Epiphany

by NoLove10

Epiphany: They say it's the little moments in life, the ones you can point at and have absolute clarity of what was missing. Fitzgerald Grant knew all about epiphanies but the last thing he expected when he walked into Mike's Pub was to fall in love.

9. Chapter 9

A/N: Hello everyone! it's been 84 years but I'm back because I missed you all and also because I was teased with the promise of cookies and I simply could not pass up on that! :D

All kidding aside, I don't usually do author's note because I feel that they take away from story but I thought I'd make an exception this time. I wanted to take moment before we get to this chapter to thank every single one of you for being so patient with me. To anyone who's reviewed, shared this story online, talked about it with their friends and messaged me throughout the hiatus, THANK YOU. I'm so grateful for you guys. I'd almost given up on this story for a number of reasons but you guys continuously messaged me and breathed life back into this story, and made this chapter possible. I'm not much for social media, except tumblr but I'm seriously considering making a twitter because I've heard this story gets discussed there often and I'd love to interact with all of you more. I'm open to chat with anyone who has questions, comments about the story. Or if you just need to vent.

Now without further ado, I present you all with chapter nine! Enjoy.

---

Their three days stay in Madrid could only be described as carefree, chaotic and energetic fun. Though it was very tempting to stay in their hotel rooms at times and enjoy the free mini-bar and make great use of the hotel spa and pool, the city's attraction was much more irresistible.

After they unpacked and took turns showering, they were off exploring the city. Olivia was excited to show Fitz all her favorite places and past time in Madrid. And she insisted that the best way to do so was on foot. They visited her favorite café where they indulged in pastries and wonderfully-delicious café con leche while people watching. As soon as one adventure was over, they were on to the next. They visited Museo del Prado where they took an abundant amount of pictures. Olivia gushed over the beautiful architecture and paintings of some of the most world-famous Spanish, Dutch, Italian and German painters. While everything was indeed beautiful and fascinating, Olivia remained Fitz's most interesting subject in whichever setting they were in.

A little after noon, Olivia's friend Tristan Velez called. They had a whole conversation in Spanish. Fitz understood bits and pieces and from what he's gathered, Mr. Tristan was a bit of a flirt and he didn't know how to feel about that. When Olivia asked him if he was okay with having a couple of drinks with Tristan and his partner, he agreed, going in with an open mind.

With its subterranean dens, arched ceiling, dim lighting and impressive collection of art, Las Cuevas de Sésamo, a local authentic bar famous for its sangrias was as busy as ever for noon time. However, Fitz was surprised with how at home he felt as soon as he set foot inside the bar. They were sat immediately at a table and while they waited for their server, Fitz watched with fascination as Spaniards from all walks of life engaged in lively, and intimate discussions. At the very end of the bar, a talented man provided gentle background melodies on a piano. Fitz found that he couldn't stop smiling. This place felt like home, which was hard to believe. He liked here. He liked Spain a lot.

"You're smiling," Olivia noted. "It looks good on you."

"I like the energy in this place," Fitz said. "Thank you for this trip, Livvie."

Too soon or exactly on time - depending on who you ask, a tall man averaging above 6 feet tall was animatedly waving at Olivia and she was all but running to him as she waved him over. He was dashingly European and handsome. He was rocking a buzz cut, dark sunglasses, a black t-shirt under a tailored Giorgio Armani suit fit just for his lean and fit build. And even though it was at least eighty degrees out, he wore a stylish scarf around his neck and because he wore it so well, he couldn't even be questioned. He walked with stride and confidence, a charming smile on his lips and Fitz absolutely hated the guy on sight.

As soon as he reached their table, Fitz watched the scene before himself playing out as if it were his worse nightmare. The woman he is in love with, wrapped in the arms of another man. Smiling a different smile - one he's never seen on her before. And then came the traditional European kisses... three on the cheek - way too fucking many if you ask Fitz. To hell with traditions and formalities. Then out came flying the Spanish. They spoke too fast and too eagerly for Fitz to understand a damn word. Olivia laughing at every goddamn word, you would think the dude was the funniest person to ever speak. All and all, Fitz was choking with jealousy as he resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

After a couple minutes, it's as if they finally both remembered he existed and Olivia begin introducing him. Even then, she held onto charming fuckface (a not so endearing name Fitz had so kindly taken the time to name Tristan in his head in the last few minutes), her hand on his chest, his arm around her waist. Fitz wanted to puke.

"Ace, meet my good friend Tristan Velez." Olivia said in introduction.

Fitz was fucking seething. How dare she call him Ace right now? And why the heck were they still hanging onto each other like that?

"Tristan, meet Fitzgerald Grant!"

Even though Fitz wanted anything but to shake charming fuckface's hand, he was a man with manners and respect. Just because he was jealous didn't mean that Tristan wasn't a good guy. So he extended his hand and firmly shook Tristan's hand, seizing him up in the process. Upon releasing his hand, Tristan smirked at him.

"Does he know I'm gay?" Tristan turned to Olivia and broke the ice. "His tough guy demeanor is kind of turning me on."

It took everything Fitz had in him not to turn embarrassingly red. As if by divine intervention, their server returned with a pitcher of delicious sangria and glasses. Tristan took a seat next to Olivia and poured wine for everyone at the table.

It took Fitz a few minutes to unwind and it turned out, Tristan was a really nice guy. He spoke highly and in glowing terms of Olivia, which made Olivia blush because duh, modest, yes she is. Tristan unashamedly told the story of how Olivia turned him down for a date when he was studying back in the states and afraid of his sexuality.

"She gave me the read of the century," Tristan said, gulping another sip of wine. "I remember thinking she was so damn mean yet honest and astute and did I say mean? I also remember standing there feeling so irrelevant but yet completely captivated. She called me a coward without really calling me one. She was fierce with it, urging me to embrace who I was and then she took me to a goddamn gay bar where I felt free to start expressing who I truly was without feeling ashamed. She was a great wing woman. We had so much alcohol and she kicked my ass and everyone bold enough to challenge her at pool! Let me tell you, sly as a fox, that one. She's not a graceful winner either. She rubbed it in my face till I was blue."

"I did no such thing!" Olivia said, hiding behind her hands.

He then went on to say how Olivia had become sort of his therapist in the years that followed him coming out to closest friends and family when he'd returned back home from obtaining his MBA in finance and business management. The transition was no doubt difficult. He didn't know who would accept him. He was deathly afraid of his father's reaction because Ricardo Velez was a very religious and proud family man who detested the slightest thing he deemed an embarrassment. And having Olivia as a listening ear during that year was the best thing to happen to him.

It was only after the third story that Fitz grasped that their relationship was purely platonic. Olivia smiled differently with Tristan because their history with each other was different. They could hold each other so closely and tightly because they've seen each other break down many times and picked up the pieces together. All of Tristan's testimonies only fully solidified the kind, loyal and amazing person Olivia truly was.

They managed to finish the whole pitcher of sangria between the three of them and soon enough they were making plans for the rest of the afternoon.

"When's Roman coming?" Olivia asked, referring to Tristan's longtime partner.

"When isn't he you mean?" Tristan replied, winking at Olivia. "That man is insatiable, I swear!"

Olivia shook her head, "Pervert!" She punched Tristan's arms. "But I mean it. A party isn't a party with us until Roman is part of it." It was true. One of the reasons why Olivia keeps coming back to Spain is because Tristan and Roman were a trip and half and being around them was absolutely wild. She was guaranteed an unforgettable vacation and she wanted Fitz to experience that with her this year.

"He was away for a shoot in Berlin. I'm picking him up from the airport tonight and we can all have dinner if you guys don't have plans to yourselves." Tristan proposed. He was dying to ask why Fitz and Olivia weren't dating but he preferred to observe for now and ask later. The way Fitz seized him up earlier, there's no way that wasn't personal, hence his little dig at his own sexuality. He was curious to know if Olivia felt the same and by the end of her stay in Madrid, he vowed to find out whether through his own observation or by blatantly asking Olivia himself.

"In the meantime, I'm hungry and feel like keeping this buzz going elsewhere so I can also dance." He clapped his hand and made eye contact with a server for the check. "I know exactly the place to get all the above. You two care to tag along?"

"Yeah." Olivia and Fitz replied in unison.

"Can we stop by a bank first? I need cash." Olivia said.

Tristan cut his eyes at her looking annoyed. "I got you." He replied.

---

The place wasn't so much a setting as it was a street-wide event. Madrid was famous for its street carnivals in the summertime so it was no surprise to Olivia at all when they made it downtown and they were thrust into the ambiance of a street festival. The streets were decked with lanterns and locals dancing cheek to cheek to amazing music, feasting on delicious foods and drinking refreshing beverages.

It was a lot for Fitz to take in but soon enough he was blending in with everyone. Tristan ever the flirt, engaged with anyone willing to give him the time of day. He was very social and outgoing, dancing with multiple people at once. After too many cups of spiked punch, somehow, Olivia enthralled Fitz into dancing as well. The way she moved her little body against his had him ready to start confessing. He kept up with her every step and drank from her cup - wishing they were her lips instead when she wrapped her arm around his neck and told him to "stop holding back.". His response was to smile and go with her flow. She fed him delicious snacks, otherwise known as tapas as he's come to learn. She was a joy to be around and pretty soon, all the locals knew it too because she had attracted a crowd and everyone moved to the same rhythm as her.

At a certain point, Fitz had to step back and simply watch behind the lenses of his digital camera. Words couldn't even describe how full his heart was or how in awe he was of the woman before him. Even as carefree as she was right now, she was still the kindest woman ever, dancing with anyone who asked and buying foods and drinks from every local vendor. As many pictures as Fitz took, he knew none would do justice to the image he held Olivia too.

"She's an incredible woman." Tristan's voice in his ear startled Fitz and he lowered the camera in his hand. "I can totally see why you'd be in love with her."

There was no sense in denying it. Fitz didn't want to. He didn't care if the world knew. It didn't matter until Olivia knew it too and he didn't know when he was going to find the balls to admit it to her.

But he played coy anyway. "Who says I'm in love with her?" Fitz smirked.

"Oh come on, man." Tristan returned Fitz's smirk. "I speak a total of twelve languages. One of them is the language of love and people. Earlier at the bar, you didn't even know me but I sensed that you wanted to punch me for greeting her. That look you get in your eyes every time she smiles at you is the look of a man in love and you're a very lucky man if she looks back at you the same way." Taking a sip of his drink, Tristan continued. "As far as finding someone to spend the rest of your life with, you've hit the jackpot, dude. When you do decide to tell her, you'd have made a wonderful choice because everything about that woman over there is amazing. Her energy, her laugh, her smile, her brilliance, her way with people, the kindness in her heart… it reels you in and it's hard not to fall for someone like that." The two men watched as Olivia danced with her hands in the air and a smile on her lips. They both raised their drinks to her when she waved at them. "I meant what I said back at the bar. Olivia Pope gave me my life. Saved me, freed me and made me into the man that I am right now. Trust me when I say this… if I wasn't as gay as a nine bob and very much in love and committed to my partner, I'd marry her."

Just as quickly as he'd appeared by his side, he was gone before Fitz could get a chance to respond to any of what he'd said.

---

Come later afternoon, they hailed a taxi back to their hotel. They needed some rest time and to shower away the exciting day they've had so far. With plans to meet Tristan back for dinner at a great rooftop restaurant and the promise of delicious dishes and a lively night, Olivia was still buzzing with energy. She kicked off her shoes as soon as she got the door to their hotel room opened and ran to the bed. Like a little kid who's had too much sugar, she began to bounce on the amazingly comfortable king-sized bed.

Fitz followed after her and stood at the door frame, looking; admiring; smiling.

"Come over here and jump with me!" She beckoned.

Shaking his head, a smile still plastered on his face, Fitz obliged after kicking off his own shoes. "Never change okay?" He said.

"Not a chance, Ace." Olivia replied, grabbing his hands.

They must've bounced on that bed for at least ten minutes, laughing until they struck up a vicious pillow and tickle fight. The aftermath led to them passing out from the day's excitement, holding each other as they drifted off for a well-needed nap.

When they woke again, it was to the sound of Olivia's phone ringing.

"Fuck, we overslept!" She cursed. Fitz was still asleep next to her, looking impossibly cute and Olivia couldn't help the smile on her face.

Picking up the phone, she pressed the green button and brought the phone to her ear. "I have a perfectly good explanation, Tristan. I told myself I was gonna lie down for a few before getting ready and then jet lag hit me like a ton of bricks. When I tried to get up my body was like; "Okay... you go, bitch, I'm good." So now, both Fitz and I will meet you guys late."

Tristan was laughing on the other end of the line. "I'll see you at seven then?" He asked.

"Bring the Mustang?" She requested.

Tristan was a man of great taste and his wealth afforded him incredible luxuries. And Olivia was absolutely in love with his grey Mustang. Every time she visits, it's a given for her to go on a ride with it.

"See ya!"

---

A little after seven o'clock, the duo met Tristan and his partner Roman at The Penthouse - a nice restaurant smack in the middle of Central Madrid. With its tall silhouette overlooking the entire city, the restaurant offered a very comfortable, relaxing yet energetic vibe. Of course, Tristan had decided on rooftop seats and it was perfect because the night was beautiful; the stars were out, and the air was fresh.

The same thing that happened when Fitz met Tristan repeated itself when Olivia saw Roman. Lots of Spanish, three kisses on the cheeks. Fitz resigned that to be the European ways of things. And plus, these guys were pretty cool. There was no need for him to be jealous. These were her people way before he was in the picture. He hit it off much better with Tristan this time around after having spent the afternoon in his company. The foursome enjoyed a delicious dinner over wild conversations and delicious drinks as they played catch up and learned about each other. Another great thing about this restaurant was its open bar on the rooftop and the DJ playing amazing upbeat songs. As the night progressed, their group expanded as they met new friends who wanted to join their table and engage in friendly conversation. Now they were a group of seven. Tristan and Roman, Olivia and Fitz, Ian and his partner Izumi and Zaria. Their new friends were all interesting people and all from different parts of Europe. Zaria had taken a deep liking to Fitz and at first, Olivia couldn't tell why that annoyed her so much, but here she was, on her fifth drink of the night, glancing back and forth at Zaria and Fitz who both seemed to be deep in conversation at the bar, when they were supposed to be getting a refill of everyone's drink. The others surrounding her were laughing at something hilarious that Ian had just said, but Olivia was completely distracted.

Finally, they returned with drinks for everybody and one look at Olivia, Fitz could already tell something was wrong. He pulled her to the side after they did a group toast to life being awesome.

"Everything okay, Fireball?" He asked.

Olivia shrugged. "Yeah." She replied. "Our new friend over there seems to really like you..." She added.

Fitz fought hard not to react. Was that jealousy he heard in her voice? He shook his head. Maybe he was just making it up because of how badly he wanted her to notice him in a different way. A way that would make it much easier for him to come out with his feelings for her. Whenever that would be...

"Yeah. She's into fitness and stuff." He said. "She's actually training for the Olympic. Isn't that cool?"

"Yup, pretty cool." Olivia nodded, but truth be told she couldn't care less. She didn't know what was wrong with her.

A tap to Fitz's shoulder interrupted their conversation. And of course, it was their new friend. Olivia had to fight the urge to roll her eyes.

"Sorry to interrupt." Zaria smiled. "But... we just found out that Ian over there is a tour promoter and he has access to a Maluma concert tonight. Wanted to see if you guys would like to tag along."

A concert. Fitz couldn't even remember the last time he went to a concert. Maybe almost ten years ago? He'd never before heard of the artist's name that Zaria just mentioned but he was down to go, of course, if Liv wanted to go as well.

"Liv, you love Maluma!" Roman walked over, grabbed her hands and started to dance in front of her. "Please let me go see that hot man so I can have something good to fantasize about while ugly over there screws my brains out later tonight." He said, pointing at Tristan who looked all kinds of amused.

"As long as I'm the one doing the screwing, Papi!" Tristan hollered.

Olivia shook her head. "You guys have issues. " She said before turning to Fitz who looked equally amused. "Wanna go?"

