The next morning Fitz woke up and immediately reached out for olivia. Usually when he woke up she was right on top of him, at the very least she had an arm or a leg thrown over him. This morning however when he reached out he didn't find anything but cold space.

The realization of where they where and why finally hit him. He reached over to check the phone and see what time it was. Figuring out that not only was it only five am, but that he had two missed calls from Claudia and one from Abby. His first order of business was to find olivia and Scarlett. He would worry about the calls later. Much later.

"Livvie?" He half yelled, afraid that Scarlett had gone to sleep in her own bed, and not wanting to wake her.

"We're in here." He heard her reply and followed the sound of her voice. As soon as he walked into the room he saw them sitting together in pajamas eating cereal and watching and old episode of the Rugrats. He still looked exhausted. He had his puppy face on, half asleep, half confused. That look usually made it hard for her to even think about getting out of bed, but about half an hour ago she felt the mattress move and the weight from Scarlett's little body left her chest. She quickly found her in the kitchen climbing on a chair to get herself something to eat.

"Whatcha doing little one?" Olivia asked immediately nervous seeing her climbing on the counter.

"I'm hungry." Scarlett told olivia like it should have been obvious what she was up to.

"Me too, I guess we kinda forgot to feed you last night." Olivia realized they hadn't even thought about feeding the child.

"I wasn't really hungry last night." Scarlett said. Scarlett wanted to make sure she was as easy to deal with as possible.

"Well I'm pretty hungry too and I bet Fitz is too. Let's see what we've got." Olivia lifted her off the counter and went over the kitchen. Olivia's heart immediately dropped into her stomach. Aside from some milk and a loaf of bread a few condiments the fridge was empty.

"We were eating out a lot when mom was sick. She couldn't cook anymore." Olivia immediately felt some what relieved, but still she was angry Kim had waited all this time to tell Fitz. Scarlett shouldn't have had to go through that alone. What was worse was that one day Scarlett would realize it too and be angry at her mother. Olivia vowed to make sure that never happened.

"So peanut butter and jelly?" Olivia asked.

"No thank you."

"Let me guess you hate peanut better?"

"Yep."

"So does Fitz." Olivia smiled when she saw Scarlett beam at finding something else in common with her brother.

"Can we have cereal?" Scarlett asked.

"Sure sweets whatever you want." Olivia pulled out the gallon of milk and was happy to find it was well before it's expiration.

"Fruit loops, captain crunch, or corn flakes?" Scarlett asked reaching into the cabinet.

"Hmm I say we mix the captain crunch and fruit loops and leave the corn flakes for Fitz." Olivia proposed looking for big bowls.

"Deal." Scarlett and olivia sat chatting over cereal, Scarlett asking olivia who her favorite president was and Greek myth is her favorite. Olivia asked Scarlett her favorite food, color, and cartoons.

Fitz walked in to the kitchen just as Scarlett was discussing the Rugrats pre and post the addition of Kimmi. She was speaking so seriously if he wasn't paying attention he would have mistaken it for a conversation about her presidential career.

"Morning ladies." Fitz said as he plopped himself down in a chair and poured himself breakfast.

"Morning fitzy!" Scarlett said with a smirk.

"I didn't put her up to it I swear!" Olivia immediately put her hands up claiming her innocence when Fitz shot her a look.

"It's what my mom said dad used to call you." Scarlett explained awkwardly.

"Well that solves that mystery." Olivia said under her breath looking at Fitz sympathetically

"He did, but I don't really like it, you call call me pretty much anything else, except late to dinner." Scarlett stared at him, not really getting his cheesy joke, but when she saw olivia roll her eyes at him she copied to expression.

"My sister and brother call him flyboy." Olivia added helpfully.

"Thanks Olly!" Fitz said emphasizing the nickname. Scarlett quickly decided flyboy wouldn't be anymore well received than Fitzy. Scarlett laughed when olivia stuck her tongue out at him.

"Speaking of, CeeCee called me twice. You might want to call her back before she books herself a flight." Olivia gave Fitz a weary look. She had seen the missed calls on her own phone.

"Yeah I texted her this morning so she knows were okay."

"She won't believe you until you talk to her." Fitz insisted and she knew he was right.

"Who's CeeCee?" Scarlett asked with a mouth full of cereal, it was the first juvenile thing they had seen her do.

"My older sister. She lives in Kansas with the rest of my family." Scarlett nodded in understanding while Fitz gave her a pointed look, telling her that he wouldn't drop the subject.

"You don't have to tell her if you don't want to I can." Fitz told her.

"I just think it's a face to face conversation and she will know I'm not telling her something as soon as I call her." Olivia told him feeling guilty. It was rare she kept anything from her family, especially Claudia.

"Want me to book them a flight? Ask her to help us move?" Fitz suggested helpfully.

