Dating Dilemma: Family Ties

Harrison was a fast talker. From an early age he could talk himself into and out of any situation at any given time. He talked so fast, often people couldn't catch half of what he said, which worked out for him because in the end they agreed to whatever he wanted.

The charismatic appeal and winning smile was now on full display as he went to the stage to make an excuse for Fitz and Olivia, while sending Abby and Alexis on the hunt for the holed-up lovers.

He was talking so fast that even he couldn't remember everything he said. But he was in control because when he laughed, the audience laughed. Even Sally's initial awkwardness at him coming to the stage in lieu of Fitz and Olivia had warmed over and disappeared. She was now enjoying his comedic routine as much as any other audience member.

His chest poked out in confidence as he knew he had the crowd under his spell. That is until….

A high pitched scream cut through his monologue creating a hush over the crowd as they looked around to find the source.

He quickly recovered. He laughed it off, explaining his uncanny ability to throw his voice and even scream 'like a girl' if he needed to. For the most part the crowd bought it especially since most of them were too drunk to care anyway.

Harrison knew the wisdom of quitting while he was ahead so before he lost the audience completely, he called for the DJ to start back up the music at full blast.

XXX

It wasn't difficult for Olivia to keep a mental catalog of her top sexual experiences. The list was short; very, very short and mostly contained her experiences with Fitz. And this cataclysmic event was definitely going on the top of the list.

Olivia thought she was about to lose her mind. She was gasping for air and her body was convulsing; her legs shaking uncontrollably. She had never felt anything like this before. It was a 'little death'.

She had two previous experiences of men going down on her – Edison and Jeremy - and both were absolutely awful. She couldn't understand why men automatically assumed they knew how to give oral sex. There was a technique to it and apparently neither of these two men bothered to learn. They were too rough when they should've been gentle and too gentle when they should have gone all in. It was never quite right and both times she demanded that they stop.

But Fitz, oh my gawd, this man has Superpowers, she thought.

She came hard. And after he released inside of her, with a final sigh, she collapsed in exhaustion. In the warm afterglow, he moved to take his weight off of her but she stopped him. "Don't….let's stay like this for as long as we can," she whispered.

"I'm heavy," he reasoned, although he really didn't want to move either. So he shifted their weight so he could stay inside her as they lay side by side. Her eyes remained closed; a playful, satiated smile across her face. He preferred to stare at her; memorizing her features. Her eyebrows, her eyelashes, high cheek bones, plump lips; it was all perfect.

Everything he previously thought; all the cynicism he held about love and relationships was overturned. He had no problem giving superficial dating advice, perpetuating the idea that true love could actually exist. If people wanted to believe in true love, he was willing to encourage their foolish notions. For himself though, he never truly believed it possible. He was jaded and used it as a defense against vulnerabilities that could become liabilities.

And then she came.

He didn't just love her; he was in love with her. And that was something he had never expected to feel for another person. This was new territory for him. There were no past relationships or experiences he could draw upon for guidance. No one person he trusted enough for sound counsel. He was on his own. And he couldn't mess this up.

Olivia was so worried about rushing him; pushing him too far too fast and he assured her that she could relax and just let things play out. But really he was terrified. With no reference point to guide him, how easy would it be for him to wreck their relationship beyond recovery? He frowned at the thought. What would he do then?

The possibility of losing her left him desperate and he felt himself harden again. She moaned and smiled in delight. Slow, deliberately, languidly, he moved in and out of her. Time held no consequence. It was as if they had no reason to hurry; as if there wasn't a party full of their co-workers happening in the same building; as if no one would ever notice if they never rejoined the festivities.

Almost instinctively, she opened her eyes and found his eyes fixed on her. He had been waiting; patiently waiting for her to look at him. They didn't blink; they didn't look away; the joining was not in their sexual members; it was the eyes. The key to every emotion; the answer to every question was in their eyes.

The kiss wasn't deep; it was soft, delicate and tender. It wasn't for passion or lust; it was for sublime intimacy. In that moment, through their connection, awareness dawned. They knew that they had never loved another person this way; they had never felt so deeply for another person as they did now. The experience was almost virginal.

So lost they were in the consciousness of each other, they never heard the door open until two screams pierced their sanctuary.

XXX

"Did you….?" Abby asked in the hallway.

"Of course I did. You heard me scream right?" Alexis responded, stating the obvious,

"We should've knocked."

Alexis nodded in agreement. "We should've…but would they have heard us?"

