A/N - For those of you concerned about the A/N at the beginning of the last chapter, there are quite a few readers who are familiar with Grey's and that A/N was to provide them with a bit of a timeline for this piece. If you haven't watched Grey's, it won't affect your ability to follow this story, but for those who have watched, it's nice to know when this takes place in regards to that universe.

The Best Medicine

Chapter Five:

So We Talked About Cheese on Our First Date

"How do I look?" Olivia questioned, smoothing her seafoam green dress and tilting her head at the black, leather jacket that Laci had insisted completed her look. The material fell just above her knees and, combined with the square neckline, made a modest look for a first date. She frowned at the black Louboutins that graced her feet. Was the heel too high? God, it had been a long time since she'd gone on a date. She had no clue what to wear or do.

"You look hot," Laci whistled, holding a wine-coloured lip gloss to the light and looking between it and Olivia's lips. Olivia sighed, her stomach in knots, and took the lip gloss, applying a light coat to her full lips. Twisting the top back in place, she put the gloss in her black clutch with everything else she thought she would need, shaking her head and tsking at the sight of foil package amongst her things. Retrieving the small item, she held it up in front of Laci's face.

"Really Laci?" Olivia gave her best mock angry expression, pursing her lips to avoid bursting into laughter at Laci's innocent expression.

"Hey, it's a first date. You never know what might happen."

"I can tell you what won't happen and that's sex," Olivia insisted, dropping the foil package in Laci's hand and shaking her head, "I'm not spreading my legs before I even really know the guy."

"Two words," Laci stated, crossing her arms and raising her brow, a smug expression on her face, "Derek Shepherd."

"Fuck you," Olivia giggled, "That was one very drunk night my first year."

"Which is apparently his M.O."

"Laci!"

"What? I mean, that's how he met Meredith."

"And Meredith is fantastic for him. That's why we don't mention the one night stand with Derek."

"I don't know why you're so insistent that she never hear about that. It was before she had even moved back to Seattle. Before you two even knew Meredith Grey existed. And it's not like everyone hasn't been in everyone else's pants at that hospital."

"Really?" Olivia rolled her eyes.

"It's like one gigantic game of 'tag - you're it' in that place."

"Tag? That's what your going with?"

"Well, yeah. You know: Tag, I'm totally screwing you in the on-call room until I tag someone else."

Olivia's retort died on her lips at the sound of the doorbell ringing and she took a deep breath, her hands beginning to shake slightly. Laci patted her on the back, giving her a warm smile.

"Relax. You look hot and he likes you. This is going to be okay." Olivia nodded, her stomach doing somersaults and the blood draining from her cheeks. Forcing her feet in front of her, she followed Laci down the wooden stairs, her heels clicking on each board. In the foyer, she kissed Bekah goodbye and garnered Laci's promises to take good care of her daughter - not that she needed to hear them, but the reassurances were nice for her nerves.

Throwing the door open once Laci had secured Bekah in front of the television in the family room, Olivia's breath caught in her throat. Fitz stood on the doorstep, adjusting his watch. He looked absolutely flawless in black slacks and a dark green button down. The coincidence caused a smile to grace her face as she stepped into the warm night air, closing the door behind her and taking his offered arm.

"Are you stalking me?" she teased, eyeing his shirt.

"Great minds think alike," he winked, guiding her to his car. She raised her brow at the car - a white Audi R8. Nice. He held the passenger door open for her, allowing her to slide into the deep bucket seat before closing the door.

"Great family car, Fitz," she winked, fastening her seatbelt as he entered the vehicle. His deep, rumbling laugh caused a smile to cross her face. She felt more at ease than she had before he had shown up on her doorstep.

"You don't bring the SUV on a first date," he answered, pushing the button and starting the engine. She watched as he shifted into gear and slowly pulled into the street, his speed almost laughable for the car. They were in a sports car after all.

