He awoke to the scent of coffee brewing and breakfast being made. Something with bacon, that was for sure.
He looked over at the clock, which read 7:15. That was a good sign at least. He hadn't slept all that great throughout the night, but 7:15 was sleeping in more than usual.
He immediately sat up and pushed back the covers, rubbing his eyes that were, nonetheless, still tired from this past week.
He grabbed his phone and went downstairs, seeing the smile form on his mom's face immediately.
"Hey, mom," he greeted.
"Well there you are!" she exclaimed, frying some eggs. "I was going to come wake you up soon. Because it's best when it's hot, and — "
"And you only make breakfast once," he chuckled and nodded.
"That's right," she nodded. "I've got your favorites here. Eggs, over easy. Toast. Bacon. Hashbrowns. Fresh fruit. Oh, and coffee's on."
"Thank you, mom. You didn't have to do all this," he said, eating a freshly sliced strawberry from the bowl on the island.
"Oh, it's no big deal. But it is good I went shopping yesterday, because boy, do you eat a lot," she nodded.
He chuckled. "I'll take you out for lunch today, how's that?"
"Well that sounds wonderful, Fitz. Thank you," she said, turning to look at him gratefully.
"The least I can do," he said. "Especially after you just cleaned out your fridge to feed me."
"Now you've got a point there. I'm used to cooking for one. One small woman I might add," she said. "Why don't you pour us our coffee."
He nodded, heading over to her little coffee station.
"How are you feeling today, son?" she asked, looking over at him as he poured her coffee.
"Alright," he nodded. "Just, um...just trying to stay positive."
"Good," she replied, smiling. "When there's nothing else you can do, staying positive is important."
He nodded in agreement and set her coffee down next to her.
"Thank you, my boy. Okay. You go on and sit down now. Sit."
He chuckled and obeyed his mother.
He knew she was completely in her element right now. Cooking breakfast for her son and drinking coffee with him, after he had spent the night at her house. No matter the circumstances, no matter what was all happening in either of their lives right now, he knew she cherished their time together above anything else.
She was the best. The best he could ever ask for.
They had a nice conversation over breakfast, and he cleaned up the kitchen for her afterward, which she was very grateful for.
After they'd gotten ready for their days, he couldn't help but send a text to Mellie. He did want to give her space. But he also wanted to be in the know about Karen's whereabouts and what the plan was. He didn't know what exactly Mellie would tell Karen at this point, if he weren't back by the time Karen got home. He also wasn't sure he could expect an answer from Mellie. If she was still too pissed off and didn't care to think about the situation — she wouldn't answer. And if that were the case, he was just going to go home, regardless, after he took his mom to lunch.
But clearly, she was still thinking about the situation, because she texted him back.
Mellie: Susan invited her to stay another night, and Karen wanted to. I'm picking her up tomorrow morning. I don't want to see you before then.
He sighed, looking down at his phone. Well. It could have gone better than that. But it also could have gone worse, too.
"What is it?" Jean asked, as she grabbed her jacket from the hook by the front door.
"Karen is staying another night at her friend's," he said, texting Mellie back. He told her he would be there tomorrow morning.
"Is that good or bad?" Jean asked.
"Good, I think," he nodded.
"Good. Well, if you need somewhere to stay again tonight, you know you are more than welcome to. I have brunch plans with a few of my girlfriends on the CANY board tomorrow morning. But other than that, I'll be here."
"Thank you, mom, but that's alright," he shook his head. "There's actually...somewhere else I've got to be today."
The sight of her was exactly what he needed.
And when they reached her suite after they'd met in the back entryway of her building, he realized he needed more than just to see her.
Their arms were instantly around each other, embracing in a warm, close hug.
They had a good portion of the day together thanks to Greta's plans with her friends. He'd check into a hotel later, but since he wasn't going to be going back home, the first place he'd wanted to be was with Olivia.
So there he was, hugging her in the entryway of her place.
With everything that had been happening, the power of a hug did wonders for both of them.
She let out a deep breath, snuggling her face into his chest.
"I'm so glad you're here," she whispered.
"I'm glad too," he nodded, kissing the top of her head. "How are you doing today?"
"Better now," she said. "You?"
"Better now," he replied, pulling back to look at her.
They flashed each other small smiles, before leaning in for a kiss.
"Here," she murmured against his lips. "I can take your bag."
She grabbed his duffel bag from him and he thanked her, following her into her bedroom. It was the same as the last time he'd seen it.
It really reminded him of the first bedroom he ever had outside of his childhood home — his bedroom in his first apartment. It was similar in many ways, aside from hers being on the more feminine side thanks to her decorating.
As soon as he glanced at the wall to his right — the one opposite where her bed was — he couldn't help but think about what had happened against that wall. That was the last time he'd been here.
That was a nice memory.
