A/N-Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. I am so glad you are enjoying this story. Two more chapters, and it will be ending. Thank you all for reading and leaving reviews.

Chapter 8-Reality

Liv opened her eyes, blinking a few times before realizing she had fallen asleep during the movie. She took a deep breath, sorrowful one, she didn't mean to fall asleep. She turned to apologize to Fitz, but he wasn't there, the bed was empty.

She glanced at her phone; it was 645. She yawned and took another look at the pillow next to her. She smiled. On the pillow was a bright red leaf, no doubt from the Maple outside, and note under it. "Hey beautiful girl, I just have some paperwork to finish at the office. I will be back at 730 for our walk. I'll tell you what parts you missed of the movie." There was the cutest happy face and a heart. It was signed. "Love you, Fitz."

Liv took the time to call her parents. She usually called her mother, but this time, she called her father. He answered on half a ring. "Olivia, what is it, are you alright?"

"Yeah, dad fine, I miss you. I need to talk to you about some things."

"Anything. I saw the picture of you and Fitzgerald. Your mother and I haven't seen you smile like that in a long time. You look very happy. In the medical world he's a special guy. He has donated generously to child wings all over the country. Have you talked to him about that?"

Liv smiled. Her heart was warmed to hear her father speak so highly of him. "I haven't yet, but I will. She took a deep breath. "I am happy dad, truly happy. He fills me with happiness, with joy. I can't explain it. The way he…" She stopped. She wasn't quite ready to say love, not to her father anyway.

"If he makes you happy Olivia, that's what matters. Now what do you need?"

"I need to get my medical license to practice in Vermont." She took another deep breath after she said it. The realization had hit her as soon as the words left her mouth. There was no turning back. She wanted a life with Fitz, and she hoped he wanted one with her also.

''That serious huh? Well we can certainly get working on that. It wouldn't be too hard, but are you sure this is what you want. You do have a job waiting for you at Memorial General when you come back."

That was just it, Liv wasn't even sure she wanted to go back at all. It was something she still had to think about. She had three weeks to make up her mind.

"Yeah, I know, let's just say I am being precautionary. This is more like a just in case this goes further with Fitz situation."

"Then we will work on it. Anything for my baby girl and her happiness. Now tell me how are things going? Mom said you did some medical saving for Fitzgerald and you have been painting."

She told her father all about the past few weeks. She described Fitz's injuries, how she nursed him back and it felt so right, like she never left the trade. She talked about her painting. Overall, it was just the kind of talk she needed. She missed her father, and he was always a good ear to listen to her vent.

She walked into her art room. She looked at the two paintings she had completed last night. She put the one of the bridge in front of her, and looked over at the one turned around. That was the final one, and although she had started it, she had another detail to add to it. She looked at it, she mixed a few colors, and she got to working on it.

Although she wanted to get to the one with the bridge to complete it, the added detail to the final picture took longer than she had expected. She looked at the new addition, was satisfied and placed it down.

Having only fifteen minutes before Fitz came for the walk, she stopped and went to wash up and change before he got there.

While Olivia was on the phone with her father, Fitz was on the phone with his father. He had to laugh hearing how Jake had been doing nothing but complaining about the heat since he got there.

"Yeah, he's a complainer, but threaten him with his paycheck and he will shut up fast."

"So, what now? You have another employee to send me?" Big Gerry asked.

"No, I wanted to let you know, I am going to Santa Barbara to give the resort over to Octavio. He's been there for years and it's time he took over. I am going to stay in Vermont. With Jennifer holding down the Chicago resort, I see no reason for me to keep going to all three places." Fitz waited with his eyes closed to hear the rant.

"Like I said Fitz, I hope she's worth it. "

"I leave tomorrow for two days, then I am back. She is, Dad, she is totally worth it."

"Talk to you soon son." He heard his father call out to a worker as he hung up the phone. Fitz still had one more call to make.

Fitz wasn't sure if he could get the courage, but he wanted to, no needed to. He needed someone important to Olivia to know how much he loved her. He looked at the number Liv had sent the picture to, her mother. Dare he call her and tell her mother how in love he was with her daughter?

Fitz thought back to last night. She had fallen asleep in his arms, watching his all-time favorite movie. He just held her, for the longest time, never wanting to let go. She fit perfectly in his arms. The warmth of her body against his felt so right, and he just stared at her for what seemed like hours.

