Chapter Twenty-Seven: Stepping Up
Fitz pulled his car into the parking garage at about nine o-clock that same night. After Olivia left his penthouse in a rage hours before, he'd spent all afternoon out looking for her. He'd driven around just about the entire city, hoping to find her. He had no idea where specifically to look, so he just looked all over. He had gone by her old brownstone first, to see if she'd gone back there, but no one was home but Alex, and she didn't know where Olivia was either. And even if she did, she wouldn't tell Fitz.
Fitz had left more messages to count on Olivia's cellphone. He'd left so many messages, that he filled up her answering machine. Fitz was beginning to get real worried now. It was beginning to get dark, and Olivia was still missing. She'd been gone all day, and no one knew where she was.
Fitz felt even more terrible knowing, he was the cause of all this. Why'd he have to say that to her? It wasn't even like he meant it. He knew if Olivia was really pregnant, that he was the father. Fitz knew he was Olivia's first and still the only man she'd ever been with.
He didn't mean half the things he said, he was just scared. Scared of being a father. Scared of being responsible for another human being. He didn't know why he was so set in stone about not having a kid, but he meant it. And now here Olivia was blowing up all his plans.
He'd be the first to admit that he handled the situation… poorly, which is an understatement. But now, he'd give anything to just find Olivia and try to make things right. He still wasn't happy about their 'situation', but he didn't want to lose Olivia over it.
As the elevator doors opened to his penthouse, Fitz rushed put, hoping that maybe Liv had come back while he was out looking for her. He called out her name, but the only one to answer was Annie. Fitz was disappointed to say the least. Annie told Fitz that she hadn't seen Olivia since she left earlier that afternoon. Fitz was defeated, he had run out of places to look for Olivia, and she clearly didn't want to be found. After telling Annie she could take off for the night, Fitz went into his office for a drink.
He was half enjoying his scotch behind his desk, when he picked up his phone to call Alex again. She answered on the fourth ring out of breath and panting. There was loud music in the background and she was shouting to speak over it.
"Hello?"
"Alex its Fitz." Fitz felt himself yelling as well, and he wasn't even in the room with her.
Alex used the remote to pause the television. She was currently working out with Shaun T's insanity DVD workout program. She didn't work out often, but she'd gained a few pounds recently and wanted to shed the extra weight off.
Alex sighed into the receiver. She was tired of Fitz calling her over and over. Alex had no idea where her sister was, and even if she did, she wouldn't tell Fitz. When Fitz had come by the house earlier tonight, she'd forced him to tell her why her sister had run out on him. And Fitz was honest with his explanation. Safe to say Alex was not on his side.
"What do you want Fitz? And make it quick. This workout is really kicking my ass, and if I stop now I'll never finish." Alex drank a big gulp of her ice-cold Gatorade.
"Have you heard form Olivia?"
"No I have not, and even if I had, I'm not sure I would tell you. I'd probably make you suffer for a few more hours."
"This isn't funny Alex. She's been gone for hours now, it's getting dark and I'm really worried about her."
"Well who's fault is that?"
"Mine I know, but I'm allowed to be worried." Fitz growled. "I've been all over this city looking for her, I've even had Tom out looking. I've been calling her nonstop and leaving messages on her phone and-"
"Well she couldn't answer your call even if she wanted to, she left her phone back in Sag."
"What?"
"She left in a hurry. She was pretty freaked out when she thought she was pregnant. I'm mean she had to be if she drove all the way here to the city for a pregnancy test. I'm pretty sure they have pregnancy tests in Sag Harbor."
"You took her?"
"Yeah."
"Why didn't she come to me?"
"Oh please your reaction earlier is exactly why she didn't come to you first. Come on, do you honestly believe it would've been better if you knew sooner?" Fitz was silent, he didn't answer. "I didn't think so. Look Olivia was already nervous as shit about being pregnant, and she was just scared shitless about telling you. She just knew you were going to freak out and not be the least bit happy. And quite honestly, I was hoping you would prove her wrong. For once, I was in your corner, but you just had to go a screw it up and prove her right. I mean honestly Fitzgerald, the best you could come up with was to question her loyalty to you? Why do guys always jump to conclusions?"
"It was stupid alright; I didn't mean it. I was just confused. Olivia had just dropped a baby bomb on me and I was scared. My filter was temporarily broken."
"Well then fix it, and go apologize to my sister you dipshit."
"How am I supposed to do that, when I don't even know where she is?"
"Figure it out." Alex said, right before she hung up the phone.
Alex sympathized with Fitz just a little. She could only imagine what he must be feeling after learning he was going to be a father to a baby he didn't plan nor want. But that didn't excuse his behavior towards her sister. And Olivia wasn't off the hook either, Alex was pissed with her as well. She didn't like that Olivia just ran off, it was childish. But Alex was more pissed that Olivia hadn't called to tell her where she was going. Alex knew she forgot her phone at home, but she had to be somewhere with a phone or at least near one.
Just as Alex was about to put the phone back on the hook, it began to ring. She answered right away thinking it was Fitz calling her back for hanging upon him.
"Look Fitz I'm not-"
"Fitz called you?" Olivia cut her off on the other end.
"Uh yeah he did, and has been all night long. He's been driving around this entire city like a madman looking for you ever since you decided to pull a Losing Isaiah and run away from home."
