Olivia held on to him for a while. Even after his breathing slowed she made no effort to move and neither did he.
"I'm so sorry."
"Livvie please don't say that." He finally made eye contact his eyes pleading with her.
"No, everything we've been through are going to go through. It's my fault. You're worried I'm going to leave you and I can't even be mad because that's what I do. You know me so you think I'll run. It's my fault."
"Don't. I'm the one that shut you out. I'm the one that treated you like crap all day when you've done nothing but love and take care of me. I'm sorry."
"I just, when things get bad I'm the calm one, so I just start fixing whatever I can. I don't stop to explain to worry about what other people are going through. You've been through a lot these last two days and I haven't even asked you how you're handling it. I just handled you."
"You're right. When things get bad you get calm because you've been through worse and you've made it through the other side. You're my hero Livvie. You haven't had to ask me how I'm handling this because you know. Because you're making it better." He looked at her to make sure she was hearing him. "Besides I like it when you handle me." He finally smiled and winked at her jokingly and finally her Fitz was back.
When she heard what she assumed was Huck and Harrison enter the apartment she pulled away from him a bit, only enough to see his face.
"We better go out there before they destroy the place." Fitz chuckled and looked up at her sweetly.
"We don't have to see the house until your ready Livvie. Whatever you want."
"Fitz I want to see our house, more than anything, its actually killing me. This whole I'll be surprised is losing its appeal really quickly actually. I'm dying over here. I want to go and see it more than anything but the first time we walk into our home together should be because we are running from this one. It doesn't feel right."
"You're right. I didn't think about it like that. I was just so excited for you to finally see it in person. The pictures don't do it justice."
"Besides the first time we walk in I want you to bend me over in the foyer and fuck me against those beautiful French doors."
"Livvie..." He groaned knowing that with their family outside she wouldn't get to finish what she was starting.
"It'll happen. I promise." She gave his a quick kiss but he quickly pulled her on to his lap and pulled her into a much more passionate kiss.
She had her eyes closed and her head back as he was teasing her neck with his tongue. He was allowing his hands to sneak from her lower back to her ass, before he could find grab a handful they heard Claudia yelling for her.
"Olivia Carolyn you come out here and handle this mutt before I drop him off at the nearest junk yard where he belongs!" They heard through the door followed by a bark and the muffled sound of Scarlett's distressed voice.
"One day I'm going to get her a bark collar."
"The dog or Claudia?" Fitz asked and Olivia glared at him. "Hey I'm with her on he mutt front, he's huge, and he does belong in a junk yard Livvie. The only person he listens to is you."
"Yeah well I would say the same about you so learn to love him! Besides Scar loves him and he adores her."
"He's staying. He's just ridiculous."
"That's part of his charm." She smirked at him and he leaned in to kiss her again.
"Liv!" They heard from Michael, Abby, and Claudia all at the same time and they finally got up and made their way back.
When they walked out Abby and Claudia were in the kitchen trying to cook and Boo was on his hind legs with his front paws on the counter trying to grub food. Michael was trying to convince Scarlett that Claudia was just kidding, which wasn't helped by Claudia insisting that she wasn't kidding and that he would be at the pound by tomorrow morning. Huck sat behind his computer with Zorro ignoring the chaos that he had simply become accustomed to around the Popes.
"Seriously guys!?" Olivia yelled and everyone looked up guiltily. She shook her head like a mother hen.
"Boo down!" Immediately the dog hopped down and came to stand next to her. She immediately started stretching him behind the ears. She didn't even have to bend. Fitz wrapped his arms around her from behind and smiled. Growing up he was alone most of the time. He loved the chaos of having everyone together.
"Scarlett, CeeCee won't get rid of Boo, she's just a being a brat." Olivia assured the concerned little girl prompting Claudia to childishly stick her tongue out.
"Hey I'm just glad you two are back to normal. Them not being nauseating is actually a little off putting." Abby said noticing that once again Fitz and Olivia were wrapped up in each other as usual.
"Yeah like an animal walking on it's hind legs." Claudia added cheerfully.