"Where are we going?" she wondered, nodding her head to the music that was playing softly through the speakers. She hadn't heard the song before, but it had a nice beat.

"You'll find out when we get there. It's a surprise."

"Ugh," Olivia giggled, sticking her tongue out in his direction. She turned her head to look out the window, the city passing by in a blur. "Let's play 20 questions."

"Or 'I-spy'," he suggested, "I'm not a fan of 20 questions."

"I didn't mean the actual game. I hate it," she laughed, "But we can ask each other questions. Get to know one another a little better."

"Alright." He turned his head to offer her a quick smile before returning his attention back to the road.

"You said your mom lives here, but you're originally from California…" she started, unsure of how she was going to phrase the rest of her question.

"My parents divorced when I was six. My mom never really wanted to be a mom, so my sister and I stayed with our dad who, coincidentally, didn't want to be a father."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents. They had more than enough love to go around," he chuckled, "What about your parents?"

"My mother still lives in Maine. She's here for surgery, but she'll be going back after. My dad was…amazing. He was my best friend and biggest supporter."

"When did he die?"

She blinked rapidly, trying to prevent the tears that were close to falling - that were always close to falling when she talked about her dad. The years certainly hadn't done anything to ease the pain. Swallowing, she answered: "Almost four years ago. Right before I had my daughter."

"I lost my dad two years ago. Car accident."

"I'm sorry."

"It happens." The cavalier response was all Olivia needed to know that Fitz had not been close with his dad.

"You two weren't close."

"No, we weren't. He was a cold, violent alcoholic who cared more about his company and the money he made than his own children." Olivia nodded, moving her hand to his shoulder, patting the hard muscle there in a comforting manner. She glanced back out the window, the buildings going by in a blur. Where were they going?

"What's your sister's name?"

"Ophelia. She hates it." The two shared a laugh, finally moving past the dark turn that the conversation had taken earlier. "Do you have siblings?"

"One brother and two sisters. Henry's a year younger than me. We've always been close. The twins, Angela and Laura, are ten years younger than me."

"I always wondered what it would be like to have a brother."

"It's not always fun," Olivia laughed, glancing around at her surroundings as Fitz pulled into a parking lot, placing the car in park and shutting off the engine. He was the perfect gentleman as he came to her side, opening her door and helping her from the vehicle. She placed her hand on the crook of his elbow when he offered his arm, guiding her toward the restaurant.

"I hope sushi is okay," he apologised, holding the door open for his date as they entered the city-famous sushi restaurant.

"It's perfect," she grinned, tilting her head as the manager greeted them at the door and personally showed them to their table, promising to return with their wine and send a waiter to take their orders.

"How?" Olivia asked once the Koshu had been poured and the waiter had taken their orders.

"I represented the owner's daughter in a trial that we won last year." She nodded, accepting the answer and sipping at the cool, white wine.

"This is different."

"It's Japanese. Good though."

"It is."

/

"Are you cold?" Fitz asked as Olivia inadvertently scooted closer, tucking both her hands around his arm.

"I'm fine." She tilted her head, her eyes skimming over the water. Their dinner had been amazing - the food was great and the conversation had never once dulled. His suggestion to take a walk by the Bay had been more than welcome.

"You haven't talked much about your daughter's dad," he noted. She sighed. She had known that they would eventually have this conversation, but had hoped it wouldn't make it's way into their first date.

"He died earlier last year."

"Oh."

"He was a cop," she found herself explaining, smiling a little at the memory. It had been such a long time since she had spoken about Jake with anyone other than Laci, "A guy was holding his family hostage. After, they said he had had some kind of mental break. He killed his wife and when he…when he turned the gun on his daughter, Jake…he protected her. He gave his life so a little girl barely older than our daughter, could have hers."

"He sounds like he was a good guy," Fitz patted her hand, giving her a warm smile.

