"Before you leave, would you be willing to meet someone?"

As Olivia waltzed down the carpeted halls of Kensington Palace, Fitz's official residence, she was starting to regret agreeing to this. It was so damn hard telling Fitz no, though. And when he had looked at her with those bright, blue eyes, it had been her undoing. So here she was - wearing the same dress she had worn to his friends' tea and feeling severely underdressed. Her father had money - had had it since his breakthrough best-selling novel right before she was born. And her mother was a tenured, head of the English department at Columbia. Olivia had never wanted for anything and was well-aware that she led a life more privileged than most. Fitz's home was a whole other level, though. She wasn't so sure she fit.

"Mr. Dugard will be with you soon."

Taking a deep breath, Olivia nodded toward Leticia. She had met Fitz's red-headed private secretary roughly two hours prior. Her heart had nearly stopped at the sight of the woman - so much like Abby that she could have been her twin. Unlike Abby, though, Leticia was quiet and reserved - a proper English lady. Part of Olivia wondered when the day would come that Fitz's family would try to turn her into a lady and make no mistake, Olivia knew that day would come.

"Thanks, Leticia."

Olivia sat in the cream chair that was offered to her, holding her breath as she did so. The chair was old - like almost everything else that she had passed thus far in Fitz's home. Thoughts swirled in the back of her mind - making her wonder what would happen if she managed to break the chair. Knowing her luck, the chair would have belonged to Fitz's great-great-great grandfather or something of the likes.

The door opened once more, barely a half-second after Leticia had closed it. Sliding her eyes toward the dark, oaken door, Olivia exhaled sharply as she took in the sight of Clarence Dugard. His hair was greying, pudgy jowls giving him the appearance of a bulldog. It was a comparison Fitz had mad and staring at the man now, Olivia was slightly embarrassed that she had jumped onto Fitz for the unflattering image. The thick, leather bound planner in Clarence's hands made Olivia nearly as nervous as his appearance.

"Ms. Pope." Clarence extended his hand, the dark, pinstriped suit jacket of his riding ridiculously high, and firmly shook Olivia's hand. Dropping her hand, he sat heavily in the chair across from her. The action had Olivia wincing in anticipation of a collapse.

"Mr. Dugard." Olivia tucked her hands into her lap, crossing her legs at the ankle - the way Fitz had shown her. She had laughed at the time - the sight of Fitz teaching her how to properly sit like a duchess or princess would had been hysterical. Now, she didn't think it was so funny. The approving look Clarence had given her made her happy that she had learned.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. His Highness has spoken highly of you."

"Fitz is -" Olivia began, twisting her hands nervously at the look Clarence gave her before opening his planner and scribbling a note. Taking a deep breath, trying to calm her erratically beating heart, she tried again. "His Highness is too kind."

"This is a fairly simple process, Ms. Pope. I will ask questions and you will —"

"Answer. Got it." Olivia fought the urge to roll her eyes at Clarence's raised brow and slightly indignant expression. Finishing his sentences was apparently frowned upon. Got it. She had spent the night before and that morning practicing with Fitz - preparing for any and every question that Clarence might throw at her. The downside to that was that Olivia sometimes got ahead of herself when she was well-prepared. It had happened a lot on tests in school.

"How old are you?" Clarence stared expectantly at her, his dark eyes shining. Olivia wasn't sure if it was because of some allergy or because he was eager to dismiss her - eager for her to either walk out or refuse to answer a question.

"18." He had to know that, didn't he? According to Fitz, his grandmother had requested a thorough background report after he'd told her who he was dating. Olivia couldn't picture that information not being shared with the queen's private secretary. Leticia seemed to know everything going and coming in Fitz's life.

"And you have graduated —"

"High school. I'm applying to colleges now." She tried not to smile at the annoyed expression on his face. Apparently, Clarence didn't like to be interrupted.

"You aren't already —"

"I decided to attend college here."

"I see," Clarence mumbled, his pen scratching across the paper in his planner. "Your family?"

"What about my family?" Olivia didn't like to talk about her family to her friends or even her own family. The thought of talking about them to a stranger wasn't very appealing. She knew that her family was dysfunctional. No need for someone she was just meeting to tell her that.

