"Come outside,"

Olivia turned around, and peeked out of the window on the side of her door.

"Fitz," Olivia sighed, turning away from the window and walking back to the side table in her entryway. "Why are you outside?"

Fitz chuckled.

"Well, I am calling you from my very convenient cell phone, which my parents so generously sent from Japan and I am here to pick you up for school."

A sound from upstairs startled Olivia. Her father had probably woken up and knocked something over, he'd done it before. She turned back to the phone.

"Who told you to do that, Fitz? I get a ride with Abby and Quinn every morning."

"Well I'm here this morning, I can take you."

"Fitz, please. I still have to get my father up and ready,"

There was a pause on the phone as Olivia realized what she'd said, and she hoped Fitz would overlook it, she clung to the phone and waited for his voice to overtake her again, instead she heard the dial tone. Olivia pulled the phone away from her face in surprise and stared at it for a second just as the doorbell rang.

"No," Olivia said aloud, taking two steps toward the window and pulled the small curtain back that covered it. Olivia nearly cursed as she saw Fitz standing there, dressed in his school uniform with a navy colored coat over it. He looked like he'd just rolled out of bed, and as usual it suited him.

"NO!"

Olivia yelled, feeling herself becoming lightheaded. As far as she was concerned there was a red line painted on her doorstep that warded off any outsiders. One could not just simply walk over it and knock on her door.

"Olivia."

Her head snapped to the top of the stairs as she noticed her father trying to descend them, still dressed in his pajamas and looking almost normal.

"Dad. Go back to bed, it's just someone going door to door. I'll take care of it."

Her father didn't retreat, he stood on the topmost step surveying her odd position; her arms were splayed protectively over the front door.

"Olivia, do you think I'm an idiot?"

She shook her head, not moving from her positon.

"No Dad. And I didn't mean to wake you. Michelle should be here soon, when she comes I'll have her make you something."

Jackson stared at Olivia intently, until his stare became blank.

"Where are you going?"

He asked, in a different voice. Olivia felt her pulse quickening as she regarded her father in horror. He continued down the flight of stairs and took Olivia's arm roughly.

"Where are you going? Answer me, Maya!"

Olivia blinked at her father, comprehending what had just happened, she tried to pull away from her father's grip but he wouldn't let her.

"Dad. It's Olivia. Maya is my mom."

Olivia told him gently, unsure of what else to do. They'd gone to see a doctor when his spells had started happening. The only advice she'd offered was to remind her father of the situation, and hoped that he would find his way back to her. It had worked nearly every time he'd 'wandered off' but this time it seemed, he was too far out to be tethered back in so easily.

"Maya. Who's out there? Why are you lying to me? Where are you going?"

Her father asked, not releasing Olivia from his grip.

"Dad," Olivia was nearly begging, "I'm Olivia. I'm your daughter. Maya is my Mom, and she's dead."

Jackson looked at Olivia for a long pause, during which Olivia held her breath, hoping he was finally coming back to her. But, instead of recognizing her as his daughter and not his wife, Jackson threw Olivia aside and opened the door, to Fitz who was still there, standing in anticipation on their doorstep.

Oh no, Olivia thought, cupping her hands over her mouth as Jackson assessed Fitz.

"Is this him?" Jackson demanded. "Is this the guy you see when you leave me? When you leave your daughter, Maya?"

Fitz looked at Olivia, questions swirling in his eyes as he opened his mouth to explain.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Pope. I'm not who you think I am."

"Fitz don't,"

Olivia interjected at the same time, trying to diffuse the situation, but her efforts were ill-timed as Jackson became enraged, snatching Fitz's uniform shirt, causing several buttons to pop off in fright.

"How dare you. How dare you come to my house and lie to my face!"

Before Olivia could pull her father back, he swung, and punched Fitz squarely in the mouth. Fitz staggered back, Jackson's grip broken by the momentum of his punch.

Fitz nearly fell, but caught himself before he completely toppled over. He pushed his hands on his knees as he spit a mouthful of blood onto what had formally been Maya's tulip bed.

Fitz looked up at Olivia, his lip busted and his nose faintly bruised.

