Chapter 4

***Summer 2019***

To say Olivia was feeling stressed was the understatement of the century. How had today gone so wrong. Just several hours ago she was managing the resort and planning her daughter's wedding, now here she was faced with her demons from her past. She had left the United States long ago and came to this island with strong hope that she would never have to face neither Jake, nor Stephen, nor Fitz ever again. Now she had to face all three at the same time.

Olivia had no doubt that it was her mischievous daughter behind this. Raya must have gone snooping through her stuff at some point. Maybe she just should have been honest with Raya about her father. Maybe if she was just more open to talking about him when Raya was a kid, she wouldn't be in the situation she was in now. Olivia paced back and forth in the lobby, thinking over all the men at that point in her life.

Her encounter with Stephen hadn't gone too bad. And if she was being honest, she had missed his goofiness and having him as a friend and roommate. Plus she didn't think she would have to worry about him falling for her since it appeared he was getting friendly with Abby. Olivia envisioned reconnecting with Stephen as something that was possible in the future. Then there was Jake who she hadn't spoken to in a long time, and didn't really want to.

But in Olivia's mind Jake wasn't nearly as bad as Fitz. She couldn't stomach the fact that they were on the same premises at the moment. It made her mad, enraged…and also nervous? Why was she suddenly feeling butterflies? Olivia put aside the nerves she was feeling by having Fitz around and sat on the bench of the grand piano in the lobby.

Whenever she was stressed, she found herself playing music. It helped relax her, and right now was no exception. She put her wrists in the proper position and began to play, improvising a slow melody as she went along. Suddenly she felt extra weight on the bench and through the corner of her eye saw Fitz sitting right next to her. She immediate stopped her playing.

"You still play the piano?" Fitz tried to chime into some friendly conversation with his lost love.

"It's not really something you just forget," Olivia snapped back quickly and shortly, shutting the piano and standing up off of the bench.

"No I didn't…I mean…" Fitz was floundering. Of course she can still play the piano! What a dumb question. What was he thinking? "I mean it's nice to see that some things never change. That melody was beautiful, Liv, it really was."

"Yeah some things never change, Fitz, some people never change too," she turned around to walk away.

"Livvie, wait!" Fitz called out. "Please just hear me out. I have changed. What happened all those years ago, it was all…it was-"

"Part of Big Gerry's plan. A plan that, if I recall correctly, you strictly followed until about three years ago," Olivia filled in the gap for him.

"No," Fitz shook his head. "It wasn't like that."

"Do you want to look me in the eye then and tell me that running for President was a choice you made, something that you wanted to do?" Olivia waited for Fitz, but got absolutely no response. "Yeah, that's what I thought. I'm glad you got out of being Big Gerry's puppet. Too bad it was about twenty years too late."

Fitz clenched his hands and closed his. He knew Olivia was right. She had read him perfectly. She had every right to be mad at him.

"Please, Livvie," he pleaded, but when he looked up she was gone. Fitz sighed in frustration. How did they end up where they were from when they first met?

***Summer 1996***

Olivia had been seeing Jake for three weeks now, and things couldn't be better for her. He was funny, bold, and charming, though Olivia got a little bit of a player vibe from him, she assumed giving him some time to mature, he would grow out of it. Stephen was also being helpful as ever. She was getting into contact with several people in the music industry. Showing them her songs. She knew it would be awhile until she became a singing star of course, but she figured she might be able to sell a song or two in order to make some ends meet for now. As shocked as she was to have made the spontaneous decision that she had, things seemed to be going alright for her for now.

"Mmmm good morning…" Jake groaned groggily as he tried to raise his head off the pillow.

"Good morning to you, sleepy head." Olivia rolled over in the bed to give him a quick peck on the lips.

"What are you doing awake so early?" Jake asked. Usually he was always up before her, as a Navy man early wake up was part of his routine.

"I was just thinking."

