xoxo
X
Olivia stands in the doorway of the Oval Office, watching Fitz while he works. She doesn't want to interrupt his focus, but she knows they still have much to sort through about their relationship. They made sense of their relationship the last time they spoke, precisely three weeks ago, but Olivia wonders if he wants more.
With her light slowly peeking through the darkness and her gut fluttering like butterflies on a summer day, she's starting to feel like herself. She is a more improved version of the woman she was before B613, thanks to her brother, Ryan. With him entering her orbit at a crucial stage, it opened her eyes to the demons she was scared to face.
With most of those demons inside her, she surrounded herself with people she loathed. The only source of light was miles ahead, but she was unable to claw her way out to grab it. It was a lot to take in for her and even more to accept. She was the problem, and to some, she still is, but nothing will stop her from doing what she knows and fighting the battle only she can.
Olivia's at peace with herself now, no longer feeling trapped by the dangers and difficulties that came with her father, Jake, Mellie, a lack of Fitz, her family, and herself. She's starting to feel good again, taking it all in stride. She sighs, enters the office, and quietly closes the door.
"Hi." She murmurs, attracting Fitz's attention as she makes her way to the couch, setting her bag atop the table.
"Hi." He smiles, setting his pen down on the desk. She looks different, feels different. "How are you?"
"I'm good." She confirms with a nod, taking small steps towards his desk. "I hope I'm not interrupting you."
"You're not." He assures. "This isn't anything but some sign-offs. My time here is ending, so now I'm just buckling down on a few important issues I may have missed during my time here and some foundation work. Other than that, I'm good." He smiles.
"It's nice to see you."
"That's good. Are you excited to finally be out of this cage?" She raises a brow, folding her arms across her chest as she sits in one of the chairs in front of the desk, crossing her legs.
"It's nice to see you, too. I'm sorry I haven't been around."
He chuckles at the question. "I am ready to move on. Lots of work to do, but at least I'll be helping people out there instead of in here. Get my hands dirty a little bit." His answer pulls a chuckle from her lips.
"And don't apologize. You're still wading through the waters. How are you holding up? Ryan told me what had happened. About Jake."
"Your hands will get plenty dirty." She snickers, heaving a soft sigh as she leans back against the chair. The mention of Jake doesn't faze her.
"It was the easiest yet hardest decision I have ever made. If I would've done it using B613, I would've risked the chance of having the life I deserve, and if I didn't ask Ryan-"
"You would be right back where you started."
She nods. "And I couldn't take that chance."
"You could've come to me, Liv. I could've helped you."
"No, you couldn't have." She responds, stern in her demeanor. "Me asking you to do something as big as killing Jake would've eaten you alive, and you know it. After becoming the man I voted for, I couldn't do that to you after all the work you've done. That would be an act of selfishness, and you don't deserve that. I know that now."
Her words bring a smile to his face. He wasn't expecting much of an answer after his statement, but he's relieved he got one. With his gaze wandering over her, he can see the difference. She's still the same woman he knows and loves, but there's a fire brewing inside of her, a fire that he can't wait to witness in the darkest sky.
"There you are."
She inhales sharply, lips parting, her steady gaze softening as she shifts in her seat. With her armor gone, Fitz's three words wash over her. He sees her like he always has, not as the Olivia Pope she was when they first met, but the Olivia Pope he knows she wants to become, letting her know that she picked the right man to love.
"I respect your decision." He assures, sliding a hand across the desk, palm facing upwards. "I never want to make you feel like you have to call me when you need help, but I want you to know that I'm always here for you. No matter what. Even if it takes me a while to get there."
"I know." She assures, leaning forward in the chair, sliding her hand across the desk into his. "And I will always appreciate that. I just wanted to make sure that I handledmybusiness. That situation had nothing to do with you, and I wanted it to stay that way. I asked my brother for help since I sucked him into my world because of my fears and insecurities, but it was a good thing I did because he helped me fight the fight I was tired of fighting."
He closes his hand around hers, thumb caressing the back of her hand.
"You and Ryan have grown closer." He smiles. "I have to say that having a brother looks good on you, and it certainly helps that he's a part of the goodness this nation needs."
