AN: At last I have returned and finished this story. Been a long time coming, lol. I would suggest rereading the whole thing, or at least the last chapter to reminder yourself of where we left off. Happy reading :)
"I think I'm more nervous than I was the first time," Fitz remarked as he slipped his black vee neck over his head.
They were scheduled to meet with her mother in an hour and he had been nervous about it all day. The last time they had met with her, it hadn't gone anywhere close to well. Family was a big deal for Olivia, her parents being a huge part of what made her her and he wanted her mom to like him. He knew with the passing of her father that their relationship was as critical as ever and he didn't want to cause unnecessary strain. He knew what it was like to be parentless and he wasn't going to subject her to that, even if it meant their relationship would have to end.
"Don't be. She really is going to try this time, I promise," Olivia called from her closet.
The past few nights they had taken to sleeping at her place, something Fitz was both surprised and pleased with. She had cleared out a few drawers and half the bathroom counter for Fitz, something he greatly appreciated and saw as a sign of her commitment. His lease was going to be up soon and he wanted to bring up moving in with her, but the last time he did that, she walked out on him. So he had started looking at apartments, Olivia even accompanying him a few times and picking out things she liked and didn't like for him. He had gotten irritated on more than one occasion at the viewings because not once did she say 'we' or 'us' in reference to any of the places. It was clear that he would be the only one living in whichever place he picked. The last time they went together to look at a place, it had his and hers closets and he mentioned that would be great for them and Olivia just sort of shut down and mentioned something about the hardwood floors being nice. He decided from that point on that he'd wait for definite cues from her before he tried to advance their relationship. He didn't want to scare her off but he also didn't want to remain stagnant in their relationship.
"I'm still worried though," Fitz called from his position in her room. He could feel his hands tremble a little and he just tried to shake it off.
Olivia didn't respond but he heard her shuffling about for a second. She came out half-dressed looked at him for a few seconds, her thinking face on. He knew she was trying to figure out how to make him relax and as soon as she got an idea, he saw it. Her finger went up and she nodded her head slightly before she went to her ihome that was perched on her nightstand. She fiddled with her phone for a second then turned up the volume. As soon as the beat started, he was dancing. "Ayeee. There it is. There it isss. Rich Homie baby…"
His arms got to going and he grabbed her hand to dance with him. Olivia was cracking up at his spot on dance moves to song playing.
"Walked in 30,000 in my pocket…"
"How the hell did you learn how to do that walk?" Olivia asked through her laughter as he continued to kill the dance coined by Rich Homie Quan.
"You forgot that quick that I used to dance for a living?" Fitz asked, still dancing around her.
"You used to strip, not dance. It was just a bunch of hip thrusts and body rolls," Olivia remarked jokingly, feeling the rhythm and dancing with him.
"And that's exactly what this dance is." He did have a point.
"How much you made? $100,000 just in two days…"
His mood lightened immediately and Olivia was happy her little plan worked. She knew he just needed to take his mind off things and knew that dancing would do that for him. The song continued to play and then turned into another rap song perfect for dancing. She left Fitz to his dancing while she continued to get ready, periodically stopping to bust a few moves. While she was applying her makeup he came into the bathroom with two partially filled wine glasses, she assumed to further calm any nerves, and she took it gratefully. She gulped it down, not having time to sip it casually. She still needed to apply her lipstick and finish her hair.
"Do you want another?" Fitz asked, a little taken aback at how quick she drank her wine.
"No, thanks though."
She thought that he was going to leave, but he didn't. He just leaned against the doorway, arms crossed across his as he languidly sipped from his glass. She hadn't put on her shirt yet, it being a denim button up so she wasn't worried about her makeup smudging when she put it on. She was leaning over the sink in just her bra and black pencil skirt, applying her nude lipstick and clear gloss. She smiled at him through the mirror, wiggling her hips in a teasing manor. He smirked back, giving her a look that said as soon as they got back from dinner, she was going to get it. She blew a kiss at him, a wrong move on her part because he was behind her two seconds later.