"Yeah," Fitz replied.

Everybody did one last shot before they all paired up again to drive to the venue. Olivia drove the convertible Mustang, following Ian and the other friends. They had the sunroof down and they were having the time of their lives cruising down the streets of Madrid. Tristan and Roman were making out like a couple of horny teenagers in the back of the Mustang while Olivia and Fitz had their little moment up front with their fingers interlocked over the gear shifter. Life couldn't get any better than this.

---

They arrived at the concert well into its extreme point. People were crying, screaming at the top of their lungs, singing along and having a great time. Olivia held onto Fitz's hands firmly as she dragged him closer to the stage, their group of friends followed behind. Once they were at a pretty good range of the stage, they let loose, blending in with the rest of the crowd. Maluma sang while he had dancers grind on him every now and again. Shakira making a special guest appearance was a pleasant surprise and the audience lost their minds when they performed their collab song Chantaje. In the midst of all the dancing, Olivia had lost sight of Fitz but he was more than okay because when she saw him next, Zaria was facing him as she sang to him and he looked like he was having a great time. Olivia decided not to care and turned her attention to Izumi who was dancing in front of her with Ian feeling up on her. Throwing her head back, Izumi caught her eyes and winked before she beckoned at her to join them. Olivia gasped and pretended that she didn't see them at all. Those two sure were something.

---

An hour and a half later, they were all drunk, some more than others and they decided to finish up the night at Ian's private estate just outside of Aranjuez. His house was lavish, humongous and gorgeous. He had an outdoor hot tub that everyone agreed they had to try.

"What an amazing fucking night." Tristan commented.

"I hear fucking." Roman said, "Yet, I don't feel like I've been fucked. What's that about?"

Everybody laughed. If there were a more perfectly made couple, it was Tristan and Roman. The two complemented each other well as shameless as they both were. Olivia looked at Tristan to see him blushing as he swam to Roman in the large hot tub. He whispered something in his ear and then it was Roman's turn to blush. The two stayed for another ten minutes before they disappeared inside. They swore they were being discreet, but far from it. Everyone knew what they left to go do.

"I think I'm gonna queue after those two and step in the garden for a smoke. Do you mind Ian?" Zaria asked.

"World's your oyster darling." Ian winked.

"Sweet." Zaria smiled. "Fitz, care to join me?"

Fitz looked at Zaria then at Olivia. They were both staring at him and he wanted to scream. Why was this happening to him? Zaria was pretty cool. She was smart, she was funny, and she was attractive. In a different reality, he'd be all over her and reciprocate the same energy back. But this was not a different reality. This reality was the one where he was in love with his best friend and he struggled to feel anything other than disloyal for even entertaining the attention he was receiving from Zaria. Now was that fair to him? Probably not. But they don't have the saying "hopeless romantic" for no reason.

Again, Fitz wanted to scream.

"I don't smoke." Fitz replied.

Feeling bold, Zaria walked up to him, bent at his level and planted a kiss on his lips. She found Fitz to be very sexy and she wanted him. Never mind that she was getting weird vibes from his acclaimed "best friend". This was Spain. She will probably never see him again and if this was her only night with him, she wanted to enjoy it to the fullest and live out a few fantasies with him. He looked like a guy who could have fun.

Pulling apart, Zaria stared into Fitz's shocked blue eyes and smiled. "Neither do I." She whispered.

Fuck.

A string of catcalls came after this show out. Fitz was burning up with embarrassment and he swore peer pressure was going to kill him because he couldn't very well decline Zaria's extremely bold advances in front of all those watchful eyes. Glancing one last look at Olivia, he was hoping to see something in her eyes that would halter him in making the decision to leave with Zaria. Instead, she took a sip of whatever she had been drinking and wiggled her eyebrows at him. "Go get her, Tiger." She mouthed to him.

Fitz didn't know what to feel. All the mixed messages were giving him fucking whiplash. Either she really didn't care or she was one hell of a freaking actress. With his luck, he guessed that he wouldn't find out any time soon.

...

As soon as they reached the garden and were alone, Zaria wasted no time pushing Fitz against a wall and latching her lips onto his. She kissed him feverishly, grinding her center against his as she tugged at his hair. Any other time, Fitz would've matched that fire but instead, he found that he couldn't breathe. And not in that good way either, you know? When you're breathless with lust or desire for someone? No this wasn't it. He was suffocating.

And then Zaria slowly begin to drag her kisses all over his neck, his pecks, abdomen until… she dropped to her knees.

"I can't…" Fitz mumbled.

It was barely audible so Zaria continued, placing more of her wet kisses over his torso, just above that sweet line before his pelvis.

One look down at her and Fitz knew… he just knew he was going to severely hurt this girl's feelings. But he had to. He had no other choice. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her up and he saw the second that look of confusion and rejection crossed her hazel eyes.

"I can't do this with you, Zaria." He said, shaking his head. "And no, it's not you. Believe me. I can't do this with anyone."

"Well, why not?" Zaria asked. "Are you gay or something?" She asked, still confused.

She thought they hit it off quite well. She certainly didn't imagine their chemistry. It wasn't anything exhilarating, life-changing or extraordinary. But it was nice. And she thought he wanted to go along with the flow. She can't imagine why he would ever follow her out here if she read wrong?

Fitz chuckled. Oh, the fucking irony. Being gay would have been much better now that he thought about it. "No. I'm not gay."

"Your dick is broken?" Zaria followed up with raised eyebrows.

Now Fitz was laughing. That would be something he supposed. "No. My penis works… fine." He reassured.

This was by far the most awkward conversation Fitz has had with the opposite sex since junior high. It made him wish that the world would open up and swallow him whole.

His attention was brought back to the still very awkward moment when he heard Zaria huff.

"Then what?" She asked, taking a step away from him and wrapping her arms around herself. She wasn't sure what to believe. That it wasn't her? That he wasn't gay? That his penis wasn't broken? All she could feel was humiliated and vulnerable both physically and emotionally.

"I can't because… the love of my life… the woman of my dreams is three hundred yards from us and she doesn't give a fuck whether or not I'm out here screwing you. Yet, I'm the idiot that feels like by being here with a great girl like you, I'm somehow betraying her." Fitz replied honestly.

"Olivia?!" Zaria whispered exasperatedly.

Throwing his head back on the cement wall, Fitz sighed. "Yeah…"

"Fuck…" Zaria huffed again, letting her hands fall by her side. "I gonna need more alcohol for this shit." She said. "Stay here. I'll be back."

When Zaria returned, she brought along a bottle of tequila and two shot glasses. She poured herself and Fitz a shot before she asked. "Wanna start from the beginning?"

And so Fitz told her. How he and Olivia met earlier in the month of June under less than pleasant circumstances, namely her breakup with the asshole who shall not be named. He told her about - how even when she was giving him shit that first night, he knew he liked her. And then how he knew he loved her the second night they met again when she came to his doorsteps asking for a friend. How he fell in love with her just by watching her dance in the rain one super rainy afternoon after a heat wave. And then how he knew he absolutely wanted to marry her when she created a whole block of traffic and pissed off every driver in Time Square just so a blind woman could cross the street safely. How a part of him just knew she was his destiny the very second he landed his eyes on her at Mike's bar.

"And why exactly haven't you told her?" Zaria asked.

"Because she's not ready." Fitz replied simply.

"And how in the fuck did you figure that, Einstein?" Zaria inquired sarcastically.

Fitz nervously fidgeted with his fingers. "You know, I don't even try to be careful anymore Zaria?" He said deeply in thought. "I used to be so fucking terrified that she will take one look into my eyes and see it and run like hell." He chuckled. "And now, sometimes she'll catch me looking at her and she'll look right back me then smile and in those moments, I could swear that she knows. I think she's just not yet sure if it's real to her as well? And I don't fault her after what she's been through with her ex this summer and all the others before him."

Zaria was close to tears. Men like him really do exist and Fitzgerald Grant was living proof. "Alright," she sniffled, pouring more tequila in their glasses. "What do you do until then?"

Throwing his shot back, Fitz swallowed hard and grimaced as the burn traveled down his throat and created a fire in his chest. "I wait." He replied.

"That's not realistic." Zaria said.

Looking at her, Fitz smirked. "You must think I'm some kind of fool huh? Delusional even? But when I say I love her - I don't mean it in a deranged, psycho, lovesick kind of way. That's tragic. That's ego. Love shouldn't bind. And I'm just not that guy. Maybe it's foolish of me to think that way, but love should be liberating, don't you think?"

Zaria nodded. Fitz wasn't sure whether she was agreeing with him or not. But he knew she was paying attention so he continued.

"What my love means is this: I recognize that she's the most important person in my life, so… I love her whether it's me she chooses or another guy. I love her whether she's here, or China or across town. My love means that I'm here to stay and support her until she figures it out for herself and comes to a decision. It means that'd I'd love to be the one she kisses every morning when she wakes up and every night before bed, but as that is not possible yet, I still love her. So I'll wait."

"Fitzgerald Grant…" Zaria said through the river of tears running down her face.

"What?" Fitz asked.

"I will see you in court because you just broke my fucking heart and made me the happiest person on earth all at the same time." Before Fitz could catch himself, Zaria was hugging him. He hugged her back and then she pulled away, wiping her tears. "I want you to know that you've made me a believer of true love tonight. I also want you to know that I'm honored to have met you. Whoever raised you, they did one hell of a fucking job because I've never in life met anyone like you before." She held his gaze as she spoke those words. "And I also want you to know, that roughly a year or two from today's date, I'm expecting a wedding invitation from you."

At that, they both laughed. They decided to sit in the garden a bit longer, letting the breeze envelop them in a hug as they stared ahead.

Another soul knew his secret. Just not the one that mattered. At least not yet.

After a few moments, Fitz stood up on his feet and dusted his wet bottom. "Shall we?"

"We shall." Zaria agreed. "I'm so gonna regret partying and drinking this much in the morning."

"Please don't remind me."

---

Back at the house, Olivia found both Tristan and Roman walking out of a room after their party of two. They were both grinning, fingers entwined.

"That good huh?" She teased them.

"You have no idea." Roman replied. "And we better keep it that way. The things I just did to that man would make a prostitute blush."

Olivia laughed. "I'm ready to go back to my hotel and pass out." She said.

"What happened?" Tristan asked.

"It's been a long day and I'm just spent." She replied with a yawn. "Ian and Izumi are swingers by the way. Mofos made a pass at me at the club and in the hot tub. I had to tell them I've been there, done that and I'm not the one." She informed both men who burst into laughter at her delivery. "Plus, I realized that they're both fucking clueless about the lifestyle they're trying to lead. Ian thinks he's a Dom but they're both Subs? All I had to do was tell them both to start fucking for my entertainment and they got to it. That was my fashionable exit."

"You've definitely had an interesting night buttercup," Roman said. "And where is tall and handsome?"

"Fitz?" Olivia replied. She had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. "He's God knows where doing God knows what with Zaria."

Tristan ever the stirrer of pots prompted, "You sound a bit jealous?"

"Pray tell why you'd think that?" Olivia asked.

"Because I know you, Olivia," Tristan replied. "It's okay if you are. You can tell me."

"Don't be ridiculous." Olivia said dismissively and quite defensively as well. "I don't care who Fitz fucks. I'm just annoyed that he's been so inconsiderate of the fact that we came here together and at some point, I'd have the desire to get back to my hotel room and sleep. Can we drop this now?"

Tristan looked at Roman who shrugged and then decided to drop the matter. It takes a bullshitter to know one on sight and Tristan knew… Olivia just wasn't being all that upfront and honest about what it is she was feeling. His only solace that those two idiots weren't doomed was Tristan's hope that Fitz would man up at some point and confess his feelings.

"I should go and find them actually." Olivia decided.

"If by them you mean us, we're right here."

At the sound of Fitz's voice, Olivia turned around to find him and Zaria fully dressed again. Olivia looked at both of them for any signs of that post-coital bliss. Neither of them carried that just fucked look. If anything they look like they've been crying? Whatever. She didn't wanna know.

"Those two in the hot tub sure are putting on a show." Zaria said, referring to Ian and Izumi.

"I'm ready to go." Olivia said, addressing Fitz. "Zaria, you're more than welcomed to try and catch a ride back with us, but I don't think the Mustang carries five people well."

Zaria smiled. She could now see what Fitz was talking about. She had that caring nature about her. They're barely friends… and she sensed that Olivia barely liked her too. She didn't have to offer her a way to get home. Yet here she was, offering anyways. "It's okay." Zaria declined. "I actually don't live too far from here. I can call for a taxi."

---

The ride back to the hotel seemed long because of how exhausted Olivia felt. She couldn't wait to shower and just get in bed. When they pulled up at the front of the hotel, Olivia was saying all kinds of thank yous to the higher powers that be.

"Hey, wait!" Tristan said before Olivia hopped out the car. Opening the glove compartment, he pulled out a bundled stack of euros and tossed it at her. "Saves you a trip to the bank like a gringa."

"Fuck you." Olivia threw him the finger as she pocketed the cash.

"Nah, I'm strictly dickly." Tristan replied.

All four of them laughed. Fitz had to high five Tristan for that comeback. The more they hung out, the more Fitz realized that he was more like an older brother to Olivia with how much shit they both give each other. It was nice to see that.

"I hope your dick falls off then. I'm going to sleep."

"Yeah... she's done for the day." Roman cackled. "She gets mean and cranky when she's tired."

"Don't I know it." Fitz mumbled which earned him an eye roll from Olivia.

"You'd better take her to her suite," Tristan said. "It was really good meeting you Fitz. Take care of our girl?"

"Of course," Fitz answered. "Drive safe."

---

Up at their hotel room, Fitz got on the phone with room services as Olivia took a shower. He wanted to see if they had something like an Aspirin or Advil and Gatorade. They were going to need lots of electrolytes after the night they've had. He also requested two burgers and a lot of French fries. As someone who's been through the worse kinds of hangovers, he knew how best to nurse them. He was surprised that Olivia wasn't throwing up because she had a lot to drink tonight too. For a tiny person, her tolerance was impressive.

When she got out of the shower, she looked very cute and very tired. She wore a robe and she had a towel wrapped around her massive head of curls.

So beautiful.

"I don't think I've ever seen you look more tired." Fitz teased.

"My body hates me right now." Olivia whined. "I wanna sleep for hours."

Walking towards her, Fitz kissed her forehead. He was glad that she didn't flinch from his touch. He couldn't bear for her to give him the cold shoulder right now after all the craziness of their night out. Surely, she has it in her head that certain things transpired between him and Zaria tonight because she hasn't really spoken to him much since.

"I ordered room service." He told her. "You need to eat something and then yes, you can sleep all you want, okay?"

Olivia nodded. She was in no mood to be stubborn right now. "Okay." She agreed.

With another kiss to her forehead, Fitz disappeared to the bathroom for his shower as well. Exhaustion was getting to him too because he could barely keep himself up under the sprays of the shower. Now feeling refreshed, he threw on a clean pair of boxers and wrapped one of the hotel's fluffy robes around himself to match Olivia's. When he came out of the bathroom, their food had arrived. He joined Olivia on the bed and she gave him an Aspirin.

"Burgers and fries was a good call." She said gratefully. "Looks so good."

Fitz agreed and popped a fry in his mouth. "Mangia, per favor." He ordered. (Eat, please.)

Every now and again they would give each other a tired smile but for the most part, they were quiet as they devoured their meal. Fitz ate her uneaten pickles and tomatoes that she'd taken out of her burger. Olivia stole the rest of his fries when she ran out of her own.

"I'm full." Olivia announced after swallowing the last bite of her burger.

Fitz chuckled. "Alright then. Sleep it is." He said.

He brought their trash in the kitchen and when he came back, Olivia was already under the covers, half her body on his side of the bed, leaving him with almost no wiggle space. She moved just enough for him to get settled and then she was scooting close to him to cuddle up.

Oh, thank God!

"You had fun right?" She mumbled half asleep.

"Yeah. I did, Fireball. I really liked your friends." Fitz replied.