"I agree." She chuckles, moving a few loose strands of hair behind her shoulder. "Before all of this, I wouldn't be able to utter these words, but I can honestly say that he's everything I want to be within myself. I want to exude that energy he exudes."
"You're well on your way." He assures. "I can see the change in you, and it feels good. I have a question, though, and I don't want to offend you by asking this."
"Thank you." She chuckles. "What's your question?"
"Why did you ask Ryan to kill Jake?"
"Because he was the only one of us that could." She answers truthfully. "The pursuit of power affected us all, making it possible again. I didn't want that to happen. So, I asked him because he's not tethered to the darkness we experimented with."
He hums, pleased with her answer. He can tell she thought about how her actions could affect someone other than herself. She's the woman he fell in love with years ago.
"Makes sense." He lifts her hand, pressing a kiss upon it. "I'm proud of you, Liv." He's sincere.
"I know you still have work to do, but I'm happy to see your growth. I hope you can continue down the path you're on to reach your desired plateau."
Hearing him say he's proud of her makes her heart flutter. It's been a long time coming, but she's finally shedding the persona she's spent her entire life building and blooming into the true Olivia Pope. She leans over the desk and kisses him with a smile on her face, brushing her tongue against his giving him just enough before pulling away.
"What was that for?" He asks, ears red, blushing.
"For allowing me to fall but helping me up afterward."
"Always, but if I'm being honest, it sucked letting you fall, though I'm glad I did because you learned some valuable lessons." He teases, pulling a playful laugh from her lips.
"Hey, I was thinking."
"Oh, brother."
He gasps, his mouth agape. Olivia's lucky he enjoys her banter, evident by the laugh following.
"Not funny."
She chuckles. "Cheer up, Mr. President."
"Call me that again, and you'll find yourself face down on this desk."
She raises a brow. "Is that a challenge?"
"Take it how you want it."
"Preferably me on top, but I can settle for what you suggested." She folds her arms across her chest, focusing her gaze on his. "It's been some time since you made me climax in the oval."
He shifts in his seat, feeling her words do more than make him blush. He clears his throat, smiling afterward, leaning back in his chair.
"That mouth of yours."
"Makes you want to know how good it feels. I know."
At this point, she's doing it on purpose, which aroused him. If he weren't in his right mind, he'd do as he said and bend her over the desk to have his way with her. However, he resists the urge, shifting the conversation to something lighter.
"As I was saying." He chuckles, as does she knowing she won this round. "I thought we could go on a double date with Ryan and Danny."
"Really?" He piques her curiosity. "Why? Not that I'm against it."
"Well, I know you're not ready to be in a relationship yet, but that doesn't mean we can't start going out together, even in a group setting. It'll help alleviate the stress you'd feel if it were just us." He smiles.
"At least until I'm out of this office."
"Smart." She focuses her gaze on the window, thinking. "I think that could be fun. We haven't had an actual date in some time, and it would be easier for me if Ryan and Danny were with us." She snickers.
"I want to be better company than when I lived here momentarily."
"Then it's settled. I'll make the arrangements and-"
"I'll do it." She insists, returning her gaze to him. "I planned on visiting him today anyway, so I'll see if he's interested, and then we'll go from there."
He smiles. "Sounds good."
X
"Are you sure you don't wanna join me?" Danny asks from the shower. "The water is perfect."
Ryan chuckles, tying his hair up into a messy bun and looking at himself in the steamed bathroom mirror.
"Me joining you will only lead to us having sex, and in the past three weeks, we've had sex almost every day. We need to repent for our sins and pray for forgiveness."
"What?" He pulls the glass shower door back enough to stick his head out, wiping the excess water from his face. "You're kidding."
"I'm not." He turns to face him, leaning against the bathroom counter. "There are laws forbidding adultery and fornication, Danny. If we continue down this road, we'll end up-"
Danny grabs Ryan by the arm as quickly as he can, eliciting a shriek of laughter from Ryan's lips. He then pulls him into the shower, kissing him as he closes the shower door.
"We'll end up what?" He whispers, pressing himself against Ryan and leading them to the shower wall.
Thank goodness he was already naked.
