Okay, olitz crazies. We are building to Olitz, it's only a few months of waiting, and then we'll have a lifetime of love. No one has ever said love is smooth and painless. I assure yall that this is necessary. Keep reviewing. I love how enthusiastic yall are about this story.


"Hello, welcome to build-a-bear. How can I help you today?" The woman in a blue vest greeted, smiling in a way that seemed fake. But of course, she was just doing her job.

"Yes, I am looking for a gift for a boy," Fitz said, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"And how old is he? Does he have a favorite Disney movie or cartoon?"

"Um… well, he's not born yet, so there's that."

"Oh, congratulations, dad!" he started to correct her assumption, but strange elation bubbled inside of him when she referred to him as the father.

"Thank you. I was looking at the brown rabbit. And am I able to customize it?"

"Yes, as well as dress it." she said, then added, "And we offer the chance to record a message and heartbeat. It reminds babies of the womb."

"I'll take it, thank you."

The woman came from behind the counter, grabbed her supplies, and headed to the stuffing machine. Fitz didn't want to buy a random stuffed animal off the shelf at some mall. He wanted this gift to mean something to Olivia and the little one. Even though he isn't the father, he cares deeply for them both. Like a husband and father would.

When the rabbit was finished, Fitz dressed it in a blue t-shirt that reads It's your birthday, little guy. He plans to surprise her when she brings the baby home. That is if he can convince her to convert his office into a nursery. So far, she's against it for obvious reasons.

XXXXX

"Now we're getting into labor; we're going to talking about the stages of labor." The Doula announced to the women and gentlemen in the room.

Olivia is still trying to find a comfortable sitting position. It seems the more her stomach pokes out, the harder it is to get comfortable. So she adjusted multiple times before; Angela rested her hand on her back and whispered that she's making noise. The birthing ball was making an ear-hurting squeak every time she shifted—even slight movement.

"I thought these balls were supposed to making sitting here comfortable?" Olivia whispered but not all that well.

The older lady had concluded her announcements and is going onto the following topic: Active labor vs. Practice labor and how to spot both signs.

"Olivia, are you alright over there?"

"Not really," she answered with a frown.

"This is an all-day class; I don't expect you to stay like that. I would suggest maybe, getting on your knees and leaning over the ball. It's also good for your back."

Olivia assumed the position, and her back instantly felt better.

As the class progressed. Olivia and Angela ended up in some pretty preposterous positions known as the signature birthing pose. Obviously, Angie will not deliver the baby herself, but this was all part of learning. Angela is positioned behind with her hands square on Liv's hips as she leans forward on a chair during the class. The class is practicing active labor contractions and learning how to ease the discomfort.

"I know these things are supposed to be a surprise, but I know you aren't super fond of surprises, so do you want a baby shower?"

"No!"

"What, why?" Angela is perplexed by this. "It's like the most important part of pregnancy."

"No, it isn't. And I just don't want one. It will draw unwanted attention to the baby and me. If you want to buy gifts, you can, but absolutely no party, no gender reveal. Nothing."

"Ok, message received loud and clear."

It's time for them to switch places. The doula instructs the mothers to lie on their sides with a pillow between their knees while their partner sits over them.

"This helps to get oxygen to the baby, and it can be done with an epidural. If anyone chooses that option." the doula says while moving clockwise, checking on each pair.

Angela, couldn't let it go without reason. What new mother doesn't want to celebrate her baby and be pampered for a day? Her logic told her.

"Are you afraid William's mother could show up?"

Olivia pursed her lips, then signed. "I am. And I'm afraid that William will come back, and I'm not interested in that, so I'd rather leave the past in the past. Starting now, can we stop mentioning him." She said firmly.

Angela smiled the way one does when they're proud of their friend. However, she doesn't voice her gratification.


