"What the hell?"

"Well, you said a week-"

"Have…you…completely taken leave of your sense-"

"Mr. President, dear would you like cream in your coffee?" Doris asked politely, sticking her head in the doorway of the kitchen. Fitz looked up from Olivia's face of frustration into Doris's smiling one. The resemblance was uncanny…

"Yes, Mrs. Pope-"

"You can call me Dor-"

"No! Call her Mrs. Pope, for goodness sake!" Olivia said, her teeth gritted in anger. Fitz did not want to be rude and laugh but he could feel peals of giggles developing in the back of his throat. The whole scenario had been ridiculous, but with Olivia, nothing was ever easy. The trip to her apartment had been thoroughly planned and scheduled. He needed to see her. The White House, the press and the stresses of the office were becoming too much. So much so that even Jerry had noticed. But he had other legitimate reasons for wanting to see Olivia.

Dad, what's up with you? The young boy asked his father a few days ago while he helped him with his history homework.

Oh, nothing Jer, just the day job beating up your old man.

Don't sweat it Dad, you are good at what you do. Besides, Thump is kind of a douche. He said warmly. Fitz tousled his son's hair playfully. Thump was a problem. A political pain in the ass, sure but the fact that he had dragged Olivia into this was what made it difficult. It hurt, deeply, like a sharp shrapnel wound, lodged deeply into his heart.

So here he was, standing in the clinically spotless kitchen of his girlfriend while she scolded him for being, stupid, pigheaded and irrational. The situation was made even more comical by Olivia's mother, who was clearly intrigued by him. She kept popping into the kitchen, asking all kinds of questions, but Fitz felt like it had something to do with her trying to get a better look at him, given her initial reaction to him. The longer than necessary handshake, the batting of the eyelashes, it was all there.

But from Olivia's glassy eyes and the liquor bottle siting on the coffee table when he walked in, he was guessing neither woman was at their sober best.

"Mother! Could you please just leave!" Olivia said, rounding on her mother. The older woman rolled her eyes, humoring Fitz to the point of laugher.

"It is not funny!" Olivia slurred slightly, smacking him on the shoulder as her mother left the room.

Fitz shook his head, trying, and failing to contain his laughter. "You guys are a trip. A real Laverne & Shirley."

Olivia cocked an eyebrow, while folding her arms. "Yeah, we will be in town all week, now, getting back to the real issue, why are you here?"

Fitz stopped laughing instantly. And..we're back.

"Look, I missed you, I can't sleep, and the kids are worried I'm going to drop dead…" He said casually. Olivia did not look amused.

"That's not a reason! Your political career-"

"Yeah…yeah…bullshit." Fitz said rolling his eyes as he ran an anxious hand through his curls. "Look, leave the worrying about my political career to Cyrus and Joyce."

"…and Billy." Olivia finished, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly. Fitz felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Billy was hardly what one would call "worried about his political career." While Cyrus and Joyce were spinning and wheeling the press, focusing the attention on the success of getting China agreeing to economic sanctions on Russia if they invaded Georgia, there was some success. Some, not a lot. Despite their best efforts, the focus of the media, for in large part was on Olivia, her background and their relationship.

But despite all of this, Billy did not seem fazed. He came into work, and left with the kind of easy that should not exist with a high level aide during such firestorm. He was as calm as a Hindu cow…

Hey, Chambers, are you okay? You seemed a little detached in the meeting today. Just want to see how you are holding up.

Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little distracted is all.

Well, I can't afford to have players who fumble the ball. Get your head in the game, okay?

But Billy's tight smile that day did nothing to easy the tensions he felt. The cool unease that developed whenever he saw the man's lips twitch with what could only be described as….pleasure? When Cyrus had read off the new poll numbers. He finally had taken Joyce's advice. His personal approval had fallen 20 points. The three words voters described him with were hardworking, smart and….untrustworthy. And yet, Billy remained unfazed. But he'd discuss that with Olivia, a latter time.

"Look, can we not discuss Joyce, or Cyrus and especially-"

"Dears! The coffee is getting cold!" Doris said very shrilly and loudly, causing both of them to jump.

"Alright Mom!" Olivia yelled back, with the kind of annoyance that should only be reserved for grounded teenage girls.

Fitz rolled his eyes. "Maybe we should go into your bedroom to talk?" He offered kindly, but Olivia shook her head, her glassy eyes rolling once more.

"No, because if I do that, then my mom will want all the 'dirty details'." She said "dirty details" while performing air quotes with her dainty fingers. Fitz nodded understandably, smiling. He wished he had that kind of relationship with his parents when they had been alive. They were from the more conventional old school about child rearing. With boundaries.

"Well, there is always my place." Fitz said, walking toward Olivia. She looked so cute, being flustered and slightly inebriated. Her black tank top was so form fitting, he could see that she clearly was not wearing a bra. It was very easy for Olivia to drive him to distraction…

Olivia smiled, shaking her head. "You and I both know that could-"

"Oh, I'm not talking about the White House." Fitz said, his voice getting husky as he got closer to her. But before he could lean in and kiss her, Doris popped rather effervescently into the kitchen once more. They hopped slightly with shock.

