Disclaimer: Shondaland/ABC owns these characters. And the less said about that the better.

NO-Mellie and NO-Joke: Public Service Announcement for any accidental non-Olitz readers

"So this gig is permanent, huh?" Harrison asked, sitting next to a giant stuffed bear on the couch in Olivia's East Wing office. The bear was his gift to the impending 'bub' but Olivia had a gut feeling there was more to Harrison's visit than he'd let on.

"This gig?" She glanced around the spacious light-filled room, decorated professionally in a 'neo-traditional' American style with a few personal touches that included her favourite orchids, as well as pictures of Fitz, the kids, her parents and OPA. "Yes, I guess it is."

Harrison shifted, elbowing the bear out of the way. "It ain't the same without you at OPA."

"And?"

Harrison stopped fidgeting to give her a smirk. "It's no good trying to hide anything from you, Liv, so I'm not gonna to try." He sat forward. "I've got an offer to set up my own division in New York. Doing what you do, Liv, but on my terms."

"Do the others know you're leaving?"

Harrison shook his head. "It's not a done deal yet. I wanted to run this by you first. But…" He looked away, then turned back to Olivia. "I need this, Liv. All I do now is break up kiddie fights like I'm the nanny. I babysit clients, take care of the paperwork and talk Abby down from shooting random strangers. It's not working for me anymore, Liv. I need out."

"What about your history?"

"They know about my history. It's a civil rights firm run by a group of brothers who know how the system works against us."

"So their work fits in with your lifestyle?"

"Yeah, these guys are ambitious and they understand the colour of money. The firm is small but they're already making a name for themselves and they understand my need for independence. They'll refer clients my way but I have final say on who I'll take on."

"It sounds too good to pass up."

"Too good to be true, you mean. I hear you, Liv, that's why I'm putting everything down in writing so my ass is covered." Harrison paused, "So you're okay with this?"

Olivia released a long breath. "Harrison, you're the brother I never had. You've taken on a lot since Stephen left and even more since I married Fitz. I get why you need to move on but I'll make inquiries, see how legit these guys are."

"They're legit," Harrison smiled. "You have to cut the apron strings some time, sis."

Olivia chuckled. "Yeah, you're right."

"There's one more thing. I'm thinking of taking Huck with me. He's got the kind of skills I could use..."

Shortly after Harrison left, Huck arrived with a case of the 'finest' grape juice he could find.

"It's like wine without the alcohol, so it's good for the baby." Huck said grimly, placing the box against the wall behind Olivia's desk.

"Thank you, Huck."

Huck straightened and faced Olivia. "Harrison is leaving OPA."

"He told you?"

"No, I followed him to a law firm in New York. It's a minority firm. You don't have to worry. They're legit. I checked them out. They're got clients who pay their bills on time."

Olivia narrowed her gaze. "How did you know I wanted them checked out?"

"I heard you."

Still with a narrowed gaze, Olivia turned from Huck to the bear, then back again.

"Yeah, I put a bug in that bear," he confirmed.

"Huck!" Olivia grabbed the bear and thrust it at Huck. "Take it out!"

Huck took the letter opener from Olivia's desk and poked out one of the bear's eyes, revealing the bug concealed behind it.

"And you better fix that before you give it back," Olivia glared at him. "With an eye that's not spying on me!"

"Okay," Huck said meekly.

Watching him, Olivia folded her arms across her chest and ventured, "Since you heard the whole conversation, do you want to go to New York with Harrison?"

"No. It's too far."

"Too far from what?"

"You and the baby."

That smoothed the irritation from Olivia's face and she smiled at Huck holding a one-eyed bear and the bug he'd planted.

"I'm glad. I don't think I could lose both of you in one day."

Shortly after Huck had left taking the bear with him to complete major eye surgery, Abby arrived with a box of cupcakes for Olivia and her staff.

"You'll be popular around here," Olivia grinned, looking at the spread.

"Good. I'll need a new gig after Harrison leaves. The thought of being stuck with Lindsay all day is giving me a headache."

"Oh! That's so unfair! I'm not half as annoying as she makes out to be!" Quinn said from the doorway, walking in with a huge basket of flowers.

"They let you go so soon?" Abby frowned as Quinn placed her basket on a nearby table.

Quinn turned to Olivia, "She told Security I was carrying a concealed weapon."

"Abby!" Olivia scolded but the other woman just shrugged.

"There was no harm done. She's here isn't she?"

