Three months later...

Things couldn't get any better for Fitz and Olivia in and out of bed. They were both rolling along in their internships and Olivia in the words of Fitz had become a freak in the bed. They had a scare the month before and Fitz had to start wearing condoms. They were not ready to take on a family, Olvia was still in the first year of her internship and he was on his last year and was not sure if he was even going to be in Boston for his residency. They agreed that if it did happen they would make it work. They had also kept to their agreement about buying things on the money they earned and the townhouse had gotten quite cozy for them. A new bedroom set, a sectional sofa, a real table to not only eat on but to study as well. They were both doing great concentrating on the work they were doing and they pushed each other to be better doctors.

Fitz decided that little scare was actually a sign for him to move their relationship along. He had never spoken to Olivia's parents, but if he was going to put a ring on it, he better get a move on, so he came up with a plan.

"Hey Liv, how about we go to West Virginia for Xmas?"

Olivia put her book down she was reading at their table to get a good look at Fitz. She had never expressed going back home because she wasn't done with all her work. She was just a little curious because Fitz knew what her parents had told her.

"You do know that I'm not done with my internship or my residency."

"I'm aware, but I think it's time that I meet your family. It's only fair since you've moved in on mine."

Olivia chuckled because it was true. His Mom called her more than him and Gerry would come by the hospital and have lunch with her at least once a week. Jake was a no brainer, he came over just to eat Olivia's food.

"Jealous Captain?"

He laughed.

"No. I"m glad you are so close to my family, but I only hear you talk to your parents. Why not surprise them and go visit for Xmas? I'm sure you miss your siblings as well."

Olivia thought for a minute about what he was proposing.

"Your right, I mean I kinda finished part of my promise. I would like to see my other relatives too. I've been too long away from home. There is no way we can sneak up on my parents. The minute we enter our holler everyone in town will know we are there."

"You've got to be kidding. There is no way news will travel that fast."

"Tell you what. I'm making a bet that not only does it happen, but my parents and sibling will be outside waiting for us."

"You're on sister. What's the bet?"

"You cooking for a month straight."

"Ooooh, this is getting interesting. If I'm right you do the laundry for a month."

Olivia stood, spit on her hand, and put it out to him.

"You know, we can find better ways of sealing a deal than this. Your a doctor for Christ's sake."

Olivia giggles and still left her hand out. Fitz huffed covered his eyes and shook.

A week later they found themselves on a plane landing in Clarksburg West Virginia. They rented a car and headed towards Elkins West Virginia. Olivia was quiet most of the drive remembering when she left home almost nine years ago. She was a naive scared little girl, but now she was coming home a young woman in a committed relationship with the love of her life. Fitz moved his hand over and squeezed her leg to get her to look at him.

"What are you thinking Little Woman?"

Olvia took a deep breath.

"Just remembering leaving here with not knowing if I would see it again, and now not sure I want to come back home as I planned. There are so many options open to me or us, and I want to experience them all with you Fitz."

"Liv, if you want to move back here and open our practice, we can do it. I'm open to living here if that's what you want. I only want to be with you and that's it."

Olivia turned to fully face Fitz and put her hand up to stroke the side of his cheek.

"I really appreciate you saying that Captain Bunny, but I'm not sure I want to come back home, or maybe go somewhere else, but I love that we have that option. I think it's good that we came home because it's one thing to romanticize living here and it's another to see it for what it is. I haven't mentioned this to you, but I've been thinking about moving to Ghana and doing work in Africa for a few years. What do you think?"

Fitz focused his eyes back on the road. To think about what she said.

"I think that is a wonderful idea, but did you consider me in that equation?"

"Oh, course. I thought we could set up our own practice or we can join some world organization and put our training to good use. I'm sorry I didn't make that more clear, but it's just an idea now, and if you have a suggestion about what we should consider I would like to know now."

Fitz looked at her with a little side-eye.

"Now that you've been all selfless and all, my suggestion seems weak."

"Come on Captain, lay it on me. It might sound better than what I came up with."

"Well...Berkeley's children's research center sent me some literature on what kind of cancer research they are doing and they wanted to know if I was interested in joining their staff after graduation."

Olivia turned toward the front window to really consider what Fitz was saying.

"Listen Livie, I don't want to leave you in Boston and we still have about six more months before I have to decide. Graduation is going to be life-changing for both of us."

"Fitz, I need you to tell me what your heart is telling you. If we are going to get through this we need to be as honest as possible with each other and I don't want you to consider my feeling when you're telling me what you really want to do."

Fitz took a little while before he started to talk.

"I don't think this is an either-or kind of decision. Hear me out Liv. Your two years behind me now. I could go to Berkley for those two years and then when you graduate we could move to Ghana. I can continue my work in Africa."

