Chapter 12: Amanda

April 28, 1978

The whole gang sat in the Ole Beer House enjoying their final happy hour weekend before finals kicked in and they would be crammed with work. Edison, who began to realize he would lose Olivia, was making much more of an effort now to be with Olivia and her friends. He now joined them all almost every Friday he could for their weekly happy hours. They sat, drank, and shared all of their summer plans, which for the most part included working.

"And Liv, what are you doing this summer?" Huck asked, putting his drink down. He wasn't a grad student like Quinn and had a full time job in the developing field of computer science, so the summer for him would look relatively similar to everything he did now.

"Oh! I don't think we've told them yet," Olivia eyed Fitz, waiting to share.

"What?" Edison cut in, glaring at Fitz who seemed to be in on whatever this was.

"Fitz and I both got summer internships in DC!" said Olivia full of excitement.

Abby and Stephen nodded to each other. They already knew because they were all hanging out together in Olivia and Abby's apartment when she had gotten the call, and then later in Fitz and Stephen's apartment when he got the call.

"That's amazing! Where are you both working?" Quinn asked.

"I have a internship with the DOJ. But Liv's is much more exciting," Fitz shared.

Quinn, Huck, and Edison's eyes turned to Olivia.

"I have a legal internship in the offices of the Smithsonian National Collection of Fine Arts."

"Congratulations Liv!" Quinn applauded her on nailing her dream internship, merging art with law.

"I'm so proud of you, baby," Edison added, hugging her from the side for a lengthy amount of time.

"That's pretty awesome," said Huck. "So when do you guys start?"

"Late May, after exams," Olivia informed them. "So I'll be spending the summer in DC, living with my mom and Cyrus."

"And you?" Edison asked, eyeing Fitz. He knew that Fitz regularly stayed with Olivia's parents anytime they went home together.

"I'm actually searching for an apartment with a short term lease. I found one that's in the city."

"Oh my god, this gives us more reason to celebrate!" Quinn squealed. "You guys have to join us this weekend."

"What's happening this weekend?" Fitz asked.

"Quinn's old college roommate Amanda is visiting, so we were planning on going out to the clubs," said Abby who then placed her hands on top of Stephen's shoulders. "You boys should join us. Celebrate Amanda visiting and Fitz and Olivia's internships, how about it?"

"Hmmm…dancing isn't really my thing," Huck looked away from them.

"Yeah same here," Stephen chimed. "I don't know if you guys could tell, but I'm pretty bad on my feet."

Fitz and Olivia cracked a smile at Stephen's wise joke, and Abby playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"Stop it. You're coming, no 'buts.'"

"Yes, same goes for you Huckleberry," Quinn said in a commanding voice.

"Well if I'm going, then Fitz is going too," Stephen said, pointing to Fitz who nearly choked on his drink.

"Wh-what?"

"If Huck and I are getting dragged into this then you are too. You don't get a pass just because you're the only one of us who's single," Stephen quipped.

"I-I think that does give me a pass," Fitz stammered, though it was no use. Arguing with Stephen would have just been an uphill battle he was not willing to do.

"And how about you, Edison?" Olivia nudged him slightly. "You down to go to a disco club Friday night?"

"Of course, I'll go. I won't even fuss about it," he said, making fun of the other guys.

"Kiss ass," Stephen coughed into his elbow, earning him another smack on the shoulder from Abby.

ooo

Fitz put on a record to entertain himself as he got ready for the night. He couldn't help but dance a little bit as he slipped on white flared jeans with a bright teal button down that was only halfway buttoned. They still had another hour before him and Stephen would meet the others at the disco, but he was already excited. He had never gone to a club with Olivia before, and he was really looking forward to it. Sure Edison would be there, but he hoped it would still be fun with her.

"Well I see someone is getting into the disco spirit already," Stephen whistled as he wheeled himself into Fitz's room, having heard him blast "Boogie Shoes" from the living room.

"I-um yeah. How do I look?" Fitz asked.

"Are you seriously asking me how you look?" Stephen teased him.

"You're no help at all," Fitz fussed as he looked into the mirror, running his hands through his curls to give them just the right amount of bounce and volume.

Stephen wheeled around the room noticing a huge pile of clothes that were on the floor of his walk-in closet. "And I'm assuming those were the other contenders before this outfit. You know, I never took you to be the vain type."

"I'm not vain," Fitz muttered. "I just haven't gone out in a while, and I want to look good."

"For Liv," Stephen stated. He had been wanting to have this conversation with Fitz for a long time, but couldn't find a proper opportunity to bring it up, but this seemed as good a time as ever. Stephen knew that it was Olivia who he was dressing up for, though he wouldn't admit.

"L-L-Liv," Fitz stuttered in shock. "Wh-why would I want t-to look good for her?"

