A/N: This is for Tamara who is an absolute sweetheart.
I hope everyone enjoys this shortish chapter. I'm still trying to get my groove back for my other stories, too. Life's just been a kiss with a fist lately. 2020 is a horrible place. Anyways, I hope this is sweet. I hope you enjoy it and I hope it makes you smile a little.
The door shuts behind her with a soft click. She moves to tip toe up the stairs before Fitz or her father realizes she's gone, but doesn't get the chance. Before she knows it, she's being swept up into Fitz's arms. He presses hard kisses to her forehead and for a moment she wonders if he knows she's pregnant. She's certain she threw away the tests. Tucked them into a paper bag and tossed them into the trash this morning.
"Olivia, where have you been?" Eli yells. Fitz's chest blocks her father from view.
This all feels like some strange dream. Her purse bangs against her knees. The sonogram tucked inside is almost yelling to her. This isn't how she intended to tell her Fitz about the baby. Actually, she hadn't even thought about what to say at all. Now the words seemed stuck to her throat.
"Was that Abigail leaving?" Eli asks. He locks the door and Fitz finally lets her go. Fitz looks close to tears.
"Why?" Olivia asks. Suddenly she feels like she's on a boat. One that can't stop rocking.
"Why? Every time you two are together and Harrison's around, I know I'll have to find bail money," Eli answers, "Or am I just imagining the time you two stole a cop's horse?"
Olivia grabs hold of Fitz's right wrist to steady herself. She hears him chortle, but can't pay attention to his laughter long. Her stomach rocks again. Oh, the damn irony. She'd gone nearly three months with the bean in her belly blooming. No morning sickness nor sensitives to food or smells. Three hours into knowing and now baby bean wants the world to know.
"Livvie, are you okay?" Fitz asks.
She nods yes, but the answer is clearly no. Beads of sweat bubble at her hairline and her stomach rocks back and forth. Possibly throwing up on his shoes is not the way she wants to tell Fitz. Standing inside her father's home is not the place she wants to tell Fitz. But she's here. She's here and the pack of soup crackers she had for breakfast this morning is slowly climbing up her esophagus.
"Fitz, there's something I need to tell you, it's about where I went this morning…"
Fitz nods and takes the hand that's wrapped around his wrist in a death grip, leading her into the living room. The Pope townhome is classic in every facet. Neat, clean. Lots of creams and navy blues. "There's somethings we need to tell you, too, but first I need you to sit down, Liv. You're pale. Blanched."
Olivia doesn't have the energy to argue. She tosses her purse on the couch and then takes a seat. Her father's footsteps on the hardwood prompts Olivia to look up. For the first time all morning, she wonders what her father is going to say about her being pregnant. About him becoming a grandfather. He'd almost become one four years ago, but having Edison Davis's bastard child hadn't been on Olivia's list of things to do.
"Your…boyfriend and I have come up with a plan," Eli says. "It's two-fold. You and Fitz will handle part one and I will hand part two."
Brows knotting together, Olivia looks between Fitz who now kneels in front of her and then to her father. "I don't want you two making decisions for me. I'm not a fragile little bird. I can handle it."
"I – we – know you can, Livvie. That's –" Fitz sighs. "If you're up for it, you and I are going to sit down with local 7 news."
Olivia tilts her head. She doesn't think she's heard him right. What does he mean they're going to sit down together with the news? "What will that even accomplish, Fitz? They've been stalking me relentlessly for the last week. I can't even take a shower without worrying about a telephoto lens-thingy or something," she says, "now you want me to sit down with these people? Do we even know who told them?"
"Cyrus Beene," Eli answers.
"Cyrus? Father Cyrus?" Olivia asks. She can't hide the confusion in her voice. Her eyes meet her father's and she can see the rage brewing in them. Eli Pope could be downright terrifying and the look on his face was akin to murder. If Cyrus Beene lived another day, it would truly be a blessing. "Why would Cyrus?"
"He's been gunning for your boyfriend's job."
"Cyrus wants to be a principal?"
"On top of other things. It looks like telling on you and Fitzgerald was his way of speeding up the process."
"That doesn't make sense, though," Olivia tries to connect the dots, but is having a hard time. Especially as her stomach continues to rock. "I was fired, not Fitz."
"I think he hoped getting rid of you would get rid of me," It's Fitz's turn to speak. "But it looks like I'm not the only one who's given in to the sins of the flesh," he adds. Without hesitation Fitz climbs to his feet and walks over to the fire place mantle. He grabs a manila envelope that rests behind a family photo from when Olivia was ten. Fitz holds it up and crosses the room. He extends the envelop to Olivia.
Wary, she takes it and promptly opens it. A stack of photos falls out. Olivia eyes the photos, shocked at what she sees. Cyrus with a man, kissing and caressing in a way a priest shouldn't. Her mouth drops open and she looks between her father and Fitz. "How did you two find these?" Eli gives her a knowing look and Olivia nods. Of course, her father knew people. Everywhere.
