Monday

Liv woke up to yet another snow filled Vermont day. It had been almost three months since her last physical encounter with Fitz. Between the shooting on the hill, (which turned out to be a scorned wife going after her philandering husband, a Senator from Tennessee and his secretary/mistress) as well as assessing the other demands of this great nation, Liv hadn't seen Fitz since his departure on Marine One twelve weeks earlier. The frigid temperatures only served as a reminder as to how much Liv truly missed him as she longed for her cuddle buddy.

Although she was in Vermont, in their home, the home that Fitz built for them, Olivia Pope was not at peace. She was still trying to forgive herself for getting on that plane,even more so - for getting on that plane with Jake Ballard. Granted she hadn't left but the fact that she almost did still made her feel sick with regret. Deciding to take a break from punishing herself with the memory, Liv opted to go on the search for food.

Liv threw on Fitz's NAVY sweatshirt along with a pair of her black leggings and proceeded down the stairs. Halfway down, Liv got the strange feeling she wasn't alone. She continued on her way as her body knew this presence. She didn't feel threatened by the possibly unknown person.

"Huck?" Liv called out hoping her gut was correct. A few moments later, Huck turned a corner and presented himself in front of her. Huck's face was neutral, but Liv could tell in his eyes something was wrong. Liv stepped closer to her friend and saw the conflict that hid behind his already dark eyes.

"Huck, what is it? What's wrong?"

Instead of responding, Huck simply dropped to his knees. Liv rushed to her friend and wrapped her arms around him, hoping to calm his trembling frame. She hadn't seen Huck this emotional since he had been held captive in the Pentagon, and was Water boarded as he was accused of the assassination attempt on Fitz.

"It had to be done Liv. It had to be done."

"Huck... What?"

"He found you Liv. He knew where you were and he was coming to hurt you. He was coming to hurt you Liv. He was coming to kill you. So I did what I had to do. I can't say I didn't enjoy it Liv, I enjoyed it very much. Watching the life drain from the man who has cause you so much pain, the man who has caused me so much pain. It had to be done and I did it Liv and because I did it we're free Liv. We're free."

"Did what Huck?... Huck? What did you do? Who did you kill?"

Huck looked up at Liv with the widest darkest eyes she had ever seen. Huck's eyes were wild and cold, yet there was a warmth in them. Liv knew that warmth. Huck always told her that spot was reserved for her. When she could see the warmth his mind was processing that she was around. When she didn't see the warmth... run..

"Who did you kill Huck?" Liv repeated after a few moments of silence. She already knew the answer, but part of her wanted to hear it. Part of her needed to hear it.

"I. Killed. Command. I killed your father Liv but he was going to hurt you and I'm sorry Liv. I'm so sorry I killed your father, actually I'm sorry that I'm not sorry that I killed him Liv but command had to be stopped before he hurt you. He killed your mother and dumped her on my doorstep Liv. He just left her there. He had to be stopped Liv. I couldn't let him hurt you anymore."

"Shhhh. Huck, it's okay Huck. You did what you had to do."

Liv sat at the bottom of the steps holding her friend until he calmed down. Most people would cry, scream, throw a fit or drown their sorrows in the comfort of a well stocked liquor cabinet, but Liv couldn't. If she were being honest with her self, all urges to drink any form of alcohol had flown out of the window the minute Huck had muttered those three magical words - I. Killed. Command. But honestly what did that mean? Other than the fact that she was free from her father's grasp, what did it mean for the republic?

"Huck, what happens now? With B6-13? What happens now that command is dead?" Liv asked, almost too afraid to know the answer.

"You know how they say "Chop off the head of a snake and another will grow in it's place?" Liv nodded allowing Huck to continue. "Well, what they don't say is the one that chops off the head is the one that will grow in it's place."

"Huck, you are.. Are you-"

"Command. I am now command Liv. And because I'm command I have to go away. I will still be there to watch over you all, but not in the same way."

"Huck..."

"It's ok Liv. You can come home. It's time to come home. We need you to come home. He needs you Liv. He needs you to come home."

"Huck..."

"It's over... Just come home Liv..."

