They sat in an oak panelled room with Cyrus at the head of the table jotting down notes on a pad. Olivia and Fitz sat across from each other either side of him, giving each other awkward glances as the old man sublimed to himself, shaking his head and rubbing his face in what they could only assume was agitation. He sighed suddenly and threw the notepad carelessly onto the table in front of him, shutting the black cover before he did so as his he'd snapped towards Olivia.

"Olivia Pope, you intern at the library Monday through Thursday evenings, you have almost no friends, you're aiming to get into Georgetown and with your grades alone not forgetting your newly minted status it's no doubt you will, broken home, parents divorced only 3 month ago but there's been quite the build up. You keep to yourself. You bulk up on your extra curricular activities possibly to improve your collage application but I'm assuming to also keep you out of the house. You are allergic to kiwi fruit and rye grass. You are top of your class in almost all your subjects and your on scholarship to the Academy. Is there anything I've missed?" He sat back, satisfied and uncaring of her answer, he really only intended to impress.

"I don't see how insulting me and digging up pointless facts is going to help us. You could write the Olivia Pope biography, congratulations, I don't think that will fix anything." She said pointedly, she had been offered by him, he didn't have any rights to come in and claim he knew her.

Cyrus rolled his eyes and leaned towards her, getting closely personal and all at once she felt intimidated.

"Miss Pope, everything I just said will be known and reported by every major network in the country. You are the next Kate Middleton and at only sixteen they're wanting to know everything about you. So now is when you tell me everything."

Olivia creased her brow, "Where should we start?"

"Skeletons, everybody has them and you don't sure the with anyone, anyone except me. You tell me every dirty little secret and in return I guard the grave. No lies Miss Pope, not if you don't want to see every little detail of it on page 6 tomorrow."

Olivia nodded and swallowed. She look at Fitz who reach between them and squeezed her hand to show his support.

"Sir… would you mind giving us a moment?" Cyrus asked, his eyes shifting wearily between the two. Fitz looked at Olivia for confirmation and she nodded again and smiled at him as if to assure him that she'd be fine.

"We'll only be a few minutes, I'll come get you when we're done." She said and he stood and left the room, feeling slightly disgruntled by the fact that she was in there revealing things to Cyrus that he may never know. He felt at odds with himself because he understood she needed her privacy and the respect that came with her secrets but the fact that she couldn't trust him with the same information was hurtful, logical or not. His mind began spinning radical and outrageous scenarios and when her head finally popped through the door to call him back in, he was relieved he was no longer alone with his detrimental thoughts.

Cyrus was now standing as Fitz and Olivia both took their seats again. He began pacing back and forth as the teenagers swapped varying looks between them, unsure of where they both stood.

"Alright." Cyrus stopped and, still looking at his notepad, began scribbling something. "You two are doing a photo shoot and a sit down with Noah Baker. We'll do something sympathetic. Teen magazines with both you and Olivia looking cuddly and picket-fence loving. By next week you'll be the new Brad and Angelina."

"No way." They both turned to Fitz to see his face stoic and determined as he shook his head, "There is no way that we're becoming another label my father can stick on his campaign as being family friendly with values attached. Our relationship is not for people to gawk at or make a show of."

"Sir, with all due respect, you can't possibly understand the gravity of the situation if you think we can fix it by sitting on our asses." Cyrus stressed.

"Before we do anything, Olivia and I need to the room." His voice boomed and the fixer was shocked how much he sounded like his father. Cyrus stood and exited promptly, leaving Fitz to move around to Olivia and sit next to her. He reached for her hand and kissed it before placing their now interlaced hands into the table.

"I'm so so sorry." He whispered, "I never wanted any of this for you, for us… the truth is Olivia, my life was pretty dull before you. I have to live with my father and you've met the man, he's a snake. I don't have friends in D.C, I do pretty much nothing outside my studies. When I met you… it was like I didn't realise the water I'd been swimming in. We've only known each other a small amount of time but I have feelings for you Livvie. And I know it's sudden, and I know that my life and the idea of 'us' comes with a lot of baggage that you don't necessarily want, so I'm giving you an out. Right here, right now, you can walk away and I won't blame you." He shut let go of her hand and shut his eyes, leaning back in his chair. He heard her stand and footsteps that followed and with them his heart sank. He felt his world crumble and he swallowed, opening his eyes to find Olivia sitting in front of him, staring at him curiously.

"But you… I heard you get up and walk away…"

She shook her head, "You heard me lock the door. Cyrus strikes me as the nosey type and I wouldn't want him walking in when I did this."

She leaned in and he was so relieved to feel her lips against his that he merely sat back and let her guide him. She was intoxicating and he was baffled that she was there was him, her lips warm and lush against his cheek, his neck, pecking at him as she leaned further over, slipping off her shoes and sliding herself over him so she straddled his waist. He gazed up at her adoringly as she pulled back and she began fiddling with his hair, brushing it back from his forehead over and over again.

She could feel something beneath her, beneath them and she withdrew slightly, looming over him and further away as she raised an eyebrow.

