The night before Olivia's surgery, they were all gathered at Chateau Pope De Paris. It was a full house so Karen and Gerry had given up their rooms for the non-residents. All four kids had camped out in the den where they normally watched movies and played games. Liv knew that Karen and Gerry made the conscious decision to keep all of them together for the sake of the little ones who were starting to show the signs of fear. She couldn't be more grateful to the older kids, she couldn't possibly love them more if she gave birth to them.

Fitz woke to an empty bed and he rose in search of her to find her in Bellie's room with their youngest daughter sitting on her lap on the very rocking chair he knew she rocked Bellie on when she was a baby.

"Mommy,"
"Yeah Baby,"
"Can I stay with you at the hospital?"
"Oh honey, I wish you could but I don't think so. Besides who'll take care of everyone while I'm in the hospital? You get to run the house while Mommy's getting better."
"Can I come see you every day?"
"Of course you can. Hey sweetheart, want to tell Mommy what's really on your mind?"
"I'm scared that you won't come home." Bellie admitted. Fitz heart tightened in his chest. Olivia sat up and turned Bellie around to face her taking her face in her hands.
"Sweetheart, Mommy's scared of that too." She replied honestly pulling her daughter into her arms hugging her tightly against her chest.
"Isobel Grace Pope, you are the love of my life."
"I love you too Mom.' Olivia rocked till she felt Bellie slip into deep slumber. Fitz who quietly sat outside the door leaning against the wall listening to them was forced to face the possibility that he could lose her, and that just wasn't an option. After everything he couldn't lose her. Fitz pulled himself together before rising to his feet and entering the room. Though her eyes were closed when he walked in, she knew he was there.

"Hey," she greeted looking up at him giving him a small smile.
"I couldn't sleep so I went downstairs and watched the kids sleep. Bellie was tossing so I picked her up and we've just been hanging. Really I just wanted to hold her. I can't believe how she's grown. How remarkable she is. We made her. She is a product of our love. She's my little miracle." Fitz crouched down beside her,
"She truly is a miracle, but you Olivia Pope are my miracle." Olivia smiled and ran her fingers through his curls,
"You doing okay?" She asked as he nodded.
"Liar," she countered affectionately.
"You?"
"I'm good."
"Liar," he replied making her chuckle. Fitz brought his lips to her,
"I love you." He murmured as he leaned his forehead against hers."
"I love you too." Olivia shifted in the rocking chair to make room for him. With his arms securely around her, he was able to fall back asleep. Olivia took in the silence and just savored the moment. She was surrounded by the people she loved most in the world. There was little room for regret. She would fight as hard as she could to ensure that she would be with them for as long as she possibly could.

As worried as Olivia was about Fitz and the kids, they had each other. She worried for Huck most of all. For the last ten years he had been devoted her. For the last seven years, he had been devoted to her and her daughter. She knew that they were the only family he had, and she was worried about what would happen to him if she didn't come out of this.

After dinner that night while he checked the parameters she waited for him on the porch steps of the backyard.

"You should be inside where it's warm." He reprimanded as he walked towards her.
"It's warm enough and I have layers. I'm not cold. I promise. Sit with me." She said patting the space beside her. Huck wordlessly obliged,
"Huck,"
"Yeah Liv,"
"Thank you for everything. For always looking out for me. For protecting me and Bellie. For doing everything you can to make us happy. You always said that I saved you that day on the Metro. That's not true Huck, that's far from true. The thing is, you saved me and you have been saving me every day since. I was all alone, except for you. I don't know what I would have done without you, so thank you for always being there, for being the one person who has stood beside me without judgement or conditions."
"I need you to be okay Liv." Huck said softly, brokenly. He looked up at her,
"You are the only family I remember. You, Bellie, you have given me purpose. You loved me, more than that, you saw me. You've always seen me. I can't lose you Liv. I need you to live."
"I sure am going to fight to." She promised resting her head on his shoulder.
"Promise me something,"
"Anything,"
"If,"
"Liv, no."
"Please," Huck sighed and waited for her to continue.
"If I don't get out of this you'll continue to live. Bellie will need you. You are her best friend in the whole world. She can't lose you too. Don't slip into that darkness Huck. That's not your life anymore and it hasn't been for a really long time. I need you to remain the Huck Bellie's only known. Promise me. Bellie will never be without love but it's you she needs to be able to breathe. She's just like her Mom that way. There is a comfort only you bring. Please Huck. I need you to promise me."
"I promise."

The Pope-Grant-Gladiator clan rose early in preparation for a day in the hospital. Olivia knew it would be futile to even tell them that they didn't all have to come so she didn't bother.