But he did see something new since the last time he'd been there. Pictures, hung up by her bed. Beautifully drawn pictures, that he recognized immediately.
"K," he said, sitting down on her bed. He smiled, running his fingers over the drawings. One of them was of the New York City skyline, and the other was of a panda bear, eating bamboo. That one, she'd drawn for her after she helped her out with her wonderful panda Halloween costume.
Both drawings had "To Olivia, From Karen" written on the bottom corners.
"Yeah. I found those in a folder in my bag last week," Olivia said with a smile, sitting down next to him. "They have now become the most important artwork in my room, no doubt."
He chuckled. "She would love that you've got them hung up."
"I would send her a picture of them to show her, but...something tells me this wouldn't be the best time to do that," Olivia said sadly.
He nodded in agreement, moving his hand to hold onto hers.
"We'll get past this," he said assuringly.
"I know we will," Olivia nodded, resting against him.
He pulled her closer and held her. Right now he didn't want anything more than just to hold her. Right here right now, this was exactly where he wanted to be.
He rubbed her arm slowly with his hand that was wrapped around her. She fully snuggled up against him, wrapping her arms around his body too.
And there they sat, holding each other, eventually transitioning from sitting to laying.
Her bed was small. But it was big enough for the two of them to lay closely cuddled up together. So that's what they did, enjoying each other's presence. To have a calm, quiet moment just the two of them in the midst of the utter chaos that was their lives right now, was amazing, and not something they got often.
It was so nice that they both drifted off to sleep for a little bit.
He was on his back, arm wrapped around her, while her arm and leg were both draped over his body.
Olivia woke first, trying not to wake him up as she looked up at him, sleeping.
It was refreshing to see him not worrying. Not anxious about anything. Just at peace, in his sleep.
Lord knows he probably was still way behind on his sleep, but that little 45-minute nap left her feeling refreshed, so hopefully he would feel the same. He wasn't far behind her in waking up.
She laid there quietly, enjoying his presence until he let out a deep breath and started to stir.
His eyes slowly opened and he tilted his head down to look sleepily at her. And he smiled.
"Hi you," he whispered.
"Hi you," she whispered back. "Sleep well?"
He stretched his body, letting out a yawn. "Yeah. How long were we out?"
"About 45 minutes," she said, snuggling closer to him.
"Mmm," he nodded, tightening his arm around her. "Clearly I was right. I sleep better with you."
"So do I," she said, putting her hand up to his cheek. "We probably needed that."
"Yeah, probably," he agreed. "Not much sleep to go around these days."
"No," she shook her head.
He sighed, looking down at his beautiful girlfriend. So strong. So amazing.
And she just looked up at him with that look of hers. The look that displayed everything she felt for him. It never went away. No matter what crazy thing they were dealing with — she was always looking up at him with that look.
He studied her eyes, before his gaze flickered down to her lips.
She was practically laying on top of him now. They were almost as close as they could be when she leaned in to kiss him.
He sighed lightly against her lips, letting his hand wander up to her face. He held her cheek, sliding his fingers behind her ear as he opened his mouth.
She took the opportunity to slide her tongue inside, which he reciprocated by brushing hers with his own.
Slowly, she inched closer, until she was fully on top of his body.
He wrapped his arms fully around her protectively. Holding her tightly to his body while they made out.
It was slow, and passionate, and everything they wanted to show each other right now.
No words were spoken.
She comfortably rested her arms on either side of his head, biting his bottom lip playfully.
She heard the quiet chuckle he let out, which made her smile against his mouth, and press her lips to his again.
He was already hard. But then she ran her hand ran down his body, and with each inch of ground she covered, he grew harder beneath her. But he never stopped kissing her.
Finally, his arms loosened around her, and he made his own move, while she was now touching him through his jeans.
One of his hands made its way up to her chest, pushing aside the low cut neck of her shirt to grant himself access.
He exhaled deeply the second he felt her bare breast. Her nipple was hard beneath his thumb, so he circled his thumb over it while he squeezed her whole breast lightly.
She moaned lightly into his mouth, and he felt her hand start to massage him down there.
His other arm stayed wrapped tightly around her back. Holding her close to him while still giving her some room to play around. Which, was starting to escalate now.
Her fingers fiddled with his belt buckle, while they continued to make moves slowly.
His pants came off. Her shirt came off, and then so did his. Finally, her own jeans came off.
By then, they were in their underwear, and he had rolled her over onto her back.
Her neck was wet from his mouth, and he wasn't stopping. She felt his tongue against her skin and the light sucking of his lips, and she sighed in pleasure, running her fingers through his hair.
Her legs spread open further, so he responded by rubbing himself against her. He was rock hard, and even through both of their underwear, she could feel every inch of him against her.
She moaned quietly, reveling in the feeling of his dick against her and his mouth on her skin. Her underwear were already wet, she could feel them.