Her head was rested on his chest, her arm wrapped around his waist, as she breathed quietly. His arm wrapped around her to hold her shoulder and his other arm rested on her waist. He could feel her breath on his neck, could smell the lotion on her skin, and he never wanted to get up from this beautiful moment.

He put his hand under her knees and cradled her in his arms as he walked towards the bedroom. She didn't move as he put her gently down on the bed and joined her before sleep overtook him also.

He was just going to leave when he woke up at 6, but there was just one red leaf on the porch as he opened the door. He looked down at the leaf. "Hey little guy. You lost?" He laughed to himself. Great Olivia, now you have me talking to leaves. He went back in to leave the leaf and the note for Olivia.

She was so peaceful, so beautiful. He needed her to stay in his life. Usually at this time, he was packing up his Vermont cabin to head out to Santa Barbara. Not this time though. He didn't want to leave, he wanted to stay for as long as Olivia stays.

It was inevitable, though, he would have to go for a few days to Santa Barbara and put someone in charge. He was going in a few days to settle things. It should only take two days, but he needed to get this out of his mind. He just wanted to wake up every morning now for the rest of his life next to Olivia.

He wanted to take the walks with her everyday to feel her passion about nature, to listen to her, every day he wanted to be in her presence. So, he needed to make this phone call.

If she wanted to leave, he would let her go, but he had to find a way to keep her. It wasn't fair though; she was beginning to build her life over. She deserved that much. She practiced medicine in NY and that's where her life was. If he had to go to NY for a few months, he would, if he was with her.

He closed his eyes in thought. He wasn't even sure if she wanted a life with him. She had been hurt so bad before, unexpected tragedy, he couldn't just think she was over it. He took a deep breath; he would work something out.

Now, one push away from the call of his life. He pushed down on the button and heard the phone ring. Once, twice, three times, and on the fourth ring, he heard a sweet voice answer. "This is Maya Pope."

Fitz cleared his throat. "Good morning, Mrs. Pope, my name is Fitzgerald Grant, I own the resort your daughter, Olivia is at in Vermont."

"Oh, my, is she ok?" Maya's heart began to race. Then she calmed a bit, Fitzgerald, she thought, he's the one in the picture with Olivia.

"Yes, ma'am, I am sorry, everything is fine, I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, not all, it's fine. You are the gentleman in the picture with her?"

"Yes, that's me, well that was us, I mean that's us." He cleared his throat; he was trying to find some saliva to swallow so he could stop babbling.

"So, what do I owe the pleasure of this call, and before you continue, let me thank you. I haven't seen a smile like that on Liv's face for almost two years now."

Fitz could feel himself blushing. "Thank you, um, I was wondering, if you and Olivia's father would like to come up for dinner. I am not telling Olivia, would like it to be a surprise. I know she misses you, and I just wanted to do something for her."

"Wow, Fitzgerald, that would be lovely, when did you have in mind?"

"I am leaving for Santa Barbara for a few days and should be back on Wednesday. How about we make it Thursday and you and Mr. Pope can stay for as long you wish after that, complimentary on the resort, of course." Fitz took another deep breath, that was easier than he thought.

"That sounds wonderful, I will speak to Eli and how about I give you a call back and we can work out the details."

Liv looked forward to their walks, although she hadn't yet admitted it out loud though. They could talk about nothing, and it would still be magical. She just loved being in his company. She didn't want to think of a day she didn't have him to talk to.

She heard his familiar knock on the door as she met him on the porch. He turned and looked at her as she embraced him in her arms.

"Thank you, Mister for the leaf and the adorable note. I am so sorry I fell asleep last night."

"No need to apologize. We'll just have to watch again from the beginning." He said it with a big smile from ear to ear.

She interlocked her arm in his as they started, but in a different direction than normal today. "I figured we would take another trail today, this way you can see a bit more of the views the resort has to offer."

"So, I never mentioned it to you, but my dad knows who you are."

Fitz froze for a second. What does he know? His fear was a woman may have mentioned his name, but that would be crazy. Calm it down Fitz. "Oh really, what does he know? I hope it's nothing I should be ashamed of."

"Quite the opposite, he knows of your charitable donations to the children's wings of hospitals across the country. My father is a doctor, well was a doctor, he's retired now. Fitz, it's amazing that you donate like that. Not many people understand how important that money is, especially to the public hospitals."

