Chapter 11: After the Storm
Olivia hummed to herself as she cleaned, lost in the music playing through her headphones. She swept and mopped the floor as she smiled, her thoughts consumed with Fitz. It was unbelievable how good of a man he was, not only to her, but in general. He had taken care of her in her time of need, when Cyrus, someone she thought was her friend, had betrayed them. He had talked some sense into her when all she wanted to do was shut out the world. He helped repair the relationship between her and her father, and she would forever be thankful for that. She only hoped that she'd be able to be even half as good to him that he is to her. Three knocks on the door took her out of her thoughts, and she pulled out one headphone. "Come in!"
"Hi, Sweet Pea."
"Hi, Daddy!" Olivia said, her smile getting wider as her father walked into the room. After Thanksgiving, she opted to stay home and go back to the campus after the holiday break was over. The rest of her assignments she turned in online, and her professors completely dismissed her attendance percentage in regards to her grades, given the circumstances. Olivia and her father had spent nearly every day together. They did all the things they used to do before her mom passed; museum outings, movie trips. They even went to her mother's former favorite restaurant, Bella Noches. Eli Pope was a little more than a month sober, keeping his commitment of going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings twice a week.
"What are you kids getting into tonight?"
"I have no idea, Fitz won't tell me a thing," she said, a slight annoyance in her tone. "I don't even know what to wear."
"Hmm, I may have some idea about that. A delivery man was just at the door. It's for you." He said, as he stepped back, letting her walk out of her room. She walked down the stairs, over to where a long black zipped up dress bag hung on the back of the closet door. Olivia read the note safety-pinned to the outside:
Livvie,
I can't wait to bring in the New Year with you tonight. Don't try and guess what we're doing, it's a surprise. Knowing you, I'm sure you're aching for even the tiniest hint as to what's planned. All I'll say is that you don't need to worry about what you're going to wear, I've taken care of that. I'll see you tonight at 7:45.
Love unconditionally,
Fitz
(P.S.—The shoes should be arriving soon.)
She smiled a little as she read the words for the second time. What does this boy have up his sleeve? Biting her lip in curiosity, she unzipped the bag. She lifted the hanger out of the bag, revealing a navy blue ball gown with intricate beading along the torso. She gasped slightly, stunned by the beauty of the dress in front of her. She looked back at her dad, her mouth agape.
"Don't look at me, I have no idea what the boy's up to. " Eli said with a chuckle. "But he's got game, I'll give him that."
"Wait." She lifted the note again. "Shoes?" Olivia questioned.
And not even a moment after she finished speaking, the doorbell rang. She walked over to the door, pulling it open.
The red blur that was her best friend Abby, zoomed past her, dropping a couple of bags on the living room floor, and a dress bag over the arm of the couch. "Hi, Mr. Pope!" she said brightly.
"Hello, Abigail, to what do we owe this little pleasure?"
"I'm helping Liv get ready for her date tonight!"
Olivia motioned towards the arm of the couch. "What's that?"
"That," Abby said as walked over to one of the bags on the floor, "is mine. And these..," she lifted a shoebox out of one of the bags and held it up in Olivia's direction. "..are for you."
"Okay, can someone tell me what's going on!" Olivia said, her annoyance more evident as she took the box. "You mean to tell me you know where I'm going?"
"Liv, I'm coming with! I promised Fitz I wouldn't say anything, he's really trying to surprise you and be romantic, so please don't ruin it!" Abby said with a glare at her best friend. Olivia was the most persistent person she had ever met, and while she loved her best friend, sometimes she was a right pain in her ass. "Now, take your stuff, and follow me up to your room. We gotta start getting ready. Facials first!"
Olivia stomped up the stairs behind her friend, all the while muttering about the unfairness of the entire evening.
Fitz knocked twice on the guest bedroom door. "Hey, man, you almost ready?" He looked anxiously at his watch. He needed to pick up Olivia and Abby in twenty minutes, and still wanted to get to their location promptly at eight.
His guest opened the door, dawning a black Armani tuxedo, with a matching bowtie. "Alright, alright, how do I look?" Stephen Finch asked. Fitz and Stephen were friends from high school; Stephen's parents sent him all the way to California from England to make some American connections while he stayed with his Aunt and her husband, and Stephen liked it so much, he decided to stay in the States for university as well. Fitz had let him in on the plan for the night, and promised to hook him up with Olivia's stunning best friend.
"Great, you're just missing one thing." He pointed toward the desk behind Stephen.
