Olivia felt like she had already had a full day. Between spending time in the shower with Fitz and the emotional discussion they had barely had time to finish she was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Truly the day had barely begun. They had a lot to plan and to deal with. Michael and Huck were sitting at a table in the same bar from last night, the smell of liquor replaced by freshly brewed coffee. They each had a mug in front of them. Huck was typing away on his computer and Michael looked annoyed. Olivia didn't have to wonder long what had pissed him off so early,

"Stephan called me. He's helping us. Said his father is meeting with out father and he plans to get in invitation to the meeting. I can't believe that worked."

"He hates his father a lot more than he thinks he loves me." Fitz stiffened a bit at her words. The idea that another man was in love with her bothered him. Not that he didn't understand it, there were times when he wondered how every man in the room didn't fall on their knees in front of her, but Stephan actually knew her. It was different.

"How are we going to explain you staying here to Dad? He's going to assume you'd go back to school to finish." Claudia was done talking about Stephan, as far as she was concerned he was irrelevant.

"I'm going to go talk to him. Try to make some progress, if I can't I'll tell him what he wants to hear until we can work out how to oust him."

"Wait what?" Michael was stunned his sisters were talking like this. He knew their father needed to be handled, but he didn't really think that would be the plan.

"You know in order for me to get away from him we need to take his power and control away. We take away the business we take away the majority of his connections. People outside the family are only loyal to him as long as he provides them with something, they don't care who is in charge. People inside the family are already loyal to you Michael. We get the outsiders the insiders will follow the power. If Stephan's father is involved with Dad that means they've got a business connection. We sever that and it's a start for you to get in. Repair the bond and you've got the family behind you and Dad will be forced to retire and hand over the reins."

"Do you really think it will be that simple Olivia? Sever one connection and he will go off into that good night?"

"Of course not. But we have until May. He won't demand me to come back until then. One step at a time. This gets you looked at as a leader, the more people you get behind you the more people will see that. It needs to be gradual, so that he doesn't realize it until its too late."

"I don't get it, why is he risking everything to get you to come back? Don't get me wrong I love you Olivia, but he never raised you like he did Claudia and I." Olivia looked down she spent the better part of last night thinking the same thing. Without looking up she replied quietly,

"Because he didn't have to." They all stared at her except for Fitz, who put his hand on her leg. "You guys were raised and bred for this. I was born for it. I already am cold and clinical. I am my father's daughter. Spending so much time with Grams and loving you guys dampened it so that I didn't become the monster that he is, but its there. He saw it and now he wants to use it." The realization hit each of them at different times. Michael gave a dark laugh,

"We always thought you were the lucky one."

"I will be." She had a look of utter determination on her face. After a pause she started again. "Tell Stephan we want to know what's going on immediately after. Fitz and I will go to the house, you guys start outlining Dad's connections as they are now, I've been out of the loop for too long. Huck can you do me a favor?"

"Of course."

"Barcelona is going to be at the midland, get me six tickets." He gave her a look.

"I need to blow off some steam with my family, I need a real drink. I also love that band and I already missed the Arctic Monkeys, besides I'm taking my man on a date." She gave Fitz a wink. He had always made an effort to take her out of town so that they could go out instead of spending all their time locked up in one of their apartments, hiding out in dark restaurants, or meeting at a movie. There was no way he was going to let her feel wrong or dirty for what they were doing. It wasn't something they could do every weekend, so they had been on very few dates given how long they had been together. Tonight she would make it up to both of them.

"Do you think it's a good idea? What if someone sees you?"

"Oh do mobsters hangout at clubs now? I need something to look forward to so I don't try and strangle my father for the no doubt horrendous things he's going to say to me." Huck nodded in agreement and quickly ordered the tickets online.

"Done." She smiled at him gratefully.

"Thanks Huck." Michael and Claudia were already discussing connections as they pulled out of map of Kansas City to mark up territory. She took the chance to try and convince Fitz not to go with her to see her Dad.

"So it looks like they could use some help here, Huck can drive me home, then I'll get all dressed and we can dance and you'll hate it." She said smiling hoping her tone had some finality without it sounding like an order. He glared.

"You will drive us over to your father's. I will go in with you. We will come home, you'll be grumpy, but I'll say something charming and you'll put on something sexy to torture me. You'll make fun of my dancing and I'll hate it." The tone she was aiming for he had nailed. That was exactly what was going to happen. She nodded giving her consent.

"Let's get this over with." Michael tossed her the keys,

"Keep it below sixty Liv it's a rental." She rolled her eyes and started walking out the door Fitz following closely behind. Everyone knew she had a habit of speeding, which wasn't a problem when she was in Rhode Island driving her car. She rarely got pulled over and when she did talking her way out of it was so easy it was more an inconvenience than a challenge. For high school graduation she had bought herself the car of her dreams, a baby blue 1969 ford Mustang. If a cop dared pull her over in her baby the sight of a hot chick in a hot car was guaranteed to allow her to get away with a warning. Fitz loved her car, she had taught him how to drive a five speed in it after their first date. He drove a BMW X5, that she loved making fun of, but they usually took his car, it was less conspicuous.
He never realized what a truly terrifying driver she was until they were swerving in and out of lanes and she was yelling curses at anyone that wasn't doing five over the posted speed limit. He sat there the whole time clutching the door and thanking god they only had a short trip.

"You know that break you keep hitting over there isn't real?" She snapped at him.

"Yeah but that red light is Liv!" She slammed the brakes as she saw the light change from yellow to red.

"I totally could have made that!" He gave her a look and she noticed he was a little green. She grinned to herself but tried to ease up a bit too. He relaxed into his seat a bit as she calmed down the speed racer routine. It seemed just as he relaxed she tensed. Turning into the drive way she looked over at Fitz,

"I'm not going to waste my breath and say stay here, but just know that whatever he says or does I love you Fitz. Nothing can change that. We are in this together."

"And I won't waste my breath and tell you don't worry. I love you too. We are in this together." He got out of the car and she took a big inhale, he came around to open her door and held out his hand for her and they walked towards the door ready to face the chaos together.