They haven't seen each other since dinner that night. It looks like everything that could possibly happen did happen. Russell fractured his ankle and he was naturally put on the bench. Liv had to become the perfect wife. The team needs him in tip top shape before the playoffs start. The Wizards already made the slot, thanks to Russell joining the team. Liv hasn't had any time to talk to Fitz and truth be told she's kind of glad. But today is the day she goes to the office to meet with Fitz for the first time. Russell is in, what he calls his man chair, watching as she gets dressed.
"You can't wear that," he says.
Liv turns and looks at him, "What are you talking about?"
"Don't you have something a little loser? I already don't like the way Grant was looking at you. I saw the way he watched your ass when you left the table. I wanted to break his fucking neck."
Liv tries to play it off. She knows Fitz has always been an ass man. At least he was when they were together. He loved her ass and if she were honest with herself, she knows that exactly why she chose the pants suit she chose. She can't figure out if she wants to punish him or entice him. "I am sure you are letting your imagination get the best of you."
"I'm a man. He's a man. You have a great ass and he noticed it. He should look at his wife's own ass because yours is taken," Russell finishes.
She looks at Russell, disgusted by his words and ownership, "First of all, that's one of the most sexist and chauvinist things you've ever said to me. Second of all, I am not a piece of meat," Liv says angrily.
"I don't want a hen in my house," Russell says.
"I am not a hen. I am a smart woman. An independent woman who knows how to take care of herself. You put a ring on my finger, that doesn't give you the right to possess me. That's not how marriage works," Liv spits back.
"I don't want you working for him if he doesn't understand what his boundaries are. Maybe he and I need to have a talk first. I don't want him to get any ideas," Russell says sternly.
"Ideas," she repeats confusedly.
"I don't want him to forget that I did put a ring on your finger and maybe if he had met you sooner...his wife is fake."
"If he had met me sooner, how do you know he…," she stops herself. That's not a can of worms she wants to open yet. Although she knows she will have to come clean soon enough. She knows it's silly to think they can finish this job without ever having to expose their past but she still hopes that they can.
"What?" Russell says.
"Nothing! I have to go. I don't want to be late," she says, turning to put on her jacket. Before she knows it, Russell is behind her, on his crutch.
He grabs her and kisses her neck, "I am sorry. I didn't mean to act like an ass. I just, I don't know. There's something about the way Grant looks at you."
She knows what look he speaks of but she doesn't want to tempt the furies. "Didn't you say that you and your buddies were all looking at my ass when you first met me?"
He's rocking her from side to side. He drops his head, "Boys will be boys. I suppose I can't blame him for recognizing sexy when he sees it."
"Listen, this is a job and Fitz," she stops herself. She knows she's sounding too familiar with him. Russell tilts his head, "Mr. Grant is professional and so am I. And this is about you trusting me. If you don't trust me, then why are we married?"
"Of course I trust you," Russell says. "The same way you can trust me."
Liv looks at him. She doesn't want to admit she's not comforted by his words. "You shouldn't be on that ankle. You have two more weeks."
"You want a kiss for good luck," he offers.
She quickly says no, feeling a little guilty about it. "Your kisses never stay kisses and I have to go," she covers.
He continues the assault on her neck as she grows more uninterested in the intimacy. "Would you rather stay here with me in bed? I think I like letting you be in control since I'm limited," he says pointing down to his ankle. He swiftly turns her around, "You've been riding me good baby. I think a change of scenery has been good for you."
Now she's guilt ridden. If only he knew, "Russell," he whispers as he nuzzles her neck.
"Okay, you have to go. I get it. I'm not happy about this whole thing but..," he wants to tell her he is allowing it but he doesn't want to piss her off.
"It shouldn't take long. Is the team doctor coming over?" She asks.
He hobbles back to the bed with his crutch, sitting down. "No, he's coming to bring me for some ex-rays. I need to get back out there."
"You made the playoffs. You can take the time to heal that ankle. You have a month," Liv says as she gently sprays some perfume on.
Russell takes notice of the scent. "Is that new?"
"What?" She says as she turns to him. She steps into her heels.
"The perfume. That's new isn't it?" He says.
She looks down at the perfume and back up to him, "Just thought I would try something a little different."