"Zaria too?" She prompted, looking up at him slightly.

Sighing, Fitz nodded. "Yes. She was nice." He responded honestly. "Nothing happened between us at the garden." He revealed. Fitz knew she wasn't asking but he knew it had to be a question in the back of her mind, especially laying so close next to him? Maybe it was just him and she actually really didn't give a crap, but he knew if the roles were reversed, he'd definitely want to know. "We talked about figure skating. That's what she's training for in the Olympics."

He could feel her smiling against his neck. "Cool." She mumbled again. "I think I was getting a bit jealous watching you with her if I'm being honest."

Fitz's eyebrows shot up and his breath caught in his throat. So he didn't formulate the animosity he sensed between her and Zaria in his head like some crazy man? That was real? Gosh. She really knew how to give him freaking whiplash.

"May I ask why?" He questioned.

"Because… you're my best friend. And I'm selfish too, I suppose." Olivia replied. "I think I'll have to learn how to share you eventually though."

Fitz didn't know how to follow up with that, so he stayed quiet until he heard her little snores. Chuckling, he removed the towel still wrapped around her head and tossed it across the room. Her damp curls were now all over the place. He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled her sweet shampoo. A small wave of sadness rushed over him as he closed his eyes and thought, "hopefully you'll never have to learn how to because I don't think I can either."

"Night Livvie." He whispered, kissing her forehead one last time.

---

Day two…

They slept well into the late morning. And when they woke up, they were more than content to just stay in bed and cuddle with the TV on. There were reruns of this Spanish Telenovela called Las Dos Caras De Ana. All the characters were so dynamic and dramatic. The storyline was interesting enough that fifteen minutes in, both Fitz and Olivia were locked in on the screen. They ordered brunch through hotel room service and not too long passed before they were munching on delicious combinations of foods that consisted of a Spanish omelet, fruits, and amazing pastries and orange juice. As the show continued, Olivia began to take her pick of favorite characters and those she disliked. There was this Ignacio fellow that was a real jackass but Anna's love interest named Rafael was a real charmer.

"God I want one of him!" Olivia gushed.

Fitz chuckled.

Olivia looked up and smiled at Fitz. He had a little bit of jelly from the pastry at the corner of his mouth. She grabbed a napkin and gently dabbed away the sticky fruit paste. Then she tidied up their empty plates, dusted any crumbs off the bed and pushed the tray to the side on one of the bedside tables. They were in sync as always and as soon as Fitz pulled back the covers, Olivia sat in between his legs, her back to his chest in her fluffy robe with his arms wrapped securely around her and they resumed their watching of dramatic telenovela.

"This is so much fun." Olivia said. "I'm so happy right now. Are you happy, Ace?"

Fitz's response was to kiss her temple. "More than I've ever been, Livvie." And it was true. There's nobody else he'd rather be doing life in Spain with right now.

"Good." Olivia smiled, scooting closer into him and Fitz loved every second.

After three back to back episodes, it was well into the afternoon and Olivia was determined for them to do something. Somehow they'd switched positions and he was now laying his head on her lap as she subconsciously played with his soft curls.

"We're such amateur tourists." She joked. "No matter how much I wanna stay in a robe all day and binge watch telenovelas, for your sake, we've gotta do something. What do you wanna do, Ace?"

"I don't mind staying in." Fitz said. He was certain he would fall asleep soon again, if she continued to scratch his scalp like that. Damn that woman. He wished she never stopped.

Olivia chuckled. "I know you don't. But Fitz! We're in Madrid! We can't stay in our hotel room the entire time." She said, trying to be reasonable. "How about we go do some exploring and grab an early dinner afterward?"

"Yes dear." Fitz replied boyishly.

"And you can spoil me with chocolate and churros." She added.

"Yes dear." Fitz said again.

"Okay. You're the best! I'm gonna go hop in the shower. We'll roll out in an hour." With a kiss to his forehead, Olivia gently placed his head on a pillow that was nothing like her lap but still comfortable nonetheless. Then she skipped to the bathroom, humming to the theme song of the telenovela they were watching. It was beautiful.

Fitz listened to her belt out some tunes in the shower. He smiled to himself. What a lucky man he was. This was the best trip ever.

A little over an hour later, they exited the hotel lobby onto the busy streets of Madrid. Taxis honked, street lights changed colors, struggling artists made music and created ambiance, local vendors tended to customers. It was amazing.

They found themselves at El Rastro, an overwhelming flea market. They held hands as they navigated through the maze of local vendors, taking an interest at a vendor here and there and buying cool little things. Olivia stopped by a jewelry stand and browsed the items that were displayed for sale as she chatted with the vendor.

Olivia picked up a nice bracelet. It was made of real leather material; it also had a silver plaque at the center and the ends were made of magnets. It was simple but she had her eye on it. She knew exactly what modifications it needed for it to be the perfect gift for Fitz. And it was at a great price. She shopped around some more, finding cute little things she thought Abby, Cece and Quinn would like. A cool tie for Harrison and a beautiful pair of handmade earrings and a thin-belt, gold antique watch for her mom. After paying, they were onto the next adventure.

Their next destination found them at Las Rozas Shopping Village. A sophisticated plaza housing chic boutiques and over a hundred luxury designer stores. They blew through a pretty good chunk of cash as they hopped from store to store and they enjoyed every second. Fitz never thought himself to be a guy that would genuinely enjoy the experience of shopping. But he quickly found that with Olivia, he was a guy who would enjoy almost anything.

Olivia got him some new pairs of Levi's that made his ass look spectacular. He also tried on a few suits just for her entertainment. And he had to admit, he looked pretty damn good. For Olivia, it was mostly all about the shoes and handbags she could get her hands on, but she also got some new form fitted dresses... both formal and casual. She let Fitz pick out a few blouses, pencil skirts and pants that he thought looked great on her. They basically gave each other's closet a makeover for the fall season coming ahead. They got each other in a way that was surreal so it was very interesting and fun for the both of them to artistically bring each other out of their comfort zones by trying out different styles and hues they thought would match each other's personalities.

In between all the shopping, they were delighted when they found a Starbucks coffee shop. This was probably exactly like New York, except maybe ten times better. Fitz joked about going on exile here as they each sipped on a venti-sized seasonal iced tea beverage. Olivia made a note to herself to always get this drink in the summer. Something about this strawberry açaí tea was hitting the spot!

They continued to browse neighboring shops. There was a particular Burberry coat that Fitz absolutely fell in love with. It embodied everything that he was as a man and added all the more swagger to him. But it cost an arm and a leg. It wasn't a necessity, so he opted not to get it. Something about him growing up dirt poor made him extremely good at resisting the unnecessary urging to buy a coat worth almost two grand.

When Olivia saw him in the coat, however, she about nearly fainted in Spanish soap opera mannerism. He looked dashing; a walk straight out of GQ magazine. He was so fucking handsome that she found herself admiring. He had to have it and she was gonna make sure of it.

They continued shopping and found more little souvenirs to bring back for their friends and family. At checkout, Olivia ordered for everything to be shipped back to the states for her a few days after she returned. It was a much better price to pay with a huge discount from the stores. She was glad because that saved her both time and the energy she would not have in order to deal with custom and baggage claim upon returning. Before she could forget, she gave the cashier Fitz's size and asked the cashier about also shipping out at least three different colors and styles of the Burberry coat Fitz looked so handsome in. It'll make for a nice Christmas or birthday gift in the next few months.

After swapping her AMEX black card, Olivia was offered a complimentary store "gift" for her spending. She ended up stocking up on perfume for both her and Fitz, also to be shipped out. She forgoed on a receipt when asked if she wanted one.

She made a joke in Spanish about not wanting to know how much she spends on shit which the cashier laughed at. And then they were gone.

"That was a lot of fun." Olivia said as they walked out with fingers entwined.

"Sure was." Fitz agreed. "Wanna grab some food now?"

Olivia gasped in relief. "You get me!" She squealed. "I want to start with a whole charcuterie board and sangria and then I want us to eat our weight in seafood."

Fitz couldn't help smiling. He really loved this girl. She really got him. "You know something Livvie?" He asked.

"What's up, babe?" She responded.

"You're the best friend a guy could ever want." Fitz said.

Balancing on her toes, Olivia planted a kiss to his cheek. "And don't you ever forget it." She sassed.

All Fitz could do was smirk. "Yes dear."

And so they were on to their next adventure. Olivia called for a taxi which arrived efficiently. They hopped into the taxi and Olivia requested of the local chauffeur to take them to the best seafood place in town. He did not disappoint. The place was the definition of a hole in the wall kind of restaurant, but it packed the best crab filled empanadas both Fitz and Olivia had ever tasted. The sangria was delightful. They ate a whole charcuterie board as planned and then ate to their heart's content all varieties of seafood from mussels to shrimp and delicious lobster dipped in garlic butter.

"Now what?" Olivia sighed.

They were currently on a small promenade, hoping to work off the heavy feeling of their full stomach. Personally, Olivia was ready for a nap but she was willing to be a team player if Fitz wanted to do something. It was late afternoon. The streets were starting to become bare as Spaniards begin to retire for their long afternoon siesta.

"Back to the hotel?" Fitz suggested.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Olivia. They were in Spain. A country housed between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. She wanted for Fitz to experience the country in a truly beautiful way and she knew just how they'd do that.

"How about something spontaneous?" She looked up at Fitz, a knowing smirk on her lips.

Fitz raised an eyebrow. "Like what? Skinny dipping?"

"Not quite, but close."

"I have to admit, I'm intrigued," Fitz said. "Lead the way, little lady."

The way was another taxi ride to a marina that housed beautiful sailboats, motorboats, and yachts. Off to the side was a little built-in shed with the word "Oficina" carved on a wooden board. Exactly what Olivia was looking for.

"Ever been on a yacht, Ace?" Olivia turned to Fitz and asked.

"Can't say that I have." Fitz replied.

"Wanna go for a ride?" Olivia asked.

"Oh," Fitz blinked. He thought they were here to take a walk along the marina and maybe dip their feet in the water. He wasn't thinking that... "Holy shit! Livvie, are we here to rent a yacht?!" Fitz exclaimed.

"Great minds think alike." Olivia smiled.

And then Fitz could feel her dragging him inside the shed. Inside, they met a short English man who greeted them. Olivia explained that they were tourists and wanted to see about renting a yacht to explore Madrid in a unique way. He agreed that it was the best way to do it. He inquired about whether or not they were a couple, instantly making the mood awkward after Olivia told him that she and Fitz were simply really great friends. After that, he flirted with Olivia consistently as they took a walk along the marina, peering at the many boats available for taking off this afternoon. After choosing a yacht, they filed out some paperwork and Fitz paid for their ticket. They were instructed to return back to the port in another hour when their tour will begin.

With an hour to kill, Fitz and Olivia enjoyed a nice walk. Along the way, they walked by San Gines, another one of those hole in the wall shops that specialized in pastries. There was a line out to the front door and they decided if there were so many people waiting in line, perhaps it was worth a try. The line moved quickly as the service was very efficient. When it was their turn to order, Olivia browsed the menu that was written in chalk behind the counter on a wide blackboard. She saw that they had dark chocolate and churros as part of their specialties.

"They have churros!" Olivia turned in Fitz's arms excitedly. "Ace..." She started pouting.

Dear Lord! Fitz didn't think she had any idea how much she killed him every time she did that cute pouty thing.

Back at the hotel, Fitz had promised to spoil her with churros and he planned on making good on it. How could he not? He'd give her the world if she asked for it just to see that innocent, excited look in her eyes. This reminded Fitz of that time in New York when their friendship was just beginning and she'd begged him to get her cotton candy. His Livvie was a kid at heart with her sweet tooth. "Yes, you can have as many churros as you'd like, Fireball." He replied.

They got a cup of dark chocolate to go along with their churros and bottles of water. There were tables outside the shop and they decided to find an empty table to enjoy their treat. Before they sat, Fitz's eyes landed on a perfect pink rose hidden in a green bush. He instructed Olivia to get their table while he went off to pluck the rose for her.

When he returned, with his arm behind his back, Olivia was trying to tame her wild curls to put them in a bun. So far on their vacation, she's been leaving her hair in its natural curl pattern and Fitz absolutely loved it. She always looked so beautiful and it brought out more of her youth.

"What have you got in your hand there?" Olivia questioned. She saw him walk towards the bush but she was too focused on making it to their table without dropping their snack.

Fitz took a seat across from her and showed her the rose. He got the response he was hoping for, which was a blush and her cute little smile.

"For me?" She asked.

Fitz decided to tease her a bit. He scoffed at her and tucked the short stem of the rose behind his ear. "You wish." He grinned.

Olivia burst into laughter. He was such a silly man. "That's actually really cute on you." She stated. Taking out her phone from her pocket, she turned on the camera and scooted closer to him. "Here, let's take a selfie."

Fitz obliged and wrapped his arm around her. Since he had longer arms, he held the phone and angled the camera for several selfies. Almost all of them, one or both of them was making some kind of silly face.

"Hey, put your hair down again for a sec?" He requested. "I'm gonna let you borrow my flower so you can look pretty too."

Olivia took her hair out of the bun and her curls cascaded back on her shoulders once again. She fingered and twisted a few curls and fixed it the way she liked them styled. After she was done, Fitz took the rose from behind his ear and tucked it in her hair.

"There." He smiled, pulling on a curl at the bottom. "It looks a lot better on you, Zelda."

Olivia blushed. "Thanks, Romeo. Does that mean I can keep it?" She asked.

"It'll cost you." Fitz continued to tease.

"I'm sure I can pay up." She sassed him right back and Fitz loved it.

"Well, then I suppose you can hold on to it."

Fitz took her phone again and snapped some solo pictures of her. God, she was amazing and he was in love with her.

Fitz sent himself some of the pictures they'd taken together as well as all the ones he took of her. Then he put the phone down and focused on his treat. He dipped a churro in the thick dark chocolate then brought it to Olivia's mouth. She always got the first bite. Depending on her reaction, he'd know exactly whether or not whatever it was, was worth the expense.

She all but moaned and rolled her eyes back. Yup, definitely worth it. He tried it next and it really was fucking delicious. They ate every bite and before they knew it, it was time to head back to the marina to meet their professional skipper for the tour.

---

Back at the marina, they met Geoffrey, their personal tour guide. He was very professional, friendly and informative. He'd been contributing to tourists experience in Madrid for well over two decades and he promised that he'd take them for a lovely ride. They went over all the safety briefings and itinerary of their tour before they boarded the yacht, each in safety jackets.

It was probably the most awesome experience they've both had thus far on their trip. Olivia has been to Spain at least a dozen time and she meant to do something like this every time, but somehow, she could never seem to make it happen. But this time around, with Fitz hugging her as the wind blew through her curls.… this was perfect timing. They cruised for miles and the ocean only got bluer and more majestic. There was nothing to compare it to. They were able to view all the historical and architectural buildings at a better angle and they took many pictures. Even the animals of the sea made a special appearance for them. They watched a show of flying fishes, saw some cute sea turtles and listened to sweet dolphin sounds. Olivia was even able to glide her hand over the smooth coat a dolphin and it was all caught on camera by Fitz. It was amazing.

Fitz and the pilot hit it off and after a few glasses of champagne and tons of laughter, Geoffrey offered him a spin at the wheel. Fitz was like a kid on Christmas morning as he directed the yacht. Adrenaline rushed through him and he couldn't stop laughing.

"Look, Livvie! I'm doing it!" He yelled. "This is insanely awesome! I wanna buy a yacht and do this for the rest of my life." He said.

Both Geoffrey and Olivia laughed.

…

The ride back was more serene. The breeze got a little cooler as the sun begin to set. Tucked at Fitz's side, Olivia released a sigh of contentment and peace as she watched the colors of the sky change and blend into that perfect hue that was her favorite color. At that moment, she closed her eyes and wished to keep feeling this free and happy forever as they listened to Nina Simone's "I'm Feeling Good."

It didn't get any sweeter than this.

They reigned in the night in their robes, watching more telenovelas and delicious dishes from hotel room service.

