Enjoy the fluff...
"Hey Mom, wake up." Gerry said gently shaking Liv awake. Olivia would have been annoyed but the grin on his face quashed any feeling of annoyance she could have felt.
"Good morning Slugger. Why are you waking me from my slumber at the break of dawn?"
"You up for a sunrise walk?" Olivia grinned back at him and nodded.
Morning walks was their thing. Always had been. Their first sunrise walk was during the campaign. She had found the young back then teenage boy slipping out of their hotel suite. She had known from get go how much Gerry and Karen hated being in the lime light and took every opportunity to hide from it. They had been campaigning for months and both kids were starting to feel like caged in animals.
"What do you say you leave a note for your parents and we take a walk secret service light?" She suggested not even wanting to ask where he was slipping out to. Gerry sighed with relief and nodded. He just needed some time where he wasn't being constantly watched. Since then every morning during Fitz's campaign that the kids were there for, they took walks. Starting when it was still dark till the light broke through. For the first few times they walked in comfortable silence. Little by little he began to open up more and more. Their walks continued up until she quit the White House, though not every day, it was uncannily whenever he needed it the most. After Belle was born and he had begun to spend more and more time with them he and Liv would slip out at the break of dawn and take their walk. It was their thing.
"Give me a few minutes. I'll meet you in the kitchen." Gerry nodded as Liv slipped out of bed. She grabbed her sweats to change into and headed for the bathroom. Once changed she grabbed her sneakers and dropped a kiss on Fitz's head.
"Where are you going?" He asked incredulously looking at the time.
"I have a sunrise date with our boy." She replied. Fitz caressed her cheek lovingly,
"Have fun. Remember, no tears. Today is a happy day."
"I know, but I can't promise you there will be no tears. My little man isn't little anymore." Fitz sat up and kissed her on the lips and then on her forehead.
"Go. Enjoy your time together."
Gerry handed her a coffee flask as he held his in the other hand. She took it gratefully knowing she needed a kick start. They walked in companionable silence for awhile. Just enjoying the crisp morning and each other's company.
"So big day huh?" Liv said finally breaking the silence.
"Yeah it is." He replied excitedly.
"I'm really happy for you Ger. You and Amy, you deserve each other. She loves you like I've always dreamed for you and I know you love her every bit as she loves you. It won't always be a walk in the park but as long as you love one another and hold on to one another you'll be okay. She brings out the best in you and vice versa. You challenge each other to be the very best you can be but above all else you two are great friends and that is what will get you through your roughest days."
"Thank you for being in my corner from that first moment you met me. I never anticipated when I met my father's campaign fixer that I would score my most valued ally. You saved me from a lot of stupid decisions Liv. You always made sure I saw the best version of myself and challenged me into striving to become him. With the exception of Dad, Karen and eventually Bellie Boo no one ever believed in me the way you blindly did. There wasn't anything I couldn't do in your eyes and you have to know what impact that has made in who I am. You may not have been the mother I was born from but you have been nothing less than a Mom to me. I love you Mom."
"Oh kiddo. I love you too." She replied pulling him into her arms and hugging him tightly. He towered over her just as Fitz did and was lost in the arms he had wrapped tightly around her. Gerry chuckled when he heard her sniffle against his chest.
"I'm not even going to point out the obvious." Liv laughed,
"I promised your Dad I'd try not to. I never guaranteed there wasn't going to be any tears at all."
After a little while they walked back to the house where Gerry made a bee line to Bellie's room to wake her. Moments later he had her on a piggyback as they headed over to Karen's room to wake her then Teddy. Liv enjoyed the noise they were making. Her heart did feel a little sad knowing thaf after the wedding they would be living not so close by. Fitz caught the sad eyes beneath the smile and dropped a kiss on her temple as he wrapped his arms around her waist resting his hands against her middle. Olivia sighed contently as leaned against him.
"I'm happy. I'm just going to miss him." She assured him.
"I know Sweetheart but he'll be close enough to see often."
