Here We Go Again Chapter 9, a scandal fanfic

Chapter 9

***Summer 2019***

They walked back to the show with Olivia feeling more confident to perform. Fitz took to the side of the stage so he would be more visible to Liv, just in case she needed him. Olivia took her place on the stage and sat by the piano. She took another deep breath for four seconds and looked at Fitz who was standing by the stage already beaming full of pride. They briefly made eye contact, and then Olivia turned to the keys and began to play.

Her fingers started a sweet and soulful melody, one that brought on a sort of nostalgia toward Fitz. He was certain he had heard it before.

I, I've been in love before
I thought I would no more
Manage to hit the ceiling
Still, strange as it seems to me
You brought it back to me
That old feeling

I, I don't know what you do
You make me think that you
Possibly could release me
I think you'll be able to
Make all my dreams come true
And you ease me

As Olivia progressed to the chorus, it occurred to him where he had heard the song before; it was 23 years ago at his house.

***Summer 1996***

You thrill me, you delight me
You please me, you excite me
You're something I'd been pleading for
I love you, I adore you
I lay my life before you
I'll have you want me more and more
And finally it seems my lonely days are through
I've been waiting for you

Fitz came around and wrapped his arms around her from behind as she continued to play. It had been two weeks since Olivia declared her feelings for Fitz, and with his parents staying at their place in Sacramento, he has been able to spend just about every waking minute with Liv (and the non waking minutes too). He kissed her down the side of her neck.

"That's beautiful! You wrote that?" He buried his head into her shoulder. She turned around and cupped his face.

"I did. It's not done yet, but I've been feeling pretty inspired recently." She gently pecked him on the lips.

"Does that mean I'll be getting a share of the royalties?" he grinned.

"You Grant men and your money," she joked. "Is breakfast ready yet?"

"Just about," Fitz was leaving later in the evening to catch a night flight to Sacramento and be with his parents for a little bit. They had important matters to discuss. So Fitz and Liv decided to spend as much of the day together as they could before he had to leave, starting with an early morning breakfast. Fitz went back into the kitchen to grab tray of pancakes he made, and bring them into the living room for him and Liv to enjoy. Olivia got off from the piano bench and looked around the artwork of the house. She never noticed the exquisite paintings before. She stood in awe, wondering how many of them were actually originals or if Big Gerry bought replicas and lied well enough to his prominent guest to pass them off as originals.

Olivia noticed a sparkling box set on the counter from the corner of her eye. She walked toward it to get a closer look.

"For Mellie," she read out loud before opening the box to see what was in it. She discovered a beautiful gold ring, shaped into the infinity symbol. It looked rare and old, and gorgeous as the light shined against it. She assumed it was pure gold.

"Livvie?" she turned around and saw Fitz coming in with the assortment of breakfast foods he prepared.

"What's this?" Olivia asked. The ring looked very special and important. Part of her wondered if it was an engagement ring, and wondered who it was meant for. Fitz wasn't about to propose to her was he? The box said "for Mellie," so it must be for whoever Mellie is or was, Olivia thought.

Fitz froze upon realizing that Olivia had noticed the engagement ring Big Gerry had taken out for him to give to Mellie. He should have explained the situation in full to her, but he didn't want his Livvie to panic and worry over a woman who would never be a threat to her. He didn't want her to suddenly feel insecure. He would never choose Mellie over her, no matter how much pressure his father put on him. Creating a sense of worry and reason to be jealous seemed pointless to Fitz. So instead of opening up, and telling her about the fight he recently had with Big Gerry, he skimmed over her question.

"Oh that. It's a family heirloom." Fitz explained, he figured he would try and give her the full story of the ring so Olivia wouldn't try to ask anymore questions, and he wouldn't have to talk about Mellie in front of her. "It was my great grandmother's. Her father bought it in Paris right before her debutante ball."