"Thinking?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking about how happy I am…here…with you." Olivia felt Jake's body tense up, which worried her immensely. She had come to realize he was not one to express feelings all too well, but this alarmed her. "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine. I just…uh I forgot to ask you something last night," Jake scattered to change the subject.

"What is it?"

"One of my Navy buddies is being discharged this weekend, and there's going to be a huge party. Would you want to sing for the event?"

"Sing for a welcome home party?" Olivia asked, slightly insulted that Jake would ask her to do something so miniscule.

"It's not just a welcome home party, Liv, it's going to be a huge event. Do you know the senator of California, Fitzgerald Grant?"

"Of course." She might have been pursuing a music career, but she was still a political news junkie through and through. "Self-made man, two-term governor, three-term senator." She recited.

"It's his son."

"No way!" Olivia sat up quickly. This meant there would be a whole web of wealthy and influential individuals, a perfect opportunity for her to network and showcase some of her songs. "And they want me to sing?" she said in complete disbelief.

"He and I are close, like brothers almost. He said they were looking for someone and I mentioned you. It's yours if you want it."

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Olivia chided gleefully kissing Jake between each "Yes!"

"Jake, thank you! I have no idea how I could ever repay you."

"I've got a few ideas…" Jake smirked, dipping his head under the covers.

Olivia took deep breath in and out as she prepared behind the curtain. This party was much larger and fancier than she could ever have imagined. She knew it was the senator's son and would be a big deal, but she didn't imagine two hundred people, a five-course meal, and an entire orchestra to be used as back up for her. This was all so overwhelming, but also an important moment for her to make a big break and leave an impression on some pretty powerful people. Olivia closed her eyes and started to do the breathing exercises Abby had taught her to help relax.

"What are you doing?"

Olivia stopped in her tracks looking at the source of the voice. She saw a tall Navy officer dressed in uniform with curly brown locks and a golden tan walk toward her.

"I'm getting ready to perform. Are you performing also?"

"Me? Oh god no. I can't sing," the man chuckled leaning against the wall.

"Then really I think I should be asking you what you're doing behind here?"

"Just trying to avoid people."

"Not much of a party person?" she asked, raising her eyebrow at the man. If Olivia had to guess she would say he looked a little older than her and her friends, no more than 30 for sure.

"Not really my scene," he smirked adjusting his Navy cap. "I was under the impression that this was going to be a much smaller and more intimate event, but of course Big Gerry Grant has to be one who always puts on a show," he scoffed.

"You're telling me. I didn't realize how many people I was going to be singing for," Olivia said slightly tense.

"I'm sure you'll be great. Just keep doing those- what was it that you were doing?" he asked leaning off the wall and closing the gap between them.

"Breathing exercises," she replied.

"To help you sing?"

"No, well sort of. They help you relax, which probably betters my singing, but you can use it just about anywhere." Olivia could tell the man in front of her was suffering as well. He had social anxiety written all over his face from this large crowd, clearly parties were not his scene.

"Here," Olivia said grabbing the man's hands, "close your eyes." He looked at her questioningly.

"Close your eyes," she repeated, and he followed her lead.

"Ok good. Now follow my voice," she instructed. "In 2, 3, 4; hold 2, 3, 4; out 2, 3, 4. In 2, 3, 4; hold 2, 3, 4; out 2, 3, 4." She continued a few more times. He followed her every word, a feeling of ease came over him. Olivia could feel him letting go of the tension within him. After another round she let go.

"Better?"

"Much," he said, slowly opening his eyes and giving the woman a warm smile. Their eyes locked for a hot second, and a feeling of instant connection washed over both of them. Had Olivia not had fresh thoughts of Jake in her head, she probably would have ended up leaning in to kiss the man.

"Um I should probably…" Olivia trailed off pointing to the direction of the stage.

"Right, right, I should probably get back to the party anyways," he mumbled heavily and walked away.