"He was," she nodded, feeling the tear slip from her eye and slide down her cheek. She tilted her head back, blinking rapidly as Fitz dropped her arms, turning to face her and wiping her tears from her cheeks. He wrapped his arms around her, allowing her to place her head on his chest and sob.

It felt good. She hadn't allowed herself to grieve after Jake's death. At first, she had felt numb. She had been strong for Bekah and Laci. She had even been strong for Jake's parents. After, she had buried herself in her work, designing new test studies and taking on cases that everyone else refused - saying they were too difficult. Anything to keep her mind off her home life. Now, it felt good to finally let her tears fall.

"Are you alright?" He asked gently as she slowly pulled away a few moments later, wiping at her face.

"Yes. Thank you." He gave her a reassuring smile, taking her hand in his and coaxing her to begin walking once more.

"I hope I didn't completely ruin our date," she apologised minutes later, glancing out at the water. The burgeoning stars left a trail of twinkling lights in the darkened water.

"You couldn't possibly ruin this date."

/

"I will call you tomorrow," Fitz promised, dropping Olivia's arm as they came to a stop on the doorstep of her home. Olivia tried to hide the excitement that was threatening to spill over her face. Everything about their date had been wonderful. She couldn't have asked for a better night.

"I'll be waiting." She held her breath, waiting for him to make his move, feeling slightly disappointed when he bent, placing a quick peck on her cheek and saying goodbye. Her smile faded as she watched him get in his car and drive away. Sighing, she unlocked the door and entered her home, making sure the deadbolt was latched once she was inside. Kicking her heels off in the foyer, she headed toward the kitchen.

"How was the date?" Laci asked, making Olivia jump as she turned the lights on in the darkened room. Glaring at her sister-in-law, Olivia took the proffered glass of red and sat at the barstool across from Laci.

"I thought it was perfect."

"Uh-oh. What went wrong?"

Gulping the liquid courage in her glass, Olivia responded, "He kissed my cheek when he dropped me off. My cheek, Laci."

"It was a first date, Liv."

"And normally first dates end with first kisses."

"Something tells me that he isn't like that. He's a gentleman. Did he say anything?"

"He said he'll call me tomorrow."

"Then if he calls you tomorrow, the date really was perfect and he wants to see you again. Stop stressing!" Olivia sighed, sipping from her glass and fighting the urge to close her eyes. She didn't get much sleep.

"I hope so."

"Is that optimism?" Laci grinned, "I haven't heard that from you in a long time."

"I can't believe I'm gossiping about a first date with you like I'm some teenager," Olivia groaned, downing the rest of the liquid in her glass and placing it in the sink. Stretching, a yawn escaped her and she announced, "I'm going to bed. Goodnight, Laci."

/

"Liv," Derek whispered, grabbing her arm and guiding her into an empty exam room. Crossing her arms over the file she carried, she turned toward Derek with a questioning expression as he turned the lights on in the room.

"What?" Her heart seemed to drop to her stomach when he walked over to the box on the wall and flipped a switch, hanging a couple scans and turning to face Olivia. She shook her head at the images that greeted her. She was far from being a neurosurgeon, but even she could tell that what she was looking at wasn't good.

"I've been trying to figure out a way to go about this, but I don't know."

"It's wrapped around her brain stem." Olivia stuffed her hands in the pockets of her lab coat, rocking on the heels of her feet.

"And I don't know how to get to it without either paralysing her or cutting off brain function."

"Don't worry, Derek. It was a long shot in the first place."

"Hey, I'm not giving up. I'm going to find a way. I'll be working with the simulator today if you need me." She nodded, barely turning her head when he walked out of the room. She kept her eyes glued to the scans for a few minutes longer before sighing and removing them. Depositing the scans in her office, she headed straight for the paediatric wing and a busy workload that would keep her mind off her mother's condition until well into lunch.

"Ugh. It's been ridiculously quiet," Callie complained, picking at the sandwich on her plate.