And now, so could he. His hand had made its way down her stomach and to her panties. And now his fingers were teasing her through her underwear, while he was kissing his way down her chest. He was simultaneously reaching under her to unclasp her bra while his mouth and his fingers never ceased their teasing. It was a lot of wonderful multitasking going on, but it had been so long since the last time — she was growing more desperate.
Desperate to feel him again.
She eagerly sat up so that he could remove her bra. He exhaled in pleasure, leaning down to take her nipple in his mouth. While doing so, he pushed her underwear aside so he could touch her clit.
She gasped, giving up all control to him. He watched her facial expressions. Watched how rubbing her clit made her squirm beneath him.
He liked that.
But he slowed down a bit because he wanted her to feel him first. And she was so in agreement with him.
"Drawer," she panted, pointing lazily at her nightstand. "Fitz...please...please."
He stopped touching her completely and she reached right away for his briefs.
So he took the opportunity to grab the box of condoms in her nightstand drawer. The box that she'd taken with her after their night at the Langham.
He could see her desperation, and frankly, he understood, because he already knew he wouldn't last long to begin with, and seeing her moan and pant beneath him was its own kind of pleasure.
So he watched her pull down his briefs, his stiff length bobbing free.
Her face said it all; she looked at him with such pleasure.
A smile formed on his face as he rid himself of his briefs, and opened the condom.
She watched eagerly as he rolled it on, and he smiled, seeing the want in her eyes.
He nodded toward himself, indicating that she should follow him as he sat back. He briefly took in the beautiful view of her spread on the bed. But she wasn't spread for long.
She nodded and made her way over to him, smiling at his hand as he moved two of his fingers in a "come closer" motion.
Slowly, she swung her legs over his lap, looking down at his legs open for her and the raging erection below her. He pulled her close, and they both eased her onto him. Both moaned as she descended down, his thick member filling her up slowly.
She tightened her grip around his neck and he tightened his around her back. Her skin was already damp with sweat and so were his palms, so he adjusted his grip as they lingered there, him fully inside of her.
"Oh, God — Fitz," she moaned, collapsing her head on his shoulder briefly. Cherishing the feeling of him again. Her mouth was open in pleasure, and her walls were tight and slick around him.
Oh God, he was not going to last long.
He buried his head in her chest, exhaling against her soft skin as they both began to roll their hips in perfect sync.
She clutched at his curls while he moved his hands down to her ass, pulling her as close as she could possibly be with each grind of her hips.
His moans kept coming; the sound was so pleasing to her. She kissed along the side of his face, nearing his lips. And when she got there he beat her to it; capture her lips in a kiss.
She felt so good. Everything about her felt good; her breasts against his chest, her walls around his dick, her lips on his, and her tongue in his mouth. He grew closer and closer, with every roll of her hips.
She could tell when he was close, so she decided to pick up her pace and take advantage of the control she now had.
He moaned, guiding her ass quicker, too, until his panting was so fast and his body started to really give him away.
He held to her so tightly, and he shook slightly against her as he thrust up into her in rhythm with her hips. The slight jerking of his muscles let her know he was on the very edge.
"Olivi—a, Olivia —" he panted, meeting her eyes.
A smile formed on her face through all her own panting.
He steadily breathed and moaned loudly as he spilled into the condom and thrust in and out of her.
"Oh —" he moaned quietly, resting her head against her damp chest. Both of their skin was covered in sweat.
She smiled and held onto his curly head, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
He was dead tired, and his eyes were closed. He rubbed her back affectionately as he came down from his high — oh, how wonderful it had been.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, still breathing heavily. "Just give me...a minute."
"Sorry for what, baby?" she whispered, holding his face in her hands.
He looked at her as if to say "really?" and she shook her head with a laugh, because she figured he was referring to the fact that he didn't last very long.
"Oh, Fitz, it's okay," she laughed.
"This is still just not a very, um...common occurrence for me," he whispered, leaning his head back into her chest.
"I know that," she nodded. "And I hope this isn't too inappropriate of a time for me to say...I would really like to change that."
He looked up at her and met her eyes, seeing her smirk. So naturally, he smirked back before they both started to laugh.
"I um...fully support that plan," he nodded. "A hundred percent agree. Yes."
"Good deal," she laughed, kissing his nose.
He smiled at her, starting to lift her off of him.
"Greta's not going to come home the second I walk naked to your bathroom is she?" he whispered.
"No," Olivia giggled. "They're studying for an exam in a class they all take together. She'll be a while."
"Mmkay," he chuckled, pecking her cheek.
He left the room to clean himself up, and she laid back on the bed, still trying to catch her breath from all of that.
Little did she know that would be pointless, considering what Fitz did the second he came back.
He closed her bedroom door again, walking to her bed completely naked and completely perfect. He set a washcloth he'd brought with him on the nightstand and got back in bed, admiring her whole body displayed for him.