Olivia watched from the side as the orchestra took their spots on the stage, signaling that it was time for her walk onto her mark. Olivia walked onto the stage in front of the microphone. She looked out into the room of people, but it was massive. She searched trying to find Jake's face. If she could just see a familiar face there, she knew she would be okay. But the room was too huge and completely packed. She scanned the tables as quickly as she could, trying to find anyone she recognized seated. Olivia felt herself beginning to sweat and shut down. This would be it for her. Choking in front of this room would be the end of her just started career. She caught a glance of a man standing apart from the tables toward the front and off to the side of the stage. It was the man from backstage. She saw him give her a smile and raise his the drink he had in his hand a little bit. That was all she needed, just one familiar face, and there it was. She turned around and signaled the orchestra to start playing.

Lay your head on my chest so you hear every beat of my heart
Now there's nothing at all that can keep us apart
Touch my lips, close your eyes and see with your fingertips
Things that you do, and you know I'm crazy 'bout you

Kisses of fire, burning, burning
I'm at the point of no returning
Kisses of fire, sweet devotions
Caught in a landslide of emotions
I've had my share of love affairs and they were nothing compared to this
Oh, I'm riding higher than the sky and there is fire in every kiss
Kisses of fire
Kisses of fire

After her amazing performance Olivia went out into the main room to try to find Jake and mingle with a few of his buddies. She figured she would try to introduce herself to as many people as she could. As she made her way through the ballroom she was stopped every few feet by guests giving praise to her wonderful performance. She could feel her dreams starting to come true. She realized she could definitely make it in the music business with her talent. Now she just needed the right connections. She scanned around the room once again, looking for Jake.

"Hey sweetheart!" a sharp, loud voice broke her out of her train of thought. She turned around and saw Senator Fitzgerald Grant II approach her. "Wow that was a hell of a performance!" he praised.

"Thank you Senator. I really appreciate that coming from you." Olivia smiled kindly, ignoring the earlier 'sweetheart' as an uncomfortable situation created by a mere generational gap.

"So you're a professional singer?" he asked her further.

"Well not yet, but that's the goal. I only moved here about a month ago, but you have to start chasing your dreams somewhere," Olivia laughed, making small talk with the senator.

"I completely understand. It's pretty difficult to get started in show business."

"Yeah, it's really just the getting off the ground part."

"Well, I might be able to help with some of that," Gerry hinted. Olivia looked at him slightly confused. Gerry reached into his wallet and pulled a wad of hundred dollar bills, laying out the cash in front of her.

"Excuse me?" Olivia asked in shock. She had already been paid in advance by check. She didn't understand, this was far too much to be a tip. "I can't accept this as a tip," she explains.

"It's not. It's for future services," Gerry explained winking.

"For singing at other events…" Olivia let on, although she was thinking that he had some other ideas in mind.

Gerry let out a laugh.

"Not just singing, sweetheart. Trust me, you're going to want to accept my offer. I've seen this story a thousand times; beautiful, young black girl runs away from her family, moves to the big city with no money, no education, just the clothes on her back and a pipe dream. It always ends the same with her either in the streets or dead."

Olivia stumbled back in disbelief of the words that were just spoken to her. Who did this guy think he was speaking to her that way?

"Excuse me!" she raised her voice. "How dare you think you can approach me with your money and your racially prejudice assumptions-"

"Hey is everything that's going on here okay?" the man from backstage rushed toward them after seeing the tension between the two unfold. In all honesty, he had been watching her since she entered the ballroom and watched intently as this interaction before him went poorly.

"Everything is going fine son, now go along and enjoy your party," Big Gerry said, waving his son off.

Olivia laughed in utter disbelief, slapping her palm to her face.

"Of course. Of course you of all people would be Captain Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III," she sighed, palming her hand to her face and trying not to show her eyes that were starting to water at the humiliation that was unraveling before her. And to think there was a moment where she thought about kissing this guy.

Fitz refused to leave though and stood his ground.

"No, now what happened?" he asked more firmly, staring at his father. Big Gerry remained tight-lipped and avoided his gaze.

"What happened?" Fitz asked, looking at Olivia and softening his face and voice for her.

"Nothing, just your father trying to buy me as a prostitute. I should probably go."