"Or like you two actually controlling what comes out if your mouths!" Olivia shot back at them smiling and leaning into Fitz who was letting out deep belly laughs at their antics. He kissed her shoulder, cheek, and neck for good measure making them groan. Michael was relieved he didn't have to get involved to stop whatever was bothering them, but he decided to play along.
"Minor and big brother in the room!" He added covering his eyes and Scarlett's, who giggled and tried to push his hand away.
"Okay okay fine!" Olivia said tilting her head to keep Fitz away from her neck, but not leaving his arms.
"Are you guys good in the kitchen because I would really like to sit down for some Sunday football with my man and my big brother." She pouted at Claudia knowing that look would get her what she wanted.
Pulling Fitz along behind her she tossed Michael the remote instructing him on the channel or the NFL package and flopped down next to him and Scarlett. Fitz squished his way on the other side of Olivia and Boo immediately tried to get on their laps. Fitz and Michael both groaned while Olivia continued to coo at him.
"Livvie there is no room up here!" Fitz told her as the dog tried to find a way to join in on the cuddle session. Olivia turned and pouted at him.
"Fine." Fitz rolled his eyes and pulled Olivia into his lap to make room for the dog.
"No way that works? Liv either the boyfriend sits on the floor or the dog does!" Michael said annoyed but not at all shocked it only took a look from Olivia for Fitz to break.
After climbing off Fitz lap making she made sure to give Michael a slap in the back of the head before he managed to pull her hair in retaliation before she used Scarlett as a human shield. The three adults laughed as Michael tickled Scarlett, before settling down. It was long before Olivia was yelling at the TV with Michael as Fitz sat back enjoying her passion for the game.
"Did he really just throw the ball on third and eight? Seriously? Is he stupid oh my god!" Scarlett looked up nervously at Liv's yelling afraid she was actually mad.
"It's okay Livvie, I bet your team will win."
"Liv's team isn't even playing, it gets worse, she screamed herself hoarse at the last play off game the Patriots were in." Michael told Scarlett, who continued to look confused, she simply went back to coloring. Fitz wasn't a huge football fan, growing up his father said 'a man doesn't play sports for a living' so Fitz was never able to enjoy it, but he liked the game and he loved Olivia getting all excited and passionate.
"Liv, where are your pots and pans?" Claudia asked ignoring Olivia's yelling, she was too used to it by now.
Fitz, on the other hand was worried that Claudia was angry that he put Olivia in this situation. She wasn't behaving like herself at all, she was definitely quieter than usual, she didn't even bother to yell at them for barely having any food in.
"Oh uhm yeah we don't have any, we donated the old ones and bought new ones."
"What were you planning on cooking with?"
"The Mr. Chows menu on the counter." Olivia quickly retorted never letting her eyes leave the TV. She quickly called in an order and Michael and Abby left to go get it. Fitz thought the relationship was odd, but odd in the weird way where they made sense. Michael was almost always quiet, extremely reserved, where as Abby was boisterous and chatty, but it made sense where he had a dorky sense of humor, Olivia's ran darker yet they always managed to make the other laugh.
With Michael gone Olivia stretched out and called Boo up to the couch. She rested her legs across Fitz and continued to yell at the game. As half time approached Olivia lost interest and went to go make the spare bed up for Scarlett to sleep in tonight.
"Claudia can we talk?" Fitz asked her rather awkwardly given the rapport between the two. A curious glance shot between Claudia and Olivia ask they both shrugged Claudia followed Fitz outside.
They made it as far as the truck before Fitz pulled down the tail gate and sat down. Claudia sat next to him without hesitation. Only curiosity. She figured it was related to Olivia's Christmas gift or something. The words out of Fitz's mouth were a complete shock to her.
"I feel like I owe you an explanation or apology or something. What I've done to Livvie, I know you're not happy..." She immediately cut him off.
"What the hell did you do!? I swear to god I love you like a brother but I will lay your shit bare if you cheated on her or something!"
