A/N: The political references in this chapter were taken from the book Keep Quiet by bestselling author Lisa Scottoline. Incidentally, if you like psychological suspense, it's an excellent read.

Chapter 29

Olivia greeted Fitz with a bright smile upon his arrival.

At first, he'd looked a little apologetic as he realized that she had her eyes closed. Oh, no, she wasn't in need of more rest, she reassured him. In fact, she had slept so well in the last few hours that she was certain that if she slept another hour she would naturally slip into a comma.

She adjusted the hospital bed to an upright position, straightened her gown, and smoothed her hair back in a seamless motion. This was only the second day since her hospitalization and she was nearly going crazy. She hoped to God she wouldn't be prescribed additional bed rest.

Fitz unbuckled Aaron from his car seat and placed him in Olivia's arms. "Oh, My! look at you! " she said to Aaron certain that he must have grown by leaps and bounds in the last 24 hours. Then, she locked eyes with Fitz. Missed you both so much," she sighed.

"Missed you too," he leaned in for a short sweet kiss. "I've got good news AND really good news!" he began pausing for effect. "Which one you wanna hear first?"

Olivia's eyes brightened, " I'm being discharged tomorrow morning," she paused. She loved the boyish grin he gave her whenever he was in a playful mood. Gosh, she really loved everything about this man. "Now... what's the really good news?" She probed, her gaze drifting to Aaron as she held him close to her chest. He had began rooting against the fabric of her gown. She was glad that in her absence he had not totally ditched breastfeeding for the bottle, she expertly lowered one of the sleeves of her dress. Fitz moved to make her more comfortable by placing pillows under her elbows and draping a receiving blanket over the baby's head.

"Well, actually...that was the really good news!" Fitz replied, pulled a chair and sat by her bedside. Seeing her slightly confused expression, he corrected himself, "Actually, they're both really good news! Are you ready?"

"Oh, Fitz! You're killing me! What's the other good news?"

He smiled mischievously, enjoying all the suspense. He was trying his best to keep things light. There was so much going on in their lives right now, they certainly needed a bit of a break.

He started by telling her that while on his way to the hospital, he had received a text message from Cyrus letting him know that the results of his investigation. Apparently, Claire's parents were both deceased and she had no other family. The only loose end was Claire's scumbag of a boyfriend- a scam artist whose whereabouts were largely unknown.

Fitz did not see the need to look any further into the matter. "As far as I'm concerned there's no one with a legitimate claim to Aaron," he concluded.

Olivia sighed a huge sigh of relief, casting a loving glance at baby Aaron as he nursed. This was the part she loved the most, the way his gaze locked into hers, trusting and innocent. Olivia had the clear sense that she was not only giving him nourishment but most importantly, her love, protection and reassurance that she would always be there for him.

Shortly after that, Fitz left to grab something at the hospital cafeteria. He still needed to discuss Karen with Olivia. There was so much to talk about, he felt he needed a few moments alone to gather his thoughts. Moreover, he felt he probably would be able to think better on a full stomach.

As if on cue, Eli pope strolled in to visit Olivia less than five minutes later.

"You just missed Fitz, he just left," Olivia told him after their initial hug.

Eli cocked his head just so. One look at his daughter confirmed what he had suspected from their phone conversations: Olivia was romantically involved with this man.

His attention turned to Aaron whose face was partially covered by the receiving blanket draped over Olivia's shoulder.

"I just talked to your doctor," his gaze shifted back to Olivia. "she thinks you will be okay at this point. Just wants to keep you a little longer for observation."

Olivia had given her dad the heads-up about Aaron so he wouldn't be shocked when he came to visit, yet she could feel his eyes burning with questions.

Furthermore, she had also explained over the phone the reason for her hospitalization. It had been an awkward conversation to say the least...all of a sudden she found herself talking to her dad about the 'miscarriage scare'- a pregnancy he had known nothing about until that moment.

