Saturday
"Why is it the kids can never seem to wake up at 7 on a school day, but today they are awake and ready to go at... 5:42 am?" Fitz groaned as he lifted an excited Karen off of his midsection.
Liv normally would awake around five, and would've been able to intercept the children, but today she groaned and turned pulling the covers over her head. Liv wasn't normally a morning person, but with the proper amount of sleep, she could deal with waking at such an ungodly hour.
Since moving in with Fitz, Liv found that they would wake through the night only to engage in numerous round of lovemaking. Last nights round, found their limps bodies passing out around 4 am. Deciding Liv was not going to be the parent to deal with the overly eager children, Fitz stretched and peeled himself away from the bed.
Liv and Fitz decided to forego telling the children how they would be spending their weekend. They wanted to see the look on their faces when they arrived at their destination. As a result, the kids began thinking of ways to butter their parents up so they would at least give them clues. The first task- assisting Fitz with making Liv breakfast in bed.
The three of them spent the better part of an hour preparing a spread of pancakes with various jams, turkey bacon, fruit salad, and green tea with honey. The kids allowed Fitz to enter the room first, each holding a part of the breakfast they would all enjoy in bed together.
As Fitz entered the room, his heart dropped as he realized Liv wasn't in bed. His disappointment quickly turned to panic, as he heard Liv vomiting profusely in the bathroom. Fitz set down the tray and went to told the kids to wait in their room while he checked on Liv.
When Fitz entered the bathroom, his heart sank as he saw Liv bracing herself against the toilet bowl. She tried to sit up, only to end up getting sick all over again. Fitz grabbed a glass of water and a damp towel, then ran to her side, holding her hair as she finished emptying the contents of her stomach. He gently pressed the damp towel to Liv's forehead, and moved slowly towards the back of her neck as she slowly brought her breathing back to normal.
Liv went to stand, but her legs were too wobbly to hold her weight. Sensing she couldn't make it on her own, Fitz carried Liv over to the sink and set her down on the counter so she could brush her teeth, before carrying her back into the bedroom. He tried to hide his panic as Liv's flesh was burning his hand. Never in his life could he recall a moment where Liv had been sick. Once she finished cleaning up, Fitz carried her into the room, and helped her change into something cooler.
Once Fitz made sure she was settled, he ventured down to Jerry's room, prepared to tell the kids, their plans had to be cancelled. When he opened Jerry's door, his heart sank as he heard the children animatedly pondering what adventure they'd be going on today.
"Guys, I have something I need to tell you both. Would you be terribly upset if-" Fitz began
"We started our adventure filled day in two hours instead of three?"
Fitz spun around, and saw Liv standing in the doorway, looking as if she hadn't been violently I'll, just mere seconds before. She had a plate of food for each child in her hands.
"Liv?" Fitz said as he walked over to meet Liv at the door. The kids were jumping up and down, and Liv knew they shouldn't have this conversation in front of the children. She simply shook her head no, and handed Fitz the plates. He got the children settled and told them to eat, them walked back over to Liv whose hand was extended for him to take. Fitz paused for a moment, but took Liv's hand, allowing her to lead him into their bedroom. No sooner than the clicking of the door closing could be heard, did Fitz begin.
"Liv, I don't think we should do this today. What if you get sick again?"
Liv understood Fitz was worried, but she honestly felt fine. She wanted... needed this time with the kids.
"Fitz, I'm fine. I was just nauseous, probably from lack of sleep. We promised the kids this weekend, and the tickets are already waiting for us at the booth. We are going."
"Liv"
"Fitz..."
"Fine."
Two hours later, the car was loaded and the four of them were on their way with Huck, who Liv managed to sweet talk into going with them. The kids looked at landmarks to see where they could possibly be going. Liv laughed from the front seat as they were still trying to get their destination out of them. She sat back and checked her email on her iPad, trying to fight back another bout of nausea. Taking deep breaths, Liv was able to ride the wave out, and she hoped Fitz was none the wiser.
"Ok, we're here." Fitz said as he turned into a huge parking lot. The kids mouths dropped as the took in the sign.
"We're going to six flags!?" Jerry squealed.
