning then," he muttered back, inching his hand up her thigh and fingering the snaps of her garter belt.
He dipped his head back to hers and once again captured her lips. Before it could get any deeper, the doorbell rang, breaking the couple apart. With one last peck, Fitz went off to go get the door and Olivia lifted the twins from their highchairs. It was getting more and more difficult to carry them both, but she somehow managed. Laying them down on their play mats in the living room, she went to her bedroom once she knew Fitz and her mother were supervising the twins.
In the last few months, her mother and Richard decided to settle in the D.C area to be closer to Olivia and the kids. Her mother did a total 180, finally meeting her match in Richard who didn't take her crap. The saying that some people made better grandparents than parents was proven with Jacqueline and Olivia now had no problem letting the older woman watch her children. Coming back to the living room, Fitz was giving each of the babies a hug and a kiss goodbye while Jacqueline was putting her purse and sweater away.
"We're on the third DVD set, Mom, so if you could play one or two of those and go over the flashcards with them that would be great," Olivia told her, making her way to the door where Fitz was waiting for her.
"Liv, they're nine months old, should they really be learning how to read at this stage?" her mother questioned as she normally did when Olivia asked her to go over the Baby Einstein videos.
"They're not learning to read, Mom. They're learning certain shapes, colors, and body parts, and what animal sounds go to what animal. It's never too early to start teaching your child." They had this same argument every time they came to babysit and she suspected that her mother wasn't participating in the learning process.
"I didn't do any of that with you and looked how you turned out," her mother pointed out.
"You didn't do anything with me. I turned out this way because of my father," Olivia snapped and instantly regretted it when she saw the hurt look on her mother's face. "Mom I'm sorr…"
"No its okay, you're right. I'll do the tapes. Now how about you and Fitz get going before you're both late."
With a final goodbye, they turned and left. Fitz walked her to her car, giving her a kiss and telling her that he'd be home around six before going on his way. Olivia then piled into her car, mentally going over everything she needed and playing out how she wanted today's events to go. When she arrived at her destination and got out of her car, she was no longer Mommy or Livi. No. She was Olivia Pope, merger extraordinaire.
"I'm happy that we could all agree upon the terms of the contract and I hope that your companies, now one in the same, will prosper greatly in the future," Olivia remarked, closing her laptop and silently congratulating herself on a job well done.
"Ms. Pope, thank you for your services. You were extremely professional and your team did one hell of a job. This contract is airtight and gives both parties equal benefits. Perfection," the older gentleman and CEO of one of the companies praised.
"No problem, Mr. Welsh, I was just doing my job," Olivia smiled in return.
Reaching into his breast pocket, he pulled out a small rectangular sheet of paper and handed it to Olivia, "I'm sure this amount will suffice, but let me know if you need more."
Looking at all of the zeros, she accepted the check, once again congratulated the owners, and headed towards the elevators. Glancing at her watch, she noticed that it was only 12:30. Being that the building she was in was only a block away from Fitz's job, she decided to stop at the deli that he loved so much and surprise him for lunch.
She picked him up pastrami on rye with kettle cooked chips for him and chicken caesar salad for herself. With lunch in hand, she rode the elevator all the way up to the top floor and came out with a smile on her face. She had been to his office before, but had never surprised him for lunch and couldn't wait to see his reaction.
"Hello, Jake," Olivia greeted his assistant, "is Fitz in?"
"He just got in from his meeting Ms. Pope, perfect timing," he told her then asked, "Do you want me to tell him that you're here?"
"No, I'm just going to sneak in," Olivia replied, already on her way to his corner office.
Knocking lightly on the wooden door, Olivia waited until she heard him say come in before entering. He was sitting behind his desk, typing away on his keyboard, and didn't even look up when she came in. He looked so cute with his glasses on and his sleeves rolled up his forearms.
"You can put the reports on the table Jake," Fitz said still not looking up.
"Do you want me to put your lunch there too?" Fitz's head shot up at the sound of her voice and a broad smile came across his handsome face.
Rising from his seat, he rounded his desk and gathered her in his arms. "What are you doing here, baby?"
"Well, I got done earlier than expected and it was close to your office so I thought that I would surprise you," she told him, reaching up for a kiss.
"Mmmm, so it's that kind of lunch, huh?" Fitz mumbled against her mouth.
"No, it's a real lunch," She laughed and moved to the chairs he had set up in the corner of his office.
He followed her, plopping down on the chair adjacent to hers and dug into the bag for his sandwich. He gave her an appreciative smile before taking a huge bite. She dug into her salad and they chatted idly for the next half hour about their perspective meetings. When they were done with their meals, Fitz got up and walked her to his door.
"I enjoyed lunch. Thank you, baby," he told her, moving closer to her
"You're welcome. I'll have to do this more often," she replied, winding his tie in her fist to pull him closer until his lips could connect with hers.
His hands went to her waist, pulling her closer, and she opened her mouth to his probing tongue. He kissed her hard and fast, seeming to try and make up for the few hours they were apart. She couldn't get enough of kissing him and it was quickly becoming that kind of lunch. Picking her up, Fitz walked them over to one of the chairs. He sat down with her straddling his lap, their lips never parting.
