Chapter 25

The cab ride to the bed and breakfast they found in the airport kiosk happened to be long but it was certainly relaxing as they melted into one another in the backseat of the car. When Fitz first mentioned going to L'Isola Che Non C'e, the premier bed and breakfast resort located just off of the beach Fontane Bianche, it seemed perfect. From the pamphlet Olivia held in her hand, she wished that she had vacationed there first versus the hotel. The thought left her mind as it was quickly replaced by the thought of being alone with Fitz for the first time since the night Mellie told the world of their affair. As she laid there on his chest while enjoying the ride, she could not help but to think thoughts of anticipation, trepidation and possibilities as she thought about their possible first time.

Sensing a shift in Olivia's once relaxed body, Fitz broke through her thoughts and asked, "Would you rather we get separate rooms? If this is all too unnerving for you, then we can do that until you're ready. I don't…I can't…" Fitz sighed to give him some thinking time. "I need you but if you're not ready then I understand and we'll figure out something." Olivia smiled. She knew that his knowledge of her was soul deep and everlasting although they had been together sexually a handful of times. Quality over quantity had been their motto for the longest time and it frightened her to know this time could be completely different; that it could be quality as much as quantity and that it all could be forever.

She took his hand, kissed it and smiled, "You know, I remember this President who said…" Olivia got off of his chest and looked Fitz in the eye. "I've never been more ready and I feel the same way. I've never been more ready to have you to myself for a change. To love you, to enjoy your presence without interruption…" Both Fitz and Olivia chuckled after thinking about how Cyrus rushed in to get him from her bed the last time they were together. "I've never been more ready for this moment with you. I'm just thinking how of how real it seems and how we've envisioned this moment since we first talked in the hallway. Now it's here and we're…we're…"

"Together," Fitz finished the sentence for her. "We're together, Livvie. It's you and me, the way it was always meant to be. Finally I feel as if I'm being rewarded for something in my life for a change. I truly feel free. Free to love you. Free to be with you. Free to hold you or to…" Fitz pulled Olivia in for a kiss. Despite the pull, it was not a hard kiss but rather a gentle, passionate kiss; one full of longing and promise. It was not hurried or rushed. It was fulfilling and just what the moment needed.

Reluctantly, they broke off the kiss when they realized it was getting too heavy for their current location and that the driver of the taxi cab spent more time looking in his rear view mirror than on the road ahead. Olivia went back to her original position with a smile on her face as they neared their exit. Ten minutes later, the taxi cab swung around the big pole of the entrance driveway and parked right in front of the doors leading into the bed and breakfast resort. Olivia, in her broken Italian, managed to get the driver to understand staying until they have secured a room for the night. As soon as she finished, Fitz held out his hand and Olivia readily took it as they entered the bed and breakfast together. Hand in hand and with smiles on their face, they walked to the front desk where a kind, older woman was working.

Olivia spoke first, "Parle inglese?"

The woman smiled, "Yes. How may I help you?"

Olivia returned her smile and asked, "We're just coming in and we forgot to book a room. We saw your pamphlet in the airport and we wondered if you had anything available?"

The woman smiled and said casually, "Honeymoon? I'm sorry but it looked like you're on your honeymoon. I see love and when I do, I say it. How long will you be staying?"

Olivia looked at Fitz as he cleared his throat to respond, "What rooms do you have available for the longest time?" Fitz pulled Olivia into him and kissed the top of her head. He loved how small she was, how he could pull her into him and how she would fit next to him just right. It was never that way with Mellie – not that he wanted her next to him, but when there were photo opportunities, it would always seem awkward to him. She would never fit, he would never feel relaxed and they both put business before any kind of relationship, including their relationship with the children. It all made sense why she insisted that he had more of a business first, work always mentality when he wanted to play or be with the children. They were never his and she was doing her best to not get either side attached to the other.

"Honey, hon…" Olivia poked Fitz to get his attention. "Did you want to go get our bags while I pay for the room?"

Fitz shook away the thought as he smiled down at Olivia to answer her question, "Sure. I'll go get the bags." He kissed her sweetly on the lips and turned to get their bags.