"Correction, we are at six flags." Fitz replied with a smug grin.
Once they family made their way into the park, the kids seemed to speak in sync. They agreed the first ride would be the Apocalypse. Liv decided to forego the thrill seeking rides in the park as her stomach wasn't quite settled just yet. Instead, she walked and found a hotdog cart, while Fitz and the kids waited in line.
Fitz spent the better part of three hours, following the kids between rides. From the Mind Eraser, to Roar, to Superman, to Raging Cajun, Fitz waited through impossibly long lines. After the fifth ride, he decided he would allow the children to finish riding the rides with Huck, while he took a break and spent time with Liv. The only problem was, he didn't know where she was.
Fitz: Where are you?
Liv: Getting hotdogs by Raging Cajun.
Fitz scanned the crowd, til he saw Liv taking hotdogs and sodas from the cashier. He ran over to her and helped her carry the items to a nearby bench. Fitz looked at Liv as she took a bite of her hotdog topped with ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, jalapeno peppers, and cheddar cheese. He raised a questioning eyebrow at the near orgasmic moan that escaped her lips, as she savored the food. Fitz knew almost everything there was to know about Liv and he knew three things that raised red flags in this moment. One, Liv hated hotdogs. Two, the few times she did eat the food, she only topped it with mustard and relish. Three, Liv hated onions and anything spicy. Fitz was about to call her on it, but thought better of it. If Liv was happy, he was happy. That was all that mattered.
"Don't think you're getting a kiss from me once you finish that thing." Fitz said, only half joking.
"You'd kiss me if I asked you too and you'd enjoy it. Onion breath and all. Relax, I have gum." Liv said as she took an obnoxious bite of her hotdog. Even with mustard and cheese dripping down the corner of her mouth, Liv was still the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on. Never in his life had he been more envious of a condiment, than he was in this moment.
Once they finished with their snacks, Liv and Fitz decided to just stroll around the park and talk until Huck and the kids were finished. It only took an hour before they received a text from Huck, saying they were finished and the kids were ready for lunch. Fitz took Huck and the kids to get pizza, and was surprised that Liv was hungry yet again. Fitz collected everyone's pizza and led everyone to a table. He looked at Liv quizzically as she stood and walked over to the vendor. He shook his head as he watched Liv return to the table with a bottle of Tabasco sauce, and proceeded to pour it all over her pizza.
"Liv, are you feeling ok?" Fitz asked as he watched Liv inhale her pizza.
"I'm great! Fitz, you have to try this! It is soooo good." Liv leaned in closer so only Fitz could hear her next words. "It is so good, I swear I could spend hours licking this off of your body."
Fitz's mind was in a battle with his quickly forming erection. There was no way Liv was coming near his naked flesh with Tabasco sauce, but the thought of her licking anything off of him was creating a very inappropriate reaction in this moment. However, it was nothing compared to what Liv said next.
"You know, as much as I am loving this Tabasco sauce, nothing tastes or feels better sliding down my throat than you. Mmm, I can't wait go get home so I can taste you."
Fitz choked on his drink, and it took every ounce of willpower to keep him from dragging Liv back to the heavily tinted car for a few minutes. Something was definitely up with her, and if it weren't for the fact it was their day out with the children, they'd definitely be at home, in bed, working out her apparent sexual frustration. Just as quickly as she said the words, she stood, and began throwing away their trash.
Since Liv was now feeling better, the afternoon was spent walking around the park playing games. Liv and Karen squealed in delight, when Fitz and Jerry won them both oversized tweety birds.
As night began to fall, the kids were sad it was time to leave the park, but immediately perked up when they learned their adventure wasn't over. From the theme park, Fitz drove them to pick up dinner, then to the airfield, where the Grant's private jet was awaiting. Unbeknownst to the kids, Liv packed their bags the night before as they slept. As they loaded up the jet, with Huck in tow, the kids quickly took their seats and prepared for takeoff.
"So, where are we going now?" Karen asked as she tries to refrain from bouncing out of her seat. Liv was quickly learning that cotton candy in excessive amount could do that to children.
"Well, the next stop on our Grant family adventure... We're going to the Big Apple." Fitz replied as he watches the kid's faces try to recall what the "Big Apple" was.