"Actually that would be great. I'm sure Claudia would be the only one that could get away, but I would still feel better." Olivia beamed at his thoughtfulness. Scarlett stayed quiet the whole conversation just watching them.

"When are we going to Rhode Island uhm home?" She said home like she was testing the word, to see how it felt in her mouth.

"We know it won't feel like home for a long time, that's okay you don't have to feel guilty for anything. Were going to our house on Monday." Olivia told her, wanting to respect her hesitance and emotional bond to the house and Washington, D.C.

"Here's the deal little one, I'm not used to being around little kids, and livvy hasn't been around them in a really long time and the whole big brother thing is new. Whenever you need or want something you just tell us okay? The only way this works is if the three of us are a team and we all know what we expect from each other. Deal?" Fitz spoke frankly to her.

He figured when he was a kid he didn't want people handling him, he still didn't, so he wanted to offer the same to Scarlett.

"Deal." Scarlett said offering her pinky. Olivia reached out and took it and after a beat of confusion Fitz added his hand. The three of them sat together finishing their breakfast and picking up where the conversation went off before Olivia's phone rang again.

"It's Abby." She said looking at the phone and giving Fitz a pointed look.

"I need to have her help with some stuff at the apartment." Olivia said vaguely picking up the phone and leaving the kitchen.

"What?"

"I hate that you answer the phone like that! What if the president or something was calling you."

"I'm fairly certain if the president was calling me I'd have bigger problems than how I answered the phone."

"Where have you been? I talked to Michael. He said he didn't know where you are either. Everyone is worried. I think Huck is about to get on a plane."

"Ugh we haven't even been gone twenty four hours Abby and you called Michael to try and find me?"

"Well that's not the only reason I called." Abby said suggestively.

"Ew."

"We were just talking about… stuff. No reason to get your panties in a bunch. Not that I would mind..."

"Abby! Filter!"

"Right sorry, but I really do like him. Do you think he likes me? You Popes are so unflappable!"

"You called because you want to talk about you wanting to date and possible screw my big brother? You don't think that's grossly inappropriate?"

"Who else am I going to call?"

"Abby I need your help, but I need you to focus and most importantly I need you to NOT tell my brother or any other relatives for that matter before I get the chance to."

"Of course Liv, you know I'm over a cliff."

"Fitz has a sister he didn't know about. She lives in D.C. that's where we are now."

"Oh my god!" "She's seven, she's beautiful Abby," olivia said smiling fondly, "she's brilliant and she's a little mini Fitz."

"You sound like your in love all over again."

"I kind of am. Were bringing her home with us. Her mother died two days ago and her father as you know died years ago. She doesn't have anyone but us."

"Liv that's a huge deal, are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Olivia told her in a tone that made it clear she didn't want to hear that question again.

"I need you to do me a few favors. Can you get over to our apartment today?" Before she heard Abby respond, she saw Fitz walk in and she stopped pacing. He sat down on the chair and pulled her into his lap and started nuzzling his face in her hair and neck.

"Scarlett?" She whispered, holding the phone away from her face.

"Getting dressed and ready upstairs." Fitz told her, speaking into her hair.

"Sorry Abby can you still make it?"

"Yeah whatever you need."

"Okay first under the lid of the toilet there's a gun. It has to be out of the house. I can't have a kid living around a loaded gun. And before you ask yes you can keep it, just don't try to register it, the serial number is gone." Fitz quirked an eyebrow at her and she shrugged, "Dead girls can't get gun licenses or register guns away."

"I'll handle it." Abby told her, not really phased. She might have said the Popes were unflappable, but the best thing about Abby was that as obnoxious as her personality was it took a lot to throw her.

"I need you to run a few errands too. The house won't be ready for a few days and Scarlett won't have anywhere to sleep, not to mention we don't have a car to drive her in. The jeep just needs to be picked up, I told them you can do it. You'll need to show them ID but they'll give it over. We'll need a car seat, I'll send a picture of the type. There's cash in my copy of the Federalist Papers on the book shelf. There should be plenty. Can you get some kid friendly food too, and drop the Jeep and the car seat in overnight parking at the airport? I know it's a lot. You don't have to do it until Monday. We land Monday at three thirty."

"No Liv it's fine. I'll handle it. Does she need anything else? I don't really know what kids need. Maybe you can just send her my way when she's sixteen for her first martini or something." Abby joked.

"Absolutely not!" She heard Fitz in the background.

"Overprotective already?"

"Understatement. It's pretty adorable though." Olivia added uncharacteristically dreamy.

"Ew."

"Consider it payback for my brother. Who, by the way, has asked about you every time we talk." Olivia added to assuage Abby's concern. As weird as it was for Abby and Michael to like each other, it made sense. Abby's outspoken lack of a filter matched Michaels toned down and reserved personality in a way where both admired the other without finding their opposite traits annoying.

"Can you blame him? How many girls can discuss the merits of the Saturday night special and throw their ankles behind their ears?"