"Only because Tom turned up and sorted it out!" Quinn snapped.

"Yay for Tom." Abby rolled her eyes. "He could have at least pulled that basket apart and given me a bit more time to talk to Olivia alone."

"Getting ready to jump ship now that Harrison is bailing on us?"

"Were you all listening to Huck's bug?" Olivia frowned.

Quinn and Abby exchanged a look of confusion, then Quinn said, "I don't know about any bug. I hacked into Harrison's email."

"It wasn't rocket science," Abby sniffed. "Harrison keeps his book of passwords in the bottom drawer of his desk."

"Abigail has the key to that drawer."

Olivia sat down abruptly, holding her stomach which prompted both Abby and Quinn to rush towards her.

"Olivia, are you all right?"

"Is it the baby?"

"Do you feel nauseous?"

At Quinn's question, Abby grabbed the wastebasket and shoved it under Olivia's nose, before turning her head and shutting her eyes. After a long pause, Abby opened an eye to see both Olivia and Quinn staring at her.

"What?" Abby put the basket on the desk. "I thought Liv was going to puke. And I hate puke."

"I'm not going to puke," Olivia said firmly, placing the waste basket back on the floor. "I need to know if the two of you can run the firm without Harrison and without breaking the law?"

Quinn looked horrified. "We can't let Abby loose on potential clients! She'll pull a gun on them!"

"Unlike Lindsay who'll accept anyone as a client, even a kid looking for a missing cat."

"I found the cat!"

Olivia sighed and reached for the waste basket, just as Rowan walked in carrying tea cup on a tray.

He paused, "Am I interrupting?"

"No," Abby said, grabbing Quinn's elbow. "We were just about to leave so Olivia can puke in peace. It was nice seeing you again, Mr Pope. Talk later, Liv."

"What was that about?" Rowan asked as the door shut on the hastily departing women.

"You don't want to know," said Olivia. "Even I don't want to know." She placed the basket back on the ground. "I'm glad you're here with the tea. I could really use it right now."

Rowan handed the teacup over. "Tough day?"

Olivia sighed, taking a sip. "I have to find a way to get my team into the White House as pre-emptive damage control."

"If you're going to use your power and influence to create positions for your associates, you should consider doing the same for Felicia."

Olivia paused in mid-sip and looked at her father. "Felicia?"

"Olivia, she is your step-mother, she needs something to do. I would ask her to join me and Jerry at the Homeless Shelter but I have better control over Jerry's delinquent tendencies if he and I work together, alone."

"So you don't want her around either."

"I didn't say that. Felicia believes I'm too harsh with Jerry, and I don't believe I am."

"And you don't want anyone to interfere with your beliefs," Olivia mumbled taking another sip.

"What was that, Olivia?"

"Nothing, Dad."

Rowan waited a few minutes as Olivia forced herself to meet his gaze. Then he said evenly, "If you can find Felicia a project, I would appreciate it. My only suggestion is that it be in the company of adults as she's is not really the maternal type."

"I know."

"Felicia is an intelligent woman with an incisive mind. I see great potential in the two of you being able to work together."

"I don't want to be accused of nepotism."

"No, not when you can be accused of cronyism in finding James Novak a position in your office, and the possibility of expanding that to your associates."

Olivia placed her empty tea cup on the table with decisive thunk. "Thanks for the tea, Dad."

Rowan stood reaching for the cup. "You're welcome, Olivia."

After Rowan departed, Olivia fumed behind her desk for a few minutes, glaring at the orchid on her desk.

Her relationship with Rowan was getting incrementally better with each cup of tea but the prospect of spending any more time than she had to with Felicia was about to throw all that into a tailspin.

Realising she wasn't getting anywhere fast in finding a solution, Olivia decided she needed to speak to Fitz. Checking his schedule on her computer, she smiled to see that he was in a meeting with Cyrus after which Fitz had no appointments for about an hour.

Olivia was mentally putting lining up all her issues while making her way to the Oval Office, when she bumped into Edison.

"Olivia," he smiled. "Got a minute?"

"Right now?"

"Yes."

"I was on my way to see Fitz."

"Then this is perfect timing," Edison said, taking Olivia by the elbow and steering her towards an empty office.

He ushered her into a visitor's chair before taking the seat next to her. "Can I get you anything? A glass of water, a plate of saltines?"

"No, Dad's got me on a regimen of Chinese date and ginger tea to control my nausea. So far it's working."