His hands gently brushed her calves, before grabbing them and pushing them upward so that her legs were bent at the knee. And then he pushed her legs open further for him, seeing how far they could go.
She seemed to get the memo, because she voluntarily opened her legs wide, spreading herself for him.
He knelt down, reaching for her thighs to keep them spread. And then he wet two of his own fingers, before sliding them right inside of her.
She gasped, watching him pull his fingers out now, and push them back in.
They made eye contact and he smiled sweetly at her, as he now circled his thumb around her clit, too.
He spread her legs more after that, and he watched how wide she could get for him. Jesus, was she flexible.
His dick was hard again in no time, but he tried to pay no attention to it. Not when she hadn't orgasmed yet today. He couldn't have that happening.
So he fingered her hard, until he got her there. It didn't take him very long, and God, it was sexy.
He watched her body tremble and shake beneath him while his name and a few swear words spilled out of her mouth. And he watched it all in pleasure.
"There. That's better, isn't it," he whispered, rubbing her thigh.
"Oh...my," she said, resting her arms and legs back on the bed tiredly. Now she was even more out of breath.
He reached for the washcloth he'd set on the nightstand and she gratefully took it from him to clean up.
After, he extended his body upward to meet her eyes, the lower half of his body pressed against hers.
He leaned down and kissed her, which she instantly returned as she wrapped her arms around him.
He flipped them over, allowing her to rest on top of him now. And she appreciated it, laying her head down on his shoulder.
He rubbed her back, listening to the sound of her fast breathing. Her breaths gradually became calmer, and less frequent.
"I love you so much, Fitz," she whispered.
He looked at her content, tired face and smiled. "I love you so much."
A comfortable silence, filled with smiles and soft breaths filled the air.
They'd missed each other, and probably were in desperate need of what they'd just done. Even if it wasn't for long, a brief mental break could do wonders for a pair of anxious, uneasy minds.
Especially a mental break like the one they'd just had...that was definitely going to have to happen again today. If not multiple more times.
But despite their wonderful reunion, the situation they faced currently was still there. It couldn't be ignored. And so their reality set back in.
The smiles eventually faded and she spoke up.
"Fitz," she said quietly.
"Hmm?"
"What do you think...she's thinking? I mean...how do you think tomorrow will go, when you go back?" she whispered, looking up at him. She still laid comfortably on his chest, awaiting his thoughts.
He sighed gently and paused his hand on her back.
"I don't know how...tomorrow will go. I've been thinking about it since I left. Wondering...what her first words to me will be when she sees me again. That part...I don't know," he admitted.
She nodded, looking at him as he continued to talk.
"But I do know how she thinks. She...doesn't know what to do," he began quietly. "She's...so angry. I had never seen her so angry before, and I've said...a few things in my day that had her really pissed at me, rightfully so. But...not at all like this. I could see...the feeling of betrayal just...radiating from her. I could see so much...hurt. And I don't know if that's because...of what I've done, or because she was starting to realize that maybe...I'm right. That maybe...we're too fucked up to make this work for K and now...she's worried about K going through all of it. I don't know, I just know I saw it."
She sighed, listening to him talk about the woman they'd both inflicted this on. Nobody deserved this.
"And…she's the jealous type. Always has been. It's why she never got along with Abby. So no matter how she feels about me…she does have a tendency to feel jealous. She's…embarrassed. Humiliated. That I had her fooled, and she never figured it out. She never saw it coming. Especially because...she's the one who was all about joining this program and having you stay with us, and it all happened right in front of her. All of that embarrassment and humiliation and jealousy just makes her...more angry," he said.
Yeah. That was understandable.
"But...despite all of that, she would never do anything to make Karen feel caught in the middle. She would never intentionally do anything to...make Karen feel...like she and I aren't okay. That's...her biggest fear, ever, is Karen getting hurt. Mellie would do anything to make sure that doesn't happen. She and I just...have different ways of trying to do that, clearly."
Olivia nodded silently.
"That's why I knew...we'd be okay through this. Mellie is stubborn. And...she can be a pain in the ass," he admitted. "But at the end of the day...she's just a woman who's trying to do what she feels is best for our child. It's the only thing we ever see eye to eye on. She and I really don't...mesh. It wasn't always this bad; it's gotten worse over the years — how much she dislikes me. But...she isn't evil. She's kind. She has...a good heart."
Olivia nodded. "I know. I know she does."
There hadn't been anyone more kind to her in that house than Mellie. Always supportive of her, always cheery.
Olivia sighed, putting her hand up to her face.
It was a lot. Everything had just been...a lot. And she was proud of herself, because she felt she'd handled it all very well. She was a calm, strong person, and she always felt she could deal with just about anything.
