A big thank you to everyone who has reviewed. i know the last two chapters have been short, so heres a longer one for putting up with me. If this seems familiar it's because it's Liv's version of Chapter 8.

Fitz's hand dropped from Olivia's stomach, and he took a step back, he was puzzled and a look of bewilderment flashed across his face. "What?" He asked trying to read Olivia's expression.

"My fellow Americans, I come to you tonight from this podium to tell you that I will no longer be seeking re-election," Olivia said verbatim, the words had been burned into her memory ever since she found that piece of paper in his top desk drawer.

"Mr President, did you have a look at the campaign material I had sent to you?" Olivia asked, she was formal as there were still some aides in earshot.

"Briefly. The flash drive is on my desk," he replied.

"Alright, I will go get it," Olivia said standing up.

"You sure?" Fitz asked.

"Its fine, I have to go to the bathroom anyway," she explained in a half whisper before leaving the conference room. Olivia made her way to the Oval Office, said hello to Lauren and then pushed the office door open.

She made her way over to behind Fitz's desk. Looking for the USB she opened the desk drawer and riffled through the papers. Her eyes fell upon some scary words. Pulling a piece of paper out of a stack she stood reading the speech over and over. He was giving up the Presidency for her and the baby. How could he do that? Especially after how many times she had told him that that wasn't an option.

Olivia took a quick photo of the document, even though she would probably never forget those words. Replacing the paper back into the pile, she made her way out of the office to Fitz's secretary's desk.

"Lauren, does the President have a press conference planned?" Olivia asked. Maybe the speech was just a fantasy. Maybe he hadn't acted on it. Maybe she still had time to convince him of what not to do.

"One for Friday night," the secretary answered.

"Did he give a reason?" Olivia asked, just hoping that her suspicions were wrong.

"No," she said looking at the screen. "Is there a problem?"

"Thank you, Lauren," Liv replied before walking back into the Oval. Everything wasn't easy before, it was far from simple, but now, everything had changed, and not for the better.

Olivia opened the desk drawer again, but she didn't move, she just stared, she didn't know what to do, or how to handle it. She was so lost in thought she didn't hear the door open or even notice Fitz walk in. She heard him say something but couldn't be 100% certain of what it was.

"What?" she asked,

"Because it's right there on the desk," he said pointing to a stack of papers with a USB clearly on top. Olivia looked over to where he was pointing and feigned embarrassment. Picking the memory stick up, she breathed out a laugh. She had to control herself, they were in a delicate situation right now.

"I thought you said it was in the drawer?" Liv lied, it was better if he didn't suspect anything yet.

"You already have pregnancy brain," Fitz laughed as he made his way over to her.

"I do not have pregnancy brain," Liv disagreed, though maybe it would be easier if she pretended he was right, might make him less suspecting, and it gave her a reason as to why she had been in his office so long.

"There's no shame Livvie…even Mellie had it, especially with Karen, not so much with Teddy," Fitz said holding onto her side. Olivia laughed awkwardly, she couldn't imagine Mellie with pregnancy brain. "You were good in there, I'd vote for me," Fitz said moving the conversation on. Liv forced a smile at his joke, but under the circumstances it wasn't all that funny.

"Only as good as the candidate," she said, not taking the compliment. If she could remind him that he was the best candidate, then maybe he would rethink the ticking time bomb in his top drawer.

"Well this candidate is very happy to have you on the team," he said placing his lips on hers.

"We should get back, they can't really do anything without the one of us," Liv said pulling away, it was hard for her to be alone with him right now.

/

There was a knock on the door and Olivia stood up to let Abby in. She had been walking circles around her apartment since she returned home that afternoon, but nothing had become any clearer to her. She called her friend a half hour ago, she needed someone to bounce ideas off of, and for someone to tell her she wasn't going crazy for the things she'd been thinking.

"Usually when you call me in a frenzy I'd bring wine, but…" she trailed off, both knowing the end of the sentence. "So?" Abby asked placing her bag on the coffee table. Olivia didn't hint at much on the phone, but giving the situation she was currently in, it couldn't be all that good.

Olivia took a seat on the white sofa, and Abby followed suit. Liv closed her eyes before and placed her hand on her stomach before saying a word. "On Friday night, Fitz is going to stand at the podium and announce to the world that he will no longer be seeking a second term," she explained, and as each word came out her mouth Abby's eyes bulged in confusion.

"When did he tell you?" Abby asked.

"He didn't. He doesn't know I know. And we're going to need to keep it that way," Liv said, she wasn't sure how she was going to do that, but she was determined to figure it out.

"What do you mean? How'd you find out?" Abby asked again, her head was filled with a million questions, she could only imagine how Olivia was feeling about all this.

"I found his speech today, it said he was conceding for unforeseen family matters, and he would appreciate privacy at this difficult time," she said remembering a second part of the speech. "He's giving up for me and the baby. I don't want that. I've told him countless times I didn't want that. There's no way I'm letting him go up there and read those words to the nation. Not if I can stop it," Liv finished.