"Isaiah didn't run away, his mother left him in a dumpster."
"Okay, but you got my point. And shame on you for not telling me where you were. I was worried too you know." Alex chastised her.
"I didn't have my phone."
"Oh but you've conveniently got one now. What are you doing anyway? Where are you?"
"The Hilton. I don't know how long I'd been driving around, before I decided to stop. I didn't feel like driving all the way back to Sag, and no offense I didn't want to come back to the brownstone either."
"Well fuck you too."
"I just wanted to be alone Lex, clear my head."
Alex sighed. "Fine. But the next time you need to 'clear your head' let a bitch know where you're are at first."
"I will."
"So how is the head clearing going?"
"It's going great. I just spent the last hour and a half in my jacuzzi tub. Those jets are heavenly."
"I bet. You know Fitz has been calling you nonstop."
"I left my phone at home."
"I know, and I told him that. And he told me what happened between you two."
"Everything?"
"Pretty sure yes."
"I told you he would react this way. I knew it. I knew he wouldn't be happy, not even just a little bit. I shouldn't have even told him."
"Right, and what were you going to do when you started showing? Told Fitz you swallowed a soccer ball?"
"Maybe."
Alex chuckled. "You are ridiculous. He needed to know Liv."
Olivia sighed. "I don't want to talk about this."
"Well you're not going to have a choice pretty soon. You know, you're eventually going to have to talk to him. The two of you are going to have to figure out how to deal with this."
"There's nothing to deal with, I'm having this baby."
"Okay, glad to hear. But the two of you still need a plan. You have some serious things to talk about. For instance, will the two of you be raising this baby together or separate? Who's the baby going to live with? Are you moving back here- and personally, I wish you would."
"Alex I'm not moving back to the city."
"Why not?" Alex whined. She really wished Olivia would move back already. She didn't like living by herself.
"Alex I like it in Sag Harbor. I have a life there now and a business that's doing good. Besides, I'd much rather raise my child there than in the city."
"What's wrong with the city? You've lived here your entire adult life and you loved it."
"Yes I did, but I like that I have an actual yard at my home. That I can take more than ten steps from my front door and not be in the busy street. I love that I'm not stuck in bumper to bumper traffic anytime I want to go somewhere. I love that it's actually quiet at night, and I can sleep without hearing cars honking, people yelling and the occasional gunshot."
"Oh please you never heard gunshots."
"But I could have is my point. Lex you know I've always wanted my Where the heart is ending."
"Oh God here we go." Alex groaned. Olivia loved the movie Where the heart is, and all she could talk about was one day, she would have a family, and she could sit out on her own porch watching her kids in the yard, drinking chocolate milk as the sun went down.
"I want my chocolate milk and sunset Alex."
"You know that's a movie right? And you know how ridiculous you sound everything you say that."
"I don't care, I want it. And I can't get it if I move back to New York City."
"Ugh, I hate you."
"You love me."
"Whatever. I'm still going to hang up on you."
"That's fine with me. I want to order some room service anyway. I'm starving." She hadn't anything since that morning, she really was starving. "Oh and Lex, if he calls you again, please don't tell him where I am."
"Yeah whatever."
"I mean it Lex. I know I have to talk to him eventually, but I just need a few more hours to myself."
"Alright, I won't tell him."
"Thank you."
X
The next morning, Olivia checked out of her hotel around ten. She felt refreshed from the one night of luxury she got. She'd spent all of yesterday afternoon enjoying her jacuzzi tub, watching TV, and eating whatever she wanted. Olivia wasn't one to drown her feelings with food, but yesterday she did.
Before she gassed up her tank for the drive back home, she called her sister and told her that she was leaving. She thought about going to see her parents before she left, but rethought that idea. She wasn't ready to tell her parents she was pregnant yet. Olivia wasn't showing, so the only way they could know was if she told them, and she didn't think she'd be able to keep it a secret long if she was sitting right in front of them.
Olivia wasn't embarrassed or ashamed of being pregnant, but she knew her parents would be less than excited about a grandbaby on the way. And Olivia had already dealt with Fitz's disappointment, she didn't need anymore. Eli would more than likely just be upset that Fitz was her baby daddy. But Dianna would be more upset that Olivia was having a baby out of wedlock. Dianna wasn't completely old school or traditional, but she was close enough. She didn't want her kids having premarital sex, yet along having a baby without being married first. Dianna was in for a real shocker, once Alex finally decides to come out the closet.
The entire ride back to her house was for the most part quiet. The radio played quietly in the background, but Olivia wasn't paying any attention to it. She was too deep in thought. And surprisingly, it wasn't about Fitz. No, she was in deep thought about her baby. She was excited. She couldn't wait until she could get a doctor's appointment. She was looking forward to the day she started to show. She didn't feel pregnant right now, besides her upset stomach a few weeks ago, she hadn't had many symptoms of a pregnancy.
Olivia was already planning how she would decorate the nursery. She was thinking a Lion King theme, regardless of gender, that was her favorite Disney movie growing up. She already had a to do list together and a shopping list of things she needed to get before the baby arrived. Bottles, diapers, wipes, crib, bassinet, stroller, car seat, a breast pump because she was definitely going to breast feed. Olivia was too excited making this mental list in her head. She was going to have too much fun picking all this stuff out. She just hoped that Fitz would have come around by then in order to help her pick some things out.
