Fitz woke up to the sound of Tom's voice.
"Sir there is an emergency hostage situation, you need to wake up."
Fitz was a little disoriented at first but once he sat up he was fine. He looked over to Olivia and realized she was sleeping naked except for her thong and quickly covered her with the blanket.
"Sir" Tom called.
Fitz looked up and saw Tom.
"How long have you been there?" Fitz was annoyed because he was sure Tom saw Olivia naked.
"A few Minutes trying to wake you, there is a hostage situation and they need you at the white house as quickly as possible."
It's sighed and stood up.
"Get the chopper ready, I need 10 minutes."
"Yes sir."
Tom made his way to the door.
"Tom you didn't see anything."
"I didn't see anything sir."
Then Tom walked out.
Fitz quickly went upstairs to the bathroom and showered, he threw on slacks, a sweater and his coat and headed back downstairs to let Olivia know he was leaving.
"Livie wake up."
"Huh"
"They need me at the whitehouse, I have to go."
She sat up and realized he was fully dressed.
"Wait now?"
"Yea, I have to go now"
"Why?"
"Hostage situation."
Olivia sighed sadly.
"I'm sorry." He said softly.
"No don't be, literally give me 5 minutes I'll shower in 3 and get dressed in 2 then I can come with you."
"Uh okay that would great" Fitz said surprised, he didn't think she would've wanted to come.
Olivia ran up the stairs quickly and readied herself as fast as she could. She was back down within 10 minutes and they left to the helicopter together.
The helicopter ride was quick and before they knew it they were on the plane and in the air.
Fitz had been on the phone with Cyrus and the rest of his staff since they got off the chopper so she decided to call Abby and give her the good news.
"Hey liv, what's up."
"I have good news, guess what?"
"Uhm... you found a dollar"
"No better, Fitz proposed." She said excitedly.
"Oh my god,when?"
"On my birthday."
"Liv that's was almost two days ago, you're just now telling me."
"Sorryyy"
Fitz was eavesdropping on her conversations and could barely pay attention to what Cyrus was saying because at this point Cyrus was just blathering on about how he should have never left the white house.
"The ring, is it big? let me see?"
Olivia switched the call to FaceTime and hoped she had good enough wifi for a clear call. Once the call connected she flipped the camera and showed Abby the ring, the phone was now on speaker.
"Holy shit liv, that ring is huge."
"I know, it's so beautiful."
"Congrats."
"Thank you Abbs"
"What did you do to him to get such a big ring, you have to teach me." She saw Fitz look up and smile.
"Uh Abby I'm breaking up gotta go bye."
"No you're not I can hear you perfectly."
Olivia hung up on her.
"Hey don't stop on my account." Fitz teased.
"Shut up"
Fitz wiggled his eyebrows at her almost forgetting Cyrus was on the line until Cyrus barked through the phone.
"Yea Cy, I'm still here."
The flight was quick, when they touched down in D.C, Fitz quickly made his way to the whitehouse and Olivia went to her apartment.
She had called Ginger's dog walker Sally when she thought she would be staying in Vermont for a while, so when Sally showed up to pick up Ginger she was a little shocked to see Olivia since she thought she was going to be on an extended trip.
"Hi Sally." Olivia greeted when Sally walked in.
"Hi Liv, I totally didn't expect you to be home, how was your trip?"
"It was great though obviously cut short. Did ginger behave herself while I was gone?
"Yea I took her to the doggie park yesterday and she was terrific."
"Great, I'm so glad you're here, I need to get some work done and she wasn't stopped playing since I got home."
"Well it's a good thing we're going to the park then, right Ginger?"
Ginger barked in response.
"Come on girl, let's go." Sally called.
Within a few minutes Sally and ginger headed out. Olivia started working in her cases until she got hungry and made cereal and then went straight back to work.
In the night, when Fitz called she was excited because she hadn't heard from him all day.
"Hey babe, what's up?"
"Hi" he sounded dull.
"What's wrong?"
"I can't make it tonight, the situation is pretty out of control, there's no way I'll be able to leave."
"It's okay, don't worry about it, I'll come see you tomorrow if you want""
"Yea sure, I'd like that." Fitz said happily.
"Great, now go I know you're super busy. I Love you okay"
"Love you too Livie"
Olivia went to sleep soon after.
It was New Year's Eve. She woke up to her cell ringing, she didn't get a chance to check the caller id.