"What no! I would never, could never, I love her, I spend every moment I'm not with her thinking about her, and honestly you know more than anyone Liv is more than a handful! When would I have the time!?"
"Then what are you talking about?" She asked concerned. Fitz looked at her almost exasperated.
"The seven year old currently in the apartment upstairs?"
"Fitz..."
"No I know that you don't want Liv being a parent at twenty two, surrogate or otherwise. It's not fair to her. Its selfish, but I can't do this, and I don't mean take care of Scarlett. I mean living day in and day out. I can't do it without Liv."
"I know Fitz." Claudia understood better than anyone the position that Fitz was in. If he was so scared and guilt ridden he would be able to see that.
"You haven't been yourself all night and I know that's why. I just want you to know that if I could change the circumstances so that this happened in ten years instead of right now I would but I can't."
"Stop, I guess I haven't been myself, oddly enough you're the only one to notice," Claudia shook her head. She and Fitz had a strange understanding as the two people who loved Olivia Pope more than life itself they had common ground that led to a close bond.
"Harrison broke up with me, it's been weird having him here."
"That son of a bitch, I swear I'll kill him with my bare hands! Does Michael know? Of course not he'd have gotten to him first!" Fitz was raging and Claudia smiled a little, thinking Olivia picked someone as protective as she was herself.
"Fitz it's not like that, he thinks I cheated on him. And I can't explain what I was doing. Apparently I'm the only Pope that can't lie, or he sees through it. I don't know. He didn't do anything wrong. I did. Well I didn't..."
"CeeCee, whatever you were doing you can tell him, Liv trusts him. He's one of us, and he loves you."
"It's so not that simple. He called while I was with Stephan's father," Fitz made a grossed out face, he couldn't seem to repress. but tried not to judge her too harshly,
"Oh god not like that! You're nasty!" She yelled at him and slapped his arm equally disgusted by the thought.
"Okay when Olivia 'died'" she said using air quotes, "Stephan ran into Michael and Michael said he was a mess. Completely and totally devastated about his lost love. But instead of chasing after her like you would have done," Fitz interrupted her,
"I wouldn't have had the opportunity. If I thought Livvie was dead I'd romeoed myself into a pine box right next to her empty one." Fitz said shuddering.
"Okay even more damning and informative, if Liv has to fake her death again you'll be the first to know." She shook her head, not because she thought he was exaggerating but because she knew he wasn't. "Back to the point. I think Stephan was faking, whether he was faking the depth of his love for her then or now I'm not sure.
Regardless I wanted to know when he found out about her being alive and if it was before he even heard it from Michael. I couldn't exactly ask Michael for more details, because not only was he totally wrecked that night, but he's all emotion. You've seen Liv at her worst, imagine that without any rational thought behind it. He's bad. Olivia is his everything. He has protected her his entire life, in ways she isn't even aware of, it would kill him to know that he was manipulated in any way.
If I told Harrison, he or Liv would find out. It would devastate Liv for her great protector to not be everything she thinks he is, even if she has a new one now," she smiled at Fitz, once again relieved Olivia found him.
"I can't do that to either one. That's why I've been off. I'm still trying to figure things out but in the mean time I'm hurting Harrison and having him here and seeing him hurting... It fucking sucks. There's no other way to put it." Claudia hung her head exhausted, but she continued. "I know you think that I resent you for putting Liv in this situation but Fitz no one understands having to parent a sibling more than me. I had to do it, with two living parents a floor away. You have to take care of your family. I would never hold that against you. You wouldn't be the man she loves if you didn't take care of Scarlett. She wouldn't want you if you pawned her off on someone else."
Fitz wrapped his arms around Claudia, once again speechless and surrounded by a Pope woman. This time the hug was much more platonic, but it held almost the same weight.
They sat on the tailgate a while longer before Fitz asked Claudia for a favor. She immediately agreed and together they went back into the apartment. A few minutes later Abby and Michael came in loaded down with bags of Chinese. They sat together, talking about football, the new house, Scarlett's drawing, that now held a place on the fridge, old memories, it was completely normal. No one looking in would have any idea what they had gone through and were still going through.