Thinking about him now, made Olivia think about something her sister had said yesterday on the phone. Alex had a point when she said Olivia and Fitz have somethings to work out. She was right. Olivia wanted to be with Fitz, but if she had to choose between her baby and Fitz, she would choose her baby each time. Olivia had just discovered she was pregnant and already she was a mama bear.
And if she and Fitz decided to raise this baby together, Olivia had no intentions of moving back to the city. She would be over the moon if Fitz decided to move in with her in the house, but she knew the chances of that were slim to none. Fitz loved the fast pace of the city. But more than that, he wouldn't want to leave his business, just as Olivia did want to leave hers.
So how would this work? Would she have to send her baby down to the city to stay with Fitz on the weekends? Or a week? The thought of her baby being away from her already upset Olivia, and she subconsciously put her hand on her belly. Safe to say, she and Fitz needed to have a serious conversation.
X
Olivia got back to her house around one, it took her almost three hours to get home due to the light traffic on the roads and the frequent bathroom stops she had to make. It was either a pregnancy symptom or the big gulp she'd been sipping on the entire ride.
Before she even pulled into her driveway, she noticed Fitz's car in her carport. Then she noticed Fitz sitting on one of the lounge chairs she had on her front porch. Olivia wondered how long he'd been out there waiting for her to come home, and had half the mind to keep driving, just to make him wait even longer. Olivia also wondered how he even knew she was on her way home and how he beat her there.
Olivia parked her car beside his, under her carport. Sometimes she really wished she had a garage instead of just a carport. After she gather herself for a moment, Olivia turned off the engine and got out the car. Instead of going through the side door like she normally did, she walked around to the front of the house. Fitz stood when she walked up the steps. He looked like he hadn't slept, and Olivia found it oddly comforting.
Neither of them spoke. Fitz just stood with his hands in his pockets looking for the right words. He'd planned this entire speech in his head while he was waiting for Olivia to show, but now he couldn't even think of the first word.
"How'd you know I was here?" Olivia finally broke the silence.
"Alex."
"Right." Olivia walked further on the porch and sat on the same bench lounger he was on a moment before. "So I take it you came to talk." Fitz nodded and sat beside her. "So talk."
"I'm sorry."
Olivia humorlessly chuckled. "That's all you got?"
"I was an idiot."
"Keep going."
"I… I was caught off guard when you told me you were pregnant. And I admit now that I didn't handle it well, but at the time Liv I didn't know how to react. I was scared and nervous and I put my foot in my mouth."
Olivia nodded in agreement. "Yeah you did."
"Liv I've never been a father before-"
"Well Fitz I've never been a mother before." Olivia cut him off. "Being around my baby cousins and friend's babies is way different from raising one of your own. I'm scared. I'm nervous too. But I also see the good in all this. I see in a few months that I'll have a baby in my arms, one that I made with a man that I love with all my heart. And I know that it won't always be easy, but I at least thought that we would have each other to lean on when it got rough."
"Olivia I will always be there for you. For anything." Fitz confirmed.
"Will you? Because it sure didn't feel like it yesterday. I mean I didn't expect you to be jumping off the walls, over the moon, but I at least… you didn't even seem the least bit happy Fitz. You reacted like I'd just given you the worst news in the world. Like I'd just ruined your life. Is having a baby that bad to you? Is having a baby with me that bad?" Tears formed in Olivia's eyes, thinking she was the reason for Fitz's hesitancy. If she was thinking in her right mind, she'd now how ridiculous that was.
"No Livvie. Of course not. Baby I love you and nothing you could ever do will change that." Fitz assured her. "I'm just scared. And I know I keep saying that over and over again, but that's the only way I know how to explain to you what I'm feeling." Fitz took her hands in his. "When I was out looking for you yesterday, I saw this man and his son in park. They were trying to fly kites. The kid couldn't have been more than three years old, but he was having the time of his life flying kites with his dad." Fitz smiled thinking about the memory. "For the shortest time, I imagined that was me and our son. It faded away as quickly as the thought came, but it was enough for me to realize that becoming a father wouldn't be the worst or most scariest thing in the world to do. And I know that I will be far from perfect, but I'm willing to try."
That was all Olivia wanted and needed to hear. "Really?"
"Yes." Fitz smiled, and wiped Olivia's tears away. She'd been strong up until this point, but now that she felt some supports from Fitz, she felt comfortable enough to left her emotions get the better of her.
"I'm scared. What if I mess up?" Olivia hadn't felt comfortable enough to share her fears with him until now.
"Then I guess we'll just have one fucked up kid."
Olivia laughed despite herself and allowed Fitz to pull her onto his lap. She put her head on his shoulder, and her arms around his waist. She sighed, when she felt him kiss the top of her head.
"I'm sorry." Fitz whispered again.
"I'm sorry too."
"For what?"
"For running away. Alex told me you were looking all over the city for me. I didn't mean to make you worry."
"Where'd you go anyway?"
"The Hilton. I didn't feel like driving all the way home and I didn't want to go home to Alex either. How long had you been out here waiting?"
"Not too long. The moment Alex told me you were heading up here, I got on the road. I was breaking all kinds of traffic laws. I got pulled over twice."
"Fitz."
"I only got one ticket though, the first guy gave me a warning."
"Fitz?"
"Hmm?"