Or maybe it could, after all.

---

Olivia spent her last day in Madrid getting pampered. Her two bestest friends in all of Madrid ditched her for the morning. Fitz had left her around 9 o'clock to go play racquetball with Tristan, leaving her with too much time on her hands. Feeling like she needed to do something productive, she googled the closest studio to attend a yoga class. She found a pretty cool one not too far from where she was staying. She enjoyed her solo walk to the outdoor yoga class. After the forty-five minute class, she felt like a new woman floating on air. Yoga always made her feel so centered and happy after. She stopped by a café and got her morning dose of tea and a pastry as she headed back to the hotel. It was pushing eleven o'clock and Fitz still wasn't back so she decided to make use of the hotel's spa and indulge in a relaxing, full body massage.

When she returned, her boys were back, both extremely focused on playing a game of FIFA.

"Hi Livvie," Fit greeted grabbing her hand and pulling her on his lap. "I missed you." He kissed her cheek. "Hang out for a bit while I kick Tristan's ass in FIFA."

"Right," Tristan replied. "You're one to brag after I kicked your ass at racquetball earlier."

"Bygones to me," Fitz sassed. "Just be a gracious loser, man."

Olivia shook her head. Men and their video games. She watched them play for ten minutes before Fitz scored another goal and the game ended.

"Well played." Tristan said high fiving Fitz.

"Okay, I take it back," Fitz said. "You can be a gracious loser."

"Liv, when's your flight to Ibiza?" Tristan asked.

"This afternoon at three." Olivia replied.

"Okay." Tristan nodded. "So we have a few hours to do all the crazy shit that you wanna do. What's first on that list?"

"Food." Both Fitz and Olivia answered simultaneously.

"Sounds good to me." Tristan agreed.

Olivia decided they should check out of the hotel earlier and save themselves the risk of running late for their flight. Both she and Fitz packed up their bags and new belonging they had shopped for. Tristan had already volunteered to drop them off at the airport so they loaded all their things in the back of his BMW. With the limited time they had left together, they enjoyed a nice lunch, took silly pictures next to the bear and strawberry tree statue and took a scenic walk by one of the most popular parks in the city. Come 2 p.m. they were headed to the airport. The farewell between the three friends was quick and sweet with the promise that they'd soon be reunited again. Tristan would be in New York for fashion week because Roman would be amongst the group of famous photographers there to document the event. Shortly before their plane took off, Olivia placed a call to the property manager of their beach house in Ibiza to confirm with her, the time of her landing in Ibiza in order to make sure that everything was ready and set for their arrival.

They'll always have Madrid. But for now, they bid the city that never sleeps, adieu.

---

They landed in the early evening. Their two hour and forty minutes flight into Ibiza went fairly quickly and their twenty-minute taxi ride into Sant Antoni to their rented house even quicker. Fitz tipped their driver and brought their luggage over to the porch as Olivia walked towards the beach and marveled at the beauty of the place. She took off her shoes and let the white sand dip between her toes. She smelled the olive tree branches and heaved a sigh of relief. Through it all, Fitz observed with admiration and a swelling to his heart at the view ahead.

The heavy combination of the salty-ocean air and the smooth wafting of the olive branches provided a complete sense of relaxation. The sun was now setting, the ocean retiring into its robe and the birds ringing in the night. Fitz reckoned that in his lifetime he's seen a thousand sunset but none of them has had the ability to take his breath away quite as much as this one. And now watching his favorite girl taking it all in, Fitz was rendered speechless. He captured the moment to memory in a flash drive where no other would have access to it. He joined her shortly after and as he wrapped his arms around her, they both took a deep breath and exhaled a sigh of relief. It felt cleansing; liberating as though they were both learning to breathe again.

Their moment ran its course when the flashing headlights of a car alerted them of the property manager's arrival. She greeted them and introduced herself as Valentina before offering to give them a tour of the house. The inside was exactly like the picture Olivia had seen online. Small yet perfect for two. The place was immaculate and fully furnished with a mix of contemporary and eclectic décor. The living room offered a welcoming energy with it's stacked bookshelf and comfortable furniture. Their kitchen small, but with plenty of natural lights coming through the window and pristine amenities. Their single bedroom was huge with an adjoined bathroom and plenty of closet space. It felt like home.

Valentina then went on to explain that they had the property to themselves and that the beach was private. She gave them a map to help them navigate during their stay ad suggested few places outside their village for a fun time.

"Almost forgot!" Valentina snapped. "Let me show you guys the backyard." She said as she began to walk in the direction she mentioned. The back of the house was also well kept and gorgeous with lots of plants and trees. There were some chairs also, surrounding a gas firepit/coffee table. Off to the side, there was a locked shed. Valentina opened it and showed them the inside. It housed a functioning grill which Olivia was internally squealing about. It also had other helpful tools in case of emergencies and surfboards. "The owners of the place are originally from Hawaii and they're huge surfers. So they keep a few surfboards in here." Valentina informed. "Our other guests that have stayed here before you loved them so you guys are welcomed to them."

Fitz's Californian soul rejoiced. He was excited to take a trip to the beach and surf a few waves. He couldn't even remember how long it's been since he's done that. This vacation was going to rock!

After leaving them with a set of keys and her business card, Valentina bid the duo goodbye.

---

Inside, Olivia plopped on the king-sized mattress next to Fitz. Clean sheets, comfortable mattress, and fluffy pillows. What more could a girl want?

"Do you like it?" Olivia asked, staring at the ceiling.

"I do." Fitz nodded. "You did good Livvie." He pulled her close and they cuddled for a minute until Olivia's stomach began to growl in hunger.

"Oh, God!" Olivia buried her face in Fitz's neck in embarrassment as he started laughing at her.

Fitz poked her stomach which caused her to squirm and laugh too. "We should go feed you before you turn into a whole monster in my hands." He teased.

They'd have loved to stay in for their first night but they had no groceries to cook anything. Deciding that a nice dinner at a lowkey restaurant wouldn't hurt, they set to get ready. Fitz went first because Olivia usually takes forever and he's learned very quickly to never let her get first dibs on the bathroom. He took a quick shower, shaved and was out in the no time.

As Olivia took her turn in the shower, He picked out his outfit. He decided to go for something casual and dressed simply in grey chinos, a light blue button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and his all-white vans. He combed his hair, sprayed on a bit of his signature cologne, grabbed his bomber jacket just in case and ventured out into the kitchen for a glass of water while he waited for Olivia to finish up.

Half an hour later...

Fitz was still waiting. Damn woman.

"Olivia!" He called from his horizontal position on the couch.

"Almost done!" Olivia shouted back.

"You are killing me," Fitz whined. "You said that fifteen minutes ago."

"Lies and blasphemies." Olivia replied as she walked into the living room.

Fitz sat up on the couch and gulped... hard.

Dear Lord!

She looked so damn beautiful that Fitz nearly wept. Was he even worthy to see her so beautiful? She dressed in a light blue dress similar to his shirt. The color of the dress contrasted so beautifully with her creamy mocha skin. It hugged her in all the right places, leaving much to the imagination with the dress ending just above her knees, showcasing long pair of legs in white ankle strapped heel sandals. He realized that they were matching. He didn't think that was intentional. They were just that well synced. Her makeup looked light and soft and absolutely gorgeous. She had her hair in their natural bouncy curls and she was taking his breath away with how beautiful she looked.

"Well, fuck..." Fitz couldn't help it.

"You don't like it?" Olivia asked, frowning.

"No," Fitz replied. "I fucking love it. You look gorgeous Livvie!"

Blushing, Olivia flashed him her brightest smile. "I knew I kept you around for a reason."

"God help me," Fitz mumbled. "Can we go now? I'm starving."

"Yes. Me too."

Café Mambo was a sunset strip, located right off the beach in Sant Antoni. And for a summer night ambiance, it was definitely the place to be and it had a huge crowd to match its fast, busy and outgoing vibe. Upon their arrival, they were greeted by one of the servers and offered a table outside on the deck near the beach instead because the inside was packed. As they browsed the dinner menu and listened to the mixes the DJ was playing, their cocktails were brought to them.

Both Fitz and Olivia enjoying the fast service and the energy surrounding them. While they waited for their entrees, they enjoyed a few tapas. Fitz had never before tried tripe in his life but this dish paired with peanuts, chili oil and other spices was blowing away his taste buds. They also had creamy scallops and spicy edamame which were also delightful.

For their main dish, they split a serving of lamb chops with mushroom and cauliflower followed by paella - one of Spain's most sought-after dishes. At first, Fitz was super skeptical because it had a lot going on and he wasn't convinced that the spices would blend well. Plus he wasn't too much of a rice fan. But he let Olivia take the lead on their order and he was not disappointed.

"Holy fucknut, that's good!" He said as he chewed the first bite.

Olivia had to laugh at that. Watching him try new things throughout this trip has been a fantastic experience all on its own and she would do it all over again with him in a heartbeat.

"Told you." She said.

They bantered and laughed through their delightful dinner. Once they finished, they hung back, had a few more cocktails and enjoyed a jazz show from a local resident. Overall, this was shaping out to be an incredible night.

At a later point, Olivia decided she wanted to go for a walk along the beach. Fitz got on his knees and helped her remove her shoes before they took off. They walk along the coast for a few minutes before they came to a stop to watch someone juggle sticks of fire. Olivia had super high anxiety when it came to this stuff but she admitted it was pretty cool and entertaining and she watched with fixed attention until the talent finished his act and was rewarded with thunderous applause by his spectators.

"I'm cold." Olivia whined.

Of course, she was. Fitz would bet his last dollar that she stubbornly didn't bring a duster or some damn thing on purpose even though she knew there was a possibility that she might get cold in her outfit throughout the night. Damn woman. Now that was his problem to fix.

"Come here." Fitz rolled his eyes as he shrugged off his bomber jacket and wrapped it around her.

"Thank you." Olivia said appreciatively, hugging his chest. "This is perfect."

They watched the moon and the stars, pointed out a few constellations and hugged onto each other tightly as they felt the peaceful breeze of the night caressed their cheeks.

It really was perfect.

Another twenty minutes passed and Olivia decided she was ready to call it a night. Fitz didn't have it in him to argue. Whatever the little lady wanted, she shall receive.

---

They woke up late into the morning the following day. They could hear the ocean crashing on the shore and the soft breeze of the outside air coming through their open windows. Olivia sighed as she curled herself more into Fitz's arms.

"Morning, pretty girl." Came Fitz's raspy morning voice.

Olivia smiled. "Good morning Fitzy." She replied. "How'd you sleep?"

Turning on his side, they now faced each other and Fitz couldn't stop admiring how gorgeous she looked. "Slept well." He answered. "This mattress is really nice."

"Yeah." Olivia agreed. "What are we gonna do today?"

"Grocery shopping." Fitz said.

Olivia's face turned into a frown and her lips into a pout. "Boooo!" She yelled with two thumbs down.

Fitz chuckled and poked her stomach. "What do you mean "booo"? We can't just starve and you know exactly how you are when you get hungry." He said.

Raising her eyebrows, Olivia prompted. "And how exactly am I when I get hungry, sir?"

"So mean." Fitz grinned. "The prettiest, yet meanest little lady I know." He teased.

"This is slander and you know it." Olivia jabbed her pointer finger at his chest, making Fitz's laugh. "Oh, you think defamation of character is funny, sir?"

Fitz grabbed her tiny hand and kissed her fingers. "Not at all." He answered. "Although, next time you get hungry and mean, I'll be sure to take a video."

"Alright," Olivia rolled her eyes. "Blackmail me why don't you? And yet you can still say I'm the mean one with a straight face!"

Fitz burst into laughter. He couldn't understand how she could spend hours shopping for clothes and other things, yet groceries was where she drew the line. That was very entertaining to him.

"Livvie, baby! It's just grocery shopping." He stroked her cheek and pinched her nose which she grimaced at. Fitz swore she was the cutest thing. "We'll stop for breakfast and tea first."

At the mention of food, Olivia instantly perked up. "Why didn't you just lead with that weirdo?" She kissed his cheek and wrapped her arms around him again. "But first, I need five more minutes of cuddle time."

"Sureee!" Fitz decided to tease, throwing his arm over her. "You only want me for my body."

Blinking up at him, Olivia smiled. "And you love it."

"You think just because you're cute you can have whatever you want, don't you?" Fitz asked.

"Yes." Olivia answered confidently.

"Touché." Fitz nodded and kissed her forehead. "Good talk."

They cuddled for a lot more than five minutes and Fitz quickly realized Olivia's tactic of delaying their trip to the supermarket. She was clever alright and he was a fool in love with having her in his arms for as long as possible. After about a half hour, Fitz dragged her off the bed and locked her in the bathroom, forcing her to get on with her morning routine and ready for their outing. Surprisingly, she didn't take long and forty-five minutes later, their taxi had arrived to take them into town.

---

They ate a delicious brunch at one of the town's café. Fitz enjoyed the best breakfast burrito he's ever had while Olivia splurged on savory scrambled egg crepes with avocado and an assortment of juicy fruits... and of course, tea. Now with a full stomach, they took a stroll around in town until they eventually found themselves at the supermarket. It was a lot like a huge farmer's market with lots of fresh provisions. Fitz enjoyed sampling small tapas from all the vendors and watching Olivia interact with people. Her way with strangers was truly something to marvel at and she got the best bargain from all the vendors they shopped from. They stocked up on fresh baguette, fruits, veggies, and meats. They bought boysenberry and mango jam once Olivia learned of Fitz's guilty pleasure for them. They also bought more wine before they requested for a taxi to head back to the house.

The ride back was quiet. Fitz marveled silently at country's landscaped as he held Olivia closely. He scratched her neck and kissed her forehead.

"Shopping wasn't so bad after all, right?" He questioned.

Olivia shrugged. "I think having food before helped. Made me more open to the chore."

Fitz shook his head. "Just admit that you enjoyed it." He said.

"Never!" Olivia poked her tongue out at him. In return, Fitz pinched her nose causing Olivia to grimace again. Still the cutest thing.

"You're silly." He said. "Never change."

"Okay!" Olivia grinned.

Back at the house, they worked in sync to unload the groceries and put things in the fridge. Olivia got the brilliant idea that they should go hiking once the weather got a bit cooler later in the afternoon. Fitz agreed that it was a solid plan and suggested a picnic would be a nice refreshment for after their hike. Once they were both in agreement, they worked like an oiled machine towards their plans. While Fitz began preparing their food for the picnic, Olivia surfed the net and pinned a map for a nearby hiking trail with a view. Not wanting to feel useless, Olivia went to the room and retrieved a portable home speaker that she brought with her. She synced her phone with the Bluetooth and cranked up the volume when "Blurred Line" started to play. She jammed to Robin Thicke's upbeat "hey hey hey's" and danced against Fitz while she got to work on a pitcher of sangria.

Fitz indulged her every silly dance moves with some of his own. They were having a blast sipping on delicious wine and, tasting the food he was preparing and laughing at each other.

How did I get so lucky? Fitz thought.

They ended up having to make another trip into town. Olivia wanted better sneakers, since she didn't want to ruin her favorite pair of white converse. She was also very adamant on getting bug spray. They went to La Sirena Shopping Center and both got comfortable sneakers for their hike along with other items. Olivia got bug repellant bracelets along with bug spray and sunscreen. They also ended up making a sweet purchase for an insulated picnic bag. It came with cutlery and plates and a waterproof blanket. Once they returned to the house, they changed into proper attire for their trip and packed all the food Fitz had made into their newly purchased bag.

---

The trail that Olivia had chosen was very beautiful and easy to hike. It took the little over two hours to get to the more spectacular parts, however, they both had a blast. They had been using the map in Olivia's phone to take them through their pinned location but the farther up they continued, they more the navigation system glitched. Eventually, Olivia's cell phone lost connection completely, forcing them both to use their brain in order to reach the end of their hike.