But sometimes feelings of guilt, uncertainty, worry, and fear were stronger. Especially when they wore on you for a long, long time.
Her eyes welled up slowly with tears and she immediately hid her face from him, resting it on his shoulder again.
Nooo, she internally screamed. Tears? Ugh.
"Hey," he said gently. "Hey, hey. Hey. Livvie, look at me."
She sighed, wiping her face as she looked up at him. But wiping her face did next to nothing. Her eyes were red, and brimming with more tears. And her eye makeup was slightly smudged.
"Talk to me," he whispered, wiping the tears as they rolled down her cheeks.
She let out a steady breath, trying to pull herself together. But it didn't work. Not this time.
"I just..." she began, sniffling. "I just wish we didn't have to hurt anyone."
"I know," he nodded gently.
"I believe...what we chose to do was right. The worst thing we could do to her is to continue with the lies. And I believe...eventually, everyone will be happier. Most importantly...Karen. But the pain we've caused right now...to Mellie. It doesn't feel good."
"No," he agreed. "It doesn't."
"I was right, when we talked about this in November. When...we ended things. Our situation...always hurts someone. We were...always going to hurt someone, even though...it's a better option for everyone," she cried quietly. "We can't cheat and...go behind people's backs and expect not to hurt people. And I just...wish, impossibly, that...we didn't have to."
"I know. I know, Liv," he nodded.
He just wanted to let her talk. Because she hadn't broken down like this, and he knew it was healthy for her to get it out. So he continued to stay fairly quiet so she would keep talking.
"I just wish...this wasn't our situation. It's not fair," she whimpered, laying her head down on his chest.
Tears fell from her cheek as she sniffled, and it pained him just to watch. He hated to see her cry.
"But life isn't fair. And we want this. And...it does no good to dwell on wishes," she cried. "I know that. I'm...I'm sorry. I'm being ridiculous. It's just...a lot going on. It's just...so much."
"You're not being ridiculous," he said, brushing her hair back. "You are being normal. You are being human. And this is a lot. Trust me...you know I understand that. How things pile on. I understand."
She sighed, wiping her eyes with a nod. "I hate crying."
"I know you do," he chuckled lightly. "And I hate it too. It hurts me, to see you cry."
"I'm sorry," she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I'm...I'm fine."
"You have no reason to be sorry," he replied lightly. "You are...so strong, Olivia. So strong. You...amaze me. You are a person everyone should aspire to be. So...when you need to talk, I'm here to talk. Because as you reminded me yesterday, you know...we all need it. It's not good to hold things in."
She knew he was referring to yesterday morning — a situation he had just experienced.
She nodded in agreement.
"When you need help, I'm here. I am always here," he whispered, intertwining their fingers together.
"Thank you," she sniffled.
"There's no need to thank me," he said. "And...I'm so sorry, again, that you have to feel all of this. I wish you didn't, Olivia. I wish...I just wish...we had different circumstances. For all of us. But as you said...it does no good to dwell on wishes."
"No, it doesn't," she nodded in agreement. "I know that...you leaving her needed to happen regardless of if I was in the picture or not. I know that it wasn't healthy, and I know she never treated you the way you should have been treated, and that really fucking upsets me. And I truly believe that Mellie will believe those things eventually, too. I really do. But...sometimes it's just hard for me not to feel like...I'm the bad guy in this story. In times like this...sometimes it's hard not to feel like...the mistress, homewrecker."
"Oh my God, Olivia. Baby. You know that couldn't be furthest from the truth," he said, shaking his head.
"I know," she nodded. "And I don't regret anything. I don't regret anything we've chosen to do and I'm glad that Mellie knows. I feel...so much freer, and I feel like the only place we can go now is up. But...when you hurt people, it's still hard not to feel like the villain."
"I understand. I have the same feelings. I feel...the same guilt. But what gets me through is the life that we want. That we all deserve. What gets me through is that this will be best for everyone. Mellie included. And she will see it. It may take her some time to heal, and stop being angry. But we'll get there."
"We will," she agreed, squeezing his hand.
He sighed contently, locking eyes with her.
"I don't ever want you to feel like you're...a mistress," he said, struggling to even say the word.
"I know. I know, Fitz," she nodded understandingly. Because she did know that wasn't what she was. She knew better than that.
He reached for her face and held onto her cheeks, rubbing his thumbs over her soft skin.
"You are the love of my life."
The breath caught in her throat and she looked at him in awe.
"Do you hear me?"
She nodded admirably at him and gave him a soft smile, trying not to let herself start crying again or something, because she really wanted to now.
"I...hear you," she whispered.
"Good," he whispered back. "Because if you didn't hear me I was...going to...say it again."
She looked at him innocently and shrugged.
"Maybe...I didn't hear you."
He smirked and chuckled at her.
"You are the love of my life, Olivia Pope."