"Dad!" Fitz shouted.

"Look, I'm just trying to be the realist here. An unemployed, uneducated girl moves into town with no plan. How else is she going to make a living? I was just offering her some help," Gerry took a sip of his drink.

"Well I was thinking I could always get involved in the stock market, make some investments. Didn't you get rich through the stock market, Governor Grant …or how was it that you ended up making your money…"

"Hey!" Gerry snapped. "I never did anything illegal."

"Maybe not illegal, but definitely wrong," Olivia retorted. "I know all about you and your shady business dealings, Governor Grant. I wrote a term paper about it for one of my classes. It actually ended up getting published. You might be able to find it; it's under my name, Olivia Pope. See, I just graduated Yale with a Political Science degree and a minor in Economics, and I found your financial past to be very interesting."

Gerry's face immediately turned stun, while Fitz let out a breath of amazement seeing this woman stick up to Big Gerry.

"I would love to sit around and talk more. Critiquing your proposed financial plan that you introduced to Congress nine years ago is actually one of my favorite topics. But unfortunately I have to go back to my dead-end life on the streets so…" Olivia pivoted away and marched toward the exit doors of the ballroom. Forget Jake, at this point she needed to put a large amount of physical distance between her and the Grants. She made it out of the ballroom and into the hallway when she heard a voice behind her.

"Ms. Pope? Ms. Pope, wait," she heard the younger Grant calling out after her. He jogged past her and blocked her path.

"I'm so sorry about that my father is kind of-"

"-racist." She interrupted.

"I was going to say old-fashion but…yeah." He rubbed a hand against the back of his neck, feeling awkward and uncomfortable about the situation he was in, apologizing for his father.

"Well, I appreciate your apology Captain Grant, but-"

"Fitz," he corrected her. "I don't- just call me Fitz."

"Fitz," she repeated.

"I know my father is a real piece of work, and I'm sorry about what you had to endure back there."

"That's great, Fitz, but I really should get going."

Fitz stepped in her way again blocking her from making any move.

"But I for one would love to hear you criticize his financial plan and career," Fitz let out a smirk. "Maybe over coffee? Or we could go somewhere else."

Olivia laughed in his face and rubbed her eyes harshly.

"Are you seriously asking me out right now?! After what just happened?! What it's bad enough that your father tries to buy me, now you have to try too!"

"No, no. It's not like that. I'm not him. I'm nothing like him. Miss Pope, I know I have no right after what just happened, but if you give me a chance..." Fitz trailed off, giving her pleading eyes. Olivia glanced in his blues and felt the same intense connection that she had felt with him backstage. She was drawn into him, but she couldn't let herself.

"No," she declared. "I know all about guys like you!" she growled.

"Guys like me?"

"Yeah, guys like you, who are born into privileged families where all it takes is just a phone call and a check to get you into Princeton-"

"Harvard," Fitz corrected, and Olivia rolled her eyes.

"-or Harvard." she continued. "You've probably never had to work a day in your life."

Olivia pointed to his uniform.

"This officer role was also probably handed to you because of who your father is, wasn't it?" Olivia stared into his eyes with a fire that made him burn all over. Fitz was left speechless; he didn't know how to respond to that.

"Hey Liv, there you are!" Fitz and Liv's heads both turned around to see Jake coming out of the ballroom. "I see you've met Fitz. This man here is like an older brother to me." Jake said marching over to them and giving Fitz a pat on the back.

"Yeah," Olivia answered.

"Is everything ok?" Jake asked concerned with the way her demeanor had completely changed from earlier today.

"I just don't feel very good. I think I might be coming down with something. Can we go, Jake? Please?" She lied, hoping to leave and never encounter another Grant again.

"Yeah, of course," Jake placed his hand on the small of her back to lead her out.

"Captain Grant," she dismissed him before turning around, exiting the building with Jake at her side. Fitz just continued to look on.