"I'm sorry. We're just getting in from a long flight and I didn't realize how tired he may be. How much did you say the studio cost?"

"It will be nine hundred and ten euro for the first two weeks and each additional week will be fifty-five euro a night."

Olivia thought to herself and said, "Okay. We're going to take the first two weeks and then we'll think about any extra weeks." The older woman smiled and nodded her acknowledgement of Olivia's decision. Olivia paid for the room and the woman handed her keys to the studio just as Fitz re-entered the resort with the bags in hand and she dangled the keys to the room.

Just as they turned to go to their room, the lady called out for them, "Excuse me, but we do have someone here to take the bags to the rooms. I've called Franco for you. If you would sir, please put them on that cart and he'll follow you to the room." Just as Fitz finished putting the bags onto the cart, Franco appeared so he could take the cart of bags to their room. With his hands free, Fitz quickly scooped Olivia into his arms and carried her to their room.

As they reached their door, Olivia leaned down to use the key to open the door. As she repositioned herself in his arms so that he could carry her through the door, he put his lips next to her ear and whispered, "I've wanted to do this for a long time. I always thought we would do this after you've taken my last name through a formal ceremony. Today, we carpe diem and since tomorrow isn't promised, I thought I'd take the time to carry the love of my life over the threshold. Is that okay with you, Mrs. Grant?" Olivia shot Fitz a look of correction and then he said, "Oh, come on Livvie! Let me have it this one time. Please." Olivia smiled and nodded and Fitz carried her through the door. They kissed right before he allowed her feet to touch the ground and Franco pushed the bag cart in right after them. Olivia stopped right where she stood and looked around the studio. On her left, she saw a full-size kitchen complete with a bowl of fresh fruit and a vase of fresh flowers. She walked down the short, small hall to see the family room with the adjacent sliding doors that lead out to the beach. Olivia removed her shoes and placed them just inside the sliding doors and opened the sliding door to walk out onto the private beach. Just feeling the sand between her toes and the wind in her hair, she immediately began to relax.

Fitz tipped Franco and shut the door behind him, carefully placing the 'DO NOT DISTURB' sign on the door handle. He then walked down the small hallway and stopped to watch Olivia from the family room as she walked along the beach. A small smile formed on the left side of his lip as he watched her enjoy the ocean breeze and the sand between her toes. It was this moment that solidified the fact that everything he felt for Olivia was real – that she was the one he was to be with forever, regardless of anyone who thought or said otherwise. He was in love with her and his soul called out for her constantly. It could have been compared to his relationship with Cora but it was so much different with Olivia. Cora now seemed like a foreshadowing to Fitz for Olivia – a picture of the ideal person for him physically and mentally. She came so he could be prepared for the moment he and Olivia could finally be together exclusively. The last time he ran from the scrutiny, he lost the woman he admired, adored and could have potentially loved. He said a silent word of thanks to Cora, removed his shoes and opened the door to join Olivia on the beach.

"What are you thinking about out here all alone?" Fitz asked as his voice stopped Olivia in her tracks. She smiled and turned towards Fitz as he made his way to her.

"Do you remember the night we spent together in my apartment, the night Mellie made her announcement?" Fitz cringed when Olivia spoke Mellie's name.

"Yes I do. It was the first night of my freedom and the best night of my life. Why?"

"You asked me what do I want, remember?"

"Yes. Olivia, where is this going?" Olivia turned around to compose herself but because Fitz asked the question again, she faced him for her reply.

"This. This is what I've always wanted. You. Me. Us. I could not even fathom it then, so I said nothing. But here it is and we're here and we're together and I can't…I can't… Whatever we need to do to keep this, this time, this moment, this second, I'm willing to do. Whatever it takes, I'm willing to do anything. I can't continue to live without this joy in my heart any longer. I love you, Fitz and I'm yours." With that, she could no longer contain the tears that pushed at her tear ducts and she let them flow.

This was her weakest moment – she has never let anyone see her tears. She learned that trait during her short time in foster care. Fitz realized this and went to her as fast as he could to touch her.