"Can you stop it?" Friday was still a few days away, but Abby didn't think it would be that easy to change the President's mind, not if he was this far down the rabbit-hole. Abby knew her friend was in an impossible situation, and she didn't envy her in the slightest. But that being said Abby would help Liv with anything she needed, and she meant anything.

Olivia looked away, she'd thought of something, but it involved lying to him, and she knew it would hurt him beyond anything. But what other way was there? Liv hated lying to Fitz, ever since she had found out she was pregnant she had tried really hard not to keep anything secret from him. She thought they were on the same page when it came to sharing things between them. But if he couldn't tell her something as important as giving up the Presidency, then maybe they weren't as far along as she thought they had become.

She'd tried to dabble with the idea of him leaving the White House and them moving away to finally start their life together, and although it was simple and would be ideal, it wouldn't be right. She didn't care if Fitz wasn't the President. But not winning the election and conceding before the votes had been counted were not the same thing.

"You could still get an abortion, no baby no problem," Abby said, she knew it wasn't the best solution but it did have a way of working everything out.

"No, I couldn't do that," Liv said shaking her head and holding her stomach, it wasn't that she was against it, it was that she had grown attached to the baby growing inside her. And she knew if Fitz ever found out the truth he would never forgive her. An abortion wasn't a solution, it was just another complication. The only way she was losing this child was by natural causes. And then it hit her. "I think I know what I have to do."

"And you thought that was enough of a reason to deceive me for three months? You could have talked to me when you found it," Fitz said still a little in shock over everything he had found out since landing in Vermont.

"What? Like when you talked to me? Did you do that before writing your first draft? Or was that after you planned the press conference?" She argued back

"That press conference could have been about anything. You couldn't have known what I was going to actually end up saying up there," Fitz said in rebuttal.

"What were you going to say, Fitz?" Oliva asked, though she was completely certain that she was right, and could tell he was trying to get himself out of the grave he had dug. Fitz just stared on at her. He didn't have an answer. "Because it wasn't just a coincidence that after you thought I miscarried the press conference was no longer in your calendar. Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me you weren't going to stand up at the podium and throw away everything we've worked for. Tell me," Liv requested, almost pleading. There was nothing she wanted more then to be wrong, but she knew that in this situation she wasn't.

"It doesn't matter now," he said. She was right. He was going to go up there and concede. He had thought losing the baby was karma for the choice he had made and cancelled the press conference as soon as he woke up the next morning. Little did he know he was right.

"Doesn't matter? As a citizen of this country, your campaign manager and your girlfriend, I completely disagree. It matters," she replied.

"I made a decision-" Fitz began, but got cut off before he could continue any further on.

"And I made mine."

Olivia and Abby stood in the longue room. It had taken them a few days to get to this point. Liv hoped she wouldn't have to make this call. She'd been hoping Fitz would bring up what the speech with her, but he never did. Olivia had steered the conversation in that direction multiple times since she found out, so he definitely had the opportunity to discuss it with her. But time was running out. He was going to stand behind the White House podium tomorrow night and send shockwaves throughout the world.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Abby asked, she was there for moral support, and not to mention being an important piece of Liv's plan.

"No, but it's the only way," Liv said looking down at her phone. She knew Fitz was in meetings all night, he had been for the past couple of nights, which, Olivia guessed, was why the press conference was going to be on Friday night and not any sooner. Liv knew she had to leave him a message, if she actually had to talk to him, she would have backed out and would have lost all control.

She dialled the number before hitting the call button. She nervously waited at each ring, and although she knew he shouldn't pick up, she couldn't help thinking he might. Finally after what felt like over twenty rings, the recorded voice came on to say leave a message after the tone.

"Fitz," Olivia started and she made her voice wobble. "Something doesn't feel right," she continued, and she hoped her words and tone would convey what she wanted them to. "Abby's taking me to my doctor," her voice was shaky mostly because of the nerves and the guilt she harboured. "I'll let you know how it goes," she finished before ending the call. It was done. The first part of the plan was complete and she knew it would start the ball rolling.

Fitz needed to sit down, even though he had spent the last couple of hours sitting in a helicopter he was beyond exhausted. Finding out the woman you loved had spent a quarter of a year lying to you, and wrongfully mourning the death of your child would have that effect on anyone. Liv followed Fitz out of the kitchen and took a seat on the edge of the sofa that she had been sitting on before Fitz had startled her.

Normally she would have been heading off to bed soon, but right now sleep was the farthest thing from her mind. They had a thousand things that needed to be discussed and that needed to be done sooner rather than later.

I hope you enjoyed (and i hope FFN didnt stuff up the italics too much-ive notice it does that sometimes, so apologies if it did and was a little confusing.)

Please review and let me know what you think. Who do you think is more in the wrong?