"I know of three, not including myself." Olivia said sardonically.

"Liv!" Fitz, smiling broadly, and Abby, stunned, both exclaimed at the same time, not used to her engaging with Abby's smuttiness.

"Sorry I'm tired." She said sheepishly looking at Fitz.

"Okay miss pervy perv perv I'll call you when I get everything done." With that Abby hung up without bothering to wait for a reply.

Olivia turned to face Fitz more fully. She began to run her fingers through the curls at the base of his head. He made a small noise from the back of his throat.

"How are you holding up Bee?"

"Honestly I'm just grateful. She's smart and well behaved and sweet and adorable. I've got an amazing woman to help me who keeps thinking of everything."

"She's pretty great. Is there anything you need from me?"

"Hmm staying just like this and maybe a kiss?" He asked shyly. He knew she was trying to be more reserved when Scarlett was around, but she was in her room and occupied.

"I can make both work." She have him a gentle kiss without moving off of his lap, but he pulled her closer to him before she could get away. She was about to move her lips from his lips to his jaw when she heard his phone ringing. Both groaned as olivia reluctantly got off his lap and handed him his phone.

"It's Quinn," he told her before answering.

"Hello"

Olivia made her way into the kitchen to clear off the dishes only to find Scarlett at the sink attempting to wash them.

"Whatcha doing little bit?" Olivia asked her in the tone she usually reserved just for Fitz.

"Cleaning up. I didn't want to leave the dishes."

"Did your mom have you do the dishes for chores?" Olivia asked curious, wanting to make sure that they remained consistent with what was expected of her.

"Not really." She answered cagily.

"Why don't you go grab Fitz and I'll finish this?" She was having a hard time reaching the sink and really olivia didn't think kids should have to worry about cleaning, unless they were cleaning up after themselves. She and Fitz had discussed it and decided that since neither one of them really cleaned, there was no reason to give Scarlett chores aside from expecting her to clean up after herself, which it seemed wouldn't really be a problem.

At the same time olivia had finished putting the dishes away Fitz wandered in with Scarlett on his back. Olivia smiled at how easily he slid into the big brother role and adorable he looked with a child slung across him.

"Quinn said I have to come to the office to sign everything. Only problem is I don't have anything to wear to a lawyers office."

"I packed a few dress shirts and slacks."

"Those are French cut shirts, I don't have any cuff links, besides I need some new ones anyways." He have her a pointed look and she knew exactly why he needed new ones. The day they signed the papers on the house, she had torn his shirt off the second they walked through the door.

"Sorry," she said her tone suggested she meant it but her face clearly indicated she had no regrets. "Do you want me to run out and get them or do you want to go?"

"Can we all go?" Scarlett's soft voice hit both of them. It was the first thing she'd asked for since they'd met.

"Uhm we really need to get some stuff packed..." Fitz said hesitantly.

"Yeah sweets we will all go." Olivia told her not allowing Fitz to say no to her.

"Go grab your coat okay?" Fitz said waiting for her to be out of ear shot, "You know we will have to say no to her eventually right?" Fitz told her wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Not with the way things are going. I caught her doing the dishes earlier. I told her not to worry about that kind of stuff. We can talk to her about it when we get home."

"When we go home are we going home home?"

"I think we need to stay at the apartment at least for a week or so. I'll call Cyrus and get us out of his final, but we'll both still have one other final that week." She laid her head on his chest wishing they could go straight to their house, but they'd need more than an empty house, especially with Scarlett with them now.

"Have you slept since we got here Livvie?"

"Mhm." She snuggled further into his chest hoping he couldn't see her face, he would be able to tell it was a lie.

"You need rest Livvie. I'll take her with me to the lawyer and you can grab a nap."

"I'm fine, I'm more worried about you."

"I just need you healthy."

"I'll nap later. Promise." He answered her with a kiss on the top of her head, making her laugh.

"Okay let's go guys!" Scarlett came bounding down the stairs. Her voice was excited, but her eyes were still sad, almost gray, and bloodshot.

"Can we sit down and talk for a minute?" Olivia asked her, exchanging a look with Fitz. She didn't want the little girl repressing anything and hurting herself in the long run.

Olivia and Fitz sat down on either side of her and she immediately snuggled into Olivia, who melted at the contact.

"We just want to make sure that you know that if you're sad or angry or you miss your mom you can talk to us." Olivia began, "We don't really know your mom and things are going to be really different for you, and no matter how you feel you can always tell us."

"I miss my Mom, and I was really scared I wouldn't have anyone to live with. I thought I would have to live alone until Quinnie told me you were going to keep me. Now I miss her, but she told me to be happy and I'm going to try to do that even when I'm sad." Scarlett spoke in such a grown up manner, it was a moment where Fitz and Olivia realized that Scarlett was the bravest person they'd ever know.