She sighed, laying her head back down on his chest contently.
"You're mine, too, Fitz," she whispered. "You're the love of my life, too."
"Thanks for the takeout, baby," Olivia said, taking a bite of fried rice.
"Mhm," he nodded, grabbing a pair of chopsticks. "Sounded...really good actually. I can always go for Thai."
"Sometime you're over next I'll have to make you dinner instead. We have a kitchen just down the hall. It's pretty nice actually," she said.
"Mmm," he nodded. "I'll take you up on that. I love your cooking."
"I love yours," she said, smiling. "But...on occasion, takeout hits the spot. Especially after working up...an appetite."
He about choked on his pad thai.
He coughed, looking at her with a smile and clearing his throat.
She started to laugh, watching him shake his head at her.
"Thank you for that," he chuckled.
"No problem. Thank you," she said, smiling.
He smiled back, and his cheeks slowly turned a light shade of pink.
"You are so cute," she laughed, shaking her head. "You and your blushing."
"I'm not blushing," he said, shaking his head.
She raised her eyebrows at him. "You realize...I'm looking at you right now and can physically see you blushing...right?"
He put down his chopsticks and held his hands in front of his face, starting to chuckle quietly.
She gasped and leaned forward, moving his hands away. "Don't cover your handsome face from me."
He smiled, looking between her pretty eyes and her lips as she held onto his hands.
He leaned in and pecked them briefly, then again once more.
"Your lips are spicy," she whispered, pecking them again. "I like it."
He chuckled quietly, and watched her smile get bigger with each peck he gave her.
"Thanks for eating dinner with me on my bedroom floor," she whispered.
He smiled and started to chuckle again, leaning his forehead against hers.
"The only place I ever want to be is with you," he whispered back.
Her bright smile lit up the whole room.
She kissed the tip of his nose, something that had become a habit of hers. It always made him smile.
"I love you," she whispered. "I'll let you eat now, but I do want you to know that I love you."
"I love you," he chuckled, kissing her hand as she retreated back to her previous spot on the floor.
And then he sighed.
"After we're done, though, Livvie...I probably should go."
She looked at him sadly and nodded. But then she tilted her head.
"Do you have to?"
He shrugged. "I just figured...Greta would be here soon."
She shrugged. "That doesn't mean...she has to see you. There are plenty of nights we just chill in our rooms. I'll just keep my door shut, we've been in here all afternoon anyway."
He raised his eyebrows at her and looked at her skeptically.
"I mean...even if she were to see you, would it really even matter anyway? I don't know that I'm really ready to tell her everything I guess, but...she doesn't even know who you are," Olivia shrugged.
"Yeah. That's true," he agreed. "Being careful doesn't hurt, but...either way, it's not the end of the world. I already did the damage, anyway."
"Mhm," she nodded. "So...?"
"You want me to stay?" he asked, smiling.
"If you don't mind sleeping in a tiny bed with me that you barely fit on, then yes," she nodded.
"Doesn't bother me," he said, taking a bite of his lo mein.
"I guess it's settled then," she shrugged, smiling at him. "You're stuck with me. Saves you the ridiculous amount of money you would have spent to stay at The Langham, too."
"How do you know that's where I would have picked?" he asked.
"Because I know you."
He nodded at her. Yeah, she was right.
"You do know me," he chuckled.
They finished up their takeout and Olivia cleaned up a bit, before deciding they wanted to take a shower.
So, he showered with her. It had her giggling quietly afterward, because he only had Olivia's options for soap.
He smelled like her when they were done. He smelled damn good!
It was after eight by the time they got out of the shower. So they figured they'd just get ready for bed all at once, and be able to relax and watch some TV in Olivia's room after.
But as they were brushing their teeth, the front door opened.
Fitz paused with his toothbrush in his mouth, looking at Olivia.
She had wide eyes and was trying not to laugh. Whoops.
"Hey Liv," Greta said tiredly through the door.
"Hey G," Olivia replied, mouth full of toothpaste. "Have a good time studying?"
"Yeah, yeah. If I don't ace this damn exam I'm throwing myself off the Empire State Building."
Fitz about sprayed her with toothpaste, looking half amused and half worried at Greta's comment as he covered his mouth.
So naturally, Olivia almost started giggling at Fitz's reaction.
"You all good in there?" Greta laughed.
"Yeah," Olivia said, going to spit in the sink. "You would never do that!"
"Oh of course not, that's way too dramatic. Plus I'd miss you too much. And then Mikko and I would never live happily after ever," Greta sighed.
"That's the spirit," Olivia laughed. "I'd miss you too! You'll ace the exam anyway. I believe in you."
Greta sighed happily. "Always the positive energy I need. What would I do without you, Liv?"
Olivia gestured to the sink and then to Fitz, and he nodded, going to finish up as well.
"Be super sad," Olivia said.