"How about dinner tonight?"
She internally groans. She takes a breath, "Sounds perfect," she answers as she goes toward the door.
"Good luck," he says. She has a look of surprise when he says it. "Listen, I know I don't want you to work and I think this is a bad idea but if this is what you want."
"I told you this is what I want," Liv says assuredly.
"I don't want this to get in the way of us starting our family. That's more important," Russell says.
"My career is as important," she reminds him.
"I'm getting you and me a driver," he tells her.
This stops her dead in her tracks, "I don't need my own driver."
"I know you don't need it but I'll feel better if you have it. Especially when get pregnant. I want to know you are okay. We can afford it, so what's the big deal?" Deep down that's not his real reason for wanting a driver and he wonders if she knows it.
"It's unnecessary and too eccentric. If you want one, fine. But I don't need one."
"I'm the man of the house," he starts.
"And I'm the woman of the house. I don't need a driver and I don't have time to talk about this right now. We'll continue this at dinner," Liv says.
He looks at her irritated. "Just think about it."
She goes out of the bedroom door. She stops at the top of the stairs and takes a much needed breath. She tries to shake it off. She says under her breath, "There's so much to think about."
Big Gerry is sitting in the home of Fitz and Mellie. Fitz is already gone to the office. Big Gerry is playing with Teddy as Mellie is rambling on and on. Quinn is acting like she is working but she's listening. She can't quite figure out why Big Gerry made it a point to come over when Fitz was gone.
"Grandpa, throw me in the air," Teddy says.
Gerry can't help but laugh. He can see Grant smile and he can hear the Grant charm in his laugh. "Grandpa is not as spry as he used to be. I can't throw you in the air but I can do this," he says as he reaches into his pocket pulling money and candy.
"Yay….Candy!" Teddy screams.
"Gerry, don't give him candy and why are you giving him money?" Mellie says.
"I don't know, he might run into some young girl he wants to impress," Gerry says as he's lightly taken up throwing a plastic ball back and forth to Teddy.
Mellie wants to get to the issue at hand, "Don't teach my son to be a womanizer Gerry."
Gerry can't help but laugh out loud, "I am teaching him how to be a ladies man, not a womanizer."
Mellie rolls her eyes. "Listen, something is going on with Fitz. I can't put my finger on it."
"Mellie, I am sure you are just overreacting. I came all this way to calm you down. Why don't you just talk to my son?"
"I would love to talk to him. He stays at the office all the time and he's always preoccupied staring off into space. It's not like him. I am telling you, something is going on."
Gerry gets up. He and Fitz are like carbon copies in stature and build. "Is there another woman?" Quinn knows it's her cue to get up and go somewhere else but she doesn't go too far. She wants to hear.
Mellie laughs it off, "Of course not. Fitz is not you. He would never cheat on me."
Gerry gets close to her, "Darling, you don't expect me to help you again if you keep calling me names."
Mellie backs down a little. "I'm sorry. But you cheated on both your wives and are on wife number 3."
"They say the 3rd time's a charm," Gerry jokes. He can see Mellie is not in the laughing mood. "What do you think I can do?"
"I don't know. The concerned father routine is never going to work with him. You never told me what the big fight between you two was about," Mellie says.
"That's water under the bridge," He says. Fitz is going to be pissed that I'm here no matter what,," Gerry points out.
"Promise me you'll help me if I need it, again," Mellie says.
"I helped you before, didn't I?" Gerry says. Quinn is listening closely and now her interest is more than piqued.
"I love him Gerry. I don't want anything or anyone getting in the way," Mellie stresses.
"And no one will. The picture perfect family will stay intact," Gerry assures her.
She pats Gerry on the back. Nonchalantly she says, "I guess if I were to worry about him cheating on me, it would be with the new architect he hired."
"He hired a female architect," Gerry says, showing a bit of shock..
"Well you know he's starting work on that restaurant. He hired a friend of Abby's. She's really lovely. She's very beautiful and very smart and she just moved back here from Europe," Mellie says.
"What's her name?" Gerry asks.
"Olivia Pope but she's married to that basketball star Russell Emory," Mellie says as Quinn walks back into the room. Gerry almost chokes on his own tongue. What are the odds that it is Olivia Pope? "Are you okay?" Mellie says.
