A quick query to his agents and Mellie was easily found. Fitz wasn't surprised when he was told that she was holed up in Blair House. If she'd had any of the political sense that she'd claimed to have, Mellie should have allowed herself to be seen enjoying the day in the kids' company - if not his, although that would have been another publicly observant plus for her - gaining that political good will that she was always going on and on about wanting and deserving. But what was good sense when measured against her perpetual aggrieved entitlement? Instead, this was just one more occasion of Mellie simply being Mellie.

But the idea that this time around, she might have found a co-conspirator and ally in his vice-president? The idea that they might even contemplate working against him, together? As exhausting as the thought of dealing with the two of them in tandem might be, Fitz was determined that he get some answers to that particular question from her. And now was as good as time as any.

But everything changed on his arrival. Fitz was instead surprised - and immediately grateful - to find Karen there when he walked into the formal parlor. She was playing big sister rescue to her little brother, bundling Teddy into a warm sweater, with Annarosa and Mellie sitting not far away. Mellie was looking decidedly displeased beneath her brittle mask of politeness and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why.

"Hi, Dad" Karen said as she reached for Teddy's hat and snuggled it onto his head. She gave her little brother a boop nose bump, smiling as he giggled in response. "I was just giving Annarosa the grand presidential residential history tour and thought what a great idea it would be to stop by and swoop Teddy up."

"It's a very lovely place, Mr. President. As I was saying to…Mrs. Grant." Annarosa stumbled over the title; obviously she was caught up on the news of their impending divorce along with the rest of the world. "Very grand - as is she."

Fitz couldn't help the thought that came to mind. Yes, Blair House was lovely and grand and meant to appeal to the public in a very particular way - the same could be said of Blair House as it could of Mellie. He appreciated her diplomacy; no doubt it had helped set Mellie onto her best behavior, but even as he smiled back at the young woman, Fitz didn't miss the mischief shining bright in his daughter's gaze; she knew her mother all too well. Fitz couldn't help feeling proud of her all over again - knowing that she and her older brother had escaped the brunt of Mellie's machinations, she'd returned to rescue her baby brother from the same.

"I see that we were thinking alike." He said to Karen. He meant that in more ways than one. "I was just wondering what Teddy was making of all of today's activities."

"Oh, Mom thought he'd need a nice, long afternoon nap - but I convinced her that today was the day for an exception to the rules." Karen gave her mother a very meaningful look.

She had the grace to look as poised and polite as ever; but Fitz could read Mellie's displeasure in the thinness of her lips as she forced another smile.

"I told Karen that it wasn't necessary that she get dragged down with Teddy while she's entertaining her new friend, but you know our daughter - stubborn to a fault." Mellie said.

"Annarosa was just telling me how much she missed her own little brothers." Karen explained. "I just thought that our spending time with mine might help."

Once again, Fitz was reminded of how much his little girl was growing up.

"I can't say that I disapprove - or that I'm sorry that you beat me to the punch." Fitz said. "It saves me from having to convince your mother of the very same thing."

They looked at each other in perfect understanding. "Well, Dad, you know me - I'm always saying that I'm my father's child."

"And you prove it more and more every day." Mellie said.

"She could do worse." Fitz cheerfully ignored Mellie's attitude; knowing that her words hadn't been meant as a compliment. Instead, he reached out for Teddy, who went very happily into his father's arms. "Okay, ladies, I'll walk you out."

It pleased him to note that everything had happened so quickly that Mellie hadn't had a chance to stop any of it. He gave her a smile that told her all of this - and decided in the moment to leave her a little something extra on top of it. "Oh, your name came up unexpectedly in a conversation earlier today, which was the other reason why I came by. I was thinking that you and I need to have a little talk about that - but it's nothing that can't wait until later today. I'm sure you'll find it…interesting."

Something unreadable flashed behind her eyes but Fitz chose to ignore it for now. Instead, he gave Mellie one last look that promised her that their talk would be sooner rather than later.

For security reasons, they used the tunnels to return to the White House grounds. Once there, Fitz turned Teddy over to his big sister.

"Enjoy yourselves." Fitz told them. "But don't forget, Karen, we have a date with Rodan at the movie theater before the day is out."