"Oh come on Fitz. Just admit it, you like her, and I mean as more than a friend. It's obvious from the way you look at her. I first noticed at Abby's house during Fourth of July, but I don't get how I wasn't able to notice it before. It makes so much more sense looking back. I mean, you haven't brought anyone to our apartment since we've moved to New York."

"So you're keeping track of my sex life?"

"Just an observation," Stephen admitted. "And I think it's because you're holding out on her.

"No-no that's…insane. She's my oldest friend."

"So?"

"So?" Fitz questioned him as though Stephen didn't understand the relationship between him and Olivia. "There are so many reasons why Liv and I wouldn't work. She's my oldest friend, we were next door neighbors, I dated her sister!"

"I'm still not buying it," Stephen grinned, aware he was irking his friend on. "You've been different ever since we ran into her that day in Central Park."

Fitz grunted, fed up with Stephen's interrogation into him, "Different? How so?"

"You smile a lot more when you're with her."

Fitz turned his eyes to the floor. He knew Stephen was right. He had caught feelings for Olivia Pope, and it was eating at him inside that he didn't know what to do about them. He loved being with her, yet felt stuck, like there was something gorgeous just too far out of his reach. It was aggravating, but in the most beautiful of ways. He found it challenging, as was the nature of love.

"When she's saying or doing anything you're a lot more attentive, and you laugh a little louder whenever she tells a joke," Stephen continued listing on. "And you stutter way less when she's around, you just seem more relaxed in her presence."

"Ok Stephen, I get it," Fitz sighed and sat on his bed in defeat. "I-I don't just like her, I think I'm in love with her; but it doesn't matter because she's going to marry Edison."

"Last I checked there wasn't a ring on her finger."

"They've been dating for over five years. I think it's pretty obvious."

"And don't you think it's weird that they've dated for over five years and he still hasn't proposed. They don't even live together," Stephen pointed out. "Their relationship is dry and dead. She's only keeping him around for convinience."

"Yeah well Edison is trying. You've seen how he's been making more of an effort to hang out with us and her family. And she's happy that he's finally taking the time to get to know her friends. I don't want to ruin that."

"Fitz," Stephen wheeled himself closer. "I'm saying this because I love you mate, but grow a fucking pair! What's the worst that could happen if you tell her how you feel?"

"I could lose her as a friend, Stephen, and I don't want that. We have gone through a lot together, and I can't afford to lose her friendship."

"Fine, be alone. I have to go get ready anyways," Stephen sighed and turned himself around. "By the way, button down your shirt by two or three more. You need to show more man cleavage."

ooo

Meanwhile, Olivia, Abby, Huck, Quinn, and Amanda were all getting ready together at Olivia and Abby's apartment. Huck and Quinn had gone earlier to pick Amanda up from the airport, and brought their outfits with them so they could all get ready together. After a few hours of chatting and catching up with Amanda who had moved to LA after Princeton, the girls were getting their makeup on while Huck sat in the living room.

"So where is this club at?" Amanda asked, putting on silver eye shadow to match her silver sequin dress.

"It's in the village. We're probably going to have to call a cab to meet up with Stephen and Fitz there," Abby laid out the plan.

"Right and Stephen is your man?" Amanda asked.

"Has been for almost a year," Abby smiled.

"And Fitz was your old neighbor?" Amanda asked, pointing to Liv.

"That'd be correct."

"Oh my god!" Quinn suddenly chimed, grabbing everyone's attention. "I just had a brilliant idea."

"What?"

"We should totally fix Amanda up with Fitz!" Quinn squealed. "I think it would work out so well. He's the only single guy in our group, and you'd love him. He's tall and muscular. He was in the Navy."

"Ooh a military man," Amanda gushed humorously.

"Ugh guys, wouldn't they just be so perfect?" Quinn looked at her two other friends for verification.

Abby looked at Olivia. She talked with Stephen about Olivia and Fitz before, many, many times before, but she didn't talk to Liv yet on her feelings towards him since she could never find the right time. Abby was about to say something to put an end to the Quinn's little idea when Olivia spoke up.

"I think that's a great idea," she said.

"You do?" Abby asked shocked.

"Yeah, I don't know when the last time Fitz had gone out – he doesn't talk to me about that – but I feel like it's been awhile. I think you'll really like him too," she said to Amanda in the most relaxed of voices that it caught Abby by surprise. Olivia heard the telephone going off in the living room. "I better go get that."

She walked through her living room to Huck who had picked up the phone for her.

"It's Edison," he said passing the phone to her.

"Hey," Olivia said nonchalantly. "Do you want to meet at my place or down at the club?"

"About that Olivia…" Edison trailed. "I'm still at the office."

Olivia looked at the clock, "well you're certainly cutting it close, but we can push it back by fifteen minutes if we need to."