"Fitz…"Olivia hissed as she felt his hands roam up her backside. "We literally have to leave in fifteen minutes and I'm still not completely dressed. We don't have time."
"What happened to 'we always have time'?" Fitz asked, imitating her voice the best he could. He placed a kiss to the center of her back just above her bra strap and watched her shudder.
"I was wrong. No move so that I can finish in peace," she met his gaze in the mirror and she could see him battle with himself.
He kissed her a few more times, one particularly tantalizing open mouth one to her neck that almost broke her will power. Almost. But alas, she remained strong and he sulked off, telling her he was going to get a cup of cold water. She just laughed and shook her head, wondering what she was going to do with him. Just as soon as that question popped into her head, the answer soon followed. She was going to love him. She was all in, the days of running were behind her. She hummed along to the music that was still playing, though quieter, as she took her hair down from the clip she had in while she was doing her makeup. Her curling iron had already been plugged in and she sprayed some heat protectant in before adding some loose curls here and there. Five minutes later, she was done with her hair and was donning on her shirt. She walked out of her bedroom, her shoes in hand and went out to living room to see Fitz watching the sports channel, his elbows on his knees as he watched the basketball game. She watched him for a second, thinking that she liked the sight of him in her place.
"You ready to go?" She asked him, bending to slip on her heels.
"Yup," he said, barely turning his head in her direction and still fully engrossed in the game.
Knowing him enough to know that he wasn't going to move while the game was still on, Olivia gave him a few more moments before going and turning off the tv. He huffed a bit, but quickly pulled out his phone and turned the game on there. He grumbled about the screen quality not being nearly as good, but Olivia just ignored him. She grabbed her keys and purse, figuring she was driving anyways and they headed out the door. Once they were in the car, she assumed that his team must have been losing because he kept throwing his hands up and fussing. She recalled him saying it was the playoffs and California was playing but she really didn't think it was that serious.
"Is this what I'm going to have to deal with for the rest of our lives?" Olivia asked without thinking about the gravity of her words.
Fitz put his phone down on his lap and looked up at her for the first time since they left the apartment. He had a huge grin on his face, taking what she said directly to his heart. "You're damn right, you will."
He turned off his phone and put in his pocket, choosing instead to hold her hand and pick her brain about how she thought the dinner was going to go. They were both hopeful by the time they arrived at the restaurant her mother had chosen. It was a quaint place that Olivia had been to before with her a few times. They usually went on a Sunday morning for brunch and Olivia as happy her mom thought to bring Fitz here as well. She scanned the parking lot and saw that her mother's car was already there so they knew that she was already inside and likely seated. Fitz got out first, going around to open Olivia's door for her. She looked at him and could tell he was beginning to feel anxious again and it was almost cute how worried he was about impressing her mother. Olivia grabbed his hand and pulled him towards her, then stepped up on her tippy toes to kiss him.
"It's going to be fine," she mouthed against his lips.
He offered her a smile, his eyes shining with how much he loved her. He kissed her three times quickly and then they headed into the building. Olivia gave the hostess her mother's name and she led her to the table. Her mom was looking at her phone, likely looking at pictures on Facebook. It still made Olivia laugh to think about how into the website she was. Olivia had made her an account a few months ago to help her reconnect with old friends and distant relatives. Patricia had rarely used it at first, but then she got a friend request from a good college friend that she had lost touch with and had been obsessed ever since. She constantly posted pictures and inspirational quotes that she never failed to tag Olivia in. Just this morning, she posted something about accepting new people into one's life and Olivia took that as a good sign.
"Hi, Mom," Olivia spoke first while Fitz stuck his hand out to shake.
"Hello, Mrs. Pope." He gave her his best smile and Olivia watched as her mom swooned a little.
"Hi sweet pea, hi Fitz," Patricia greeted, shaking Fitz's offered and.
Fitz pulled out Olivia's chair and they both sat down. They perused their menus for a few minutes, no one speaking as they did so. The waiter came and took their orders, leaving bread on the table before leaving. When he was gone, an awkward silence filled the air as everyone at the table waited for the other to speak first. Patricia stared the two of them down and it was clear she wasn't going to broach a topic. Olivia open and closed her mouth several times, finding the feeling of not knowing what to say to be odd and new. Fitz looked between the two women multiple times and took a deep breath before deciding to go ahead and speak first.