"Wait, we're going to an apple store?" Karen asked somewhat confused. There were six Apple stores in DC alone. They didn't have to fly to get to one.
"No Karen, we're going to New York City!" Jerry squealed as he finally began jumping up and down in his seat. Karen looked to Liv for confirmation, and when she nodded, she too began bouncing up and down excitedly.
"We are. In fact, we should be there around 8. Just enough time for me to take you to one of my favorite places before we head over to the hotel for the evening." Liv said as she rested her head against Fitz's chest.
XxXxX
They arrived in New York shortly before 8. They all loaded into the town car Fitz had called for and made their way to their first destination on the New York adventure.
"Sprinkles? We're getting sprinkles?" Karen asked as she looked up at the sign that was splayed across the top of the building. Liv let out a little chuckle as the car came to a complete stop.
"Not just any sprinkles. We are getting the BEST cupcakes you will ever taste."
"I don't think there are any cupcakes in this world that taste better than your... cupcakes." Fitz whispered against Liv's ear. She immediately felt a throbbing between her legs, and had never been happier that they would be staying in the presidential suite. The kids rooms would be far enough away from their own. Huck would be down the hall.
They all went in and Liv ordered a dozen red velvet cupcakes. Once their order was ready, they all went back into the car, and made their way towards the hotel. Once they were inside, everyone quickly put their things in their room, and changed into their bedclothes. When they were finished, the family reconvened in the living room. Liv and Fitz cuddled on the sofa, while the children cozied up on the floor and searched for a movie to rent. Deciding on Frozen for the umpteenth time, the children smiled as Liv and even Fitz joined in for "Do You Wanna Build A Snowman" and "Let It Go". As the movie came to an end, he looked around and found that his entire family was asleep. One by one, he got them all settled into bed, before climbing in behind Liv and falling asleep with her wrapped tightly in his arms.
Sunday
The next morning found Liv being jolted out of her sleep, racing towards the bathroom. She barely made it to the toilet, before she once again began emptying the contents of her stomach. Finally feeling relief, Liv stood and turned, only to find Fitz behind her, wearing a concerned look, and holding a bottle of water.
Fitz once again lifted Liv effortlessly, and carried her to the sink as her legs were too shaky to hold her for long. Once Liv was cleaned up, Fitz carried Liv to the bed, and tucked her in once again. This time, he couldn't remain silent.
"Livvie"
"Fitz, I'm fine. It's probably just a 24 hour bug, and I'm nearing the end of it. I feel better already." Liv cried, knowing Fitz was on the verge of cancelling their day once again.
"I know." Fitz said, wearing the goofiest grin on his face. "But it's not a 24 hr bug. It's more like a 40 week bug."
Liv's head fell to her shoulder as she looked at Fitz quizzically. "Fitz, what the hell is a 40 week... Ooooh. Fitz?"
Fitz simply nodded as his goofy grin took over his entire face. Liv's breathing became shallow, and her eyebrows arched as realization finally set in. She bit her bottom lip, but wasn't able to hide the smile that was quickly forming on her face.
"Apparently one of those practice rounds of baby making wasn't practice after all." Fitz said joyously as he pulled Liv into his arms. Liv wrapped her arms around Fitz's neck tightly, and kissed him with all of the love she felt inside. When they broke for air, Fitz could see the wheels in Liv's mind begin to turn.
"Fitz, we have to confirm this first. No celebrating or telling anyone until we're sure."
"Right." Fitz replied, not really paying attention. He was silently pondering who they would in fact tell first.
"Fitz, eyes on me." Liv said, causing Fitz to look into her eyes, showing she had his undivided attention. "We tell no one until we know for sure. Ok?"
"Ok."
"Promise me Fitz!"
"I promise."
"Thank you. You do know that if I am pregnant, we'll have to bump up the date for the wedding. I've already got my gown and I'd like to be able to fit into it while I still can."
"So, a Paris wedding in April?"
"A Paris wedding in April."
"So, you'll be Mrs. Grant in four weeks?"
"I'll be Mrs. Grant in four weeks."
