Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal

Chapter Fourteen: Stand

Life's like a novel with the end ripped out

The edge of a canyon with only one way down

Take what you're given before it's gone

Start holding on, keep holding on

Cause when push comes to shove, you taste what you're made of

You might bend till you break cause it's all you can take

On your knees you look up, decide you've had enough

You get mad, you get strong, wipe your hands, shake it off

Then you stand, then you stand

- "Stand" Rascal Flatts

Olivia curled herself even tighter into a ball under the plush blanket on Harrison's sofa. The cup of tea laced with bourbon held firmly between her hands. She needed to call FItz. She needed to contact him. She had to make sure he was okay. She continued to stare at the swirling pattern the tea bag made. Her father had Fitz. She had to make sure he was still alive and in one piece. But she didn't have her phone and she didn't know his number.

Cyrus would call him when he got here.

Harrison stared straight ahead blankly, his own cup of tea loosely in his hand. If it were any looser it'd slip to the floor. He glanced down as his phone lit up. Caroline was alright. She wanted to know why he texted her in the middle of the night. She was safe. For now.

A banging on the door startled him. Glancing over at Olivia, Harrison noted she'd barely heard it. He threw what little of the blanket she was curled under that was on his lap off and stood up. He opened the door to find Cyrus.

"What in God's name is going on? Why did you two need me at," he glanced down at his watch, "2 in the morning. You know I was naked and in James's bed. Naked. And happy." He muttered. He stopped at the sight of Olivia, "What happened?"

Olivia looked looked up, "Call Fitz. Now." Her eyes dropped back to the mug in her hands.

Cyrus frowned, but dug his phone out of his pocket, rapidly flipping through his contacts until he found Fitz's cell phone number.

It continued to ring.

And then it went to voicemail.

"Redial it." Olivia directed.

It went to voicemail again.

"Liv, he's probably sleeping." Cyrus moved to the sofa, "What's going on? Why are you two awake at this hour."

Olivia raised the mug to her lips and took a sip, staring at Harrison. Silently telling him to answer.

Harrison took a seat on one of the overstuffed chairs, "Normally, when your father wants to see you he gives you a call, shoots you an email or a text, he drops by. Our fathers, though, our fathers have random agents stop by and jab needles into our necks and throw us in a limo before dropping us outside in the middle of night in the cold with no coats or shoes on. Because you know if we had a coat on earlier it might have a weapon in it. And if we had shoes on we might kick them and hurt them. Because we're dangerous children." He stood up and began pacing around, "We are not the ones who ordered a plane shot out of the sky. We are not the ones who kill people on a normal basis. Or order others to kill people. We are average, normal people. With average normal jobs and average normal significant others who just want to lead average normal lives. We don't want any of this spy crap."

Olivia sighed, "Yelling doesn't help. The bourbon in the tea helps. Drink the tea, Harrison. And stop yelling." She paused, "We need to find Fitz. They had Fitz."

Cyrus stared mutely at them in the middle of the living room for a moment. Finally he found his words, "Is Caroline"

"She fine. She's asleep." Harrison looked down at his mug. "The only reason Fitz got dragged as badly into this so far is because his father stepped in."

"Damn it all to hell Big Jerry!" Cyrus let out a grunt, "He knows how dangerous your fathers are." Taking a deep breath to try to get his blood pressure back within normal limits, Cyrus continued, "Why don't we go to Fitz's apartment?" He suggested.

Olivia stood up and wiped her hands on her jeans from the night before. Clearing her throat she glanced at Harrison, "Did I leave my purple ballet flats here?"

Harrison nodded, "Yeah Livia, you've got an entire wardrobe here, let's get you a coat and some shoes."

SCANDAL

Olivia paced around outside the door to Fitz's townhouse as Cyrus continued to call him and Harrison continued to bang on the door and yell. Finally, she placed a hand on Harrison's arm, "Harrison, it's nearly 3 in the morning. Someone is going to call the cops on us if we keep making all this noise. We may have to wait until daylight hours." Olivia twisted the edge of her coat through her fingers, "I'm so worried about him. I should've let him sleepover." She mumbled.