"Don't jinx us," Arizona groaned.

"Thanks, Callie," Olivia laughed, playfully tossing a fry at the brunette.

"Children," Derek chided.

"Who let the residents sit here anyway?" Mark wondered aloud, laughing as Callie playfully swatted him.

"Your opinions don't matter, Mark. We've discussed this before." The good-looking plastic surgeon started to speak when the doctors' pagers began going off.

"What the -?" Derek wondered, yanking his pager from his pocket and looking at the screen. Olivia glanced at her own pager, narrowing her eyes. There must have been a serious catastrophe for all the surgeons to be called to the pit. Rising from the table in unison, the group quickly discarded their food containers before heading toward the pit at a run.

"What's up?" Olivia asked a nurse, taking the chart from his hands.

"John Doe was hit by a bus and dragged about a mile."

"Multiple traumas then. Why was I paged?" She handed the file to Owen as he passed by.

"We were told to page all the attendings." Glancing in the trauma room, Olivia caught the sight of the badly disfigured patient and tried not to frown. From where she was standing, the outcome didn't look good.

"Why was I paged?" Mark demanded, stepping out of the trauma room, holding the door open just long enough for Owen to enter the room.

"Someone told them to page all the attendings."

"Next time, make sure we're needed," Mark frowned, tossing his gloves into the trash and walking out of the pit. Olivia sighed and followed Mark out of the ER, toward the elevator.

"They might have needed you," Olivia pointed out as the two entered the elevator.

"Any reconstructive surgery will have to wait until he's stable," Mark shrugged. "What about you?"

"He's obviously an adult."

"You were a kickass general before you switched to peds. Between the two of us, you would be the one that they could use."

"Okay, they don't need either one of us," Olivia sighed, exiting the elevator as the doors dinged open. Starting down the hall, she groaned when her pager went off again. Glancing at the device, she headed in the opposite direction. Entering a large, private room, she tried to avoid her mother's gaze as she came to a stop by Derek.

"I thought you were in the pit," she commented, eyeing the thick chart he held.

"They didn't need me. I had your mother admitted."

"I see that." She glanced at her mom, quickly turning her attention back to Derek before Maya had a chance to say anything.

"I want to operate tomorrow. If your mom agrees."

"Well, it's her choice. Is there anything you needed me for?"

"I want your input, Olivia," Maya spoke up, "And I want you to be my medical contact."

"I think you should do what you want to do," Olivia stated. She hoped that her mom would decide to have the surgery. The sooner it was done, the sooner she could go back home and get out of Olivia's hair. That's all Olivia really cared about. Not what her mother chose to do, but how long her mother was going to stay. "What about Henry or Laura or Angela?"

"Henry isn't here. Laura is a hairdresser and Angela…" Olivia narrowed her eyes. Why did her mother mention her younger sister that way? Almost as if Angela was some kind of pariah. "You're the only one who understands all this medical stuff. I would rather you help me make the decisions."

"I'm not a neurosurgeon. Doctor Shepherd can advise."

"Olivia," she tried to close her eyes against the pleading look her mother wore on her face, "Please."

"I can't." Olivia shook her head, exiting the room.

/

"Liv, your mom needs you." Olivia turned around, narrowing her eyes at the honey-blonde doctor.

"Meredith, I wouldn't exactly say that we have reached the stage of friendship where lectures are okay." Olivia bent her head, returning to the chart that she was working on.

"You're Derek's friend," Olivia tried not to cringe at the reminder from the younger woman. If Meredith knew of her past with Derek, she was sure that friendly conversation would be the last thing on the woman's mind. "That makes you my friend by association."

"That isn't how any of this works."

"Take it from someone who has been there, you'll regret it later if you don't at least try. She's your mom. Whatever she did, you can find a way to forgive her. I know you can."