As soon as she melted into him, she whispered, "You're the first person I let see me cry since I was eight. Please don't judge me for this moment of weakness." He took his fingers, placed them under her chin and lifted her face until her eyes met his.

"Thank you. Thank you for letting me see the real Olivia Pope. It only just makes me love you more, even when I didn't think I could." Fitz bent down and lightly kissed Olivia's lips as gently as possible to show his gratitude for her vulnerability. "Can you do me a favor Livvie? Trust me for a change. Please? Trust me with this side of you. If I break it, feel free to do with my heart whatever you choose. I wouldn't care what you did then because I would have broken it first by breaking yours. You are my heart and soul Livvie. You are the one meant for me and I will do whatever it takes to make sure you know that for the rest of your life."

With that Olivia stepped away from him but only to take his hand to lead him back into the studio. Before they stepped into the studio, Olivia turned to Fitz and said, "I hope you meant what you said. I'm all in and there is no turning back for me. So I guess you should start on doing whatever it takes to make sure I know, right? It's going to take a superman to handle me sometimes but I think you've got what it takes. After all, I do know you have superpowers." Fitz loved the smile she gave as she said the last sentence and licked his lips in appreciation.

Olivia continued, "I'm going to freshen up. Afterwards, I'll let you pick out what you'd like to do. Just remember we meet with Huck at eight p.m. But I'm yours for the rest of the time and for the rest of your life…if you'll have me?" Olivia smiled and went into the room. Fitz stayed at the door, lifted his gaze upward towards the sky while mouthing thank you God. He shook his head, smiled the largest smile he has ever given, walked inside and closed the sliding door and its complementing curtain.

Olivia looked through her things. Due to the nature of her leaving, she only took what was necessary and nothing else. This nothing else included anything that would support an intimate moment. Olivia chided herself for not at least bringing something sexy for herself, regardless of who would eventually see it. So she picked the sexiest, matching set of underwear and decided that it would have to do. Olivia looked in the mirror and the image it reflected was unfamiliar to her. The woman in the mirror was glowing and happy. She was more relaxed and at ease. The woman in the mirror loved the fact that there was nothing sexy about the plain black satin bra and its matching pair of high cut panties because she knew it was normal. THIS all was normal and the lady in the mirror knew it. She knew that the man in the other room was the love of her life; the man who wanted to love her even if what she had on came from the lower end of a high end retail store. The man who loved to see her sans her "Olivia Pope-like" professionalism and cherished those moments more than life itself, did not care one way or the other because all he wanted was her. Olivia smiled at that image and whispered to herself, "So you are Allison Montgomery? You are the one I was supposed to be while in the program. I like you." Olivia laughed as she dressed and began to sing and say silly things while she continued her preparation.

Fitz stood outside the bathroom door shirtless as he waited for Olivia to exit. He smiled while she sang an unfamiliar song that he was certain must have been off-key and did everything he could to not burst out laughing loud when she started talking in a very feminine Yoda-like voice. Fitz realized that he was being privy to something very rare: Olivia Pope being silly and he did not take that for granted. He reached in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, put it on voice record, bent down and slid the half of the phone underneath the door. He wanted to catch this rare event for himself in case they should ever part, he would always have this moment. Olivia's silliness began to be recorded on Fitz's phone among sounds of running water and giggles. Olivia's voice was carried over the running water and Fitz heard something that brought tears to his eyes: All my life I was told I could not have the prince – that the prince wasn't meant for me. I could have the duke, the jester even the farmer's son, but never the prince. Whoever's on duty to listen to prayers today, even if I get my prince for only tonight and even if it's just this once, please make sure I remember I was not just good enough for the prince but that I was made for the king. Thanks for bringing Fitz back into my life. I love him more than words can say and way more than my soul can stand and if this is it, if tonight is all we have together, please let us remember it and the way we feel for each other.

