"Hey, you vaguely look like a sister I used to have." Liv greeted at she walked through her parents front door finding her sister on the lounge reading a book.

"Funny, one could say the same for you." Ellie replied not looking up from her book or making a move to greet Olivia.

"How are you doing?" Olivia asked her complete attention now focused on Ellie who was obviously not acting like herself. It had been weeks since the proposal and it had been a whirlwind of activities. Between the announcement of their engagement, to picking a date, to Fitz announcing his running for second term, and what that would mean for their family. They had decided to be married before they had started running for his campaign, which definitely pushed the wedding forward giving them only months to plan a wedding, which has left little time for anything else. Like returning phone calls, messages and emails from Ellie.

"Fine. Mom's running late. She said to either wait here or she can meet you at the dress place. You just need to call her to let her know."

"You're not coming?"

"I wasn't told I was required to go. I figured I'd get summoned when I was needed." She replied without emotion. Olivia felt incredibly guilty and somewhat horrible at that point, knowing that in all the whirlwind she had managed to leave her little sister out in the biggest event of her life.

"Ellie," she began apologetically.

"It's fine. Call Mom so she knows what your plans are, no need to waste your time here." Ellie said standing to her feet ready to move to her room.

"El,"

"Don't. You don't owe me an explanation. Just tell me where and when to show up, and I will be there. It's the very least that's expected of me right?"

Ellie had expected things to change, but she hadn't quite expected how quickly they would or how drastically. It was the first time in all her life that she felt disconnected from her sister. Even when they lived apart from each other, there would be some contact, and these days, there barely was. Sure she still hung out with Karen, and at times slept over at the White House, but she hadn't had any time with Liv, just them in awhile and she missed her. There were so many things going on in her life, that normally she would talk to Liv about and she just wasn't there. Even when they were in the same room, Gabby would need to be fed, changed, burped or put to sleep, Gerry would have homework questions, Karen would have boy issues, Fitz would need her opinion on something, even Cyrus fought for her attention. She hardly came home to visit, and in turn Ellie lessened her White House visits. She opted to stay home with her parents and hang out with them.

Olivia grabbed Ellie's hand as she was about to leave the room,

"I'm sorry I haven't been around." Ellie shrugged,

"It was only a matter of time right?" Without waiting for a response Ellie made her way up to her room and closed the door with a resounding slam.

Olivia knew that there was no talking to Ellie when she was that mad. They had that on common. Instead she went to see if her Dad was home and found him in his study,

"Hey Daddy,"

"Hi Baby Girl. Were we expecting you?" he asked racking his brain for something he missed.

"Not you too? I've just had the loudest almost non verbal conversation with Ellie." she said defensively,

"Ah sweetheart, my question is purely Daddy's old and forgetful these days and wondering if he forgot something as important as his first born coming over for dinner." Michael explained gently,

"Sorry Daddy. I'm feeling a little persecuted right now." Olivia apologized sheepishly.

"She just misses you. She's had you to herself all her life, and now that you finally live in the same vicinity, she has to share you, and though she doesn't mind the sharing, she has been feeling a little put aside."

"I've been really bad at returning phone calls, texts and emails the last few weeks." Olivia admittedly somewhat guiltily.

"Just give her some time. Talk to her. Make it right. She's your biggest fan Liv, she worships the ground you walk on, she is your biggest supporter, it's only understandable that she's a little mad at you right now. But more than mad, your sister is hurt that you've just seemingly tossed her aside in place of your new life, your new family."

"You don't all think to feel that do you? Because its so not the case." Olivia asked in panic,

"Of course not sweetheart. But seeing it from the eyes of someone as old as me and your mother is different from seeing it from the eyes of a young girl who's just broken into her teens, which is hard enough, but you take away her confidant, and all the changes she's had recently, well it gets muddy in there."

To say that Olivia's heart was no longer in looking at dresses would be an understatement. She ended up meeting her mom for coffee and a debrief before exhaustedly making her way back to the residence.

"Hey honey, your Dad's away on a conference and I just got called away for a consult back in Boston, can you check in with your sister while I'm gone? I offered to take her so she can see her friends but apparently it's a bad time at school."

"Mom she can come here." Olivia offered,

"She said she's in the middle of a couple of major assignments and she'd rather just stay here instead of lugging things back and forth. Natasha will be

here as always, I just thought maybe check in with her when you get a minute or two."

"Of course. Don't worry about Ell, she'll be fine. I'll check in on her."

Ellie was in between shifting from one assignment to another and with a mug of hot chocolate she paced back and forth as she unpacked her thought process. So consumed in her thoughts she failed to hear the doorbell till she noticed that someone was standing by the corner watching her pace in the kitchen.

"Oh my Gosh Fitz you scared the living crap out of me!" She exclaimed.

"Sorry kid," he apologized walking over to give her a hug hello. He hadn't seen her since the proposal and had become incredibly concerned about her,

"What are you doing here? Olivia and kids okay?" Fitz raised an eyebrow on the Olivia, he had never heard Ellie call her that.