"We'll end up right where we want to be." He murmurs, cupping Danny's face in his hands. He hisses when his back meets the cool shower wall.
Danny hums. "I can't help that you turn me on. The simplest of actions make me hard."
"I can tell." He kisses him, his hand gliding down Danny's body to his erection. His fingers graze along the entirety of his shaft, feeling it pulsing.
"Yeah?" The desire manifests in his features, stepping closer to Ryan.
"Mhm,' he nods, wrapping his hand around Danny's erection, pumping him back and forth, eliciting groans from Danny's lips. "I like that I have that effect on you."
"I bet you do," his head falls back, hips rutting forward to meet Ryan's hand. He places his hands on the shower wall to keep himself balanced. "I want you to know that sex isn't the only thing I want."
"I know." And he does, pressing a kiss to Danny's chest. "Don't worry."
He groans. "Okay."
Ryan pumps Danny's cock, watching him go through the motions. He can see the pleasure coursing through him, evident by how his face scrunches up. It's a sight to see, and he loves having this much control over him.
"I love seeing you like this."
A hum. "Because you're evil."
Ryan chuckles. "Maybe," giving his cock squeeze, eliciting a sharp grunt from Danny's lips. "But I think you enjoy my dark side."
"You know I do." He focuses his gaze on Ryan's, hands finding his waist. "And as much as I would love for you to make me cum, I want to do something else I had in mind."
He smiles. "And what would that be?"
"First," he kisses him, "I wanted to make you breakfast in bed. After that, I wanted to spend the day with you doing nothing. We've been so busy with work and each other that we haven't had a day to relax. I'm thinking movies, a massage, lunch, and dinner made by yours truly, and then for the finale, I can make my famous apple pie for dessert."
"Ah, Mr. Ford wants to spoil his boyfriend today." He snakes his arms around Danny's neck, smiling. "I like the sound of that."
"Then it's settled." He smiles. "Less adultery and fornication."
Ryan chuckles. "And lots more pampering."
X
She walks around her home with heavy feet, shoulders, and a heavy heart. Her appearance is unkempt. Every hair of hers is out of place. She's wearing the same pajamas for the past three weeks, with bags and dark circles under her eyes. This behavior is unlike Mellie, and there are no signs of her wanting to change.
Everything she's ever wanted is now nothing more than a dream, a dream she can't seem to wake up from, and the only person she can blame is herself. She's foolish. Foolish for thinking that her actions wouldn't have consequences, that her actions wouldn't lead her to her irrefutable end.
Mellie figured that if she could somehow blame Olivia for everything, she could be in the clear and still have a straight shot to the White House, but boy was she wrong. Olivia didn't even have to play media games or use her political skills. All she had to do was tell the truth. And yes, the public crucified her, but, in the end, they saw and understood the fight as Olivia's a black woman trying to make the best decision for her life.
She's a black woman fighting for those in her predicament.
Olivia became an imperfect hero and inspiration to black women and women, whereas Mellie became a criminal threat to society. She couldn't play the game from the beginning. She only accomplished becoming a lawyer, and even that dream was short-lived.
She relied heavily upon Olivia instead of doing the work herself, so her fall from grace is her fault. She expected to be handed the presidency on a silver platter with a tiara and scepter instead of showing the world why she would be a good fit, and now she's lost everything.
Upon entering the dimly lit kitchen, she walks over to her alcohol cabinet and grabs down her favorite bottle of hooch. She didn't bother to hide it anymore, seeing as her perfection was shattered, leaving her with broken pieces of the woman she had come to hate.
Popping open the glass bottle, she tosses the lid onto the counter and wastes no time downing the clear liquid. It burns her throat, but after drinking it so much when she was with Fitz, she's become numb to the sensation, and in some odd way, it pleases her.
This moment is her life, and no one can dig her out of this hole.
She walks over to the bay window, watching the sunset. Tears well in her eyes as her mistakes bombard her thoughts. In a fit of unrelenting rage, guilt and sadness, she throws the bottle into the wall, watching as the glass shards shatter all over the floor and counter as she falls to her knees, her tears like streams down her cheeks.
