Sorry for the late update! I should be updating regularly this week. Last week was a really crazy one! Here's the final day of Liv's trip to D.C.!

4 AM. The city that never sleeps is wide awake. And it isn't New York City.

Somewhere, a scandal is unraveling. Someone is bound to call Olivia Pope and Associates in the morning pleading for help. Even though the President is tucked safely into bed, the gears around her are constantly turning. New York City may be deemed the "city that never sleeps", but the streets of Washington are deceiving. No matter silent they may be, the gears of government are always turning.

Olivia loved this energy. As she walked down the streets she once called home, Secret Service tiredly in tow, her insomnia started to take a toll on her. In Vermont, time moved slowly and every minute was cherished. Here, she felt as though everyone was just fighting to get through another day.

She stopped in front of the Gettysburger storefront and peered through the display window. Nothing had changed. Orange chairs, brown tables, too-cramped of a waiting area. Her stomach begged for her favorite meal, but she continued on. In her jogging outfit and white headband, the few people on the street did not seem to recognize her. She felt the normalcy her life sometimes lacked, but would never trade what she had to get it back. It had been only a day away from them, but she missed her family. She longed to tangle her fingers in Fitz's matted curls and kiss Isabella's tiny nose. She had been away from them before, but in D.C. she felt as though she was planets away.

Suddenly, she looked up and found herself standing in front of a familiar building, The White House. Now President Elizabeth Warren's home, Fitz's successor.

Olivia wondered if the Founding Fathers had chosen white to represent purity. That was not what was down in the history books, but she thought about it nonetheless. No one would have ever suggested to paint it black, leave it colorless, or even red to match the color of the flag. It would not have mattered what the price differences were between the various colors. White made all of the government buildings look regal, powerful, and trustworthy.

She herself had worn the white hat for many years, but similarly to those the White House, had gotten caught up in all of the noise. She often had questioned if what she was doing was truly right, or if it was just to hold up the state of the union. While that is the goal of government, the means of maintaining it were not always fair and just. If the White House were to reflect its true colors, it would be different shades of white and black, she imagined.

But white gives people hope. White gains people's trust. That's what Olivia Pope did. Whether she was at the White House or running her own practice, she wore the white hat.

Olivia Grant was a bit of a different person. They say having a child changes you, but she even had felt herself change before that. Once she had fallen out of Washington's orbit, she found who she truly was. In the mountains of Vermont, all of the voices quieted and she could focus on one: her own. There was nothing to prove, no one to save. She was living for herself, for her husband and daughter. Although she was proud of her accomplishments and loved being a gladiator, she was finally taking care of herself.

She next found herself standing in the middle of a conference room she all knew too well. She had sat in these chairs, posted hundreds of pictures of clients on the walls. The girl who started this firm was bold, brilliant, and brave. She knew that she could make a real name for herself.

She did.

Olivia smiled weakly and made her way to her office. She could tell that it was not used much, probably only a room to store and interview clients in. Her desk remained mostly how she had left it. She picked up a photo of her and Fitz on the campaign trail and thumbed the small coat of dust off of it. She played with the gold chain dangling from her neck and smiled. Knowing the ending of the fairytale that young Olivia had clung to, she couldn't help but to grin softly from ear to ear. Placing it down next to the picture of her wedding day, she took a seat behind her desk and opened the drawer. She pushed through miscellaneous office supplies and old flash drives to find what she was looking for. Reaching to the back of the drawer blindly, her hand tapped against a tiny drawstring bag. She smiled and pulled it out. After a few shakes, the object fell out into her hand.

Her lucky charm.

Her eyes filled with tears as she held the object up to examine it. She closed her eyes and was taken back to a memory, one she had not thought of in a very long time.

"I know you don't need any luck, but I want you to have this." Fitz murmured, reaching over to his medicine bag on the nightstand. They had worked tirelessly all day campaigning in Iowa, and were currently snuggled in bed at the Sheraton in Des Moines.