"Did you mean what you said?"
"Yeah." Fitz confirmed, kissing the top of her head again. "Every word."
X
The next morning, Fitz woke up earlier than Olivia. The sun hadn't even awakened when Fitz did. The night, Fitz had troubles getting to sleep and now he was having troubles staying asleep. His mind was still going, still taken from the news of Olivia's pregnancy and the fact that he was about to become a father. Fits wished that he could be excited. He wished the he could even pretend that he was as happy as Olivia seemed to be. But he could. Fitz's feelings were of the exact opposite.
Years ago, Fitz's father had this same dilemma, when he learned Marilyn was pregnant with their first child. He had the same doubts and fears Fitz was experiencing now. Gerry was also worried about his career. He was still playing professional ball when Fitz was born. At the time, Gerry had this big irrational fear that having a kid would mean the end of his football career. Obviously, that wasn't the case.
Gerry eventually came along, he learned to enjoy and got excited about the prospect of becoming a father. Teaching his son football, playing catch in the backyard. And when Fitz was born, Gerry didn't think it was possible to love another human being the same way again. The Patrick was born, then lastly his baby girl was born. And it seemed as if Gerry's world was finally complete. Fitz can only hope that his story will have the same outcome as his father's.
He didn't want his child to come into this world and not feel the love of his father. That wouldn't be right for his kid. Fitz hoped that when his son or daughter is born into this world, that he will love him or her with everything in him.
Fitz was taken from his thoughts, when Olivia stirred in her sleep. She moaned and turned over onto her back. The sheet that was once around her waist now lay below her knees, revealing the oversized Prince t-shirt she was wearing. The shirt had slid up over her hips, exposing her underwear and a portion of her stomach. Fitz pushed her shirt up even more, revealing the rest of her stomach. It was still flat. Olivia didn't have abs, but it was still flat and soft. There certainly weren't any indications that she was pregnant.
Fitz moved his hand to rest on her stomach, but at the last minute he pulled back. He was sure what made his do so, but he didn't touch her. Instead opting to stare down at her belly slowly moving up and down as she breathed.
Fitz stayed that way for about an hour more, until he decided to go downstairs to make breakfast for himself and Olivia. He left her snoring lightly in bed, and headed downstairs. He started the coffee pot that he had to fish out of the back of her cabinets and the coffee from the back of her pantry. Since Olivia didn't drink coffee, she felt no need to keep the coffee maker out or the coffee cluttering up her space. Thinking about Liv, Fitz took out the tea kettle and put some water on for her tea.
Fitz looked in her fridge, and frowned at the lack of food inside. He would have to take her grocery shopping for the house. He did manage to find a package of English muffins, and he popped two in her toaster. He found some almond butter and spread that on her muffin. He also found a couple bananas and some more fruit in a basket. He sliced them up and plated it beside her muffin. It wasn't a gourmet breakfast, but it was the best he could do with what he had.
Fitz was reading the paper at the bar, sipping his coffee and waiting for Olivia's tea to finish. He had just turned a page, when Olivia came down the steps with a quickness. Fitz immediately noticed her face and expression. It wasn't one of pleasure.
"You okay?" Fitz asked.
Olivia didn't answer, instead she headed straight for the coffee pot on the counter and ppoured the entire pot down the drain. She turned the water on, making sure every drop of coffee went down the drain.
"So, no coffee this morning?" Fitz asked jokingly.
"Ugh!" Olivia loaded the coffee pot, making sure to close the door, anything to get that coffee smell to go away. "If I didn't like the smell of coffee before, I certainly don't appreciate it now. I just spent the past half hour with my head in the toilet."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think about that."
"It's okay. Just no more coffee for the next few months please." Olivia walked over to where he was at the bar and stood between his legs, eyeing the breakfast he made for her. "Is some of that for me?"
"All of it is actually. And I put some tea on for you."
Olivia reached over and grabbed a half of the muffin off the plate. "Mmm, thank you." She puckered her lips, and Fitz didn't hesitate to pop a kiss on her lips. But her reaction wasn't what he was expecting. "Ugh! Oh God!"
"Well that not the normal Oh God I normally get out of you."
"Fitz." Olivia groaned. "Did you drink that coffee?"
"I had a sip of a cup."
"Gross, you taste so gross right now."
"Ouch."
"Just go brush your teeth please."
"Is this what I have to look forward to for the next few months?"
"No, because you are not allowed to drink coffee as long as this baby is messing with my senses."
After Fitz went upstairs to brush his teeth, Olivia talked him into taking the dogs out for their morning walk. Olivia wasn't up too it this morning, and honestly Fitz wouldn't mind so much if he only had to walk Pongo. Pongo had long since warmed up to him, but for whatever reason, Dipstick hadn't warmed up to him yet.
Standing at the back door, sipping on her tea, Olivia watched Fitz playing outside with the dogs. He'd come back from a quick job around the neighborhood, and now he was playing fetch in the back yard. She could get use to this, Olivia thinks, as she rubs her belly. She felt like she was living out one of those cheesy movies on lifetime. The wife watches the dad playing outside with the pets or the kids on a bright sunny day. All they were missing was the white picket fence and water sprinklers.
The phone rang on her counter top and Olivia broke her gaze to anseer it. She saw the caller ID and answered.
"Hey Lex."