"I feel…weird. Like it was never anything I wanted to see but now that I have, I can't get the image of Fitz's perfectly tight ass out of my head. It's engrained there and I can't un-see it."

"Well, as images go, it wasn't a bad one was it?"

Abby smiled. "Absolutely not…the broad shoulders; the lean muscle…."

"Abby stop!...I can't talk about my sister's naked boyfriend. I just can't," Alexis said although she too had a new found appreciation for Fitz as well.

"The look on their faces when we caught them though…." Abby said as she started laughing and Alexis couldn't help but laugh with her. It was a classic vision. When Olivia and Fitz finally emerged they found them both bowled over with laughter barely able to stand straight.

When they finally calmed down, Alexis asked, "Why didn't you lock the door?"

"I thought I did, but I guess….I got…distracted," he said sheepishly as he ran his hand through his hair. He looked at Olivia who was now giggling too. Her light-heartedness made him smile.

Abby cleared her throat to sever their eye-sex moment. "Well unless you want everyone here to know what you were just doing, I suggest that only one of you go back and join the party. The other will have to sneak out a back way and go home," she explained and when they looked at her in confusion, she realized that they had no idea they just won the best costume prize. When she explained, Olivia squealed, jumping into Fitz's arms with excitement.

"We won Baby….without even trying." She grabbed his face and started kissing him. Abby and Alexis sighed in irritation. Alexis intervened and pulled her off of him.

"Olivia, we have got to go…"Alexis warned playfully. She had never seen her sister act so carefree in love. It was a nice side to her.

Fitz consented. "I'll go. I need to meet up with Huck for a bit anyway…Wait up for me Livvy." He kissed Olivia's cheek and left.

She was in a daze as she watched him walk away. Something had changed for her with him tonight. It was more than mind-blowing sex; it was something else. Something had awakened in her; something she couldn't formulate the words to explain to anyone else, not even herself. She wondered if he felt it too. Or maybe she was imagining the connection they had. Maybe it was just sex and her thinking was muddled; remnants of her intoxicated haze.

"Olivia!"

She finally responded. "What!...Why are you yelling at me?"

"I've been calling your name and you haven't heard a word I said….what is the matter with you? Where is my sister? What have you done with her?...It was just sex. You act like you never had it before," Alexis teased as she and Abby chuckled together.

Olivia smiled. It wasn't just sex for her. It was so much more but she couldn't tell them that.

XXX

It was almost 3AM and there was a loud banging at her door. Josie started barking, which roused Olivia from her sleep. She sat up too fast and her head throbbed. "Ouch!"

It took her a minute to get her bearings and realize she had fallen asleep on the couch waiting for Fitz. The banging continued.

"Who is it?!" she finally yelled.

"Livvy…open the door…its Fitz."

She quickly made it to the door and opened it for him to come in. He was drunk.

He was still in his costume from the Halloween Party. He stumbled inside, quickly removing his hat and taking down his suspenders.

"You didn't drive here did you? What happened to you? I thought you were just meeting with Huck?" Olivia asked as she secured the locks on the front door.

Before she could completely turn around he was on her, pinning her against the front door; claiming her lips as he kissed her with a fierceness she never felt from him before. She could taste the alcohol on his breath. This was a different Fitz and she didn't know if she should be apprehensive, nervous or excited. "Fitz…Fitz…slow down," she said as she managed to push him off her.

"What?" he asked as he took a few steps back. "Don't you want me?" His bloodshot eyes were sad, desolate. And his voice betrayed an insecurity she didn't know he had. Something happened to him tonight and it worried her.

She rushed to reassure him. "Of course I do…I just….Why you're drunk? What happened tonight? I need you to talk to me."

His speech was only slightly slurred when he said, "I don't want to talk about it…not tonight…please Livvy not tonight. I just want to make love to the most beautiful woman in the world. Can I do that? Will you let me do that?"

He slowly came back upon her, trapping her against the door, his hand caressing her face, watching her intently as she bit her lip in consternation. She was thinking; overthinking as she had the habit to do.

He began trailing kisses on her neck. "Is that alright Livvy?...Will you let me make love to you?" he whispered and there was no way she could fight it any longer. She didn't have the strength nor the desire to stop him.

He began sucking the spot behind her ear and all she could say was "Please."

It was all the permission he needed. He reached for her tank top and quickly pulled it above her head revealing her naked breasts. She started to lead him upstairs to the bedroom but he said, "No, right here."