It's late in the afternoon, and the sun has receded past the trees. Fitz enters the central area of the house. He can only assume Olivia is sleeping because her room has been quiet since she came home from work. He starts cleaning up the messy area, smiling as he's noticing the majority of it is Olivia's textbooks and some files from work. He stacks the book neatly on the edge of the coffee table.

Frankly, he's bored. Writing hasn't been going so well in the last few weeks; he tries to get out of the house as much as possible so he can find some kind of spark of inspiration. Yet, so far, nothing has sparked. He starts in the kitchen after he's finished in the living room, but there's hardly anything out of place. Deciding he'll watch a movie to overcome this boredom. He flips through the channels for a while until he sees something that interests him.

Fitz is comfortably laid out on the couch when Olivia comes dragging a sizable purple blanket across the hardwood. She's aiming toward the kitchen, where she gets a glass of water.

"What are you watching?" Olivia asks, carefully sipping her water. The light from the television made a shadow over her face when Fitz looked up.

"Constantine. It's a horror film, but Keanu's character is this badass demon hunter. So it crosses over into a superhero realm." He tossed the pillow to the far end of the couch. "Come it, watch it with me," he said, patting the cushion. The movie wasn't that far from the beginning. None of the real action has started yet.

Olivia doesn't watch a lot of horror movies; she actually prefers action movies or romance. There isn't any room in between. She scooted up to him and tucked her legs under her body.

"One more question, and then I'll be quiet. Does he have magical powers?"

"You'll see," he smirked mysteriously, pulling the purple throw over his legs.

Olivia jerked harshly, ducking her head behind his shoulder. He had to stop himself from laughing. It was adorable how she clung to him and the softness in her voice when she asked, "Is it over?" Fitz doesn't particularly think this movie is scary, but he didn't mind being the one she reached for during a hair-raising scene.

"Livvie, it's over."

"My mama would not like this movie. She would say it's an ill representation of the god and angels." Olivia comments.

"Do you like it?" Fitz asks, and there is a hint of nervousness.

"Yeah, I just don't like jumpscares…" she trails off, adapting a faraway look, and her hand goes to her belly. "He's kicking," Liv explains.

There is a light behind his eyes as his hand caresses her belly, awaiting Porkchop's next movement. "Hey, little guy." Fitz gasps at the strong fillip. "Is he always this active?"

"Pretty much. He likes to do somersaults on my bladder, and when he's not doing that, he's kicking and pushing."

Too much in awe of the moment, the room fell to a tranquil stillness. Porkchop must have grown tired and went to sleep because he stopped moving, and they went back to their movie. Only catching the last bit of it. But Fitz didn't care; that moment there they experienced together is invaluable. He felt a little ashamed that he took so much pride in something that didn't belong to him.

Olivia breaks the serene silence. "Should we watch something else?" Suggesting as the ending credits play.

"Uh yeah, you can pick this time."

Olivia smiles, taking the remote off the coffee table and snuggling back against his body. She knew it wasn't right how close they were considering his situation and her situation. However, neither of them moved. They enjoyed the warmth of one another. After the years of knowing each other, Olivia never imagined yearning for his touch, even if it was slight.

She finally settled on a movie; since they'd started their movie night with horror, she thought a nice touch of romance would suffice, she chose the musical Mamma Mia. Instead, the film ended up watching them.

The sweet scent of cocoa butter and vanilla helped him register where he was and whose body was pressed against him. Fitz isn't certain when they'd fallen asleep or how their bodies got tangled up. She stirred lightly. But his arms were thrown around her waist, and she had one arm tucked between their bodies, and the other was gripping his shirt as if she didn't want him to leave. His cheeks heated with color when her knee grazed his groin as she shifted in her sleep.

"Livvie?" said Fitz softly. This was awkward, but it would be even worse if he moved the wrong way and she fell off the couch.