"Ah yes, your father has always been very protective of you. That's why he never thought I was good enough."

"He didn't think anyone was good enough for me."

"Except Fitzgerald Grant – it must help to be the President of the United States, even if the man does come with more baggage than an ordinary Senate Majority Leader."

Olivia linked her hands on her lap. "Why did you want to see me, Edison?"

Edison leaned into the back of his winged armchair, a smile playing on his lips. "The Vice Presidency is still vacant."

"Zeke has a few loose ends to tie up in Georgia."

"Loose ends?" Edison's smile broadened. "Liv, having a gay chief of staff is one thing but a gay vice president? It's no secret that the man has cold feet about coming out of the closet in high office."

"Zeke doesn't have cold feet. He has a few administrative issues in Georgia that he's finalising."

"Even if the man accepts the job, does Fitz really think the marginal vote is big enough to get him a second term?"

"Fitz realises that after what Sally Langston did, American voters are looking beyond the stereotypes to real leadership."

"Then it's time he looked closer to home. Fitzgerald needs bi-partisan support and I've got the complete package – I'm a democrat and I'm black with relevant credentials in Federal Politics. Fitz could use my help."

"He could, if he hadn't already given the job to Lucas Zeke."

"You don't think I've got the goods?"

"It doesn't matter what I think. Fitz has made his choice."

Edison smirked. "It's no secret that Fitz relies on you as his most trusted advisor. Your word got me into Fitz's cabinet."

"No, Fitz decided that himself on who he wanted in Executive Office."

"With your wisdom as his guiding light. All I'm asking is for you to shine your light in my direction to be second-in-command."

"I can't do that, Edison."

Edison dropped his smile and he sat forward with a determined look on his face. "It's a bit too late to stand on your principles, Liv. You lied to my face when I asked you if you were the President's mistress. You read me for filth with the criminal-whore-idiot-liar speech. In hindsight how do you feel about yourself now?"

Olivia sat up, straightening her spine in the face of Edison's unexpected attack. "I'm not ashamed of falling in love with Fitz. Our timing wasn't the best but I won't ever regret taking a chance at happiness with a man who was ready to walk away from everything he had because he loved me."

"You're telling me now what you should have told me then?"

"What would you have done, if I had said – 'yes, I love the President of the United States that is why I can never marry you, Edison. Not now, not ever'?"

Edison stared at her blankly.

"You don't know?" Olivia smiled at him briefly. "I think you would have used it against us. You would run to Sally with that information so she could destroy Fitz under the pretence of strict moral code. Well, we all know Sally's ethics are not as strict as she led us to believe and she was the worst thing to have happened to the Presidency, not Fitz falling in love with me."

"I loved you, Olivia," Edison said gruffly. "You owed me the truth."

Olivia gave him a considering look. "The night Fitz was shot, you called me from the safety of the bunker, while I was still out in the open with a sniper on the loose."

"It was protocol. I was following Secret Service orders. I called you the first chance I got to make sure you were safe."

"I know, and I know you had to protect yourself first. That's why you'd be perfect for an aircraft emergency demo, but in real life a woman needs a man who'd recklessly break all the rules to make sure she was safe."

"So your need for painful, difficult, devastating, life changing extraordinary love now has to be reckless and selfless too. You are your father's daughter, Olivia, always demanding more than what's on offer."

Olivia smiled looking down at her linked hands, focusing on her wedding ring.

"What was on offer, Edison, was marriage to a man who found me suitable. I fit in with your idea of what the wife of a successful black senator should be. I had earned your affection because I was presentable, I was independent, I was successful and because I knew the difference between a salad and cake fork. You loved my image of what I could do for your career more than anything else. "

"Oh, and you think Fitzgerald loves you for anything less? You make him look good – a black woman standing in the wings, helping a white man in the White House."

"If you felt that way about Fitz, why did you help me get him out?"

"He was a means to an end."

Olivia met his gaze squarely. "So this is payback? You think I owe you because I could never love you the way I love Fitz."

"You can think of it anyway you like, Olivia, as long as I get what I want."

Olivia tilted her head. "What happened to you, Edison? You were a good man."

"You happened to me. You showed me the truth that nice guys do finish last."

Olivia's response never got voiced as the door suddenly flung open and Fitz strode in carrying Teddy. He didn't bother apologizing for the interruption, his glance arrowing from Olivia to Edison then back again.

"I was looking for you," he said briefly.