"I'm fine. I swallowed wrong I think," Gerry covers.
"I don't think I have to worry tho, she's not his type," Mellie finishes. Gerry looks at her as if to say, If only you knew.
Quinn clears her throat as she approaches the room, "Are you ready to go to the park big guy?" Quinn asks.
"I want to play with Grandpa," Teddy says.
"Grandpa will play with you this evening. I need to go see your daddy," Gerry says.
Mellie looks at him surprised, "You are going to his office."
"Yes, I am going to go and get the surprise factor out of my visit over with," Gerry says quickly.
Quinn interrupts, "Say bye bye to Grandpa and tell him we will be back soon."
Teddy looks at Gerry, "I'll be back soon Grandpa!"
"Alright little man," Gerry says, shaking his hand as Quinn and Teddy go out of the door. "Did your mom let you keep that money? Use it wisely," Gerry says with a wink.
Mellie waits until the door is closed, "Don't say anything to Fitz about why you are here. Just act like you wanted to check in on your family," Mellie says.
Gerry goes for the door, "I know how to keep secrets don't I?" Gerry continues.
Mellie nods in agreement as Gerry goes out of the door.
Fitz has fixed his tie a hundred times. He's been looking forward to this day. Every text he sent her has gone unanswered. He knows about Russell's accident but he also knows Liv is using it for an excuse to hide from him. He is honestly surprised she hasn't backed out on this project. He looks in the mirror again in his personal bathroom. He makes sure that unruly curly is slightly falling on his face. She's always loved that one curl.
Liv has sat in the lobby for 30 minutes taking deep breaths. She didn't tell Abby she was there yet. She needed to collect herself. It's been easy to live with the memory of him but being back near him, so close to him. She knew it would be hard but not this hard. She can't help but wonder if just wants to clear his conscience about the past or if he still has feelings for her. There's Mellie and Russell. Logically, the past should stay the past she's told herself. Her phone rings. She looks down to see it's Abby.
"What?" She says.
"I've heard of fashionably late but this is ridiculous. I've already made up one story and he's gone along with it," Abby is rambling.
"I'm downstairs Abby. Calm down!" Liv says calmly.
"Downstairs, shit, why didn't you come up? Do you want me to come and get you?" Abby says.
"I'm coming up now," Liv says as she gathers her purse and lifts herself from the seat. She gets on the elevator knowing that she really can't turn back now.
Mellie calls Fitz in the meantime, "Hey Mellie, I can't talk now," Fitz says.
"Why?" She tries to say innocently.
"I have a meeting in 2 minutes with Olivia and Abby. It's been pushed back a few times, remember," Fitz says.
"Oh….," she stumbles. "I forgot that way today. I was thinking we could have family dinner tonight," she tries to suggest.
"That's fine," he says uninterested.
Abby meets Liv at the elevator, "You look amazing. Let me see," she bombards her before she can get off the elevator, twirling her around.
"Abby, it's just an outfit," Liv implores.
"Ass in place, looking good. Not too sexy but shows your curves. Not too stuff but just right classy. You all but have the job," Abby says.
"I am not trying to seduce him," Liv says nervously.
"Of course not! Let's get in there," Abby says.
Liv's heart is racing. She feels like her heart is going to beat out of her chest. "Yes, let's get in there." Liv repeats.
Abby knocks on the door, "Are you ready?"
"Mellie, dinner sounds fine. I have to go. Abby and Olivia are here," Fitz says. "I'm ready," Fitz says as Abby and Liv come. He immediately becomes breathless at the sight of Liv. He tries to cover the drool that is forming in his mouth.
"Should we come back?" Abby asks.
"No...no," he says, never taking his eyes off them, mainly Liv.
"Well, call me after your meeting," Mellie says. She wonders if he can hear the nervousness in her voice.
"I probably won't have time Mellie," he says sharply. He doesn't know why but he's short tempered with Mellie these days. Truth be told, he knows why and he has a little bit of guilt about it. Liv notices his irritation. She knows him well. Liv tilts her head. They are speaking their own language. He softens, "I'll try to call," he says to Mellie.
"Okay," Mellie says. "Have a good meeting. Tell Abby and Olivia I said hello."