"Do you have any siblings? The status of your parents' relationship —"

"I have a baby sister. Sylvia. She has an awful name, but my dad chose it. He's an author. Thinks we should all have strong names. He absolutely hates mine by the way." Olivia smirked. She was fairly confident that Eli wasn't aware that she knew he hated her name. It was a conversation she had overheard between her parents when she was around six. He had told Maya that she wouldn't amount to much - not with a name like Olivia. It was too easy to forget. Too common.

"Your parents?"

"Are divorced. My dad is a terrible father. My mom isn't much better. They were all I had until two years ago. Now I have Margot. She's…so much more than a stepmom."

"Should there be a wedding, will they be a problem?" Clarence rested his chin in his hand, his planner balancing precariously in his lap.

"I wouldn't sit them together." Olivia shrugged. Her parents tended to argue…and throw things when they were in the same room.

"Hmm."

"Not ideal, I know." She had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the annoyed look she received in response. Her intentions of playing nice had gradually been slipping away from the moment Clarence had appeared to judge her simply for calling Fitz by his name.

"Are there any…past indiscretions or familial disputes that I should be made aware, Ms. Pope?"

It was a struggle not to roll her eyes when Clarence wrinkled his nose - looking at her as if she were full of problems.

"My best friends and I were hit by a drunk driver two years ago. My best friend didn't make it."

"That," Clarence began making notes in his planner once more. "we can spin for sympathy points. We'll find some charity related to that sort of thing for you to patron."

Gripping the edge of the curved, armrests, Olivia dug her nails into the undersides. Clarence's caviler attitude had the thought of punching him running through her mind.

"Your virginity?"

The question threw her off guard and it was a struggle to prevent her jaw from falling. Biting her lip, Olivia decided against the first thought that had sprung to her lips: My virginity? It was intact until His Highness came along.

"I don't see how that is any of your business, Mr. Dugard."

He shut his planner, loudly, and clasped his hands atop the leather cover. Leaning forward, his eyes sparkled and his jowls quivered as he began speaking:

"You are on the precipice of becoming a member of the royal family, Ms. Pope - as I am sure you are fully aware. This means that your life no longer belongs to you. Any mistakes you make or have made, have the potential of harming the monarchy and we do not harm the monarchy. Am I clear?"

"Crystal," Olivia smirked, using the armrests to push herself into a standing position. Extending her hand toward Clarence and plastering a smile on her face, she shook his hand. If he was so certain that she was on the verge of marrying Fitz, well then it was time she act the part. Starting with following the same procedure she had seen Fitz use over the weekend when he was finished with a conversation.

"That will be all, Mr. Dugard."

Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and flounced out of the sitting room. Childish, she knew, but there was only so much she could take. The personal questions were not something she was going to cave on. Her personal life was…personal.

"Whoa! Where are you heading?" Fitz caught her in his arms, wrapping his hands around her upper-arms to hold her steady as she wobbled in her cream-coloured heels. She struggled enough to walk in the damn things without running into anyone.

"As far from my inquisitor as possible." Olivia glanced behind her, peering down the long hallway. She was relieved that the only thing she saw behind her was carpet and portraits - she didn't have it in her to deal with Clarence any longer.

"I told him not to be too challenging."

"Challenging?" Olivia seethed, turning her attention to her boyfriend. "He asked about my virginity, Fitz. And the whole time he looked at me like I had no business even being in the same room as him."

"I'm sorry, Livvie." Fitz pulled her close to his body, cradling her against his chest. Wrapping his arms around her body, he rubbed his hands soothingly against her back. Olivia inhaled deeply, the heady scent of his cologne calming her frazzled nerves. "I wouldn't have agreed to this if I'd known he was going to act that way or ask that question. There are a lot of hoops we have to jump through and official approval from my gran will take care of about ninety-nine of them. I can't ask you to marry me if she doesn't approve."

"She won't approve of me unless I make a good impression on Clarence Dugard?" Olivia frowned. Suddenly, she was nervous. Very nervous. There was no way Clarence was going to report favourably to the queen on their meeting. He had gotten under her skin and Olivia knew that at the end, she hadn't done such a good job of hiding that.

"He's not important, Livvie. You will meet my gran and she will love you."

"How can you be so sure of that?" Olivia pulled back, looking up into Fitz's baby blues. Pulling a hand free from between their bodies, she brushed a loose curl away from his eyes.