"Oh, right!" He picked up the item, shoving it inside his inner pocket. "Alright, let's go get the ladies. Tell me, what's Abby like?"
"Ha! I'll let you find that out for yourself." Fitz said with a slight shake of his head. "Let's go." He turned to walk down the hallway.
"Hold on, hold on. Let me look at you."
Fitz rolled his eyes, stepping back into the light. He wore a tux the same color as Olivia's dress, paired with a white shirt, and a navy blue bowtie to match.
"Alright, you look dapper. We can go."
"Ouch! Abby!" Olivia whined. Abby poked her in the eye with the eyeliner .
"Shit! Sorry, Liv, my hands are shaking. I guess I'm a little nervous." Abby bit her lip, as she wiped under Olivia's eye.
"You're nervous?" Olivia asked in disbelief. "I don't know anything about where we're going, what we're doing, if I should bring anything just in case!"
"Olivia, if I'm going with you and Fitz, did you really think I was just gonna sit there and third wheel it? No! I'm meeting up on a blind date tonight and I'm nervous as all hell." Abby bit her lip again.
"What? With who?"
"I don't know, one of Fitz' friends from high school. He swears he thinks we'll hit it off though. I think he's just saying that because he couldn't pull this off without me." She said, flipping her hair over her shoulder.
"He couldn't have. Really." She gave Abby an apologetic look. "Thanks Abs, I'm sorry I freaked. You're going through a lot of trouble for me. Don't worry about a thing, I'm definitely taking care of you after you're done dolling me up."
"Well, I am all done." Abby said with a few more dabs at Olivia's face. She picked up the hand mirror and held it up in front of her best friend. "What do you think?"
Olivia studied her face in the mirror, tilting her head this way and that. "Did I mention that I love you Abby? It looks great! Okay, your turn. And we have to hurry, Fitz will be here in 20 minutes and we still have to put the dresses and shoes on."
Fitz rang the doorbell, while Stephen stood next to him, fixing his bowtie yet again. "Will you stop, Stephen, you look fine."
"It's not what you think, it's what she thinks, innit?"
The door opened, and Olivia's father greeted them. "Please, come in." The boys walked over the threshold into the house. They made their way to the living room, nervously adjusting their ties as Eli smiled to himself.
He walked over to the bottom of the staircase, clearing his throat slightly. "Olivia, Abigail. Your guests are here."
"Be right down!" they yelled in unison. Eli turned around, pointing towards the stairs. "I'm sure you heard that." He rushed over to the coffee table picking up his phone. "I gotta get pictures of my baby girl."
Not thirty seconds after Eli set up his camera, did Fitz feel a nudge in his ribcage. He looked annoyingly at Stephen, whose eyes were fixed at the top of the staircase. Fitz turned his head to follow his gaze, and his jaw immediately dropped open.
Atop the staircase, her skin practically glowing, stood Olivia in the ball gown he picked for their evening out. The dress fit perfectly around her torso, the sweetheart design accenting her bosom perfectly. Her hair in its natural curly tendrils, bounced slightly as she began to walk down the stairs, the beading along her torso shimmering slightly in the light.
Abby was right behind her, her red hair flowing past her shoulders. Her black dress was sleek, hugging her body in all the right places. Her eyes met Stephen's, and Olivia heard her whisper the words "Hot damn!"
As she made it to the last step, Fitz took her hand in his. "You're so. You look so. Wow." His eyes roaming over every inch of her body. "You're a vision." He said, bringing her hand up to his lips, kissing it.
Stephen pushed past Fitz a little, making his way to Abby. "Hello," he said, extending his hand. "May I say that you look absolutely stunning in that dress?"
Abby took his hand, smirking slightly as he brought it to his lips. "Hello," she replied, "Yes, yes you may. I'm Abby."
Stephen stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, his smile widening, "Stephen Finch. Hope you don't mind me being your date tonight."
"We'll see how long you last." She said with a wink, walking past him, leaving Olivia and Fitz laughing.
"Wait, wait!" Eli called after Abby. "I want to take a picture of the four of you before you ring in the new year. You could thank me for this one day!"
The four posed for a few pictures before making their way out to the car, heading to their destination.
"Tell me!" Olivia whined.
"We're almost there Livvie, be patient, for once in your life." Fitz said, chuckling. He looked at the clock on the dash. 7:54. "We'll be there in another three minutes."
