"Fitz, you can't announce it to the world without giving Mellie a heads up. She may not be your favourite person in the world, nor is she mine but she still is the mother of your children. You owe her that much as a human being." She reasoned. They had been back for a couple of weeks and he had been insisting on announcing their engagement.

"Really Liv?"

"I know Fitz. I do. But Baby we won. We got end game. We got to be together, we got the kids. We have so much to be thankful for. Enough to give grace where it might not be deserved." Fitz sighed and hugged her tightly against him.

"Fine, I'll call her." Olivia gave him a brief squeeze before stepping out of his embrace.

"I have a meeting and then I'm taking Teddy to his pediatrician. I think he has an ear infection. He keeps grabbing his ear as he howls. We'll be back in time for dinner."

"Ok, I'm in the situation room for a couple of hours but keep me posted. I have my phone with me." Fitz gave her a kiss on the cheek as she nodded.

"Bye baby."

Olivia headed to her meeting leaving Fitz to psych himself up for that conversation with his ex wife. He knew that Liv had a point. As the mother of his children he owed it to her not to hear it along with the rest of the world despite how she had been behaving. With a deep sigh he picked up the phone,

"Hello,"

"Hey it's me."

"Hello Fitzgerald." Fitz couldn't help but compare how different his name sounded when Mellie said it to when Liv did. Regardless whether or not she used his full name to scold or teasingly there was undeniable love woven in them. While Mellie's rendition of his name equated to the sound of nails scratching a blackboard. He wondered if it had always been that way or simply because he had something to compare it to now.

"Millicent," he replied matching her tone.

"To what does one owe the honour of a personal phone call from the President of the United States of America?" She asked sarcastically,

"The kids are fine Mellie, thank you for asking." He bit back somewhat resentful that her first reaction wasn't concern, that he could be calling her about them. Then again he reminded himself not to be surprised as she basically washed her hands of Gerry, Karen and Teddy the moment he and Liv came out if not long before that. Mellie rolled her eyes,

"One guessed if it were an emergency regarding the children you'd be a little more hysterical." She answere dryly. Fitz took a deep breath knowing the sooner he did what needed to the quicker he could hang up and never have to talk to her again.

"Liv insisted I be the one to tell you before we announce it officially. I asked her to marry me and she said yes." He heard her inwardly gasp, a snide remark was about to roll of her tongue when Fitz cut her off.

"Goodbye Mellie." Not wanting to hear anything she had to say he ended the call.

"Well that went well." He muttered sarcastically before making his way to the situation room. After half an hour he was done and went in search of Liv hoping she hadn't yet left with Teddy.

"Hey what are you doing here?" She asked as he walked into the nursery where she was helping Teddy put his jacket on.

"Lee-vee, Teddy go." Teddy said to his Dad pointing to the door.

"That's right my clever little man." Liv said adoringly bringing Teddy to her chest and pressing her lips against his forehead.

"Daddy come too?" Fitz asked. Teddy thought for a moment before granting his consent with a nod and a toothless grin.

"What happened to your meeting in the situation room?" She asked as she passed him her bag and Teddy's nappy bag.

"They gave me a brief run down and we're breaking till tonight to continue. There's a time difference. So I'm all yours till after dinner when they call me in."

"That's going to be a long night, " she said knowingly.

"It sure will be. I was thinking let's go pick up the kids from school, take Teddy to the pediatrician and have dinner at the diner."

"Wow you make that almost sound normal." She teased earning a grin from him.

"I try. Tom, Huck and Jack are all for it. We have all three."

"The holy trinity." She exclaimed jokingly.

"Hucky!" Teddy said happily. Of all their detail Teddy had taken a liking to Huck.

"That's right Little Man Hucky is coming too. You love Hucky don't you."

"Love Hucky." Teddy replied clapping his hands.

"Of course his favourite would be the super spy." Fitz observed with a chuckle.

"Don't let Tom hear that. He thinks he's your favourite doesn't he little man." Liv said conspiratorially. Fitz shook his head as he led them both out of the nursery.

"So I called Mellie after you left today." He told her as soon as they got settled into the SUV.

"How'd that go?" Liv asked carefully trying to gauge his thoughts and mood.

"Okay seeing as I didn't really give her a chance to comment."

"At least she now knows right?"

"So can we now please tell the world?" He asked with a playful pout. Olivia rolled her eyes and cupped his cheek with her hand.

"Yes, now you may shout it from the roof top if you so please."

"I may just do that."

"Like anyone could stop you Fitzgerald." Wordlessly he reached over and kissed her meaningfully.

"What was that for?" She asked surprised when they reluctantly parted.

"I love hearing you say my name."

Gerry and Karen grinned as they entered the SUV to find both Liv and Fitz in the car. They had grown accustomed to Liv picking them up at least a couple of times a week or whenever she didn't have any major crisis going on.

"Dad! I thought you had a big meeting today." Gerry stated.

"It's been pushed back till after dinner so we thought we'd do family dinner out of the white walls. We have to bring Teddy to the pediatrician first and then we can go straight to the diner."

"Yay!"

They loved being out as a whole family. If there was anything that Liv enforced as a non negotiable it was time with the kids and despite the media frenzy she insisted on making their lives as normal as possible. By doing so they all learned to let it fade in the background as they went on with their lives. Liv knew if it wasn't for her impeccable trust in Tom, Huck and Jack she would never feel comfortable doing that, but she knew their limits and she never pushed. If they deemed it unsecure, she complied without a fight. Tom appreciated that she partnered with them instead of treating them as hired help. From the beginning he had always had a soft spot for Liv and vice versa. It wss a partnership built from respect.

"Liv, I got an A on that paper we were working on over the weekend." Karen chatted excitedly.

