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Even in the dim lighting of the 5 o'clock sunset, the White House residence exuded Christmas cheer. Red bows, tiny Nativity figurines, garland, and synthetic snow adorned every surface in the house. Nothing was left untouched. It was quite an elaborate scene and possibly a little overdone, but Fitz was very pleased with himself. He had spent all of his free time today perfecting the decorations and wrapping presents.

He plopped down on the sofa unceremoniously, not very presidential at all. But who cared? Today, he was just a dad eagerly anticipating the arrival of his two older children coming home from boarding school. Soon they'd be home and the annual Grant family festivities could begin. They'd make cookies and gingerbread houses and stay up until midnight watching their favorite Christmas specials. He and Mellie would probably even act civilly towards each other.

The shrill of the residence phone broke his happy silence and Mellie came waltzing into the room with Teddy in one arm and the phone in the other.

He reached for both the phone and Teddy, but she only gave him the phone. He ignored her antics and grinned as he took the phone.

"Daddy," called Karen to her father sounding breathless and excited.

"Hi Karebear," greeted Fitz to his 14 year old daughter.

She giggled at his pet name for her. Ever since they were born they'd had been Gerbear and Karebear, but recently Gerry asked his father to stop calling him that. He was apparently "to old" to be called such a name.

"Daddy," she began again sweetly, but this time hesitantly in the voice she used to ask for stuff.

Fitz hoped she wasn't going to ask for another gift. He already had everything his princess asked for wrapped and ready. He wouldn't have time to get anything else, especially if she asked for a fancy new electronic gadget.

She rushed out the rest, "Megan and Tyler and their family are going to see the lights tonight and they invited Gerry and me and said we could stay the night if we wanted to. Can we?"

Fitz's heart sank. His own children were about to abandon him. Maybe it was karma for the way he had treated people last year after Defiance.

'Karen," he said slowly attempting to let her down easily, "It's Christmas, I highly doubt Megan and Tyler's parents would want you to stay the night.

"No, they said it was okay. Please daddy? I really want to go see the lights with them."

"Tell you what, when you and Gerry get here we'll go find some lights. It'll be fun. Just you, me, Gerry and Teddy. Even mommy if she wants to come. How does that sound?"

"Sounds okay, I guess, but I really, really want to go with Megan's family. Plus, it'll be different with you."

What did that mean?. Did she not want to spend time with him? Didn't he have a few more years left until he lost his little girl.

"Karen, I just don't think…"

"Pretty please, Mommy said we could go if you said yes.

Fitz was suddenly furious. Now if he said no he'd look like the bad guy and Karen would sulk in her room the whole evening.

Fitz sighed heavily, "I mean, I guess its fine, but Tom is going to come pick you up at seven o'clock sharp."

"Thank you," Karen squealed, "You won't even know were gone 'cause we'll be there first thing in the morning."

"Love you dad."

Suddenly the line went dead. She hadn't even given him a chance to say it back.

Fitz felt dejected and rejected. Mellie looked at him from the sofa across, eyebrows raised.

"If you didn't want them to go, why did you just say no."

He gave her a dirty look. She knew full well why he hadn't. However, he didn't want to fight.

He grimaced.

" I guess it's just you, me, and Teddy for tonight."

"Actually, Teddy and I are going to the DAR Christmas Eve dinner. We'll be back at 11." "Maybe Olivia will want to spend time with you," she spat venomously."I'm sure she and Cyrus are still in his office if you want her. Who am I kidding? You always want her- Screwing your little whore like your life depends on it."

He didn't understand Mellie. She was the one who insisted they have Olivia back on the team as campaign manager. She knew what was going to happen, that he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off Liv. She probably even planned for it. But, why did she always act angry about it and take digs at Olivia every time she had the chance? The insanity of the woman.

He still refused to be bated.

"You and Teddy have fun, but tomorrow is family time. You will not take any of the kids from me. Join us if you want to, I don't care."

With that Mellie turned and left.

Fitz figured that he'd take Mellie up on her suggestion to go find Olivia, but first he had to go get something out of the kitchen.