"Fitz, I'm sorry,"

Olivia told him, biting back tears as her father rounded on her again, his anger still present as he gripped Olivia up and shook her, hard. Olivia just flopped in his arms, nearly sobbing as he abruptly ceased shaking her, and held her still at arm's length.

"Bee? Why are you crying?" Jackson asked, concern etching onto his face as he took in Olivia's tear streaked cheeks.

Olivia cast a look at Fitz, who was now more confused than ever, still stooped over and trying to regain his wits.

"Dad, please don't do this." Olivia begged, pulling away from his arms. "You can't do this to me!"

"Do what, Bee? What did I do?"

Olivia sidestepped her father and rushed to Fitz's side, caressing his cheek tenderly.

"I'm sorry," Olivia whispered to him, her eyes still welling with tears. "I'm so sorry."

Olivia leaned in to allow her lips to brush his cheek, and pulled away almost as quickly.

"Livvie, what's going on?" Fitz questioned, the bridge of his nose turning a concerning shade of blue.

"I can't explain. I wish I could but I can't," Olivia looked back to her father, who was watching Olivia intently.

"Don't do this," Fitz warned, his words holding an air of desperation. "Don't shut me out like this, Livvie. We're doing so well. We've come so far."

"Did you ever stop to think that being shut out is what's best for you?"

Olivia hissed through her tears, her father's gaze burning holes on her back. She swore she could feel it.

"No, that's never what's best for me. Not knowing what's going on with you isn't what's best for me."

"Fitz. There are things I can never tell you, alright? Things you'll never get to know about me because they're undesirable."

"And you don't think I have undesirable things about me? We all do. I want you to share things with me."

"And if I can't? What are you going to do if I can never tell you? Are you going to stop talking to me?"

"I'm tired of trying to knock down this damn wall you have up." Fitz replied, almost numbly.

"You haven't even been trying,"

Olivia spat, her words tasted like metal on her tongue.

She hated this, why did he need to know everything? Her father punching him in the face wasn't enough for him to understand that this wasn't just about her?

"I've been trying since I met you to see you, to really see you. And you won't let me for some reason."

"Fitz," Olivia warned, noting that her father hadn't moved an inch.

"Why don't you want to open up? Do you think I won't like what I see?"

"Fitz."

"Do you hate yourself that much?"

Olivia stood, backing away from Fitz.

"Go."

Fitz stood too, his glare nearly poisonous.

"You're telling me to leave?"

Olivia crossed her arms. "Consider it a suggestion."

Fitz took one long look at her before turning on his heel and climbing back into his car.

Olivia turned away from the curb as he pulled off.

"Dad, come on, let's get you inside."

Olivia did her best to wrap her Dad's limbs around her neck as she helped him inside.

"Who was that?" he asked, motioning to the curb.

"Nobody." Olivia grumbled, managing to get him over the threshold.
She was determined to make her statement true.

Olivia laid in Abby's bed, her head resting in Abby's lap and her legs sprawled across Quinn's. Abby stroked her hair, trying to soothe her, but it hadn't been working thus far.

"I must admit I had my money on him," Abby commented dryly, watching Olivia give into another wave of tears.

Quinn passed Olivia a Kleenex immediately; they'd developed this routine for Abby when it came to David, her mostly longtime boyfriend. Abby typically invented reasons to argue with David when she felt as though things were going too well, and David, being so in love with her, didn't recognize that this occurred every few weeks.

"I did too, and I don't like to be optimistic about anything," Quinn chimed in, looking over at Olivia pityingly. "I actually thought you'd found the one. If the one exists for anyone. He's the only guy you've ever even looked at for long enough."

Olivia sobbed wordlessly, her sobs turning over into dry heaves.

"He hates me." Olivia managed to say, as she covered her eyes with her arm.

Quinn nodded in agreement, as Abby reached over to punch her in her arm.

"Ouch!" Quinn yelped, her hand jumping up to rub her arm. "I'm sorry I agree with her! She said it not me! Wouldn't David hate you if your father went all Muhammad Ali on him?"

