AN: It's Dinner time! Enjoy!
Olivia stepped aside, allowing Fitz entry into her home. At first, Fitz was nervous. As he stood on the porch waiting on her to open the door, he wondered if he could handle everything that was going to be discussed. The moment he laid eyes on her, he knew everything would be alright.
"Liv…You look…radiant."
Olivia blushed. "It's nothing, Fitz. But thank you." He handed her the lilies he had in his hand and the bottle of wine, and kissed her lightly on the cheek.
Olivia had to focus, almost dropping both the lilies and the wine when his lips caressed her cheek. His scent was nothing short of amazing. As she walked into the kitchen to deposit the gifts, her mind replayed that moment over and over. She was almost in a complete daze.
When she returned from the kitchen, she noticed Fitz standing in front of her fireplace. He was looking carefully at all the pictures on the wall. There was a picture that looked like a newborn baby and he assumed this was Harper. He kept moving to the right as he looked at each picture. There was several of Olivia and Harper, Harper and other kids, and Harper and what appeared to be an older couple. He was about to ask if these were Olivia's parents when Olivia interrupted his thought process.
"Dinner's ready."
Fitz fell out of the trance he was in. He felt like he was just meeting Harper for the first time. This might be harder than I imagined….he thought.
Dinner was comfortable quiet for the most part. The only awkward times were when both would look at the other at the same time, simultaneously making eye contact. They made light conversation about the weather, politics, and the music business.
Fitz decided since dinner was over, it was time to turn up the heat. He helped Olivia clear the table and wash dishes against her wishes.
"So, I know you didn't invite me over here to talk about the 10 day forecast and how shitty managers can be….or maybe you did." Fitz winked at Olivia and she was instantly ashamed in herself for how turned on she was.
"You're right. I didn't. Please." She gestured for Fitz to join her in walking towards the Family room. The room itself looked so inviting. The walls were a beautiful maroon color. NOTHING like the outline of white he had seen in all the other rooms. The couches were brown soft leather, and a fluffy rug was in the center of the room. The entertainment center included PS3, Xbox, and Wii, and a projector pointing to the adjacent wall. A huge flat screen TV was there as well as blue ray players and a collection of movies that made Fitz wonder if he had been wasting his time flipping through TV channels all these years. There was several beanbag chairs and few gamer chairs as well. Fitz and Olivia took a seat on the couch. She attempted to leave a good bit of room between them.
"I don't even know where to start." Olivia felt her throat begin to constrict. She felt her breathing increase and all of a sudden she wondered if someone had flipped on the heat by accident.
"Olivia, whatever it is,-"
"NO!" Olivia stopped herself. She was growing flustered and for some reason she wanted this to be painful for her. She felt like she deserved it. When she yelled, Fitz smirk grin he had behind her back all of a sudden faded and he grew concerned. I can't help her. I have to let her tell me. She HAS to tell me on her own or there's no hope for us….
"First of all, let me start off by asking that you PLEASE hear the entire story out before you ask questions or pass judgement. Can you do that?"
"Ok Liv, but you are starting to scare me." Fitz really was growing more and more concerned. When he came over tonight, he had every intention of making her sweat for all she had done but as time passed all he wanted to do was take her into his arms and rock away her fears.
"Fitz, Harper is….she's….Harper is your….OUR daughter."
Silence.
Olivia didn't make eye contact with Fitz. She kept her gaze at the floor when she spoke this.
"What did you say?"
Olivia stood and began to pace in circles. For a split second Fitz wondered if she was going to start leaving smoke or get carpet burn since she was walking so fast.
"Harper is ours. That night….that night we….I was on the pill. But I was also still taking antibiotics from a previous cold. I was over the cold. WELL over it, but the doctor suggested I continue to take the meds. I became very ill about 8 weeks later and ended up passing out. When I came to, my parents and now coworkers were around me. My doctor explained I was severely dehydrated and 2 months pregnant. I was…I was devastated. I hadn't slept with anyone but you, and I knew your reputation and what you would say so I didn't say anything to you. I kept this secret from you for so long. I knew when I had Harper I needed to call you. I knew that. But I couldn't. I couldn't face what I had done. Ever since then, I have wanted to tell you but in my head it didn't seem like a good enough time to reveal this. I don't know how long I was going to wait but I swear I was going to tell you. I saw how you began to blow up with your music and I didn't want you to think I was just another money crazy woman who chased and cornered a man into paying for a kid. I didn't want your….your lifestyle to affect Harper so I kept her hidden until….until…" Olivia was rambling on and Fitz finally found a moment to interrupt her.
"Until fate brought my daughter to attention." Fitz didn't realize he was crying. In that moment, he knew he was crying for the pain Olivia had been through, the missed memories, the birthdays, the scrapes and cuts, the firsts, and the lasts. He quickly wiped the tears that had fallen. New ones were already beginning to appear in his eyes.
"I don't deserve your forgiveness. I don't deserve ANYTHING, but Harper deserves to know her father."
Fitz cleared throat before he began. "Does she know?"
"No. I wanted you to be there with me when I told her. I wanted you to be right by her side when I told her.
"You wanted me to be by YOUR side, Olivia." And with that statement, Fitz stood and walked right past Olivia and out the front door.
/
Olivia stood stock still as she watched her front door close behind him. She felt as if weight had been lifted from her shoulders, but watching him walk away made the weight drop back to its place. She wanted to run after him. Scream and cry and beg for forgiveness but she couldn't move. Her feet would not move. Her mouth would not speak. She just stared at the door.