Olivia put the ring back in the box and closed it. Fitz let out a small sigh of relief, hoping there would be no further questions about what it was doing out in the open.

"Her name was Mellie?"

"Hmm?" Fitz looked at her confused.

"Your great grandmother, her name was Mellie? It says that on the box." She pointed to the label Big Gerry had written on it not to long ago.

"Oh, yes," Fitz quickly nodded, feeling a heavy lump grow in his throat. He didn't like the idea of lying, but he was frightened over what Olivia would do if he knew who Mellie actually was to his family, and the reason why the box indicated the ring was for her. Fitz decided to quickly change the subject, before any more questions could arise.

"How about we eat breakfast before it gets cold?"

Olivia joined him on the couch and dug in.

Fitz pulled up into the driveway of his parents Sacramento home, weary of whatever this important meeting was going to be about. He noticed a car he didn't recognize in the driveway and feared that it might be Mellie's, and his father was making yet another unsuccessful attempt to the pair the two up. He ran up the steps with his bag in hand, ready to see what could possibly be so important that he had to drop everything in LA and fly up on a single day's notice.

"Oh Fitz! You're here!" His mother greeted him at the door with a long warm hug.

"Hi ma," he kissed her cheek. "Where's dad?"

"He's in the library. He has a special visitor he wants you to meet."

Fitz put his bag down and headed upstairs to his father library. He found his father in his classic leather armchair, sipping bourbon with a middle-aged bearded man across from him on the couch.

"Ah Fitz, my boy, come in!" His father almost sounded chipper and too cheery. It made Fitz cautious as he crept in. He was about to sit down on the couch from the other side of the strange man, when his dad stopped him. "Wait, wait, wait, stand up."

Fitz followed orders and stood back up. His father and the man stood up out of their seats also and approached him.

"Cyrus, this is my son Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III," he introduced him. Fitz stood still awkwardly as Cyrus began pacing circles around him, tracing him over up and down with his eyes.

"Tall, well built, nice head of hair," Cyrus observed. "Where are we on schooling?"

"Harvard, Rhode scholar, then Stanford Law, and the Navy," Big Gerry answered.

"That'll do. Can we see his smile?" Cyrus asked. Fitz followed and gave him a confused lopsided grin. "Eh, could use some work, but we'll practice."

"What is this?" Fitz interrupted, his father and Cyrus' examination.

"Son, meet Cyrus Beene, your king maker. He turns average guys into candidates and candidates into gold. He's your ticket to the White House."

"I thought I wasn't going to run for Congress for another two years."

"Which mean you've got one year until you announce, which means you start right now!" Cyrus hollered.

"What?" Fitz backed away from him and Big Gerry.

"You got to start fundraising, son, put your name out there! Right now people only know you because of me, but I'm retiring now, and you're going to be stepping up." Big Gerry poked at his son's chest. "Which mean you start when Cyrus Beene tells you to start."

Fitz shot Cyrus a glance, which was returned with an apologetic, sympathetic look.

"It won't be too much at first, just a fundraiser here and there, attend some dinners, events to mingle with some powerful and rich Californians," he assured him.

"When are we starting?" Fitz asked in a monotone voice.

"Next weekend we've got a fundraiser for up and coming conservative politicians. I spoke to a few buddies, and managed to get you some time to kick off a speech and unofficially start your campaign." Big Gerry put a hand on his son's shoulder. "You're going to do great, I can already tell, a President in the making," he boasted fondly.

Fitz looked up and genuinely smiled at his dad. This was the first time he had ever actually shown some type of kindness toward him. Cyrus packed up his bags and began to leave.

"Oh one more thing!" he remembered turning around in the doorway. "What is the status of your love life? People like to know these things."

"I have a girlfriend," Fitz answered and Gerry backed away, putting his head down.

"Good! Bring her!" Cyrus called out and left the room.

Fitz turned to his dad, knowing full well the conversation that was about to take place.

"You can't bring that Olivia Pope girl."

"Why not?"