"I was just leaving." Edison got to his feet and walked around Fitz, who was still staring at Olivia, to exit the room.

Olivia stood up slowly, meeting his gaze. "Fitz…"

"Teddy needs his nappy changed."

Olivia glanced at the toddler who was staring at her solemnly. "That's why you were looking for me?"

"Yes, you need the practice." Fitz handed Teddy over to Olivia and walked out.

Teddy turned his puzzled face from the brisk click of the shutting door, to Olivia. She buzzed his cheek. "Daddy is being a real nappy poo."

Teddy chuckled and gave Olivia a kiss back as if he understood and agreed. Laughing, Olivia carried him off to the nursery be changed, brushing aside Marta's offers of help.

Once she had done the deed, Olivia handed Teddy over to Marta who took him away for his afternoon nap.

Then Olivia made a detour to her office where she called Lucas Zeke in Georgia, before calling Huck. The calls went better than she expected and it was with a happier frame of mind that she made her way back to the Oval Office.

Lauren was not at her desk, but even if she had been Olivia wasn't in a mood to be stopped. She sailed into the Oval Office and shut the door behind her as Fitz and Cyrus looked up from their positions, sprawled on opposite couches.

Olivia noticed Fitz eying her warily as Cyrus sat up, smiling. "Olivia, good timing! We need your input but Fitz said you were busy."

"I'm not busy," Olivia said taking the seat beside him, as Fitz lay stretched out on his couch.

"Trouble in Paradise?" Cyrus muttered, leaning close as Olivia adjusted a cushion behind her back.

"Nothing I can't handle," Olivia said confidently, meeting Fitz's cold gaze calmly.

"Maybe you can handle this too – Edison wants to be Veep," said Cyrus. "He brought up the fact that the position is still vacant, at the Cabinet meeting today. He hinted that it wasn't safe for the political stability of the United States, considering that Fitz had already been shot once. He said there needs to be a clear successor if anything should happen again, and that there were others willing to step in if Zeke was reluctant to accept his duty."

"Would you recommend him for the job, Olivia?" Fitz gave her a cold stare. "To take my place if anything should happen to me."

"No, I wouldn't," Olivia said quietly. Then taking a deep calming breath, she added, "I've just spoken to Zeke. He'll be here by the end of the week."

Fitz sat up abruptly as Cyrus raised a brow. "What? How do you know?"

"I spoke to him."

"When?" Fitz asked.

"After I changed Teddy's nappy." She had the satisfaction of seeing his face turn red. "I made a few calls to see if there was anything I could do to help and there was."

"What rabbit did you pull out of the hat this time?" Cyrus asked.

"I'm renting office space to Oscar who wants to set up his own business in DC."

Both men stared at her blankly.

"So now that it's all fixed…" Olivia got to her feet. "I'm going to take a bath."

Leaving a fraught silence behind, Olivia sailed out of the office, closing the door gently after her. She paused seeing that Lauren was back at her desk.

"Lauren, can you call the Secretary of State – tell him that Fitz would like to see him about the changes to his itinerary for the ASEAN trip. Oh, and Fitz needs to see the Secretary of Agriculture about Japan's tariffs on meat imports…"

Olivia was just finishing a phone call when Fitz walked into her office and shut the door behind him.

"Hi," he said.

Olivia placed the receiver carefully in its cradle. "Did you need something, Mr President?"

A smile ghosted his lips as he moved away from the door and approached her. Reaching for her hand, he pulled her out of her chair and into his arms. He smoothed his hands around her, to link them on her lower back and whispered "You're beautiful when you're angry."

"Then I must be very beautiful."

Fitz kissed her nose. She didn't even smile.

His hands crept over her butt to pull her even closer as he bent and pressed his lips into her neck, making her breath hitch despite her will to control it.

"Is this your way of apologising?" Olivia murmured huskily when Fitz lifted his head and pressed a soft kiss on her mouth.

"Yes." His teeth grazed her lips, before he dipped his tongue in for a taste that made her moan softly, but she opened her eyes in frustration when he drew back and said solemnly, "Now it's your turn to apologise."

"For what?"

"For making me sit through an hour of meetings all the while imagining you naked in a bubble bath."

That made her smile. 'I'm sorry."

He leaned closer, with his lips puckered for a kiss.

Olivia looked at his mouth, then shook her head.

"Livvie, you need to show me you're not still mad at me."