"Hey." Alex spoke hesitantly. She didn't know if Fitz had made it to Olivia's or not, and if he had, she didn't know if Olivia was pissed at her or not for telling Fitz where she was going. "Have you heard from Fitz?"
I'm watching him run around my backyard now. He got here yesterday. But you already knew that, since you were the one who told him where I was."
"I'm sorry Liv. But he sounded real desperate and he was real worried about you. Plus, I thought you two really needed to talk."
"I'm not mad Alex."
"You're not?"
"No, you were right, we did need to talk. Last time there mostly just a bunch of yelling and storming out."
"So, what'd he say? Did he apologize for being an ass?"
"Yeah, he said he was sorry. Gave this whole spiel about him being scared, which I get. But…"
"But what? You sound like you don't believe him."
"I don't know Lex. I mean just the other day, he was so adamant about not wanting a kid, then the next day I'm to believe all that's changed just because he had a pretty speech planned? I mean, this isn't a decision over vanilla or chocolate. This is baby or no baby, you can't just flip flop your mind every day."
"Olivia if he says he wants to have a kid now, then why are you trying to twist it into something else? This is what you wanted."
"Exactly. What if he's just saying all this stuff because he knows it's what I want to hear and not because he means it?"
"I don't know Liv. I mean eventually you'll discover the truth. I guess right now, it's just a risk you're going to have to take."
X
Around three o'clock that same day, Olivia and Fitz both sat nervously in the waiting room of Hamptons Gynecology and obstetrics. Olivia had called ahead, and by chance, they had a last-minute cancelation and was able to squeeze her in for an appointment that afternoon. Olivia was nervous. She was ninety-nine percent sure she was pregnant, but actually getting the confirmation and possibly seeing the baby today was freaking her out.
She was more so nervous about at Fitz's reaction would be. When she told him she managed to get an appointment today, she was more shocked that he readily agreed to go, and she didn't have to ask. She expected him to give her a little pushback, but he did. Maybe Alex was right, maybe she was selling him short.
Fitz had been hold her hand ever since they left her house for their appointment. He helped her into his car, and took hold of her hand again after he'd gotten settled in the driver's seat. And now in the waiting room, he was still holding her hand. Although she kind of wished he would let go. Only because his hands were sweating and his was shaking his legs, which in turn was making shake.
Olivia had never seen Fitz so nervous before. In fact, she'd never seen him this way before, Fitz didn't get nervous. He was always in control of every situation, he always knew what was coming next. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe the fact that he couldn't control this particular situation and the fact that he had no idea what to expect next was what was bothering him. For once in his adult life, Fitz wasn't in control and that both bothered and unnerved him.
"Olivia Pope." Olivia name was called, by a small fair skinned woman with platinum blonde hair and light blue scrubs. "How are you today?" She asked, once Fitz and Olivia had passed through the doorway.
"A little nervous is we're being honest."
The woman chuckled at Olivia, and affectionately rubbed her arm. "All first time mothers are, but there's no need to be nervous. Honestly."
Before they were shown to a room, Olivia had her weight, blood pressure and other test taken. Then she was given a gown and shown to her room to wait for her doctor. She was told it would be only ten minutes at the most, but Olivia and Fitz found themselves waiting for almost half an hour for their doctor to come to their room.
"This is ridiculous." Fitz complained for the fourth time. "You'd expect from nice establishment that you'd be serviced in a timely manner."
"Fitz please just relax." Olivia was laying down on the exam table, reading a pamphlet that she should really put down. It was a pamphlet about the possible complications that could occur during a pregnancy. Olivia was just driving herself insane reading page after page and the complications just kept getting worse and worse. "Jesus, why do they keep this kind of stuff in here?" Olivia tossed the pamphlet back on the small table in the corner. Fitz wasn't paying her any attention, he was busy peeking through the blinds on the door. "Fitz will you please cut it out?"
"It's rude Olivia. It's just plain rude to have us in here waiting to see someone after almost half an hour. Especially when we were told it would only be ten minutes."
"The waiting room was packed when we were in there, I'm sure their just busy today."
"Well then they need to hire more staff to handle the work load."
Olivia rolled her eyes, and rested back on the exam table. "I'm sure someone will be in here shortly."
"I'm sure they will be too. I'm tired of fucking waiting." Fitz headed for the door.
"Fitz don't you dare!" Olivia shot off the bed, but she was too slow. Fitz had already swung the door open and was gone before she could reach him. Too embarrassed to follow him, Olivia stayed in the room, with her head in her hands. She could hear a raised voice but was sort of muffled, she couldn't make out what Fitz was saying, but she knew it wasn't anything polite.
Not even two minutes later, Fitz came back into the room, with a red face, followed by a man in a lab coat and a similar red face. Although his face was red from either embarrassment or fear and not of anger as Fitz's was.
"Hello, I'm doctor Jackson. So sorry about the wait, we've got a full house today and we're a little understaffed."
"It's no problem really. He's just very impatient."
Dr. Jackson gave her a look like 'no kidding'. "So Ms. Pope-"
"Olivia please. And this is my boyfriend Fitz. I'm sure he didn't introduce himself earlier." Fitz didn't speak, he'd said what he needed to say outside.
"It's lovely to meet you." Dr. Jackson cleared his throat. "The both of you. So, you took a pregnancy test, and I'm assuming it came back positive."