A Paris wedding in April meant they had a lot of planning to do, well, their mothers did. They would hold off calling them until the pregnancy was confirmed, which Liv wanted to wait until they returned to DC. She didn't want a positive result to overshadow their weekend with the kids, and she didn't want a negative result to put a damper on the rest of their weekend. Still, the thought of a part of Fitz growing inside of Liv seemed surreal. Were their aunts psychic?
She'd have to get a new gown anyway, or at least have some major alterations done to the gown she already had. Maybe she could just get a wrap, or maybe they could rent a heated tent for their ceremony. Paris could be extremely cold in April, the nights dipping into the low 40s. For a midnight wedding, Liv would have to be dressed comfortable enough to focus on her vows. The fact that she could possibly be pregnant, and would be Mrs. Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III in a matter of weeks was too surreal.
Liv was pulled out of her thoughts by the feel of Fitz's mouth, hungrily claiming her neck. It never ceased to amaze her just how desirable Fitz always found her, and never seemed to have a problem showing it. Her breathing hitched as she felt Fitz's hand snake it's way between her thighs.
"Fitz wait!" Liv said as she pressed her hand against Fitz's chest, effectively bringing his movements to a halt. He sat back and looked at Liv and felt bad for assuming. Liv saw his face drop and quickly responded. Unable to look at her, Fitz lowered his head, ashamed. He shouldn't have assumed she was in the mood, she had just gotten sick a few minutes before.
"Lock the door." She said as she cupped his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her. Fitz flew off of the bed and made sure the door was closed and locked. When he turned around, Liv was gone. He smiled as he heard the water to the shower turn on, and made his way into the bathroom, leaving a trail of clothes in his path. This morning was definitely starting off on the right path.
After two hours of lovemaking which began in the shower, and resumed in the bedroom, Liv and Fitz were finally clean, dressed, and ready to go. When they exited the room, they were shocked to see Huck sitting in the living room with Karen and Jerry who were both dressed. The plates on the table told them they had already eaten breakfast, so all that was left was for Liv and Fitz to grab something to eat. Both settling on a bagel and tea, the five of them were on their way to their next destination.
They spent a few hours shopping, Karen made sure they had time to visit the American Girl store and Build A Bear, while Jerry opted for the Apple store and Foot Locker. Once there was hardly any room left in the car for them, they made their way to Coney Island.
When they arrived, Liv seemed to be far more clingier to Fitz than normal. She didn't know why, but some part of her had to be touching him at all times. Little did she know, her gut was working, without her brain even realizing it. After spending a few hours, enjoying the various rides, Liv once again decided she wanted a hotdog. As they neared a vendor, Liv froze as she saw none other than Edison, walking in their direction. Fitz felt Liv tense up and followed her lone of vision to the man who seemed a little too eager to be in her presence.
"Liv!" Edison greeted her with the biggest smile, completely ignoring the fact that she was clearly with Fitz.
"Edison." Liv said in less than an enthusiastic tone. Karen and Jerry were sitting on the bench, with Huck when they saw Edison walk over to their parents. Not getting a good vibe, they begged Huck to go over there, which he did before the words finished leaving their mouths.
Liv had never felt more awkward than she did in this moment. She honestly thought she'd never run into the man again, and if she did, she hoped he would ignore knowing her. That unfortunately wasn't the case as he stood before her, his eyes roaming her body.
Fitz wondered what history these two shared seeing as how Edison was clearly happier to see Liv than she was to see him. Fitz felt his jaw tighten as he released Liv's hand, and slid his arm possessively around her waist, a move that didn't go unnoticed by Edison.
"Um, Fitz, baby, this is Edison, an old friend." Liv said sheepishly.
"Liv, I'd like to think we were more than just friends."
The next few seconds happened faster than Liv could process what was happening. Fitz released his hold on Liv and lunged towards Edison. Seconds before his fist made contact with the man's face, Huck pulled Fitz back, effectively restraining him from causing any damage. Startled by the move, Edison jumped backwards and looked to Liv.
"Well, looks like you've got a keeper there Liv. It was good seeing you again." Edison went to walk away but stopped and turned back. "Oh, I'll be in DC in a few weeks, we'll definitely have to catch up." Edison licked his lips and spun on his heels, walking away before Liv had a chance to respond.
