Olivia's POV

I pin the silver clip behind Savannah's french braid and step back, examining it in the sunlight the hotel balcony shines through the door. Even though it's January, it's almost eighty degrees here in Los Angeles, which amazes me.

Savannah, by the way, looks like a princess. She's kind of cranky, having just have woken up from her noon nap, but she looks amazing, nevertheless. With her lilac, fluffy long dress against her light brown skin and the way her brown, curly hair is compacted into a perfect braid, she looks beyond adorable. I'm sure Karen looks beautiful too - and I would know that with certainty if she wasn't too insecure to yell at everyone who came near the bathroom where she's getting ready.

Giving Savannah one last kiss, I turn behind us, to Fitz. He's standing in front of the mirror perched on the wall next to the television and adjacent to the two double beds. I walk over to him and touch his hands, which are fiddling with his bow tie. "Hey, you."

"Hey," Fitz looks down and smiles at me. "Did you have fun today at breakfast? What did you think of Evan?"

I straighten Fitz's bow tie. "He was charming. Sweet. Handsome. And I'm very intrigued."

Fitz raises eyebrows and locks his arms around my waist. "Should I be worried?" he jokes.

"Yes," I tease, buttoning up his black suit.

Fitz laughs and shakes his head. "Are you getting ready any time soon? Or are you going to stay and hurt my feelings some more?"
I cock my head and grin. "That's tough, because as much as I would like to stay and do just that, we have a wedding to get to." I take his hands and gently push them off my waist.
I still have to get my dress, which is unfortunately in the bathroom. I make my way to the front of the bathroom and knock.
"Go away," a low voice calls from inside.
I raise my eyebrows. It's Karen and it genuinely sounds like she's crying. I don't think Fitz heard so I step aside and turn to him. "Fitz? Take Savannah, go downstairs and bring the car around. We'll meet you in a minute."
Fitz stays adjusting his tie. "Is that your way of telling me to get lost?"
I grin. "You said it, not me."
Fitz laughs and takes Savannah's hand. He grabs his wallet and starts towards the door. His cellphone wrongs. "I've got to take this anyway. See you in a few."
I kiss him and watch him as he goes before opening the bathroom door, which I'm surprised to find unlocked.