Fitz removed the phone from under the door and replayed the recording. He never realized that she pushed him away because she felt unworthy and that she has always been told she deserved someone other than him. At first, Fitz felt angry that someone even had the audacity to tell her whom she should allow to love her and that it would not last but he found those emotions subside as a newer, stronger one arose. He could not explain how he felt but he knew that tonight he would make love to her like she was a queen because that was exactly how he felt about her: she was his queen. She was his Guinevere and he was her Lancelot. Tonight, the room would be their own version of Camelot and he vowed to himself that no matter what happens tonight, it would be the best night ever and that for them, there will be a tomorrow and a next day and a day after that. He had to make her see that this love is real and that he was meant for her. He thought words would be enough but he clearly could see that it was actions she sought, not words. Fitz rushed around the room looking for ways to make the room more romantic. The sun was setting so he slightly opened the curtains so it could give off a slight glow to the room. He called the front desk and asked for roses and a bottle of their best red wine. When told they did not have roses but that he could choose from tulips, peonies or lilies, he chose peonies. It just seemed so her against the other choices. Ten minutes later, he heard a knock at the door and Franco greeted him with a huge bouquet of peonies and a bottle of Calabretta Etna Rosso, the premier wine of the resort.

"How much does it cost for it all, Franco?" Fitz asked.

In his rugged, Italian accent Franco uttered, "Cinquanta euro" and then pointed to the circled number fifty on the bottom of the receipt he held in his equally rugged hands. Fitz reached in his pocket and pulled out sixty euro, told him to keep the change and shut the door behind him.

Olivia heard the door shut and heard nothing afterwards. Did he leave me? Did I stay in here too long? Olivia stopped the silly thoughts as soon as she heard Fitz humming in the other room. What was he humming? Olivia smiled as she continued to listen to Fitz hum. Soon, she caught onto the song he was humming and sung the words along with his hum: "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amoreeeee." She laughed out loud, so loud that she did not notice that he stopped humming and started listening to her laugh. It was a beautiful laugh, one filled with harmony and freedom. He finished setting up the room by opening the bottle of wine so it could breathe. After he completed the set up by laying the rest of the peonies on the bed, he turned around to look at the room. He had sprinkled some of the petals from the peonies in a trail leading from the bathroom to the bed. He had some lain on the coffee table, dining room table and on the bed. He went to the nearest mirror, checked his face and went to knock on the bathroom door.

"Who's there?" Olivia asked teasingly.

"Your prince," Fitz answered just as teasingly. Olivia gasped. Did he hear me or is this a joke? She shook her head, took a deep breath and opened the door. Beyond Fitz was one of the most beautiful sights she had ever seen. The sun shone in the room just enough to show a dim light, similar to that of a candle, throughout the room. As she stepped out to close the door behind her, her foot hit the softest thing she had ever felt – peonies. She had absolutely loved peonies and they were her absolute favorite flower. She looked down and noticed the floor was filled with peonies as a trail. How did he know? Did he know? She looked up and noticed the coffee table and the dining room table had peonies on it. Fitz held out his hand and Olivia took it. He led her on the trail so that only her feet touched the petals. When the trailed ended at the bed, he stood to look at her. Olivia stood in the light of the sun and she was never more radiant. He smelled the sweetness of her skin and longed for a taste. Had it always smelled so sweet? He took the hand he held to escort her to the bed and placed it by her side. Fitz looked at her as her big brown eyes stared deeply into his blue eyes. Olivia licked her lips, not because they were dry but so that she would have a reason to breathe. He touched her neck and felt the softness of her skin. Had it always been so soft? It seemed as if he was sensing her for the first time and he wished that his senses would be completely enveloped by her. He moved up her neck to the back of her hair. He loved the up style she had carefully done so that she could be presentable to him but he loved it more when it was down and loose. Fitz took the clip out of her hair, freeing her hair from the style and watched it fall to her shoulders.