"You right," Greta agreed. "Hey, I'm gonna take my makeup off and then is it cool if I hop in the shower?"
"Yeah, I'm just about done," Olivia said.
"K cool, thanks," Greta replied.
She listened for her footsteps into her room and looked at Fitz.
"Okay. Come on," she whispered.
He slipped his toothbrush inside his bag and nodded.
Greta was in her room with the door just partially open, so it was an easy walk back to Olivia's room. Not like she was that desperate to keep him a secret, but she figured with having just told Mellie yesterday, she didn't quite feel the need to go and tell everyone else in the world quite yet. One step at a time.
Olivia shut her door and locked it, watching him set his bag down by her dresser again.
"She seems fun," he chuckled quietly.
"She is fun," Olivia smiled. "You'll like her when you meet her...officially."
"I look forward to that," he nodded. "Until then, I guess...being quiet is my specialty."
He sat down on her bed and she sat down with him. "I wouldn't say that's...always the case," she smirked.
He smirked back and started to blush. "Hmm...well. I don't think I can argue with that one."
"No. I don't think you can," she said, smiling. "So, what do you wanna watch?"
"Well. We still have a season left of 'Game of Thrones.' We could work on finishing it, if you want?" he shrugged.
Watching their old show, while actually being able to cuddle with him? Sounded like a plan to her.
"Yeah," she smiled. "Let's do it."
"I'll keep you updated," Fitz said.
"Okay," Olivia nodded, speaking quietly as they were still in her bedroom.
Fitz had quietly gotten ready for the day there at her place. The fact that Greta was a late sleeper and had a heavy fan blowing in her room helped their cause, even though Greta hearing him truly wasn't their main concern at all.
The only thing on their minds now was what was going to happen today. How Mellie was going to react, or what she was going to do when he went back home.
They'd find out soon enough.
"Come here," he whispered, pulling her toward him.
She leaned into him for a hug, cherishing the feeling of his arms around her.
"Thank you for asking me to come. I needed this. I needed you," he whispered.
"I did too," she replied. "I really did. And it makes it even harder to say goodbye."
"I know," he said solemnly. "We won't always have to say goodbye. We won't. I promise."
She nodded into his chest, holding tighter to him.
"It's all going to be okay, Liv. I know it," he whispered. "No matter what happens, we will be okay. Always."
She nodded again, looking up at him.
He kissed the top of her head and pulled back to look down at her, too.
"I love you."
"I love you," she whispered.
She stood on her tiptoes and waited for him to lean down to kiss her lips. He did.
She gave him some appreciation and he eagerly returned it. She felt his tongue, and she kissed him harder.
Part of her just wanted to stand there and kiss him. Not let him leave, for fear of how bad the day could turn. But she couldn't do that. She couldn't stall progress. So as nice as their last half a day together had been...as nice as the little break had been, it was over now.
They said goodbye, and he left her place. He took a cab back to his mom's house to grab his car and make the drive home. Her car wasn't in the garage, so he knew she was at brunch with her girlfriends.
And then he made the drive home, which went faster than he could have expected it to, considering he was a bit uncertain about the day ahead of him. A bit anxious, but that was nothing new.
When he pulled up to the gated driveway, he wasn't sure whether or not Karen would be home yet. He wasn't sure if he should hope for anything either way, but he kept his bag in his car just in case.
He had no idea what to expect here.
The second he walked in through the garage door, his little girl's voice filled his ears and he couldn't help but smile. Well, that gave him his answer.
It had been two whole days since he'd seen her, which was too long in his book, hence the smile that instantly formed at the sound of her voice. And from the brief conversation he'd heard upon walking in, she sounded happy, so that was a plus.
But she cut herself off after she heard the garage door open and close. She gasped.
"Dad!"
He peeked his head around the corner as he entered the kitchen, and saw her coming toward him, along with Hank. You could always count on little Hank to greet someone upon walking in the door. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mellie not far from him, standing by the kitchen island where he assumed she had been talking to Karen.
But he turned his attention to Karen first.
He gasped back, opening his arms for his daughter. "There's my favorite girl! Hey!"
"Hey, dad," she greeted, smiling as he wrapped her in a big hug.
"Hi, sweetheart. How are you?" he asked, kissing her cheek.
Hank's tail was wagging furiously while he vyed for Fitz's attention. Fitz chuckled at him and patted his back.
"Yes, hello to you too, buddy," he said.
"I'm good. I missed you," Karen said, also laughing at Hank. "How was grandma Jean's?"
He looked up, meeting his wife's eyes for the very first time as she closed the distance between them. She nodded ever so slightly at him, to hint to him that that was her cover for him and their situation. At least it was partially true.
So because of that cover, she did what the two of them would normally do in the presence of Karen. She greeted him in their most "normal" way, with a hug and a kiss.
