Hi all! I'm back with an update, yay. In this chapter, Liv pays her baby Daddy a visit. Short, not too sweet, but very necessary.

What's Misty and Water-Coloured?

May 19, 2011

She switched on her showerhead. Water vapor suffused through the air, hot and refreshing. She ran her hands through her black hair and down her face and neck. Kept rubbing her cheeks and pinching them for some life, some colour. Her mind kept going back to what had taken place earlier that night.

/

She stepped into his office, beaming and hopeful. She had thought about what to say, tried to plan it all as if syntax and delivery mattered. It didn't and eventually she told herself to just speak from the heart. This was a good, happy, uncomplicated thing.

"I don't really like surprises, you know," he said warmly. Standing up from behind his desk, dressed in three-piece pinstriped navy blue suit, Carolina blue tie. He looked good, great, really. "to what do I owe this little visit? It must be bad. You never come around with good news anymore."

She only smiled and wedged herself between him and his desk. "It's good news. Can I get a kiss?"

"No," he said slyly.

"Come on, Mister President. Don't," She stood on her toes and kissed the pulse on his neck.

He shivered.

"- Be," She kissed the other side, and his hands fell to the small of her back.

"Like," she planted a deep kiss on his mouth, bit down on his bottom lip winsomely.

"That," she said seductively, her fingers laced at the back of his neck.

He took her in. Her smell of crisp jasmine, the taste of her rosebud mouth, the soft, richness of her kisses. He felt a sense of dizziness and dismay, disorientation and curiosity. What was she doing here? What did she want? And, why, after all of this time, did he not care to ask too many questions even after she broke his heart and lied to him about Defiance. She dangled herself out on a hook for him. He nearly broke his own neck chasing after her. After the day of the christening, he thought he'd ever see her again. What changed her mind?

He pushed her away gently. "Not that I'm not thrilled to see you. I have to know what is this? What are you doing?"

She turned cleverly away from him so that he wouldn't see her swelling tummy. " I bet I can tell you something that'll make you smile." she said quietly. She walked over to the couch and sat down cautiously. "Bob was in trouble. He forgot his wedding anniversary. His wife was

really pissed. She told him "Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in 6 seconds AND IT BETTER BE THERE. The next morning he got up early and left for work. When his wife woke up, she looked out the window and sure enough there was a box gift-wrapped in the middle of the driveway. Confused, the wife put on her robe and ran out to the driveway, brought the box back in the house. She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale. Bob has been missing since Friday."

She laughed carelessly while Fitz just stared at her in confusion.

"Don't you get it?" she said breathlessly.

He wasn't laughing.

"I thought that was so funny." She sighed. "Look, Fitz, you're right. I have. . . news, maybe it's good, maybe it's bad depending on how you look at it."

"Oh?"

She looked up at him finally, her eyes glossed over, "I'm pregnant."

"What?"

She unbuttoned her coat, revealing a swelling tummy. "There's a baby in there, Mister. Our baby."

He looked onto her stomach in shock, awe, amazement. What brilliant news! This is what he'd dreamed of. No it wasn't ideal, but it was his child, growing inside of the woman that he loved. "Oh my God."

"That was the reaction I'd been hoping for."

"Oh my God, Liv. How? How?"

"The day of Teddy's christening. We were in such a hurry, we didn't. . ."

"That's great, Liv. That's everything," he said in wonder.

"Would you like to touch her? Say hello?"

"It's a girl?"

She nodded. She glued his hand to her belly and felt the baby give a little kick inside.

"We have so much we have to talk about. So much we have to do! Do you know what this means?"

"No, what?"

"Divorce, the end of this presidency, a house in Vermont, babies, jam, just like we always talked about." Elation rang out from his voice.

She pulled her blouse back down. "Fitz," she started. "We can't have all of that. Not yet, at least. You can't divorce Mellie, and you certainly can't give up this presidency." She turned away from him then, sorry for saying that, but assuring herself that it was true.

"No," he said in disbelief.

"Yes," she threw back. "You'll stay on as president, and run again, and win. That's the way it is, Fitzgerald. The way I want it to be."

"And my daughter? Is that how she wants it to be?"

"I'm her mother. I can do what's best for her."

"Then why come here and tell me?"

"Because I wanted you to know! But you can't change my mind." she stormed.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO, THEN?"

"You don't have to do a damn thing. I'll handle this, just like I always do."

With her back turned to him, she could see the rage mounting in his eyes, the fire of frustration burning. He picked up the bottle of scotch on the coffee table beside him and hurled it at her, missing just by inches.

Shrieked and covered her head. She made a dash for the door, but he stopped her just against the door.

"This is not something you handle, fix. You don't fix people you love. You can't treat us like this."

"I'm leaving."

"You'll come back." he replied ruefully. "And me, you and that little baby, we're gonna be a fucking family. We're gonna be more than coat closets and hushed whispers. We are going to be real. You are mine! YOU ARE MINE!"

"Grow up, Fitz."

She departed in a rush of tears, pounding in her head. Get home, get home, get home.

/

Just like that. It was over. Olivia's whole being shook with anxiety. What was she to do now? He had said all of those beautiful things to her, and she spat in his face again. Would it have so selfish to just indulge him? Give him what he wanted just this once?

Yes, it would. Because there are more important things the family and love and loyalty. When loyalty impairs judgment or causes a nation harm, everything one put their belief in is compromised. That is why she walked away.

She held onto this thinking for a very long time. Until she died, only then did she find herself with a change of heart. All too late.

She stepped out of the shower, she thought she would sleep, but no, the baby was hungry. She fed her, caramel corn and grape juice out of a box. She sat on her couch, rubbing her stomach and considering this whole parenting thing. Democratically, she considered what it would be like to raise a child as she was raised, or the more conventional methods. First words, daycare, kindergarten, family vacations, violin, cheerleading, debate club, prom, college, first job, marriage, babies, bliss. She would see to it that her little girl got it all.

Or so she thought.

Thoughts? Boos? Hisses? Anything? Review, review

Also, I noticed that a new story popped up that looked quite a bit like "To Delineate and Destroy Us" QUITE A BIT if you catch my drift. Not going to name any names, but thought I would mention it just to see if I was seeing things. ;-)