"Fitz baby, chill." Liv said catching his hand in hers. Fitz stopped fidgeting and looked at her sheepishly.
"Sorry,"
"It's okay, you're just making the troops nervous." She said quietly glancing at the rest of their family.
"I'll be okay." She promised. Bellie climbed up to sit beside Olivia on the bed. Instinctively Olivia wrapped her arms around her daughter tightly.
"Did you bring your Mexican Dominoes?" Liv asked,
"Yep. We're going to teach Daddy how to play."
"Well you make sure he doesn't cheat okay."
"I don't cheat." Fitz said in protest as both Karen and Gerry scoffed behind him knowing he was notorious for being a sore loser.
"I rest my case." The mood in the room dampened as the Doctor entered the room.
"Miss Pope, the nurse will be in shortly to get you ready for surgery. The surgery itself should take a few hours, and then we'll wheel you back in here." Olivia nodded being now well versed in the routine. Bellie tightened her hold on her mother as she listened. When the nurses came in Olivia gave Bellie a tight squeeze and kissed her.
"Mommy will see you in a few hours. I love you Bellie Boo."
"I love you too." Huck walked over to pick up Bellie from the bed. Olivia caught his hand in hers and they exchanged a look that only they understood. Bellie lay her head on Huck's shoulder as she watched the rest of them kiss her Mom.
"You ready?" Huck asked Bellie. Bellie looked at her mother who gave her a reassuring smile.
"Yeah, let's go." Bellie waved at her Mom as she and Huck slipped out of the room.
"Huck normally takes her for a walk so that she's not here while they wheel me away. It's not an image I want her to have in her head." Olivia explained. The orderlies came in moments later ready to take her to surgery. Fitz swallowed hard and put on a brave face.
"See you shortly Sweetheart." Liv nodded. Fitz bent down to kiss her,
"Come back to me." He whispered as he leaned his forehead against hers.
"Of course." She promised placing a hand on his cheek looking at him right in the eye.
"I love you."
"I love you too Sweetheart."

As they wheeled Olivia out of her room Karen and Gerry stood at either side of Fitz as if to keep him upright. Teddy pulled at his shirt and Fitz picked him up.

"Is Livi going to be okay?" he asked.
"I hope so little man. I hope so." Fitz replied.
"I'm going to go see where Huck and Bellie are." Gerry said feeling like he should be doing something.
"Try the courtyard," Abby suggested,
"She likes the garden."
"Thank you," he said gratefully dropping a kiss on her cheek before heading towards the lift.
"I'm worried about him." Karen confessed to her Dad as he released Teddy to Harrison who was offering to play UNO with him.
"Gerry?"
"Yeah. He and I are tight, and we are attached at the hip, but Liv is his closest confidant. He feels blindsided and helpless."
"We all do sweetheart."
"You know Liv is the first person he calls about everything."
"I do honey. I know she's yours too. So as worried as I am about your brother, I am equally worried about you. I know you're scared too. We will get through this together. Liv is a fighter. You know she'll be fighting in there."
"I know, but Dad I'm a talker. Gerry isn't."
"I'll keep an eye on him." Fitz promised pulling her into his arms.

There wasn't much any of them could do but wait and think as positively as they could. They had set up an office for him so that he could work if or when necessary. Cyrus was covering for him as best as he could but there were some things that only he could sign off on. With elections just around the corner there was a different buzz in DC. One that allowed him to fade into the background as the new nominees fought for a chance at the presidency. He couldn't wait till it was all over. He just wanted to go on with his life with Liv and their kids praying that they had the time he always hoped they would.

For the next few hours they waited. There was a lot of pacing and worried glances exchanged. Fitz noticed that Bellie stayed close to Huck, and though she would allow Gerry or one of them to sit with her, she always found her way back to Huck. Up until that day Bellie was never allowed to wait at the hospital. Huck would always take her out of the day and just come back when it was all over. Therefore sitting around the hospital unnerved her a little.

"Bellie honey, did you want something to eat?" Fitz asked knowing that she barely ate at breakfast and had picked at the sandwich he had bought her for lunch." Bellie looked up from her book and shook her head.
"No thank you."
"You should eat something Bea. You know it's the first thing your Mom's going to ask you."
"I'm not hungry Hucky," she answered turning from where she sat on his lap to look at him.
"I know you don't feel hungry Bea, but you gotta eat something."
"Hey Bellie Boo, why don't we go downstairs and half a burger together?" Gerry suggested standing to his feet holding out a hand to her. Bellie looked at Huck who nodded.
"We'll call Gerry's phone if the doctor comes out with news about your Mom." Bellie reluctantly hopped off Huck's lap and took Gerry's hand. As they stood by the lifts Bellie wrapped her arms around Gerry's waist. Gerry looked down surprised. He picked her up and Bellie wrapped her legs around his middle as she placed her head on his shoulder.

When they returned Bellie was still wrapped around Gerry, which he didn't at all mind. If he were honest it brought him comfort. Just as they were about to sit down the doctor emerged from the double doors bringing them all to their feet.

"The surgery went well. We were able to remove all the tumors without having to remove her ovaries. However she will need to undergo aggressive Chemotheraphy. It's going to be a tough road ahead, but Miss Pope is an incredible fighter." A collective sigh of relief filled the room.
"When can we see her?" Fitz asked,
"She'll be in post op for an hour or so. Then we'll bring her down."
"Great thank you Doc."
"You're welcome."