Fitz shrugged, kicking some of the leaves out of their path. He wanted to do it anonymously, but his father insisted the Grant name be used. It was something he was proud of, but he didn't need the world to know. "Yeah, I get it, and I consider myself lucky to have grown up healthy and privileged, so I like to show my gratitude. You scared me; I thought your father may have known me through a woman."

Liv stopped. She squinted at him. "That many?"

He shook his head in shame, "yeah, that many, I am not proud of it Liv, trust me. I meant it when I said I was changing before I even met you, but now, I just wish I could erase that whole part of me."

"Did you ever hurt a woman? Physically, mentally, or any other way, did you ever deliberately hurt a woman?" She asked this in all seriousness.

"God, no Livvie, I could never. It was just dating and sex, really, I never thought about them, not like you, you are so…just so special."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, that was your life. You were allowed to have one. It's important not to judge." Now Liv was kicking the leaves, as they were crunching under her feet.

"What about you Liv? Was there anyone….?"

"Just Derek." She cut him off. "It was just us, high school sweethearts, serious through college and med school, then…" her voice drifted off. She shook her head, held back the tears.

"Liv, I am sorry, I didn't mean to bring up memories to make you sad."

"No, don't apologize. Just know it's different with you Fitz. I don't know, the love I have for you, it didn't build up like me and Derek. It's like I knew right away with you. It's a different love, a good one, and although I will always have Derek's memory, you're not him. I don't expect you to be, but I am leaping, and I just.."

"I got you." They were just standing there, amongst all the fallen leaves and the ones falling now to the ground. He pulled her to him and kissed her gently on her lips. "And I don't plan on letting you go, even when Autumn leaves."

She looked past him over his shoulder. "Wow! Now that's a view." They had stopped in front of miles of open grassland and beyond that were the green mountains Vermont was known for. It was a spectacular view and the leaves in the air falling to the ground made for the perfect autumn picture.

"This alone is a painting I could do."

"Yeah, this area isn't used much. This was part of the resort years ago. It was extra cabins, but the building was demolished because of poor infrastructure. When we bought the resort, we never really put anything up. We are doing fine without the add on."

He didn't think Liv heard anything he said. She heard every word of it. She turned to look at him. "You keep giving me all these paintings, I am never going to get the final one finished."

She looked into his eyes. She took a deep breath. Seeing the mountains behind him, knowing he was struggling to become a better man, she pulled him down to his lips. They just kissed, lips locked for a few minutes.

"I never want to forget the first time I saw this view."

"I think you made quite the memory." He interlocked his hand with hers.

"Between the bridge and this, you have so much property here." They continued their walk and Liv kept kicking leaves to cover his feet and as he would walk, the leaves would fly in the air.

"You seem to be having too much fun Ms. Pope, kicking leaves." He kicked and a bunch of leaves hit her all at once. "Oww, Fitz, oh my that hurt." She joked, but wanted to see his reaction.

"Aww, Livvie, I am so sorry. Where did I hurt you? I didn't mean to, I was just having….

She bent and picked up a pile and tossed it at him. "Got you Mister, ha ha."

"Oh, Ok, two can play at that game. Before they knew it the leaves were everywhere. They were in their hair, on their clothes, and covering their feet. They stopped, looked at one another and just laughed.

"Enjoying this are you Ms. Pope?"

"Oh I am, this is how you make leaf piles, see." She pointed behind them. She was right, behind him and behind her were two big piles of leaves.

"Look at that. Always teaching me something new each day." He took a deep breath. He put his arm around her. "Liv, I have to go away for a few days. I have to go to the resort in Santa Barbara, put someone in charge there."

He went on to explain he usually leaves Adam in charge here while he spends the winter in Santa Barbara, but now he wanted to stay here with her, and he had to settle that.

They had made it back around to Liv's cabin as they stood on the porch. Fitz took a phone out of his pocket. "I want you have this. It's a spare phone, I keep it for business, but I want you to have it while I am gone so we can face time on the walks in the morning."

"Fitz, it will be 430 in the morning, you really want me to call while I am walking."

"You bet your light saber I do."

Liv gripped the phone. She looked at the display and hit contacts. There were three numbers in there. Dad, Adam, and Jake. She highlighted Jake's name and hit delete. "I think maybe you should add your number to this."

" I should be back on Wednesday. Let's go food shopping, I want to cook a nice dinner for you at my place on Thursday and I want you to pick the menu. How does that sound Livvie?"

"Sounds perfect. Now come in so we can say goodbye the proper way."