Fitz strolled the dim halls of the West Wing heading to Cyrus' office. Nearly everyone was gone with only two or three people left in their offices, the true workaholics. He was grateful that he wouldn't have an audience as he intended to take Olivia back to the residence to spend time with him. Now there wouldn't be any unwanted, nosey questions about why he was with a woman that wasn't his wife on Christmas Eve.

Just as he was reaching for the handle on Cyrus' office door Fitz saw a figure heading towards the building's exit.

Liv.

She was walking slowly, distracted by her phone.

Fitz followed quietly, taking big steps in order to catch up with her.

He reached around her waist putting his palms flat against her midsection and pulled her towards him until there was no space between their bodies. She felt warm.

Olivia squirmed a little, almost dropping her purse in surprise.

"Livvie" Fitz breathed, "You look very pretty today. Very in the Christmas spirit."

He tugged at her green blouse trying to un-tuck her shirt from her pants, clearly he didn't care about the cameras.

"Hello to you too, Fitz," said Olivia playfully slapping his hand away.

She steered him to an alcove she knew couldn't be seen in the camera feed –because after all she was trying to get him re-elected- and turned around in his grasp to face him.

"Why are you out here? Aren't Karen and Gerry supposed to be here?" she asked concerned knowing he'd never pass up time to hang out with his kids.

"They're supposed to be here," he returned darkly "but they'll be a little delayed and I'm lonely and I wanted to see you."

"Good and now that you've had the chance to see me. I'm heading home."

"I'll go with you."

"Fitz," she managed in a warning tone not wanting to hash this out tonight. "You cannot come home with me. We both know that is an impossible situation right now. Someone would find out, ask questions."

"I can," he rebutted, "I'm the president. I can do anything."

"We both know that's not true," she teased, but regretted the teasing seeing his pained face.

"Then come with me," said Fitz, "If I can't go with you, you come with me. Give me just an hour."

Olivia looked hesitant.

"I really shouldn't"

"You should," said Fitz kissing her neck pulling her toward himself once again, but this time to feel his burgeoning erection.

She gasped at the sensation his hardness touching her body.

"You can't say you don't want to."

Olivia didn't answer and sensing her weakness Fitz proceeded to guide her by her hips all the way to the residence.

He had her against the door.

"Stay," he commanded "At least for a little bit. We'll bake cookies."

"Well… since I can't resist cookies," she joked.

He opened the door and they walked in.

Fitz headed straight to the kitchen and she stopped to drop her coat and purse on the couch.

Olivia felt conflicted. She knew she shouldn't have agreed to stay. They'd been out of control recently, sloppy even- making out like teenagers after speeches, holding hands, sitting too close. An intern had nearly witnessed him groping her in her office the other day. They were going to get caught, for real this time. One of the junior staffers would tweet it or something. There'd be no denying it, no covering it up. They had to stop this behavior, the election was in11 months. But at the same time she almost didn't really care. If they got caught, yes they'd lose everything in their professional lives, but she'd have him all to herself.

Coming out of her reprieve she found Fitz standing in front of her with a package of pre made cookie dough. He'd shed the button down he'd had on just seconds ago and had on just a white tee and slacks.

"Come on," he ushered, "I was serious about the cookies."

"What's that?" questioned Fitz pointing at the cookie she was decorating.

"It's a cookie shaped like a candy cane."

"Doesn't look like it."

Olivia pointed over to his disfigured cookie.

"I wouldn't be making fun of me if I were you. Is that a gun? The NRA would definitely approve," said Olivia mockingly.

"It's supposed be a stocking," he whined, "but I can show you a gun" he offered naughtily.

Fitz went over to Olivia and kissed the side of her neck sucking lightly on the pulse points. He felt her heart quicken. Though the evening started off badly he was having a good time with his Livvie.

"This is fun. Aren't you glad you stayed?"

She was. Spending time with him nearly intoxicating. It made her believe in the fairy tale life he had planned out for them- kids, a normal life- the fairy tale that would never come true because this was reality. They were like Romeo and Juliet, their love doomed from the start.

Olivia turned to give him a simple, chaste kiss, but he held her in place. Fitz's searching tongue thrust into her mouth hungrily seeking hers. She impishly withheld his access pretending to nip at his lips.

Fitz broke their contact holding her face. Her lips were swollen and puffy, as were his.

Olivia whimpered missing his warmth.

"If you get to bite me then I get to too. I'd love to mark you," said Fitz.

"No," chided Olivia pulling back playfully.

With that Fitz brought Olivia's ear to his mouth, running his tongue against the rim. When she shivered he bit down gently at first, then harder, the way he knew she liked.

Olivia gasped in both pain and pleasure, but then began to shake her head, realizing if she didn't stop now she'd loose all of her self control.

"No, wait, I... stayed only to bake cookies... I..."

Fitz silenced her with another searing kiss, clearly not agreeing with her previous statement. He pushed her towards the counter until he heard her back hit the cabinet with a satisfying thud. Without breaking contact hoisted her onto it. His erection from earlier was back with a vengeance and his pants tented lightly.

He took her hand and placed it against his hardness.

She swallowed.

Before she knew what she was doing, her hands were on his belt buckle. The buckle fell open and Fitz unzipped his pants and almost in the same motion he reached for hers.

Soon they we're standing in the middle of the kitchen, his pants off, hers bunched around her knees.

"Turn around," he commanded.

There would be no foreplay.

Olivia almost cried out as he entered her. Her slick and sweaty palms grasped the counter as best as they could to keep her knees from buckling. Fitz reached his hands over her shoulders to intertwine his hands with hers.

Olivia's loud panting filled the room, echoed only by Fitz's growling.

"Rrrrruuuuggghhh...fuuuu"

Her head hung limply to the side.

" You like this?"

"Hmm?" Olivia was barely coherent.

"Tell me you want this," said Fitz. It turned him on when Olivia said what she wanted.

" want this," moaned Olivia.

Ready to let go, he gave one last thrust and catapulted them both into ecstasy.

Some time after 10 and three rounds later, Fitz woke up in the living room nearly naked on the floor with Olivia next to him. He smiled, the cookies were long forgotten.

He admired her body in the glow of the Christmas lights. Maybe he could just forget everything and just be with her. He'd fake his own death and then hers and they'd run off somewhere and have 4 little kids that were a perfect mix of both of them.

Olivia woke to him staring at her.

"What are you thinking about?" she questioned, wondering what put the content look on his face."

"You... This could be us for real next year, if I lose. Accept maybe you'd be pregnant with our first child."

" Pregnant?"

" Yeah," he answered.

They let the dream wash over them and Olivia became uncomfortable. She pinched herself as a reminder that they weren't meant to be. The mistress doesn't get to have the husband. She'd have no little ones with him. He was just so damn convincing.

She got up frantically.

"I need to go...uhh... My pants? Where are they?

Fitz barely had time to realize what was happening before she was redressed standing infront of him.

"Goodnight," she said barely able to make eye contact.

"Wait," said Fitz throwing the couch blanket over his body. He walked over to the tree and pulled out a small neatly wrapped box.

"For you."

She eyed it cautiously.

"Thanks." " I didn't bring a gift for you though."

"It's fine," said Fitz "You are my gift."

Olivia gave a pained smile and made her way to the door, pausing to get herself together.

"Aren't you going to open your present?"

"When I get home. At twelve, when it's Christmas."

Fitz walked over to where she was at the door.

" I love you Olivia."

She touched his face and reached for the handles.

-—

Five minutes later Mellie came in with Teddy to find Fitz wrapped haphazardly in blankets on the couch.

She plopped Teddy down on his lap.

"I saw Olivia in the hallway. I presume you had a good time tonight."

"Yeah," said Fitz snuggling his son to his chest.

"Good. Merry Christmas. "

A/N: I hope you guys liked your late Christmas present. I meant to post it last night, but I fell asleep pretty early from my food coma. (and the server was down! Argggggg!) Tell me what was your favorite part or least favorite part. Lol Mellie did give him a Christmas present, some time alone with liv, even though she overall hates their relationship.

Thank you for everyone who gave me prompts. Feel free to recommend anything else you'd like to see!