Karen has the light pink dress on, but the back isn't zipped up and she hasn't put on her mini heels. She's leaned over the sink, her cheeks stained from tears and her hair, which I spent an hour straightening, shadowing her face.
"Karen," I approach her gently. I move away a light brown strand that's stuck to her cheek. She sniffs and I go on. "Sweetheart. What's wrong? Tell me."
Karen whips around and grabs a ton of squares of toilet paper from the holder, dabbing her eyes with it. "The dress...it's not fitting. And...m-my friends, the ones from Long Beach? T-they don't wanna meet with me. T-they don't care about me anymore, since Daddy didn't get the job. They just don't care."
I frown and just keep stroking her hair. I guess I forgot how cliquey teenage girls are. More than that, I forgot how much this stuff matters to them and just how sensitive Karen really is. "Karen."
"W-what?" she just keeps pushing the toilet paper on her rim of her eyes. "It doesn't matter. It's whatever. Just go."
"Of course it matters," I tell her gently. I step in front of her and kiss her cheek. "Sweetie, you do know that you're better than those girls, right? You're beautiful. Inside and out."
Karen swallows. "I don't feel that way. I can't even get this stupid freaking dress on."
I reach behind her and simply zip up the dress with ease. "See? It's on. And it's gorgeous. You're gorgeous."
Karen turns around so she's facing the mirror. She sniffs one more time before wiping the fresh tears pouring out of her blue eyes. "Do you really mean that?"
"Yes," I tell her firmly, reaching over to squeeze her hand. "I've been telling you for five months, Karen, and I am going to tell you for as long as I live. You're the most beautiful young woman on the planet."
I look on the marble bathroom counter and produce my black makeup bag. Through all the lipstick and mascara tubes and foundation bottles, a silver bracelet lays on the bottom. I pick it up along with Karen's wrist and hold it against it. "Here. My mother gave me this on my twelfth birthday and I want to give this it to you today. It'll look nice with your dress. Hell, Karen, you can pull this off with anything you wear. You're just that gorgeous."
Karen clasps the bracelet on her wrist and I look at her while she does it. I really mean that. I love Karen like I love Savannah. She's my girl. And she's not perfect but she's definitely trying. These past few months, she has been trying to right her wrongs and I think that's what matters. I would do anything for this girl right here. I hope she knows that. "Can you put on your heels for me? We've got a wedding to get to."
She smiles bravely and I smile back before turning around and grabbing my own dress - the peach maid of honor one with lace stitching. When I turn around, I feel Karen's arms around me. "Thank you, mom."
I swallow and find it in myself to hug back. It's the first time Karen has ever called me that. I wonder if she knows how much it means to me.
X
My best friend turns around and she looks so freaking beautiful. Her gown is mermaid cut, silk and eggshell white. It looks so nice against her pale skin and it's fitted perfectly for her slim body and balances off with her ginger, thick curls. She holds out and her hand and gives me a nervous grin. "Liv! Oh my god, I'm so happy you're here. You look so cute. I'm so scared. But a good scared, you know?"
I smile and take her hand. "You'll be fine. You look like a queen. David is a lucky guy."
Abby grins wider. "So is Fitz."
I blush and look around the bridal room.
The last time I was in one was five years ago, standing here with Ms. Ballard, getting ready to marry Jake. I don't know why I went through with that, but I did. I guess I can't complaint - it got me where I am today. My only problem in life right now is that I am too emotional from seeing my best friend get married and having my daughter call me 'mom' for the first time. It's the good, almost-to-tears kind of emotional. I didn't know I could be this happy. And maybe I shouldn't jinx it - maybe a meteor will shoot down the beach wedding and kill us all. But all I know is that I am listening to Fitz's friend - I am not taking a second of this for granted.
"Abby," I reach over and smooth out a crimson curl. "I'm seriously gonna miss you."
"Liv," Abby leans over and gives me a huge hug. She rests her chin on my shoulder. "Stop it. You're gonna make me cry and ruin the four hours of makeup you did for me this morning."
I laugh and pull away. Abby really does look beautiful. "This time is gonna be different, you know? It's not gonna be like Charles. David isn't gonna hurt you. And if he does, I'm dragging you back up to DC to stay with me, Fitz and the girls."
Abby grins and looks back in the mirror. "I'll hold you to that."
The door opens and in comes Abby's mother and two teenage sisters. They walk over, greet me and begin gushing about Abby's dress. I walk over and sit on the cushioned white chair across from where Abby is standing. All I can think of is how five years ago, I was exactly where she was. I don't know if it'll work out the same way for her. I hope it doesn't. But love is unpredictable.
I'm realizing now that life is too. You don't choose where you come from. You don't choose who you fall in love with. But you do choose how you love and how much of yourself you give up. If you're with the right person, you don't have to give up anything. Fitz is the love of my life. I feel it in my heart. I feel it in everything I do. He makes me happy. He's never not made me happy. Loving him and being loved by him is everything to me. It always has been.

Five Years Ago

$400,000.
I am in awe.
Four hundred fucking thousand dollars. You would pay that much to a Correctional Officer to neglect and fail to protect a man?
Especially when that man happens to be your son?
That's nothing compared to how much money Big Gerry paid for the other guy to come in, shoot Mellie, Gerry and Karen. His own daughter in law and grandchildren. I don't even have words...
After I got in contact with Huck, I had him hack McCain's bank account. Four hundred thousand had been added - that's why McCain was in no hurry to get back to work. The money was traced back to Fitz's governor administration, which, needless to say, confused the hell out of me. That was before I realized that Fitz's whole campaign was funded by Big Gerry.
Then, Huck hacked the campaign funds and found an additional million missing. It didn't take me a while to figure out that that money was probably given to the guy who Big Gerry hired to kill Gerry and try to kill his mother and sister.
For the life of me, I don't know why. I don't know what kind of guy Big Gerry is. I don't know how he sleeps at night. I don't know why he had such sick intentions. I don't know why he's such a monster. And I don't know why Fitz had to suffer. It makes me sick. Like, psychically ill.
I guess Fitz will be okay now. Once I put in the anonymous tip, he'll be released. But it's not okay. It's not fair. None of this is.
"Olivia?" Huck looks up from the computer to me, who is pacing the office in a rage. "Are you okay?"
I rest my hands on my very pregnant belly and inhale. No, I am the opposite of okay. I'm angry. I'm infuriated. I'm so confused. I don't know why Big Gerry would do such a thing. I don't know why Mellie won't testify. Even if she did, it wouldn't be enough. But this is, so I guess that's a good thing. "I'm fine, Huck. Thank you...for all of this."
"Did it help?"
I swallow and smile tightly. "Yes, it did. Can you hand me the phone? I have a call to make..."