She could feel the thick bar of his erection pressing into her thigh and the all too familiar ache that would furrow in her belly whenever he was near. His hands traveled up her ribcage and to her shoulders to slip her blazer off. Their hips were moving in sync, trying to burn through the layers of clothing blocking their path. Fitz grabbed the hem of her skirt, tugging it up her waist so that he could get to what he most desired. Olivia moaned into his mouth when his fingers found their way into her drenched panties.
Returning the favor, Olivia quickly unbuckled Fitz's pants and slipped her hands into his boxers. His eyes grew slumberous as she wrapped her fingers around his length. Shifting his pants down his thighs, Fitz tore off Olivia's panties and poised himself for entry. Just as he had settled the first inch in, his cell phone began to ring.
"Mmmmm…ignore it," Olivia moaned, sinking down another inch.
And Fitz planned on doing exactly that, but as soon as it stopped ringing, it started again. Grabbing it from his pocket, he hit the ignore button without looking at who was calling. She took him further, throwing her head back as she sank down the last few inches. Fitz licked up her neck towards her ear when the phone rang yet again.
Finally answering it, he growled out a "What?"
"Mom, mom, slow down, I don't understand what you're saying," Fitz said, his features etched with concern.
Olivia immediately stopped and climbed off of him at hearing the word mom. She righted her clothes and watched as Fitz got up to do the same. Once his pants were re-buckled, he started pacing the floor, his hand to his forehead as he tried to distinguish the words his mother was saying.
"A heart attack? Okay, okay, I'll be there as soon as I can," he paused then said, "I love you, too."
Looking at him expectantly, Olivia waited for him to explain what was going on. Finally he stopped pacing and sank into his chair behind his desk.
"Fitz, what happened?" the worry in her voice evident.
"My father had a heart attack. I need to go to California."
"Is he…did he?" she was afraid to finish her sentence.
"No, he isn't dead. From what I gathered, they're going to do a few tests before they decide whether or not he needs surgery. I'm going to book a flight for tonight and stay out there for a few days," he told her, already looking up tickets online.
"Ok. I'll call Abby and let her know that I'll be off for a few days. Then I'll have to go and get the twins' ready for the trip…"she stopped when she saw the look on his face.
"Livi, I think it'll be best if I go by myself. This is a stressful situation and I don't think it's the right time for you to meet my family. Tensions are already running high and…"he trailed off, hoping she'd fill in the blanks.
"Fitz, we've been having this same argument for months now and each time you find a new reason for why I can't meet your family. Are you ashamed of me? Is it because I'm black that you don't want me to meet your family?" she asked, old insecurities starting to surface.
Rounding his desk, he pulled Olivia into his arms, hating that he was responsible for the quiver in her voice. "I'm not ashamed of you. It's just…my family can be a little much, especially my Dad. They are overbearing, in your face kind of people that have no filter and will say anything. I'm trying to protect you from the craziness."
Looking up at him and seeing that he was being honest, Olivia settled her hands on his face before saying, "Fitz, baby, I'm a grown woman and can handle whatever they throw at me. All that matters is what you think of me, but with that being said, the twins deserve to know that side of their family. If we're in this for the long haul, I'm going to have to meet them eventually."
"Okay. I'll book the tickets," he agreed and kissed her, praying that his family would be on their best behavior.
"I don't need a dang home nurse, Marilyn!" Fitz could hear Big Jerry bellow from down the hall.
They had gotten to Santa Barbara a few hours earlier and checked into a hotel that wasn't too far from the hospital. Fitz knew that his mother was going to insist on him staying at home, but he thought that Olivia would prefer to have her own space for the duration of the trip. Currently, they were at the hospital, just stepping off of the elevators and Olivia could feel the butterflies starting to take flight in her belly. Fitz squeezed her hand for reassurance and adjusted Lila on his hip as they continued towards his father's hospital room.
Olivia took great care in dressing the twins this morning, not wanting Fitz's family to find any fault. Lila was wearing a yellow dress with a matching headband and Bennett was adorned in a blue button down with a pair of pint sized khaki pants. She coifed his curls and put Lila's into two pigtails. They looked adorable if she did say so herself. She herself was wearing simple white tee shirt, jeans, and flat, Fitz wearing the same except his shirt was black. As they neared the room, they could see some of Fitz's family sitting outside in the chairs that lined the wall.
"Hello, everyone," Fitz greeted and everyone looked up at him in surprise. "Livi, that's my sister Jenny, her husband Max, my brother Michael, his wife Linda and their two kids James and Lucas." Fitz introduced going down the row.
Each of the Grant kids and grandkids had the same gray eyes, but that's where the similarities stopped. His sister Jenny, who looked to be around forty eight, making her the oldest, had blonde hair and if she stood, would probably only reach 5'3 at the most. Michael had jet black, bone straight hair and looked to be around 42. He was around the same build as Fitz, but Olivia quickly assessed that Fitz came out the winner, getting the best of the gene pool.