Fitz unfolded her hand gently and plopped a long necklace into it. Olivia looked down at it curiously. Holding it up with her other hand, she laughed.

"Your dog tag? What am I going to do with this?" She asked, looking up at him with stars in her eyes.

"When I was in the Navy, I never knew if I was going to make it home. I kept a coin in my pocket that I had gotten from my grandfather. Silly, but it gave me comfort. Every soldier has that one item they cling to." He looked down at her lovingly.

"Think of it as a piece of me that will always be with you. Maybe it will bring you good luck, maybe it won't, but I hope it will always remind you that I love you. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, I love you." Olivia's eyes filled with tears. He took it out of her hand and unclasped it.

"May I?" He asked, smiling. She nodded and sat up for him. She pushed aside her damp curls, wet from the shower they had just taken together, and felt him place a gentle kiss on the nape of her neck. With a small click, the dog tag fell to rest in the valley in between her breasts. She looked down at it and ran her fingers against its smooth sides. He wrapped his arms lovingly around her stomach and she immediately melted into him.

"I love you." She murmured, craning her neck to meet his haunting blue eyes.

"I love you too."

Over the years, she had always kept it in her desk. Sometimes she had taken it out to hold, other times she had placed it in her pocket to help her face a hard day. However, she had never worn it in fear that someone would notice it.

None of that mattered now. The secret was out, Vermont was a reality. She was free. She clicked the clasp shut and watched the sun rise outside of her office, knowing exactly what she wanted to do.

"Thank you guys for agreeing to meet for lunch instead of dinner." Olivia said gratefully, looking at her friends. It was strange to have the group all together in D.C. again, even stranger to be together without strategizing or plotting.

"It's fine. It seems no matter how much time you spend with them, you'll always miss your kids." Huck said, smiling slightly. Olivia could not believe the transformation that Huck had went through. Although she knew he still had dark days, they were far easier with Javi by his side. Her tear-soaked dream she had the previous night of an unescapable prison cell was not a new development. All she needed was Fitz's embrace or Isabella's scent to calm her. Pushing the night out of her head, she turned to Abby and raised an eyebrow. Abby blushed and grinned.

"What's up between you two?" Quinn asked, obviously holding back all of the sarcastic remarks she had ready to throw. Abby took a deep breath.

"Liv helped me take a certain test yesterday. David and I are finally having a baby!" She announced, clapping her hands together. Quinn and Huck's eyes widened.

"That's amazing, but don't think we'll be any less hard on you." Quinn quipped, hugging her. Olivia held up her glass.

"To David and Abby, and to new beginnings." She cheered. The friends clung their glasses together joyfully.

Olivia smiled to herself, knowing that this was only the start of something special.

The helicopter had barely touched down before Olivia was leaping out of it. Maybe it was the wine she had on the way home or the decision she was excited to share, but everything was thrown to the side when she caught a glimpse of her husband in her favorite red flannel. She jumped out of the plane and ran giddily into her husband's arms. Expecting a welcoming kiss, she screamed as she was tossed over his shoulder, legs kicking up in the air.

"I've got this piece of cargo Bernard. Mind putting the rest by the back door?" He asked, smiling.

"Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third, I demand you put me down this instant!" Olivia yelled, trying not to laugh.

"Nope." He said simply, walking back towards the house. She roared with laughter as she swung back and forth. Walking through the sliding-glass door, he placed her down on the floor gently. Lightheaded and out of breath, Olivia sighed.

"Hi." She breathed.

"Hi." He responded simply. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him, only to be spun around.

"Should I torture Mommy more?" Fitz asked, tickling Olivia in the stomach. She once again burst into laughter, tears pricking in the corners of her eyes. Isabella joined her mother, slamming her tiny hands against the tray of her high chair. Olivia managed to pry Fitz's hands away from her as she focused on the mess around surrounding her daughter.

"Fitz! What did you give her?" Olivia gasped, walking towards the gleeful Isabella. He laughed.

"You favorite boysenberry jam. Who doesn't like that?" Olivia laughed gently as she examined the mess.

"It's in her hair." She noted as she tried pulling it out of the baby's matted curls while laughing. Isabella remained oblivious to her mess, slamming her hands down on her table. Olivia picked her up out of the chair and started blowing raspberries onto her smooth skin, causing the baby to erupt into laughter once more.

"Did you miss Mommy? Because I missed you." Olivia murmured, holding her daughter close. Olivia Pope would have cringed at jam mushing against her Zac Posen sundress.

Olivia Grant could not have cared any less.

"Although she might have missed her mother, she and her Daddy had fun." Fitz reported, walking towards them. Olivia shook her head and looked back at her husband.

"I hope you at least changed her out of her onesies when you went out? She was declared one of the most fashionable babies in the public eye. An intern at OPA reminded me of that."

"Why of course. The Grants are always in style." Olivia raised an eyebrow in slight suspicion and turned her attention back to Isabella.

"Mommy is going to get you all cleaned up before storytime and bed." The two headed up the stairs and Fitz sighed loudly, cursing himself for being such a tease while he had the opportunity.

"I have dinner ready downstairs." Fitz murmured, walking into Isabella's nursery. Olivia put a finger to her mouth to quiet him, nodding down at the sleepy baby. Fitz smiled and walked towards them.

He took a seat in the rocking chair and motioned for Olivia to sit on his lap. She walked slowly from the window and settled down with him, nestling her head in the crook of his neck. Isabella squirmed a little, her eyes fluttering for a few moments before staying closed. She was swaddled comfortably in a silk gray blanket wearing her white fuzzy onesie. Fitz and Olivia loved putting her to sleep more than anything. Even if it was three in the morning, they loved watching her. She knew nothing yet of the world's madness, only love. It was something that never ceased to amaze them.

"I want my daughter to grow up in a world where she is considered an equal." Olivia murmured, keeping her eyes locked on her. Fitz kissed the top of her head in agreement.

"I never want her to be judged by the color of her skin or by her gender." She looked up at her husband and smiled weakly.

"I want to wear the white hat, Fitz. I want to do something. I don't want to cover up scandals to hold up the Republic. I want to make a real change." She took a deep breath.

"I want to start a foundation. With you. A non-profit. I don't need to be in Washington; the headquarters can be right here in Montpelier. I just need you." She cupped his face with her stray hand.

"You've been nothing but supportive and I want to thank you for that. You are the most amazing husband and father." Fitz smiled.

"You never cease to amaze me." He closed the space in-between them and kissed her chastely.

"Everyone at OPA wants to be in on it. I talked to them about it over lunch. Even regarding the Republican base, it will-"

"Livvie, it's an amazing idea. You don't have to give me a marketing pitch. I was in from the moment you said 'with you'." He whispered, thumbing her cheek gently. She smiled and looked up at him with a glow in her eyes. He felt his heart thump against his chest. No one had ever looked up like him like she did. Their connection never ceased to amaze him.

"I'm so happy to be home." She murmured, snuggling back into Fitz's body. Her body fit into his like a puzzle piece, and Isabella perfectly in their laps. She closed her eyes and found herself slowly drifting off into sleep in complete harmony.

Dinner had been forgotten about. When she woke up, the clock read 2 AM. Sitting up in bed, she looked around to calm herself. She was in Vermont, she was safe. She turned and look down at Fitz, who was stirring. She felt an arm snake around her back and she was pulled flush next to him. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent: old spice and finely aged scotch.

"I love you." She breathed. He smiled slightly.

"I love you too."

Thank you guys all for the support. I know I say this every chapter, but the support I've been getting from the Scandal fandom has been amazing! I am going to put my different accounts below so we can get connected!

I know some of you liked the masterpost! I now have a whole section for them on my Tumblr, so let me know if you'd like me to make more for future chapters!

Next chapter will be fluffy, but we are going to bring in Karen and Teddy as the story is revolving around the effect of Isabella's birth. All good things to come though – so look forward to that!

How about last week's episode? Check out my YouTube reviews for my reactions and thoughts :P

XXX, B

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