"She doesn't belong in our world," Big Gerry asserted more aggressively.

"I think you mean she doesn't belong in your world," Fitz shot back. "You don't want her because you think she's a threat to your legacy, because she's sharp enough to call attention to some of the side deals you made with big energy companies and-"

"Watch it, Fitzgerald!" Gerry barked. Eleanor came running into the room after hearing the rising commotion.

"What is going on?" she demanded.

"Fitz wants to bring the aspiring singer girlfriend of his to the benefit dinner next Saturday."

"I don't want to, I'm going to," Fitz corrected.

"Ellie, can you explain to him how bad an idea this is," Big Gerry could feel his blood pressure rising.

"I don't see why?" Fitz yelled, exasperated.

"She wants to be a singer, Fitzgerald!" Big Gerry finally yelled. "How many politicians do you know have a celebrity, Hollywood wife, huh? My guess is none."

Fitz paused, realizing that he didn't know of any political/celebrity couples. All the politicians he knew had the prim and proper political wife, who stood to the side supporting their husband and raising the kids, putting their own career on hold.

"If she really wants to be a professional singer, she's going to have to stay in LA, work on songs, make her connections there. She can't be traveling all over California, and eventually all over the country for you. There's a reason, Fitz. There's a reason you don't see busy career-driven women with politicians. If you cared about her career, about her actually making it in the recording industry, if you cared about her, you'd shake her loose right now while she still has a chance."

"I-No…you're wrong," Fitz shook his head. He wasn't going to let his father get to him. He could run and win while Olivia continued to pursue her dream.

"Fine," Big Gerry waved his hand, "Invite her to the dinner, and see how she likes it and if she can handle doing those types of events for the rest of her life."

"Your father really invited me?" Olivia asked utterly surprised. They were snuggled on the couch several days later once Fitz returned.

"He wants you to be there," Fitz reassured her. "It kind of surprised me too. He was actually nice to me at one point during the meeting with Cyrus Beene, which…Liv, he's never been nice to me before."

"It looks like he's finally starting to see how great of a leader you could be," Olivia cupped his cheek and gave him a quick kiss.

"You really think I'll make a good President?" he asked with sad eyes. Olivia stroked the side of his head.

"I think you'll make a great President."

Olivia shot up from her spot on the couch and looked at herself in the mirror, trying to envision herself at the benefit dinner.

"What an exciting time we've got for us: me with my interview for Billboard and you with your first fundraising event. Hey, what do people normally wear to these kinds of things? Is it cocktail attire or more business formal?"

Fitz cleared his throat.

"Liv, I've been meaning to ask you, how serious are you about becoming a rock star?"

Liv laughed, "I wouldn't say rock star."

"Or singer, songwriter?"

"I want it more than anything Fitz! Just like how you want the White House." She sat back down next to him. "I mean, I turned my entire life around and moved here, not knowing a single person or having any support system. If that doesn't show how dedicated I am to this, then I don't know what does. Why?"

"No reason," and Fitz was once again plagued with guilt now for the second time. He didn't want his pursuit of the office to be an obstacle for Olivia's pursuit of her dreams.

***Summer 2019***

I, I'm gonna make you mine
You're gonna feel so fine
You'll never want to leave me
I feel you belong to me
Someday you will agree
Please, believe me

Fitz was brought out of his train of thought when he heard the loud applause roar from the audience. Olivia took to the center of the stage, smiling wide and taking a bow. She had forgotten the exhilarating rush she got from performing, and Fitz was proud of her.

Olivia got off the stage to go back to her seat. Fitz noticed how on top of the world she looked, and after their little moment they had shared before, he thought now would be as good a time as ever to talk to her. He walked toward her.

"Hi," he said shyly.

"Hi," she replied.

Fitz was stunned. Had she actually just said "hi" back to him? He felt his heart thumping hard in his chest.