She watched as he bent down in front of her and captured her breast in his mouth, sucking hard as he simultaneously pulled down her pajama shorts. Intent in pleasuring her first, he began stroking her, allowing his fingers to test her wetness.

The two-pronged assault left her breathless as she fingered his curls in her hands holding him fixed against her breasts. He sucked hard and it was painful but it was exhilarating and the pain became pleasure and she wanted it; she wanted it all of it. She was moving against his fingers, aching for more.

She pulled him up and tore his shirt off, sending buttons flying everywhere. There was a sudden need to feel his naked body pressed hard against hers. She unbuttoned his pants frantically. "Help me….Take them off," she said in a hoarse, forceful voice. He chuckled at her eagerness as he now helped her remove his clothing.

When he held her up and brought her legs around his waist, he stilled and confessed, "I love you Livvy…you're all I have. Do you love me?"

With earnest she nodded as she assured him again, "I love you Fitz."

And he entered her with an intensity that created an acute desire to find fulfillment within each other.

XXX

Josie yelped and ran out of the bedroom, down the stairs, to the front door.

Both Fitz and Olivia gave a weighty sigh. This conversation, while unavoidable, was certain to be unpleasant. Before Fitz walked out, Olivia grabbed his hand and said, "Listen, whatever happens…whatever is said, nothing changes between you and me. We're in this….together."

It was exactly what he needed to hear. He was ready.

"What are you accusing me of Fitzgerald?" Mellie now said in outrage as Fitz explained the purpose of their meeting. He could tell she was embarrassed, which was why he asked her repeatedly if she wanted Jake to hear their entire conversation. Mellie, never to be one-upped, lifted her chin higher and said "If it's something Olivia can hear, then Jake can hear it too."

"Mellie, where do YOU think YOUR friend Amanda is?" Olivia asked pointedly.

"I don't know and I don't care. We were never really that close. She has some….shady friends and I never cared for them so we just lost touch," Mellie explained with a shrug. She downplayed the friendship as if it was of no importance.

Fitz and Olivia looked at each other. They hoped they would not have to humiliate Mellie like this; they hoped that she would admit it herself. But it was not to be.

"Mellie, I know that you helped Amanda…I have proof that you met with her and gave her information about my email access. I have logs of phone calls between you and her. It was hard to get at first because we didn't know Amanda had another phone but once we found it; it was all there," Fitz revealed, never taking his eyes away from hers; intentionally pressuring her to tell him the truth.

He knew she felt cornered. Her eyes were darting all over the room, trying to come up with a clever response.

Obviously, Jake had no knowledge of the entire incident. He sat in a stunned silence, shifting uncomfortably, unable to say a word to help Mellie.

"I just want to know why…why would you try to ruin me like that? Do you hate me that much?" Fitz asked. There was no bitterness to his voice; it was true perplexity that she participated in this elaborate scheme.

Mellie's irritation heightened. He brought her here to trap her; humiliate her, take away her dignity even more than he had already. And she couldn't take any more of it.

"Do not sit here and act like you are a victim!...Just stop!...Yes, I hate you that much!...We had a plan. I invested two fucking years of my life with you; grooming you, helping you. Do you know what you were like when I met you?" her mocking tone was riddled with cold laughter. "You were a piece of shit, going nowhere fast. I picked you up dusted you off and made you pretty again. I made you and we were supposed to get married. You were supposed to leave that magazine and run your father's companies. That is what was supposed to happen….Your family fucked you up and I made you better. And what do I get for it? I get shafted and cast aside for your 'precious Olivia'. Something better came along and you went after it like a dog in heat…And the worse part of it is, I didn't even get a 'thank you Mellie'. Not one word of appreciation…Nothing!...It was like you forgot everything I did for your Fitz! It was like I meant nothing to you…like you didn't care about me at all."

Mellie dropped her head in her hands and sobbed loudly. Jake made a move to comfort her but she rebuffed his efforts.

Olivia stood up. "Jake, I need to take Josie for a walk. Can you come with me? Give Fitz and Mellie a chance to talk privately?"

XXX

"She's not a bad person. She's just…sad and hurt."

Olivia disagreed but didn't respond. She continued to walk next to Jake with Josie leading the way on her leash.

"Olivia?" he pressed.

"Jake, I respect your relationship with Mellie. But honestly I don't agree with you. I think Mellie is vindictive, cold and manipulative. But that's just my opinion."

"OUCH," he joked, "Tell me how you really feel."

Olivia shrugged.

"You can't even try to understand how she may feel. She got passed over, dumped after spending all this time thinking she and Fitz were the endgame. That's gotta hurt, don't you think?"