"So, Mrs. Pope, is there anything about me that you feel you need to know? I will answer any questions you may have."
She seemed a little surprised with his approach, but respected it nonetheless. "Do you love my daughter?" she asked, looking at him head-on.
Fitz grabbed Olivia's hand and turned to look at her. He was so caught up in the feelings he had for her that he almost forgot the question. Finally he looked back at Patricia. "I love her more than life itself. She is…," he paused and then breathed out, "everything."
"Ok." Patricia replied back, satisfaction and contentment in her voice.
"Ok?" Olivia asked, sure that her mother would've had more to say.
"Yes. What more is there to say after that? This man clearly is head over heels in love with you and that's the most important thing. I must say, when I asked Jake this same question when I first met him, he didn't even say it with that much feeling and conviction." Both Fitz and Olivia were surprised to hear this since she was so pro-Jake not too long ago. "So Fitz, tell me about yourself."
"Well, I grew up the son of a politician. My parents weren't exactly parents and I pretty much raised myself. That taught me responsibility, hard work, how to be resilient, and that trust is earned not given. As for my career, I've always be interested in the human body, but when I got to college, my love for medicine really bloomed. There's something about helping people that I find really satisfying. Overall, I'm an ER doctor, a retired stripper, a boyfriend, and an excellent pancake maker."
"Pancakes, huh?" Patricia questioned, choosing just to absorb the other information rather than comment on it.
"Hey, instant pancake batter is cheap and only requires water. It's filling and easy, and if I splurge for fruit, they can be pretty tasty," Fitz explained.
"Don't I know it? When Olivia's father and I were just starting out, it was pancakes and grilled cheeses everyday. We made do and got rid of our school debts fast. I respect you for that."
"So you like him, Mom?" Olivia asked, hopeful by the way the conversation was going.
"Well I'm just getting to know him, but I'd say he's on the right track. I'm not going to pretend that I'm ever going to be one hundred percent okay with the way you two got started. That's not how we raised you, Olivia, and you know that. But certain people come into our lives at certain times for a reason. You can't help who you love and when you love them, but I'm just happy you two found each other."
"I'm glad that you're going to give me a chance. I know that Olivia really values your relationship and I would hate to be the cause of any tension," Fitz commented.
"When you have kids, you're going to learn that your kids are going to choose whoever and whatever they want at some point despite your objections, and you have to either support them through it as best you can or potentially ruin the bond. I trust her judgment enough to know that you're a good person and that's all I need to know to build a relationship with you."
Olivia mouthed 'thank you' to her mother, taking her hand across the table. The rest of dinner went well. Surprisingly, her mother asked Fitz about his time as a stripper and Fitz had them cracking up about all the crazy women that would come in. One particular story about a woman rushing the stage and nearly tackling him had the two women in tears. They ate, drank wine, and talked for over two hours. At the end of the meal, when Fitz so chivalrously pulled out his wallet and paid, even after Patricia said she would pick up the tab, Olivia knew he had won her mother over. They left the restaurant, Olivia telling Fitz that she would walk her mother to her car for a bit of girl talk. He just smiled and nodded, hugging Patricia goodbye before they walked off.
"So what do you think," Olivia asked again now that she really got a sense of what Fitz was like.
"You did good, sweet pea. He's smart, funny, charming, and really attractive. I can see why stripping was able to pay the bills so quickly," Patricia commented.
"Mom!" Olivia laughed, not at all disagreeing.
"What? I'm not blind, anyone can see that man is gorgeous," Patricia laughed back, then sobering, asked, "Are you happy?"
"Deliriously so," Olivia answered without hesitation.
"Good. I expect to see you guys next Sunday for dinner," Patricia said as she climbed into her car.
"Of course. Can't wait. I'll call you in the meantime though," Olivia mentioned, but before Patricia could shut her door and drive off, Olivia said, "you know, when you're ready, you can find love again, too."