Harrison latched onto both of her arms, "Olivia Carolyn Pope, you had no way of protecting him. The only way to protect people from our fathers is to keep our distance."

Olivia shook her head as tears streamed down her face, "I can't keep my distance from him. I think," she paused, "I think I'm falling in love with him."

Cyrus let the phone drop from his ear and Harrison dropped his hands from her arms. Cyrus cleared his throat, "Then we have to find out if he's okay."

"You're going to California with him." Harrison decided.

Olivia's eyes widened, "What?"

"You're going to California with him." Harrison repeated. "Come one, let's go pack you a bag and find your cell phone. Cyrus will keep calling him. Eventually we will find him. Rowan said he should even make his flight to California this morning. We don't have much time and we need to get you a seat on that flight." He dug his own phone out of his pocket, "Georgetown, Dulles International Airport please." Olivia grabbed Cyrus's arm as Harrison led the way back to Cyrus's car while on the phone with information.

SCANDAL

He still wasn't answering his cell phone.

Olivia was freaking out.

She paced and twirled her hair while Harrison talked quietly on the phone to Caroline, explaining why he woke her up the best he could without going into any truthful details. Cyrus continued to call Fitz. Olivia continued to pace with one hand pulling her rolling suitcase behind her in front of the security line at Dulles.

SCANDAL

Fitz stepped out of the cab and rubbed his neck as he fished his wallet out of his back pocket to pay the driver. Grabbing his suitcase he made his way in to check in. He sighed as he glanced down at his dead cell phone. He'd have to wait until he got to his gate to plug it in to call Olivia and make sure she was okay.

When he stepped into the lobby in front of the security line he stopped short. Harrison was standing off to the side on his cell phone talking to to someone, Cyrus was recalling someone over and over it seemed, and Olivia was pacing as she pulled her suitcase behind her.

He grinned, his Livie was okay. Pulling his own suitcase behind him he jogged over to her, "Livie!" He called out.

Olivia stopped her pacing and looked up, "Fitz!" She dropped her suitcase handle and purse and darted to his side, throwing her arms around his neck she pulled him down to her level, "You're okay." She murmured.

Gently he pried her arms loose, "Yeah, but my neck's a little sore." When she started to pull back he guided her body to his, "But you don't have to let go, I'd prefer it if you didn't let go." He whispered.

Digging her head into his chest she placed a kiss just above his heart, "Thank God you're okay."

He ran a hand through her hair, "How did you know something happened?"

"Our dads took us for a car ride." She murmured. "I'm going to California with you. We need to tell you dad to shut it down."

He looked down at her, "That's fine, but you don't have to go."

"He needs to know I stand firm on this. He needs to know I am not leaving or wavering. That I am here to stay."

Leaning down he pressed a kiss to her lips, "That's what I like to here."

"I hate to interrupt, but you two crazy kids need to get through security." Harrison stepped up next to them with Olivia's purse and suitcase in hand, "I'm glad you're okay Fitz, we've been calling you all night. And banging on your front door."

"I woke up in my bed and my cell phone was dead. I didn't have time to charge it before rushing to the airport. I was going to call you once I got it at least a little bit charged." He looked down at his tiny girlfriend who was still wrapped up in his arms.

"Well thank the Lord for that, I need to get back to James's apartment and explain where I went." Cyrus slapped Fitz on the back as he spoke, "Come on Harrison, I'll drop you off at Caroline's on my way. Call me if Big Jerry gives you any problems." He instructed them.

"Will do, Cy." Fitz shook his hand.

Olivia pulled away from Fitz and placed a kiss on Cyrus's cheek, "Thanks for coming, you're the best Cy."

"Always Liv." He dropped a kiss on her forehead.

"I'll call you when we land." She leaned up to hug Harrison.

"Be safe." He instructed her.

Fitz held out his hand to her, "Let's go face Big Jerry together."

"Together." Olivia repeated, "I rather like the sound of that."

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS