Party Time

"Come on sweetheart, time to blow out your candles!" Anne announces, immediately capturing Joshua's attention, as her now runs over excitedly.

"Yaaaaay, is it the candles on my Superman Cake?"

Irresistibly, Anne swoops him up and gives him a big kiss on his cheek… "Yes precious, it most definitely is!" She calls over to Mellie… "Mel, grab the camera!"

She retrieves it from the couch, and hurries over... "Got it!"

Well-rehearsed; Jerry goes to get the lights, as Fitz places the last candle on the cake and waits for everyone else to make their way over to the table, before finally giving the signal.

"Now dad!"

Lights off, Fitz steadily makes his way over… 3 flickering candles burning brightly as a joyful chorus of voices ring out Happy Birthday! The look of wonderment on Josh's face is simply priceless, that Olivia is now finding it hard to get the rest of the words out, completely chocked up by the moment.

She reaches for a napkin and dabs at the corners of her eyes.

"…Happy Birthday dear Joshua, Happy Birthday to you! Hip Hip Hooray… HIP HIP HOORAY!"

"Now make a wish big guy, and then blow out all the candles…" Fitz prompts him gentle.

"Make it a good one". Jerry adds cheerily.

Absolutely adorable. You can literally see the cogs turning in his head as he thinks up a really good birthday wish, and then the very moment when he's got one; baby blue sapphires twinkling in recognition… "You got one son?!" Fitz asks knowingly.

Josh nods his head vigorously… "yes, but I'm not allowed to say it out loud…" he reminds his dad. Fitz smiles with pride, "That's right squirt, only you must know… Ready?"

"Yeah!"

And so he blows with all his might!

Cake done, on to presents… Fitz notes that Olivia has suddenly got really quiet. He senses that she's just about holding it together, overrun with emotion. To be honest, he hasn't gone unaffected either. Okay, so maybe this wasn't his son's first birthday, but in a way, with Olivia being here, it definitely feels like a first. And despite the expected awkwardness at the start, first with his folks and then, as forecasted some frostiness from Mellie, everyone else, James, Cyrus, Abby, David, and all the little ones-Ella and Teddy- seem to be having a good time; celebrating Joshua's birthday together as a family…

It almost feels like old times.

Well Almost .

Four presents down, and a whole lot more to go.

"It looks like Josh has his job cut out for him…" Cyrus states in amusement, marvelling at the mountain of presents before him… "Although to be fair, at least six of them is down to this crazy man beside me…"

"Hey," James pokes his side playfully, "I didn't realise it was a crime to spoil my God Son- with your credit card." Fitz chuckles at the pair of them, "You two are something else, you realise this right?"

"Yes, and we shall take that as a compliment, thanks."

Still laughing, Fitz reaches for the next present on top of the pile… "Right, so who's this one from?" He reads the label out loud, before handing Josh the present… "Dear Joshua, Happy 3rd Birthday, lots of love and kisses, Ms. Olivia".

Apart from the sound of an eager 3 year old, racing to unwrap his present, the room suddenly goes silent. Spotlight on Olivia; like Josh, everyone is intrigued to see what she has got him...

Sensing a level of nervousness coming from her long lost friend, Abby reaches over to her... "You okay Liv?" She nods gently, giving her a brief smile, thankful for her kindness, before turning her gaze back on to the birthday boy.

She hopes he likes it.

Now an expert at unwrapping presents it doesn't take him long to reveal it's content... His eyes light up, as he realises what it is... an authentic superman costume, with cape... "Wooow!" But as he opens it out, a quaint little photo frame falls out from the folds... He picks it up and takes a long hard look at it... "Ms. Olivia, it's you!"

Lip quivering. "Yes sweetheart..."

"And a baby? Is it your baby?" He ask innocently...

The muscles in Fitz's jaw start to clench, as he anticipates her answer, whilst everyone else watches on completely confounded...

Olivia bites her lip, to stop it from trembling... As she answers him, with a catch in her voice... "Joshua that baby is you!"