Patricia looked a little taken aback by the comment. But her features softened and a small smile graced her lips. "Your father was, is, the love of my life. I will never truly be ready and I'm okay with that. Any love I have to give will be going to those grandbabies you and Fitz will be having."
"You didn't even like the man two days ago, and now we're already having kids?" Olivia joked, already liking the idea of being the mother of his children.
"Don't play coy. We both know where this is heading. He probably already has the ring and a house picked out. "
Olivia just shook her head and grinned at that. "Speaking of Fitz, I better get back to him. I'll talk to you later."
"Bye."
Olivia watched her mother pull out and drive off, completely satisfied with how the evening went. She walked swiftly across the parking lot to where Fitz was waiting in the car. He had the music blasting and his eyes glued to his phone, likely looking up some sort of sports stats. She climbed into the driver side, turning the music down to a level that wouldn't bust her eardrums. They headed off towards home, the entire time talking about how nice dinner had been. Fitz really seemed to like her mother and Olivia shared the comment about the ring, kids, and a house. She half expected him to shrink away and not acknowledge it. That is, after all, what Jake had done when it seemed like their relationship was going in that direction. But Olivia was quickly reminded that Fitz was not Jake because Fitz only said that he'd have to move his plans up to marry her so that her mother wouldn't have to wait too long for those grandkids.
"I love you, you know," Olivia said, taking her eyes off the road for a brief second to tell him.
"I know, and I love you, too."
Later that night, Olivia stood with her back against the counter, holding a glass of wine. Fitz was in the shower and she was deep in thought. She was wondering about the course of their relationship and at what pace she should take things. One leg was crossed over the other, her right arm braced on the countertop as she thought about what she should do. She drummed her fingers and tapped her foot, the answer staring her right in the face, but her nerves preventing her to acknowledge it. She heard the shower cut off and listened as Fitz's heavy footsteps moseyed about in the bedroom. Soon enough, he was heading towards her and she made sure to fix her features before he started to worry what was bugging her. He appeared faster than she thought he would, his hair wet and only wearing a t-shirt and briefs, his preferred sleeping attire.
"Hey, what are you thinking so heavy about?" Fitz asked, automatically knowing something was up.
"How'd you know I was thinking about anything?" Olivia asked, truly wanting to know how he knew her so well.
"You just have that look on her face. That…and you said you'd join me in the shower when you finished your wine and that was fifteen minutes ago," He told her, pointing at the wine glass that had the same amount of liquid in it.
Olivia looked at the glass in her hand then back at Fitz. She had every intention of chugging it down and joining him in the shower until she nearly tripped over his tennis shoes that he left in the kitchen. Over the past few days that he'd been staying at her place, he had constantly left his stuff lying around. He did this at his place too, but it hadn't bothered her as much as when he did it in her space. She told him time and time again to pick up after himself and he'd nod like he heard her, but wouldn't change the habit. So when she almost tripped over his shoe, yet again, it made her think about if she could deal with that for the rest of her life. And it wasn't just the shoes, he had other little quirky things that drove her crazy as well. Like leaving the cap off the toothpaste, which annoyed her to no end especially since it was the flip top one. He would leave the juice on the counter or forget to turn the bathroom light out. Sometimes he would make odd noises while watching a game and she'd have to leave the room because it annoyed her so much. He could be a bit of a cover hog and on nights he was extraordinarily tired from work, he snored like a fog horn. All those things grated on her nerves and she thought about if it was worth it.
"I think we should talk about a few things," Olivia approached the touchy subject. Fitz nodded his head and leaned against the counter adjacent from her. "I know your lease is up in few weeks…"
"Livvie, I know you're not ready and it's okay if…"Fitz started, thinking she was going to tell him not to ask her to move in.
"I want you to move in with me," Olivia got out quickly before he could finish his doubts.
"You do?" Fitz asked, completely surprised by this.
"Of course. I really like having you here and it seems only right," Olivia shrugged nonchalantly.
"Even with my shoes everywhere?" Fitz joked, kicking the one by his foot.