Both Fitz and Karen were very happily surprised that Annarosa was another Godzilla fan and was just as excited about seeing the movies as Karen was. Fitz was especially glad, knowing the unofficial duties that rested on the young woman's shoulders.

"I know that there's a new Godzilla movie coming out soon - which ones will be playing tonight?" A gleam of anticipation lit up her eyes, reminding Fitz of how young she really was.

"The one that isn't in the theaters yet." Karen's gaze slid to her father. "Perks of being a part of the president's family that they don't tell you about until you get the gig."

"I don't see anyone complaining about that." Fitz laughed at that before he shooed them off, watching affectionately as the two young women walked off with Teddy, chattering excitedly to one another about the rest of the movies list. He thought he heard something about a last minute request for something that sounded suspiciously like Rocky Horror Picture Show… and it almost made him turn around - but no, he decided. His little girl was growing up and that was a part of it.

One thing that he did know, and that it was time to put his own time to good use.

Thanks to James, Olivia found her mood very much changed. It started with his text:

::Incoming!

You know that I refuse to let Cyrus touch these things outside of business hours, so this is me letting you know that our ETA is imminent and your presence is required upon our arrival.

P.S. You are going to LOVE Ella's outfit.::

James had been right. Ella was ridiculously adorable from head to toe. Her hair - lovingly maintained by a personally recommended natural-hair stylist, who was also coaching James in the how-to of such maintenance - was fashioned into soft twists that sat upon her god-daughter's head like a crown. Thick threads of fabric were woven into them in the subtle warm and ombred hues of autumn oranges and browns, with the same colors at play in her short bolero-like jacket and the billowy layers of her chiffon skirt and her matching leggings and shoes.

James had earned his boasting rights. "I knew it would be Olivia Pope approved." He grinned as she gathered Ella into her arms.

"Yes it is. My Ella-Bella is beautiful." Olivia was happy to snuggle Ella close, letting the scent of sweet baby girl finish sweeping her spirits into a better place.

"All she needs is the right purse and her outfit would be complete, wouldn't it?" Cyrus might pretend to grumble, but he wasn't fooling either of them; he was obviously more than pleased by Olivia's approval. "What's the well-dressed woman accessorizing with these days? Givenchy? Prada?"

"Hermes." Olivia replied. Cyrus' voice distracted her for just a moment at the same time a movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention. Olivia looked up just in time to see Elizabeth North hand in hand with her daughter walking across the South Lawn towards the entertainments. It was brief but enough to bring her words to Sally and her co-conspirators all rushing back unbidden. She blinked to cover her lapse and buried her god-daughter in kisses.

His attention on his husband, James missed the frown that flashed across her face and just rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Cy!"

"You don't want to know how long it took for James to get our daughter ready. I was expecting a runway show at the end of it all." His voice was still gruffly amused as before, but his eyes had changed.

Olivia knew what that meant; James might have missed her reaction, but Cyrus most definitely hadn't.

He turned to James. "Honey…"

James knew his husband. "Don't you give me that 'Honey' tone of voice."

"Honey," Cyrus tried again. "Could you take Ella and give us just a moment?"

"No work, Cyrus - you promised!"

"It's not work - it's just a little something that I'm sure Olivia has to catch me up on." Cyrus tried to soothe his husband, but James wasn't having it.

"And nothing at all to do with the call you received just before we left the house?" James made a motion to retrieve Ella, but Olivia shook her head and stepped away from him.

"Let's just walk, shall we?" Olivia put action to words and they all headed towards the crowds. Annoyed, James purposefully walked ahead of them while Cyrus placed himself at Olivia's side.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Olivia kept her gaze on Ella. "You first."

"I wasn't going to mention it until later, but I saw your face just now when you saw Elizabeth. I don't suppose that you had the pleasure of her company before I arrived?"

Olivia hadn't, but then again, she'd been busy.

"Well, before James banned me from my work calls…"

"Which is something I obviously should have reinforced!" James said over his shoulder. He turned to them and insisted on taking Ella back. "If the two of you are going to talk shop about the wicked bitch of the east" - one of Elizabeth's more popular nickname in some circles - "…then you'll do it without our daughter. The two of you can have her back when you decide to behave and treat this holiday with the respect that it deserves."