"What?"
"Good morning livie"
"Oh hey, I didn't know it was you" she chuckled sleepily.
"You're just waking up."
"Yep me and Ginger are cuddled up on the bed."
"I'm jealous, I've been up all night and I'm heading to another security meeting now."
"Wow, how are you up? What time is it, like 10:30?"
Fitz checked his watch.
"It is 10:32, that means I am 2 minutes late to my meeting, I'm also on my third cup of coffee." he chuckled.
"Aww you poor thing, are you sure you still want me to visit you?"
"Of course."
"Okay so I'm gonna walk ginger and by the time I shower and everything I should be there by like...1 maybe."
"Perfect, I should have a break in my day by then…"
"Mr. President, Mr. President, you have to see this sir." one of Fitz security chiefs came charging down the hallway.
"Liv I have to go." Fitz hung up abruptly.
She smiled to herself and hopped out of bed.
When she freshened up in the bathroom, she threw on a Lululemon workout outfit, a nylon parka and her sneakers. She put on a little doggie jacket on Ginger and headed out.
It was cold outside so she didn't walk for very long. Instead she spent most of the time in the cafe a few blocks from her apartment, a regular place for her and Ginger to hang out because it was dog friendly and had great french pastries. She sat in the cafe for almost an hour blathering on to Abby about Fitz. Eventually Abby kicked her off the phone and she made her way home.
Fitz always made sure she had 2 guards, one of her guards Nick accompanied her on her walk, the other; Josh was left guarding her apartment. When she first stepped off the elevator, she was alarmed to find that Josh wasn't there but she decided to let it go, she had Nick with her and 1 was all she needed. She had her headphones on, humming and dancing as she stepped in her apartment. She placed Ginger on the ground.
"Come Gin, let's get you some water."
She walked over to Ginger's water and food trays and fill them, she waited absently for Ginger to come and eat but after few minutes she realized Ginger wasn't there.
"Gin, Gin, I have that bacon flavored thing you love." she called a little too loudly because she couldn't hear herself over the music she was playing so loudly from her headphones.
When she looked around the kitchen and didn't see Ginger, she took her headphones out and heard Ginger barking ferociously.
She headed to the living room where the barking came from.
"Gin why are you.." she stopped in her tracks as she came into full view of the living room, her eyes opened wide in fear as she froze mid step.
Her father sat in the arm chair to the far side of the room, near the christmas tree. Jake stood by his side. Ginger stood about 10 feet away barking her lungs out.
Olivia stood quietly for an awkward moment.
"Olivia have you forgotten your manners, I am your father, greet me." he smiled menacingly.
She stood still as stone, she was still processing the fact that they were in her apartment, more so her father than Jake, her heart was beating so fast she felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. "Of course Jake was working with my father all along, that's the only way he could have escaped the pentagon." she thought to herself.
Rowan started to get annoyed at her silence and Ginger barking.
"Olivia! I am speaking to you I expect you to acknowledge me." he spoke sternly.
Without a word she walked forward and picked up Ginger and as quickly as she could about face to the door.
Her heart was beating about a mile a minute, when she reached the door and opened it, her guard Nick stood in her path.
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I can't let you leave." her mouth fell open, Nick had been guarding her for months, she couldn't believe he was working with her father. She wasn't sure how that was even possible, he was secret service.
She could hear her father laughing loudly from the living room.
"OLIVIA! COME HERE!" he yelled in between chuckles.
She walked slowly back to the living room and stood in the middle of the floor, she was shaking.
"I'm glad you have the good sense to be frightened Olivia."
She took a deep breath, she was trembling.
"With your behavior for the last few months I would have thought you expected a visit from your father."
Ginger was still barking.
"Please shut that dog up before I do it myself!"
Olivia quickly hushed Ginger as best she could, she stopped barking but continued to growl angrily.
"As I was saying, you've managed to get yourself into quite the mess and I'm just here to clean it up."
"I… I don't know wha..what you're talking about." she stuttered terribly.
"You don't know what I am talking about, is this the pathetic woman I raised you to be."
"You didn't raise me."
"DO NOT OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND TALK BACK TO ME." he screamed.
