So I'm not even going to get into that nonsense that was this week's episode of Scandal. I have no words.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

"So tell me about your family." Fitz placed a cup of coffee in front of Olivia.

"Well." She stopped to take a sip. "I'm the youngest of two. My sister Lauren is three years older than me."

"She's Sophia's mom. Right?" He asked thinking back to when they first met.

"Yep, she is."

"Okay. Keep going."

"My mom, Maya, is the most amazing woman. She's a retired elementary school teacher. She's kind and funny and you're not going to leave her house without a full stomach." She laughed. "My dad, Eli, has a big personality and he's kind of loud. That's where I get it I guess." She added with a smile.

"What does your dad do for a living?"

"He used to be a doctor. He's retired now too."

"Are they still together?" Fitz asked curiously.

"Yes. They argue just like you would imagine an old married couple. They're at each other all the time. 'Eli would you turn that damn game down. I am trying to think over here.' 'Think about what? It's not even loud. You're fine.'" She said imitating her parents. They both laughed. "What about your family?" She asked.

"I have two brothers. I'm the oldest, then Jonathan and Andrew. Jonathan is married to Gia, who I've mentioned before and we work together as partners. We took over my Dad's law firm when he retired." He took a deep breath. "Andrew on the other hand, he's a bit immature. He's always getting into something and then expects one of us to come save him. Sometimes I don't know who's more mature. Him or my daughter?"

"Your parents?" She asked noticing he had skipped over them.

"My parents got divorced when I was younger. My father treated my mom like crap and finally she couldn't take it anymore so she left."

XOXOXOXOXO

FLASHBACK

"Mellie you can't be serious. Don't you think you've done enough to that man?"

"Anna I didn't come all this way for you to yell at me. I know I've done some really screwed up things to Fitz. I don't need you throwing it back in my face." Mellie said to Anna, her best friend since childhood.

"Mellie, you had an affair and miscarried another man's child. A child that Fitz to this day thinks is his."

"ANNA." Mellie yelled before she realized what she was doing. Lowering her volume she continued. "I was going to tell him. I was, but he wanted a child so bad and I couldn't do that to him."

"You didn't tell him and then when the baby died and you realized you couldn't have children you adopted one to replace it and keep him around just a little bit longer."

"Anna." She started.

"No. Mellie you need to hear this. You need to realize how fucked up all of this really is. You've been lying to him for years."

"I almost left him" Mellie said just above a whisper.

"What?" Anna asked.

"Last month, Fitz took the baby to his mother's and the nanny was gone for the day so the house was empty. I had my suitcase and I was packing it. I was ready to go. I almost left."

"What stopped you?"

"It took me forever to work up the nerve to actually pack. When I started I didn't have that much time left and they got back before I finished. And I thought I would just walk out of our room and tell him that I was leaving but then I chocked."

"Why?" She asked curiously.

"I'd be alone."

"I don't understand."

"I've never been alone. First I was with my parents, then when my mom died I still had my dad, then I was college and I met Fitz. It's never been just me and I don't know how to do that."

"So you're just going to be miserable and make Fitz miserable and eventually your child because you're afraid of being by yourself?"

"I just..My father was a southern man and in his mind him you married a man and you made your whole life about making him happy. That's what I did. And then it started to not be enough anymore. Then I met Jeff and I don't know what it is about him."

"Do you love him? Jeff?"

"No." Mellie answered immediately. "I don't know." She added.

"Then Mellie what the hell are doing?" Anna asked.

"I don't know." Mellie ran a frustrated hand through her hair. "I don't know. I don't even know who I am anymore."

Anna took a deep breath and stood. "I need a drink. Do you want a glass of wine?"

"Do you have something stronger?"

Mellie was drunk. There was no other way to describe her current state. She could barely stand and all of her words came out as one long jumble of letters.

"Mellie, honey, there's no way you can drive. Where's your phone so I can call Fitz?" Anna asked struggling to get Mellie back on the couch.

"No."

"No?" Anna looked down at her.

"Don't call Fitz. I don't want him to know I was drunk." She slurred. "Call Jeff."

"Mellie I don't think-" She started but Mellie interrupted her.

"I don't care what you think. Just call him."

XOXOXOXOXO

"Good news." The doctor said excitedly as he entered the room. "Increasing the dosage of chemo worked. Ellie's showing signs of improvement. If she continues progressing at this rate we should be able to send her home next week and do day appointments."

"Does this mean it's possible for her to make a full recovery?"

"We won't know for sure until we get to the end of the treatment, but as of right now I would say yes."

"Thank you so much, doctor." Fitz said grabbing the doctor's hand to shake it. "You have no idea how grateful I am. You've saved my little girl's life."

"Mr. Grant you don't have to thank me for doing my job. Your daughter did most of the work. She's strong that one. You're doing a great job."

"Thank you. Dr." Fitz was turning to walk towards the door but stopped when he heard the doctor speaking again.

"Mr. Grant." The doctor said. "I've treated many kids and I've seen many families and I have to say that I admire how much you love and care for your daughter. We don't always see that even with biological children and it's refreshing to witness."

"Thank you Doctor." Fitz replied sincerely.

Some time later, Fitz was sitting in Ellie's hospital room watching yet another princess movie with her. He listened as she sung along happily, a smile on his face. His smile faded though, when he realized that she had stopped singing and was staring at the screen intently.

"Daddy." She called.

"What is it, ladybug?" He asked concerned at her sudden change in mood.

"I want to be Rapunzel."

"Why do you want to be Rapunzel?"

"She has hair." She replied sadly.