Fitz stood outside the front door. This was exactly how his plan was supposed to go in his head. He was going to act shocked and feign ignorance…except…he wasn't playing shocked. It rocked him to the core to hear her confession about him. He knew he had is fair share of women in the past but Olivia had been the only one to rock his foundation. His core. His heart.
He stood still outside her door. He could hear what sounded like quiet sobs coming from inside the home. It was at that instant that his mind was shut off and his heart began to operate his body.
Olivia had crouched down to her knees.
She cried.
Hard.
Sobs.
She thought this would be easier, but she knew she deserved every bit of what she felt. She was rocking back and forth in place on the floor when she heard her front door open. She didn't look up-no she didn't need his pity look. She needed it to hurt. To burn so she would feel what he was feeling.
When Fitz saw her perched on the floor, he walked over to her and grabbed her up by her shoulders. The shock look in her eyes told him she thought he had left.
The storm grey in his eyes told her that he had shed more than a few tears outside. They stood there for a moment, just staring at each other. It felt like it had that night so many years ago. Fitz stood there and he could swear he had fallen in love with her all over again.
Olivia didn't know what to do. Fitz wrapped her in his arms and she stood there. After taking in a few breaths, she felt her body begin to rock with sobs again as her arms slowly began to encase him back. After about ten seconds of hugging, Olivia pushed Fitz away. He stood there and stared at her.
"Olivia?"
"No. I need it to hurt. I need to feel the pain because I was wrong. I need to know how this feels." Olivia was shaking her head and staring at his feet. To say Fitz was more than concerned now was an understatement.
Fitz began to walk toward Olivia and she backed away, putting up her hands.
"Don't. Don't touch me. Don't hug me. Don't be nice to me. I don't deserve any of it. Yell at me. Curse, throw something. I don't care. But don't be nice to me. PLEASE," Olivia cried.
Fitz walked right up to her as if she hadn't said a word.
He grabbed her shoulders and turned her to look at him. Gone was the sarcastic ass that sat at the table during dinner. Now he was a man watching the woman he loved cry uncontrollably and he could only do what any man should do.
He consoled her.
"Olivia, listen to me." Fitz pleaded.
She shook her head, still trying to free from his grip.
"NO. I said listen to me." Olivia broke free and began to march towards the kitchen. She just needed to get away for a moment….
"Stop walking! OLIVIA CAROLYN POPE! I SAID STOP WALKING."
Olivia froze in her tracks. She didn't turn around or dare utter another word.
"Come over here and sit down. PLEASE."
Olivia complied with his request. She sat on the other end of the couch, trying to read his voice without seeing his face.
"Livvie, I already knew."
She felt her breath hitch at his confession.
"Hunh?"
"I knew. When I first saw Harper I was fascinated with her. Never before had I been that enamored with ANYONE. Let alone a teenager. When she opened her mouth to sing, it was like I was hearing an angel sing. At that after party, when I hugged her and watched her eyes dance about like mine do, I knew. Please…Olivia please stop this. You are going to hurt yourself."
Olivia couldn't look at him. They were sitting knees to knees looking at each other. Fitz reached up and wiped a tear from her cheek.
"Sweet baby…please stop crying."
"Fitz…I don't know what to say."
He sat back on the couch, extending his legs, and pulled Olivia back with him. She sat straight up at first, then it was as if a magnet took over her body and she instantly curled up to him. She didn't know why she felt like this was so right. I don't even know him anymore…she thought.
Fitz caressed and relaxed her until their breathing eventually became in sync. He felt her relax into his chest and this in turn relaxed him.
After so many minutes of silence, Fitz began to speak.
"I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here. I've missed so much already, Liv. I don't want to miss another second of anything that happens with Harper. I should have been there for the doctors' appointments, when you found out she was a girl, the late night cravings, the baby showers, the birth- I should have been and I feel bad that I missed it but I WON'T miss anything else. Please just allow me to be there for Harper-for YOU."
Olivia couldn't explain why, but the way he spoke to her made her calmer than she had been in a long time. She moved to look him in the eyes and saw hope there.
"I'm sorry. I'm SO sorry, Fitz. I shouldn't have taken away your choice." Her voice was beginning to crack.
"For the record…I didn't find out she was a girl until birth. I wanted it to be a surprise. One less thing for me to worry and stress over." She heard Fitz let out a breath and she did as well. She could tell he was smiling without even looking back up at him.
"Olivia, can start over? I know I wasn't exactly Casanova back then, but a lot has changed. Life has changed me. YOU changed me. I can't be without-I just want to be here." He felt her tense up at his words.
"I won't stop you. She needs a father figure besides Huck. He can't sing like you can."
Fitz chuckled.
"How do we tell her, Livvie? You know her more than I do." Again, Olivia tensed at his question.
"We do our best and we tell her TOGETHER."
"And what about us?" Fitz was a bit nervous to ask this question, but he had gone far too long without her in his life.
Olivia sat up to look at him. She ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck and a stared into his eyes, brown meeting blue. Placing the other hand on his chest near his heart, she spoke softly to him.
"We have a lot to discuss and work out…but we are in this together." She didn't give him a chance to respond. She planted the sweetest, most innocent kiss on his cheek and he felt like he was melting away.
"We're in this together."
AN: ok, so I think I'm going to stop here. I know there will probably be some of you who don't think this story is as realistic as it should be with Fitz being as easy going as he is, but he's MY version of Fitz and I love him this way. (An undercover softie) They have a long way to go, and the big reveal to Harper is coming up. I wonder how she will find out.
From here, there might be a slight time jump as well. I personally hate surprises, so I figured I'd share that with you guys.
Please remember that this is just fiction. I have rewritten this chapter several times because I wanted it to be semi-believable. Give it a chance and don't flake out on me!
Until next time…..
XOXO