She doesn't know what to do, who she is, or what she stands for. Her power is gone. Her chances at power are gone. She's gone. Who is she outside of this masquerade for the unobtainable? What redeeming qualities does she have now that her sword and shield are gone? What does her frigid heart say now that the reality of her actions has come to light?
"God, please help me." She murmurs, her voice trembling, hands shaking on her knees. "This can't be the end for me, nor can it be the sole purpose of my life. I worked hard for everything I owed, and you can't take that away from me. Not now, not ever." She sniffles, wiping her eyes as she slowly rises to her feet, casting her gaze on the ceiling.
"Why am I the only person on the receiving end of your wrath? Why does that bitch Olivia Pope and her treacherous brother Ryan Lewis get to skip down the yellow brick road while I'm stuck underneath a fucking house?! Huh?! Answer me!" She exclaims, walking around her kitchen, being mindful of the glass.
"Oh, that's right. You don't have an answer, but I do." She begins to laugh maniacally. "Olivia Pope and friends are going down. I will make sure of it."
X
Olivia enters the lobby of Ryan's apartment complex dressed in an all-white Gabriela Hearst windowpane-check single-breasted satin blazer, windowpane-check satin trousers from the same designer, and black Saint Laurent Zoe chain-bow leather pumps. She makes her way to the elevator attracting an inordinate amount of attention.
She's back, and it feels damn good.
Giving a few smiles at those acknowledging or in awe of her presence, she presses the button on the elevator. Not even a minute later, the doors open, and she walks on, pressing the button to Ryan's floor. Heaving a soft sigh, she smiles warmly to herself. She hadn't seen her brother in some time, wanting to use the passing weeks to focus on herself.
That didn't stop her from thinking of him, however.
If it weren't for him, she wouldn't feel this good. Eli would still have her locked in a box without a key, trapped with someone she loathed, surrounded by her wrongdoings. But now, she's confronting her demons head-on, looking lavish while doing so, although a lot of work still needs to be done.
The doors open when the elevator reaches his floor, and she walks off towards his apartment door. She wishes she would've brought a bottle of wine to drink, but she was so busy talking to Fitz that the thought didn't cross her mind until now. No worries, however, for he has terrific taste in wine.
Reaching his door, she knocks quickly, a smile upon her face as she tucks her hands back into the pockets of her blazer. There's a feeling of relief looming over her because she's not bearing any terrible news or here to ask him to do anything that may or may not jeopardize his character. It's just a sister wanting to ask her brother if he'd join her and Fitz on a date.
Hopefully, he says yes.
The door opens, and Olivia's face falls to the floor when she sees Ryan in his black silk robe, holding a can of whipped cream near his mouth. He laughs when he sees the look on Olivia's face, shaking his head after a swig of whipped cream falls into his mouth.
"Don't worry. You're not interrupting." He moves out of the doorway, motioning a hand inside. "Come in. It's nice to see you."
"It's nice to see you, too." She snickers, making her way inside his apartment as he closes the door behind her.
"Are you sure I'm not interrupting? Judging by the can of whipped cream and your somewhat disheveled hair, I'd say you are having a good time."
"I was having a great time." He smiles, setting the can down on the table by the door before greeting her properly with a hug, which she reciprocates. "However, it's been a lazy day, and we've been doing nothing but laying around, eating, and watching movies."
"I'm glad." She smiles, squeezing him gently. "Do you have any of that wine you had the last time I was here? I could use a drink, and we could use some catching up."
"I have a cupboard full." He chuckles, making his way to the kitchen, grabbing two wine glasses from the cabinet and setting them on the counter. "Big glass or small?"
"Small is good." She smiles, taking a seat on the couch and crossing her legs. "So, how have you been? I haven't seen you in three weeks."
"Coming right up." He moves to the wine cabinet, grabbing a bottle of his favorite Bordeaux and popping it open as he walks back to the counter, pouring them half a glass. "I've been enjoying my time off." He assures, setting the bottle aside, grabbing their drinks, and making his way to the living room.
"I've been focusing on my relationship, giving Danny the time he deserves. Here you go." He holds a glass out to her, which she takes before he moves to sit in the chair. "How've you been?"