Fitz couldn't stop laughing at Olivia the entire time. She was the goofiest person he knew. At first, she was upset, blaming him for not making her buy an actual map. And then it was how silly she looked with all those neon colored bug repellent bracelets she wore. One on each hand and foot. When he got done teasing her about it all, he decided to put her out of her misery and used his knowledge of geography to pinpoint where they needed to head. Along the way, they met locals who were out to have the same experience and they struck fun conversations as they helped and encouraged each other through their fun adventure.

And by the end, it had all been worth it because Ibiza was truly beautiful and hiking was definitely a good way to find that out. Standing on top of the rocks at the end of their trail, they were able to marvel at the endless aquamarine blue colors of the sea that surrounded them. They had the perfect view of the idyllic meadows, lush green valleys, and hills that started the history of this small yet beautiful city in a way that was truly unique. As the sun began to set, Fitz found them the perfect spot to lay out their picnic blanket and take in the moment

"This is incredible," Olivia said. "I'm glad we did this."

"Me too." Fitz agreed.

They welcomed the evening, basking in the dying glow of the sun while sipping on fine wine and dining on delicious, and soft buttered baguette and smoked sausages with sauteed sweet peppers and onions.

After their picnic, they stayed a bit longer. Fitz watched with his hands behind him and his legs stretched as Olivia spun in circled and laughed when the sound of her own voice echoed to her. See? She really was silly and he enjoyed every last second of the show she was putting on.

Dinner with a view - He thought. I can get used to that.

And he wasn't talking about the sunset. Although that was nice too.

When they made it back to the city safely, Fitz rewarded his favorite girl with ice cream. She begged him with those thick lashes, gorgeous brown eyes and those pouty lips and he didn't put up much of a fight. How could he anyways? He could never deny her a thing.

Olivia got cheesecake brownie flavored ice cream and he got banana/coconut with caramel wafers swirl. And it was so yummy. Every now and again, Olivia would steal a spoon of Fitz's treat but he didn't mind. It made her so happy and that's all he ever wanted. Even when it caused him his favorite indulgence.

---

That night when they returned to the house, Fitz went straight to the shed in the backyard while Olivia went to take a bath. He was excited about the surfboards and wanted to see what conditions they were in. After moving around a few things, he was able to get to the few that stood in the back of the small confinement. Having surfed most of his life, he knew what board would best fit him in terms of his weight and height. Running his palm over the wood, Fitz drummed his fingers on it as he was overcome with flashbacks. He decided not to dwell and focused on the subject matter. Perfect board but it was a little bit rough around the edges and Fitz wondered if he could find some wax to smooth it out a bit. To his luck, he was able to find some of the equipment he needed to do so.

Smiling to himself, he whistled. "Sweet."

Fitz then decided to turn on the fire pit outside for some more light and got to work after he removed his shirt.

He was in a zone; listening to his music and making his surfboard perfect when Olivia joined him.

"Hi, Fitzy." Olivia greeted.

Taking his attention from his task, he looked up at her and winked. She looked so cute and comfy in her matching set of Victoria Secret satin PJs. Her curly hair was tied up and her face fresh and beautiful. Just so cute. Fitz couldn't stand it because he only fell more in love.

"Hi, Livvie." He replied.

Olivia plopped on an empty chair and crossed her legs. "Whatcha doin'?" She asked.

"Cleaning out this board." He answered. "I was thinking of catching a few waves tomorrow."

"I thought you'd like that." Olivia said. "Did you surf much in California?"

Nodding, he responded. "All the time. Surfing and underground fighting was the only constant in my life."

And it was true. Both have served a crucial purpose in his life. Fighting helped to keep him fed on many starving days and also to release all that anger and teenage angst he was carrying around half his life. Surfing was his escape when it got all too much. It was high that got him through another day most times. He used to dream of being a worldwide traveler and surfer but obviously, life had different plans for him. Not that he was complaining. It's been a shitty life for him, but slowly things are balancing out for him. And he was just along for the ride.

"I'd like to join you tomorrow if that's okay?" Olivia said after a few minutes of silence.

"I'd like that too." Fitz smiled.

"Cool." Olivia smiled back. "Never surfed before, just so ya know." She added.

Fitz chuckled. "I figured. I'll willing to teach you." He stood up and walked towards the shed. Rummaging through it, he picked out another surfboard that he thought would be a good fit for her. Once he found it, he drummed his fingers on its surface too and wiggled his eyebrows. "This bad boy right here is where you begin."

They spent a while out in the backyard. At one point, Olivia went back into the house to grab wine and marshmallows, chocolate, and crackers to make s'mores. They talked, laughed, ate s'mores and had a wonderful time as always.

---

At dawn the next morning, Fitz was awake, standing over the toilet and trying to relieve his bladder. He tossed his head back and bit his lips trying to stifle his pained groan. Morning erection was a great gift to mankind most of the time but it was also fucking painful, especially while trying to urinate.

After taking care of his business in the bathroom, he decided to get ready for his day by brushing his teeth and washing his face. While he did that, it occurred to him that he wanted to go out for a jog. His body was starting to miss its regular, workout routine and he really wanted to break out a good sweat. Since he didn't have all his workout pieces of equipment, he figured running was as good as he could do. He threw on some shorts and put on sneakers. He brought his phone to time himself and also to listen to some music with Olivia's headphones.

Before he left, he glanced a look at the pretty girl in the bed.

She was now occupying the entire bed. Her body was all over the place. One leg was up to her chest, the other spread out on the other side of the bed and her arms were tucked under the pillow. Her hair was somehow all over her face and she was lightly snoring with her lips slightly parted. In other words, she was the cutest and most adorable human Fitz knew. He decided to take a picture of her before bending down to kiss her mass of curls.

---

Once outside, Fitz stretched and popped in his headphones before he took off on a nice jog. His favorite rock music blasted through the speakers and he decided to kick it up a notch, setting himself on a reasonable and comfortable pace. He pushed himself past the aching in his shin, past the burning of his lungs and past the fast beating of his heart. Instead, he focused on the early morning wind sifting through the olive trees, the crashing of the waves on the beach and the music thumping in his ears. And he ran, and ran, and ran until the sky begin to lighten up and his body begged him to stop.

When he returned back to the house, it was almost 6:30 am. He quickly removed his shoes and marched inside for a well-deserved glass of water. Once he quenched his thirst, he moved quietly down the hall, heading towards the bedroom.

Of course, Olivia was still snoring away and Fitz decided that he missed her and wanted her to wake up. Plus they had plans to go surfing. This hour of the morning was perfect for that. All smelly and gross, he plopped down on what little space she left for him on the bed and pulled her tight towards him. She groaned at him until he started pecking her cheek with soft kisses.

"Morning Livvie!" He greeted.

"I hate you, Fitzgerald," Olivia whined. "What time is it?"

Fitz checked his phone for the time displayed on the screen. "Six thirty-five." He answered.

"I should kick your ass." Olivia mumbled.

"You're so grumpy pre-tea." Fitz teased.

"Uh, I'm grumpy because somebody!" She paused to pinch his arm which caused Fitz to squeal and begin to pout. She always did this to him. And he hated that he let her get away with it every time. "... decided to wake me up at early as fuck o'clock on what's supposed to be a vacation." She finished.

"Fine then, grumpy pants! Go back to sleep." Fitz said with a little bit of attitude.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Well, now I'm not sleepy anymore, all thanks to you." She replied.

"Good then. You can rub my arm for pinching me." Fitz retorted. It was his time to whine as he gently brushed the spot on his arm that was now turning red. "That shit really hurts Olivia."

"Such a big baby." Olivia said before moving his hand out of the way and taking over soothing the sting she caused him.

It was like that for the next five minutes as they cuddled and Olivia rubbed Fitz's arm. They breathed in sync and enjoyed the quiet morning; listening to the birds outside and the crashing waves of the ocean. This was perfect.

Sighing, Olivia buried her face in Fitz's chest. Her nose crinkled and she cringed. Instead of being welcomed with the familiar, soapy, sweet smelling scent that she's associated with Fitz, she was met with the unpleasant smell of sticky sweat.

"Bubba," Olivia called.

Bubba. That was new and Fitz liked it.

"Whatchu want from my life?" He asked sassily.

"You stink, just like your attitude." Olivia said.

Fitz burst into laughter. "First of all, I think you should stop being mean to me this morning." He said. "And second, what do you mean I stink?" He lifted his arm and sniffed his armpits. "Sorry but not sorry, I'd like to inform you that this is pure, au naturale, alpha male perfume sponsored to you by FTGIII." He argued.

Olivia was far gone. It was in his delivery and how serious yet goofy he looked all at the same time while telling her this. She was laughing so hard, her stomach begin to ache and tears begin to coat the corners of her eyes.

"Calvin Klein who? Giorgio who? Jean Paul Gaultier who?" Fitz continued, listing famous brands and making Olivia laugh even harder.

And he loved it. The sound of her laughter and sight of her smile could bring a lightness to his heart like nothing else.

Once Olivia was able to get a hold of her laughter, she looked up at Fitz and smiled.

How did I get this lucky? She thought. Thank you, God.

"You're an idiot and I wouldn't trade you for anything in the world." She said fondly. "Thank you for coming into my life."

"And you're welcome." Fitz answered cockily with a boyish grin.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "And I'm back to hating you." She said. "Congratulations, asshole."

"Thank you!" Fitz shouted in her ear just to annoy her some more.

She ended up literally kicking him out of bed. When Fitz was on the floor, he laughed wholeheartedly and shook his head. He'll carry and cherish the moments from this trip for the rest of his life. And he couldn't wait to make more.

---

They finally made it out of the house after much coaxing on Fitz's part around 8:40 ish. Olivia finally decided that she was ready for her surfing lessons and she was listening to Fitz coaching her through the basics and yet she's never been more confused in life.

Sensing her confusion, Fitz paused and decided to slow it down and explain it in a simpler way. "So it's basically skateboarding but on water."

Olivia blinked up at him. "Still speaking Greek to me, Ace." She said.

Fitz chuckled. "Oh dear. This is gonna be fun."

And so they got to work.

Fitz wasn't too worried about Olivia in the water since he knew that she was a skilled swimmer. They started by figuring out Olivia's leading foot on the ground. They practiced paddling on the sand which was easy for Olivia and then Fitz taught her the right way to transition from paddling on the board onto standing up properly to ride a wave. That took a bit more practice but once Olivia got the technique of it, the proper stance and timing, she was, of course, a natural. Feeling comfortable with all he's taught her, Fitz was a bit more confident in her and so they decided to put it all to a test in the water.

The water was beautiful right now. Cold but calm and smooth and Olivia was having the time of her life paddling. She was giggling and laughing with every glide.

"This is actually really relaxing." She turned to Fitz who was following right next to her.

"Right?" He grinned. "And you're doing so good, Fireball." He said proudly.

They've must've been in the water for hours. Getting up on the board in the water proved to be harder than it looked. Sometimes it was Olivia's timing that fucked her up, other times, it was her too wide stance and balance which made it difficult to control her board. She fell many times, tasted the saltiness of the ocean and yet she never gave up. She was having way too much fun anyhow. Fitz was in complete awe of her.

"You also have to be in tune with the water." Fitz coached as he sat on his board. "Feel the vibration of the water, hear the hum, trust your gut. You'll know exactly when a wave is coming and your body will know exactly what to do."

"Yes, Sensei." Olivia teased with a grin.

Fitz rolled his eyes and splashed her with a bit of water. They laughed; paddle-raced and goofed around some more. At some point, they became very still and very quiet. Olivia was sitting on her board, doing exactly what Fitz had instructed Feeling the vibration of the water, listening to the hum miles away and the sound of multiple waves catching up and blending into each other.

And then she saw it coming at them. Rolling, strong, majestic and beautiful. The perfect ride.

Olivia freaked out. "Fitz!" She cried. "This is it."

"Yes, it is." Fitz replied.

Why was he so calm? She was freaking the hell out, looking around like a headless chicken. "What do I do then?!" Olivia asked.

It was getting closer.

"Oh. Shit!" Fitz moved out of the way and yelled. "Paddle, paddle, paddle!"

And off Olivia went; mounting her board and paddling away from the coming wave as fast as she could while paying attention to its closeness from her peripheral vision. And when the time came, just as Fitz told her, she trusted her gut and up she went in perfect form. She begin smiling. She was gonna make this wave her bitch.

There were no words to describe the emotions that went through Olivia after she stood up on that board. She remembered her heart thumping in her ears, she remembered taking a deep breath and then she remembered thinking, "fuck it". And then nothing. It was just her and mother nature. Nothing else. No one else. And she had one desire and that was just to understand and become one with the wave. This one moment, she'll probably never get another quite like it and for a mere second, she contemplated closing her eyes but she didn't want to miss a moment. The second following was overwhelming as adrenaline shot up her veins, her breath caught in her throat and the feeling like she was walking on water and becoming this whole new phenomenon swamped her full as she rode out her first full wave.

"OH MY GOD!" Olivia screamed. "THIS IS FUCKING AMAZING!"

...

Fitz watched from afar as Liv paddled away from him. The wave was catching up quick and he was anxious. "Come on, Livvie. Get up baby, stand up. You can do it." Fitz mumbled under his breath.

One more stroke and up she went like the fucking goddess champion that she truly is and Fitz felt his heart flip in his chest. "Holy shit!" He screamed. Arms spread out, feet planted solid, perfect balance, she caught the powerful wave. She controlled her board to the very end, looking confident and gorgeous as she did so. "Woohoo!" Fitz shouted, clapping and laughing. "My baby just caught her first wave."

And she looked badass as hell doing it.

Fitz paddled towards her and she was trembling when he pulled her in his arms and he knew it wasn't because she was cold. It was from the pure adrenaline coursing through her veins and he knew how addicting it could become.

"Did you see it?" Olivia asked, eyes filled with pure joy and excitement.

"Of course!" Fitz replied. "You were awesome, like a pro." He kissed her cheek. "So proud of you, Fireball."

"It was so freaking cool, Fitz. It can't even describe how it felt. Is that even normal?" She rambled covering her face.

They celebrated with hugs and laughter.

---

It was close to noon when they finally returned to the house. While Olivia showered, Fitz prepared them a delicious spread of egg white omelets, french toasts, bacon and orange juice. By the time Olivia finished her shower, breakfast was ready. They ate together and then once they were done, Fitz left to go shower while Olivia took care of the dishes.

When Fitz finished his shower and dressed, he went looking for Olivia. He found her seated in front of a mirror on the living room floor; listening to music and doing something with her hair.

"Whatcha doing pretty girl?" Fitz asked, coming around to sit in front of her.

"Moisturizing my scalp." Olivia replied.

She had washed her hair when she took a shower. She didn't want any crazy bacteria from the ocean to live in her hair. And she usually washed her hair and did maintenance every three days anyway. She was overdue.

"Can I help?" Fitz asked seriously.

Olivia paused. He had to be kidding because her heart was melting. He was so cute and he wanted to help moisturize her hair. He must've been from a different planet.

"Are you serious?" Olivia asked.

"Yes." Fitz nodded. "You can teach me?"

"Okay." Olivia shrugged. "You can watch me do one side."

Too eagerly, Fitz went around her and kneeled behind her. He watched her separate her hair in four parts. She pinned three-fourths with bobby pins and then used a "long, fine-toothed comb" to section through the rest and apply coconut oil.

Aha. So this was one of her many secrets to keeping those beautiful curls all the time.

"You ready for this, Ace?" Olivia asked after demonstrating.

"Yes dear." Fitz replied.

"Alright." Olivia nodded. "Show me what you got."

Fitz had hands like an angel and he handled her hair delicately and completed the task flawlessly. Olivia didn't know how he knew, but once he was all done, he massaged his fingers thoroughly through her scalp. It felt so damn good.

"Now teach me how to do those cute braids you always do." Fitz said, sitting on his knees.

Olivia chuckled, lids heavy. "That's for another day." She replied. "Right now I wanna sleep. I'm tired."

Between all the swimming and surfing and goofing around, Fitz wasn't surprised. Even he was starting to feel a bit tired himself. Standing up, he helped her to her feet. He carried the full-sized mirror back to the bedroom and she carried her cosmetic bag.