Olivia stopped and looked at Jake before saying, "At what point during her tirade did you hear her say she loved Fitz? That she was in love with Fitz?" She watched as Jake looked away as he tried to recall what was said. When he looked back at her she knew he didn't have an answer. "Exactly…she didn't. She doesn't love Fitz for who he is. She loves the idea of what she wants him to be and how that can benefit her future. That's not love, that's control and no one wants to be controlled."

They resumed walking.

"I have to say, Fitz seems like a pretty selfish guy." When Olivia snickered at him, he rushed to explain, "No hear me out. I'll admit I don't know him very well but from what I've seen and heard, the way he could quickly throw Mellie over and get with you seems…harsh. And he only broke up with her for you. He seems like the kind of guy that just waits for the next great thing to come along and then jumps at it."

"You're right…you don't know Fitz at all and you sound ridiculous talking about things you don't know. I know Fitz, you don't."

"Yes but it seems like he's shown a lot of his character just based on how he's treated you and Mellie. You may think you know him but do you really?"

Olivia recognized that Jake was being salty and jealous. It was annoying. "You know who I don't know….YOU! I don't know you Jake and furthermore, I'm not going to entertain a conversation where you continuously insult someone I care about. If you want us to be friends…you're going to have to stop now!"

"I'm sorry Olivia. I didn't mean to offend you. I just….I think I could've treated you better than him...I don't understand what happened. We had a great conversation at Quinn's party. We talked on the phone and then…nothing. You turned cold…I just want to know what happened."

"It would not have worked," Olivia explained calmly, trying to be as diplomatic as possible.

Jake paused thoughtfully. "It was Fitz wasn't it. Even back then, even while he was with Mellie, you were chasing after him weren't you? He was with someone else and you were trying to take him away from her, weren't you?"

Olivia stopped walking and picked up Josie. She was done with this conversation. "First, I don't like your tone. And I don't appreciate being accused of something when you know nothing about me or my relationship with Fitz. It is none of your business. I was trying to be nice to you Jake but you have overstepped yourself. Worry about yourself and your relationship with Mellie; keep Fitz and I out of it."

He looked away and mumbled something that Olivia didn't hear. "What…what did you say?" she demanded.

"So Fitz gets to have what I want, first." He could tell she didn't like what he said. So he regrouped and apologized to appease her. "I'm sorry Olivia. I didn't mean to accuse you of anything. Please forgive me."

"Let's go back to the house. I'm sure Mellie is ready for you by now."

XXX

"Why are you still sitting there?...We are going, so you need to get up and get dressed," Olivia said as she walked back in the bedroom looking for her earrings. Fitz was in the exact same spot she left him in 20 minutes ago – sitting on the side of the bed in his underwear.

"I don't want to go," Fitz explained.

"You've said that before," she replied matter of factly.

"But you're still not listening to me so I'm saying it again."

"Oh I hear you," Olivia said as she continued to search through her jewelry box.

"Good…then we're not going?"

"No we are going. I was just acknowledging that I heard you."

He sighed dramatically and reached for the TV remote.

"Do not turn on that TV. Fitz…I know you, you will find a game and then I won't be able to get you out of this house. We are leaving in 15 minutes. Otherwise, we will be late."

He sighed again. "Why? Why is it so important for us to go see Gerry? Why do we need to have dinner with him? Why can't we just stay in….I'll cook for you, we can watch one of those movies you're always asking me to watch with you."

His attempt at bribery was adorable. She walked over and stood in front of him. She kissed his lips and said, "Fitz, I love you baby but we are going. We have put this off for weeks now and I've run out of excuses to give your father. He won't stop calling me. If we had gone over for lunch like he originally asked, then maybe this wouldn't be such a big thing now but it is. Maybe, it won't be that bad….Can you please get up and get dressed so we can go? Please…for me," she asked as she ran her hand up and down his bare-chest.

He grabbed her hand and kissed it, smiling up at her he said, "Alright fine, but don't get mad when I pull you into a dark corner." When she laughed at him again, he reasoned, "What?!...You're the one who wore this tight skirt that shows off your ass. You expect me to make it through the entire night without getting it in," he joked and she playfully hit his shoulder.

When she stepped away to finish getting dressed but he grabbed her hand. She looked back at him. She knew that look. She knew what was really bothering him. "Fitz….we don't know anything for sure. All we know….all Huck could tell you is that Amanda Tanner cannot be found and she may be dead but we don't know the circumstances around her death. We don't know if your family had a hand in it. Can we give them the benefit of the doubt until we have more information?"