But even in her acting, he could tell she was angry. She had every right, and he wasn't surprised at the fact. But her actions felt even more forced when they wrapped their arms around each other in a hug, and she leaned in to peck his lips.
He knew that they probably had a lot more talking to do and this wasn't even close to over. But still, he desperately didn't want to pretend in front of Karen. But, there they were.
He very hesitantly and very briefly kissed her back and then cleared his throat, studying her eyes.
"Hey," he said, as normally as possible.
"Hey," Mellie said back.
"Uh...grandma Jean's was great! She says hi," Fitz said, smiling down at Karen, who was instantly tickled she'd revived a shoutout from grandma.
"Glad you made it back. I was just telling Karen how sad I was that I didn't feel well yesterday and couldn't come with you to stay at grandma Jean's," Mellie said.
He nodded slowly at Mellie and realized that was also part of the cover; the reason he had been gone and she hadn't been.
"Uh-huh," Fitz nodded. "So, you um...you feeling okay today?"
She gave him the fakest smile, and nodded at him. "I'm feeling much better."
"Good," he nodded, returning a fake smile.
"Now what about you, miss K? How was Casey's?" he asked, giving his daughter a very real and genuine smile.
"It was so fun, dad. I was telling mom on the way home about the solar system model Casey and I built for fun. I was waiting for you to come home to show it to you both. You want to see?!" she exclaimed.
"Of course we do!" Fitz nodded.
"Absolutely!" Mellie exclaimed.
"Okay, okay. I'll be right back. It has a lot of pieces, so...it might take me a second. But...but just wait, I'll be back!" Karen said, before darting upstairs.
Both Fitz and Mellie laughed as she quickly left the kitchen, and then they instantly removed their arms from around each other. Fitz headed for the coffee maker immediately after.
Clearly he was in for a long morning, so he was making his damn coffee.
"Surprised you made it here so early," Mellie said dully, but very quietly.
He turned on the coffee maker and nodded. "I wasn't sure what time would be best, but thought sooner was better than later."
Mellie laughed quietly. "Oh, I just mean because you were probably busy...having fun...for 48 hours straight."
Ah yes. Here it came.
He sighed, stopping what he was doing with the coffee maker. "Mell, I just got here, okay? Can you just...give me a minute before we're at each other's throats again?"
"Oh sure, baby. Anything for you," she whispered sarcastically. "Wouldn't want to upset you anymore. Because now we all know what happens when Fitz gets upset and times are tough. He decides it doesn't matter what he does as long as, hey, it feels good to him."
"Karen is upstairs," he yelled at her in a whisper.
"Then don't fucking yell," she whispered back. He realized quickly, that she was mocking something he had said weeks ago to her in the sunroom when she'd said the same thing he'd just said. That Karen was upstairs.
"Or does that only apply when you want it to?" she asked.
Now it just felt like she was mocking everything he said.
He sighed, continuing on with his coffee making.
"I understand that you're upset. And you have every right to be. I just don't think right now, when our daughter will be down any minute, is the right time for this," he said calmly, and quietly.
"Oh trust me I agree. I don't want our sweet, innocent daughter to know about this any more than you," she sighed, watching him distastefully.
"Good. An agreement," he whispered, hearing Karen's little feet at the top of the steps. He sighed, looking over at her, seeing her glare back at him.
"We're not done talking."
"Hell no, we're not," Mellie agreed quietly, seeing Karen's emerge from the staircase.
They both instantly plastered happy faces on and Mellie wrapped her arm around Fitz's side, smiling at Karen holding up her adorable little model in all its pieces.
"See! Isn't it so cool?! It's not painted yet, but I want to paint it. If I did all my chores today...could we please get some paint next time we go to the store?" Karen asked. "I have paintbrushes. I just ran out of my paint after my last GT project."
Fitz smiled and wrapped his arm hesitantly around Mellie in return. Ugh.
They looked at each other and nodded.
"I think we can make that work, what does mom think?" Fitz nodded at Mellie.
She nodded too. "I think that would be a nice little craft, K," Mellie agreed with a smile.
"Yes!" Karen exclaimed. "Thanks, mom. Thanks, dad!"
She took off running again back upstairs with her model.
The instant she did, they both disconnected themselves again and Fitz immediately turned his attention back to his coffee.
He sighed, looking over his shoulder at Mellie, who looked completely annoyed, upset, and a little bit defeated.
And on his end, he could relate too.
And so marked the beginning of another long, uphill battle.
The truth.
Well, there you go. That was a lot!
Some more steps were made. Big steps!
Pretty rough and bumpy, but we'll get there eventually. Thanks for sticking with me, friends. Some are either really liking the direction it's headed, or really not. I cherish all opinions, because nobody thinks the same way and everyone views things differently. I just ask that you please stay respectful in how you share those opinions.
Stay safe and read on.
~T