Disclaimer: Shondaland/ABC owns these characters. But I've taken the Gladiator oath as a writer: #OLITZ4LIFE #JAMMMmmmmm
No Mellie or Joke: Public Service Announcement for any accidental non-Olitz readers
"Did Dad tell you the bad news, Mom?" Jerry asked, as he munched on chocolate pecan turtles from the candy basket Olivia had brought back from Georgia. "Rowan is here."
"Yes, Fitz told me," Olivia shot a wry glance at Fitz, who gave her a cheeky grin in return.
"And did he tell you that we've become residents of Pope Prison?"
"Jerry's upset because we can't have Poppy, Rex, Daisy or Darth with us at meal times," Karen, said through a mouthful of chocolate pecan pralines, as she snuggled up to Olivia. "Rowan said smelly, mangy mutts belonged in kennels, not under the dinner table. But it's okay Dad talked to Rowan and now they can be in Jerry's room watching DOGTV when we're having dinner."
"Well, I kind of like not having my every bite watched by a bunch of drooling canines," muttered Fitz, snagging a handful of pretzel bites.
Jerry nudged Olivia's arm to gain her attention. "And Rowan's signed me up to help at a soup kitchen. I asked Dad to sign an Executive Order to get him to leave me alone, but Dad's being a hard ass. So you think you can speak to Rowan, Mom?"
Out of the corner of her eye, Olivia caught Fitz giving an imperceptible shake of his head. "Jer, is it the soup kitchen that's the problem? Would you like to help out somewhere else?"
"I don't mind the soup kitchen, but Rowan wants to be there too."
"Jerry thinks Rowan will be spying on him."
"Yeah," Jerry agreed with Karen. "If Rowan wants to do his part for the community, he should find another soup kitchen. Instead, he's following me around. It's a real bummer that he's your real dad. I was hoping we could run him out of town if he wasn't."
Fitz paused in the middle of popping a handful of glazed pecans into his mouth. "Wait, you were calling him Liv's 'fake' dad a few days ago. What changed your mind?"
"Nothing."
"Jerry."
"Okay, so I may have sent some of Mom's and Rowan's hairs off to be analysed. And I may have got the results back. And the results may have said they're 99.9% sure that Rowan is Mom's biological dad. But it's okay, Dad, I didn't pretend to be you this time. I got Pete to get the paternity kit, so no one can trace it back to the White House. And I'm paying him back from my allowance."
"Is it too late to tell the North Koreans that they can have Jerry?" Fitz muttered as Olivia straddled his lap undoing his tie.
Olivia kissed his chin. "You know, you can't keep grounding him."
"Yes, I can. This time he got Peter involved in his delinquent activities."
Olivia started on the buttons of his shirt. "Peter told his Dad about it."
"After the fact. I can't even imagine what Peter's parents must think of us."
Olivia chuckled. "Well, whatever they imagine won't be close to the real deal, like the past couple of days in Georgia."
Fitz tightened his hands on her waist. "I was so worried about you."
She stroked her fingers through his thick, silky soft curls. "Why?"
"I don't know. Something about that whole situation didn't feel right."
She cupped his face between her hands. "You were right. A child was kidnapped, but I was okay thanks to Tom, the other agents, my guys, Zeke and Zeke's team. You weren't playing when it came to my safety and I was fine."
Fitz rolled Olivia onto her back, settling himself between her legs. She smiled pushing her fingers into the curling hair at his nape, while rubbing her foot up along his muscled shin.
"I want to keep you wrapped up in cotton wool."
"Not fashion trendy." She wrinkled her nose to his soft chuckle. "And," she added huskily, "You need to chill when it comes to Jerry."
"The only way that's going to happen is if I move to the Arctic. And…" He nuzzled her nose. "The only reason you're cool, is because he was trying to get Rowan out of the White House."
"Yeah," Olivia chuckled. "I'm biased in Jer's favour because of that."
Fitz lowered his mouth to hers for a sweet, lingering kiss; sliding one arm from beneath her to begin flicking open the buttons of her jacket; issuing a soft sigh when it opened to reveal that she was bare underneath.
"If I'd known you were dressed like this, I wouldn't have brought the kids."