Once in their shared bedroom, Olivia put her things away then marched toward the windows to open them. She left briefly while Fitz used the bathroom to go get them water and a book from the shelf in the living room. When she returned, Fitz was already laying in bed. She placed their waters on the nightstand and got in bed next to him. She grabbed his arm and wrapped it around her neck as and lay her head on his chest.

"Read." She said, handing Fitz the book.

"Yes dear." Fitz responded.

Fifteen minutes later, she was lulled to sleep by the sound of his voice and the sweet summer breeze coming through the windows. Fitz followed suit after kissing her forehead.

Maybe heaven was a lot like a summer in Ibiza.

---

They woke up in the evening around five. Olivia was hungry and wanted to have a night out. They dressed almost identically - matching each other in khakis, white t-shirt, and white sneakers. It did occur to them that they were nauseatingly in sync but neither cared.

After a wonderful dinner at one of the sunset strips, the duo decided to bar hop for a little, trying out delightful beverages and tapas. Along the way, they made multiple new friends. Fitz was finally confident enough to start piecing few words of Spanish together. Olivia didn't think there was anything more adorable than watching Fitz really start to blend in with the Spanish concert.

Three different bars later, an extended group of "new friends" and a nice buzz going, Olivia was feeling extremely generous and bought the whole bar shots of tequila. One of their new friends was a club promoter and much later found Oliva, Fitz and their group of new friends at Pacha - the liveliest club Ibiza. And none other than the iconic David Guetta was putting on the greatest show. Between the loud music, the thumping of beats, the special effects, and the overwhelming energy of the crowd, it wasn't difficult for everyone to lose themselves in the ambiance. Olivia jumped and danced with Fitz and their new friends until there was a ringing in her head and her feet hurt.

They ended back home sometime after two in the morning - both drunk, exhausted and feeling like they've just conquered the world.

---

On their seventh day, Olivia woke up alone in bed. Over the past couple of days, she's become so accustomed to waking up wrapped in Fitz's arms that this particular morning, she couldn't help the hollow, empty feeling she felt when she woke up and the spot next to her was cold and unoccupied. Sighing, she wondered where Fitz went off to. She turned to see if he'd left a note on the night table but she found none. Just a glass of water waiting for her.

Her stomach begin to grumble hungrily just as she stretched out of bed. Padding to the adjoined bathroom, she freshened up and brushed her teeth before walking down the hallway of the small house in search of Fitzgerald. As Olivia got closer to the quaint living room, she could hear hard metal music playing and the sound of heavy breathing. Curiosity getting the best of her, she tiptoed down the rest of the hall and she stopped dead in her tracks at the view that welcomed her as soon as she reached the living room.

There, all bare-chested and glistening with sweat was Fitzgerald Grant working out. With one arm behind his back, and the other stretched on the floor before himself - the muscles of his back and his mack truck sized arms flexed as he pushed his body up and down in hard push-ups. It was art, sexiness, and beauty marred into one. The way his face contorted in deep focus; the way his back muscles and torso was shaped beautifully to her viewing; the sound of his hard breathing as he pushed himself to an almost breaking point was enough to make Olivia Pope absolutely breathless and mad with need. And Lord have mercy, his ass. Let's not discuss how yummy his ass looked in those Nike shorts. Olivia found herself appreciating the view way entirely too much. For a second, she forgot that this was Fitz - her best friend. Her toes curled and she could feel what was undoubtedly a pool of wetness forming in her boy-shorts. She was beyond turned on watching her best friend workout and for the life of her, she couldn't bring herself to feel ashamed about it nor tear her eyes away. As she continued to stare and admire, she found herself conjuring up a lot of sinful thoughts.

At last, it became too much. The urge to close her eyes and dip her hand inside her boy shorts became too much. Her mouth became dry, her breathing elevated; her nipples hardening and her clit throbbing unbelievably. Turning away, Olivia begin walking back to the bedroom, shedding her clothes as quickly as possible in her wake. Soon enough she was stepping in the shower and turning the water on ice cold. She held onto the tiled wall and let out an exasperated gasp as the cold water sprayed down on her. It was both a relief and torture.

"I really need to get laid." For the first time in months, Olivia admitted those words aloud to herself. Because what the hell was that? She almost had an orgasm watching her best friend work out.

---

Olivia dreaded going back to the living room long after she stepped out of the shower. She was afraid of getting flustered. She was afraid that Fitz would chance one look at her and read all her dirty thoughts. As insane as it sounded, it was her fear so that's why she was taking extra long pampering herself for no good reason at all. Today, she wasn't in the mood for anything. It was a beautiful, humid day and the Spanish heat was calling out her name. She just wanted to lounge on the beach, get a tan, go for a swim and drink way too many glasses of sangrias.

"Good morning, pretty girl."

She was startled by Fitz's figure standing behind her in the vanity mirror. She jumped at the sound of him and she had to resist the urge to lick her lips at the sight of him. God knows the mirror wasn't doing her any favors. He looked especially delicious. The hairs of his chest curled as sweat continued to glide down his rock hard abs in thick droplets. At this point, Olivia was ready to start confessing but once again, she quickly had to pull herself back. She doesn't go there. There was a line between her and Fitz that she wasn't willing to cross. That line was friendship and she wasn't going to jeopardize that over her lustful whore-mones. Her body was just gonna have to chill the fuck out.

She blinked and continued to do as she was; rubbing the lotion off her hand. "Hey." She greeted with a smile.

Olivia watched Fitz bring a glass of water to his lips. He wasn't helping her at all either. His throat worked with each long gulp and Olivia found herself fixated on the perfect structure of his jaw. Shaking her head, Olivia took a wide toothed comb from her little cosmetic kit and begin running it through her damp curls. Not today, Satan. Not today!

"How was your workout?" She asked nonchalantly.

Oh, she knew how it was.

Hard.

Intense.

Sweaty.

Satisfying.

It was like fucking. That's how it was.

"It was good." Fitz replied. Approaching closer, he gave Olivia's shoulder a hard squeeze before leaning down and planting a kiss on her forehead. "Any idea what you wanna do today?" He asked.

"Let's have a lazy day. Chill on the beach and knock a couple sangrias back." Her eyes widen as she remembered the grill in the back of the cottage. "You can finally grill the kabobs!" She said excitedly.

Fitz couldn't help laughing at how adorable she looked. "So it's settled then." He agreed. "Lazy day it is."

They made breakfast together after Fitz showered. Olivia toasted buttered bread on the stove while Fitz worked around her to prepare their eggs. Once breakfast was ready, they opted to eat their meals outside on the front porch. They bantered as they indulged in a very competitive game of scrabble while savoring every bite of their breakfast. A smile was constantly plastered on Olivia's face. Just when she thinks this vacation can't possibly get any better, she would look up into Fitz's eyes and they would be as blue as the sky above them or she would hear the crashing sound of waves on the rocks. Olivia couldn't imagine a better world. Or a better companion. This was the thing dreams are made of.

---

It was just nearing eleven o'clock, so it was decidedly still pretty early and they had the whole day ahead of them to do as they pleased. Following a few more rounds of scrabble in which Olivia totally kicked Fitz's ass, they went into town for more provision and bottles of wine. They got back to the house just after one o'clock and got started on marinating the meat for the kabobs and skewering them along with the vegetables so that they can be grilled later.

Olivia made a huge pitcher of sangria garnished with oranges, cherries and strawberries and a mixture of apples. Soon, she was in a two piece bikini lounging on a chair under a huge umbrella and sipping sangria out of a red cup next to Fitz. Her eyes were glossed with pure happiness behind the dark frames of her Michael Kors sunglasses. She exhaled a deep breath and sunk deeper into her lounger. Life was good. Olivia couldn't help but wish that every day would be like a vacation in Spain with Fitz. They dozed off under the sun, their skin protected with sunscreen.

…

Time flew by.

Fitz was excited about his golden tan. Growing up in California, he's spent many days on the beach. The beach was even his home at a certain point in time when he was homeless. But never did he get a tan. He always ended up with severe, painful burns instead. Then, even sunscreen was too expensive for him to buy.

But now, he wore his tan with a grin on his face. He brought Olivia's portable I-Home speaker out the backyard and begin prepping the grill for the kabobs. He swayed to the rhythm of relaxing reggae music streaming on Pandora while he sipped on another cup of sangria. He wondered if Olivia was still tanning. He could barely stand to be around her for too long in that bikini she was wearing. White materials always contrasted so well with her mocha skin. But hot pink was proving to be his absolute favorite on her so far as much as it was pure torture. With the way the sun bounced off her skin and gave her this Goddess-like glow, her hair in its naturally curly state, surely, she would be the cause of his death. He couldn't wait to see how sun-kissed she looked.

Tongs in hand, Fitz flipped the skewered veggies and meat on the grill. He was in a zone. He felt totally zen and slightly buzzed from his fourth cup of sangria. Just as the delicious, searing smell of the kabobs begin to penetrate the air around him, Fitz was brought out of his own little world when he heard what sounded like a pop before cold water begin running down his back.

Turning around to see what the hell just hit him, Fitz saw none other than Olivia Pope standing not ten feet away from him with a small little bucket filled to the brim with water balloons. "Hi." She wiggled her eyebrows at him, wearing a daring smile.

For a second, his breath got caught in his throat as he marveled at her glowing tan and the little freckles under her eyes and across her nose. He frowned. Those weren't there before. Or maybe they were always there but now that she got a tan, they were more pronounced. Either way, she was so beautiful. And he almost got swayed under the spell of her beauty but he quickly remembered why he was looking at her in the first place. She had a bucket full of water balloons and it looks like she was looking for a war.

Although, Fitz was not as prepared as she was, but if it's a war that she was looking for, then it's a war she will get.

"I'm gonna give you a ten seconds head start." He said.

Soon as the words escaped his mouth, she took off like a bat out of hell, in giggles. Fitz bemusedly shook his head then turned off the grill and took off after her.

…

For someone so damn short, Olivia Pope was extremely fast. That's a fact that still amazed Fitz. He could barely keep up with her and he couldn't blame it on old age. She was just too damn stealthy for him. Plus running in sand is not as easy as they make it seem in the damn movies. Without sneakers, he tripped way too many times and every time he thought he got a good grip on her, she slipped right through his fingers. Oh, she came prepared, alright. Her whole body was covered in oil. Freaking beautiful, smart, sexy woman!

Fitz was determined to catch her if it's the last thing he did. Finally having had enough, he took off after her, running full speed. The sound of her laughter echoed all around the beach and he almost paused to record it. He wished he could bottle it up somehow, as so to immortalize one of her most beautiful attributes. Another one of her damn, effortless tricks. But that would have to wait for later though. There was plenty of time left for him to make her laugh again. He had a whole lifetime ahead of him. So with that in mind, Fitz plunged after her, tackling her in the sand. They stopped playing fair the second she attacked him.

"You killed chivalry, Fitzgerald. I can't believe you just tackled a girl!" Oliva squealed as he held onto her leg.

"Equality's got to start somewhere, baby." Fitz said.

Laughing, Olivia threw a handful of sand at him. "You suck, Fitzgerald Grant!" She exclaimed.

"Life sucks, babe."

Still, she tried to climb away from him. But Fitz's grip on her leg was firm. He didn't work this hard to catch her only to let her slip away once again. When Fitz was certain that she wouldn't get away, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, kicking and screaming. Despite Olivia's screeching protest to be put down and the smacks she was delivering to his muscular butt, Fitz still headed for the ocean with one goal in mind: payback.

"Fitzgerald Thomas Grant - you put me down, right now!"

Her protest fell to deaf ears. The closer Fitz got to the water, the wider his mischievous grin became. He walked into the water until he reached the big rock nesting in the middle.

"Don't you dare!" Olivia shook her head.

She barely got another word in before he cannonballed into the middle of the ocean with her, shouting a loud "WHEW!"

Her legs now securely wrapped around his waist, Olivia screamed bloody murder at how cold the water was. She clung onto him tightly while catching her breath. Meanwhile, Fitz couldn't stop laughing long enough to even breathe properly. Annoyed by his continuous laughter, Olivia splashed him repeatedly with water and he dodged every attempt. Finally having had enough, Fitz grabbed her around the waist and spin her in circles until they both got too dizzy and a small wave swallowed them up.

They were delirious with laughter and happiness. Their voices echoed all around the empty island as they played like children in the middle of the ocean. When the sun begins to settle down, Fitz sat on the big rock and let Olivia climb on his shoulders to sit. Silence took place as they watched the fierce ocean retreat into its slumbering robe. Moving gracefully and peacefully. They both stared ahead into the distance, marveling at whatever lies miles beyond the ocean. Gently, Olivia combed Fitz's wet curly hair into a ridiculous mohawk. Olivia chuckled at her own creation before bending down, placing a warm kiss on Fitz's forehead. "Rockstar is not a good look on you, Fitzy." She told him.

Staring back into her beautiful chocolate eyes, Fitz froze, mesmerized by the beauty staring adoringly back at him. "You're a ridiculous woman." He uttered in the best way possible.

"But you like me anyway, right?" Olivia pouted, laying her cheek on his forehead.

"Right." Fitz replied back.

And so they went back to quietly staring at the ocean ahead until the sound of Olivia's growling stomach interrupted and Fitz decided it was time to get back to the house and eat.

"Alright little lady, climb on!" Fitz said, patting his back.

Olivia wrapped her legs around his waist and an arm around his chest. With the other hand, she smacked Fitz's butt and neighed. "Off you go, Capo!"

Fitz paused, turning his head to stare at her. "Did you just fucking smack my ass and neigh like a horse?" He asked, the urge to laugh not too far behind.

"Yes, yes I did." Olivia smiled, giggling.

Shaking his head, Fitz chuckled. "You're awesome, kid. Never change."

---

Back at the house, Fitz resumed his grilling after wrapping Olivia's shivering body in a huge towel and turning on the firepit. He all but swaddled her and had her lie back down on the lounger while finishing preparing their dinner. He roasted some rosemary, garlic potatoes to go with the kabobs. An hour later, dinner was ready and served in the backyard with romantic blues playing softly in the background- courtesy of Pandora. They ate with moans of delight, sipped on fine wine and laughed incredulously.

Way after the sun disappeared behind the horizon and night settled upon them, they stayed outside, goofing around, slow dancing barefoot in the yard and breathing every second of life blissfully happy. At some point, Fitz sat down and simply marveled behind the lens of his camera while taking a few breathtaking shots of Olivia in the midst of laughter or engrossed in the recollection of an amusing story she was enlightening him to. Even though she would shy away from the camera, she indulged his muse and smiled for him when he begged with his heart.

"I can't imagine being here with anyone else other than you. This is perfect."

By God, he loved that woman.

---

Later that night, when they lie in bed - her leg thrown over his, her face hidden in the crook of his neck breathing in his fresh, soapy scent and her fingers playing with his curls - Olivia can't help whispering her wishes to Fitz. And he listened until both of their eyes grew heavy and they fell asleep, as they always do - blissfully unaware and entangled within each other's every limb.

That night, Fitz dreamt that he was the happiest man in the world. He dreamt himself married to this silly woman who made his heart race with every second he spent with her. He dreamt of the beach, the laughter of eight - him, his Livvie and their six children - echoing all around.

Some time in the middle of the night, he woke up and stared down at the mass of curls splayed on his chest and the tiny arm wrapped around his torso. He smiled. Between that view and his very vivid dream, he really was the happiest man in the world. In a loving act of bravery, he kissed her hair and whispered those three sacred words with relief and pride in himself.

---

Day ten...

Olivia woke up to an empty bed yet again. And though curiosity was killing her as to what Fitz was doing, she decided to stay in bed a bit longer and wait for his return. While she lounged in bed, comfortably wrapped by soft blankets, she decided to check her phone for anything interesting on her social media accounts. That's when she noticed the text message from Abby.

Instantly, a smile grew on her face. She missed her crazy red-headed best friend and as wonderful as this vacation has been, she could not wait to get back to New York in a few days. Reading the text Abby sent put Olivia in a somber mood. Since she got to Spain, she really hasn't contacted anyone back home. She's been so wrapped up in the memories she's been creating with Fitz and she struggled to feel guilty about cutting off the outside world - even when it meant not checking in with her best friend back home.