I love when you do that. It was an involuntary response, given her state of sleep. Suddenly her lips were on his, kissing him. It was a soft kiss, not demanding but more inquisitive. It was easy for Fitz to fall and relinquish control. Her lips were plump, and she tasted sweet. She deepened the kiss, sticking her tongue in his mouth, messaging his tongue with hers. It felt wrong until it didn't. It hadn't registered that she wasn't dreaming until his hand kneaded her breast, and she moaned. Olivia opened her eyes slowly, horrified to find herself making out with Fitz, but something in her wouldn't allow her to pull away. His next kiss was consuming, hungry yet sweet, teasing her with a hint of promise and driving her body to new heights of awareness.

There was an unexpected knock then the doorbell rang. Which finally snapped them from their intoxicating kiss. Olivia scrambled off the couch, touching her lips as she could feel the tingle of his lips electrifying her.

"I'm sorry," she said before hurrying to the door.

Olivia opened the door to find a tall blonde woman on the other side. She's older, which is apparent because of how she dresses. The knee-length dress and large overcoat were a dead giveaway. But still, it hadn't dawned on her who this woman was.

"Who are you?" the blonde asked. "I'm here to see Fitz; this is his house, right?"

Olivia quickly recovered from her initial shock; she hadn't expected the infamous Jenny to be so...old-looking. "Yes, this-"

"Livvie, who's at the- Jenny, what are you doing here?" Fitz said in shock yet praying she didn't notice his and Olivia's appearance and demeanor. Jenny's eyes found Fitz with an unreadable expression. Then her gaze returned to the (by her knowledge) random pregnant woman answering her boyfriend's door in a t-shirt and barely-there shorts.

If she didn't already feel like an idiot, she does now. Olivia nodded softly then retreated to the back of the house. She wanted to give them a moment alone. A small part of her wondered if Fitz would confess what occurred between them.

"Can we talk out here?" he asked, although he didn't really give her a choice seeing how he's already backing her off the threshold and closing the door behind himself.

"Who is she, and what the hell is she doing answering your door in barely any clothes?" her voice was leveled, but there was anger and confusion behind her eyes.

"Olivia is" He began his explanation by letting out an "ahem" to clear his throat. "She's my roommate, and I know that might sound ridiculous, but it's the truth."

"Fitzgerald, do I look dense to you? She's pregnant. Why isn't she with her boyfriend or baby daddy? This is insane, and you're right; it's ridiculous because you've never mentioned her to me."

You really aren't getting out of this.

Shut up.

Jenny took his silence as admission. "I'm going to stay at a hotel. When you find your voice, I suggest you call me."

Fitz doesn't have a chance to say anything or stop her because she's already getting into the rental and speeding off when he looks up.

"SHIT" he goes back inside. Maybe Olivia will let him explain and apologize.

Or she'll let you kiss her again and invite you to bed.

With a literal shake of the head, Fitz pushed those images away.

"Livvie, can we talk?"

Silence


Olivia watched the sunrise. It was beautiful how it came just over the trees and like that it's a new day. She hadn't slept a wink last night; her brain wouldn't shut off. Still, last night put some things into perspective; it brought her face to face with her feelings for Fitz. There's just the matter of addressing the elephant in the room.

After laying in bed an extra ten minutes, Olivia is quick to dress and grab her bookbag. And then she rushes off to campus.


It had been two weeks since he promised not to be inappropriate with her. Two weeks since they shared that most incredible soul-lifting kiss she's ever had. And she wasn't okay with his decision. She mulled over that night for days, wondering if he felt the fire. Evidently, he did not.

Olivia is relaxing in the tub, it's been a long day, and she just wants to wash it away. She couldn't stop herself from replaying that day over in her head.

The day had run long, and she didn't end up walking through the door until something at 6:30. It was later than usual, but she hoped to see Fitz eating in the dining room or working out in the home gym. But she'd checked both rooms; he must've been out. Usually, Fitz would have been home by now, is what she pondered looking at the time.