"Guys, this is my girlfriend Olivia and our children, Bennett and Lila," Fitz continued introductions.
Michael was the first to speak up, standing and giving Olivia a big bear hug, "It's great to finally meet you. Fitz goes on and on about you every time he calls. You're prettier than he let on though," he told her, laying on the Grant charm.
Olivia gave Fitz a look and he just shrugged, then she turned back to Michael, "It's nice to finally meet you too, although I have to say, Fitz didn't really share that much about you guys."
Instead of being insulted, Michael just smiled. "I'm not surprised that he wants to keep you all to himself. He's always been cautious with his girlfriends around me. But Fitz," he turned to his older brother, putting on his serious face, "I'm married now. You don't have to worry about me stealing this one. Or maybe you do. Just don't tell Linda," he whisper yelled the last part.
"I can hear you, Michael," Linda said, letting her presence be known
"How's Dad doing?" Fitz asked, changing the subject.
"Same old Dad. Being difficult and trying to disobey the doctor's orders. But because it was only a mild heartache, he doesn't need any surgery. He just has to change his diet and start exercising. He should be out of here within the next couple of days," Michael informed.
Fitz let out a sigh of relief just as his mother came out of the room. She was a tiny little thing, but Olivia knew that she had to be tough as nails. She also screamed old money from her pearls, to her Neiman Marcus sweater. But underneath the wealth, there seemed to be something warm and inviting that made Olivia want to know more. Putting on her best smile, Olivia waited for her to acknowledge their presence.
"Mom, this is Olivia, Bennett, and Lila," Fitz announced when his mother came closer.
"Aren't they just the cutest little things that you've ever seen," Marilyn gushed in a deep Texan accent.
Olivia was not expecting her to have an accent and she found it very amusing. So far everyone seemed nice and she didn't know why Fitz was so worried. Well, everyone except for Jenny and her husband who had yet to speak.
"And you, why you're prettier than a barrel full of peaches," Marilyn complimented Olivia.
"Thank you," Olivia blushed.
Turning back to her son, "Fitz, your father is asking for you. Why don't you hand me Lila and go on in," Marilyn offered.
Transferring the small child, Lila started to whine a little and reach for her mother. Of the two, Lila was less friendly than her brother. She did not like strangers and rarely went willingly to anyone other than her mother or father.
"She's not really a people person," Olivia spoke up, "it'll take some time for her to get use to you. Here, why don't you take Bennett, he's less likely to cry."
Once they were switched, Lila snuggled up to her mother, clinging for dear life, and Bennett eyed his grandmother's pearls with an eager expression. His chubby little hand reached out and grabbed them, nearly choking Marilyn in his attempt to fill his latest fascination with necklaces. After the third attempt to pull his hand away, the older woman finally wised up and took the necklace off all together before giving it to him.
"You gonna be fine by yourself?" Fitz asked, not wanting to throw her to the wolves.
"Yeah, I'll be fine out here." Fitz gave her a sympathetic look before going into the room.
Being that the only open seat was across from everyone else, Olivia sat and awkwardly waited for the questions she knew were to come.
"So Olivia, exactly what do you do for a living?" Marilyn questioned first.
"I'm a lawyer. I own my own firm that specializes in contracts and major mergers," she gloated in a way that made it clear that she wasn't with Fitz for his money.
"I see. So you just leave your children with whomever to go gallivant around the city? Not very motherly if you ask me," Jenny said with her noise high in the air.
Taking a deep, calming breath before she replied, Olivia counted to ten then said, "Not that it's really any of your business, but my mother watches them when it's not possible for me to work from home."
"Oh I like her already," Michael piped up, "not willing to take any of Jenny's crap."
"So it's crap to want to protect your brother from a gold digger and my niece and nephew and from a bad mother?" Jenny inquired as if she saw nothing wrong with her comment.
"Jennifer Anne, you do not know this woman from Eve. Speaking of Eve, do you read the bible, Olivia?" Marilyn segued.
"Ummm, on occasion, yes." She answered honestly.
"Good. I think that Fitz needs a nice church girl. Not like his last wife Mellie," she said with a shake of disgust. "Do you plan on marrying my son?" came her next question.
"Uhhhh…that's up to him." Olivia was starting to feel nervous with all the questions.
"No it's not. Jenny here proposed to Max," Marilyn shared.
"More like forced him down the aisle with a shotgun, a baby, and an ultimatum," Michael muttered under his breath.
Before Jenny could respond to the slight, Fitz peeked his head out of the door. "Livi, my father would like to meet you."
Thankful for the reprieve, Olivia handed Lila off to Michael, hoping that she wouldn't cry, and made her way into Big Jerry's hospital room.
AN: So we met the majority of Fitz's family in this chapter. They were nice except for Jenny but the real test will be Big Jerry next chapter. Lila and Bennett are getting so big, I almost feel like a proud parent, lol. Anyways, I'll try to get the next chapter out a little sooner. But seriously, go check out Out of Nowhere in the meantime.