With a love of baseball and the city this quick fic version of Liv and Fitz came to my mind today. For now, I plan on it being a few short one shots that will see them through this journey. Hopefully I am on a path to updating my other story...I have it all outlined and partially written I just need the motivation to finish it. As always feedback and thoughts are welcomed.

Home

Cracking his eyes open for what seemed like the millionth time that night his gaze settles upon his digital clock that is placed on his nightstand and confirms his worst fear... that it's only 6:30 am...just an hour since the last time his eyes settled upon the same clock. He had woken up every hour for the past three nights in mental and physical pain. Rolling over he reaches for and wraps his fingers around an amber colored bottle. Removing the clear cap from the bottle he dispenses two white oval pills and swallows them as quickly as he can. Placing his head back on his pillow, he stares at the ceiling waiting for the effects of the medicine to take away the pain and take over his mind.

If you would have told Fitzgerald Grant III that at the age of 28 that he would be finding solace in a bottle of prescription narcotics, he never would have believed you. Born and raised in Boston he had been pushed by his father to succeed in everything that he did. As the only child of the famous Boston Red Sox legend Gerry Grant, Fitz was expected to follow his father's footsteps into Major League Baseball and be the next big star.

After an extremely successful high school baseball career Fitz was selected in the 2012 Major League Baseball draft by the New York Yankees. It had been the first time the Yankees had selected a player out of high school since Derek Jeter and with the added pressure of being the son of the rival Boston Red Sox pitcher Gerry Grant, big things were expected from the young pitcher. After signing a contract with the team and securing a two million dollar signing bonus, Fitz was embarking on the next chapter of his life.

Soon after being selected in the draft Fitz was sent to develop his skills with the Yankees minor league team in Tampa Florida. He had picked up a few technical traits from his father's training that were less than ideal, and his pitching coach wanted to work them out before they developed into long term wear and tear injuries. The three years he had spent in the minor leagues perfecting his game had been the best years of his life, and for the first time he felt like all of his hard work was paying off.

Even though he was a baseball legend... Gerry Grant would always first and foremost be a Red Sox and as a result the Yankees organization held Fitz close and resisted any attempts from Gerry to be involved in their new draft picks development. Fitz was now property of the New York Yankees and he was loving every minute of the freedom that it was allowing him from his father. In addition to his new-found freedom, he was living in a modest home in Tampa that he was sharing with his girlfriend of five years Mellie Monroe. Fitz had known her since he was a teenager. Their fathers had been former teammates and they often spent time together when their fathers were traveling for away games. They had gone to the same high school and grew to have what Fitz thought was an unbreakable bond.

Mellie was a devoted and attentive girlfriend and Fitz was head over heels in love with her. Mellie had grown up the privileged daughter of a onetime baseball slugger and now shamed disgrace that was her father John Monroe. John Monroe had been the Red Sox all-time leading home run hitter until it was discovered that he had been taking an illegal human growth hormone during the last few years of his career. After news of the scandal broke, Major League Baseball stripped her father's accomplishments from the record books and banned him from ever being selected into the baseball hall of fame. Once the Red Sox organization distanced themselves from her father and all of his transgressions, he continued to spiral downwards until he hit rock bottom. Unfortunately for John hit rock bottom was death and Mellie found him after a three-day binge on alcohol, prescription pills and cocaine.

After her father died she devoted her life to Fitz and his career and being everything that he needed. She doted on him and always assured that he had everything that he needed. She took care of their home, his nutritional needs and everything for when he traveled on the road with the team. She had become the stability and source of love that he had always craved from his father. In February when Fitz received the call that the Yankees were calling him up to the Major leagues as a starting pitcher for the upcoming season, she sprang into action and secured a place for them to stay. Fitz debuted as the Yankees number three pitcher in the rotation that April and was exceeding all expectations. He was leading the team in wins with a record of 18-2 and as a left-handed pitcher he was ranked number one in the league. His number 33 jersey was flying off the shelves and the new-found attention was overwhelming for Fitz but he knew that it all came with the territory of being an all-star pitcher. He was living the dream...

But now Fitz was lying alone in his bed realizing that the dream he had been living and the love that he once thought to be unconditional suddenly wasn't. It was two weeks ago that his world came crashing down around him. There he stood on the pitcher's mound in the middle of Yankee stadium. He was in the fifth inning of the game and well on his way to pitching another shut out. He was staring down the batter from the Texas Rangers and he only needed one more out to finish the inning. He silently communicated with his catcher and confirmed that he would be throwing an outside fastball. He wound up and set his body into motion and once he released the ball from his fingertips he felt it...his UCL had torn from his left elbow. The most devastating injury a pitcher could have in his career had just happened to Fitz during his Major League rookie year. He instantly knew that he would require surgery and at least a year of rehabilitation before he would be able to take his place on the mound again... that is if the Yankees didn't cut him loose before he had his chance at redemption.

After being assessed and confirmed by the team's medical staff that he had indeed torn his UCL he was scheduled for surgery. He had his reconstructive Tommy John surgery the following week and was now home beginning his recuperation. The team had assured him that they would be behind him and his recovery one hundred percent but Mellie could not say the same. Although the prognosis was not career ending, Fitz would have a lot of work ahead of him if he wanted to ever play again. He was determined to do whatever he could to accelerate his recovery and get back to the game he loved but he soon learned Mellie had no desire to continue to support him if he was going to end up a washed up overrated ball player like her father. After returning from his surgical follow up appointment he found his apartment empty of all of her belongings. He was dumbfounded to find her set of keys on the kitchen countertop and a letter that she had left him..."I refuse to marry a man who is a washed up has been like my father...I only have room for the best in my life Fitzgerald and since you are no longer the best I have no place for you." The words on the piece
of paper cut his heart like a knife and it was then and there that he realized that what he thought was his life... never was... she only "loved" him for what he could give her. He was heartbroken and for the first time in his life he was truly alone.

Waking from his slumber once more he again sets his eyes on the clock and it is now 10:30 am. He has managed to get a few hours of sleep and the physical pain has subsided for now. After brushing his teeth, he has managed to get some sort of breakfast prepared for himself and as he finishes cleaning up after himself he hears his door bell chime. He had been expecting his guest to arrive closer to noon and was a little caught off guard at the early arrival. Making his way to the door bare chested, in a pair of dark blue team shorts and a case of wicked bed head he opens the door and sets his eyes upon the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. Staring back into his eyes are a set of big brown orbs that have already sucked him into her orbit. He loses all sense of thought for the moment and as he extends his right hand to grasp her outreached hand he feels a charge of electricity sear through his fingertips and up his arm.

" Hello Mr. Grant...it is nice to meet you. I am Olivia Pope and I am the team's physical therapist that will be working with you through your recovery."

Fitz stood there slack jawed and in awe of the woman before him. Still groggy from his medication he uttered the only word that could come to his mind..."Hi"