Olivia stood there, never taking her eyes off of Fitz. His touched captured and freed her all at the same time. It was both torture and heaven all at once to have his fingers feather over her skin. She wanted to return the touch but each time she made the move to do so, he would place her arms back at her side. Fitz ran his hands down the side of her arms, removed his hands and placed them on her collarbone. His feathered fingered her collarbone lightly and continued south towards her breast. Her breath caught in her throat as he moved towards her flat stomach. Fitz placed his hand over her abdomen and stared Olivia straight into her eyes, proclaiming his deepest desire through his touch. A single tear left Olivia's eye as his message became clear to her. Fitz leaned down and kissed the trail the single tear left behind. Olivia closed her eyes as his lips touched her cheek. Feelings of sweet surrender crept over her and she allowed her mind to focus on nothing more than the moment at hand. As Fitz began to lean back up, Olivia gently rubbed her cheek onto his causing him to linger a little longer than he first desired. She looked him in the eye as he moved back and licked her lips again, slowly. This time she meant it. Olivia knew what such a simple movement would do to him. It would set him on fire. Fitz closed his eyes and swallowed – hard. He knew she would not play fair. He knew the power that one move had over him. Fitz regained his composure before opening his eyes again. He took her hand again and led her a few feet from the bed – just far enough to where he could get behind her. He ensured as he guided her that her feet never left the pedals. He placed her arms back at her side and slid behind her. He swept her hair from her left side to the right and placed light kisses on her neck. He slid a finger under her bra strap and pulled it down. Fitz replaced the strap with the same light kisses he placed on her neck. Shortly, he found himself on the other side kissing her bare shoulder down to the top of her bra. When he reached her bra, he drew back so he could undo the clasp. Once undone, Olivia let the bra fall to the floor. She swallowed hard, fighting everything within herself to not turn around and touch him. She needed to touch him, to feel the curvature of his chest beneath her fingers. She had to remember this moment. If it never befell them again, she had to remember it.

As if his soul read her thoughts, he whispered in her ear, "Let's make a memory." He turned her around to face him, picked her up and laid her softly on the bed.

Fitz knew he had to make this moment special to her. He hovered over her and kissed her lips lightly.

When the kiss released their lips, he stared into her eyes and whispered, "I'll always love you Olivia Carolyn Pope-Grant. Even when I didn't know you, my soul loved you. I'll die loving you and spend my eternity waiting for you to join me so we can continue our love."

Tears flowed from Olivia's eyes as he said those words. She had to have him and the sweet surrender she allowed for herself gave way as the overwhelming need to have him took over. She kissed him, passionately; as if life and time were no more and the breath between them was all that sustained them. Whenever the lips separated, she went in again with a hunger unlike ever before as if that brief second of separation, she would waste away. Fitz loved it when she was like that. He knew that it was only a matter of time before he would need to be inside of her. He just had to slow it down for a brief moment, long enough for him to gain control of her and himself before it was too late. He moved downward on her body. He planted a trail of kisses from her neck to the center of chest between her breasts. He turned his face and greeted her right breast with his tongue. Her body buckled at the sensation of his tongue on her skin. He wrapped his tongue around her nipple and closed his mouth over it. He suckled until her back arched and a moan escaped her throat. When he heard the moan of satisfaction, he decided to move over to the left breast only be greeted with the force of her arm pulling him back in for more. His smiled was hidden by her breast but he happily obliged as he went in for more, garnering a stream of moans and jerks. Finally, she released her hold and he moved over to the other breast, only to gain the same reaction.

He continued to kiss downward – to her stomach and down to the top hem of her panties. He noticed her breathing stopped, as if she was anticipating this moment. Fitz hooked a finger around her panties and slowly pulled them down her legs. For such a small woman, one thing that always intrigued him was how long her legs appeared. After kneeling before her, he picked up both legs and draped them like fabric on his shoulders. He kissed the instep of her right foot. Olivia giggled.

"Ticklish?" Fitz asked both curiously and as if he should note it for future reference.

Olivia bit her bottom lip and nodded and Fitz went back to kissing down her right leg until he reached the upper part of the thigh. When Olivia saw how close he was to her Eden, she held her breath waiting for his first contact. Instead of feeling him, she saw his eyes and a smile while he shook his head. Fitz leaned back up and started on the other leg until he reached the same on the left thigh. Olivia may have thought she could not take it anymore but it would never compare to how Fitz felt at this moment. It was time. They were ready. Fitz lowered his mouth onto her Eden and planted kisses there before he plunged his tongue inside her to taste her sweet nectar. He hungrily lapped at her juices as if he had never tasted such sweetness before and as if he would die of thirst if he had not received another drop. He continued to suckle and lap up her juices until she could no longer withhold the orgasm that begged to escape her. When she finished riding the wave of her climax, she pulled her legs around him, shifted her weight and rolled them both to where she was on top.

