Chapter Nine

So don't you worry your pretty little mind

Law School Year 2, 1998

One Year.

Olivia couldn't believe that she and Fitz had made it through a year with only Lizzie North as an issue. Biting her lip, she stirred the homemade pasta sauce on the stove in the kitchen of their apartment. The decision to move in with him had been an easy one, surprisingly so in fact. Humming to herself, she slowly mixed in the chopped-up peppers and onions, adding in some oregano and sugar for good measure.

"Livie!" Fitz's voice echoed from the entryway of their apartment. "It smells amazing!" He continued to yell. She could tell he wasn't following the scent of the food quite yet.

Olivia chuckled and shook her head fondly. "In the kitchen, baby!" A moment later she felt his arms around her waist, pulling her back into his solid chest, his lips brushing the back of her head. "Mhm," she hummed as his lips landed on her neck, "how was Stephen? What did he want that couldn't wait until tomorrow?"

"To talk about Harrison's birthday." Fitz reached around her and popped one of the tortellini noodles in his mouth, a shit eaten grin on his face as he did so.

She smacked his hand and wagged a finger at him, "Don't eat the ingredients." She lectured playfully, "If you do, there won't be any tortellini lasagna for you to eat." She paused to stir the sauce, adding a bit of basil in. "Now, I thought we'd handled Harrison's birthday."

Fitz laughed, "Stephen wants to hire a hooker and he doesn't want you or Quinn to know about it. Quinn also introduced him to Abby. She is apparently very opinionated and Quinn will probably tell her and he doesn't want to hear that lecture."

Snorting, Olivia shook her head again, this time at the thought of Stephen and his questionable antics. "He does know that he's an attorney, right? Like almost officially so. Come September 12th, when he finds out his Bar results and gets sworn in, it will be real."

Fitz shrugged and moved to the fridge, grabbing a beer, "I guess he figures he should break the law while he still can."

Rolling her eyes, Olivia muttered, "I wonder what S&S would think of that." She mused to herself, referencing the private practice Stephen had a job with. Assuming he didn't get himself arrested first.

Setting his beer bottle on the kitchen counter, he pressed a kiss to her temple, "Perhaps we don't share this with them." Picking up the bottle again and taking another sip, he stepped back, "I'm going to jump in the shower quickly. Need any help with dinner?"

Olivia shook her head, "Nope. Thanks for letting us stay in tonight." She murmured with a smile.

"Quinn wear you out last night?" He teased.

"Her and that redhead she interned with this past summer." Olivia grumbled. Quinn had interned in California with the DA's office. There had been a girl, Abby Whelan, who was also interning there. Quinn knew of her from their time at Stanford. Abby was in her second year at Boston University. Quinn had introduced Olivia to Abby the night before and Olivia had been left speechless. And exhausted. The willowy redhead was brash, loud, and opinionated. Olivia was fairly opinionated herself, but Abby was an entirely different beast.

Fitz laughed, "Well, I can't wait to meet her at Harrison's Birthday Bash that Quinn has put together." He paused, his hand resting on her hip loosely, "You know," his face fell into one of concentration, "I think there's something there."

Olivia snorted, "There's totally something going on there. Or at least there was by the end of the school year. I wonder if summer ruined the potential? Anyhow, what does Harrison think of the hooker idea?"

"It's a no go." Fitz replied, "And he used Quinn as an excuse. Said she wouldn't approve of a hooker infiltrating her party."

Olivia frowned, "I thought it was a surprise party?"

"Yeah, Harrison figured it out pretty damn quickly." Fitz grinned, "He told us not to tell Quinn though, she's too excited about it."

"Oh, they're totally banging." Olivia rocked up on her toes, a grin on her face, "Go shower. Dinner's in an hour. I'm opening up a great bottle of wine I got downtown at that little liquor store that just opened up."

"Sounds perfect." His lips brushed against her forehead.

SCANDAL

Quinn beamed up at Harrison, a beer bottle clutched tightly in her hand, "Were you surprised?" She asked, her enthusiasm practically seeping from every pore.

He gave her a bright, white, charming smile, "Very."

Her face fell, "You knew. Damn it, and I wanted my very first surprise party to go well." She sighed, "So much for that."

Throwing an arm across Quinn's shoulders, Harrison brought her into his side, his lips brushing over her hair. "It's still perfect, Quinn. Promise." She shot him a skeptical look, but finally nodded her assent. He chuckled, "Let me get you another drink."

Quinn shook her head, "I can get it." She withdrew her beer bottle from his grasp.

Harrison snatched it from her, "Nope, I got it. See you around." He winked at her before darting off, leaving Quinn confused until Abby popped up behind her.

"Damn man." Quinn shook her head. She loved Abby, and they'd become fast friends, but sometimes she was too much, "Hey, Abs!"

"Okay," Abby dove into her latest story head first, "so this bitch just walked in looking for Fitz." Abby began, "Like I mean total bitch. She's refusing to touch anything and"

"Who is she? Where is she?" Quinn was fairly certain she knew the answer to that, though. Things had been too quiet for too long. Ever since Lizzie North blew in and out of town with Yale, no one had bothered them. Big Jerry had to be planning something, there was no way he was suddenly alright with Olivia and Fitz. And whatever his plans were it would involve Mellie or Lizzie. If the woman wasn't touching anything, it had to be Mellie.

"Over there. The porcelain brunette." Abby pointed across the room.

"Well, shit." Quinn left Abby, the redhead trailing behind her, muttering question after question. Quinn found Fitz and Olivia in the corner of the bar talking to Stephen and his date, an elementary school teacher named Georgia. "Hey, Liv, Fitz, Mellie is here."

"Well, fuck." Olivia muttered. She pressed her wine glass into Fitz's hand. "I can handle her. You don't have to see her if you don't want to."

Fitz set their glasses on the bar, "Together, Livie. Remember? Always together.'

Olivia nodded with a smile, linking their hands together. "Together." She agreed. They found Mellie talking to Harrison, looking disdainfully at the bar around her. "Mellie." She greeted the debutant curtly.

Mellie's face quickly shifted into a smile, "Olivia, Fitz, hi!"

"What do you want, Mellie?" Fitz asked tiredly.

"I was looking for you." Mellie sighed sweetly, "I didn't expect you to be here. In this bar." Her smile only faltered slightly, "You look good."

"Why do you want to see me?" Fitz asked.

"I was hoping we could get together, catch up." Mellie told him, her hand reaching out as if she was going to touch him before thinking better of it.

"Not happening." Fitz replied.

"But do stay." Olivia cut in before Mellie could ask Fitz anything else. "Have a drink." Olivia offered, her voice dripping with fate sweetness.

Mellie's face contorted into one of frustration before she finally plastered her fake smile into place. "No thank you, but I'm sure we'll be seeing each other soon." With a wave, she left them in the bar to continue their celebration.

Fitz stared at the front door as it slammed shut. "Well what in the hell do you think she means?"

Olivia was shaking her head, "I don't know."

SCANDAL