"Thank you so much." She takes a small sip of the red liquid. "I've been good— peaceful. Finally feeling like a brand new me, and it feels damn good. Other than that, I've just been taking life as it comes."
"Have you been taking anything else?" He raises a brow, taking a sip of the red.
She snickers. "I wish, but no. And it's like, I want him badly, you know? I want him to do a plethora of things to me, but we just now reconnected after three weeks, and I don't want to give him that energy yet, although I don't mind teasing him about it."
He's shocked, incredulity manifesting on his features."Three weeks? Is there a reason for that?"
"I needed time to sort through what I wanted because he's the type of person to ask." She chuckles, taking another sip of the red liquid. "I could never answer him before, but now I think I can."
"Well, what do you want?" He's curious, setting his glass on the end table. "No bullshit."
"No bullshit? I want him. I want a life with him, but I also want my life. Is that difficult?"
"No." He shakes his head. "It makes a lot of sense. You want to be with him and build a life with him, but you don't want to lose your identity because that happens in relationships."
"Exactly." She downs the rest of her wine, setting the glass on the coffee table. "Any advice?"
"Just be honest." He smiles. "If he's the man for you like I know he is, he'll understand that without question."
She hears his words and accepts them, interlacing her hands atop her knee with a smile.
"Can I ask how you and Danny met?"
"Sure." He leans back in the chair. "We met the day I began working with Fitz. First in the oval and then when I was leaving."
"Was it love at first sight or a slow burn?" She inquires.
"Both." He says truthfully. "We both felt it when we shook hands, but we didn't rush after that. It was very smooth, as is he. After our first conversation, I wanted to see more of him, which was different." He chuckles.
"Long story short, we spent ample time together, and with that came feelings I didn't expect to have for anyone. And now I'm a man in love."
"Sounds like me with Fitz, just different circumstances." She chuckles, as does he. "Were you afraid when you fell for him?"
"He said that to me actually, Fitz. And I agree." He snickers. "And to answer your question, I wasn't afraid when I fell for him, just surprised by my feelings. I never experienced a love like his throughout my life, so you can imagine my push and pull game."
She bursts into laughter. "Trust me when I say I'm an expert at the push and pull game. Sometimes it happens subconsciously, but other times I do it because of fear. I'm surprised Fitz still puts up with me."
"That man loves the hell out of you. Good or bad. He's always been the type to see someone for who they are, which means he's always seen you." He smiles.
"When you get out of your way and allow him to love you, you'll see it's worth it, but I don't need to tell you that because you already know."
"I do." She smiles, "but it doesn't hurt to hear it again from someone who gives me great advice."
"That's what I'm here for." He smiles. "Gotta keep your ass on track because I know how you get."
"Please." She laughs. "Speaking of on track, let me ask you what I came here to ask. Would you and Danny like to accompany Fitz and me on a double date?"
"A double date? That's big for you." His eyes widen. "Are you ready for that?"
"I am. I wanted you and Danny to come because it'll make me less nervous around Fitz." She admits. "You two would be the icebreaker for us in a sense."
"We'll go under one condition."
She raises a brow. "Lay it on me."
"You have to pick out my outfit."
X
"I'm glad you could make it, Mrs. Lewis," Fitz says, walking over to the crystal, grabbing two glasses, and filling them with scotch. "I honestly didn't think you'd come."
"It was about time I did." She responds, removing her Gucci pink floral print and jacquard silk scarf from around her neck and tucking it into her bag before setting it on the table.
"You seemed very serious over the phone, so I figured I might as well stop by. This meeting is our first, so I'm curious to see why you called me here."
He smiles, handing her a glass before they sit opposite each other.
"I called you here to get your blessing for me dating your daughter." He says, voice unwavering. "I know I don't have the best track record, but I loved your daughter since I first laid eyes on her-"
"Since you were a married man, right?"
"Yes." He nods, taking a sip of scotch.
"So, why do you think I should agree to you dating my daughter?" She wonders, taking a sip of the bronze liquid. "How do I know you won't cheat on Olivia as you did with your wife?"
"Because if it weren't for Olivia, I would have nothing." He states. "I made many bullshit mistakes, but falling in love with your daughter isn't one of them. Going outside my marriage was despicable; I know that, and although it was dead weight, it was wrong." He continues.