Keeping in mind the time difference, she responded to Abby's text with a slew of emojis and an apology as well as the promise to talk later in the day when Abby had some free time from work.

Olivia was surprised when she got a response back very quickly.

Now, mofo! Facetime me, Bitch. I miss you!

Olivia didn't even reply back. She went to her FaceTime app and placed a video call to her favorite redhead. On the second ring, she picked up.

"I swear you make my titties itch counterclockwise with your big ass forehead." Abby answered.

Olivia immediately burst into laughter. "What?!" She managed through her laughing. "So much about what you just said confuses me."

Abby rolled her eyes. "Which part?" She asked. "You really forgot that you got a whole best friend back in New York?"

"A whole best friend," Olivia chuckled, as if she could have a half. "If I forgot about you gingersnap, would I be bringing you back all these expensive souvenirs I have sitting in a suitcase with your name on it?" She enticed.

"Go on, tell me more." Abby grinned. "I really miss you pineapple head."

"Fuck you,"Olivia said, pretending to be offended before cracking a smile. "I miss you too."

"I was starting to think you got kidnapped or some shit." Abby said.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "I'm with Fitz. He'd never let that happen."

"That's right. Where is tall and handsome anyways?"

"Probably working out." Olivia shrugged.

"Him and Stephen are a mess. I don't get why they continue working out looking the way that they do but I'm not complaining." Abby blushed. She really had a thing for Stephen Finch and as much as she worked to hide it, sometimes it showed.

"Are you seriously thinking about sex right now?" Olivia asked.

"What are you, brand new?" Abby sassed. "He really knows what he's doing. And I'm a slut for good dick. Duh!"

Olivia shook her head. "You're shameless woman."

"I know." Abby winked. "Hey, by the way, did you tell Fitz about the whole stalking thing with Edison?"

Instantly, the mood changed. Olivia didn't want to even think about that while on vacation. It's been so good so far. She didn't see a reason to ruin it now.

"Honestly, I've been having so much fun, I kinda forgot." Olivia replied.

"Olivia Carolyn," Abby sighed. "If you pineapple head ass don't tell him before you get back, I'll snitch." Abby threatened.

"Abby!" Olivia whined. "It's not even that serious. I've got the restraining order. Let's put it to rest. It's over with."

"You're being stupid if you think that. And I know you're far from stupid." Abby said harshly. She didn't mean to be so harsh but she needed Olivia to take this stuff seriously. As someone who's had some crazy exes in the past, she wanted to urge Olivia to take the fuckery that Edison has been pulling seriously. "He's a stalker, Liv. The man purposely put himself in the hospital to get you to sympathize and take him back. He's fucking crazy Liv and the fact that you're not taking it seriously is a bit baffling to me. Fitz has a right to know, just in case Edison decided to pull some other stupid shit. I just want you guys to be safe."

Olivia was about to reply when Fitz walked in the room. He was a sweaty mess and he was shirtless. Have mercy.

"Good morning, Fireball."

"Hi." Olivia replied. "Abby's on the phone." She said turning the phone so Fitz can say hello.

"Oh, hi Red!" Fitz greeted.

"Damn, you're fine!" Abby said. "You're sure you don't have an identical twin? I mean Stephen is alright but-"

"I knew it." Fitz said seriously. "His dick is little isn't it?! Blink twice if I'm right."

Abby burst into laughter, snorting. "Chill, chill my dude. Those are fighting words and you're gonna get me in trouble." She said.

Olivia shook her head as she listened to her two best friends converse together. This is why she couldn't imagine her life without Fitz in it. He fit in so well. With her friends, her family. It was so nice to watch. Deciding that she needed to use the bathroom, she handed Fitz the phone so he can continue to talk to Abby.

"It's really been awesome. I don't know how I'm gonna pay Liv back." She heard him say while she used the bathroom.

She guessed that they must've been talking about the trip.

Since she was already in the bathroom, Olivia decided that she might as well get on with her morning routine and get the day started. As she showered, she pondered over the words Abby said. She realized that she was being a bit selfish by not telling Fitz. She doubted that she'll ever have another interaction with Edison again but it didn't hurt to be cautious. He did after all pay some poor kid to stalk her and her friends and while she didn't know what his intentions were, there's no saying that he didn't have any malicious intent. Olivia didn't want to think the worst. She just wanted to live her best life and she couldn't do that with the looming thought that some lunatic that she used to date might be out to hurt her or her friends. The whole thing was enough to give her a headache.

---

They had spent the whole day just hanging out. When Fitz had asked Olivia if there was anything special she anted to do for the day, she couldn't come up with much. Their vacation was coming to an end soon and she was starting to feel a bit nostalgic. She would miss it here. She's had a fantastic time but she couldn't wait to get back to New York.

After breakfast, her and Fitz went for a long walk and got ice cream from that little shop they went to after their hike last time. It was nice refreshment. They soon returned back to the because Olivia just wanted to hang out with Fitz. Olivia tried to teach Fitz how to properly meditate and he couldn't last more than five minutes without making a comment to make her laugh. She decided that was a lost cause. They tried some yoga on the beach. Fitz found out exactly how flexible Olivia was and he was impressed. He of course sucked at it because he was too tall and too awkward. Instead, he decided to take some pictures of Olivia in various poses. He planned to print out all the pictures they've taken on this trip. He wanted to have them forever. Next, they played of fun game of gin or drink and Olivia was currently very tipsy and losing miserably because Fitz was much better than her at cards. They swayed to Patsy Cline in the living room while they snacked on veggies and cheeses and sliced chorizo. They were truly having a fun time and Olivia couldn't recall a time in her life that she's been happier.

Now, she watched him as he got closer to her, waving his hands about and grabbing nothing but air. The closer he got, the harder it became for her to contain her laughter. It was funny to watch his cute facial expressions but Olivia thought it was even more fun that they were both in their twenties playing hide and seek with a blindfold.

She moved carefully to her left as he approached her more. To her misfortune, the bed squeaked beneath her and Fitz snapped right in her direction.

"I hear movement!" He shouted, plunging on the bed.

"Oh shit!" Olivia squealed, trying to scoot away from him. She was a toe away from his grasp but instead of letting him catch her and calling it a fair game, she leaped over his head off the bed. The landing wasn't too sweet because she twisted her ankle slightly and fell to the floor as a sharp pain ran through her leg.

"Ow!" She screamed.

Fitz instantly sat up on the bed, concern creasing his brows. That doesn't sound good - he thought.

"Livvie?" He called, removing the blindfold.

"Down here," Olivia answered pathetically.

Fitz looked over and found her sitting on the floor, miserably holding her ankle and clenching her teeth. Immediately, he stood up and turned on the lights before he crouched next to her on the floor.

"Oh sweetie," His poor, hopelessly in love heart broke a little at the little pout on her lips. "Let me see."

Olivia extended her leg on his lap and she watched as he tenderly examined her ankle, careful not to add too much pressure. It might've been a combination of the drinks she's had and now the pain in her ankle, but she found herself tearing up as she watched him care for her. He was such a sweet man and she couldn't believe she was so lucky to have him as a friend in life.

"It's not sprained," Fitz said, looking up. "But you might've pinched a nerve. Does it hurt when I do this?" He asked, rubbing his thumb in circles over the area.

"No. It feels really good." She replied.

And so he continued massaging her foot, rotating her foot, making her feel better. And the longer Olivia watched him, the more she realized she couldn't possibly keep lying to this man. She replayed her conversation with Abby from the morning and realized that her ginger headed best friend was right. Fitz's first instinct is to make her feel safe if he thinks she's in danger. Why shouldn't she do the same for him? Why in the world should she continue to lie to him about that freak Edison?

Right then and there, she decided she'll tell him the truth and loop him in about Edison's stalkerish behavior.

"I have to tell you something." She said.

"Sure, what is it?" Fitz replied, his hands still at work on her foot, pulling at her toes.

"You can't react." Olivia warned.

Now he stopped, his eyes burning a hole through her.

"Okay?" He said skeptically.

"I took a restraining order against Edison." Olivia said.

She thought it would be best to deliver the news to him one at a time. That way he doesn't freak out.

"Why?" Fitz asked.

"He had me followed," Olivia answered truthfully. "Took tons of pictures of me, you, Abby and my other friends." She continued.

The whole time Olivia kept an eye on him, gauging his reaction. On second thought, she would have much rather he was freaking out. Instead, he was eerily quiet, his jaw set in a tight lock and his eyes graying with anger?

"His accident… that first night we were supposed to fly into Spain, he did that to himself on purpose because he knew I'd show up for him."

Fitz nodded as if he just made his mind up about something. "I'm gonna kill him." He said.

"What?!" Olivia cried. "No, you're not."

"Oh yes I am," Fitz argued. "I'll kill him and he'll never again raise a hand on you, manipulate you or hurt you or anyone else."

Olivia shivered at his matter of fact, cold tone. This wasn't her warm, gentle, kind Fitz. She didn't want this to be the reason he changed.

"No, you're not!" She repeated again, this time with more conviction. "Fitzgerald, look at me right now." She pulled her legs from his lap and scooted closer to him. She grabbed his face in her palm and locked her eyes with his. "You're not. He's not worth it. I won't lose you over that stupid idiot."

The cracking in her voice was Fitz's undoing. His eyes begin to warm up again and returning to their natural blues. He kissed the inside of Olivia's palm and then held her hand. "Okay." He agreed.

"Okay?" Olivia questioned.

"I won't kill him," Fitz assured. "But I will train you to protect yourself. You'll become stronger, faster and you'll learn to trust your instincts more. That is the only way I won't worry myself sick about you, Olivia."

Olivia smiled. She had to admit that she was now excited. She's always wanted to train seriously and be somewhat of a badass. If Fitz could teach her a form of martial arts that could be a lifelong benefit, she won't dare refuse that.

"That's fair." She agreed. "When do we start?" She asked eagerly.

"Tomorrow morning, bright and early." Fitz replied seriously.

Olivia grinned at him. "I'm excited." She said.

"You say that now…" Fitz smirked. "Wait til tomorrow and tell me that again."

"You don't plan on going easy on me?" Olivia pouted and begin to bat her thick lashes at him.

"Fuck, you're cute when you do that." Fitz pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead. "But no way am I going easy on you. I want your fists to be registered weapons by law by the time I'm through training you." Fitz joked.

"Shit, now I really can't wait." Olivia giggled. "I'm getting hungry Ace. What should we do for dinner?"

"Sushi?" Fitz suggested.

"Fucking sold!" Olivia planted a loud kiss on his cheek before quickly getting up on her feet. "I'm gonna surprise you by taking the quickest shower known to man! Sushi is calling my name." And then she was disappearing into the bathroom. As soon as the water came on, Fitz could hear the start of her humming that usually indicated the beginning of her shower karaoke concert.

Fitz sat on the floor for a few more minutes and listened to her rendition of "I'm Every Woman". He found himself jamming to it as well as he got off the floor to pick out his clothes. Fitz caught himself in the mirror and stopped for a second. What the hell was he doing? The fact that something like listening to her sing in the shower was now one of his favorite things to do said a lot by itself.

"Well buddy-boy, you're fucked aren't you?" He asked himself. Shrugging at his reflection, a smile replaced his features as he accepted his truth. There is no other like Olivia Pope. He'll always love and admire everything about her… whether or not they ever get together.

An hour and a half later, they arrived at Nagai Ibiza - a fashioned fusion restaurant seemingly in the middle of nowhere. The recommendation came from Tristan whom Olivia had texted before she got dressed. The exterior decor was very impressive with its white walls painted in geisha artwork by a talented local artist. The entrance was welcoming with its soft lighting and natural trees. A combined essence of lemongrass, mint and fresh vegetables from their garden beckoned them closer but it was the pungent smell of undoubtedly delicious dishes that welcomed them further into the restaurant. Olivia could feel her expectations heightening and she was blown away, upon stepping foot inside the restaurant. They were greeted with an incredible bohemian energy. The decor on the inside was subtle yet breathtaking with contemporary Japanese art adorning the wall. Their metallic paint juxtaposed the all-around dim lighting making it a rustic and elegant. They requested the rooftop seats and were directed instantly to a table nearby a warm fire pit. Altars of dimmed candlelight on natural rock formations created a serene, intimate and relaxed vibe. Plus it was pretty cool that they were one of the few people on the roof. They were seated and offered a menu with a refreshing glass of water to begin.

"This is amazing." Fitz commented.

It seems that he was easily impressed by Spain overall. So far, everything he's seen or done has been great and the more of the city he experienced, the more he was convinced that he should invest in some real estate here.

"Yeah, it really is." Olivia beamed. "Now you know why I keep Tristan around. He knows places like this."

They browsed the menu and retained to memory all the things they wanted to try. When their waitress came back, they were ready to order. Olivia placed their order in her perfectly fluent Spanish. Fitz knew that she was just saying stuff from the menu but she sounded so fucking sexy when she spoke Spanish that he found himself constantly talking his body out of sprouting an erection. Goddamn, woman.

They inhaled through their appetizer of skewered golden grilled shrimp - deliciously seasoned with a mixture of Spanish and Thai ingredients and herbs. Balanced with it was an aromatic peanut sauce that took them straight to the stars at first bite. They forgoed wine and decided to share and enjoy a bottle of Soju for the night. That was a first for Fitz but he was surprised at how much he liked it.

Another plus was the attentive and discreet service of their waitress and minutes after they polished their appetizer, their entrées were served. A variety of sushi rolls and sashimi sat in front of them. Olivia couldn't wait to dig in.

Fitz picked up a tenderly sliced salmon and soaked it in some wasabi and pickled ginger sauce. Bringing the chopstick up to Olivia's mouth, he wiggled his eyebrow at her, "For you my dear."

She gladly accepted and he watched as she closed her eyes, threw her head back and moaned delightfully.

Dear God, make her stop! Fitz begged internally.

"So fucking good." She groaned.

Have mercy.

They enjoyed plate after plate of more amazing dishes such as dragon, Hawaiian and California rolls. They tried this avocado bomb that was on the menu. It was stuffed with fresh, seasoned crab meat, lobster, salmon and chopped cucumber topped with eel sauce. Both were certain that it was the best thing they'd ever tasted.

Olivia took a sip of her Soju and smiled satisfyingly. "I wanna do this kind of vacation with you for the rest of our life." She said.

Fitz grinned. "Even when we both have six kids and growing grey hairs?"

Olivia choked a little on her. "Excuse me, mister?!" She cried incredulously.

Fitz chuckled. "Fine. I shall rephrase." He said snickering. The way Olivia was looking at him was seriously hilarious.

"I mean when I'm an old man driving my six children to soccer practice and cello lessons in a minivan and you're still a young, gorgeous model." He stated.

Olivia blushed. "I see we're using flattery as a tool tonight."

"Is it working?" Fitz raised his eyebrows.

"Hell yeah," Olivia replied, dramatically fanning herself with a napkin. She crossed her legs under the table and supported her chin in her palm. Batting her lashes, she subconsciously licked her lips and smiled. "Tell me more about how gorgeous I'll look with sagging tits and jello for ass in forty more years."

Fitz burst into laughter. He swore she could make a living as a stand-up comedian with the stuff that comes out of her mouth sometimes. For Olivia however, it was always so refreshing to see him laugh like this. It did well for her soul.

"Do you think whoever we end up with will be able to accept our friendship like it is?" Olivia asked seriously.

This time around, she wasn't going to rush it. She was really enjoying being single and whenever true love decides to find her, she'll be ready. But she hoped that whomever that lucky guy may be, he would understand that Fitz was a permanent part of her life and that she won't choose most things over him.

Sensing that the mood grew somber with her question, Olivia shrugged. "I guess what I'm saying is that I just don't wanna imagine my life without you in it. We're so connected to each other and I'm sure you know our bond is rare right?" Fitz nodded, indicating he was paying attention and agreed to every word she was saying. Olivia continued, "I feel like whoever we both end up with will just have to understand and accept the bond we have, you know?"