"David wouldn't hate me because my father would never do that," Abby replied curtly, looking back down at Olivia who'd fallen silent as she listened to their exchange. "What I meant was… my father would never do that because he gets a manicure every Tuesday and that's a lot of stress on the nails."

Olivia seemed to accept Abby's statement and continued to sob, pressing her face into Abby's leg. Quinn gave Abby skeptical a look to which Abby shrugged

"Why did your Dad punch him again?" Abby asked, smoothing Olivia's hair once again.

Olivia stared at the ceiling blankly.

"Fitz startled him, he was just waking up. Why does it matter?" Olivia countered.

"I was just asking, it seems weird that your Dad would punch him for no reason."

Olivia sat up, pulling her legs from Quinn's lap.

"You don't know my Dad, you don't know what's weird and what's normal."

Olivia waited for Quinn and Abby to reply, but they seemed shocked at her outburst.

"I should have just went home," Olivia told herself, scooting to the edge of the bed and slipping on her shoes.

"You don't have to go," Abby called, as Olivia slipped her jacket on and took her backpack.

"Yes, Abby I do. I should have kept this to myself, I didn't need to come cry to you and Quinn."

Abby stood too.

"I was surprised you did, Liv. You never have before. Don't you think that's weird? That we've been friends for years and I've never been to your house, you never cry in front of me and if you do tell me what's going on with you, I've had to beat it out of you first?"

"Abby…" Olivia started, knowing that she had no explanation. She almost wanted to lie, to offer an explanation to everything that Abby had pointed out, but she couldn't. This was nearly the same thing Fitz had said to her earlier. She had a wall up. She knew it, hell, she'd started reinforcing it with concrete and barbed wire a long time ago.

How could she expect someone to break it down? She couldn't… but she hoped that someone would try.

"Abby. I'm sorry that you feel that way. But you know everything that's important about me. You said it, we've been friends for years and everything that I've told you, that's me. And what I haven't told you… that's what's not important."

Abby shook her head, making immediate eye contact with the floor.

"Really? You're just disregarding everything about our friendship because you've never been over my house? That's what you're choosing to dwell on?"

Abby shrugged. Quinn, who'd been silent out of a sheer feeling of awkwardness slowly climbed to her feet and took her shoes and backpack in her hands. She tiptoed through the presently silent standoff and exited Abby's room without another word.

Olivia rolled her eyes at Quinn's departure as Abby rounded on Olivia again.

"I feel like there's this whole other part of you that I don't know, I hate that you're so cold and reserved and closed off sometimes. You don't even let me touch you! And I feel like you could just quit being friends with me and you'd be alright, because you don't need anybody, do you? You never have and you never will. And if you don't need anyone then you don't need me either."

"So you're basically saying, let you in or get out?" Olivia surmised, raising an eyebrow at Abby.

"Well. If you want to sum it up like that, sure."

Olivia threw her hands up. "How fucking original, Abby."

"And you curse now, too? Cool."

"Abby. You can't pressure me into opening up to you. It's not fair and I never thought you do that to me."

"I'm not trying to pressure you. You should want to talk to me. What do you think I'll do to you if you're honest? I don't care if shitty things are going on in your life, I'm not gonna look at you any differently. I tell you all my stuff. Every gross and weird thing I've done with David and I know you'll listen and you won't judge me."

"I'm not afraid of you judging me."

"So you're afraid that I'll stop being friends with you? That I'll hate you, what?"

Olivia shook her head forbiddingly.

"It's not like that."

"Then tell me what it's like." Abby replied pointedly.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because I care about you. And because you shouldn't have to carry everything you go through with you. It's not necessary when you have people around who love you."

Olivia scoffed, "That's a short list."

"Is it?" Abby inquired.

Olivia narrowed her eyes at Abby.

"Yes, it is. But fine, you asked for it. My father's going crazy, he's literally losing his mind and I'm the only one that is there for him. I'm there and if this morning is any indication, my mother is there sometimes too. Apparently my mom cheated on him before she died because he thought Fitz was her lover and punched him out. It's exhausting having to pretend that I go home to normalcy, because I don't. I go home to chaos and I hope it doesn't bubble over. Like it did this morning."