It was the pep talk that she had given him for several days. She was the only thing keeping his temper in check; the only thing preventing him from confronting his family and possibly hurting one or more of them.

He nodded. "Just promise me you'll be careful with them. I don't trust them…and I definitely don't trust them with you."

XXX

It was unreal; like something she would watch on television but nothing close to reality. Not what a family dinner was supposed to be like. She was thankful that they were not spending Thanksgiving with the Grants. They had agreed to come the weekend before for a family dinner.

Now she understood the nervous glances Fitz kept giving her in the car ride over. Now she understood his continued warnings about the peculiarities of his family and their ability to push each other's buttons to the point of anger. Now she understood the condemning perspective he had for his family in general. He had not exaggerated. And now she was beginning to understand the damage his childhood caused.

It started when Tommy introduced his date, Amber. Olivia's eyes bulged in recognition.

"Fitz, do you know who that is?" she asked him in a private conversation shortly after the meet and greet.

He shrugged. "No, should I?" Tommy dated too many women for Fitz to keep track; all their faced started to blend together.

"That's Edison's wife. Remember, he told us about her at the movie premier party. She was an extra in the movie. Why is she here with Tommy? Why is Tommy dating her? Do you think Edison knows?" Olivia rattled off questions suspiciously.

Fitz shrugged again. "I have no idea. It's better to leave it alone."

"What! You don't care that your brother is dating a married woman! What if Tommy doesn't know?" Olivia was insulted that he wasn't getting as worked up as she was.

"More than likely he knows. Trust me, he is not looking for a relationship with this woman…I know him, he's already had sex with her and she's just someone he could bring tonight and sleep with again. There's no love between them. And when they're married it makes it easier for him. Then he can cut them off and not worry about the aftermath of hurt feelings."

Olivia became irritated. "And you're okay with that!"

"I never said that…don't put words in my mouth," he snapped back. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his temper. He had to remember that Olivia didn't understand his family. They were nothing like her family; nothing like what she was used to. "I leave my family to lead their lives and do what they want. They don't interfere with my life and I don't interfere with theirs. I don't approve of 90% of what they do but I don't let it bother me."

She was still frowning.

"Liv, please, just let it go. I'm not saying I approve of it or like it but just let it go."

"Fine," was all she said, her irritation still evident. And Fitz knew she would take it out on him later.

And then Lily showed up with her new boyfriend, Lincoln. And everything Fitz said about allowing his family to lead their own lives flew out the window. He was livid. It didn't take long for his rude questions to cause an uproar at the dinner table.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!...This is my life and my decisions have nothing to do with you!" Lily yelled at Fitz from across the large dining room table.

"He's my friend and you're my sister…it's my business. I'm just looking out for you! Excuse me for caring about you!" Fitz countered back.

"This isn't about me and you know it. You are not concerned with my happiness; if you were you would wish me well. This is about you thinking I'm not good enough for your friend. What is it, I'm too old; not pretty enough; I'm an alcoholic. What is it Fitz?! You might as well say it; it's nothing everyone here hasn't heard before!"

"Lily, that's not what I meant…."

"Yes it is! Leave it to family to make you feel good about yourself," she said sarcastically. "I have to make a phone call, excuse me." She left the table, no doubt to call her sponsor.

"Thanks a lot Fitz. This was not a good day for her and you didn't help it. You're going to have to fix this with her and stop being an asshole," Lincoln said angrily as left the table and went after her.

Olivia watched it unfold and took another large sip of her wine.

"I need some air," Fitz said as he threw his napkin down and left the table.

The rest of the family continued to eat their food as if nothing had occurred. Gerry and his girlfriend Barbara were in their own world; Tommy and Amber continued to behave lewdly at the table. And the brother that was so quiet Olivia forgot he was even around was suddenly at her side, occupying the seat left by Fitz.

"Do you normally drink so much?" he asked.

She was taken aback by the question. "What!"

"I asked if you normally drink so much…I couldn't help but notice that you've almost consumed an entire bottle of wine by yourself."

She looked at him; shocked that he had the audacity to draw attention to her drinking habits and question her about it. "Not that it's any of your business but I don't usually drink this much. But your family is weird and you all stress me out. So to calm my nerves, I need another glass of wine. Is that alright with you?!"

Bugsy smiled. "I was just checking…So tell me, why Fitz?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Olivia asked defensively.