"Yes."
"When was your last menstrual cycle?"
"Um, a few weeks ago."
"How many is a few?"
"Like eleven or twelve." Olivia was slightly embarrassed.
"I see."
"I've never had a normal cycle. That's why I didn't think anything of it."
"There's no need to be embarrassed. There have been women who've gone way further into their pregnancy not knowing they were caring a baby, some even up until they're pushing the kid out thinking it was gas." That made Olivia laughed. "It's good that you caught it earlier though. This way we can check you out, make sure everything is alright in there, and get you started on your prenatal care. And now that you know you're caring, you can begin to take better care of yourself. Meaning your diet and exercise, limiting stress."
Dr. Jackson had Olivia to lay back against the table and put her feet up in the stirrups. Fitz watched as the dr. picked up the probe, and roll what looked like a big condom over the tip, but he didn't say anything. That is until Fitz saw what the good doctor was about to do with that probe, did he speak.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Fitz had instinctively grabbed the man's wrist, rather tightly.
"Fitz what is the matter with you?" Olivia growled at him. If she wasn't so embarrassed or if it was happening to someone else and not herself, she might have found his naiveite humorous."
"Me? He's the one trying to stick wands up your vagina."
"That's his job Fitz."
"Isn't there something he can rub on your stomach?"
"Since I'm not sure how far along Ms. Pope is, I'm going to perform the ultrasound transvaginal."
"Fitz let him go."
"I don't like this."
"Well you are not the doctor Fitz. Are you going to get down there, and do it?" Fitz still hadn't let go of the man's wrist. "Fitz for Christ sake, he's not going to take pictures. The man is a professional, I'm sure he's done this a hundred times before. Now let him go."
Fitz finally let go of the man's wrist and let him continue with the ultrasound. He watched both the doctor and Olivia. He saw Olivia squirming, the further the doctor pushed that wand and Olivia's eyes closing and face wining in slight pain and discomfort.
"Aren't you finished yet?"
"Just a little while longer Mr. Grant."
"Well you're hurting her."
"Fitz." Olivia reached out to hold his hand, to possible get him to chill out. She found it slightly endearing how much he was caring for her right now, but he was also getting on her nerves. She turned her head towards the screen, and saw nothing at first, but the more Dr. Jackson moved the wand around, the more she could make out the baby. "Is that- is that it?" Olivia whispered, mostly to herself, but the doctor answered.
"Yes. That's is your baby. There's a hand and another, a foot and over here is the other."
"Oh my God. It's really in there." Olivia couldn't believe that she was actually pregnant. That there was an actual little human growing inside of her right now. Although she'd already know, today just made it all the more real to her. She looked up to Fitz, but his eyes were glued to the monitor screen. She tried to read his expression, but couldn't. The only bright side, was that he didn't seem to be upset or angry.
"The fetus looks to be around 2 inches long, which would put your around eleven to twelve weeks. Which lines up with the last menstrual cycle you can remember."
"And it looks okay?"
"So far so good. Length is within the correct range, and so is the weight."
"Can you tell what it is?" Olivia asked.
"Well right now, you're slightly under the marker when we could be able to tell you a definite sex. But possibly in your next visit or two, we should be able to tell if we need barrettes or bowties."
"Thank you dr. Jackson. For squeezing us in today."
"My pleasure."
"I'm sure that's a lie, but thank you anyway."
Before they left the doctor's office, Olivia made another appointment with the receptionist for the first of next month.
X
Much like the car ride to the office, the ride home was silent. Olivia was too busy staring at her at her ultrasound picture to carry on a conversation with Fitz. And that was just fine with Fitz, because he was too busy thinking about the fact that Olivia was pregnant. It truly sunk in to him that he was about to be a father, when he saw that ultrasound and heard his baby's heartbeat for the first time.
Fitz didn't know what to think, he was a mixture of emotions right now. And although he was scared shitless, he also felt something else. Something he couldn't explain, it was almost like pride. Every time he looked over to Olivia still admiring the ultrasound, he warmed inside. 'I did that' He'd think. Fitz was also feeling his overprotective nature growing by the minute. Fitz was a naturally caring and protective person, but it doubled the day he met Olivia. And now that his seed was growing inside her, it was tripled. You could say a lot about Fitz, but you couldn't say that he didn't care for anyone or take care of his own.
"What do you think about Salmon tonight?" Fitz looked at Olivia, but she could tell he hadn't heard what she said. "Salmon? Tonight, for dinner? I've been in the mood for Salmon. And I saw this recipe in a magazine that I wanted to try." Fitz began to laugh, which in turn made Olivia laugh. "What?"
"You're going to cook?" Fitz asked, still laughing.
"What?"
"Liv do you not remember almost burning down my house the last time you cooked."
"I did not."
"Liv I woke up to the smoke detector and a face full of smoke." Fitz was referring to the time Olivia tried to be sweet and cook him breakfast in bed. She'd started off well, but when she began to cook more than one thing at a time, everything went sideways. She burned the pancakes so bad, that the batter stuck to the pan and couldn't get it off. The bacon in the oven was black when it was finally taken out the oven and the eggs… Olivia didn't like to think about that disaster.
"It wasn't that bad, there wasn't that much smoke."
"Baby, I couldn't even see you in the kitchen there was so much smoke."