"I will," Fitz says as he hangs up without even saying goodbye. He hangs up the phone. He looks in their direction. "Mellie wanted me to say hello to you both."
Abby and Olivia both nod. Abby decides to break the unnecessary silence, "She was downstairs being nervous." Liv rolls her eyes.
They are all still standing. "You two have a seat," he says, ushering them over to his meeting table. He takes her in. Her curves, her body, all of her. "If I sit behind my desk it will feel like a job interview and you already got the job. There's no need to be nervous," he smiles with that signature Grant smile.
"That's what I tried to tell her," Abby jokes.
Liv tries not to be affected by his smile. She looks in Abby's direction, hoping she doesn't see how red her cheeks have become. "I like to make a good impression."
"You already have," he says under his breath.
"What did you say?" Abby says.
Fitz has now taken a seat with them. "Nothing, I was just saying I hope she knows I don't bite." Abby almost thinks her eyes are deceiving her that her boss is flirting with her best friend.
Liv clears her throat and tries to laugh it off, "I know."
They are both instantly transported back in time. They both remember a time Fitz did bite and she loved it.
Liv is in her apartment. Her roommate is staying at her boyfriend's for the weekend and Fitz came over for his 'tutoring' session. They are at the table going through equations. Fitz is studying Liv's body instead of equations.
"Fitz I am supposed to be tutoring you," Liv says as he places gentle kisses on the back of neck.
"You are. You are helping me learn your anatomy, which is quite beautiful I might add," He says as he pulls her close by the ass cheek, as he squeezes, sucking on her neck.
"I can't concentrate when you do that. You have an important test coming up," she says, trying to move away.
"I can't concentrate when you wear these tights. You did it on purpose," Fitz says as he continues to suck her neck.
"This is trigonometry Fitz. If you don't pass this prerequisites that you put off, you will not get your degree."
"At this very moment I don't really care. My girl is begging me for attention," he says as his hand travels up her tights as he gently begins to try and dip his fingers inside.
She slaps his hand away and lets out a little moan, "Hmmm…..what is...cos2 x + 5 sin x?"
At this point, Fitz is pulling her leggings down. As much as she's protesting with her mouth, she's not protesting with her body. "What's what?" He asks as he gets her leggings down he discovers she doesn't have on underwear. "Olivia Carolyn Pope, where are your underwear?"
"What do you mean?" she says coyly.
He moves the book from her lap. From the waist down she's as naked as the day she was born. "I need a little studying incentive."
"We cannot have sex right now," Liv says trying to grab the book back as he swoops her up, making her squeal as he brings her to her bed and lays her down.
"Okay….that's fine! But I need mind stimulation," he says with hooded eyes as he travels down her body.
"Fitz," she says breathlessly as he begins to kiss the inside of her thigh. She throws her head back, "We need to fix these problems."
He looks up at her from between her legs, "I need to eat first," he says he drops his head back in. He begins to kiss further up her thigh, getting closer to her warm tunnel that's dripping for him. He can smell her essence which makes him want her more. He's now licking his way to her glistening lips.
"Ohhhhhh," she groans in sheer ecstasy. And before she knows it, he takes a bite out of the upper skin of her thigh. It's not a ferocious bite but it's passionate and hungry but perfect. "Shit….," she utters.
"You are mine," he lifts his head to say.
"Then show me," she says, throwing her head back again.
He begins to drink her in every way he could. He pleasures her with his tongue as if there is no tomorrow. He is sucking her clit and licking the lining of lips as he takes her in. When he is done, she's near tears from how good it felt. He crawls up her body, kissing her stomach and licking her navel. He keeps traveling up, kissing her as he gets to her lips. He turns her face to him. They are nose to nose and eye to eye, "You are my girl."
Liv just smiles. She doesn't know what to say but then she does, "That's going to leave a mark you know."
"That was the point," he chuckles and then gives her a wink. She shakes her head. He reaches down, giving her another kiss, "And to answer your question, I'm pretty sure the answer is 0."
"How do you know? You didn't do the equation," she smiles.
"If the answer is 0 I get dessert later."
"And if the answer is not 0," she answers quickly.