Breathlessly but in the sexiest way possible, she said, "Your turn."

Olivia yanked his pants off and threw them off the bed. Whether he wore underwear or not was the least of her concerns as she noticed he was bare before her. She smiled in a wanton way, leaving little doubt of the thoughts running through her head. With a lick of her lips, she began to lower her lips onto his manhood. Just when he thought she was going to taste him, he surprised her and flipped her over onto her back, ensuring he was on top.

In a low voice, Fitz uttered, "Olivia, this is all about you. Let me make love to you."

With that he kissed her as he entered her, stifling the small groan she released at contact. Looking into her eyes, he buried himself deep inside her, willing himself to go to the very edge of restraint before beginning his first stroke. Feeling the desire to move underneath him, Olivia began to move her hips. As she began to roll her hips, the pressure to release became greater. He could no longer contain himself, so he joined her undulations. As she rose to meet his hips, he sank deeper into her. Olivia moaned. He loved that sound and would do whatever it took to hear it for as long as possible. She was on the edge, nearing another climax and he wanted it to be the best one she has ever had. He picked up her right leg so he could bury himself deeper inside. He felt her tighten up and he began to stroke harder and deeper. As he went deeper, her back began to arch and as her rolls began to be more up and down than circular patterns, she grabbed sheets and began to pull.

"I love you Olivia. You are mine. You are mine forever. I. Love. You," Fitz stammered out as he began to bring her to climax.

"Harder! Faster!" Olivia barked her orders as she began that first wave of her climax. Fitz could not hold back any longer and as he gave her what she desired as she climaxed, her tremors made her clamp down around Fitz sending him into his own release. He collapsed breathlessly next to her while they were still joined. Olivia continued to feel the pulsation of Fitz inside her and as they began to slow down to a stop, she heard her phone beep: voicemail. Who could have called me?

Fitz grunted out as sleep found him, "Want me to get up and get your phone? Please say no. I'm too comfortable to move." Olivia slightly chuckled as sleep washed over her as well. "No. I'm too comfortable for you to move too." With that, they drifted off to sleep – no concerns about the wine, dinner plans or the time.

Huck tried her phone for the tenth time and still there was no answer. Only the voicemail and he did not use that ever. Something was wrong. Something was really wrong and he did not understand what happened since the airport. He called one last time; no answer. Huck placed a call back to Olivia Pope and Associates.

"Olivia Pope and Associates, Quinn speaking."

"Quinn, she's not answering her phone. I don't know exactly where she is but I do know she's with President Grant."

"What? President Grant? Huck what are you talking about? I don't understand. How do you know this?"

"Charlie was on the plane with them and he saw them and told me about them. They're in Sicily, probably on some beach. They are operating with cash so their pretty much untraceable for me. So I need to you run a locator on the following cell phone number: 346-562-2364. 039 is the country code."

"What am I looking for Huck?" Quinn asked as she typed in the information.

"The latest calls made and received."

"There was never a call made and only one number called her…yours."

"Does it show the times of my calls on there?"

"Yes. Last call made was at…nine thirty p.m. Why? What's wrong?"

"We were to meet at eight p.m. I've been calling her to tell her the location but I've not been able to reach her. I'll keep trying but let me know if she uses her phone."

"Will do, Huck. Stay safe." Quinn disconnected the call.

Nine-thirty p.m; an hour and thirty minutes later than the meeting time and no response. Something is going on.

Huck called Charlie.

"Not gonna happen tonight. I'll call you when I get a hold of her."

Charlie said okay and disconnected the phone call and dialed another number. Once the lines were connected on a secured line, he said, "She's in the wind with Grant. Don't know where they are but they will resurface soon. I'll let you know when they do." The call was disconnected by the receiver as a knock on the door sounded in the distance.

"Come in".

"Madam President, your four p.m. is here."

"Nicole, send them in."