"No, I can't forgive her, Meredith. What she did is unforgivable. You don't know what happened between the two of us, so please spare me the lecture." Gathering her chart in her arms, Olivia stomped off down the hallway. It was petty and she knew that, but she was so sick of everyone trying to convince her that her mother deserved a second chance. Entering her office, she tossed the chart on her desk and collapsed in her chair. If any day would drive her to drink, today would be that day. She nearly jumped out of her seat when her phone started ringing, picking the slim device off the desk and holding it to her ear.

"What?" she demanded, choosing to not look at the caller id.

"Rough morning?" Fitz's chuckle came through the phone, instantly calming her nerves and causing a blush to rise on her cheeks.

"Sorry," she apologised, leaning back in her chair.

"We all have rough mornings." She could almost hear the shrug in his voice.

"Not everyone has to deal with their mother every morning."

"Some people would consider that a blessing."

"Those people don't have my mother."

"What kind of surgery is your mom here for?" Sighing, she leaned her head against the back of her chair and closed her eyes, contemplating her answer.

"She has a brain tumour."

"I'm sorry," he sounded genuine, "I was going to ask you to lunch, but if you would rather be with her, I understand."

"I had lunch about an hour ago. It's 1:30, Fitz," the first hint of a smile all day made its way to her face, "Her surgery isn't until tomorrow and I'm not so sure I want to be here for it."

"It's hard to watch a loved one go through something like that - even if you are a surgeon."

"That's not the reason. My mother and I don't have a great relationship. At all. She suggested that I abort my child," she found herself confiding in him.

"That's awful," she closed her eyes at the pity in his voice, "I'm about ten minutes away. I'll pick you up and we can walk around with ice cream. How does that sound?"

"That sounds perfect."

"There's the smiley you that I like. I'll see you in ten."

"Okay."

/

"This is really good," Olivia commented, licking at the rocky road in her ice cream cone.

"I told you I know where all the best places are," Fitz winked, eyeing her hand, "Would it be too forward of me to hold your hand?"

"I think it's just forward enough," she giggled, offering her free hand to his and intertwining her fingers with his. She smiled at the sight - it had been a while since she had walked hand-in-hand down the streets of Seattle with anyone.

"I'm glad you aren't a stickler about calls after the first date."

"I'm glad you called me today instead of waiting." She glanced down the street for a moment, taking her eyes from the man beside her. "How has your day been?"

"I've been stuck in meetings with clients all morning."

"Other than everyone deciding to play therapist between my mother and myself, my morning was quiet."

"It's hard to see someone fighting with their parents. Even if they have a valid reason." Olivia glanced at their hands, his thumb rubbing across her knuckles, "Is it too early to plan a second date?"

"It's never too early," she grinned, instantly groaning when her pager began going off. Reading the page, she frowned. Why was the ER paging her again?

"Come on. Let's get you back to the hospital," he offered, leading her in direction of his car. "I'll call you tonight."

"Okay," she smiled, tossing what little was left of her ice cream in a trashcan before allowing him to help her into the car.

/

"Did they page you again, too?" Mark questioned, entering the ER at the same time as Olivia.

"Yes."

"What the hell, people?"

"What?"

"It's about John Doe. Again."

"What about John Doe?" Olivia sighed, glancing around the large, crowded and bustling ER. She sighed when Owen came rushing forward, disbelief written across his face.

"Hunt, what's going?" Mark demanded as Owen came to a stop before the two doctors, angling his body to block the rest of the ER as he whispered to the two doctors before him.

"John Doe is in a coma. There is no brain activity."

"You called us down here to tell us that you're going to have to pull the plug on a patient?" Mark snorted, shaking his head.

"No," Owen sighed, "I called you down here to tell you that John Doe is O'Malley. I was hoping to have your help telling the other doctors."

"What?" Both Olivia and Mark stated together, shock quickly playing out on their faces as they turned to look at one another.

"Fuck," Mark whispered and Olivia nodded her head. Fuck indeed.