"I am still mad at you. You gave me a Sally Hemings moment and I didn't like it."

Fitz looked taken aback. "It wasn't like that. I was jealous. That's all."

"That's your excuse for getting out of nappy duty?"

Fitz stared at her, then bent low and sucked her lips in to his mouth for a voracious kiss. "I'm sorry." He growled and kissed her again.

This time when he drew back, Fitz looked at a dazed Olivia and asked, "So what else are you mad at me about? I'm in the mood to apologise."

That made her laugh softly and he smothered the sound in another kiss. "Am I forgiven?" he smiled against her lips.

"I'm thinking about it."

He dropped his forehead to rest against hers. "While you're doing that, tell me how you got Zeke to abandon his Rainbow Crew?"

"He isn't going to abandon them. He's going to move their base of operations to DC. Oscar is going to manage the crew while Zeke is at the White House. And Huck is going to help. I've told Oscar he can use the OPA offices."

Fitz was staring at her. "Your renting office space to Zeke's vigilantes?"

"Yes."

Fitz rumbled a sigh, which prompted Olivia to add, "I've got a spare office, Oscar has offered to rent it at a very generous rate and I've accepted. That's all. And…" she said softly, "It gets Edison off your back."

That almost made him smile. "I hate seeing him around you, Livvie. It brings back memories of the time I nearly lost you to him."

"You didn't lose me. I'm here, with you."

He lifted his hands to her face, and kissed her with a tender thoroughness that left her reeling. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too."

He wrapped her in his arms, breathing in the scent of her hair as she rested her cheek against his chest and listened to his heartbeat.

Then Fitz stepped away and reached for her hand, starting to lead her out of her office. He paused only to tell Olivia's secretary to cancel any meetings for the rest of the afternoon.

"Is that a Presidential order, sir?" her secretary asked seriously, although her eyes were twinkling.

"Yes." Fitz said blithely, smiling at Olivia's blush as he led her out of the room, heading towards the stairs.

"Where are we going?"

"Guess."

"I don't need a nap."

"That's good because we're not having a nap."

"We?"

"We," He said firmly as they headed down the corridor towards their bedroom, from where one of the housekeeping staff exited with a smile.

"It's all ready for you, sir, ma'am."

"Thank you," said Fitz. "Can I make one last request – if you see Cyrus, can you run interference so he doesn't disturb us for the next hour or so."

"It would be my pleasure," the staffer walked away, whistling.

"Does everyone have to know?" Olivia asked as they stepped into the bedroom.

"Know what?" Fitz kicked the door shut.

"That we're going to have sex," Olivia murmured throatily as she slid his jacket off.

"Are we going to have sex?" Fitz grinned at her. "Is that what we're doing?"

She gave him a pert look as she pulled off his tie. "Remember you're still in apologising mode."

"Hmm," he murmured, trying to multi-task by kissing her while getting her skirt off at the same time.

When they were both completely naked with their clothes tossed haphazardly around the room, Fitz surprised Olivia by taking her hand and leading her to the bathroom instead of their bed. The sight of the bubble bath with rose petals scattered over the suds and scented candles on ledge made her smile.

"I like this apology."

He chuckled, shifting her closer until she was leaning against him. "This isn't an apology, Livvie. This is a promise of better things to come."

He met her throaty chuckle with a wicked smile of his own.

A/N: Hello! It's been 84 x 100 years I know! I've been having a few time management issues – tests, assignments, ongoing legal drama with ex-employer and then I got a temporary job – all of which made me lose my grip on my semi-ordered creative life.

It got so bad that KikiNickMC had to graciously give me the boot as her editor - for which I was deeply grateful because I wasn't coping at the time, even though I absolutely loved editing her beautiful story On Stage – please read, it's great ;)))

In the meantime I kept having severe guilt pangs for disappearing without update or explanation! So here's another chapter to assure you that I haven't abandoned you – promise (not permanently at least!).

However, I need to take another hiatus after this chapter as my final exams (for this semester) are due in 3 weeks. (Tragically, I'm one of those people who has to study VERY HARD in order to pass since I'm no good at overnight cramming. Doesn't help that I'm doing accounting and I hate maths.)

So, dear-all-of-you-still hanging-on (and those who've messaged me xoxo), I would really appreciate another leetle reprieve i.e a few more weeks without an update (after this one) until I finish my exams, which is my biggest worry. I should be done by June 15th and after that I promise to update more regularly and not by the light of a Blue Moon.