Fitz sat in complete awe as he watched Liv switch to Gladiator mode the moment the kids gave their full support of announcing their engagement. By the time they had driven into White House grounds she had everyone assembled and ready to go. Kimberly Mitchell was waiting for them in the Oval where Cyrus had set up their interview, much like the last time they sat for an interview with Kimberly when Fitz had announced their affair.

"Hey Liv, Mr President, Gerry, Karen. I believe you have news." Olivia smiled and held up her left hand earning a somewhat unprofessional girly squeal from Kimberly who had been rooting for them from day one. Liv chuckled while the rest of them laughed.

"Congratulations!" She said giving Liv a hug.

"Thank you Kim."

Less than a half hour later they went live. Fitz and Liv sat closely side by side. His arm protectively and lovingly draped around her shoulders while Karen sat to her right and Gerry beside her. Karen held Liv's hand to her lap covered by Gerry's. Their affection for her was not at all masked and hindered. They loved her and they owned it. Teddy was on her lap contently gurgling as he leaned against her. Cyrus had managed to stop any leak that Mellie had planned by threatening networks journalist and bloggers. He asked for an hour and promised an official announcement from the President and his fiancé for those who co-operated. As a result of his quick thinking and Olivia's resourcefulness they were able to beat Mellie by a strand. When Mellie's aide had walked into her living room to turn on the TV Mellie was ropeable at the sight of Olivia with her ex husband and children. After their official address Liv and the kids headed to the residence to get ready for bed. Fitz reluctantly stayed behind to debrief with Cyrus. Liv had uncharacteristically agreed to let Quinn and Harrison handle all things press related for the rest of the night and vowed to neet with them early the next morning. By the time Fitz had returned to the residence the kids were fast asleep. Teddy was asleep draped over Liv's chest. His head resting comfortably in the crook of her neck.

"Hey buddy, why don't we put you back into your own bed and you give me back my girlfriend?" Fitz whispered gently lifting Teddy off Olivia. Both stirred but did not awaken. Upon his return Liv had turned to her side and curled up hugging his pillow. He draped the covers up to her shoulders and planted a kiss on her head before heading to the bathroom to take a shower.

"Hi baby..." she murmured sleepily as she instinctively moved closer to him as he laid down.

"Hey sweetheart. Stay sleeping. We'll talk tomorrow." He said wrapping his arns around her and holding her close. Olivia draped and arm around his middle and warmed her nose on his shirt.

"I think we did okay. What did Cy say?" Fitz rolled his eyes resting his lips on her forehead.

"He thinks we did really well. We'll know for sure in the morning."

"Crisis averted?" She asked,

"It was never a crisis Liv. Mellie and the whole nation do not get to weigh in on my happiness. They don't get to weigh in on us." Fitz answered in a serious tone.

"Hey, that's not what I meant." Liv said looking up cupping his cheek with her hand and bringing his gaze to meet hers. Fitz softened immediately regretful at the harshness of how his words came out.

"Sorry Sweetheart. Mellie just,"

"I know baby. I do. We didn't need to tell Mellie first, her antics certainly justifies your initial reaction to not give her the heads up but I stand by the decision. We lead by example Fitz. Not to the world but to your children. Mellie's poor judgement and questionable character means you set their moral compass. Your transparency is important Fitz because out of anyone in this world, it should be you they trust the most and whose character leaves little room to question." Fitz tightened his arms around her and brought his lips to hers.

"Thank you." He murmured. Liv nodded, kissed him once more before turning with her back resting against him. Fitz snuggled close his hand on his resting against her stomach, face buried in the crook of her neck. His other hand caught the bandaid that she was trying to hide beneath his rather large navy shirt that she chose to sleep in. Olivia squeezed her eyes shut knowing he would be questioning what it was for.

"Liv..."

"Carly said I looked a little pale and tired so she wanted to just get some bloodwork to make sure everything is as it should be. It's no big deal Fitz. Really."

"You do too much."

"Apparently you and Carly agree on that." She replied.

"At the risk of the messenger getting shot, dare I ask you to slow down. You work your ass off in the office, between your own responsibilities you act as my advisor, as well as run the residence. You have Teddy attached to you most of the day. You do homework with Karen and Gerry. You attend music lessons and soccer matches. You take care of all of us. I need you to start taking better care of you. Or at least let me take better care of you."

"You take care of me." She insisted turning around to face him.

"You take great care of me. I don't do anything I don't want to do. I love taking care of you and the kids. I love being with them. Don't mistake that for obligation. It never has been to me. Do I need to juggle better? Maybe. But this is all so new and it's just a matter of getting a less rigorous routine in place."