"A bit too excited, Sir." She teased, bending her lips down to ghost over his facial features, only barely touching wherever she went. He groaned, stretching to meet her as she finally placed two brief kisses on his lips. "You're not exactly helping Livvie."

She smiled shyly and backed off, much to his disappointment.

"I didn't mean you should.." He trailed off and they both laughed slightly, "When did you get so…bold?"

"I guess you just bring out this side of me… I've never, I mean… I haven't really done that sort of thing before… was it.. alright?" She asked nervously and he looked at her in disbelief.

"That was awesome and please feel free to do it anytime, or you know, all the time.. I mean, whenever you feel like it…" He flushed and she agreed. Then his brow furrowed.

"What do you want to do? I don't want to put you in a position you don't want to be in." He stated clearly and she adored him for it.

"I think the teen magazine stuff sounds sappy and gross but the sit down with Noah Baker would be okay… but I think before we do that we have to have some kind of normal."

He nodded, "I agree, I'd like to have our date before, if that's okay?"

She smiled, "I'd love that."

"How is tomorrow?" She pretended to think on it as if the question was a difficult one.

"I'll have to check with my extensive PR team, as well as my secretary but it should be fine." She joked and he chuckled at her before getting up to let Cyrus in.

"Mr. Beene, we've compromised. We'll do the sit down with Noah Baker on Sunday night."

Cyrus seemed somewhat appeased and crossed his arms.

"And the teen magazines?"

"I'll do the shoots by myself." Fitz said firmly and Cyrus inhaled deeply, both of them ignoring Olivia's apparent shock at his declaration.

"You realise it'll be teenage dribbling stuff, shirtless and hair tousled, every 14 year old's dream man archetype?" He probed and Fitz simply look at him soundly.

"Cyrus, I think you forget who you're talking to." And with this, Cyrus nodded and began punching in numbers and details into his phone.

"Alright." He said looking up and smiling craftily, "Now we prep you."

The couple looked at each other and internally grimaced but with the feeling a single finger wrapping around his, they could grin and bear any hoops he put them through.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

It was later than they both knew by the time they climbed back into the limo after their meeting with Cyrus. He had drilled and concentrated all his force on them and they were drained form the perpetual meaningless answers that seemed endless in their supply.

She was leaned against him with her eyes drooping closed in minutes, her head against his shoulder as he followed her but not before smiling at the tenderness of the moment. They were both exhausted and in this moment, they leaned on each other to hold themselves up. He imagined this was something akin to what she looked like in the mornings, with her hair messed about and a small up quirk of a smile playing on her lips. He hoped that maybe one day he'd have the chance to confirm his theory.

Thoughts of her and them together, the memories and moments that had already been and were yet to happen swirled in his head and he felt odd to find himself swayed from this haze. HIs eyes opened and he blinked drowsily to find her looking at him intently as she often did when making a study of him.

"Come on sleepy head, walk me to my door." She hopped out of the car and helped him to his feet, steadying him as he gained his balance and yawned. They took their time moving towards the porch and the lights came on when they finally climbed the stairs. She turned to him, knowing that tomorrow things would look a lot different and the world would be less friendly but it didn't frighten her. She had the knowledge that he was with her and that he was worth fighting for. She would brave battles for him because she knew they could win the war.

"It's been… interesting to say the least." She said, hesitating before they both laughed at her choice of words, "But I wouldn't change a moment, wait no… I'd change the part where we had to let Cyrus back into the room."

He grinned like he was far younger than his years, "I can't say I disagree. But our time will come, I can feel it." He said the final part with such certainty that she would never question it. When they were ready and the moment was right, it would happen.

She reached up to give him one final kiss, feeling herself being wrapped up in him again as she pulled away. She sighed and turned away, unlocking her door with the keys she'd kept in her bag. She glanced at him one last time before opening the white frame, her eyes glinting with the same hope and uplifting sense he felt. It propelled him onwards, back into the car and on into the night.

Olivia sat down against the door, still smiling at the knowledge of him and the reaction to the feelings he stirred in her. She couldn't wait until to tomorrow, she found her mind concocting all sorts of wonderful things they'd do together but all this was shattered with the sou of a cough. She saw her mother standing in the kitchen doorway, holding a cup of tea and looking worriedly at her child.

"Olivia, I think we need to have a talk." And with that, Olivia Pope's bubble of happiness burst.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

A/N: YOU GUYS! 90 REVIEWS FOR THIS STORY! I'm so wrapped! Thank you all so much! You are the best fans ever and Gladiators rule. Thoughts on Scandal? Am I the only one who found Fitz really strange and OOC? Like just shrugging at Olivia's freeing Rowan? Also the scene at the end freaked me out, it was like she was his doll/prisoner.. any thoughts? Like, I love Olitz but she wasn't even consulted on the moving in stuff, bit strange and all… Similar or different readings? Please let me know what you thought about this chapter, next chapter we'll get the date and maybe even the interview! I'd love to get to 100 reviews maybe, pretty pretty please!? I promise if that happens I'll send a PM to everyone who reviews this chapter thanking them because seriously, you guys are incredible and you give me strength in the hardest times of Olitz.

Many MANY hugs,

Sam x