Olivia's eyes shot up. Leave it to Captain Bunny to come up with a compromise. She smiled and turned toward him.

"I like your compromise, but I'm really going to miss you."

Tears pricked the edges of her eyes.

Fitz reached over with his one hand and wiped away the tears on her cheeks. Too bad she had no idea that she would be his wife when he left for Berkley. Poor sucker was not getting rid of him until death do they part.

"Little Woman, we will work it out so that you'll be sick of me by the time you graduate."

They both laughed.

By the time they broke the city limit, as expected the word went out that they thought they saw Olivia in a blue car with a white man. Elkins was all a buzz when Fitz pulled into her parent's driveway, and they were all outside waiting for her.

"Captain Bunny, I'll have a menu for the month made out as soon as we get home."

"I should have bet money. Damn!"

Olivia jumped out of her side of the car and ran up to her parents and hugged the life out of them. Then she hugged her brother's Harrison and Scott. After all the hugs and kisses she turns around and holds out her hand.

"Mom, Dad, everyone, this it Fitzgerald Grant. I call him Captain Bunny, but ya'll can call him Fitz."

They all laughed and Fitz's ears turned bright red. Eli gave him a handshake and Maya gave him a hug. Harrison and Scot shook his hand like their father.

"Come on in, I don't know if it's mother intuition or what, but I had a feeling you were coming home and I made your favorite. Chicken and dumplings."

"Pay attention Bunny, you're going to have to recreate some of these dishes when we get home."

"Ha, ha! Funny girl."

They came into the house. Fitz found it so warm and inviting. It was two days from Christmas and the fireplace was going and you could smell things cooking and baking in the kitchen as soon as you walked in. He got wrapped up in the warmth of the people that were around him as well. They spent the day getting to know each other and other family members came by to see who Olivia had brought into their tiny community. As they were preparing the evening meal, Fitz asked Eli if he could step out back with him for a few minutes. He didn't want Olivia to see them, so he had waited until she was helping her mother in the kitchen.

"Mr. Pope, I've been dying to talk to you."

"By the way you look at my daughter I can guess what this is all about, but this is your show, so get on with it."

Fitz cleared his throat because it had gotten dry all of a sudden.

"I wanted to ask your permission to marry your daughter sir."

Eli turned to look out toward the mountains before he answered.

"I knew my little bird was special the moment I held her for the first time. She made me a man that day. I had someone who counted on me and could not fend for herself yet, but I knew one day she would fly away and she would be all the better for it. I always hoped she would come back home and do her doctoring here, but after seeing her in Boston, I knew this town was too small for her mind and I was being selfish for wanting her to stay."

He turned to look Fitz in the face.

"My daughter talks about you all the time. I hear it in her voice when she says your name. It's the same as her mother when she talks about me. I will tell you this if you can't treat her right then bring her home. Never put your hands on her, and never go to bed mad at her. If you can do that or try, then I will give you my permission to marry her. Although, if I had given permission or not, I have a feeling you both would have gotten married anyway. Be good to her son, she will not only be your wife, but your taking my heart away with you."

Fitz actually got tears in his eyes listening to Eli.

"I will sir, I promise."

They shook hands.

"Now, let's go out to that shed there and get some strawberry wine my father made this summer. It's Olivia's favorite, we only drink it during the holidays and it packs quite the punch."

Fitz laughed and helped his future father-in-law to bring in four bottles. They were laughing when they came through the door. Olivia peeked through the door at her father and Fitz and shook her head.

"I think Papa and Fitz have already been in the Strawberry wine."

Maya chuckled.

"You and your father love that rock gut mess. Both of you will be under the table before dinner is over."

Olivia laughed.

"Hey, Granpa Dan can make the best Strawberry wine in the county."

"OK, let's get this food on the table, we have a bunch of hungry men out there."

Everything was set on the table and everyone sat down when there was a knock at the door.

"Blast! Who could be out in this weather right at dinner?"

Eli pulled open the door to see one of his distant cousins Edison Pope.

"Hey Ed, come in out of this weather. Your nose must be outstanding, we just sat down for dinner."

"Cousin Eli, I didn't come to eat, I heard that Olivia was home."

"Yeah, she is."

Eli took Edison's coat and walked back into the dining room where everyone was seated.

"Hey Everyone."

They all said in unison.

"Hey, Ed."

"What brings you by Ed?" Maya said.

"I come to collect my promise."

Everyone looked at each other and knew what he was saying, but it couldn't be.

Fitz leaned over.

"What's the promise?"

Olivia turned to face him with her eyes bugged out.

"We were promised to each other when we were kids. Some family goes by tradition and others like us don't adhere to that custom."

"I take it his family does?"

"Yeah, and they are known to hold a grudge."

Fitz looked back over toward Edison and whispered.

"Ruh-roh raggy!"