***Summer 2019***

Raya waited in the night outside the bushes of the resort. This had been their secret spot ever since they were just teenagers, sneaking off to fool around without their parents' knowledge, protected by the darkness. This was where they had their first kiss, this was where he told her he loved her for the first time – and he repeated it every time they met at the bushes thereafter.

Raya saw a figure approaching and had no doubt it was Ezekiel.

"Zeke!" she whisper shouted, getting him to jog closer to her.

"He beautiful!" he praised lifting her up in his arm and spinning her around. With their wedding only a couple of days away, they couldn't have been happier. Raya didn't understand how some people felt wedding jitters right before a wedding. Her and Ezekiel were as happy as ever, she couldn't imagine ever questioning her wedding.

"Zeke, I have to tell you something. I have some exciting news." Zeke nodded at Raya to continue. Raya blushed and worked up a breath to share the amazing news. "I met my dad today!"

"No way!" Zeke shouted a little louder than he probably should have given the late hours, but he had known about the mystery surrounding Raya's father, and the secrets Olivia would never share. "He's here at the resort? Your mom invited him?" Zeke was a little surprised to think that Olivia would go from never speaking of Raya's father to inviting him for their wedding.

"Um no…actually I did…" Raya admitted, holding onto Zeke's shoulder.

"Wait…I thought you didn't know who your father was?"

"I didn't." Raya confirmed for him. "But I know he's one of three guys, so I invited them-"

"Them?" Ezekiel interrupted. "You invited all three of them?"

"Yeah" Raya nodded.

"Raya, why would you do that?" he asked with a tinge of anger. "All that's going to happen is drama and conflict. Why would you want to create that? Especially right before our wedding."

Raya was taken aback by Ezekiel's response. She thought he would be happy for her for acting on her own and making progress on something she had long talked about.

"That's why I did it, Zeke, because it's right before our wedding. All I've ever wanted my entire life was to meet my father. And I finally did today, and don't you think a father should be able to walk his daughter down the aisle and see her get married? I thought you would be happy for me…" Raya pouted. Zeke took in a sigh.

"You're right. I'm sorry, honey. I know this is something that you've always wanted. It's just…strangers at our wedding…"

"They're not strangers, Zeke, one of them is my dad," she pointed out slightly angry at him for getting angry.

"Sorry, I don't want to fight."

"Neither do I," she said, crossing her arms.

"So tell me, how did preparing the table decorations go today?" Zeke said with a smile and sat by a nearby bench, putting his arm out for Raya to join him.

"It was great," she said, sitting down next to him. Zeke wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close into his chest.

"I want to hear all about it," he said as he peppered a light kiss onto her head.

After some time catching up, Zeke wished his fiancé a good night with a passionate kiss before heading out into the night to go home. Raya waltzed back through the resort carefully to make sure no one would see that had gone out this late at night.

As she approached her villa she heard a deep voice approaching her. Through the dark she was just barely able to make out the figure of Fitz walking toward her. He looked distracted, and Raya saw that he was talking on the phone. She hid into some bushed so she would not be seen as Fitz approached, but overheard his conversation.

"Lauren, hey this is Fitz."

Raya got a little closer to get a better look. She noticed Fitz was holding his cell phone to his ear in one hand and clutching a notebook against him in his other hand.

"Listen, I think I'm going to have to stay for a few more days than I thought I would…I know…yes, I know…ha….yeah, well I miss you too." Fitz said as he walked past the bushes.

Raya had so many more questions for Fitz. Who was Lauren? In her research she had done before she knew Fitz was a recent divorcee. His ex was Mellie, his daughter was named Karen, and he had no sisters. Who could Lauren be? Was he seeing someone? What relationship did he have with Lauren? Could he have already gotten remarried this quickly? Raya felt a pit in her stomach thinking about Fitz abandoning her and her mother for Lauren.

A/N: So Fitz and Olivia's first meeting seemed to have a bit of a rocky start, but what else can you expect from Olivia and Fitz. Thank you all so much for all the love and support. I'll try to be getting chapter out asap. Who do you think Lauren is? And what do you think was in the notebook? Who do you think Raya's father is?