He dips his hand down, losing his finger inside of her. It makes her whimper, "Then I get my dessert later.
She burst out into laughter, knowing he's going to get his way. "I really did find a prince didn't I?"
"You sure did Princess," he says as they try to go back and study.
Both Liv and Fitz are lost in the memory, knowing they are reliving the same thing. Their eyes are distant but their faint smiles on their faces as they steal a glance at each other.
"Earth to both of you," Abby says.
Liv shakes her head, "I am sorry Abby, I don't know where I was."
She looks over at Fitz, "Looks like you both left at the same time."
Liv quickly tries to cover, "I was trying to remember what I needed to pick up for Russell."
Fitz cuts his eye at her. Then he looks at Abby, "Sorry, I was….I don't know where I was," he smiles. He felt a familiar twitch in his body that only Liv can cause. "Why don't we look at this portfolio and see what this genius mind can do?" Fitz says.
Abby can't help but wonder who this guy is in front of her. He never used to be this way but she notices he's only like that in front of Liv. She quickly glances at Liv, "Show him what you got," Abby says.
If Abby only knew that Fitz has seen everything she's got.
Big Gerry has made his way to his much needed destination. He couldn't tell Mellie about this stop because she never knew how far he went to help her and get what he wanted at the same time. He sits in the car, remembering that day so vividly.
Gerry flew all the way to DC to see him. They had something in common. They had the same goal. They had the same wants. That was, protecting their family and their children. They meet at Clyde's of Georgetown. It's the perfect bar for this type of meeting. It's a mutual spot.
The two men look at each other for a long time before Eli breaks the silence, "I don't think I took you for a tavern guy...a bar."
"I appreciate a good beer and burger. I am still a guy from Indiana that made it big," Gerry answers.
"I am still a guy from South Carolina that worked his way to the top and made it big too. And touche, I enjoy a good beer and burger," Eli answers.
"Listen, I have nothing against your daughter. I think she's a lovely girl and she's gonna take the world by storm," Gerry starts.
"But she's not good enough for your son," Eli says.
Gerry laughs, "The same way my son is not good enough for your daughter."
"I have nothing against your son either. I just think…"
Gerry cuts him off, "That our children have bright futures ahead of them and this type of relationship won't be beneficial to them."
"I've never liked the phrase, 'your own kind' but I don't want my daughter hurt. I don't want my daughter caught up in judgement."
Gerry studies him, "Are you calling me and my family racist?"
"No I am not, but I know your circle and a lot of them are," Eli answers.
Gerry can't disagree with him. It's the main reason he is standing in the gap. "I can't argue with that."
"So what's your suggestion?" Eli asks.
"My son did something stupid. And he's beating himself up over it but it will hurt Olivia. He doesn't want to hurt her. It's killing him, what he did, but I gave him an out. I just need your help with it," Gerry says.
"And my daughter never gets hurt," Eli says.
"Not more than she needs to be," Gerry answers.
Eli sits back in his chair, crossing his legs, "Let's hear it."
Before Gerry starts, he looks at Eli, "They are in love."
Eli takes a breath. The guilt washes over his face, "I know."
Gerry comes out of the memory. He gets out of the car, fixing his suit. He walks into Clyde's in Georgetown to meet Eli, again. Eli stands, shaking his hand. "We meet again."
"We meet again," Gerry says as he sits.
"This sounds very important. I can't imagine what we need to meet about all these years later. I thought we agreed to let the sleeping dogs lie," Eli says.
"The dogs are awake," Gerry says.
Eli looks at him very intrigued.
Abby, Fitz, and Olivia are still sitting at his mini conference table, looking through her portfolio and talking. Liv can see the amazement and shock on Fitz's face. She could see the pride in his face. The pride she used to see when she'd ace a test so easily.
"These are amazing Liv..," He stops himself. It's so natural to say Livvie but he can't. He notices Abby's eyebrow raise and Liv's. Fitz clears his throat, "Olivia…"
"You don't have to say that," Liv says. "I mean I don't have a large quantity..but.."
"I am not putting you on. These are great. And it's not the quantity of work. It's the quality," Fitz says.
Abby can feel the energy. She's not sure what it is, but she feels it. She has a lot of questions for Liv. "The quality of her work is amazing. She's going to make Oliveria look amazing."