"Because you're you. And because I love you."

Her heart melted at the goofy, innocent smile he gave her. He had a way of being optimistic when she wasn't. She wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling as he pressed his lips against hers. Already, she was dreading the plane that she would have to be on in about twelve hours' time.

"When are you coming back?" Fitz looked up at her from his place kneeling on the floor. Olivia sat before him, her bare-ass cold against the leather of his desk chair. Her chest rose and fell with each breath she took - the pink lace of her bra barely covering the flesh beneath. Eyes half-closed, she bit her lip as Fitz pressed kisses against the smooth skin of her upper thigh.

"As soon as I can," she responded, nails digging into the leather armrests of the chair - she knew when she pulled away that there would be half-moon crescent shaped indentions. Fitz didn't seem to mind, though.

"Don't stay away from me for too long."

Her hand flew to the back of the chair, gripping the headrest, when he raised her leg and draped it across the armrest. Her whole body trembled with anticipation as she sat before him, legs spread wide. His lips were warm and wet against her skin, trailing kisses up her thighs.

"Hopefully the next time I come back, I won't have to le-eave." Olivia's voice trailed in a high-pitched squeal when Fitz leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her throbbing centre.

"I will have to give you a reason not to leave."

His hand moved to her stomach, pushing against her attempts to grind on his face. She was on the verge of complaining about his slow pace when he suddenly slipped his tongue between her folds. Wrapping his thick hair between her fingers, she pulled on the sensitive strands when he flicked her clit with his tongue. Her stomach muscles tightened, her body on edge and eager to move if only Fitz would let her.

"Oh my —" Olivia bit her lip so hard that she could taste blood pouring into her mouth when he slid a finger into her. The wet sound of his fingers sliding in and out of her filled the room and she pulled harder at his hair.

"Fitz," she whimpered when he suddenly pulled away, using his fingers to hold her lips apart and blow cool air against her engorged clit. He used his broad shoulders to prevent her from slamming her legs together - giving her the friction that she desired now that Fitz was no longer providing it. Gripping her other leg, dangling in the air just above the floor, Fitz placed it over the opposite armrest and stood.

"Love you babe." He leaned down, kissing her lips before turning to the desk and grabbing the foil packet they had laid there earlier. After rolling the condom onto his hardened length, he turned back to Olivia and gently helped her put both her feet back on the floor. She held onto him as she wobbled slightly on her feet - her legs tingling after having been perched on the armrests for so long.

"Come here, babe." He moved his hands to her waist and guided her back toward him after he had sat in the leather chair.

"Oompf." Olivia's hands went to Fitz's forearms when he lined his dick up with her entrance and slowly guided her down his length, onto his lap. Her head fell back against his shoulder, mouth falling open at the feel of him stretching her.

"Just think: you won't get this while you're in the States."

He slid his hand between her legs, flicking his thumb across her clit once…twice…three times before she came. Her stomach muscles clenched in tandem with her vagina and her whole body felt like it was on fire - every nerve standing at attention. She could feel the liquid coating her thighs as well as his and felt a blush rise to her cheeks - that was something that hadn't happened before.

"And you were about to yell at me for stopping." His hands were at her waist once more, urging her to start rolling her hips.

"Who…said…I…was about…to…yell?" She twisted her head to the side, just enough to see his smirk from the corner of her eyes.

"I can read you like a book, babe."

He sounded proud of that, bringing a smile to her face. He sure was making her past, juvenile relationships look bad. Fingers digging into the armrests, she used them to aid in lifting her body up and down his length. The chair had seemed like a great idea at first - something new and exciting, but now that she realised her legs weren't quite long enough for her feet to reach the floor…it wasn't that great of an idea.

"You don't have to do that," Fitz whispered in her ear, his mouth going to her neck to plant a couple kisses. Olivia gritted her teeth, sheathing him completely before giving her straining arm muscles a rest. She wasn't still long before moving again, grunting in pleasure when Fitz lifted his pelvis - his hips slapping against her ass with each twist of her hips.

"I'm close," he warned, sucking on her neck - taking her skin between his teeth and biting gently. Olivia sped up her movements, eager to bring Fitz to the same pleasure she had experienced and was on the verge of experiencing once more. When she came, squeezing around his dick, Fitz groaned - his own orgasm hitting him with full force.