"You did great up there…" he said nervously. He used to be so cool around Olivia, but now here he was acting like a nervous middle school boy.

"Thanks."

Fitz wasn't sure what to say next. He wasn't sure what he could say to try and keep their conversation going. Should he go right into an apology? They were still in public, maybe that wasn't the best time. Before he could come up with another sentence however, he was interrupted.

"Mom! Oh my god! That was amazing! I had no idea you could sing!" Raya ran up hugging her mother tightly with Zeke, Abby, Stephen, and Jake right behind her.

"Liv, I never doubted you for a second," Stephen praised, giving her a hug.

"You've still got it, haven't changed at all," Jake confirmed, giving her a hug as well.

Fitz watched from a few yards away as Olivia became absorbed into a conversation with the five others. He couldn't help but notice her sincere smile as she talked away with her daughter and her friends. He knew he could join them, but it just felt wrong for some reason. Here she was smiing happily with Stephen and Jake and her daughter and friends, and all he managed to accomplish was getting her to say "hi." Feeling out of place, Fitz backed away and walked off.

Fitz walked onto the boating dock to take a minute to himself. He was trying to wrap his head around the idea that he would never win her back. He had lost her all those years ago for good. He would have to go back home to America in a couple of days for good. And after 23 years, he would have to begin the process of moving. He didn't know how. Where do you even start moving on from the love of your life?

"Hey!"

Fitz spun around at the girl's voice. It was Raya coming toward him. He noticed she was holding his notebook in her hands.

"Hey, where did you get that? That's private!" Fitz said slightly irritated, taking the notebook out of her hands, hoping to god she had not opened it.

"You left it at your table…before you ran after my mom…" Raya explained with some hurt to her voice over his quick aggression, generating some guilt into Fitz.

"Oh right…I'm sorry. It's just important work stuff that's in here that's all…" he tried to explain.

Raya didn't believe him for one second, but she wasn't about to press the matter. It seemed like a rough subject, and she didn't want to upset him, she wanted to spend time with him. Snorkeling with Fitz earlier had been fun, but she felt she could have gotten to know him more, and wanted to include him for some more activities.

"Well, we're about to have a bond fire – Me, my mom, Zeke, Jake, Abby and Stephen – if you want to join us? I think Abby and Stephen are really hitting it off." Raya said enthusiastically. "Do you want to come with us?"

"I-I can't. I have work I need to do." Fitz excused himself. He thought maybe it was time he listened to Olivia and left her alone like she asked. She looked happy after all from talking with Jake and Stephen and Abby and her daughter. Who was he to be bringing havoc and chaos into her life?

"I feel like that's just an excuse." And it was.

"No, I have work I need to get done. People I need to call," Fitz said, getting frustrated with Raya's constant provoking.

"People to call like Lauren?" she asked, bringing a shocked look onto Fitz's face.

"What-How do you know Lauren? Have you been spying on me?" his voice was starting to get angry, which only triggered Raya more.

"If she's so important that you need to call her every night, why did you even come here to see my mom?"

"I don't know why!" Fitz yelled. "I don't know what I was thinking would happen when I got that invitation to fly out here, but now I know it was a mistake! I'm taking the next flight out."

Raya stared at Fitz with big brown eyes that mirrored her mother's.

"Raya, I'm sorry for yelling," he spoke sincerely and sadly. He had already upset Olivia enough as it was, he didn't also need to upset her daughter.

"That's ok. It's fine…I should probably go. The fire is starting, and we're making s'mores." Raya blinked rapidly to hide the tears she refused to show and ran away, leaving Fitz alone in the dark.

A/N: Thank you for all the positive support and reviews. I love hearing what all of you have to say. We're not getting closer to finding out what happened that made Fitz and Olivia's relationship end so poorly all those years ago, but hopefully we're also closer to them making up from it in the present. Hopefully this chapter gives some insight into where young Fitz's mind was when things ended between him and young Olivia. More details on that will be in the following two chapters.