For a few moments there was an awkward silence.

"Dad, this is Aaron," Olivia said feeling a tad uncomfortable under her dad's silent scrutiny.

Eli pope made a sort of grunting noise that could have passed as an variation of uh huh. Then more silence. Olivia could see the wheels in his head turning.

"This is a lot to take on, Olivia..." he shook his head, the intensity of his gaze overbearing. "Two babies? "his lips curved into somewhat of an enigmatic smile. " In fact, I'm having trouble wrapping my head around this..."

"I can handle it, Dad! I'm not 15 anymore" Olivia quickly replied. Only belatedly did she realize what a slip of the tongue that had been. As it was, her father had never found out about her teenage pregnancy. Yet she had spoken as though he'd known, as though at any point in time she had ceased being the perfect daughter in his eyes.

The burden of her dad's over the top expectations had always weighed heavily on her.

"I'm pregnant" she had told her father many times in her head back then. In her mind's eye, she had been chilled to the bone by the dark expression behind his eyes, the type that she was sure to make sharks feel nervous and disoriented.

Eli threw his head back and laughed. "A parent's job is never over, Olivia...as you will soon find out."

For a fraction of second, Olivia was taken aback by her father's laughter but then she quickly blinked her musings away.

When he spoke again, all trace of laughter had vanished, "I don't think you've thought about this long and hard, Olivia," his gaze lingering on Aaron. "In reality, this child doesn't belong to you..."

"If this is about him being white," she cut in.

Eli raised his index finger shushing her with the intensity of his stance and body language. "It will be hard for you when they take him away...but make no mistake, You Olivia Pope are not supposed to raise him," he concluded with an unquestionable air of finality. "

The words echoed through Olivia's brain like wildfire. She cringed inwardly as there was a part of her that allowed his words to carry more weight than they ought to.

"Dad," Olivia shook her head and pursed her lips. "Claire had no next of kin, the biological father wanted nothing to do with this baby and.."

"Sure, sure, " he began in a condescending tone and a hint of a smirk, " and that magically makes him yours to keep?" he scoffed.

Olivia Lifted Aaron onto her shoulder, gently patted his back and kissed his temple and forehead. She needed a minute to gather her thoughts. She was upset but she couldn't allow herself to be emotional in front of her father as he despised any and all signs of weakness. "I'm sorry you feel this way. But there's nothing I wouldn't do... I love this child, and..." she paused, matching the intensity of his gaze." And I will do everything in my power to keep him."

There was another long silence in which Olivia held his gaze unwavering.

"All right" Eli Pope smiled knowingly at her determination to keep Aaron. "The way I see it, there's only one way you can keep him. " he went on to say more. Olivia listened intently, not quite sure what to make of his apparent change of heart.

Ten minutes later, Fitz came back to Olivia's hospital room to find Olivia and her father quietly conversing. At once, he noticed Olivia did not look as happy as half an hour ago.

"Thank you," he said to the nurse who was busily tending Olivia and taking her vitals. A quick scan of his surroundings revealed that Aaron was asleep in one of those hospital baby bassinets he had requested.

"You're very welcome, Mr. Grant," the nurse- young and pretty- said with a smile.

While the nurse made some notes on her clipboard and got ready to exit the room, Olivia made the appropriate introductions. Fitz noticed that she looked a bit preoccupied.

"Oh, yes, so you're the one I talked to at the Looking Glass Station, " Eli said to Fitz as a way of a greeting while extending his arm for a handshake. Fitz noticed that his handshake was firm but brief.

"Fitz is an attorney in environmental law," Olivia stated. "His dad is an EPA judge. "

"Ahh...interesting," Eli turned to Fitz, "are you planning on following your father's footsteps?"

"Have you ever been audited by the IRS?"

"No, I can't say that I've had the pleasure..." he smirked.