"Even with your shoes everywhere, the toothpaste cap open, the juice on the counter, and your loud bear snores."
"And why would you put up with all of that?" Fitz wondered, smiling and moving to her to gather her in a hug.
"Because even though you can do some pretty obnoxious stuff, you can also do some really wonderful things. Like always setting the coffee pot for me before you go to work. And massaging my feet after a long day. And leaving little notes for me to find. And cooking dinner because you know I'd starve if you didn't. Because you do things to my body that I didn't even think was possible," she finished with a kiss.
"I knew the sex would hook you," Fitz laughed with male pride.
"It's definitely a big plus. But the main reason I want to live together is because I'm in love with you and I can't imagine not waking up to you every morning."
"I love you, too, Livvie. And I can't wait for us to live together." Before she could respond, he lifted her onto the counter.
She pulled the bottom of his shirt until he was as close as he could get. She wrapped her legs around his waist. She smiled at him before he kissed her and kept smiling as he did. His hands were braced against the counter, muscles flexed as he leaned into her. She felt crowded by him, boxed in, and that turned her on even more. She rubbed against the bulge in his pants, lining herself up just right so that it relieved some of the ache. The smile that had been on her face soon disappeared, replaced by the desperate need to kiss him harder. Just as she was really getting into it, he pulled back, stooping down on his haunches and dragging her pants down with him. He came back up slowly, kissing from her ankle to the inside of her thigh, leaving a mark where no one but him would see. Olivia watched him through hooded eyes, her fingers running through his hair as he moved to the do the same to the other leg. He took his time, thoroughly turning her on until she was trembling. He worked his way back up and reached under to grab two handfuls of her ass, pulling her to the very edge of the counter. He looked up at her, licking his lips before he put his tongue to better use.
Olivia watched him for as long as she could before her eyes rolled and her head lolled back to the cabinet behind her. Her feet were perched on his shoulders, her toes curling into themselves as he ate her. She could hear herself moaning, screaming, but couldn't process anything but his mouth. He did something with his tongue that he hadn't before and she just about died from how good it felt. His fingers dug into the flesh of her ass, anchoring her to his mouth so that she couldn't move, couldn't escape the pleasure he was doling out. She could feel herself coming apart and all she could think about was how much she loved that man.
When he had his fill, he stood up straight, swiping the back of his hand across his mouth. He licked away whatever remained, his eyes never leaving hers as he did so. The tight black briefs he had on did nothing to hide his erection. It strained against the material and she palmed him, biting her lip as she did. She pulled the waistband, peeking inside at what awaited her before tugging them down. Not two seconds later, she was lining him up and he was sinking in.
A groan erupted and neither knew who it came from. She bit his earlobe then kissed her way down his neck and across to the other side. At one point she stopped, having to physically to remind herself how to breathe. He was right there with her, mumbling incoherently all the things he wanted to do to her. Telling her how tight her she was, how he loved how wet she got him. That he wanted to bend her over the counter and fuck her until she couldn't feel her legs. He asked her how she liked it, if she wanted him to take her harder, rougher. He made her tell him how it felt as he took her, not accepting her moans as answer enough. No, he needed the words. And she told him, somehow making her brain work enough to do so. She groaned how good he felt inside of her, that he was hitting something inside that drove her crazy. Moaned how bad she wanted ride him until they both were too weak to move.
She clawed at his back, trying hard to keep her grip on reality as he kept going. She pleaded with him not to stop, begged him to keep going. He had her wound so tight, the need to come a physical ache that only he could take away. Every push in ground their pelvises together, the base of his cock rubbing against her swollen clit in a way that was both torturous and mind numbingly pleasurable. He put his arms around her and kissed her, knowing she liked to have his mouth on hers when she came. She could still taste herself on his tongue. She pulled in one last shaky breath and let it out in a hoarse whimper as she came, feeling him follow behind her not seconds later.