Liv closed her eyes and took a deep breath, silently praying Fitz would be infinitely calmer when she turned around. As she turned, she noticed Huck was still somewhat restraining Fitz, until Edison was clearly out of his line of vision.
"Liv?"
"Fitz... please.. don't. I had a life before I moved to DC, but now, my life is with you, and our children. Edison seriously was nothing. No man can do the things to me that you can. No man can love me or... satisfy me the way you can."
Fitz nodded and quickly came out of his mood when Liv wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. The kiss was slow and spoke all of the feelings Fitz needed to feel in this moment, to ease his insecurities. As he melted into the kiss, he forgot about Edison. He forgot about the insecurities that Mellie had instilled in him. As the kiss went on, Fitz let go of any doubts that he could make and keep Liv happy for the rest of their lives. As they pulled apart, Fitz slowly opened his eyes. As his eyes met Liv's all he saw was love and adoration staring back at him. How had he become so lucky to have such an amazing woman like her in his life?
"So what do we do now?" Liv asked as she bit her bottom lip.
"We grab our children, get you and my baby that hotdog, and finish out our weekend."
The final stop on their New York adventure- Chuck E Cheese. Fitz was more than happy to hand over a cup full of tokens to each child, and send them on their way.
As the kids ran off with Huck trailing close behind, Fitz wasted no time sliding into the booth next to Liv. He slid his hand protectively over her abdomen and the other around her shoulders, as she rested her head on shoulder.
"So, how are my babies doing? And how are you feeling?" Fitz asked as he lovingly rubbed Liv's stomach.
"Babies?"
"Yes, two I think."
"Fitz, I don't think my body can carry more than one baby at a time."
"Hmmm, well, I think as soon as your six week check up is a go, we'll have to start trying for another."
"And as much as I love you, I think you've seriously lost your mind." Liv responded matter of factly.
Fitz lowered his head and nibbled on Liv's earlobe, provoking a moan to escape her lips. "And I think your body agrees with me right now."
"Fitz, we don't even know if I'm pregnant yet."
"You are."
"How can you be so sure? I am on the pill?"
"True, but my sperm just happens to be the .01% that says fuck it and does what it wants, hence my baby growing inside of you as we speak."
"You can be so cocky."
"I know, my cock-iness how we got this... little one right here."
"You're lucky I love you."
"I am."
Monday
Liv woke up and was surprised to find that Fitz had already taken the kids to school. She threw on her robe, and decided to make herself a cup of tea. As she prepares to make the tea, she heard Fitz coming in the front door.
"What do you have there?" Liv asked, referring to the three large shopping bags Fitz was holding. Fitz set the bags down on the counter and began calling off items as he went along.
"Let's see, I've got a giant pack of hotdogs, buns, mustard, ketchup, relish, onions, cheddar cheese, tissues, and ten different pregnancy tests. Oh, and I grabbed a few red velvet cookies and a dozen red velvet cupcakes. All the things you seemed to have craved over the weekend."
"Ten... different... tests?"
"Yep, never cam be too sure. So, which one do you want? I've got the one with the tao blue lines, the plus or minus, or, the one that actually says pregnant or not pregnant."
"Surprise me."
Fitz handed Liv the test that would digitally display a "pregnant" or "not pregnant" reading. She shook her head and couldn't help but to laugh at how excited he was for this moment. She made her way into the bathroom, with Fitz very close behind.
"Um Fitz honey, this is the part I do alone." Liv said as she turned to close the door on Fitz who was standing there looking as if someone had just shot his puppy.
It only took a few minutes before Liv was out of the bathroom and sitting on the bed next to Fitz. The two of them sat there, both promising themselves they wouldn't be upset if the test was negative. The wait seemed to take forever, and Fitz could tell Liv was clearly on edge. If he had any doubts, the way she almost jumped out of her skin as her phone rang definitely clinched it for him.
"What?" Liv answered, not bothering to look at the caller ID.
"Now is that how I taught you to answer your phone?"
"Yes."
"Olivia Carolyn.."
"No mama. Hi, hello, how are you?"
"That's better."
Liv could tell by the tone in her mother's voice that something was wrong. Before she could ask, Maya began to speak again.