X

To this day, I don't know why Big Gerry did what he did. Neither does Fitz for that matter. It's not something we really talk about, although we did once a couple of weeks ago. Fitz said he always resented his father - he just didn't know the feeling was mutual.

In the end, I'm just happy that we're over this. Past this. I'm happy that Fitz got released. And I'm happy I was the one who could help. He doesn't know and I guess he doesn't need to. I don't want him to think that he owes me anything after that, because the truth is I owed him. He saved me. I can't elaborate on that, but he made me happier than I could have known possible. He saved me. And I don't need credit for doing something I was initially hired to do.
It's not just that though. It goes deeper. I can never explain it, but I would've done anything for Fitz to be released. Him being in jail was killing me. And when he finally got released and acquitted? That just meant everything to me...
It's not like I'm sure of everything. There are a lot of things that have still yet to come. For example, I don't know when I'm going to explain to Savannah that Fitz is ACTUALLY her father. In a way, I don't think I have to. She already thinks of him like that I guess in the end, things happen the way they should.
I also don't know when Fitz and I are going to get married. I know we are and i want to, but we're not in a rush. It's not a lack of love or trust, it's just letting things happen when and how they should.
And Karen? She's doing so much better. I mean, I know she's a teenage girl and God knows that's the toughest point in life. She's going through so many things right now and it's not gonna stop. All I can do, hell, all anyone can do is be there for her.
I'm not religious and I don't believe in God. But these past few months have got me believing, without a doubt, in some type of fate.
I believe this is how it's supposed to be. I know it is. I'm supposed to be here. Not in California specifically, but with my family. I guess the family you are born with is your starting point. It's just blood. If you don't want it to, it doesn't have to mean anything. Mine didn't. But Savannah? Fitz? Karen? They mean everything to me.
Life is just so much better when you have people to love. And I do love them.
With all my heart, I love them.
More than that, I'm starting to love myself. I know that sounds lame and maybe it is. But I have fucked up so many times and I'm lucky enough to have beautiful, amazingly forgiving people in my life. And now, over time, I'm really starting to forgive myself. And be happy for myself, because I know leaving Jake was the right thing. Cheating on him wasn't. Keeping Savannah away from Fitz wasn't. Overstepping with Karen wasn't. I've done so many wrong things in my life but now I'm realizing that sometimes the best choice really is the easiest one. Forgiving yourself. And loving those around you. Letting yourself be loved.
And that truly is everything.

Author's Note (PLEASE READ!): So, yes, unfortunately, the next chapter will be last! Thank you all SO much for all the kind reviews, PMs, favorites and follows I've gotten in response to this story. It's the first thing I have ever written that wasn't for myself - it was for an audience! And I am leaving this story with over 40k+ views, which is incredible. Being a fifteen year old girl from DC that watches way too much TV, that means everything to me. You guys are amazing.

That said, as y'all know, I have every intention of writing another story, immediately after I post the next and last chapter of 'Only One'. Obviously, you don't have to read it, but it will be Olitz. I considered making a sequel to this story, as a couple of you suggested, but I have so many other ideas I would like to get out there.

I am toying with two plots right now and my new story will be longer and if I'm being honest, better.

But anyways, I just wanted to say thank you. Writing this story has been, as Liv would say, everything to me.