6 months later
She was late. She was never late, but today she was late. Last night she and Fitz had gone to dinner and a club afterwards and hadn't gotten in until early in the morning. Olivia had known she had work in the morning, but didn't think they'd be out as late as they were. She vaguely remembered Fitz turning off the alarm clock last night when they got in and cursed him for it under her breath. Now as she scrambled to get dressed and out the door, she realized it would've been smarter just to come home after dinner. She had her scrub top on, yanking the bottoms up as her toothbrush hung from her foamy mouth. She was running about the apartment, trying to pack some semblance of a lunch while looking for her other shoe that she just couldn't seem to find. She had finished brushing her teeth and was looking at her matted curls from the night before in the mirror as she contemplated just shaving her hair off to make her morning routine easier. In a moment of sanity, or perhaps insanity, she turned the water on in the sink and dunked her head in. She felt around for the towel that was hanging nearby on the rack and missed by a long shot, instead picking up a pair of Fitz's boxers that he had left there for some reason. Olivia was patting her face dry with it before she realized the difference in texture. Horrified, she nearly gagged before reminding herself that as doctor she had dealt with far worse and that this couldn't be that bad in comparison. She shook her head in disgust before grabbing the face wash out of the shower.
Once her face was clean and her wet hair was moisturized and put into a manageable bun, Olivia finally felt like she was ready to head out the door and go to work. Even with all the shenanigans, she managed to only be a few minutes off from her normal leaving time. That is if she was driving into work, though. Which she wasn't. She remembered last second that she had to take the train because her car was in the shop. She checked her phone for the train times and saw the next one was leaving in twelve minutes. Luckily she didn't live too far from a station, but she'd have to run to get there on time. She hurriedly grabbed her keys, phone, and purse and ran towards the door. She didn't make it. She tripped over one of Fitz's shoes that he kicked off in the hallway and almost landed flat on her face. Thankfully she had caught herself on her palms, but it had hurt all the same.
"GODDAMMIT!" Olivia screamed out in frustration, close to tears from how bad her morning was starting out.
She picked up the shoe, a determined look on her face as she marched to the bedroom. She looked at Fitz, sleeping so peacefully in bed and got even more irritated. She threw the shoe at him hard enough to wake him up but not hard enough to really hurt. It bounced off his back and he sat up immediately, still disoriented and wondering what was happening. "I told you a million and one times to pick up your fucking shoes! And yet, this morning I almost break my neck because once again, you did not listen. You're a grown man. How difficult can it really be to pick up the shoe and put it in the closet? I mean, c'mon now!"
He blinked at her, once, twice, three times, then rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Olivia was fuming with her hands on her hips waiting for him to give an answer to a question that he was pretty sure was rhetorical. "Um…sorry?"
"Sorry? Sorry!? That's all you have to say is sorry? God, you're so frustrating some times." She snatched his keys from the night stand and turned on her heel to go to work.
"Liv, how am I supposed to get to the gym and run my other errands today?" Fitz called to her back.
"Figure it out." Olivia yelled back, not caring at all how he was going to manage.
"Liv…"
"Oh my god, what?!" Olivia sneered, turning and stomping back to the room.
"You only have one shoe on…"
She looked down at her foot and noticed that he was indeed right. She glared at him before going to the closet to put on a different pair and stomped back out without looking at him. Fitz hid his laughter in the pillow, knowing that if she saw him that he'd be in a world of trouble. He knew she wasn't mad at him per se, just the situation. She wasn't a morning person and on top of that, she really hated being late. Plus she didn't get much sleep last night, and from her anger, he could imagine that she was having a rough morning. He hoped that her day was going to go well because he had plans for them later.
"Love you…" he called out to her and only heard the door slam in response.
12 hours later
Olivia's day had been just as horrible as the morning. First, Fitz's car didn't have any gas and she had to deal with an obnoxious man hit on her while she was at the pump. She had bought a cheap gas station coffee that she just ended up spilling on herself. Luckily it was only lukewarm but she was sticky and smelled of coffee until she got to work. She had to wear scrubs too big for her because that's all they had in storage and she had to constantly pull up the bottoms. As the day progressed, she wondered why she even changed because two people threw up on her on two different occasions. She dealt with screaming kids, screaming adults, and screaming family members all day long, having to stay late because a coworker, Mellie of all people, called in sick and her original replacement was going to be late.