"Oh, Liv," Abby moaned, rushing forward to hug her tightly. Olivia let her, though Abby had been spot on when she'd said that she didn't like to be touched.

"I know you hate this, but I'm glad you're taking it."

"I figured I owed you one,"

Olivia replied stoically, waiting for Abby to let her go, but clearly Abby was enjoying the moment a little too much. Finally Abby unlatched from her.

"I'm sorry, I just can't believe you've been dealing with this by yourself."

"It's been okay up until now. He's just been spacy and a little confused, but this morning it was like he didn't even recognize me. It scared me and of course he punched Fitz. I don't know how I'm supposed to handle this."

Abby twisted her mouth in thought.

"I don't know either, Liv. But that's what happened today? Your Dad just punched Fitz and he got mad and left?"

Olivia shook her head in frustration.

"It probably would have been better if that's what happened, but no. Fitz spit out a mouthful of blood and still stayed. He stayed until I told him to go."

Olivia almost started crying remembering Fitz's shocked face when she'd ordered him to go.

"Liv. Why would you do that? Any guy that is willing to take a right hook from your father is a guy you should keep around."

"I'm seventeen." Olivia replied dryly.

"And…? You're graduating in a year. It's not about your age. It's about you being scared."

"You think I'm scared?"

Abby laughed.

"Yes. The great mysterious Olivia Pope can be scared too. You're scared that Fitz is the one. You thought you had no type. And maybe you don't. But what if you do?"

"You've been watching too much 90210." Olivia replied.

"I definitely have, but that's not the point. The point is, Fitz could just be a guy you date for a few months and then he'll be nothing, or he could be the guy you marry, then he'll be everything. With stakes that high, how can you possibly think that you have the right not to try your hardest?"

Olivia turned her head, upset that Abby was lecturing her this way. It was over with Fitz. He wasn't her type, because the guy she would end up with would fight for her, he'd pursue her even once she'd banished him. She needed him to show up for her, and Fitz didn't have that in him.

"He's a spoiled rich boy, Abby. He's never worked for anything in his life and he never will. He's used to smiling in the direction of the girl he wants. And I'm not like that. I'm not a come easy kind of girl, and maybe that intrigued him for about five seconds, but it doesn't anymore. It's over, we're done and frankly I'm glad he tapped out before I invested any real time in him."

"You're being a bitch because I'm making sense. I know that much. I know that you have feelings for him. And you're pretending that what your parent's make matters so much. Has he ever acted like he's entitled to you or anything else? No. He's never made you feel that way, Liv. Because he's not that way."

Abby sighed as she noticed how checked out Olivia had become.

"I don't want to ruin the breakthrough we had by reaming you. But you know what I'm saying. And you know that I'm right."

"Of course I do. Can I go home now, Sergeant?" Olivia requested, crossing her arms.

Abby wrinkled her brow. "I thought you'd want to stay over… considering."

"That's sweet. But I should get home. Can you take me?"

Abby shrugged, picking up her car keys from her bureau.

"Sure."

Fitz pushed his finger onto his busted lip, feeling a scab forming nicely. He reclined in his seat, taking another drag from the joint he'd rolled a few hours prior. Fitz wasn't much of a smoker, but he did know where to get it; many of his acquaintances at school either sold or were in direct connections with those who did. After his morning with his Livvie, he needed to get out of his head, and he hoped that the pot would do that. Fitz inhaled, holding the smoke in for several seconds before exhaling and turning up his radio, recognizing a song that he'd had the tape to when it first came out- Don't Dream, It's Over by Crowded House.

Fitz thought the song fitting as he took another drag. He was starting to feel the effects of the high trickle in as his cell phone rang.

Fitz held the joint between his lips as he answered the phone.
"Hello?" Fitz answered, inhaling in the next moment.

"Fitz," It's her, Fitz realized. He had half the mind to hang up the phone, but he couldn't bring himself to, instead he held the burning joint in his hand, stoned and lovesick.

"Livvie. You're calling me," Fitz managed, his voice off.

"I'm calling you," she echoed.