"I didn't raise you to be this pathetic woman. You disgust me. You jumped in front of a bullet for a man. Seriously Olivia, after you've been carrying on with him in that repugnant affair. Is that what you aspired to be; some man's whore. Don't think I don't know everything that has been happening Olivia and I can't let it go on anymore. You have shamed me and I didn't send you to the schools of princes and princesses and the best colleges in the world for you to be some politician's wife."
Olivia stood silent, she was shocked that her father knew about the engagement and tried to twist her engagement ring around her finger.
"Don't think I don't see you trying to hide that ring."
Jake was shocked that Rowan spoke to olivia that way, he was used to him speaking to him and the other agents that aggressively but he would have thought his own daughter warranted different treatment.
"I might be a whore but you're a murderer." she whispered.
Rowan stood up and walked up to her, they were inches apart, she was terrified but she was going to stand up for herself.
"What did you say Olivia?"
"You heard me, you're a murderer."
He grabbed her arm and yanked her violently.
Ginger started barking again and he grabbed Ginger out of her arm and held her up by her neck.
"Give her back to me, let her go." Olivia cried, she tried her hardest to grab Ginger back from his but when she reached for her Rowan rang her arm around.
He began to squeeze Ginger's neck and she whimpered loudly.
"You're hurting her, let her go." Olivia was fully crying now, the more she fought to take Ginger away, the harder her father rang her arm back. Jake stood in the corner watching silently.
"See we could have done this the easy way, we could have had a civilized conversation and came to a mutual agreement but since you want to do things the difficult way, this is difficult way."
He paused and looked at Ginger in disgust and then he shoved Olivia to the ground. She grabbed her arm tightly to try and dull the pain.
"Firstly, I am going to kill your dog."
"What! No leave her alone."
Olivia tried again to rush over to grab Ginger from him but he threw her into the wall again.
"No, no Olivia you've branded me as a murderer I think it would be a disservice to you if I do not live up to my title, don't you think."
Olivia was on the ground bawling.
"Secondly, you will give the President back his ring because you will not be marrying him."
"I love him and I am going to marry him." she yelled.
"You can't marry him if he's dead." he threatened.
Olivia's looked up in horror.
"You wouldn't." she cried.
"I would, I'm a murderer remember, you said so yourself."
Olivia was silent.
"You don't believe me? It's alright Olivia, I thought you might need some persuasion luckily my timing is impeccable." he paused.
"Ballard turn the tv on, any news channel will do." Rowan commanded.
Jake did as instructed, almost robotically.
As soon as the tv was turned on, Olivia heard the breaking news.
"BREAKING NEWS PRESIDENT GRANT ATTACKED BY ONE OF HIS OWN SECRET SERVICE GUARDS DURING THE MIDDLE OF A RUSSIAN HOSTAGE CRISIS WHERE CHILDREN ARE AMONG THE AMERICANS BEING HELD."
Olivia gasped in horror.
"Please don't hurt him."
"Don't worry he's alive. Do you want to know what's fascinating?"
He paused.
"It wasn't even one of my guards that carried out the order. It amazes what people are willing to do for those they love."
"I'll do whatever you want just please please don't hurt him?"
He smiled menacingly as if to say we won.
"Finally, we've reached a mutual agreement. "
He sighed.
"As I said before, give back the ring and end your relationship with him. I think this town has made you soft, all these friends and so called 'family' have made you weak. That man has made you weak. You need to disappear for a while, call it a vacation, on me. Stay there until I sort out the mess you've made here and then I'll let you know when to return. You will not come back before I summon you and if you defy me Olivia there is no shortage of 'friends' of yours that I won't hesitate to send to the morgue or maybe even those sweet kids you love so much."
She looked up.
"Is that all?" She asked defiantly.
"Yes dear, for now."
"Well then I guess you both can get out now."
He smiled showing all his teeth.
"Jake will be accompanying you on your trip, as per your request I'll take my leave soon I just have one more order of business and then we're through."
He dropped ginger to the floor and she barely moved because she was hurt from him holding her neck so tightly. In a swift movement Olivia saw Rowan pull his gun from his holster and before she could move to ginger who was half way across the room from her, he shot her once in the head. Ginger let out one final whimper and then she went silent.
Olivia let out a loud wail and crawled over to ginger and rocked her in her arms.
"I said I would to everything you asked." She cried.
"You can't take it with you and it can't leave it here, so you see the conundrum."
He paused as if he was annoyed by her affection for Ginger.
"You should thank me, I solved a problem for you."