"However, had I sat on the sidelines, there would've been two people so deserving of one another lonely, and that is a chance I couldn't take. I love Olivia with everything in me, and now that we have a real chance, I want to do things right, so I called you here because you deserved to hear this from me. I would never hurt Olivia because she is where I want to be."
Maya can hear the genuineness in his voice, and for the first time, she can see Fitz as a man, not a president. She was never around when Olivia and Fitz first went down the rabbit hole together, but that didn't stop her from hearing about it. It was never a good situation to her, and it always seemed like a toxic situation from the outside looking in, but maybe that's why it's so beautiful.
They were two unlikely souls on different life paths colliding without a second to prepare for what was to come.
"Not many men would sit here in my face and admit that their actions were fucked up. Especially not some white man." She chuckles, as does he. "That aside, I know my daughter loves you because she would've been long gone by now if she didn't. You've always been the nucleus in her life. I hope that doesn't change."
"I assure you that it won't. I want to spend the rest of my life with her." He smiles, resting one foot over the thigh of the other as he takes a sip of the bronze liquid.
"She's the better half of me, and I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that, which is why I wanted to ask you if you will allow me to pursue her romantically."
"Why didn't you ask Eli this?" She raises a brow, folding her arms atop her lap. "Why is my grace more important than his?"
"Because you're the best parts of her. Eli killed my son, ruined Olivia's growth for years, and manipulated her into thinking she had to isolate herself and hurt people to achieve some nonexistent goal. He made her feel worthless, not to mention, he cast you out because he knows how much you influence her - how good you are for her."
Her gaze narrows. "You do love her." She acknowledges, pleased with his answer. "Knowing everything you know, dealing with everything you've dealt with, not many men would stick around."
"I'm in it for the long haul." He smiles, Olivia in his thoughts. "She's my tornado."
"And you have my blessing. Just take care of my baby."
"I promise, Mrs. Lewis, I won't let you down."
"I know you won't because it'll look bad on you." She chuckles. "And please, call me Maya."
"Well, Maya." He raises his glass. "Here's to a better future."
X
Standing in his backyard, gazing solemnly at the hole in front of him, holding the box of Jake's remains in his trembling hands, tears flow down Eli's cheeks. This is the hardest thing he's ever had to do. Regardless of the circumstances, Jake was his son. And although he was disobedient at times, he was still his son.
He was hard on him because he wanted him to be better. That turned out to be a nightmare because, with all that pushing, he pushed him away to a deserving fate, but him, no. He never wanted to be in this predicament, burying his son's remains in his backyard, but here he is, and it's painful.
He falls to one knee with a heavy sigh, tears flowing even faster down his cheeks as he places the box in the dug hole. He tries his best to remain stoic, unaffected by the rush of emotions consuming him, but he can't. He's a broken man, and nothing he can do will pull him out of the rabbit hole.
His cries begin to fill the air, echoing in the distance as he releases the pain he feels, hoping the man above will alleviate it. Still, nothing happens, for this is karma for attempting to ruin someone who's supposed to be his flesh and blood, karma for putting a man he took under his wing over his daughter. But now, the tides have turned.
"I failed you as a father, son. I should've never had brought you into not only my life by Olivia's either." He sniffles, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I see it now. We were the parasites, the cancers, the infections of the world. I enabled your behavior. I enabled it because I didn't know better, and I'm sorry I let you down. I will do whatever my power allows me to make this right."
And with that, he pushes the pile of dirt into the hole, carefully burying the box so that it never sees the light of day again, although he'll know it's there. Emitting a soft sigh, he slowly rises to his feet and makes his way over to the table by the patio door, grabbing the white rose. He walks back to the filled-in hole where he places the rose.
"May you have a better life now that you're free from me."
X
Quinn sits in her office, combing her fingers through her hair as she thinks about past events. Ever since Olivia's change of heart, she's been horrible to Huck, and he's the person who always had her back.
She knows he means well, but her anger at Olivia momentarily blinded her, keeping her trapped in the dark with those memories of her old life instead of embracing her new one.