Finally, Olivia fell asleep, with Fitz heavy in her thoughts, and all she could muse is how he's with HER. Most likely remedying their relationship and reassuring her. Everything she wished he was doing with her.

The following day he was back and seemed to be in a better mood than she'd expected. He was in the kitchen leaning against the counter, enjoying a glass of orange juice. Olivia thought it was odd, considering he's partial to coffee in the mornings.

Fitz was following Olivia's lead. For an entire day, he replayed their kiss. And he could only come up with one solid answer as to why Olivia reacted the way she did. He crossed a line. She just isn't into him. Whatever the reason it was. He needed to apologize so they could still have a friendship at the end of the day. There was so much going on, and he hadn't stopped to realize that he was wrong in this situation. All he could hope for now is Olivia's forgiveness.

At least those are his thoughts. He is entirely in the dark about where her head is.

"Goodmorning, Liv-Olivia," Fitz greeted. Strangely his smile didn't make her feel confident and secure.

Should I be worried

Olivia was just waking up. She blinked owlishly. "Good morning."

"I'm sorry about last night. It was completely out of my character. And it never should have happened." she was fixing her mouth to stop him until he said that last part. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She wanted to scream that she initiated the kiss, but she couldn't get the words out. Stunned into silence.

"I value our friendship too much to let something like that destroy the trust you've put in me. Olivia, I am sorry and hope that you aren't packing right now. I spent the night away to give you space. I don't want you to leave, okay."

She was crushed.

"Okay, if that's what you want." Olivia's voice is small and broken.

There was something in her eyes so brief that he thought he might've imagined it.

"Thanks, Fitz, I have-" ahem, trying to loosen her tightened throat. "I have to get ready for work."

The declaration left a sour taste in his mouth. He did what he had not to lose his closest friend. And because of that, and only that, it made it easier to lie to himself.

After that day, Fitz has been different. Heedful of how he touches her, if he does at all. He didn't so much as brush shoulders with her if he could help it. They shared a moment in the kitchen before the worst happened.

Olivia was posted against the counter, Fitz was cooking them dinner, and he needed something from the fridge. As he was moving past her, his hand touched her belly, and the baby kicked. Fitz laughed and asked, "Was that a hello or a don't touch me kick?" And Olivia laughed and said, "He's saying hello."

It was subtle things like that that she missed.

Now a month later and Olivia is in her third trimester. Pregnancy is making her groggy and short with people. Timelily though, she will be starting her maternity leave soon. So that will be one less thing on her schedule which is good because she can focus solely on school.


Milo brushed up against Fitz's leg as he sat at his desk, staring at the blank document on his computer. The insertion point blinking, yet no words have come to him. A grumpy meow drew his gaze to Olivia's cat, who rubbed its face against his leg.

"What's the matter, you hungry?" Fitz asked as he lifted the fluffy friend.

Milo responded with a meow. Small and inquisitive. Fitz walked to the kitchen with the cat in the crook of his arm. He pulled the bag of Frisky's out and poured a sizable amount in the bowl. And Milo chowed down.

Later, he walked back into his office. Maybe words will end up on the screen this time. With everything going on in his life, he wished he could just escape into his writing. Write a reality, one where he didn't have to deceive himself or hide in his office because just being in her presence was spellbinding. The light at the end of the tunnel has yet to shine. So, for now, he's stuck here. Staring at a blank screen, desperately searching for the words.

Despondency, written on her face as she came into the house. The past couple of days, Olivia had been moving slower than usual. Dismissing it as a symptom of pregnancy. But that isn't what has her in a stink. She walks by Fitz without speaking.

Immediately he clocks that something is wrong. By the time he gets up from the couch, she has long been in her room with the door slammed shut and locked. His first reaction is to leave her be and wait until she comes out of her room. He thinks better of it when he hears sobs of despair.

"Olivia, are you alright?" his ear now pressed against the cold door.

There's no answer, just more sobbing.