"Oh sweetheart that's great. I'm so proud of you. How did debate go Ger?"

Fitz listened as his kids talked a mile a minute enjoying the sound of his family and she had definitely become the heart and hub of it. He had never seen his children so animated, confident and happy in their environment. It felt like for the first time in his life he was alive. She made him come alive. The talking did not cease from the time they got in the car till Liv and Fitz had taken Teddy into the Doctor's office while Karen and Gerry stayed in a private waiting room with Tom and Huck.

"It seems he has a slight ear infection. He just needs to take some abtibiotics and make sure he's fully hydrated at all times and he should be as good as new in a few days." Dr Carly Manning looked at Liv quizzically, and knew better than to say anything in front of Fitz. She and Liv had known each other for years and though they never traveled the same circles, they were good friends.

"Hey buddy you're all good to go." Carly went to hand him back to Fitz when Teddy fussed,

"Lee-vee,"

"It's not just the youngest Doc, all three kids are Livvie devotees." Fitz teased good naturedly not at all minding. Liv gave Fitz a light smack in the arm before taking Teddy who was reaching for her.

"I see that." Carly observed beyond amused.

"Mr President, do you mind if I steal Liv for a few minutes? Girl talk." She added trying not to make him worry.

"Ah sure, of course. Come buddy, you'll thank me one day for sparing you every chance I got." Reluctantly Teddy went with Fitz who closed the door behind him.

"Liv, are you okay? You look a little pale."

"I'm tired. Apparently raising two teenagers and a toddler and running the White House communications was exhausting. Who knew?" Liv replied honestly sinking into the chair inside the examination room.

"Could you be pregnant?" Panic crossed Liv's face not quite ready to be pregnant just yet.

"I'm still on the pill."

"Liv honey you know that's not always fool proof."

"Humour me? I don't think you're pregnant but the look of you is worrying me. Let me take some blood just to see. Chances are some of your levels may just be low, if they are we need to correct them."

"Full discretion?" Liv said unnecessarily, Carly was one of the very few she trusted implicitly.

"Of course." Carly promised placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder before grabbing what she needed. A few minutes and a band aid later Liv was good to go.

"Take it easy Liv. It's been a huge year. Don't feel like you have to take everything on. I know I know its against the Gladiator code but I need you to take better care of yourself. It won't be long till he realises that you're pushing yourself too hard."

"I promise to get better at that. I just. I don't want to disappoint him." She confessed outloud, more to himself than anyone else.

"He knows you're not superwoman Liv and there is no doubt that man loves you down to his very core. Embrace it. Believe you deserve it because Liv, I have never known anyone to deserve it as much as you do." Liv felt the tears well up in her eyes which was a tell tale sign that she was over tired.

"Thank you Carly. I guess it's handy having your college roommate be the President's pediatrician." Carly smiled,

"That aside we're friends first."

"For that I am grateful." Liv stood to her feet and hugged her friend.

"I'll rush your results and give you a call. I might call you in for a complete physical so wrap your head around it now so when I call to tell you I don't have to hear the whining." Carly said knowingly.

"I make no promises my friend." Liv answered with a grin as they emerged from her office.

"I don't expect you to. I've known you for far too long. Liv if you ever just need to bounce you know where to find me." Carly offered to which Liv nodded.

"Thank you. For everything." Fitz who had been watching them intently felt a stir in his stomach. No longer quite buying 'Girl Talk'. Carly gave the rest of them a wave before heading back to her patients waiting. Fitz draped an arm around Liv's shoulder as he walked up to meet her dropping his lips to her temple.

"You okay sweetheart?" His eyes showed his growing worry.

"Yeah Baby. We both just needed a girl debrief. Sorry I took so long."

"You sure?"

"Yes. If there was something to be worried about I would tell you. I promise. No secrets." She reminded him.

"I know that Liv. I just worry."

"I know. Let's eat. I'm starving." Fitz chuckled.

"We can't have that. Let's go."

Olivia shook off her concerns from her conversation with Carly to be fully present in their time together. It was rare that Fitz ever got to be out and about with the children and she wanted to make the most of it. When his phone began to ring and he saw that it was Cyrus he ignored it for awhile. When Cyrus called Liv he knew it had to be big.

"Hey Cy, what's up?"

"Mellie's released a statement that you two are engaged."

"Of course she has." Liv replied holding the rest of her thoughts in for the sake of the children.

"Let me talk to Fitz. It's not a big deal Cy. Really. Don't worry about it. Fitz and I will handle it." She tried reassuring him.

"Liv the press is swarming. If you guys want to keep that place a private hideaway I'd leave now before someone spots a random SUV with an impressive entourage of Secret Service. Find another place where you can conveniently be."

"Okay, we'll head out. Thank you Cyrus." Liv placed a hand over Fitz's hand knowing he had figured it out. Her eyes pleaded with him to keep it cool in front of the kids.

"Hey kiddos. Sorry to cut our outing short but your Dad and I need to get back to the White House."

"That's okay Liv. We're done eating." Gerry replied sensing that something had hit the fan. Within minutes the First Family was enroute back to the White House.

"Fitz we're going to have to make an announcement as soon as we get back." Fitz gave her hand a meaningful squeeze.

"I'm ready Livvie." He promised bringing her hand to his lips before looking back at the kids.

"So little Grant's are you ready to announce to the world that I finally convinced Liv to marry me?"

"Uh bring it!" Karen piped up.

"I'm with her." Gerry seconded. As to not feel left out Teddy suddenly called Liv's name out in glee.

"It's unanimous Liv. Are you ready?" Olivia grinned at four expectant faces and grinned.

"Absolutely!"