At the end of her shift, she got in the car and just hit her head against the steering wheel, fighting back the tears. She smelled of vomit, the car still smelled like coffee, and she was pretty sure she forgot to put deodorant on this morning because her pits were ripe as well. She turned on some music and drove home as fast as she could, just wanting to dive under her covers and not wake up until tomorrow night. She pulled into their complex's parking garage and noticed that her car was in its usual spot. For the first time all day, she smiled. It wasn't supposed to be done for another two days but it must've gotten done early. She was happy that Fitz went and got it for her and felt slightly bad for yelling at him that morning.
She rode the elevator up and when she walked into the apartment, she noticed it was spotless. She normally kept a clean house, but it was definitely evident that he did the under the surface clean that only got done a couple times a month. She could smell dinner cooking and her stomach rumbled. She set her keys on the catchall by the door and went to hang her purse on the hook in the coat closet. That had been organized too, a new shoe rack at the bottom with all of Fitz's shoes neatly lined up on it. She could feel herself get teary eyed all over again.
"Hi," she heard him say from behind her.
"Hi," Olivia turned and hugged him, then remembered that she had dried vomit on her and moved to pull back, but he didn't care.
"Had a rough day?" Fitz asked the obvious, but with concern in his voice.
"It was awful!" Olivia cried into his shoulder, laughing a little bit at how ridiculous her day had been.
"How about I run you a bath so that you can relax?" Fitz offered, rubbing her back.
She just nodded pathetically and released him from the hug, heading straight to the bedroom to get naked. By the time she had taken her clothes off and let her hair down, Fitz had the water running and was in the midst of lighting candles. Olivia stepped in and sank down, hissing at how soothing the hot water felt. He brought her ihome into the bathroom and put on a relaxing playlist, turning the light out before going back into the kitchen to finish dinner. Olivia sank in the warm, bubbly water a little further so that only her head was out, taking a deep breath in and releasing it slowly. The jazzy music was doing the trick and she felt her eyes droop before she drifted off for a few minutes. When she came to, Fitz was taking the last of his clothes off and climbing in with her on the other end. He immediately took one of her feet into his hands and started to massage.
"I'm sorry for hitting you with the shoe and yelling at you this morning, baby," Olivia apologized.
"It's ok. I get it, I've had those kind of mornings, too."
Olivia wondered how she got so lucky as to end up with him. To think this all started with one lust filled night in a strip club. She'd never question fate again. She stared at him, love in her eyes and he stared right back with the same expression. Their relationship was in a solid, great place. Not too long after they met with her mother, they met again with Fitz's mother. Their relationship progressed a lot more slowly and that was mainly because Fitz was still a little standoffish towards her. But it was getting better. He had yet to reach out to his yet, but Olivia was ready to support him when did. Fitz and Olivia's mother, however, were practically best friends. They were usually at her mother's every Sunday, she and Fitz trading recipes and jokes. Fitz had taken to calling her mom and had recently taken her out to brunch with just the two of them. Olivia was happy about their relationship and couldn't help but think about how much her father would've loved him, too. Olivia and Fitz had built a trust between them, neither afraid of the other leaving anymore. Their relationship flourished because of it. In fact, the lease was going to be up soon enough and Fitz was talking about buying a house together. And Olivia was all in. She was already making a wish list and looking at local listings.
"I'm going to marry you one day, you know that right?" Olivia asked him.
An easy smile came across his face and he reached a soapy hand out the bath and to the pants that were lying on the floor. He pulled a ring box out of his pocket and moved until he could reach her hand. "I was raking my brain for a romantic way to do this, some grand gesture to prove how much thought I put into this proposal. Truth is, I've had this ring for four months now and have been waiting for the right time to ask you. And I can think of no better time than now. Whenever you have a bad day, I will be right here waiting to make it better. Every time you have a good day, I'll be right here waiting to make it better. I promise to be your supporter, your lover, your best friend, your everything. I'm so lucky to have met you and every day since has been a blessing. Your love is my reason for existence and without it, I am nothing. Will you do me the greatest honor of marrying me and becoming my wife?"