Liv cuts her eyes over at Fitz and then back to Abby, "Oliveria?"
"Yes, the name of this new venture and restaurant is Oliveria," Abby answers. The name doesn't go past Liv. A cell phone starts to ring, Liv looks down and sees it's her.
"That's me," Liv says as she answers the phone. Abby turns to talk to Fitz. Fitz knows who's probably calling. Liv walks over to the window, "Yes Russell, I am still in the meeting," she says shaking her head. No, I told you, we are going to have lunch and then I'll be home."
"She's amazing right," Abby says. Fitz is staring off. "You have been acting strange today," Abby notes.
"I'm sorry, what happened?" Fitz says.
"I said Liv is amazing. You made a good pick," Abby explains.
"Yes I did," Fitz answers as he is now staring at her. Abby notices how seemingly enamored Fitz is with Liv. Before she can probe, her phone rings.
She sees David's name, "Hey honey!" she says getting up as Liv finishes her call. She turns and looks at Fitz, taking a breath. She sits down.
"Don't say it please," LIv starts.
"I wasn't going to say anything," Fitz defends.
"That was David at the hospital. He was in an accident," Abby says a bit flustered as she's gathering her things.
"Is David okay? You want me to come with you?" Liv asks.
"No but I need to go," she says as she glances at Fitz.
"Of course go. Let us know how David is."
"I hate to leave you high and dry like this Liv but.."
"Don't worry about it. I better get home myself. It looks like I have a job, now I need to prepare for it," Liv says as she smiles at Fitz.
"Yes, get home to your husband," Abby says as she goes toward the door. "Thanks Boss," Abby finishes as she leaves.
Liv starts to gather her things, "Do you have to leave?" Fitz says slowly.
Liv looks up, "I really should…," she trails off softly.
"We can still have lunch even though Abby's not here," Fitz says. He wants her to stay. He needs her to stay.
She keeps gathering her things. "You can't slip up and call me Livvie. I'm not your Livvie anymore," she scoffs.
"Does he call you Livvie?" Fitz asks.
Liv stops and looks at him, "I need to go," she repeats as she inches closer to the door.
Fitz wants to desperately run to that door, wrap her in his arms and hold her forever, "Has he ever asked you where you got that bite mark?"
This stops Liv in her tracks. She can't believe they were having the same memory. She can't believe he'd ask. She flips the script, "Oliveria, really!"
"I had to do something for you," Fitz answers.
Liv stops in her tracks, "Why?"
"Because I loved you. I love you and I always will and even this small gesture meant so much to me. A restaurant with your name on it. The satisfaction of no one knowing it is all about you and for you and how I'll always hate myself for ruining us," Fitz answers.
His admission almost knocks the air out of her. She slowly moves back to the table, flopping down in the chair. "We can't do this here," she finally says.
"Why not? I know Russell had the injury but I feel like you are running from me. You need to know," Fitz says with a hint of desperation in his voice. The same desperation she heard the night they broke up.
""I am not running from you..I don't see where this will change everything. We both have different lives now. We are both married and we are both happy. Why would we dredge up the past, it doesn't matter now," Liv says.
"It does matter. I need to tell you why I did what I did. I never wanted to hurt you but you have to believe I never lied to you about my feelings. When I told you, you were the one, I meant that."
Liv lets out a strained laugh. "You told me I was the love of your life."
"And you were," he starts. He sees the cringe of her body. "You still are."
"And Mellie," Liv says.
Fitz takes a breath. "That's how this all started, everything that went wrong."
The words register as she sits up in her chair. "What does our breakup have to do with Mellie? She wasn't in our lives then."
Fitz drops his head. He knows there is no easy way to explain this without her not believing him or possibly hating him even more. He looks up at Liv, "Liv."
"You were sleeping with her while we were together. Or, did you two never truly break up?"
"No, it was never like that."
Liv bites her lip, "Then what was it like Fitz. Our breakup nearly killed me. It did kill me. It took a long time to come alive again. I didn't understand why you hurt me. The only things I could come up with were all self-esteem killers. I thought I wasn't good enough. I wasn't hot enough for you. I wasn't experienced enough for you. I even thought, you just wanted your chance to bag a black girl and say you did it once in your lifetime and.."