"When do you get your results?"

"Knowing Carly, tomorrow. Just waiting for her to call."

"You'll tell me as soon as you know what's going on?"

"Of course. You don't have to worry about me."

"Never going to happen." He promised making her chuckle.

Liv started the day as she always did, breakfast with the Grant kids getting them ready for the day. Making sure homework was done and she knew what everyone had on for the day. Between soccer practice, music lessons, tutoring and other extra curricular activity Olivia had to develop a system that helped her remember what day was what. She had just finished her morning briefing with her staff when she got a call from Carly,

"So the good news is your initial tests show everything's fine. However I would like for you to come in for a complete physical and before you groan at me I'll take you to lunch as soon as we're done." Olivia chuckled.

"Fine but I'm picking the restaurant and it's going to be expensive."

"It always is..." Carly replied amused with an eye roll.

"I don't put out otherwise."

"Trust me I know." Olivia laughed,

"Alright brat. Let me check on Teddy and I'll be right on over. Lucky for you I have a fairly quiet day. Unheard of in the book of Olivia Pope I know. I suspect it has something to do with a certain fiancé who found the bandaid on my arm."

"I'm surprised you didn't rip that off the moment you got out of my office."

"Well I was distracted. There was that whole having to announce my engagement to the world before my fiance's ex wife beat us to it."

"Ah yes, I had wondered. You owe me details over lunch."

"You'll get them. I need wine and a debrief."

"Done. See you soon."

Liv went to check in Teddy before ducking her head into the Oval. Fitz was on the phone so she grabbed a pen and wrote on a post it note.

"Off to lunch with Carly. Call you later." She dropped a kiss on his head. He grabbed her hand before she could walk away. He politely excused himself from his call and put them on hold.

"You did not just put the President of Japan on hold." Fitz grinned,

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah Baby. Initial results are fine. Talk to the President of Japan. I'll be gone for most of the afternoon. I'll call you later." Fitz pulled her gently to his lap and kissed her.

"I love you." Liv smiled and stood to her feet.

"I do love you Fitzgerald."

"So I'm not pregnant?"

"No Liv, you're not pregnant." The relief on her face was unmistakable.

"I just. I'm not ready for that. I don't think either of us are."

"Liv what's going on? I know you love him. I know he thinks the sun rises and sets with you. I know you believe that or you wouldn't havre fought for him. So friend to friend, why do you look like you're waiting for the other shoe to drop?" Liv let out a deep breath,

"Because it always does." She said somewhat shamefully.

"Oh Liv honey, that's only natural. After everything you have been through together. It's okay to feel scared. It's okay to feel overwhelmed. In the last year you've had to contend with losing Fitz, getting Fitz back, losing Lily, makibg sure Fitz gets re-elected, dealing with Mellie, taking on two teenagers and a toddler, running OPA, having the whole world know your business..."

"When you put it that way it's any wonder I'm upright." Liv replied.

"Exactly. So cut yourself some slack. Stop trying to be perfect at everything you do. I know it's not the Olivia Pope way but you can't keep running yourself ragged Liv. You can't keep going a hundred miles an hour so that you don't have to admit you're scared, that as much as you love Fitz you can't help but doubt that you will get your happily ever after because all you've ever known is that eventually the bottom falls out. Tell Fitz how you feel. Let him assure you. Let him work for you as hard as you worked for him. He deserves to be the one who soothes your fears." Liv felt the tears well up in her eyes.

"I don't want him to think that I doubt him."

"Then you need to tell him how you feel Liv."

Liv went straight to the residence upon her return. She knew that Carly was right. That as honest as she has been with Fitz there was a part of her that felt fear. Fear of it all blowing up in her face. Teddy stirred from his nap just as Liv poked her head into his room. He opened his eyes and flashed her that Grant smile that always pulled her heartstrings. He sat up and lifted his arms up waiting for him.

"Hey little man. Did you have a good nap?" She asked picking him up. He gurgled in response. She checked his nappy and changed him.

"Hey Liv, how was lunch?" Fitz asked as he walked into her office later that afternoon. He picked Teddy from his play pen set up in Liv's office. Liv looked up from her paperwork,

"Lunch was good. We had a really good catch up."

"Good. You guys should do that more often. You need more down time Livvie."

"I know. Fitz we need to talk later. After dinner, after the kids have gone to bed."

"Liv,"

"I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I have no doubts about that. But..."

"We need to talk?"

"Yeah baby."

"How about we have Teddy's nanny grab him and we go for a walk. I have the rest of the afternoon pretty much cleared." Liv nodded standing to her feet and walking over to him wrapping her arms around his waist.