"There's more. There was a student – a high school student. Male. Seventeen. From Cyrus's last placement before St. Gabriels. He says Cyrus offered to change his grades for . . . favors. When the diocese got word, they moved him,' Eli explains. "I have a phone call with the boy later today to hear his story."
Olivia's expression turns from baffled to concerned in seconds. She thinks about the mistakes she's made, the older men she's approached and wonders if it had been the same for the seventeen-year-old boy. "Was he – do we really think Cyrus did something like that?"
"We don't know, but it's worth taking a look. He came for my daughter. I'm coming for him."
A small smile pulls at Olivia's lips. She nods. While she and Eli have had their moments – a lot of moments – she knows her father loves her. She knows that the old man cares for her and wants the best, even if he thinks he knows better what's best for her. "Why do we have to go on TV then?"
"If you ever want peace again, it's better to come clean in a way we can control the narrative," Fitz tells her.
"I don't know if I can do it, Fitz. They're going to ask about Edison. I don't know if I can answer any questions about him without crying. I don't want to cry on TV."
"Which is why you'll have Harrison with you," Eli pipes in. "I called him earlier. He'll be on set, acting as your lawyer and legal savant."
"You called Harry, daddy? You hate Harry."
"But I love you." Eli smiles.
"What's this?" Fitz asks. He bends down, in front of Olivia. She watches as he reaches for something. Her mouth promptly falls opened when he holds up the ultrasound she'd tucked into her bag. It must've fallen out when she'd sat down.
Fitz holds it up, reading it before tears fill his eyes. "Livvie, is this what I think it is?"
She looks at the ultrasound tucked between his right thumb and index finger. "That's what I had to tell you. I wanted to find a better way to tell you that didn't involve me just springing it on you. I was thinking of something cutesy and stupid to do, but with everything going on with Cyrus and –" her words get caught in her throat as Fitz's lips are suddenly against hers.
Without hesitation, Olivia returns his kiss. She wraps her arms around his neck and he hoists her to her feet. She's on her tippy toes as he tugs her against him. Neither notice as the ultrasound flutters to the floor.
"Is this – Olivia, you're pregnant?" Eli's voice sounds next to him.
Olivia breaks their kiss. She moves to pull away, but Fitz won't let her. His arms keep her caged against his body and tears spill down his cheeks.
"I am, daddy. I – that's where I was this morning. Abby took me. I took three home tests and two came back positive, but the third came back negative. I just needed to be sure," she explains, turning her head to meet her father's eyes. "And I'm sure. I'm about nine weeks. The stress of everything lately kept me from noticing I was late. Plus, minus today, I haven't really had many symptoms besides peeing a lot." Suddenly Olivia feels the need to over explain. "Fitz, you're squeezing me too tightly."
Fitz's arms fall from around her almost as if she's on fire. He looks her over, his hands going to her waist. He falls to his knees, pressing kisses to the Georgetown t-shirt she's draped in. "I love you both so much. So much," Fitz whispers against her stomach. "I will never let anything happen to you two. Ever."
His words cause tears to pool in Olivia's eyes. She knows that this moment is probably bittersweet for him. It probably reminds him of his kids that'll remain forever young. "Fitz, baby, please get up…" she tells him.
Next to them, Olivia hears her father sniffle. She turns to find Eli leaning against the entryway to the living room. There are tears in his eyes, too. "Are you crying, daddy?"
Eli straightens up. He sniffles, shakes his head, and then wipes at his eyes. "Nonsense. I – It's not every day you hear that you're going to be a grandfather. Fitzgerald, boy, get up. Settle yourself. We have a con man in a collar to get rid of." Eli pushes away from the door and walks off, disappearing into the house.
Fitz finally climbs to his feet. Once more, he wraps Olivia in his arms. He looks down at her, a goofy, slanted smile on his face.
"You're okay with this?" she asks, chin tilted upwards. "There's just so much going on right now and this is another thing. Cyrus, the news people. Just everything…" she breaks off.
He leans forward, kissing her on the forehead once again before pressing feather light kisses against her forehead and then face. "Olivia, will you marry me? I don't have a ring and I wanted to do it in a fancy way. I love you. I want to spend forever with you and are baby."
"I love you, too, and baby probably means we'll need to live together…" she pauses; feels like she's floating, rocking. Everything is so surreal. "But I don't want to get married."
He frowns. Confusion on his face. "What?"
"I mean yet. I don't want to add it to our plate right now. I just want to take this one day at a time. So, will I marry you? Yes. I will in the immediate future, but after I've thrown up and we've put Cyrus in his place."
"You're gonna throw up? Do you need me to get you something? Can I carry you to the bathroom?" Fitz asks. His voice is high-pitched and nervous.
"I can walk, but you can get some ginger ale. Then when I get back, we'll talk interview?"