He placed his gun back in the holster and then walked back over to the couch and slipped on the coat.
"Agent Ballard."
"Sir" Jake answered attentively.
"Give her a few hours to get her affairs in order and then ensure that she gets to the plane by 6pm, that is when the flight is scheduled." He headed to the door.
"Thank you." She said quietly.
The words made Rowan stop mid step.
"I think I might have misheard you Olivia or you have gain some sense and are grateful for everything I do for you."
"Everytime I try to convince myself that you're not as bad as I make you out to be, you show up and remind me that you're worst. So thanks for never failing to disappoint me." She said as she wiped away tears.
"I don't expect you to understand why I do the things I do but ultimately they are in your best interest."
"No they're not. You don't care about anyone but yourself. Everything you've done is for yourself, to get more power or get ahead. You don't care about about me and you never have. How could you? You're sending me off to a foreign country with a man who attacked me the first chance he got." she sobbed.
"Captain Ballard has been severely disciplined for his prior behavior, after all, it was your boyfriend who locked him in a hole for three months. He also didn't know you were my child, now that he is fully aware of the consequences that would come if he laid a finger on you without my permission."
"Isn't that right captain?"
"Yes sir."
Rowan turned and walked to the door once more before stopping again. He didn't turn around this time.
"Ballard, get rid of that dog."
Then he left and slammed the door.
Olivia broke down, rocking Ginger in her arms as Jake stood awkwardly unsure of what to do. He felt bad for Olivia, he couldn't imagine what it was like to have Rowan as a father and he didn't plan to. He had no plans of doing anything that would jeopardize his status with Rowan. When he was initially put to guard Olivia it never occurred to him that Olivia was more than the president's mistress/girlfriend, which was why Rowan wanted him there, so he could report back to him, he would have never touched her if he knew she was his daughter. Touching her was a mistake he paid for dearly, after Fitz had him thrown in the whole for three months, when Rowan finally got him out he dealt him a whole other punishment, he is still unable to move three fingers due to its severity. His orders were clear, take her where she wants to go, keep her there until I tell you to bring her back and most importantly make sure She doesn't try to contact Fitzgerald.
After several minutes she still hadn't moved from her position so he decided to walk over and take Ginger out of her arms. Once he was close enough he reached down for her.
"Don't fucking touch her." Olivia yelled.
He didn't pull back, he had an order to carry out.
"He gave an order, I have to get rid of her."
Olivia was silent.
"If you don't let me do it, I will have to call him and let him know, is that what you want?" Jake didn't mean to threaten her but he had a job to do.
"Do not touch her. She's mine I will take care of her just get out of my apartment." her faced was still stained with tears but she wasn't sad she was angry.
She gently rested Ginger on the ground and stood up.
"Get out."
"I can't do that, I have to watch you, those are my orders."
She walked over to the door and held it open.
"You can do that from outside."
Jake reluctantly walked out. The moment both feet were out the door Olivia slammed it as hard as she could.
"Fuck ." Jake thought why did I do that.
She took a blanket and swaddled her. She grabbed cleaning agents and started scrubbing the blood.
She didn't stop until every drop of blood was cleaned from the floor as hard as if was to clean with the arm her father twisted.
She looked down on her clothes and realized she was covered in Ginger's blood,she needed to get it off of her so she headed to the bathroom.
She stripped herself of clothing and washed all the blood off herself.
While she showered she mentally prepared herself for what she had to do.
She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror after she stepped out of the shower, her eyes were swollen and red, she had taken a hot shower so she thought splashing her face with cold water would help.
She tried taking deep breaths to calm herself. Every Time she thought about what she had to do, she felt the tears stream down.
She remember were her father yanked her arm and slipped her rob down her arm to inspect it and sure enough, most of her upper right arm was purple from bruising. She fixed her robe and wiped her eyes and then headed to her closet.
She text her team and let them know it was absolutely imperative that they meet her at the office in half hour, she didn't wait for anyone to confirm, she saw missed calls from Fitz but she didn't return them.
She ran to her closet and threw on a pair of black Paige skinny jeans and a black Alexander Wang sweater with her Stuart weitzman black suede highland boots.
The ends of her hair was wet from her shower so she wrapped it in a messy bun and then grabbed a duffle bag and began throwing clothes in. She stuck to basics, nothing fancy; jeans, sweaters and underwear but she made sure to pack all Fitz's navy shirts with her. Anything else that she needed she would have to buy over time. She went to her safe and grabbed all the necessary documents she needed and folded them and placed them in her large Goyard tote.