"Liv, we need you and Fitz to come out to the ranch. As soon as possible."
"What's wrong? ASAP as in six hours or six days?" Liv asked, suddenly getting nervous.
"It's Aunt Mable. She hasn't been feeling so well lately. She has this cold that she can't seem to shake. She wants to see you Liv, you, Fitz, and the kids."
"We'll be on the next flight out."
"Don't worry about that, your father sent the jet. It should be there as soon as you get to the airfield."
"Ok. We'll be there as soon as we can. Tell her I'm on my way."
Liv hung up and immediately jumped into crisis mode. She tore through the house packing everything she, Karen, and Jerry would need. She packed extra for herself, as she knew Fitz would have to get the kids back for school.
Fitz stood and grabbed hold of Liv, willing for her to slow down, just for a minute. He pulled her close and waited for her to tell him what was going on.
"It's Aunt Mable. She's been sick and she can't seem to shake it. She wants to see us and the kids."
"What do you need?" Fitz asked as he held her just a little tighter. Aunt Mable had been a fixture in his life growing up as well, so Liv knew he'd be feeling the same panic she was in this moment. Thankfully, Fitz was willing to be the strong one for her.
"I just need you to pack up the toiletries in the bathroom. I'll grab the kid's out of theirs."
Fitz nodded and set off to do what he was asked. He grabbed their body washes and shampoos, as well as their toothbrushes and toothpaste. He made his way out of the bathroom, but not before peeking at the pregnancy test.
With everything packed, Liv and Fitz left the house, and made their way to the school to pick up the kids. Luckily Fitz had called ahead of time, as the kids were waiting in the office when they arrived. They arrived at the airfield and were on their way in record time. The kids were busy doing homework while Fitz sat back, trying to soothe Liv. When she finally laid back and relaxed for a moment, Fitz let out a breath he didn't even know he had been holding in.
"Fitz..."
"In all of the commotion, I completely forgot about the test on the counter. We don't even know the results." Liv sighed as anything that could ease some of the panic she was feeling would be welcomed at this moment. Fitz kissed the top of Liv's head and smiled.
"Well, when I went to grab our toiletries, I sort of peeked." Fitz admitted shamelessly. When he did it, he just couldn't wait. Now, he was faced with telling Liv the news.
"Are you going to tell me the results? Or are you going to make me wait?"
"Well..."
Hours later they finally touched down in California. Big Gerry had a car waiting for them to bring them to the Pope ranch. Liv was honestly drained, and she could tell by the bobbing heads of Karen and Jerry that they were beat as well. They arrived at the ranch, and Liv jumped out of the car and sprinted towards the house before the car had a chance to come to a complete stop.
As she entered the house, she ran down the hall, and into Aunt Mable's bedroom where everyone had gathered. She gasped as she took in her aunt who looked nothing like how Liv saw her just a few months before. She walked over to the bed, and climbed in next to her.
"YaYa, is that you?" Aunt Mable asked with tears in her eyes.
"Yes Aunt Mable, I'm here."
"Eli, I told you not to fly this girl out here! Getting her all upset over a little cold. I should put you over my knee right now." Aunt Mable yelled, causing Liv to smile. Partly because that was just like her Aunt Mable to threaten her father, sick or not, and partly because she knew the older woman would do it.
"It's fine auntie. You know I'd drop everything if you asked me to."
"I know sweetie. I'm going to get better ya hear. I have a Paris wedding to attend in June."
Liv sat up the same time Fitz entered the room. She looked around and saw Karen and Jerry follow close behind wearing knowing smiles on their faces. She knew then that Fitz had told them. He gave her a small nod, and Liv turned to their parents and aunts.
"Actually, Fitz and I were thinking of moving the wedding up a bit." Liv said sheepishly.
"How soon are you thinking dear?" Maya asked, trying to hide her excitement.
"We were thinking April 25th. Just after our birthdays." Liv replied, waiting for someone to deliver the follow up question she knew was coming.
"We can definitely do that, but why so soon?" Susan asked as she grabbed Maya's hand. Liv looked at Fitz, then to the kids and smiled.
"I'm pregnant."