He shrugged. "I'm sure you understand that I have to look out for this family; protect it from certain….people. I don't know you very well so I just wondered what attracted you to him. You don't seem to be his….type."

Olivia was done with this conversation and his insults. "You offensive son of a…."

"Bugsy, get away from her," Fitz called out from the doorway. He had come back to the dining room, remembering that he left Olivia alone with the vultures.

Bugsy smiled in that manic way of his and threw his hands up in surrender.

Gerry stood up to make an announcement. "Let's all go into the family room. I have some announcements to make." He didn't wait for anyone to agree or disagree. He merely left the table with full expectation that everyone would follow behind him and they did, except Fitz.

"Are you okay?" he asked when they were alone.

"I'm fine," she said quickly.

"You're almost drunk," he observed with one eyebrow raised. "How many glasses of wine have you had?"

"I don't know I lost count, but apparently your brother was counting for me. Self-righteous son of a bitch." She had been drinking enough water in between the glasses of wine to make sure she didn't get completely, embarrassingly drunk.

Olivia rarely cursed so Fitz knew she was upset.

He embraced her; his family was too much for anyone to deal with. "We can go. I'm sorry about this Livvy; let's just go home."

"Did you make up with Lily?" she asked.

"No…not yet but I will."

She wanted to tell him he was wrong but then remembered that she asked him to interfere with Tommy and Amber earlier in the evening. Was that the same thing?

"Fitz! Get in here!" Gerry called from the other room and both Fitz and Olivia groaned at the sound of his voice.

"Let's go and get this over with," Olivia said dragging him from the room for the family meeting.

XXX

Olivia took the glass of wine Lincoln gave her with a smile of thanks. It was having an effect on her but she didn't care. She looked over to find Bugsy staring at her and she nearly stuck her tongue out at him. She sat up taller and took a drink from her glass with no hesitation. He smiled at her and looked away.

"I have a couple of announcements to make. First, Benjamin is about to enter his name as a candidate to run for Governor of California." Both Gerry and Benjamin were smiling at the accomplishment. The rest of the room fell into silence.

Fitz, Lily and Tommy looked at each other in disbelief. Each thinking that their brother was too dishonest, unethical and dirty to be elected to public office. But maybe not.

"Bugsy, I didn't know you were interested in politics," Lily began curiously.

"Well he is," Gerry spoke up for him. And then they knew that this was really Gerry running for Governor through his proxy, his son.

"But is this something you want to do?" Lily tried again.

Bugsy shrugged as if it didn't really matter to him, one way or another.

"Of course he does," Gerry spoke up again. "My son the Governor of California." He put his arm around Bugsy as he beamed with pride.

Lily sighed in frustration. She gave up and leaned back into Lincoln's side for comfort.

"The vetting process is intense and there will be scrutiny of our family. So we need you all to be prepared for questions from reporters, journalists and increased media coverage. We are going to win this thing but we have a few obstacles, not least of which is Benjamin's single status. We'll work on that. But in the meantime, each of you need to make sure your personal life is clean, above board, no damaging issues or complications."

"Now I see why you needed to get rid of Amanda," Fitz accused. His father and brother just stared at him, refusing to give him a response.

Gerry changed the subject. "Fitz, your book has gone to press and will be released Christmas day. You'll be going on a press tour in January – 17 cities in 3 months."

Fitz just stared at his father. Olivia stared at him. What book?

"That wasn't yours…that wasn't your book. I specifically gave it to another publishing house. I didn't want your hands on it!"

Gerry laughed and winked at Olivia, noting the familiarity of the circumstances. "I know what you did. And I'm surprised you don't know me better than that. You think I'm going to let my son's book get published by another house, absolutely not. It's being published by me."

"Dammit, why do you have to keep interfering in my life?!...I never asked for your help and I don't need it!" Fitz yelled as he approached his father.

"Of course you need my help and I'm happy to give it. The book will be successful and you will thank me later."

"No!"

"Fitz," Bugsy tried to intervene.

"Shut up Bugsy…I said no…No you are not publishing my book and no I'm not going on a book tour under your company."

Gerry laughed. "Of course you're not. It's not my company at all. At least not anymore. All ownership and rights to the company have been transferred to your name."

Olivia watched as Fitz turned red with anger. His fists balled up at his side. A sudden commotion erupted in the room as Fitz lunged at his father, while Tommy and Lincoln rushed to pull him back but not before Fitz got in one good sucker punch.

XXX

He scared her.