She took Ginger's body and placed it in her doggie carrier and zipped it closed.
She took one last look around her apartment and saw Ginger's collar on the kitchen table, she grabbed it and stuffed it in her Max Mara coat pocket and headed out.
As soon as she stepped out Jake was there, she wasn't sure exactly what her plan was but she was hoping to at least ditch him for the day until she had to get to the airport. The look on his face told her there was no way she was losing him. He was already annoyed at her for locking him out of the apartment. Her other 2 guards finally showed up, she felt an overwhelming feeling of disgust and hate towards them. She was usually very nice to her guards but of course this time, she completely ignored them, she walked past all three men and called for the elevator.
They escorted her to the O.P.A office, she found Huck and Quinn waiting, Abby and Harrison arrived a few moments after her. They headed in the conference room where Olivia, Huck and Quinn waited. Jake discarded of Ginger's body and then waited in the car because the team knew about his attack on her and would become alarmed if they saw him with her, instead her 2 agents followed her.
"Liv, I've been calling you. Have you seen the news, one of the secret service guards attacked the President, why aren't you there?"
Olivia ignored the question.
"I called everyone here today because I have to leave town for an undisclosed amount of time, Harrison and Abby, I want you guys to partner and run the firm until I return. Is that something you are disposed to do."
They were all dumbfounded.
"Uhmm yea, I guess but Liv.." Abby began.
"Thank you, I really appreciate it."
Olivia got up and began to make her way to the door.
"Liv ?" Harrison called.
She didn't respond, she just kept walking.
The team rushed after her.
"Olivia what's going on? Are you Okay."
"I'm okay Abby, I just need you to take care of this place until I get back."
"Where are you going?" Harrison asked.
Olivia didn't answer.
"Are you going to tell us anything?" Quinn asked.
"I don't have anything to tell you." Olivia answered rudely.
Quinn wrinkled her face at Olivia's attitude, so did Abby.
The elevator came and Olivia and her guards departed.
"What is wrong with her?" Abby was confused, she spoke to her a couple hours prior and she was perfectly cheerful, Abby was annoyed but she knew Olivia had her moments were she wouldn't talk so she was just going to give her time and then call her later.
The ride to the white house was a long 15 minutes.
The walk to the oval office longer. The security was tight with the attack on Fitz. She still had no idea how hurt he was but based on the fact that he was still in the white house and not at the hospital she knew it couldn't have been dire and she also knew her father, if he had really hurt him he wouldn't have been gloating more. She was glad to hear that the hostages were finally evacuated and the crisis had come to an end. She half expected him to be in the residence, she knew he must be tired. It broke her heart that after the day he had she was going to make it worse but she knew her father's threats were no joke, after all he liked Edison and he still ended up in the intensive care unit just to teach her a lesson. After it happened she felt bad for Edison, she visited him at the hospital and did as much as she could. Fitz was different, if he hurt Fitz like that she would lose her mind, Fitz was the beating heart in her chest and if anything happened to him at all, let alone because of her she wasn't sure what she would do with herself.
She hoped that he wouldn't be there, she thought maybe she could just leave her ring on his desk but if she did that he would look for her and he would find her. She had to end things, it was the only way he would leave her alone when she left.
She walked with her two guards and Jake once again waited in the car.
She found herself outside his door after several security checks, she was sure the only reason she was even able to get to the oval was because Tom allowed her since they wanted no one around Fitz. She walked over to Lauren.
"Lauren is he in?' she asked just above a whisper.
"Yes Ms. Pope, he's in." Lauren was unusually snooty in her tone.
Olivia nodded politely and then headed back to the door. She stopped right in front of it, she felt panic wash over her, she tried to take a few quick deep breaths then she pushed the door open and walked in.
The sight before her melted her heart and tore it simultaneously, Fitz was sleeping on a bunch of briefing folders on the resolute desk.
She stood across the room, she watched him intently, she could hear him snore lightly.
She could feel the water gathering in her eyes.
"Oh my god, how am I going to do this" she cried softly.
She sniffled and Fitz heard the soft crying and shifted a few times in his sleep, then he raised his head and saw Olivia in the middle of the room.
"Livie?"