"Olivia, please let me in. Is it-" At the thought, his heart sank to his feet. Now he really isn't leaving until he discovers the cause of her pain. "Livvie, please-" Fitz starts to beg, but she opens the door before he can get pitiful.

He's relieved to see she isn't physically harmed. Her hair is piled into a curly bun atop her head, and her face is bare and beautiful. Despite her tear-stained cheeks and puffy eyes, she's still the prettiest woman he's ever laid eyes on.

"How did your doctor's appointment go?" She tucked her legs under her skirt and gnawed at her lower lip. She had only been home a few minutes, so she was still in today's clothes.

"I didn't go because my professor made me late, so I came straight home," Olivia responded.

"Why are you crying, Livvie?"

"As I've said, my professor asked me to stay after class. She started praising my work and success in her class, then quickly followed that with 'given your circumstances' it was extremely condescending and probably racially motivated." Retelling the events of this afternoon got her choked up again. She swallowed her tears and continued. "Everyone looking at me like I'm a statistic isn't okay and questioning my intelligence because I chose to create a life is just- It doesn't feel good when you're already alone and doubting your own choices." Olivia finished, tears steadily falling.

"I am not a fuck up, and I'm tired of proving myself to everyone. I'm exhausted-"

He realizes this is something that she's been battling and the professor just reopened a wound. Olivia couldn't look at him because in his eyes was a pity, and she couldn't handle it from him right now. Her breath caught on a sob, and in seconds, he was holding her. Fitz palmed her head as she cried into his shoulder.

"I know who you are, and so do you. You don't need to prove anything. I see you, Livvie."

The room fell to a comfortable silence, and she felt safe in his embrace.

After a minute, Olivia lifted her face to his level and pressed a kiss against his cheek. Fitz smiled, blue eyes twinkling above round flushed cheeks. They finally broke apart, and he was able to get his thoughts in order.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes," She confirmed with a nod, "I really needed that."

"That too, but are you physically okay? You feel warmer than natural." When he touched her forehead, she was hot to touch, and that worried him. "Come on. You should drink some water and eat something" Fitz extended his hand. She swung her legs around and firmly planted her feet on the ground before accepting the hand he offered.

Her vision went blurry, and she felt sick to her stomach.

Everything happened so fast neither of them was prepared for what happened next.

XXXXX

"Luckily, Mr. Grant and the bed were nearby. Fainting like that could have been dangerous for you and the baby." The doctor explained, glancing between Liv and Fitz.

"What can we do to prevent this?" Fitz chimed in.

"I'm not Olivia's primary doctor, but I would recommend resting and making sure she eats every day and drinks plenty of fluids. I suspect the dizziness was from skipping breakfast and lunch." Going off the information, Olivia provided. Talking to her now, "Your blood pressure was normal, which is really good for both you and the baby at this stage in pregnancy. It rules out preeclampsia which starts at 20 weeks, but you are well past that mark, and everything looks good."

Before the doctor leaves the room, he reemphasizes that Olivia should be eating every day and the recommended amount of three times a day. Including snacks. The door shuts firmly behind the doctor, and Fitz turns to Olivia, his gaze equal parts concerned and exasperated.

"When we get home, you should email your professors that you're sick and need an extension on any classwork. Then email your boss and let him know you also need the rest of the week off." he all but demands.

"Fitz, that's not necessary. I'll just be more aware." Olivia says back.

He sighs frustratedly and runs his hands through his messy curls. "The doctor recommended it. Don't fight me on this. You need to let me take care of you." His voice is gentle and caring.

"I-" She was at a loss for words. "If you care so much, why, after we kissed, you acted like it meant nothing?" She asked, seemingly out of nowhere.

This had been on her chest for over a month, and she needed closure.


Author note

Ugh, I don't mean to leave yall hanging. But that's where it's at for now. I want to know your thoughts and opinions, so leave me a lengthy review.

Q: What's your favorite moment in this chapter?

Love and light- Skye-Anne