"Liv and the kids are great."

"Good, what's up? Don't you have better things to do with your time than sneak up on people. Like I don't know, run the country."

"Well I've noticed that I haven't seen you at the residence in awhile and I've got to say I miss you. It has also come to my attention that your parents are not in town and here you are at home, alone and I'm pretty sure we had a deal about that."

"I'm not alone. Natasha is here. She's always here."

"You know what I mean Kiddo." Ellie shrugged.

"I have so much school work to do, it's just easier to spread out and do it here instead of lugging it to and from. Besides I'm sure you're all busy enough with everything else without throwing in a house guest."

"Hey, you've never been a house guest. You're family. You're a part of our family." He said meaningfully trying to reassure her.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." She replied.

"So how about we pack you up and you come home with me and we can go through your assignment."

"You don't have to do that," she insisted,

"Two heads are better than one. Come on, I missed dinner lets pick up a pizza on the way home." Ellie rolled her eyes and complied. She gathered all her books and notes before shoving them in her bag.

"I just need to get clothes."

"Go on. I'll order the pizza."

"Don't you have a renowned chef on sight?" She wondered out loud as she headed up to her room.

"Hi Baby! How was your meeting out of the grounds?" Liv asked not looking up from the dishes she was washing.

"Good, I picked up pizza and a little something else." Curious Olivia finally looked up and saw Ellie looking like she was being held hostage.

"Hey Kid, good to see you. I was just about to give you a call as soon as I was done." Olivia nor Fitz missed the look of quiet disbelief that passed through her eyes.

"Fitz insisted," she uttered looking down at her feet.

"Um, I really need to get my work done. Do you mind if I used the study and skip the pizza?" She said looking over at Fitz.

"Go ahead. I'll grab something to eat, check on the troops and I'll go over it with you."

"Sure thanks! I'll just dump my gear in the study and say hi to Ger, Kare and Gabboo." Ellie said practically fleeing from the kitchen.

"So it wasn't my imagination?" He stated looking at Olivia placing a kiss on her head as she passed him a plate. Liv shook her head,

"Been like that for days. I've been really bad at returning her phone calls, text messages and emails. I got that very reception when I came over yesterday. Mom thinks something happened and she just needs time."

"At school? Kare would have at the very least given you a heads up."

"Maybe, but their cone of silence is pretty strong. I feel terrible."

"Talk to her Liv. Just remember she's just like you. The more chance you give her to stew, the worse it is in her head." Liv nodded, biting the bullet she went in search for Ellie. She found her in Gabby's room on the rocking chair bouncing Gabby on her knees as she giggled happily trying to capture Ellie's face with her chubby little hands.

"Ah boo!" Gabby's laughter rang throughout he residence.

"Hey," Ellie froze when she realised that she and Gabby were no longer alone.

"Hey, she was up when I walked in."

"No need for an explanation. She's missed you." Ellie brought her lips to Gabby's forehead,

"I've missed you little one," she said looking straight into Gabby's eyes before giving her a hug.

"I've missed you too kid." Olivia added.

"Hmm yeah," was all Ellie could manage.

"I'm really sorry I've been a sucky sister the last few weeks. I didn't mean to drop the ball. You mean the world to me kid and I'm sorry I've made you feel that you were anything less than that. It's just been crazy."

"Your life has always been busy, you've never checked out on me before. If there was anything I could always count on, it was that. Maybe that's why I took it a lot harder that you just weren't there. We were partners always, and for the first time I realize we're not. But hey I learned to live with the fact that Santa doesn't exist, I'll learn to live with his too."

"El, I'm sorry."

"I know. It doesn't change things does it. It doesn't change the fact that things have changed and its only to change even more when you're physically not here as you campaign, too exhausted to hear the random ramblings of your thirteen year old little sister. You and I finally live in the same city and I've never felt so far away from you."

"We can try harder. I can try harder. I don't want it to be like this between us."

"At what cost, exhausting you even more? I don't want to be an extra thing you need to fix and take care of. It's not meant to be hard. I know you're sorry and I know you love me. That'll have to do for now." Ellie replied patting Gabby's back softly till she fell asleep. When she was fast asleep Ellie laid her down on her crib.

"Sleep well little one. Aunty Ellie loves you to the moon and back." She whispered kissing her fingers before touching Gabby's head. Just as Ellie was about to leave the room Olivia pulled her into her arms hugging her tightly.

"I don't know how to fix this." She murmured.

"Maybe you're not meant to. I have to grow up someday." Ellie said softly offering absolution.

"You're as part of my life as anyone else. You and me from cradle to grave remember?" Ellie nodded,

"I remember Ollie. I do." She promised.

"How about you and me spend the whole day together tomorrow. You up for playing hooky for the day?"

"You don't need to do that," Ellie began and stopped when Olivia gave her a look,

"Sure, as long as I get everything done for this assignment that I need to get done tonight."

"Well get cracking, we have a sister day to embark on early tomorrow."

"Okay okay."