James started walking again, this time moving deliberately out of hearing. At the same time, they saw Susan and Abby along with some of her staff a short distance away and watched as James moved in their direction.

They followed, Cyrus sighing as he looked after his husband. "If I want any peace for the remainder of the day - and tonight - I'd better make this quick. Before James banned me from my phone for the day, I got a very interesting call from our favorite Party Chairperson. I'll dispense with the small talk portion of the program and get to the gist of our conversation - Lizzie-Bear wanted me to know that she would make a better friend than an enemy."

"That's all?" Olivia was instantly suspicious.

"Normally, I'd say that that's enough." Cyrus said. "But she also let me know two things; one - to beware of Sally and something something hush hush secret might be going on behind the scenes. Very 'I've got a secret' vibes being cast about and that sort of thing." He rolled his eyes. "Like we aren't always bewaring of Sally."

"Well, she's too little and too late on that one." But for once, Elizabeth might have been offering up the truth, Olivia thought.

He nodded and continued. "She had more. Number two - as further proof of her dedication and loyalty to the cause, Elizabeth is deliberately staying out of Fitz's way today; if we see her here, it will be because of her daughter. How did she put it - 'and her need to remain the cool mom…"

Whether Elizabeth was telling the truth - the whole truth - about that, remained to be seen. As Olivia quickly caught Cyrus up to what had happened while he'd been gone, it came as no surprise that his response was pretty much the same as her own; he didn't like the idea of Fitz being left alone to face Sally and her gang any more than she had.

"He doesn't need rescuing, Cy." She reminded him. "Riding to the rescue was my first instinct too." She added. Olivia watched his expression shift from protest into acceptance.

"Of course he doesn't. I should know better." Cyrus finally managed to admit.

"And so should I."

"But we love him."

"But we love him." Olivia nodded in agreement. "And because we love him, our first impulse is to make moves to protect him. But Fitz doesn't need protecting. He never did - and that's not a mistake that we're going to ever make again -not ever."

There was no room for argument in her tone and Cyrus immediately knew better than to try. He supposed she was working off of her gut; not that it mattered. She was right, after all.

By this time, they were almost caught up to James, Susan and Abby, who were all making a fuss over Ella. She was loving the attention.

"He doesn't need protecting." Olivia repeated, just before they joined them. At the same time, she sent a meaningful look in Susan's direction. "But there's someone who does."

Cyrus seemed glad of the distraction and content enough to change the subject. "I understand that Susan has been doing surprisingly well in her congress committees and with her constituents."

"Who would have thought that one of Fitz's choices would have turned out so well." Olivia allowed a little light sarcasm to underscore her words.

"Point taken, Liv." Cyrus said. "I understand that some people like that sort of thing. It's not my fault that I find that much honesty - disconcerting."

"I don't doubt it." Olivia had to laugh at Cyrus for his admission. Before she could say anything else, James returned to them, along with Susan.

"Mr. Beene, your daughter is absolutely adorable." She told him.

"I have to give my husband all the credit for our little pumpkin." Cyrus said. Despite the gruffness in his tone, there was no hiding the love and pride in his voice. Olivia caught the apology in his tone as well and was gratified to see from his expression that James had as well.

"And I have to give props to his god-mother's influence." James said. Obviously, he'd decided to forgive her along with Cyrus.

"All she needs is a Prada bag and she's all set." Abby added.

"Where have I heard that before?" James said and that set them all laughing.

Susan sighed. "I'm almost jealous. I wouldn't dare ask my daughter to dress up like a pumpkin any more. Enjoy these days, take lots of pictures and make all the memories you can while you can - they grow up so fast."

Putting actions to her words, Susan looked around and caught the eye of one of the White House photographers that had been roaming the grounds and called him over to take pictures.

Just as he got started, there was a slight commotion as Fitz re-appeared on the grounds. After a few moments of looking around, his gaze found them and he headed in their direction.

"It seems like my timing is perfect." He said as he reached their little group.

"Impeccable, as always, Sir." Cyrus agreed.

"Good to know, Cyrus." Fitz said. He turned and scooped Ella up into his arms. "After all, who would ever pass up a chance to spend time with a beautiful woman - or two?"

Fitz looked at Olivia and smiled.