"Good. I'm not quite ready to let him go yet. I don't think I ever will be." She confessed softly making him smile knowing how much Liv loved Gerry. How she loved him as though he were hers.
The ceremony was beautiful and Mellie was thankfully well behaved for the occasion. In truth she couldn't help but envy the relationship Olivia had with her children. She realised by watching them that she had missed out. That despite the tabooness of Fitz and Olivia's relationship her children had an attachment to Olivia. She knew all their stories, every wound, triumph and heart break. She knew because she made them the most important. Something Mellie never felt any desire to do and now she could see what she missed out on. Olivia stood to her feet ready to give her toast.
"Thank you all for coming. I have the pleasure of standing with Gerry's parents on his special day but more importantly I have the honour of standing beside him on the most important day of his life to date. I have had the amazing pleasure of watching these two go from being the best of friends to being the love of each other's lives, though if you know Gerry you would know that he was hook line and sinker the first moment he met her. It makes me so happy that you two have found each other. I feel incredibly blessed to have been a part of your journey. I love you both so very much. To the bride and groom may your life be overflowing with love, adventures and abundant blessings." Liv raised her glass. Fitz stood to his feet to wrap an arm around her shoulder and drop a kiss to her temple as she began to tear up. Gerry too stood to his feet to hug Olivia followed closely by Amy.
"Thanks Mom. I love you to the moon and back." He said meaningfully his chin resting on her shoulder as he held her tightly with tears in his own eyes.
"And I love you too Mom." Amy said wrapping her arms around them both smiling widely as Liv and Gerry pulled her into their embrace. Their bond left little room for doubt and their exchange brought a tear to the toughest of hearts. Mellie included.
After the first dance Amy danced with her Dad while Gerry danced with Mellie after throwing Liv and apologetic look. She gave him a loving and reassuring nod. Halfway through the song he had summoned for Teddy to take over while he made a bee line towards Liv.
"Ger, you didn't have to do that."
"I know. But I wanted to dance with my Mom so suck it up already." he replied. Olivia chuckled and kissed his cheek.
"I do love you Fitzgerald Aidan Grant."
"Well you're one of my favorites too Olivia Carolyn Grant."
While Karen danced with Fitz, Gerry danced with Bellie. Teddy with Liv.
"You having a good time squirt?" Bellie nodded smiling up at him.
"You look beautiful Bellie Boo. Promise me you won't grow up too fast." Bellie laughed.
"Is that code for don't date boys?" She asked amused shaking her head.
"Yes...at least not till your thirty and not while I'm not around to screen them."
"Sure Ger..." she answered sarcastically.
"Don't forget me okay?" He said softly dropping his lips to the top of her head. For the last ten years he had been her best friend and vice versa. He knew that not being so close by he would miss most things. The good days, the bad days and everything in between. The idea of being dethroned in her life didn't sit well with him. Bellie looked up,
"Ger, you're my brother. More than that you're my best friend. From cradle to grave its you and me remember?"
"I'm going to hold you to that when you're too busy with your friends to take my calls or answer my text messages." Bellie smiled wrapping her arms around his waist hugging him.
"You know I love Dad. I love that he's around now and that I'm getting to know him better. But Ger for as long as I can remember you have always been there. You weren't just my brother. You stood in place where Dad should have always been. His presence though missed was bearable because you were always there determined to love me enough for you and for Dad. Thank you Ger Bear. You're the first male Grant I've ever loved. You'll forever be the one I've loved the longest." Gerry tightened his hold on her giving her a long squeeze.
"What do you say Ger, let's swap Grant women for a song before I take back my wife from my youngest son?" Fitz said as he and Karen glided beside them. Gerry looked at Bellie who nodded her consent.
"How you doing Princess?" Fitz asked as he and Bellie danced.
"Good. I'm happy for Ger. I love Amy. I'm so glad she's a part of our family."
"You're going to miss him a lot aren't you?" Bellie looked up and nodded.
"Yeah I will. But at least it's not so far that its a plane ride away. He'll always be Gerry. He'll always be there." She said confidently. His heart ached for a brief moment knowing she did not yet hold the same confidence in him.