They made their way towards the shower. "Care to join me Mister?" Liv turned the water on, as she undressed, some leaves falling to the floor from their leaf fight.

She stepped in, steam rising and he stepped in behind her. His erection already said enough, as she pushed him up against the wall into the stream of the shower. They kissed, passionately as the water came down on them like rain.

She washed him, and he washed her, then they continued with the kissing. She reached down and grabbed him and guided him right to her entrance. "Care to show me another new way?" She whispered in his ear.

He moved her to the corner of the shower and slowly guided his way into her, holding her up with each hand on her thighs. He moaned and threw his head up, back into the stream of the water. "Fuck, Livvie, you feel so good." For the first time in forever, he was actually going hit his orgasm before her, he's never done that with any woman.

She felt the warm liquid, and pushed his back so his chest was up against her chest, as he continued to pump into her. He used his fingers, found her clit, and began circular movements on it, until he saw her head go back to the wall. She loosened her grip on his back, and he held her through her orgasm, watching her eyes closed, but smiling with pleasure.

"God, I am going to miss you Mr. Grant."

She felt him rubbing her bare back. She groaned and put her head to his chest. They had been up late, between finishing Star Wars and other things. He kissed her forehead.

"I would love to stay like this, but my plane is ready, feel like driving me to the airport?"

"If I say no, will you still go?"

He smiled. "Yes, it's only two days. We can do this."

She pulled up to the tiny airport and saw the plane marked Grant Enterprises. "How much money do you have Mister?"

"Trust me, it's not something I like to brag about, but I do have a lot."

She watched him board, after a long kiss goodbye and she got an idea. She took out the phone he had given her and called his father.

"Fitz, what now?" Big Gerry answered.

"Sorry, Mr. Grant, this is Olivia Pope, I am um, well I am…"

"You have my son all worked up in being in love, what can I do for you Ms. Pope? Is Fitz ok?"

"Yes, Fitz is fine. I wanted to know when you were coming back to the states. I would like to meet you, invite you for dinner."

"Well, isn't that something, Fitz is right, you are special. I'll be back tomorrow, actually I am leaving here in a few hours. When did you have in mind?"

"How about Thursday? Fitz invited me over to his cabin and this will be a surprise for him. You don't mind keeping this invite quiet do you?"

"Honey, not at all, I look forward to meeting you and seeing Fitz."

"Have a good flight, Mr. Grant."

Olivia smiled to herself. How surprised would Fitz be to see his father? She wasn't too sure, but she was excited to meet him. She wanted his father to know how much she loved her son, and if she was going to stay, she wanted to be sure she knew everything about Fitz.

Olivia headed back to her cabin. She had two full days to finish all her paintings. She wasn't quite sure where she would be with the final one, but she had unfinished ones she needed to work on. She needed to finish the one on the bridge, the windy day, and now, she wanted to add that view of the mountains. It still took her breath away when she thought of it.

She turned the big canvass around, the one that would be her final painting. She looked at what she had started, and somehow this painting overtook her thoughts. She dipped her brush in some paints and started on the big canvass again. It was as if this painting was calling to her.

She continued stroking her hand along with the brush, closing her eyes for the picture, and adding the colors as needed. When she finished the next piece to this canvass she looked at it. She was curious where this was going, but as she stepped back and looked at it, she was very happy with the results.

Right now, to the stranger's eye, the painting would look like two leaves. Two leaves circling around the top of the tree they just let go of. In the middle, the leaves, just the two of them were a bit closer together.

Below them was what Liv had just finished painting, it was the bridge, but the leaves weren't quite ready to fall and you can see they were continuing in the air waiting for a decent.

Liv turned to the small canvass with the bridge. She closed her eyes. She touched up the colors of the leaves on the trees. Although she had no intention she did add figures.

The figures of her and Fitz staring out at the gorgeous fall foliage, her finger pointing directing him. His hand was on her back. When Liv finished this painting, she looked at it.

Looking now at all the completed pictures, all but two had her and Fitz or just Fitz by himself. One thing was for certain, there was no way Liv could walk away from this man. They were too connected. Right now, she needed sleep.

It was late and he wanted to face time on her walk tomorrow. After a long hot shower, finding it hard not to think about what happened in there a few hours ago, Liv snuggled in warmth underneath the blankets. She closed her eyes, thinking of the piles, the fun, and most of all the love she had found with Fitz.

She yawned, letting herself drift off to sleep, with one thought circling her head, she would find a way to stay even when Autumn leaves.