Pleasure swept over her in a tide as he fingers caressed her. Then he palmed her back, helping her arch towards him; a soft groan leaving them both, when his warm, wet mouth closed over her hot, pebbled skin.
Then they groaned in unison, hearing a sharp knock on the door.
"Pretend we're not here," Olivia urged, pressing her hand to the back of his head.
"Olivia, I know you're in there. This is your father," the authoritative voice called through the door.
Fitz rolled off Olivia and sat on the edge of the bed. Unfazed, Olivia shifted behind him, laying her cheek against his muscled back, sneaking her hands around him to stroke his chest.
He stopped her hands. "It's not going to work, baby. That was more effective than a bucket of cold water."
She sighed, as Fitz kissed her nose and began to do up her jacket.
"Dad." Olivia said, stepping out of the bedroom, closing the door behind her.
"Olivia." Rowan rested his gaze on her hair that she hadn't bothered to fix. Then his gaze returned to hers blandly. "How was Georgia?"
"That's why you wanted to see me?" She said evenly, trying to keep the sarcasm out of her tone.
"Olivia, you are my daughter. I haven't seen you since Christmas. It's only natural that I would want to see you, to see how you have been keeping. How are you?"
"I'm fine."
"And Georgia?"
"Georgia was okay."
Rowan smirked. "I see. " Then he brought his hands from behind his back and extended a box towards her. "I wanted you to have this. It was your mother's. And I'm sure she would have liked you to wear something of hers on your wedding day."
"What did he want?" Fitz asked when she stepped back into their bedroom.
"He wanted to give me this," she said, leaning against the door. And the way she said it - her voice tight and her words hoarse - had Fitz reaching her in two strides.
He gathered her to him with one arm while taking the box in his other hand; but stared blankly at Olivia after opening it. "They're a pair of earrings."
"Diamond drop earrings. My father gave them to my mother on their anniversary, the year I was born. She loved these earrings. I thought he'd got rid of them, like he got rid of everything else of hers. But he kept these. I didn't know he kept these. He wants me to wear them on our wedding day." The words rushed out in a torrent.
Fitz tightened his arm around her. "Do you want to?"
She nodded. Then her face crumpled and she buried her face in his chest, drenching his shirt front with her tears.
Without a word, he lifted her in his arms and carried her to bed. They lay down in each other's arms, with him stroking her back, placing kisses all over face, waiting for her tears to subside.
"I miss her so much. I wish she was here." She sniffed, stroking the damp patch on his shirt. "She would sing to me all the time...She had a beautiful voice...I loved hearing her sing."
He stroked back her hair. "Was there are a special song or lullaby your mother would sing to you?"
She nodded; singing the words to All Day All Night, hesitantly, disjointedly until he started singing with her. Then her voice faded away as she listened to him, her eyes shining like drenched onyx.
When he reached the end, she whispered, "Sing it again."
And he did, until her lashes drooped, then closed; and his husky, tender voice was the last thing she heard before drifting off to sleep.
Hollis arrived at number One Observatory Circle and was met at the door by Sally Langston.
"Well, now isn't this nice. A personal invitation to the home of the Vice President and I am met at the door by none other than the lady herself." Hollis smiled.
"We do take our southern hospitality seriously, Hollis, as you know." Sally led him through the reception hall, up the stairs, to the second floor study, where she made sure the door was closed securely before ushering him to one of the leather couches.
"And where is Daniel Douglas Langston tonight?" Hollis sat down, crossing one leg over the other and folding his arms over his chest.
"Daniel is at the club, getting acquainted with Jack Daniels."
"Well, that is a darned shamed. I was hoping he'd show me that collection of stuffed animals he keeps bragging about."
"Yes, well, Daniel has always been one for the great outdoors."
"Oh, I have no doubt about that." Hollis smiled. "Now, I hear things didn't go down too well in your home state. Guess them peaches are looking less peachy now for our first female President. Chuck and Doug will be mighty disappointed."
Sally froze in her armchair. "The Cosh brothers?"
"Oh, the top 1 per cent is as prone to gossip as the bottom 99, although I am a little hurt that you would class me with the dregs, Mrs Langston. Or did my invitation to your little dinner party get lost in the mail?"