"Well, being nominated for a federal position is like being audited on a quarterly basis for the next five years...not to mention a barrage of in-depth FBI background checks on family and friends which can also take years...in other words, your life is pretty much on hold while you wait for approval by the senate, " he paused and smiled at Olivia. "I think I'll pass...if one day I entertain any political ambitions, I think I will go straight to the top and run for president instead," he smirked to himself.

Fitz paused his gaze shifting between Olivia and her father.

A once, it became clear to him that Olivia had other things on her mind, her mind elsewhere.

"Well, at least you would have a head start with the FBI...since they already have a big file on you," Eli casually replied.

"Indeed," Fitz mumbled. He had his fair share of face to face interviews with the FBI already. Even though he had hated the intense scrutiny, He'd had nothing to worry about as he had nothing to hide... yet he knew better than to voice questions regarding Eli Pope's background check. This was not the right time for this- definitely not.

"Olivia tells me you went to Harvard?" Fitz inquired in an attempt to bring Olivia back to the conversation. He punctuated the question with a slight tilt of the head that bordered between polite interest and plain curiosity.

Fitz probed doing his best to appear as though he was just making conversation.

Eli Pope pursed his lips regarding Fitz intently, then his demeanor instantly relaxed. However, when he spoke it was clear to Fitz that the man was purposely measuring his words. "I got the degree but I never practiced law. I'm more of a free spirit, if you will. I like to keep my options open. "

Fitz nodded in understanding. He recalled Olivia mentioning that her dad owned a number of businesses and of course of his current post as director of the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

"Well, I really ought to get going, " Eli moved to kiss Olivia's forehead. "You take it easy, " then he turned to Fitz. " Make sure she calls me twice a day, let me know how she's doing."

Fitz nodded. "Will do," he said his attention now focused on Olivia. She'd been so quiet, something was bothering her.

He sat by her side, taking her hand in his, glad to finally be alone with her. "You're an amazing woman, you know that?", he spoke with admiration. "How are you feeling? Do you need some rest?"

Unexpected tears burned in her eyes. "I don't deserve this, Fitz, "she said with a pained look on her face.

Fitz raised his left eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't deserve Aaron, or this baby...or you. " she looked away, blinking away the tears. "I don't deserve a second chance."

His eyes widened, not understanding. "Liv, what's wrong?"

"Fitz, there's something about me... something that you need to know."

Olivia took a deep breath and looked to the closest wall, willing herself to say the words. It suddenly became crystal clear that she needed to tell him everything about the past she was fighting. He wouldn't understand who she was and where she was coming from until he knew.

"I got pregnant when I was fifteen." she mumbled.

A/N:

Hmm...in the end, what did Rowan tell Olivia exactly? We'll find out another time. Next time for sure we'll continue exactly where this chapter left off...

Boy, that was an intense chapter, wasn't it?

Just to lighten the mood, I'll relate a recent conversation between me and my muse: ( just a little interlude? :D

Setting: waiting in line at a drive thru. During this busy holiday season, who has time to eat right?

ME: "Gosh, you really can't do this...you're about to make an important reveal only to introduce yet another unknown variable."

MUSE: It's no big deal... besides, you know quite well this is how I like to write. Look, if you don't like it, try writing without me (translation: Good luck with that!).

ME: Wait a minute! I'm just saying that..."

MUSE (glaring at me) : "Fine. I'll join an union, go on a hunger strike if you like." (crosses her arms and pouts.)

ME: "Okay, fine" (I say begrudgingly) "You can write however you want."

MUSE: (smiling) "Well, I'm certainly glad to hear that. Another chapter coming right up...Oh, almost forgot...would you like some fries with that? They're complementary."

ME: "Sweet! Now you're talking!"

NOTE:

I split this chapter into two parts. If I had included here what I wrote for the next chapter it would have been too much happening in this one chapter. but you know, it shouldn't take me too long to have the next chapter up since I got at least 50% of it already written :)