"Olivia, I-"

"You're canceling," she said as statement rather than a question.

"I'm sorry. Our firm just got a new client. We're all going to be staying until late. I promise I'll make it up to you."

Olivia stayed on the line, but didn't respond. She was looking forward to dancing with Edison, and this last minute cancellation was an emotional blow to her. He was finally putting some effort in to getting along with her friends and family. It was pretty obvious to her when she saw the glares and eye rolls that Abby, Fitz and Stephen would do whenever he was around that they weren't Edison's biggest fans. Now he was working on it, and she really felt like they were starting to warm up to him. She was concerned that this would only set the progress back. And then there was also the fact that now she would be the only one without a date.

"Liv?"

"It's fine, Edison. I gotta go. We're finishing getting ready."

"Ok, tell Amanda I say hi."

"I will."

Olivia hung up the phone and went back to her room.

ooo

"Abby! Abby! We're over here!" Stephen flagged down Abby and the others while they waited in line to get into the club. They ran across the street to join them.

"Hi," Fitz said, smiling at Liv. He thought she looked so gorgeous in her bright red dress.

"Fitz, what is this?" Olivia asked, grabbing onto his shirt and fixing it by buttoning it up a couple more times. "Where did you get an idea to button your shirt so low?"

"Um…i-it was Stephen," he said blushing. "He…he said I needed to show more, uh, 'man cleavage.'"

"Man cleavage?" Olivia laughed. "You listen to Stephen on fashion advice?"

"Yeah," Fitz chuckled too.

"Gosh, it's a good thing you're cute." And though he tried to stop himself, he blushed even harder. "There we go, much better."

"Stephen, Fitz, this is Amanda; Amanda, meet Stephen and Fitz," Quinn presented her old roommate to the rest of the crew.

The guys exchanged their "nice to meet you's" and waited in line to be let into the club. Olivia joined in the line near the front of group, making conversation with Abby and Stephen, while Huck and Quinn stood behind them, leaving Amanda and Fitz alone in the back of their clump.

"So, you're from DC?" Amanda asked.

"Yep-yeah," he uttered awkwardly.

"And you're studying law?"

"Mhmm."

Amanda sighed at how challenging it was to try and keep this conversation. She felt like she was literally having to rip words out of him.

"What kind of law do you want to specialize in?"

"Um..I-I'm not sure yet."

He looked over Huck's head to Olivia, hoping that she would turn around and save him from her, but she was too engaged in a conversation with Stephen and Abby to bother. Cringing inside, he knew there was no way he could get her attention without it being super obvious. He was just going to have to make small talk with Amanda until they were inside.

"So what do you do in LA?"

"I write for a magazine. That's what I'm doing up here, actually. An editor position opened at their New York location and I'm one of the finalists for the position," she explained.

"Oh, cool! Congratulations and good luck."

"Thank you," she said politely before moving in a little bit closer. "You know, if I get the position I'll be moving to New York."

Fitz tried not laugh out loud from the ridiculously obvious statement and held it together well.

"And I don't really know many place in the city yet," Amanda continued. "Maybe you could show me around?"

Amanda gave Fitz a wink that made him almost stumble back.

"Um, um…may-maybe sometime," he said nervously. Luckily he didn't have to tell her anything more since they were the next ones to be let into the club.

They walked in a grabbed a booth table that just opened up. Olivia and Quinn decided to hit the dance floor while Fitz, Amanda, Stephen, Abby, and Huck stayed seated.

"Not much of a dancer huh, Huck?" Stephen said.

"Nope. It's going to take a lot more liquor to get me out there."

"Same here," Amanda giggled. "Fitz, will you go to the bar with me?"

Fitz looked to Stephen quickly, trying to think of something to say, but couldn't.

"I-I-I- sure," he got up from the booth, looking back at Stephen and Abby as Amanda dragged him away.

"Bloody hell, this won't be good," Stephen murmured, already predicting a terrible end to the night.

"Ok, Fitz may not be into her, and this whole thing is a mess, but I think he can stomach being a decent date just for a single night," said Abby, hoping that they could at least make it through the night without anything bad happening.

"I don't know. I think they look good together," Huck added.

Stephen stared at Huck in shock, "I'm sorry did you not see the fear in that man's eyes as he was being dragged to the bar?"

Fitz leaned against the bar with his back turned away, searching the dance floor to see if he could find Quinn or Olivia.

"Do you want to dance?" Amanda attempted to ask over the music, noticing Fitz staring intently at the dance floor.

"What?" Fitz couldn't quite make it out.

"I said, do you want to dance?"

Fitz figured that maybe getting on the dance floor he could find his friends more easily than by standing at the side by the bar.

"Oh, s-sure," he hesitantly agreed and walked with Amanda to the dance floor.