"Hollis, that dinner party, as you call it, was merely a fishing expedition to see how much support I could garner. I am aware that I already have your support on such matters."
"Oh, don't you worry, Sally, I know I don't fit in with that crowd; my money still has a shine to it that don't sit well with folks who have had theirs gathering dust in Liechtenstein, Panama or the Cayman islands. But if you go swimming with them 'gators, Sally, you know sooner or later you gonna get bit."
"Hollis, I am not a naive little debutante, I am well aware of the dangers lurking the water."
"If you say so, Sally. But I reckon that must have been some mighty fine booze you gave those folks, to have them lower their misogyny down a notch or two to see you at the helm."
"Well, necessity is the mother of invention and, I believe, innovation. It's time we changed the décor at the White House with a more feminine touch."
"So how can I help you bring that new broom to sweep in old ideas?"
Sally shot him a look, pursing her lips.
"Oh did I say that wrong? I'm sure I meant to say old broom to sweep in new ideas?"
There was a knock on the door, and Sally held up her hand to get Hollis to pause. "Yes, what is it?"
The door opened, and a maid said softly, "Ma'am, dinner is ready to be served."
"Thank you, we'll be right down." Sally waited until the door was closed, then said pleasantly, "I am sure you will sort out the deficiencies in your speech over a nice steak. In the meantime, tell me what you know about Olivia Pope's associates. I understand you are closely acquainted with them, after that presumed kidnapping involving your daughter."
The room was lit by the soft glow of the bedside lamp when Olivia woke, and the first thing she saw on opening her eyes, was a purple dragon staring back at her. Then she smiled, clutching the stuffed toy to her in a hug, breathing in the scent of cotton candy and caramel.
"I told Karen you were missing your Mommy," Fitz said softly, and she turned to find him leaning against the doorjamb, naked, his hair tousled and damp from a shower. "She left that for you before she went to bed."
A slow smile spread over his face as her eyes wandered over his body. "Hungry?" When her gaze flew to his, he teased, "For food. You missed dinner." Adding after a pause, "Felicia fixed you a plate."
Instantly her lustful expression vanished, and she turned, leaving him staring at her back as she muttered, "Then I'm not hungry."
She felt the bed dip under his weight and his arms slide around her as he pressed his face into the side of her neck.
"She just put food on a plate," he whispered with husky humour. "She didn't cook it. And chef even made caramel popcorn clusters for dessert, just for you."
"He did?"
"He did. Still not hungry?"
"Maybe a little." She pressed her back into him, shifting her hand behind her to squeeze his butt.
He chuckled, placing a lingering kiss below her ear, before turning her in his arms to face him. "Food first, then we play."
She smiled, wrapping a leg over his hip. "You seem ready to play now."
This time his kiss was searing, and when he raised his head to look down at her, his face told her all she needed to know.
Carefully turning to place the purple dragon on the night-table, she sat up to slide her clothes off as he watched. Then she knelt at his side, letting her gaze follow the trail of his hand moving along her thigh, up over her stomach to cup her breast.
"Still want to wait?" she asked huskily, looking down at him.
"Yeah." He grinned and grabbed her, making her chortle with glee as he hauled her on top of him.
A/N: THANK YOUs all, for keeping this lacklustre writer going- YOUR COMMENTS give me LIFE! Tho' I must say I'm getting over the disappointment of my job-less state after realising I have more time to write!
So I thought I'd better get this wedding happening – especially as we're past Valentine's Day in RL! But I think I have to write another transition chapter before the 'wedding chapter'. A few more loose ends to tie up.
And don't worry, you haven't seen the last of Zeke. I like him too. And Jerry and Rowan will be helping out at the soup kitchen together – erk, yikes, ohmigawd.
I also feel that Rowan does love Olivia the only way he knows how but I don't think their relationship will ever be a Disney movie, more of a Simpsons. And I kind of enjoy writing Olivia regressing to her childhood after interacting with her Dad, and the mere thought of Felicia.
BTW, Cat is not impressed at the amount of dogs in this story. After sitting on the keyboard staring at the screen, she turned and gave me the evil eye - she feels intelligence is under-represented in this story.