"Oh…I'm sorry. Dear if you want, I can talk a walk around the block?" Doris asked matter of factly. Fitz could practically feel the heat of embarrassment radiating from Olivia.

"No mom, that's quite all right, the President was just-"

"…leaving, with Olivia, don't worry, nothing public, I swear." Fitz finished easily. Olivia looked at him as if to say "How the hell are you going to do that?" Fitz winked at her. He knew just the place.

The home in Arlington was a family heirloom. Tucked away in the wealthy suburbs of Fairfax County, it was small cozy and the home of his great grandfather. A drunk yet influential Senator who had died way before his time. since then, it was used as a secret family getaway.

The Grants, always in the spotlight and practically American royalty typically summered in on the infamous Cape Cod compound, the Fitzgerald. But when they had wanted to spend days away from the press, when Fitz's mother had been dying from lung cancer nearly a decade ago and she needed privacy and rest, it was this warm, white brick home with lovely stone fireplaces and plush carpets where those moments had occurred . Not even Mellie had known about this place. Nor the kids. It was part of the tradition. He would tell them about it when they were 21, like all the other Grants before him.

"Wow. And I thought Camp David was discreet. How does the press not know about this place?" Olivia asked smiling. They were in the cozy study, sitting before the fireplace. Fitz was poking around the fire, making sure the fire did not give out while Olivia lounged on the antique sofa.

You never show anyone this place unless they are a part of the Grant Klan. He could hear his father's grizzly voice saying in his mind. Sure, it would have been a smart place to escape with Olivia too, but before, it had not seemed right. But tonight, a chilly November night, it all made sense.

"Well, it's kind of a secret. Hence, why no one knows about it."

"Do you bring all of your girls here?" Olivia joked as Fitz sat down next to her, taking one of her feet and began messaging it softly. She leaned back, her curls spreading across the arm of the sofa, her face looking content.

"Well, I brought Marilyn here once, but what to do about Monica? I'm thinking maybe the house in California next week? No?" Fitz joked back. Olivia smiled.

"Very funny. But seriously Fitzgerald, you can't keep doing this with me. Sooner or later we have to face the reality. We can't just escape to places like this. People will eventually find us."

"I know. That's why I want us to do a 20/20 interview as soon as I give my speech."

The relaxed romantic atmosphere suddenly transformed. Olivia's eyes sprang open, her mouth dropped.

"What!" She screamed. Fitz flinched. She hopped up, and began pacing.

"How long have you been thinking this?"

"Well, I talked about it this morning with Cyrus. He thinks it's a good idea." Okay, totally not true. But saying the idea popped up in the car on the way to her apartment will earn you a slap and a kick in the nuts, again. At the same time.

She immediately stopped pacing. "Really?" She asked interested, sitting back down. Fitz just went with it.

"Yeah. We do the interview, I give a speech, yada yada, and all is right in the world, as soon as I work out the details, of course." Fitz said casually, all the while his stomach was in knots. He hated lying to Olivia. But he would do anything to keep her in his life. He was tired of fighting to love this woman. Tired of constantly being on the defensive. And most importantly, he was tired of being lectured to. By his advisors, and even by Olivia.

"You really think it's going to be that easy? The EEI is on the rocks, I'm probably going to get fired and the Republican party will lose the Latino vote for generations, seeing that you don't even have the political capital to pass a Parks and Recreations bill, let alone the Dream Act." Olivia asked skeptically.

Fitz sighed. His mind for the past couple of days had been stewing. He knew people meaning he knew Billy. And most importantly, he knew Thump. In order to pull this off, he needed help.

"Liv, this sounds like a lot but we can do it. I had Cyrus and the team look into the leaks, but we came up short. All we knew was it was high level. Now I have a hunch, but I just need proof. But come to think of it, we can't just do this interview, and have me give a speech. We need something that will nail both Thump and, well Billy." Fitz said, his mind at work, slowly putting piece by piece together.

Olivia's face took on an expression of what could only be described as one being flabbergasted.

"Billy?"

"Yeah. I have this feeling that I can't shake off. I want to get rid of him, but I can't just-

"…fire the deputy Chief of Staff with no reason. Well, if it's any consolation, I know a guy."

"Yeah, but that's not good enough. Frankly I want to hire Tony Soprano and have him beat the shit out of the smug bastard but that's kind of unbecoming of a President."

"Well, I know a guy." Olivia said smiling. "He's no Tony Soprano. Think more Jason Bourne."

Fitz cocked a very interested eyebrow. "Oh? And is he another ex-boyfriend?"

"No. But he's a good friend of my ex-boyfriend. Former Navy Seal. I swear, the guy used to creep me out when Stephen and I were dating He was Stephen's roommate back in the day.. They call him Huck."