She had never seen him lose his temper like that and it scared her.

When they pulled him off Gerry, his anger continued to flare and he was ready to leave. He reached for Olivia but she recoiled and there was nothing in her eyes but fear. He immediately sobered and reached for her again; this time she reluctantly took his hand.

She hadn't said a word the entire ride home and he wasn't sure if she would let him stay with her tonight. He alternated between watching the road and watching her but she kept her head turned towards the window. She couldn't even look at him.

When he pulled into her driveway, she just sat there, looking forward at nothing in particular and saying nothing at all.

He turned off the engine and waited.

"I had planned…my first thought was to jump out the car and tell you to go home. I needed time alone to process what happened this evening. I do that sometimes. I like to sit alone and think. Sometimes I even plan out what I'm going to say, how I'm going to say it…"

She looked over at him and saw the loneliness he felt. She quickly turned away, not able to see that just yet.

"I was going to say that I don't like who you are when you're with them. I didn't like who you were tonight."

"Liv….," he tried to explain.

"Please, let me finish," she said.

He leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. He was just waiting; waiting for her to break them up. A painful feeling developed inside of him as he tried to think of anything that would convince her to change her mind.

"I was going to say all that but…I realized that is your family. You know them; you've had to deal with them all your life. I didn't. So who am I to say how you should behave around them. And I won't. But there are certain things that are unacceptable…I don't want to see you hit another person again in my life….There's no excuse for it unless you are defending yourself or me. So in that respect, I need you to not be the person that allows your family to push your buttons to the point of violence."

When she said nothing else, he looked over at her. She was staring back at him and the fear was now gone.

"I'm sorry Livvy…I'm sorry but you have to know I would never hurt you."

She believed him. "I do….there is just, there's just so much we don't know about each other. This isn't a fairy tale and I don't expect us to like everything single thing we see in one another. I know there will be a need for compromise and understanding. But I want to always remember the man I fell in love with."

He nodded in agreement. He would follow her lead; if she wanted to spend the night alone he would comply with no argument. For him, he wanted nothing more than to spend the night wrapped up in her arms. After everything that happened, he only wanted to hold her close.

"Do you want to stay with me tonight?" she asked.

"More than anything," he responded without hesitation.

XXX

"So where are we going?" She was beyond excited although she had reluctantly followed his instructions to dress casually and with absolutely no heels!

He was taking her on their first date. It was strange that everything with them happened in reverse order but she had to admit it was worth the wait.

"Did I tell you that you look beautiful?" She was stunning in her tight-fitting jeans and off the shoulder blouse.

"You did and you're changing the subject. If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to."

"I don't want to tell you."

"Please, tell me," she pleaded.

He laughed. "It's a place called Opaque. I've wanted to try it but only with someone special." He kissed her hand as he continued to navigate through LA traffic.

That told her nothing. She had never heard of such a place. She almost pulled out her phone to look it up but he stopped her. "Livvy, just sit back and enjoy the experience."

And it was an experience. It was dining in the dark.

They were greeted at the reception area and given an opportunity to order their meals. Fitz suggested that they let the waiter order for them and Olivia agreed. They were led through the lounge to the dining area, which was now completely dark. Olivia held Walter, their waiter's hand, while Fitz held hers and they were led to a small booth.

As soon as they were seated and waiting on their drink order. Olivia started to giggle. "Now I see why you wanted me to wear flats. I would've fallen on my face trying to walk in the dark with heels on….This place is awesome Fitz but I can't see you and you're sitting right next to me."

"I know it's very….different."

It took a while for their eyes to adjust to seeing absolutely nothing, not even their hands in front of their faces. They could hear the voices of other patrons in the restaurant, which was the only indication that anyone else was there. It was odd but soon after the initial uneasiness wore off, it became relaxing. Their eyes started adjusting to the darkness. The other senses took over to enhance the dining experience.

"So tell me why you wanted to bring me here?" She asked as she was careful not to make a mess with her food. She guessed he was doing the same.

His voice was low, deep. "When you're in the dark, you lose certain inhibitions. No one can see you, so you feel freer to say what you want to say without fear of judgment or reprisals. So…what question have you wanted to ask me? Ask me anything?"

Somehow he could feel her smiling. Somehow she could feel the warmth from his beautiful blue eyes. He was right; she felt relaxed in the dark, no hesitation, no reservation.

"OK, let me think…," she began. He had already explained about the book and even let her start reading it on his laptop. She couldn't fault him for keeping it a secret, not when she still hadn't told him about hers. But she wouldn't think about that now. "Best sex you ever had?"