Olivia rolled her eyes, knowing Fitz was telling the truth. Olivia was just trying to do something nice for him, and it totally backfired on her. She was so upset and embarrassed that she had ruined the food and almost burned the kitchen. After they got most of the smoke under control, opening every door and window that could be opened, broke down in tears. Fitz tried to console her, but she ended up locking herself in his bedroom pouting underneath the covers. Fitz finally got her to come out with some Chinese takeout food. Olivia never did try to cook him food that involved an oven or a stove.
"Shut up Fitz! That was very traumatic for me."
"Traumatic for you? I thought you had burned down my house."
"Whatever. I've gotten better at cooking thank you very much. I have to feed myself someway, and my mother told me I couldn't live off takeout and restaurant food."
"Yeah well I guess I'll find out after you cook this salmon tonight."
"Yes you will. But we need to go to the market before we head home."
"We've got to get your prescription first."
X
"Liv none of this is on the recipe list." Fitz complained for the third time as Olivia put yet another bunch of bananas into the basket Fitz was lugging around in the market. They had come in for the ingredients for Olivia's salmon dinner tonight. They had gotten most of the ingredients, except for the main thing they needed, Salmon. Olivia had gotten distracted by the fresh fruit for sale and was now filling their basket up with every fruit imaginable.
"I know, but I want some fruit." Olivia picked a few cherries from their bag and popped them in her mouth. When she was satisfied with the taste, she put the entire bag in the basket. "Now I need some cheese and crackers. I've got some brie cheese at home, but I need some Chevre Cheese to go with these cherries."
"Okay, now can we go please?"
"No, I can smell those peaches form here. I have to get some."
"Livvie-"
"Just go get a cart, I'm almost finished."
"Fucking hell." Fitz reluctantly went off to find a shopping cart, because Olivia had quickly filled up their small shopping basket. This was supposed to be a quick trip to the market, but Olivia had turned it into an hour trip.
After Fitz found the shopping carts, he dumped all their groceries into the cart and went to find Olivia. He figured she'd still be in the fruit section, but he didn't find her there. He walked around the market, until he spotted her at the meat section checking out the fish. She was bent over with her back towards him, unaware of him watching her ass bent over the cold case. And as she was unaware of Fitz, she was also unaware of the older gentleman in khaki slacks watching her ass as well.
Fitz watched the man turn away from Olivia's ass to her face to greet her in a hug.
"Max! What are you doing here?"
"Olivia Carolyn Pope as I live and breathe." Max pulled Olivia into a hug, squeezing her tight.
"What are you doing here Max? Last time I saw you you were living the life in Athens."
"Yeah well, needed a little change of scenery."
"To Sag Harbor?"
"New York actually. I'm just up here doing a little site seeing."
"New York is still quite a change from Greece."
Max just shrugged. Max was a man Olivia had met while she was traveling. She had spent quite some time in Athens Greece having the time of her life. She met Max while doing a little site seeing, and he became a tour guide for her. Olivia was skeptical about trusting a stranger in a foreign place, but there was something about Max. He showed her all the hot spots, and all the little hidden gems that only the locals knew about. Stuff that wasn't on the generic tourist guide. And overtime, Max became a good friend of Olivia'. After all the places Olivia had been all the people she'd met, Max was who she'd missed the most when she left off to another adventure.
"Olivia Pope. Mhm. You are still fine as hell."
Olivia chuckled. Max was definitely a ladies man, he'd tried one too many times to get with Olivia while she was in Athens. But she turned down every pass he made at her.
"Are you still 'Not dating right now'? That was the excuse you kept using with me."
"Max…"
"Oh don't tell me you're still caught up on the ex-boyfriend."
"Actually-"
"It's boyfriend now." Fitz came up from behind, cutting Olivia off and possessively gripping her hip. Fitz was glaring at Max, but because Max was the type of person to find humor in everything, he wasn't that intimidated by Fitz's little show.
"So you must be the infamous Fitz that I had the displeasure of hearing about every time I asked her for a date. I'm serious dude she talked about you for days, it was pretty fucking annoying." Max chuckled, but he was the only one laughing. Fitz was blowing smoke out his ears, and Olivia was subtly trying to tell Max to shut up.
"But hey, with a face that beautiful, she can talk about whatever she wants." Max winked at Olivia.
"Oh you're a cocky little son of a bitch huh." Fitz couldn't believe the nerve on this smug bastard.
"I just recognize beauty when I see it. And my friend, this is a rare beauty you've got here."
"I know that." Fitz, not at all subtly, moved Olivia behind him and out of Max's view. He was practically drooling on Olivia's shoes.
"Hey relax buddy." Max smiled. "She's totally digging you. I mean I tried to get at that for months and-"
"Okay." Olivia could sense the exact moment that Fitz was about to punch the daylight out of Max. Olivia would always tell Max that his mouth would get him beat up one day. Olivia made sure to stand between Fitz and Max, keeping the space, knowing Fitz would do anything while she was blocking him.
"It was nice seeing you again Max, but we've got to get going, we have dinner plans."
"Oh yeah sure." Max didn't seem to understand the danger he was in. His playful and no fuck to give personality didn't allow him to register Fitz's anger. "It was great seeing you again, maybe we could get together one of these days."
"Mhm." Olivia just smiled, she knew there was no way that was happening. "Bye now." Olivia grabbed hold of the cart and pushed it and Fitz away from Max and towards the checkout lines.