As she finds herself consumed with different feelings and thoughts, she sees Huck through her peripheral vision and immediately gets up from her seat and rushes to the door, opening it and peeking her head through it.
"Huck." She calls out to him. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
He stops in his tracks, keeping his back facing her.
"Sure." He doesn't budge. "What is it?"
She emits a heavy yet shaky sigh. "I know I haven't been the best to be around, but I want to say I'm sorry for how I've been treating you. You don't deserve that."
"You're right. I don't. Anything else?"
She can feel his cold shoulder from across the room, but she knows it's warranted. Ever since he's shown forgiveness regarding Olivia, she's been raging on like a dungeon dragon, and he's no longer in the mood to entertain her because of a decision he made for himself. Time heals all wounds, and his wounds are no more.
"Yeah." She answers, stepping out of the office. "I think I'm ready to forgive Olivia."
X
"Mr. President, Olivia Pope is here to see you," Charlotte informs as she enters the Oval Office.
"Send her in." He says with a smile, rising to his feet as Charlotte gives Olivia the okay. When he sees her, that boyish grin manifests on his features.
She's beautiful.
"Liv, hi." He makes his way over to her.
"Hi, Mr. President." She smiles. "How are you? Why the urgent call?" She raises a brow, taking a quick moment to admire him as he approaches her.
"Everything okay?"
"Everything is perfect." His grin remains, snaking his arms around her waist, her hands immediately meeting his chest. "There's something I want to propose, but there's one thing I have to do before that."
"Really?" She tilts her head slightly to the left, gazing at his ocean blues. "And what's that?"
With his tongue brushing his lips, he leans in and kisses her, pulling her against him. She's taken aback at first but wastes no time kissing him back, moving a hand to the curls upon the nape of his neck.
He feels the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. Like static, Olivia's kiss lights his senses on fire, but he controls himself for the moment and pulls away, leaving her flustered, arms still wrapped tightly around her waist.
"That." He murmurs.
She opens her eyes to see his starting back at her, making her shiver. She tries her best to remain stoic but bursts into laughter with him following suit before she kisses him once more.
"So, do you want to know what Ryan said, or would you like to go for round two?" She raises a brow, tucking her lip between her teeth.
"If we go for round two, I don't think I'll be able to control myself as well as I did round one." He chuckles, pressing his hips into hers, giving her insight into his current dilemma.
"See what I mean?"
She moans softly, rubbing a hand down his chest to his bulge, making him grunt lowly. She teases it with her fingers, feeling it pulsing against them.
"You can hold off a little while longer, mister." She chuckles. "I don't plan on going anywhere."
"I would hope not. There's so much I want to do." He says, excited. "So, tell me what Ryan said. After that, I'll tell you what I'm proposing."
"He agreed to the double date idea. Now, what are you proposing?"
He smiles at the answer, nodding.
"A group trip to Vermont. Everyone can come. There are plenty of rooms so that we won't be on top of one another, and it would be good for you and me to have some quality time together that isn't limited because I'm the President of the United States."
With her mouth agape, eyes glistening like a firework in the sky, she soon smiles at the mention of Vermont. She had figured that he got rid of the house or that it was no longer something they both wanted, so hearing that it was still a reality made her heart flutter.
"I thought you would've gotten rid of it."
"Never. Although it's been between reality and a dream for us, it still holds sentimental value seeing as we were going to spend our lives there."
"Can we?"
"You and I both know that isn't possible."
Her brows furrow. "Why not?"
"Because you still have things to accomplish. And one of those things is not sitting in a house in Vermont." He smiles, as does she.
"We can talk about it later, but Vermont— Vermont is where we would go once we've done everything we set our minds on doing. We would need something more realistic for now, for there's still more work to do."
His answer is perfect. He's right. Although Olivia wants nothing more than to live in the house he's built for them, now isn't the time.
"I'm satisfied with that answer." She smiles, leaning in and kissing him once more.
As he falls into the kiss, the door to the oval opens, and in walks Ryan, Abby and Cyrus.
"I'm guessing you called us here to watch you two make out," Ryan says, shaking his head and chuckling while Abby snickers. On the other hand, Cyrus, the drama queen he is, bursts into laughter, attracting Olivia and Fitz's attention, who remain in one another's embrace as they turn to face the others.