"Oh Ellie." Fitz pulled her into his lap. She had lost the hair on her head some time ago and most days she didn't seem to notice but there were also days like today. "Look at me." When she turned to look at him he continued. "You're so beautiful, ladybug. You're smart and you are so sweet and you make my life so much better. You don't even need the hair. And you get to wear all those cool hats." He smiled. "I wish I could wear all those hats."

"Daddy you'd look silly." She laughed.

"No, I wouldn't." He took the hat that she had been wearing and tried to put it on his head. When he got it on as far as the small rainbow colored hat would go he looked down at his daughter. "See?" She shook her head. "No?" She shook her head again.

"It's better on me."

He took it off and put it back on her head. "If you say so." He replied jokingly. "Wow." He gasped, which made her smile. "Look how pretty you are. I wish I was that pretty." He kissed the side of her head. "Can I have a kiss?" He asked. She turned her head and touched her puckered lips to his.

XOXOXOXOXO

"She says that she can make it in the house without Fitz realizing you dropped her off, but I just have a really bad feeling about this." Anna said nervously. She opened the door for Jeff to come in.

"Don't worry about it. We've done this before." He replied.

"Listen." She said and he turned around to look at her. "I don't know you, but Mellie is my friend. She's my best friend." She corrected herself. "She asked me to call you and although that was a horrible decision I did it. I'm trusting you to get her home safely."

After much struggle, Mellie was seated in the passenger seat. "Mellie." Anna called. "Call me when you get home. Okay?" Mellie nodded. "I'm trusting you with her." Anna gave Jeff one last warning look and then they were gone.

She watched the car until she couldn't see it anymore.

XOXOXOXOXO

"Are you excited?" Fitz watched as Ellie attempted to put her shoes on. She looked up at him and nodded excitedly. "You haven't been home in over a month." He helped her put on her shoes once he noticed that she was getting frustrated with her lack of results. "And I think there is going to be a surprise for you there."

"What?" Her eyes grew with excitement.

"You'll have to wait and see when we get there."

"Can we go now?" She asked, ready to get home and see what was waiting for her.

"We have to wait for the doctor to come first." He sat down beside her on the bed. "But I wanted to ask you a question." He started, not exactly sure how to approach the topic. "How would you feel if I told you that I had a friend that I would really like for you to meet?" With all of her attention now focused on going home, she shrugged. "Her name is Olivia and she's really nice."

"Is she pretty?" She asked.

"Yes, she is pretty."

"Is she a princess?"

"No. She's not a princess." He chuckled. "So, should we invite her for dinner?" She nodded again and Fitz continued to gather her things.

XOXOXOXOXO

Jeff was starting to regret having come to pick up Mellie. First she was crying. When that stopped she had become angry for no apparent reason. Drunk Mellie was definitely not a side of her he ever wanted to see again. "Mellie, I don't understand why you're mad at me?"

"I'm mad at you." She spat. "Because you make me realize everything I missed."

"What?"

"You think I wanted this life?" She looked at him. "A husband I don't love and a child I didn't want. My father wanted me to marry that man because he thought-" She stopped. "It doesn't matter what he thought."

"I don't know what you want me to say. When we started you told me that you didn't want anything serious with me." He glanced at her before turning back towards the road. "You know how I feel about you."

"I know what I said. I just don't want this life anymore and I don't want to feel like this anymore."

"Tell me what you need me to do Mellie." He looked at her.

She never answered the question. Instead she turned to look out the window.

XOXOXOXOXO

"Home sweet home." He unlocked the door and opened it.

"There she is." A voice came around the corner. Ellie bolted for the kitchen in search of the voice.

"UNLCE DREW!" She screamed and launched herself into Andrew's arms.

"Let me look at you." He leaned back to get a better look. "Pink is definitely your color." He noticed her pink shirt. "You're the most stylish almost 4 year old I've ever seen." He looked over at Fitz who had been observing the two. "Fitz, bro, how are you?"

"I'm good." He answered.

"Just good. That's it? C'mon. Give me more than that." He adjusted Ellie in his arms. "What's new?"

Before he could answer, Ellie did. "Oooh. Daddy has a new friend. Her name is Olivia."

"A new friend?" Andrew asked. "Girlfriend?"

"No, she's not my girlfriend. We're just friends." Fitz clarified.

"She's coming for dinner." Ellie said looking between the two men.

Andrew looked at her. "Daddy's girlfriend is coming for dinner?" He asked. She answered with a nod.

"Okay you two." Fitz said trying to end this conversation. "She is not my girlfriend and I haven't even asked her to have dinner yet. Okay?"

"Fine." Andrew answered. "Anyway." He turned his attention back to Ellie. "I have a present for you." He placed her on the ground and walked out of the kitchen. He returned a few minutes later with a very large box. He placed it in front of her. Instantly she was tearing at the paper.

"Really, Drew?" Fitz looked at the large box. "You got my 3 year old a dart gun. That thing is almost as big as she is."

"Yeah." He said smiling. "I got the biggest one the toy store had."

Before Fitz could say anything else Ellie spoke, excitement clear in her voice. "Open it!" She was trying her hardest to get the box open but was failing.

"You always get her the most ridiculous gifts." Fitz said chuckling. He shook his head as he watched his daughter try to lift gun.

"It's heavy." She whined trying to hold on to the gun.

XOXOXOXOXO

"Mellie. No. No. No." Jeff shook Mellie harder and harder trying to get her to wake up. He had taken his eyes off the road for just a second and by the time he looked up it was too late to do anything about the SUV speeding towards them. "Mellie. Please wake up. Come on." He shook her again.

The truck had hit her side and completely destroyed her door. He could hear the sirens in the background and tried to turn around to see if they were coming but it was too painful to move his neck.

He looked over at Mellie as best as he could. Her chest wasn't rising anymore.

Alright! Let me know what you think. I will update soon!