"Of course," Olivia answered, sticking her hand out for him to put the ring on. He scooted all the way forward so that he could kiss her, water sloshing all over the tiles. And right there in the bathtub, they consummated their engagement.
10 years later
Olivia walked down the upstairs hallway of their Georgetown, pictures of hers and Fitz's life together lining the walls. Their three kids' smiling faces the main focus of many of the images. She opened each of their doors, five year old Bailey's room first, then her two year old sister's Nala's room next. Both were sound asleep, having tuckered themselves out at ballet and gymnastics today. Nala's black, coiled curls were splayed over the pillow and Olivia thought about how different they were from her sister's chestnut waves. Their skin tone was slightly different, too, Bailey having a rich peanut-y brown while Nala looked like she had a constant summer tan. Both had Olivia's round, brown eyes and full lips, but Fitz's nose and overall face structure. Both were equally gorgeous, sassy, and so incredibly smart that it scared their parents sometimes. Olivia continued on, opening her seven year old son's door. Kai had been a surprise, but a welcome one. They had wanted to be in their newlywed stage a little longer, but as soon as he arrived, it was like he had always been with them. She laughed to herself as she went in and pushed his mop of curly hair from his face. She had allowed him to grow it out for the summer, but with school starting up again soon, she knew it was going to be time for a cut. He was going to be handsome either way, looking so much like his father that they called him junior sometimes. She kissed his forehead, then tiptoed out, not wanting to disturb him. He, too, had been worn out a soccer practice then working on whatever project Fitz had found on the internet to feed his interest in all things science.
At the end of the hall was their room, a haven for them both where they could relax from their day being busy doctors. They had started the steps to open their own private practice, a family care clinic with a focus on pediatrics. They had found the building, accrued investors, and were now in the process of getting permits, licensing, and the rest of the equipment they would need. The dream was becoming a reality and both were looking forward to the free time it would allow them once things were running smoothly. They didn't want to have to spend any more time away from their children than what was necessary and hoped this business move would afford them the ability to be more hands on parents.
Olivia heard the shower cut off and waited for Fitz to join her in bed. She had picked up a book and was reading, but wondering what taking him so long to come out of the bathroom. She head the door open and he peeked his head out. "Close your eyes and don't peek," he told her.
She was a little confused, but did as he said. She heard him walk around the room and could tell that he had turned the lights off and heard the click of the lamp turn on. Music started to play, an extremely old song that she hadn't heard in years. It took her a minute to recall the tune, but soon recognized it as Usher's Love in the Club. A huge smile spread across her face as she waited for permission to look. She didn't have to wait long and as soon as he gave the word, she removed her hand from her face and opened her eyes. A hearty laugh left her throat as she took Fitz in. He was wearing the same costume that he had on when they first met, dancing to the beat in the same way that won her heart all those years ago. She wondered where he had found the top hat and red, white, and blue tight shorts after all this time. It still fit him perfectly, his body in almost the same condition it had been in.
"You know what today is?" Fitz asked, gyrating and rolling his hips.
"The anniversary of the day we met," Olivia answered, impressed he remembered. Usually they only celebrated their wedding anniversary, but she was happy he chose to recognize this day this year.
"You're correct, Mrs. Grant." When he reached the bed, he took her hand and led her to the armchair they had in the corner.
Olivia saw that they he had shaved his chest and oiled down, really dedicated to the role he was playing. He put the moves on her, grinding into her lap and taking her hands to rub down his chest. She wasn't the sigh bachelorette she was when they first met. She egged him on, smacking his ass and pulling at his shorts. Last time she had run off the stage, completely embarrassed about how he affected her. This time, she embraced the feeling marveling at how he could still make her heart pound in her chest from just one look, just one touch, just one move. She leaned back and enjoyed the rest of her dance, looking forward to when it was done because she knew what was coming next. Perhaps she'd go into the bathroom so they could recreate that, too. Either way, they were going to have a very good night.
AN: Better late than never, right? Till whenever...