Tuesday

Liv had just returned from her very first class of learning how to make jam. It wasn't as easy as she thought it would be, but it was entertaining nonetheless. She toed off her dress boots and walked towards the family room to start a fire. Once she warmed up a little, she returned to the kitchen to grab a bottle of Shiraz, and her wine glass. She returned to the family room and poured herself a full glass of wine, something she knew not to do but today she didn't care. Not after the awkward conversation Liv had with Mellie just a few hours earlier.

It seemed this week everyone wanted a piece of Liv. It was only Tuesday, but news of her parents' death seemed to have spread thru Washington very quickly, and everyone she left behind was more than eager for her to return home. Apparently everyone missed Liv more than she thought they would, everyone including Mellie.

"Liv, I am so sorry for your loss. I truly had no idea your mother or father were still living..."

Lie ...

"It's fine Mellie, really it's fine. We weren't close."

"Well I just can't imagine how you feel right now. You know, you should be home Liv, here in DC. We need you down here. Not... Not only for your expertise, but, well, I've come to consider you a friend... In some odd way."

Lie...

"I'm not sure Mellie. I mean you and Fitz should be working on your marriage. You two should be doing something to repair your marriage. It's part of why I left."

"Liv, Fitz and I are finished. I have come to realize that our marriage was long over before you entered the picture with no hope of repair. You should come home Liv. He needs you. We need you. Besides, Karen's birthday is this weekend and she's asking for you. She begged us for this Belgian chocolate fountain that you had been raving about. Well Fitz found the biggest one they had. You could swim in chocolate it's so big. Anyway, Karen has been asking for you."

"I'll have to get back to you and let you know Mellie."

"Ok, well... That's all I ask. Just please Liv, honestly consider it. Your place is here in DC. Not in whatever God forsaken town you've run away to in order to seek refuge. Come home Liv..."

Liv hung up and slouched back into the sofa where she allowed the wine to soothe her nerves.

Wednesday

Liv woke up to the smell of bacon and pancakes. She moved the covers back and threw on her robe, unsure of who'd she'd find. Between Huck and Mellie, Liv honestly wouldn't be surprised to see Abby cooking up a storm in her kitchen.

Liv walked down the hallway and into the wide open family room and froze. Standing right before her was Fitz still in his work attire, making her breakfast. As if he could sense her presence...

"Grab a seat. Breakfast is almost finished." Fitz said, not yet turning around. It wasn't that he didn't want to see Liv in that moment, he didn't trust himself to not burn breakfast once he did finally turn around. Liv took a seat on a stool in front of their counter and watched Fitz finished breakfast.

It should be like this everyday. In an another universe it would be. But this is not another universe so...

"Why are you here?" Liv asked, her voice full of curiosity and hope.

"Do I really need a reason to come home?" Fitz countered as he began loading up their plates with Belgian waffles, eggs, sausage, bacon and toast. He set the plates down and returned to the counter to grab their bowls of fresh fruit, something that Liv definitely noticed.

"Well no... Yes... No... Yes. At least for the next four years. Why are you here Fitz?"

"I thought you wouldn't want to be alone right now. Normally this is the moment where people say things like "I'm so sorry for your loss" and "Honey they are in a better place." I just don't know what to say so I made breakfast."

"Thank you. But Fitz, you didn't have to come all the way up to Vermont. You have a job, a very important job..."

"I've missed you. It's been far too long since I've looked into your eyes or wrapped my arms around you. Yes we Skype and talk over the phone but... It's been too long and..."

"And?"

"I just needed a moment with you." Fitz said as he finally turned around with two overloaded plates and tear filled eyes.

"Fitz..."

"Come home Livvie."

"You're married..."

"Not much longer. The divorce process is underway. As shocking as this may sound, Mellie isn't even contesting it. I'm guessing now that Andrew is around, she has no problems with us being together."

"Whoa, Fitz, what are you talking about? What did you and Mellie do? What about your presidency?"

"Nothing outside of filing for divorce and having said divorce finalized this morning. Mellie and I were in the middle of yet another pointless verbal war and we both blurted it out. We sat down and considered our options, and we decided neither of us could continue to live this lie any longer. Besides, there's no law stating that a president HAS to be or STAY married." Fitz stated matter of factly. He decided that it was time to emphasize the power of his words and held up his left hand to reveal a bare ring finger.