"That's easy…you!...Why do girls always ask guys about sex first?….Come on Liv, that's not really a question…Try something else." His immediate, clear answer gave her joy. She felt emboldened.

"Alright…alright. That moment….that life-changing event when you felt that your childhood was gone…and now you feel like an adult?"

"My mother's death."

"But you were only 12, right?"

"Yes. Overnight my childhood was gone. I remember my life in phases and that event changed me dramatically. I had to grow up almost instantly. No one was going to look after me. Lily tried but she had her own problems. We all handled her death differently; everyone was on their own."

She thought about what he said and what is like for her when her own mother died. "I have this overwhelming need to nurture you and make love to you at the same time."

He chuckled. "Well I don't need a mother Livvy. I only need you."

"You can still make me blush when you say things like that."

"I know I can feel you blushing."

She laughed, thinking he was joking but he really wasn't.

"So who's the real Olivia Pope?" he asked.

"What?"

"Who's the Olivia Pope that the world doesn't see? What's she like? The one that's inside your head that says and does all the things you would never do. The one you keep hidden because it's not who your family, friends or society wants you to be….You're in the dark now so tell me what she's like?"

She went quiet and he knew she was contemplating his question and whether or not to be unreservedly honest.

"She curses everybody out in my head," she joked. But she knew that wasn't really what he was asking.

After pausing, she began seriously, "She's bold and confident…the first day of the job she would've told you she wanted you. She doesn't hide her sexuality…she would've told you our first time was the best sex she had in her life. She always communicates what she wants and how she wants it…that she thinks about being close to you every day. And she never feels guilt for it afterward. She wouldn't have been concerned with Mellie or Amanda's feelings; she would've stood with you, beside you. And she's not afraid. She's not afraid that this between us won't work out; she's more than confident that it will."

She said a lot; more than she ever said to anyone at any time. She was once again thankful for the darkness. It was liberating.

"What do you call her? What's your alter ego's name?"

She laughed. "She doesn't have one…she's just another side of me. Wow…that makes me sound kind of crazy."

"It's not crazy. It's part of who you are. It may be a side that you hide from everyone else but I don't want you to hide it from me. I want to love all of you. I want to know every part of you."

It wasn't long before she felt Fitz's hand stroking her thigh. She moaned when she felt him trail kisses up her neck to her ear, where he whispered, "So can I give her a name?"

A/N: I finally came back to this story. Thanks to all of you who encouraged me to do so. It helped a lot. I have lost a lot of my mojo for my updates, which I can only attribute to the problem I am having with the show itself. I'm not sure if everyone enjoyed the last episode but I did not. There were many things that bothered me but I will limit it to two. 1. Jake choking Olivia. I was bothered that none of the reviews or recaps I read or listened to addressed his attack on her. On the contrary, several people continued to praise the OLAKE relationship and root for them to be together. I was amazed. Then I read Twitter comments where people were saying how much he loves her and that they should be together and then (and this one was classic) at least he didn't shoot her. I continue to shake my head at the fact that people can support a relationship where a man has been physically violent to the woman he is supposed to love *sigh*. I will have a bigger problem if Olivia does not call him out for choking her. If this is glossed over with no consequences, I will be livid. 2. I had a problem with Olivia having to sleep with Jake to get access to B6-13. My problem is that I have no idea why she is doing this. I don't know why she is taking down B6-13. I asked several viewers and they had to stop and think about it because they don't know either. So for her to go out like that and as a viewer I don't even know what she is doing it for makes it all seem ridiculous. Secondly, that is not the Olivia who we knew for 2.5 seasons and I get that she is in a dark place but did they have to take her to that level. I'm really bothered by that.

What I am happy about is that OLITZ is having real conversations; hashing out everything. This is more communication than we've had in the previous two seasons. So that is great!

I am getting prepared for these two episodes because I know they will continue to demonize by boo Fitz. He is to blame for everything on this show and it saddens me. He is written like the viewer is supposed to hate him and that bothers me because the people on this show have done much worse things and it seems like their actions are excused while Fitz's wrongs are magnified without explanation.

I'm ranting and I'm sorry. I'm so ready for this hiatus. I really did not like this season. But I hope you all got some enjoyment out of the episodes.

Thanks for being interested in this story although I haven't updated it in months. And I hope you will leave feedback on your thoughts. Happy Scandal Eve...Keep hope alive:)

Final note: there is a place in LA called Opaque.