They made their way to the center of the floor and started dancing. Fitz felt Amanda grind up against him. Nervous, he looked around. He flinched a little bit when he felt Amanda's hands wrap around his neck.

"Hey, focus on me," she said, in a true attempt to be a calming presence. Fitz couldn't focus though, he felt his mind starting to race, and continued looking for Olivia. It seemed like his lungs were constricting him, making it difficult to speak any thought that his brain was trying to convey.

"I'm-I'm sorry. I-I don't n-normally do this," he stuttered, trying to compose himself.

"Y-y-you," Amanda laughed. "Just take it easy, relax."

Amanda pulled Fitz's head down and kissed him before he could register what was happening. He immediately pulled his head away and grabbed Amanda's wrists, but she tried moving forward into him more.

"N-no, s-s-stop," Fitz raised his voice more, "stop!"

At this point Olivia thought she had heard Fitz. She looked over her shoulder and saw him there with Amanda. Things looked tense between them, and she grew extremely worried. She grabbed Quinn's arms and was about to intercede, but the dance floor was too crowded to budge through. Liv continued straining her neck trying to see what was happening.

Amanda looked up at him, "Jesus, what's your problem?"

"I-I have to go," he uttered and turned away, striding towards the club's exit.

"G-g-go ahead," he heard Amanda call after him in a mocking tone.

"Fuck off!" That was it for him. He marched right out of the door of the club and down the street.

"Oh no…I have to check on him," Olivia quickly told Quinn.

"Olivia he's fine. He can take care of himself."

Olivia however couldn't shake the feeling that there was something horribly wrong. He looked so upset, and she couldn't have that, so she ran out the door after him.

Fitz reached the corner of the street when he thought he heard his name being called.

"Fitz! Fitz!" Olivia called out running as fast as she could in her heels. He stopped and waited for her to get to the corner. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? A-are you serious right now Olivia?" Fitz snapped. "Your friend was all over me the entire night."

"I know. I saw. You should be flattered that she was so into you," Olivia tried to lighten the mood and smile. Normally it would have worked, but he was beyond pissed to smile along with her.

"Fuck no. She's a bitch," he hurtfully scowled.

"Fitz!" Olivia raised her voice this time. She absolutely hated that word, especially when men used it. She'd been called it herself multiple times at Princeton whenever she would excel at something more than her male classmates, and as for swear words go she found it one of the more repulsive due to the frequency it was flung at her in college. "Careful, that's my friend you're talking about. Don't use that word."

"Your friend was m-making fun of me," Fitz explained.

"What did she say?" Olivia asked with genuine concern in her voice, she moved close to Fitz. Fitz looked to his shoes, not wanting to share the details.

"She was making fun of me for stuttering," Fitz mumbled to the point where it was barely audible.

"That's all?" Olivia chuckled over the small tease. She put her hand on his cheek and stroked it soothingly. "Hey, I think it's funny and cute."

Fitz grunted and Olivia felt Fitz hand wrap around her wrist and throw it down off of him. He looked even angrier than before.

"Screw you!" he yelled and took steps back away from her.

"What?" Olivia said back, trying to keep her voice steady. "I'm trying to remain calm and not sound like Amanda here, but what is your problem?"

"You! You're my problem, Olivia Pope!" Fitz shouted.

"I'm your problem?"

"Yes, how do you not see it? You have been a fucking problem since we reconnected!" Fitz shouted more, growing frustrated.

"I'm your fucking problem? I'm your fucking problem?" Olivia seethed at Fitz's accusation of her being nothing but a problem. "Was I a problem when I helped you pass your first year of law school? But go on, keep telling yourself that I'm nothing more than a problem!"

Fitz stood in shock that she was still not getting it. He was tired and fed up, trying to get her to see.

"You're an idiot," he muttered, and instantly saw the hurt in her eyes.

He realized how harsh he was coming across, and that wasn't his intention. She was his problem in the best of ways, like rapids down a river: problematic and difficult, but thrilling and exciting, and arguably the best part of any journey. But the yelling, name-calling, and swearing probably wasn't one of the best ways to approach a situation like this. He could see that now with the context of the situation.

"Oh fuck you, Fitzgerald!" Olivia screamed and turned around, going back to the club.

"Fuck!" Fitz shouted to himself after she had left. That could have gone way better than it had, he thought while reflecting on what just happened. There were many things he could have done difference. He could have not freaked out at Amanda like he had, or he could have kept his cool when Olivia asked him what was wrong. But Fitz knew inside that the real mistake he made was not telling Olivia the full truth.

A/N: I'll be uploading the next chapter very shortly. I promise that all questions will be addressed and answered in future chapters. I've already finished the story and am working on the epilogue right now (don't worry there's still plenty of story left to tell, and I think you will like where the rest of this goes).