Fitz swiftly gets up from his chair, going around the table. He drops to his knees taking her hands in his, "You know that's not me. You know that's not me. Every time I made love to you it was because I wanted you to know everything I was feeling. I wanted you to feel it. You were always enough. I was obsessed with you."
"But..," she finishes, looking into his sad eyes. They aren't the blue eyes that she fell in love with. He holds her hand tight and she doesn't try to let go.
"Remember when one of my buddies from high school, Jake, died in that motorcycle accident and I had to go back for the funeral," Fitz asks.
"Of course I do. I wanted to be there. But my grandmother's 75th birthday was that weekend. But I wanted to be there," Liv says.
Fitz let's go of her hand, to her surprise, and walks back to his seat mumbling under his breath, "I wish you had."
"Mellie came. I was surprised she came. I mean her and Jake didn't really get along all that much but...she said she wanted to be there for me."
The wheels are turning in Liv's head. Fitz can see it. She doesn't want to admit how much it upsets her to know Mellie was there for him and not her. "You never told me she was there. You kept that from me."
"After everything that happened I didn't know how," Fitz answers.
"What happened?" Liv says almost angrily.
"We all went out drinking. I told you, Jake and I and Tom, we were thick as thieves and having this happened, it was just unbelievable. So we all went to this bar and we talked about old times and got drunk. Amanda was there too," he throws in.
At first it doesn't register to Liv and then her eyes grow wide, "Amanda, the girl your thieves dare you go down on."
"Yes, but she's not important. She never was," Fitz cuts off.
Liv is trying to follow this. She's thinking the worst thoughts, "Just tell me Fitz!"
"I don't know what happened. The next morning I woke up in Mellie's hotel room," Fitz finishes.
Liv just begins to laugh. He can tell it's not a normal laugh. She gets up and goes to the window, "We all know what happened Fitz, don't we?"
Fitz gets up cautiously. He wants to hold her until she understands, "I don't know what happened."
"You fucked her, that's what. You two got drunk, had a good night," Liv turns to him, stopping him in his tracks. She could feel him getting close to her. "Don't!"
"Liv, I don't know what happened. I would have never slept with Mellie willingly. You know that," Fitz says.
"So you're gonna blame it on the alcohol," Liv says snidely.
Fitz is flustered and frustrated, "No, I don't know what to blame. Although I take the blame no matter what happened. But that's not something I would have consciously wanted. I wanted you and only you."
Liv shakes her head, "I find that hard to believe."
Fitz takes his chances and goes closes as she steps back. Her back hitting the window, "You have to believe me."
"I can't when the woman you gave your name to is now Mellie. I find it hard to believe it wasn't what you wanted," she says as the tears start to gather in her eyes. "Why couldn't you just tell me the truth?"
"What?" Fitz says. His whole body is heavy with pain. The pain in her eyes is more than he can handle.
"Why couldn't you just tell me that you wanted someone older? That you wanted someone more experienced. That you wanted your high school sweetheart," Liv says as she can't control the tears. He grabs her arms, locking her in, "Let me go," she says harshly.
"Not until you listen to me. It's not what I wanted. I don't remember going to the room with her. I don't remember any of it. Until this day, I don't remember."
"Well it doesn't matter, she's your wife now and the mother of your child. So maybe it was always written in the stars for you," Liv says as she's now angrily going for her things. "I thought I wanted to know the truth. I guess the jokes on me."
"You still love me and I know that. And I still love you," Fitz answers.
"It's a little too late for that," Liv says as she stops. She looks up at him, "You came home and you wined and dined me. You rented that room for the night and it was amazing. You knew you had slept with her."
"I was scared shitless. I didn't know what else to do," Fitz says.
"The hell you didn't. You could have told me the truth," Liv answers.
Fitz stands commandingly in front of her, "Would it have made a difference?"
"What?"
Fitz repeats the question, "If I had told you, would it have made a difference?" She's crying and it is killing him inside. He wipes her tears away.
"You didn't give me a chance to make that difference," Liv says as she tries to move his hand away. Their hands are like glue together. Neither one of them wants to let go.