She groaned, fiddling with the radio. By the time she found a song everyone could get into, Fitz pulled into the parking lot of the Canary Hotel. She watched as people, dressed similarly as them all walked into the entrance of the hotel. "Okay, what are we doing?"
Fitz pulled up to the valet, put the car in park, then turned to his friends. "Everyone ready? Oh, wait! I forgot something. Here." He said, reaching into the middle console, handing a small rectangular box to Olivia. "Stephen, give Abby hers."
Olivia opened the box to see a masquerade mask decorated with similar beading to her dress. She let her fingers slide over the material, smiling to herself. She looked up at Fitz. "We're going to a masquerade ball?!" she nearly shouted.
He smiled at her, happy she finally figured it out. "We're going to a masquerade ball."
She leaned over the console, kissing Fitz deeply. He moaned into the kiss, deepening it slightly. He loved how soft Olivia's lips felt against his, how they molded themselves perfectl-
"Excuse me, sir?" The valet knocked on the window. "I really need you to let me check the car, the other guests are getting upset."
Fitz apologized profusely (and Olivia saw him give him a few bills as well in their handshake), and walked around the car to hold out his arm to her. She looped hers through his, smiling widely. "Fitz, thank you, really. I'm so excited."
Olivia had mentioned before how she had always wanted to go to a masquerade ball, but between everything that happened with her mom, and then helping out her dad, she didn't really have time to do anything else. Besides, when she was with Edison, they mainly either went to the library, or did homework together in his basement. Fitz changed her whole idea of what a boyfriend was and should be.
He caressed her cheek, giving her a light kiss on the lips. "I love you, Olivia Pope. I could think of no better way to ring in the New Year, than to bring one of your wishes to fruition."
She put on her mask,
She smiled again as she walked up the stairs, her cheeks starting to ache but she ignored it. She was in love.
Olivia and Abby made their way through the crowd, heading towards the bathroom. They were thoroughly enjoying themselves, having just been on the dance floor for the past hour. The food was incredible, the DJ was perfect, and Olivia was having an awesome time. She could tell by the look on Abby's face that she was enjoying herself too. Abby and Stephen had barely been able to keep their hands off of each other at dinner; Stephen murmuring tender notions in her ear, and Abby turning a shade as red as her hair while she tried to play it off by playing with her fork.
"So, how do you like Stephen?" Olivia said, eyeing her best friend carefully as the line for the bathroom began to move.
"What? Oh, he's okay."
"Bullshit, he's okay. You're all over him, and vice versa! Go for it!" Olivia said with an encouraging nudge.
"Ugh, Liv! I don't know what it is about him that's got me like this. He's just so…dreamy." Abby said as her eyes glazed over.
"Hmm, let's see: He's got a gorgeous accent, he's hot, he's charming, he's hot, and he's got a British accent."
"You already said British accent. Plus. I think it's Scottish." Abby pointed out.
"No, I said gorgeous accent. But fine, Scottish." She said with a shrug, the line shrinking enough for her and Abby to get their respective stalls. They washed their hands, fixed their makeup, took a couple of pictures in the mirror, and headed back out to enjoy the rest of the party.
They made their way back to their table, the boys standing up to meet them. "What time is it?" Olivia asked as Fitz put his arm around her waist.
"10:45" Fitz yelled, elevating his voice to be heard over the music. "Are you tired? Want to go home?"
"What? No! I just wanted to make sure we still had time to dance before we had to order the champagne for our midnight toast."
"Oh shit, yeah, we gotta order the champagne." Fitz looked around for a waiter, not seeing one near their section.
"Go dance, we'll get the champagne!" Abby said with a wave of her arm.
"Are you sure?" Fitz questioned, but he fell silent with the look Stephen gave him, and held back a laugh. "Come on, Livvie. Let's go dance."
As they walked onto the dance floor, the DJ called out a tribute to all the couples, and Fitz and Olivia smiled as Yellow by Coldplay came on. Olivia turned to look excitedly at Fitz and he chuckled, knowing it was her favorite song by them. He pulled her close to him, his hand at the small of her back. They swayed back and forth, Olivia's head against his chest. She closed her eyes, basking in the moment she was currently in. Fitz rested his chin ontop of her head, inhaling the scent of her hair. Mangos. The rest of the world fell away, and the only clear thought was that Olivia, his Livvie was in his arms. He had never expected to find a relationship, let alone the love of his life while at college, but he was so happy that he did. He couldn't try to imagine his life without Olivia in it now.