"What about Karen and Teddy?"

"Karen knows about us. I told her everything. She was a little creeped out because she saw you as a big sister, but in the end she was just happy that she hasn't walked in on us like she did with Mellie giving Andrew a-"

"OH-KAY! I DEFINITELY don't need to relive that traumatizing experience. Once was enough Thank you!" Liv whined as she covered her ears. Fitz joined in the laughter, and the mood became frighteningly serious.

"Come home Livvie. Yes, this is our home, but come back to DC. We can date openly once this is all over, I can propose to you the right way. I can yell our love from the mountain tops and we can get married. We can have children and you can be my first lady. No more hiding in the shadows. Come home. I'm a free man."

There they were. The four words Liv had been longing to hear for the past five years. As much as those words played in her ears like the sweetest of symphonies, Liv couldn't say yes. Not just yet. Not until she cleared her conscience."

"Fitz, there's something I need to tell you." Liv said sheepishly, her head lowered.

"What is it Livvie? Whatever it is we can fix it."

Liv took a deep breath and decided it was now or never.

"Fitz, before I came to the oval, the day you won the election... I was on a plane. I was packed and ready to leave everything behind... I was ready to leave you behind. I'm no good for you Fitz. I felt like everything that happened the past year was my fault. James' and Jerry's deaths, Hightower's bomb-mutilated corpse at his funeral... All of it was my fault. If I had just left sooner, I could have spared you the loss of a child. You'd still have Jer if I... And I... And Fitz... I..." Liv couldn't finish the words as she folded and tears began streaming from her eyes harder than before. Fitz rounded the counter and pulled Liv into his arms.

"Livvie, everything that happened this past year had nothing to do with you. It had everything to do with your father and his manipulative ways. Baby this wasn't on you. None of it was."

"Fitz there's more."

"More?"

"I... When I left, I went against everything I believed in and I did something you may never forgive me for."

"Livvie I-"

"No Fitz, let me finish. We said no more secrets right?" Fitz nodded, allowing Liv to continue. "Against my better judgment and everything I believed in, I allowed Jake to go with me. In a platonic nature, but I allowed him to go nonetheless."

"I know..."

"But I got on that plane and I... I couldn't do it. I couldn't leave with another man when my heart belongs to you. I couldn't leave with Jake when you needed me more than anything... I couldn't... Wait... What?"

"I know. I know about the plane, and I know about Jake. Livvie, none of that matters, not anymore."

Liv took a step back and looked at Fitz as if he had grown an extra head. Something was up. Something had to be up. Fitz was jealous, possessive, selfish to the point of almost starting a nuclear war when it came to her. So why was he being so calm?

"Fitz?"

"Livvie, I could waste another ten months to a year or longer wallowing in self pity and crying about how the love of my life ALMOST left me... Or..."

"Or?"

Fitz stepped in closer to Liv and pulled her body flush against his. He tilted her head upwards and placed the sweetest, softest kiss upon her lips. "Or, I can take comfort in the fact that you came to your senses and returned to me before it was too late." Fitz reasoned as he began nibbling on the skin just under Liv's ear.

"So you're not mad?" Liv asked as she looked at Fitz in disbelief.

"Not mad at all. Grateful, relieved, thankful, enlightened, hopelessly in love, but not mad. Now, will you come home Livvie? Come home to DC. With me is where you belong."

"Fine... I will return to DC for two weeks. You have two weeks to convince me to stay."

"Two weeks?"

"Two weeks. I have to be there for at least that long since I have to bury my..., and prepare a funeral for my... yeah. She... was already dead so there is no need for a ceremony for her. I'm sure the people at the Smithsonian as well as many other individuals would like to say goodbye to... him."

"Wait, so he actually worked at the Smithsonian? Like building dinosaurs, and collecting rare historical items in foreign dirt type Smithsonian?"

"Yep. He did."

"Wow."

"Wow."

"So when do we leave?" Liv asked as she stole a strawberry from Fitz's bowl.

"Whenever you're ready. Oh and Livvie, since you'll be staying in a guest room in the residence, pack light."

There was a calming silence between them as they finished their breakfast.

Yep, this was exactly how it was supposed to be.