"My dad..your dad...told me the most honorable thing I could do was let you go. That as hurt as you would be with the breakup, this would be better."
"My dad and your dad," Liv says. "My dad knew about this."
"I don't know how. I can only surmise what my dad told him, so he could try and talk some sense to me. He came to me right before you graduated and said if I loved you, truly loved you, I wouldn't hurt you anymore. I would just walk away," Fitz says sadly. "I didn't want to hurt you. I knew either way, it would hurt you but I guess I wanted to prove to him that I did love you. That I was never out to use you."
Liv at this point is so angry. She doesn't know what to do next. She gathers her things again, "I have to get out of here."
"I don't want you to leave like this," Fitz says, trying to be gentle.
"I can't be around you right now," Liv says as she's successfully grabbed her things this time.
"I can have someone drive you home," Fitz tries.
"No! I'll be fine. I'm a big girl," Liv says, letting him know she always knew how to take care of herself.
"I'm gonna find a way to make this right," Fitz says.
"Don't bother! There's nothing that can be fixed," Liv answers as she opens the door and comes face to face with Big Gerry.
There is an awkward silence. Fitz looks up to see why Liv is frozen in her spot. He moves over to see what she is looking at. Big Gerry breaks the silence, "Olivia Pope," he says.
She turns around and looks at Fitz and then back to Big Gerry and answers, "Olivia Emory," as she moves past him angrily. Her eyes are filled with tears, she can barely see in front of her. She knows where she has to go. She just doesn't know how she is going to handle it.
Big Gerry watches her get on the elevator, he turns back to Fitz, "What just happened?" He asks nervously.
Without answering, Fitz picks up the paperweight from his table and throws it across the room. Fitz turns to Gerry, "Why are you here?"
"I'm here to see my son," Gerry answers. "I'm surprised to see Olivia Pope here."
"I'm sure you are," Fitz says, turning away from him.
Gerry tries to act clueless, "What is she doing here? I thought she was in Europe."
"She was and now she's back and she's gonna be working for me, maybe. Maybe that's all shot to hell now I told her what really happened when Jake died."
"Why would you tell her that?" Gerry says.
"Because she deserved to know why I broke her heart and mine," Fitz fires back.
Gerry stands for once in fear, "Well I guess you did what you needed to do."
"The same way I think you did," Fitz says.
"What does that mean?"
"How the hell did Eli Pope have pictures of me and Mellie together?
Gerry is stumped. "Why would you ask me?"
"Because I think you know," Fitz answers as the Grant men stand giving each other a stare, although Fitz is full of anger.
Liv finally makes her way to her long awaited destination, her parents house. She tries to dry her face and her tears. She knows she can't stand toe to toe with Eli Pope, already vulnerable and worn down. He will always use that to his advantage. She knocks on the door. Her mother answers, very surprised to see her.
"Baby girl, what are you doing here? This is the best surprise," Maya says.
"I need to see dad," Liv says.
"Come on in. You know you can use the key I gave you."
"May...who was at the door?" Eli appears.
"It's our baby," Maya says. Eli's heart skips a beat.
"Hey sweetheart," Eli says softly.
Surprising both her parents, she says, "I am going to ask you something dad and I want the truth. Don't lie to me because I already know."
"You will respect me in my house," Eli says angrily.
"Eli…," Maya says and she then looks at Olivia, "Olivia, you don't talk to your father like that."
Olivia knows she won't be able to explain this to her mother. She gets straight to the point, "Why did you convince Fitz to break up with me?"
Eli was ready to do a verbal battle until she asked the question, "What?"
"How did you find out Fitz's secret and convinced him to break up with me?" Liv answers.
"Eli, what is she talking about?" Maya asks.
Liv looks from her mother back to Eli, "You have our attention."
Eli, for once in his life doesn't have a snappy comeback. He thought he and Gerry had time to finesse a story before the truth came out. He realizes at this moment he doesn't have time. This is the moment he doesn't regret but he's dreaded at the same time. He doesn't regret protecting his daughter but he does regret hurting her.
To his surprise, Maya steps in, "You answer your daughter's question Eli."
Maya and Liv stand squared shoulders looking at him. He doesn't have time. What will he say?"
Both fathers are about to get their day of reckoning!
Till the next time!