Before either of them knew it, the song was over, and the DJ threw on an old school hit to get the crowd hype again. Fitz looked down at Olivia. "There's another part of the surprise, you know."
"Oh, really? What else have you got up your sleeve Grant?"
"I got us a hotel suite. In case you didn't feel like going back home tonight."
Olivia felt a slight chill going down her spine. She bit her lip, trying to hide her smile. "Well maybe we should go check it out." She didn't dare break eye contact.
"What about the champagne at midnight?"
"We can order one up to the room."
He smiled, intertwining their fingers together, making their way towards the elevator. It dinged open, and Fitz pressed the button for the penthouse. He took out an access card, inserting it into the slot. A green light flashed, and the elevator closed.
"We should tell Abby and Stephen." Olivia said as she took out her phone. She sent Abby a quick text, telling her to be safe, and to text or call if anything, but that she would most likely just see her in the morning.
"Stephen knows I got this room. If there's any emergency, he knows where we'll be."
The elevator dinged, and the doors opened, revealing a marvelous hallway, with a luxurious loveseat at the end of the hall, in front of a full wall length mirror. They walked about midway down, before Fitz said, "This is it." He slid the access key into the door, and another green light flashed. Fitz opened the door, and Olivia's eyed widened. "Wow."
The hotel suite was bigger than her entire dorm room. To her left was the living room area, complete with two loveseats, a coffee table, and 40 inch TV. Next to their bed was a jacuzzi, with a bottle of champagne and two champagne flute glasses sitting in a bucket of ice. The ice was slightly melted, as if it had been there for an extended period already. "They must have figured we'd want it, it is New Year's Eve after all." She picked up the card next to the bucket and read it aloud.
To the guests of our King Suite:
We hope you enjoy your stay here at the Canary Hotel. Please, enjoy our complementary champagne!
Happy New Year to you and yours.
"Well, that's nice of them." Fitz wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. Olivia could feel the mood in the room shift. She turned around to face him, and Fitz was already kissing her before she could commit the act herself. Their lips moved together in complete synchronization as Olivia slid down Fitz' suit jacket. He felt around the back of Olivia's dress for her zipper as she began to unbutton his shirt, unzipping it to slide the material off her body. She stepped back then, out of the dress, and what Fitz saw made his desire for her grow even more.
Olivia stood before him in a black corset, complete with a matching garter and thigh highs. He took a deep intake of breath, unable to even think what part of her body he wanted to kiss first. He took a step toward her, and she took a step back, her eyes wide and playful, a slight smile on her face.
"Livvie…" Fitz said warningly.
"What?" She feigned innocence. She backed up onto the bed, kicking her shoes off onto the floor.
Fitz stood at the foot of the bed, removing his shoes and socks. He threw his shirt towards the bed and Olivia caught it with a slight laugh. He slid his pants and boxers down to the floor, stepping out of them as he crawled onto the bed. He crawled between her legs, placing kisses along her calves and thighs, massaging them as he moved his hands up her body. She leaned up on her elbows, allowing him to take off her thong, throwing her head back when he buried his face between her legs. "Oh!" she managed as her hand found its way into his hair. She tugged at it slightly as his tongue flickered over her bundle of nerves, her mouth agape from the pleasure. Fitz kissed up her body, as he slowly entered himself inside her. She moaned longingly, aware of how long it had been since they had sex. She knew he missed her just as much as she missed him.
Fitz began to move with deep, long strokes, as he captured her lips in a kiss. She kissed him back just as passionately, meeting his thrusts with thrusts of her own. Their tongues danced together, the rhythm getting faster, and before long their bodies matched the pace. He pumped into her over and over, their skin slapping together. Olivia moaned for him to go harder, deeper, her eyes closed as she clutched him to her, her other hand grasping at the sheets.
Fitz groaned, feeling himself throbbing inside of her, knowing he was close. He didn't let up, giving Olivia what she wanted. She yelled that she was about to cum, and he quickened his pace, sending her over the edge. "Fuck!" he moaned, his thrusts sloppy as he followed her over the cliff, crashing their lips together as they both rode out their orgasms.
Fireworks began to go on outside of their window, and they heard yells from the hallway. Fitz looked at his watch, and smiled. "It's midnight. Happy New Year, Livvie."
Olivia laughed, pulling Fitz down to her, kissing him tenderly. "Happy New Year, Fitz."
I know, it's been forever. Here's hoping to a quicker update this time around. Reviews are love, thanks for reading to those who still are.