"Why? What changed?"

"I talked to Abby,"

"I knew I liked her," Fitz replied, smiling dreamily.

"Where are you? I'll come and get you."

"I'm home. Isn't it too late?"

"No, if you don't mind coming over, I'll get you home later."

"Fitz, I can't be gone all night."

"Please, Livvie." Fitz pleaded. "Just a few hours. I promise you'll get home."

"Fine. Just let me make sure everything's all right here."

"Can I head over now?"

She didn't answer right away, and Fitz held his breath the entire time she was silent.

"Yes, you can come now. I'll be outside waiting for you."

"Okay. I'm on my way."

She waited on her front steps for Fitz to arrive, dressed in sweatpants again, her hair pulled up. Her father had been sleeping when Abby dropped her off less than a half hour ago. Thankfully no one had called during the day, and she'd been able to redial Fitz's cell phone, as she didn't have the number. She felt raw. Abby's lecture had both aided and wounded her. She wanted to believe that Fitz could be her future. But didn't virtually every media outlet present young love as a frivolous ordeal? Hello, Romeo and Juliet!

Olivia bit down on her lip as Fitz pulled up in front. She jumped up as soon as she saw him, taking longer strides than her legs allowed, climbing in the car and smiling at Fitz.

"Hi." She greeted, suddenly shy now that she was with him.

"Are you alright? Still sure you can come over?"

Olivia nodded. "Yes. I'm sure. Are you okay?"

He seemed off, like he was a second behind in his reactions. She sniffed the air, trying to place the smell that faintly hung in the car, it was familiar.

"I'm good," Fitz assured. "I'm just so surprised you called."

"I'm trying, Fitz. I'm trying to let you in."

Fitz grinned, it overtook his face so much that it was almost goofy.

"That's all I can ask is that you try. Buckle up."

She did as she was told, and Fitz pulled off of the curb, doing a U turn and heading back in the way he'd come.

"Awe, I like that song," Olivia commented on the Crowded House song that had just begun to peter off.

"I do too, I have the tape at home."

"Really? I wouldn't have pegged you for an Australian rock kinda guy."

Fitz shrugged as they breezed through a stoplight. "Australian rock is just regular rock at the end of the day."

Olivia turned in her seat to double check that Fitz had just blown the stoplight.

"Uh, you sure you're okay? That was a stoplight."

"Was it? I didn't even notice. I guess I could still be a little out of it."

"Really? From this morning?"

Fitz shrugged noncommittally as they arrived in front of a gate.

"This is your house?" She asked, watching Fitz punch in an access code.

"Yes, my parents are very showy. They added the gate when we moved here."

Olivia sniffed the air again and realized where she'd smelled the smell before. Quinn had dated a pot dealer earlier that year, and Olivia had tried a puff or two at one of the only parties she'd allowed herself to be dragged to that year.

"Fitz, are you high?" She asked, as Fitz pulled around the circular driveway.

Fitz didn't answer her as he shut off the car and climbed out of the car. He went to Olivia's side and pulled it open, holding out his hand.

"Livvie, please come inside."

"Are you high?" Olivia asked again.

Fitz sighed and kneeled down in front of her. "Do you trust me?"

Olivia felt like he was asking way more than he appeared to be asking.

"Fitz,"

"Livvie. Do. You. Trust. Me?"

Olivia regarded him cautiously and warily. "Yes,"

"Then take my hand, and come inside." Fitz urged, holding his hand out again. She rolled her eyes and unbuckled her seatbelt. She took his outstretched hand, and slammed the car door behind her as he pulled her inside.

Fitz took a key from his back pocket and unlocked a top and bottom lock, pushing open double doors and stepping aside to allow Olivia to enter ahead of him. Once she was inside he shut and locked the door.

"Cece! Are you home?" Fitz called up the dark wood staircase, taking Olivia's hand again.

"No, son. I think your sister is out," Fitz turned toward the study, which was to the left of the entryway.

"Father," Fitz said, both stiffly and in surprise.

"Son. Who is this?" Jerry asked, motioning to Olivia, who noticed Fitz's aversion to his father right away.