"Who was that clown?" Fitz asked as they stood in line for the registers.
"Maxwell Black." Olivia flipped through a People magazine. "I met him while I was in Athens. Remember I told you about the Photoshoot I did for Bazaar magazine and decided to stay afterwards. He was almost like a personal tour guide."
"How personal and what did he 'tour'?"
"Fitz you need to relax really." Olivia put her magazine back on the rack and smiled up at him, although he did not reciprocate. "Baby he was just a friend. Now and then. I haven't even seen him since u left Greece."
"Well you might have been friends, but he wanted much more than a friendly relationship with you. He was practically drooling over your ass."
"Well he can look all he wants." Fitz was about to get pissed off again, but Olivia cut him off. "Because, I only have eyes or you. You're the only man I want."
X
"Oh my God baby. Thank you for saving dinner." Olivia shoveled another piece of salmon into her mouth, moaning once again as the fish melted in her mouth. After they had gotten home from the market, Olivia changed into more comfortable clothes and got started on dinner. She was doing fine at first, following the recipe on her phone, then things took a scary turn. Olivia didn't even know when she had started to go wrong, but things were terribly wrong. Thankfully, Fitz was able to step in and save the day and dinner.
"Well I couldn't let you starve, because I damn sure wasn't going to let you eat whatever it was you had in that pan." Fitz laughed thinking about the mysterious substance Olivia was cooking up. "How do you screw up so badly and you were following with a recipe the entire time?"
"I have no idea." Olivia laughed. "I swear to you I can cook better than what you've seen. I had to learn to cook to feed myself. I think it's you, you're a jinx."
"Oh it's my fault you can't cook?"
"Yes, every time you're bear when I'm cooking, I royally fail. So it has to be you."
"If you say so."
"I do." Olivia smiled. "So… We never really talked about the appointment today."
"Talk about what?"
"About the fact that I'm pregnant."
"We already knew that."
"Yes well now we know for sure."
"So what do you want to talk about."
Olivia sighed. "I want to know how you feel about it. I know what you said the other day, but so you still feel that way knowing for sure we're going to have a baby in six months."
"That seems like so far away."
"It'll creep up on us soon enough. So how do you feel now?"
"Livvie I told you I'm here and in this with you." Fitz reached over and held her hand on top of the table. "This is my baby too, and I'll be here to help you raise it. I'm not going anywhere." Fitz meant what he said. He planned on being there for Olivia and their baby every step of the way. He was an asshole when he learned he was going to be a father, but now he planned on being the best father to his child. He promised to give this baby a life that it deserved and that others could only dream of. And not only make a vow to himself to do right by his child, but he also vowed to do right by Olivia. She'd already put up with so much with him in their short relationship together. He vowed right there that he would do right by Olivia and give her the life she deserved as well.
"Marry me." Fitz blurted out before he could stop himself. But now that he had, he wasn't sure he wanted to take it back. Before, Fitz had never thought about getting married. Being married and children once were the last things on his list of things to do in life. After Mellie, Fitz didn't see himself as the married type of guy anymore. And there hadn't been another woman to come around to change him mind, until Olivia.
Now, Fitz could see himself married, to Olivia that is. He could see himself being the married type. And now that he and Olivia had a child on the way, he figured it was the right time.
Olivia was staring at Fitz like she misheard what he'd said. Did he just as me to marry him? Or rather tell me to marry him? Because it didn't sound like a question to me. Was he serious?
"What?"
"Marry me." Fitz repeated. It was a lot easy to say the second time around.
"Why?
"What?" That wasn't the answer Fitz was expecting to hear. "What do you mean why?"
"Why are you asking me? Now?"
"Because you're pregnant and I love you."
Olivia sighed, and let go of his hand. She was hoping he wouldn't say that. Olivia would love nothing more than to marry Fitz and be the little nuclear family that she'd been dreaming about since she was kid. She wanted the kind of marriage she saw her parents have growing up. She wanted that with Fitz, but not if he was only asking her to marry him because she was pregnant. That alone was no reason for anyone to just jump into marriage. She wanted a marriage out of love, not obligation.
"What's the matter. I thought you'd be happy."
"And I would be if you were doing it right and asking me for the right reasons."
"Olivia I love you."
"Yes, but that's not your only reason. You asked me because I'm pregnant, as if your obligated to marry me because you knocked me up." Fitz was about to say something, but Olivia held up her hand to silence him. "Fitz I would love to marry you. I've wanted to be your wife just months after meeting you. Believe me, I want out family, but not this way. I don't want you to blurt out 'marry me' just hours after we learn we're having a baby."
"I just want to do right by you." Fitz answered.
"You do. And you don't have to propose to me to be a father to out child. Now isn't the right time Fitz. But when the right time does come, I want you down on one knee asking me to marry you because you love me and because I make you so crazy happy that you want to spend the rest of your life with me." Fitz chuckled. "And I promise, I will say yes."
"Okay." Olivia leaned over the table with her lips puckered. Fitz met her halfway and connected their lips.
"And not that I'm a materialistic girl, but the next time you ask me to marry you, it'd be nice if you had a ring with you."
Fitz laughed again, he was in a surprising mood for a man whose marriage proposal just got rejected. "Yes ma'am."
X
Until Next Time...