Exhausted, they slowly made their way to the soft carpet of the office. Fitz held her close, stroking her hair with his lips twisted downward.

"Don't stay gone too long, Livvie."

"Welcome home!" Margot threw her arms around Olivia after she had dropped her suitcase on the tiled kitchen floor.

"Thought we'd lost you to London there for a minute."

Olivia looked over Margot's shoulder to see David sitting at the table, a wide grin covering his face. One that Olivia was quick to return.

"Oh I'm definitely moving," Olivia laughed, releasing Margot. Trekking across the floor, she pulled a chair out from the table and plopped into the seat.

"Did you get to go to the palace? See the queen?" David placed his hands on the table, leaning forward as if he were awaiting the juiciest gossip of the day. He would look almost serious if his glasses weren't slightly askew.

"I haven't met the queen yet, but I did meet her private secretary. I didn't go to the palace, but Fitz showed me around Kensington Palace." She reached for an apple from the fruit bowl in the middle of the table. Twisting the bright, red apple around her hands, she took a bite of the juicy fruit.

"Impressive," Margot whistled.

"Terrifying," Olivia corrected. "Where's Sylvia?"

"As scary as it is, with your father."

"Oh," Olivia frowned, suddenly not so interested in her apple.

"You've seen the interview."

"Watched it on the way home."

"Olivia -"

"Margot, I don't think there is any sugarcoating what he did. On national television, he claimed that he and Fitz are best friends and he convinced Fitz to strike up a relationship with me. Then he said that after he should get all the credit for starting this 'beautiful love story', I've cut him off and refuse to talk to him. He's…" Olivia shook her head, frowning at the half-eaten apple she held in her hand.

"Has Fitz said anything about that yet?"

"Typically, their modus operandi is to ignore these things. Wait for them to go away on their own." Olivia shrugged, standing from her chair and walking to the trashcan. Tossing the apple into the white trashcan, she leaned against the counter.

"I don't think silence is going to make this or your father go away," Margot sighed.

"I don't think so, either." Olivia ran a hand through her hair, exhaling sharply.

"What do you do then?" David wondered, raising a brow in Olivia's direction.

"It's kind of their court, David. Fitz has all but told me that he's going to propose and he's been preparing me for that. I have to play by their rules and if they say something, then they're participating in tabloid gossip and that's not what they do."

David nodded, interlocking his fingers and resting his chin on his hand.

"I get that, Liv, but don't forget who you are in the process."

"That won't happen," Olivia promised. "They can't make me into someone I'm not."

"For the time being," Margot wrapped her arm around Olivia, "I'll try talking to your dad again."

"Good luck with that."

"Anything you don't want me to say?"

Olivia shook her head. "Tell him whatever and if he's mad that he didn't hear it from me, remind him that he created this rift. Not me."

"Hopefully he'll see reason."

"Maybe. Maybe not. It's my dad. I quit trying to understand him a long time ago." Olivia wrapped her arm around Margot in a semi-hug before disengaging herself from her stepmother. Moving to the refrigerator to find something to drink, Olivia murmered: "And I should probably call my mom. Fill her in on my plans to move and plans for college. She isn't going to be happy."

"Hey," David interjected, "I got your back with Mama Maya. We could fly out to see her if you want, Liv. Get this done face-to-face."

Reaching for a bottle of water, Olivia shut the refrigerator door and turned around to face David.

"Deal. Road trip!"

"Does it count as a road trip when you're flying?" David wondered, laughing at the mock enthusiasm Olivia had mustered.

"One last huzzah before my new life starts," Olivia compromised.

"Nah. Not the last one."

"Oh yeah?"

"We're definitely going to have one last big huzzah with everyone before you leave us," David promised, grinning at the excitment Olivia showed. She sat her water on the counter and crossed the room to throw her arms around David.

"You're the best!"

"You haven't even heard what we're doing."

"I don't care what it is as long as everyone's there."

"We'll see if you still feel that way later," David chuckled.

A/N - I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season! Now that they're over, hopefully we can return to a normal posting schedule.

So Liv has gotten her first taste of what her new life will be like and she hasn't ran away. That's always a good sign! Eli is being as shady as ever and Olivia seems to be just done with the whole ordeal. Hopefully Mama Maya is a little better. '

Until next time,

Gabi