"This is Olivia Pope, Father. She's my girlfriend."

Olivia raised her eyebrow at Fitz's choice of words. Though she didn't exactly object to them, she wasn't sure if they were correct.

"Ah. Hello, Olivia. Fitzgerald mentioned that you two had a date. How did that go?"

"Do you actually want to know, Father or are you just being polite?"

Fitz asked cuttingly. Jerry smiled, and Olivia saw their resemblance in that moment. He looked like Fitz, but in the way that Fitz's smile was almost goofy and warm, Jerry's was foreboding and reproachful.

"I asked, didn't I?"

Jerry replied, surveying Olivia with interested eyes.

"It went great," Fitz replied in monotone. "We had a nice time, thanks for asking. Where's Mom?"

"She and I had a gala tonight, we came home early. Don't worry we're flying out first thing, wouldn't want you to have to deal with us for more than twenty-four hours." Jerry jested, winking at Olivia as if they shared some sort of private joke.

"How considerate." Fitz answered.

"I'm just waiting up for Cecilia, then I'll be headed to bed." Jerry added.

Fitz squeezed Olivia's hand, as if alerting them that they were ready to go. Fitz led them toward the staircase, but turned around to address his father a last time.

"Did you check her room, father?"

Jerry, who was still wearing his tuxedo, and carrying a crystal glass of clear liquid shrugged.

"I hadn't thought of that. I'll finish my nightcap and swing on by. Who knows? She could have been there all along."

"Most likely," Fitz agreed, pulling Olivia upstairs.

"Nice meeting you, Mr. Grant." Olivia yelled as Fitz's hold on her hand moved her upstairs faster than she would have attempted them.

Fitz intertwined their fingers securely as he padded down the hallway, past a room with a large purple 'C' on it, and stopped at his door, a green 'F' hung on the door, and it was just ten or twelve paces from Cecelia's room, on the opposite sides of the hallway.

Fitz turned the knob and ushered Olivia inside, flicking on the light as he shut and locked it.

"If I don't lock it, my father will try to come in and talk to us again. And I've had just about enough of him for the night. "

Olivia nodded in understanding as she stood in the center of his large room, rubbing her hands up and down her arms protectively.

"Is he always like that?" Olivia asked of his father.

"Since before I can remember, and then some probably,"

Fitz responded, kicking his dress shoes off and shrugging out of his jacket. Olivia hadn't noticed that he was still wearing his school uniform.

"Are you gonna answer me now?"

She asked, not moving an inch toward where Fitz was undressing. Truthfully, she was nervous to be in a locked room with him, with less than suitable parental supervision. But he seemed to be keeping his intentions hidden, if he had any. He unbuttoned his shirt, exposing his tattooed back that she remembered seeing the day they'd met. He didn't hesitate to pull on a clean black shirt from his middle drawer, and a pair of plaid pajama bottoms from another drawer. His feet were bare.

Olivia watched him, waiting for him to answer his question. Fitz held out his arms for Olivia as he collapsed on the edge of his bed.

She shot him a knowing look, and Fitz dropped his arms in defeat.

"Yes, Livvie. I smoked a joint today because I was upset that we had a fight. I was upset that your father punched me and I went and got some pot and I smoked it. Is that what you wanted me to say?"

Olivia groaned, hating that he'd told her.

"Yes. And no. I wanted you to argue with me. I didn't want you to tell me that easily. Why did you have to cooperate?"

Fitz chuckled.

"So you want me to be difficult? You want me to lie to you?"

"Why not? I lie to you," Olivia admitted meekly. Fitz's expression didn't change.

"You don't lie to me, you just tell me absolutely nothing. It's a sin of omission. Still frustrating, though."

"I want to be open with you. I want to try, but I'm not wrong to question the possibility of this turning into something real."

Fitz held out his hand again, and she took it, reluctantly, allowing him to pull her into her lap. She felt the butterflies as soon as he embraced her, hugging her around the waist and burying his head in the crook of her neck.

"This is already real, I think you know that."