"Sorry about that." Fitz chuckles. "Thank you for coming."
"So, why are we here?" Abby wastes no time in asking. "You sounded very frantic over the phone."
"By the looks of it, I don't think he's frantic," Cyrus adds.
Fitz chuckles at the remark. "Do I sound frantic over the phone all the time?" His gaze drifts around the room at everyone before landing on Olivia.
"Ninety-five percent of the time, yes." She answers, causing everyone to laugh. "It's because you've been president for so long."
"Something so rewarding yet so sad." Ryan quips, moving to sit down on the couch, crossing his legs. "So, as Abby asked, why are we here?"
Abby moves to take a seat next to Ryan, resting her head against his shoulder while Cyrus sits in the chair.
"Once everyone arrives, then I'll tell you-"
"Hey, everyone," Danny greets them, entering the Oval with Huck, Marcus, and Quinn following suit. "Would've been here sooner, but I ran into these guys on my way here." He informs, moving to stand behind Ryan, leaning down and pressing a kiss upon his head, whereas Huck, Quinn, and Marcus remain by the door.
There's an awkward silence seeing as Quinn and Olivia haven't been in the same room together since they worked on that case together, but being the bigger person, Olivia ignores it for now.
"I'm sure a few of you would rather not be here but thank you for coming for Fitz. He's excited about this proposal and hopes you all will agree." She turns her attention to Fitz, who smiles.
"The floor is yours."
He nods, focusing his attention on the others.
"I called you all here today because my time here as president will be over, as you know, in a few days. I'm happy to pass the throne to Senator Briggs, who I've shown incalculable amounts of support for over the past three weeks, and I figured it was time to celebrate. So, my proposal will be in the form of a question. How does everyone feel about taking a weekend trip to Vermont?"
Everyone's demeanor becomes indifferent aside from Ryan and Danny's because they aren't aware of Vermont.
"What the hell is Vermont? Isn't it cold there?" He wonders, gauging everyone's reaction.
"Freezing. Vermont is where Fitz built a house for Olivia." Abby answers. "Why do you propose we go there?"
"Because this group of people could use some time away from this place." He answers. "Think of it as a weekend therapy session without the therapist."
"So, you want everyone to sit around the campfire and sing kumbaya?" Cyrus questions, a brow raised. "Why?"
"Believe it or not, Cy, we're just one big dysfunctional family who needs to get their shit together so we can move forward however we see fit. Danny and Ryan are only two people excluded from that because no issues are with them." He chuckles.
"I'm not saying we all have to leave and be best friends. No, that's unrealistic. I'm saying that everything needs to be put on the table so we can clean it off for good." He states.
"We're all fighting on the same team. Yes, we have different winning methods, but it's all for the same cause. Not only that, this trip can be very beneficial for relationship building. Miles away, no toxicity in sight, only a wall separating you. Could be fun."
"Or it could be a nightmare." Abby retorts, causing Ryan to snicker. "However, I do think it could be beneficial. There's a lot that needs to be said." She says, her gaze drifting to Olivia, who remains firm in her stance.
"Then say it in Vermont. I'm sure a few of you have a lot to get off your chest." Her gaze darts to Quinn, who rolls her eyes.
"Well, Ryan and I are in," Danny says, prompting Olivia to smile.
"There's nothing else going on, so I'm in too." Cyrus nods.
"I'm going because Ryan's going." Abby states. "Also, can I bring David?"
"He's more than welcome." Fitz answers. "Huck, Quinn, Marcus. What do you say?"
"I'm in," Huck murmurs, walking over to sit next to Ryan.
"I'm always down for a vacation." Marcus chuckles. "I'm in."
All eyes fall on Quinn, who steps into the oval.
"As long as I get a room next to the kitchen, I think this can work."
Fitz nods with a small smile as he looks at Olivia.
"Liv?"
She folds her arms across her chest, gaze drifting around the room at everyone as they stare back at her. She's no longer afraid. She's, in fact, more than ready to stand in her truth and either make amends or move on.
"To Vermont, we go."