Olivia could feel the moment turning, she knew he could hear her heart beating faster and faster. For once, she was resolved to do what she wanted, she wanted Fitz. Slowly, and with shaking limbs, she pulled his face to hers and ran her finger along his lower lip.

"I'm scared, Fitz." Olivia told him, asking him with her eyes to be easy on her.

"I'm scared too," Fitz echoed, leaning into Olivia's kiss.

She'd never kissed anyone before, and yet she knew what to do as soon as their lips met. Her mouth moved blissfully against his, their kisses deepening as the moments passed. Fitz, held onto her firmly, taking his time to fully appreciate how amazing kissing her was, how plump and soft they were, and how much she seemed to be giving him, as her tongue asked to be granted permission into his mouth.

She gripped his face, her hands roaming and pulling occasionally, the light brown hairs at the base of his neck, and then his ears. He groaned as she continued to explore him, and did his best to allow her every liberty. Fitz was ready to pull her into a full straddle as a hard knock came at his door, and Fitz and Olivia snapped apart, startled. Fitz stood, and Olivia got to her feet from his standing.

"Fitzgerald, get out here!" Fitz turned back to Olivia, who still looked slightly dazed from their intense make out session.

Fitz unlocked the door and stepped out into the hallway, Olivia following close behind. Cece stood, with a sheet from her bed wrapped around her. Cece's hair was messy, and she wore an expression that crossed between embarrassment, mortification and annoyance. Olivia noticed the girl that held Cece's hand, a similarly attired raven haired beauty. She looked confused, as Jerry motioned to the girls.

"Fitzgerald, Cece tells me you know about this."

Fitz began to answer, but stopped as he noticed his mother, Caroline, who had emerged from she and Jerry's room on the other end of the hall. She was tying her robe and her eyes were groggy, but as she stumbled upon the dramatic scene, she crossed her arms in alarm.

"Jerry, what is going on?"

Jerry turned to Fitz, clearly deflecting the question to his son. "I don't know. Fitzgerald why don't you explain to your mother what's happening."

Caroline, Cece, Jerry, Olivia and Cece's girlfriend looked to Fitz, who rolled his eyes, took Olivia's hand for support and started to explain.

A/N:

So this chapter was definitely packed full of twists and turns! As promised, Cece's reveal to Fitz in the previous episode is going to have lasting effects on the Grant family going forward. Fitz's family dynamics are going to change, because Cece is seen as the golden girl in the family, and clearly being a lesbian is going to worry parent's Grant.

We also learn just how closed off Olivia is, and how much is affecting her relationships, even with Abby, who continues to support her despite the concrete wall she has up. Finally Fitz meets Poppa Pope, and he's definitely confused as to why he proceeds to hit him. Though Olivia hasn't fully explained her home situation, she vows to try, and that's an important step for her, but Rome wasn't built in a day, let's hope she can balance out her blossoming feelings for Fitz with the anxiety she feels about her father. Also, Jackson 'Rowan' Pope is getting worse; he has good days and bad, and we got to see one of his especially bad days. We also learn about Maya's infidelity before she died and that is also something that Olivia discovers as its happening, and she is going to have to come to terms with that.

Also, Fitz smokes a joint, in some social circles that is harmless, and Olivia will probably let him slide on it because he was upset, but is it a one time thing? Or a indicator to future behavior? Also, Olivia and Fitz have their first real kiss, though it is interrupted by the pending drama. We also have Fitz calling Olivia his girlfriend, which Olivia doesn't correct.

Next chapter we'll get some fluff, as well as some more Parent's Grant. We'll also get some of Fitz's brother, Kennedy and we'll see Olivia trying to do some research into her mother. It's going to get angsty going forward (a little bit more than it already is!)- Olivia will start to form a habit of her own, and Fitz will start to feel some pressure from his parents.

Let me know what you thought of the chapter! And thank you to Lowerysissy, Kelleekellkell, KikiNickMc, LoreneMichelle41, Noro and the guests that reviewed the last chapter! I read each and every review that I receive, and I do take them into account and as feedback while writing! The support and feedback means more than you guys know! Thanks for commenting, and I hope you enjoyed reading!

Avis

xoxo