Fitz reached over the table for her hand. Their fingers once again found companionship between the empty spaces and made a home out of each other. "I know, Fireball." He whispered. "I think they will." He winked.

Their dessert menu arrived. They collectively decided on two different kinds of desserts. Because what's better than one dessert you ask? Two!

They chose green tea ice cream and chocolate mousse cake with crumbled brownie bites. Paired together, was one fucking fantastic, mouthwatering combination.

"Oh, my lenta!" Olivia moaned. "I could eat this stuff every day. Why wait forty years for jiggly ass when I can have it now?!"

Fitz dropped his spoon mid-bite and then he was laughing again.

"It's nothing a few squats can't fix." He said.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "So you really do want six kids?" She asked.

Fitz shrugged. "Duh, I mean, I don't know if you've noticed… but I'm a handsome guy? A hottie with a body? Naturally, I wanna pass down those genes."

"Shut up, Fitzgerald!" Now it was Olivia's turn to laugh until her stomach ached and tears escaped the corners of her eyes. "Could you be any more conceited?" She teased.

"I'm kidding," Fitz smirked. "Or am I?"

At that, Olivia threw the napkin at him. Good-humoredly, Fitz caught it and put it under his shot glass of Soju.

"It's part of my fantasy." Fitz shared. "An incredible woman to live my boring and exciting days with; to cuddle with at night and share my corny jokes. Six kids to unconditionally love, drive me insane and make me exuberantly proud of their life milestones. Three thriving businesses to keep me balanced with home life. A nice family vacation house in Vermont or Nova Scotia with a huge backyard to enjoy quiet moments of peace and watch sunsets while my spoiled rugrats capture fireflies in jars. And a big, all white German Shepard named Ghost to go on long runs with."

Olivia found her eyes getting misty. He really was an incredible man. And as far as fantasies go, he really wasn't asking for much. "That's really beautiful Ace." She said. "You deserve that and I know you'll get to live that fantasy."

"I'd be the happiest guy alive." He smiled.

"But six kids though?"

Fitz was cracking up again. Her knack for follow-ups was really well timed and fabulously delivered.

"Why's that the big hang up?" He asked.

"I mean it's not to me. I'm not the one who's gonna push six big headed ass Grants out of my k'doi."

"Your what now?" Fitz asked, blinking fast.

"K'doi means vagina in another language." She replied. "The point is… I don't think it's physically possible for the vagina to stretch so far that many times. Well, not that it's not possible, but it's just not fair, Fitz. Leave some for Jesus to salvage for the next lifetime, for the love of God."

Fitz was laughing so hard that his face and ears started turning red. This was one of their best nights in Spain yet.

"And plus, that's a lot of fucking, dude."

To that, Fitz had the best reply.

"Hmm, really? I heard sometimes all it takes is one pump for the swimmers to fire off."

"YOU'RE GROSS!"

Fitz cackled.

---

Much later, they took a ride back to a local performance near their village. Now they stood at the bar at Destino's, a restaurant modestly known for its rustic and Mediterranean inspired vibe. Tonight they were putting a great show of flamenco. After Fitz retrieved both himself and Olivia a refreshing glass of mojito, they begin making their way to an empty table, which was quite hard to find given the place was packed.

Soon as they got settled, they were very engaged with the rest of the crowd as they watched talented artists take to a makeshift stage and woo everybody. A mix of great singing, great dancing, impressive Spanish guitar tunes, delicious drinks, and amazing company - Fitz didn't think there was anything else he'd rather be doing.

At the end of the night, they walked to what was home here in Spain, back to their perfect little cottage right on the beach. Fitz would buy the place in a heartbeat if it was on the market.

They decided to stay outside on the beach and hang out for a bit. They sat next to each other on the sand, staring up at the Ibizan moon.

"I don't know if I've said it before but this trip has been really awesome Livvie." Fitz said.

Olivia leaned over to him and lay her head in his shoulder. "Mmm. I'm glad you came. Wouldn't be the same without you." She said, yawning.

Fitz buried his nose in her hand as he gently begin to massage her scalp just like she does to him often. Her cute little moans drove him crazy but she didn't know that.

"Come, sleepy girl - let's get you to bed. We have an early morning tomorrow."

"How early?" Olivia asked, looking up at him.

"I'll let you sleep in a little." Fitz promised.

"Okie dokes." Olivia agreed.

Fitz helped her stand up and gave her a piggyback ride when she started to complain about walking back to the house. He didn't mind.

"Lazy butt." Fitz teased.

"Whatever." Olivia mumbled.

Once inside, they got ready for bed in sync. They changed into pajamas separately and got into bed. Olivia instantly cuddled next to Fitz, leaving no space between them. She took his hand and placed it back in her hair, letting him know that she wanted him to continue playing with her curls and massage her scalp. He gladly obliged, kissing her forehead. She did that cute thing of hers - scratching her nose and burying her face deeper in his chest.

Before she begin to drift asleep, she placed a kiss on his jaw. "Night night Ace." She mumbled.

"Night night Livvie." Fitz replied fondly.

Fitz stayed up a few minutes longer until eventually, he was lulled to sleep by the sound of his and Olivia's synchronized heartbeats.

---

True to his words, bright and early the next morning, Fitz was up. He stayed in bed for a few minutes after waking, simply watching his beautiful girl sleep until he couldn't take it anymore and had to make a mad dash for the bathroom to take care of his rising erection.

He decided after that he might as well get ready for training and then he'll wake Olivia. It was 5:45 A.M. when he returned to bed and Olivia was hogging all the blanket, her curls were all over her face and the pillows and her lips were slightly parted. So fucking cute.

Kneeling in front of the bed, Fitz smiled before he gently removed her hair from her face and ran his index finger down the slope of her cute little nose.

"Livvie…" He called softly.

"Hmm?" She mumbled.

"Wake up sweetie. It's training day."

To that Olivia groaned in a displeased manner.

"What time is it?" She huffed, opening one eye to reach for her phone on the bedside table.

5:48 a.m.

"FITZ!" Olivia cried. "It's 5 a.m."

"No, it's 5:49 now. I let you sleep in for an extra forty-five minutes."

Horror crossed Olivia's face. He was insane if he thought she was gonna get up before six just to get sore… and not even in the way she preferred to be. He must've lost his damn mind.

"Go away right now, Fitzgerald!" Olivia seethed, covering herself from head to toe under the blanket.

Fitz begin to tickle her and she started kicking. "Come on Fireball. Where's all that excitement you had yesterday?" He asked.

"That was before I knew you'd wake me up at five in the morning, you lunatic!"

"I love it when you call me names." Fitz teased.

"Oh my God. Fitz, I'm gonna kick your ass!" Olivia groaned.

"Uh feisty but bullshit!"

When she jumped out of bed and straight at him, Fitz didn't see it coming. And now here he was, on his back on the floor with her on top of him, wrestling him at approximately six in the morning. As he dodged her crazy little hands and laughed, Fitz couldn't help wondering at how many times they've come to be in this position.

"Look who's awake now." He said.

"Bully." Olivia punched him lightly on the chest.

"It woke you up didn't it?" Fitz wiggled his eyebrows. "I'll take you out for breakfast after."

"Why didn't you just lead with that first?" Olivia questioned before getting off him and skipping to the bathroom, wide awake.

Shaking his head, Fitz got off the floor and chuckled. His Livvie was something else.

At the beach, they ran five miles. Fitz was impressed that Olivia was able to pace him the entire time. When he picked up the pace, she did too and she never complained the entire time or asked for them to stop. Her endurance was excellent and her running form and breathing strategies were on point.

Fitz found that he liked working out with her. After their quick five miles, they took a small break to hydrate and catch their breath. Then they picked it up again. Fitz already knew that Olivia had a perfect form from the last time they coached at his gym. She already knew the basic techniques so all he had to do was modify what she already knew and add more coordination and smoothness to it.

He made her do burpees which she hated and screamed at him the entire time while completing the exercise. They did a few sets of other exercises such as high kicks, knee kicks and low lunges to test her balance. Kicks outs were the worse for Olivia because it tested everything - her balance, her core strength, and her fluidity but once she got into the groove of it, she found that it wasn't so bad. Fitz then taught her how to do these incredibly hard push-ups in sequences - tight, regular and wide. Mountain climbers had her limbs trembling. Her muscles burned, sweat got in her eyes and every single part of Olivia wanted to give up but she refused and pushed through all the burning and aching she was feeling. They did stationary sprint to keep her blood warm and heartbeat elevated in between breaks. They wrapped it up by bringing all she's learned in the past forty-five minutes into a full circle. Fitz engaged her into a light sparring and she found herself automatically using all the exercises she learned to her defense. Weaving and bobbing to dodge a blow, using a high knee to disable an attacker, etc… Olivia finally understood the art to all her hard work and by the end, she was both screaming and laughing. She felt fucking amazing yet like she wanted to die all the same.

She never thought Fitz's job was easy to begin with but now she understood why he was successful at it. She understood why his gym was always full and why people signed up to be his trainees. He was a damn good trainer.

And when she was ready to drop right there on the sand, Fitz held her steady. All sweaty and exhausted, they hugged and watched as the sun fully begin to rise. Its reflection over the ocean was beautiful.

---

Their last few days flew too fast. In the morning, they would train and spar on the beach- effectively making Olivia stronger and faster and more skilled. Fitz was hard on her when they trained and often pushed her to exceed past her limitations and though Olivia hated it during, she always felt washed with a huge sense of accomplishment when finished. The benefits of learning a new art such as fighting were outstanding. Even Olivia couldn't believe the huge difference the last few days of training has made in her mobility and reflexes and overall mental strength. She planned to continue training with Fitz or sign up for a martial arts class once she returned to New York. The rest of their days after training were spent trying out different places to eat, have delicious wine and have a great time. They were able to visit the local theater in Ibiza Town and catch an improvised comedy show. They finally got around to getting their portraits drawn by a really talented local artist; they went parasailing, and they took another boat tour since Fitz had loved it so much back in Madrid. The experience was even more breathtaking the second time around. They were able to have another serious rematch of their balloon fight and watch many sunsets during the evenings over delicious food and harmonious laughter.

---

Now as they stood together waiting on their taxi and watching their last sunset in Spain together, they both couldn't help smiling. This was a great trip with lots of memories and they found that they were both hesitant to say goodbye. Fitz had a tiny bottle of sand in his duffel bag to remember this trip by and earlier when they went in the water, they both carved their initials on the huge rock that sits in the middle of the beach. They will surely miss being in this place.

Their ride to the airport was a short twenty minutes and it was quiet in the sense that they wanted to soak up every last bit of the place. As soon as they arrived at the airport, it begin to pour. Both Fitz and Olivia burst into laughter. This was the perfect way to say goodbye to the town that brought them a lot of memories over the course of the last two weeks.

---

Their ten-hour flight went over smoothly. They spent a majority of it napping on and off and watching movies. They switched to their connecting flight in Paris and couldn't resist the strong urging of warm croissants and hot chocolate. They landed at JFK at 4:00 a.m. and ubered straight to Fitz's loft since it was the closest from the airport. They dropped their bags on the floor in Fitz's room and plunged on his king sized bed together.

Fitz moaned as his body molded into the bed, as if in remembrance of their relationship. "Missed you too best friend." He said, patting his pillow.

Olivia chuckled at him. "I thought I was your best friend?" She asked.

"You are," Fitz answered. "But me and my bed Livvie... we're soulmates."

"I can't stand you sometimes." Olivia laughed. She sat up and kicked off her shoes, then Fitz's. She walked to his drawer and took out a pair of his boxers and the first pair of sweatshirt she could get her hands on and then went to the bathroom. When she came back, Fitz had changed into flannel pajama bottoms and a white shirt. She tossed one of the pillows on the floor and fluffed the other before she settled in bed next to Fitz. Wrapping his arm around her, Olivia sighed. "It's good to be home." She said.

In response to that, Fitz simply kissed her forehead. "Yes, it is."

---

They slept heavy and long. They woke up here and there to use the bathroom or guzzle a glass of water but somehow, they always found themselves back to bed and asleep in minutes. The next time they came to full consciousness, it was three in the afternoon and they were both starving! Olivia grabbed her phone and went through her message to shoot Abby and Quinn a text that she was back home and then turned to focus her attention back on Fitz who had his head laying on her shoulder.

"It's Sunday." Olivia yawned. "I wanna go to my mom's house. I bet there's gonna be plenty of food there."

"Hmm... homecooked meal." Fitz instantly brightened up. "That's such a good idea. Plus it'll be a nice surprise."

And so they decided. They will head to the Pope residence for a nice family dinner. They took turns showering efficiently and before the clock hit four, they were on the road, heading to the Hampton. They brought with them pictures of their trip and all the souvenirs they had picked up for her parents. Traffic was surprisingly light and they made it to the Hampton in a timely manner.

Olivia rung the bell and waited to hear footsteps on the other end of the door. "Who is it?"

"The FBI. Open up." Olivia teased.

When her mother opened the door, she was squealing in happiness at the sight of her daughter and Fitz.

"Honey!" Maya shouted to her husband, "Our babies are home!" She said happily. "I oughta smack you for "The FBI" tomfoolery you tried. But I'm too happy to see you guys!"

First, she pulled Fitz into a tight hug which he returned with equal strength and love. When they pulled away, Maya held his gaze as she stroked his handsome face. "Let me look at you," Maya said holding his hand at arm's length. Satisfied, she nodded. He basically looked the same as the last time she saw him, but this time, he had a different glow about him and Maya made sure to point it out. "You look so handsome. And you have a marvelous tan."

Olivia stood next to Fitz watching in amazement and struggling to feel anything other than pure joy at the scene unfolding before her. She loved how much her mother loved Fitz. But she wouldn't be her mother's child if she didn't put on a show. "Ma, what am I? Chopped liver?"

Maya rolled her eyes as she mouthed to Fitz, "Only child over there."

"You do know I can read your lips right?" Olivia said.

Both Maya and Fitz laughed at her expense before her mother pulled her into a long maternal hug and kissed her cheek. "I missed you, my beautiful baby." Maya said.

"That's more like it."

"Let's go inside. I wanna know everything you've been up to since I last saw you." Maya said, dragging both her children home.

---

Inside, Olivia handed her mom the bags she carried and ran into her father's arms at full speed as soon as she saw him. He gathered her in his big, strong arms and hugged her the only a father could. Tear sprung behind Olivia's eyes as she welcomed that feeling of safety that wrapped around her like a warm blanket.

"Hi, puppy." Dominic smiled.

"Hi, dad." Olivia replied.

They could hear Maya sniffling in the back "This family is so damn dramatic." She complained. "Making my eyes wet and shit. This is why you should visit more often, Olivia. So that I can get tired of you and dread your next visit like a normal mother is supposed to."

Everyone laughed.

"Okay, mama bear." Olivia conceded.

Next, Fitz and Dominic greeted each other with a firm handshake and a short hug.

"Good to see you again son." Dominic said.

"Thank you, sir." Fitz nodded politely.

Now that all the hugs were given and all the crocodile tears were shed, Olivia directed the conversation to something that was really important. Her stomach and how quickly she can get something delicious in it.

"Momma, what's for dinner?" Olivia asked.

"Your father and I just got home from dinner with a few friends from his golf club. We were just gonna have some dessert and watch a movie." Maya explained. "But I'm sure I can whip up something quick for my babies."

"I'll help!" Olivia volunteered.

---

While Olivia helped her mom with dinner, she caught her up on everything she's been up to. From the restraining order on Edison to her trip to Spain. To say that her mother was not happy with her when it came to her keeping all of Edison's shenanigans from her would be an understatement. Naturally, her mom wanted her to stay here in the Hampton for a few months but Olivia had to remind her that she was a grown woman and perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Her life was in the city. She told her mom that she couldn't and wouldn't allow Edison to terrorize her and make her leave her home behind in fear. Olivia tried her best to put her mother at ease by telling her of the steps she's taken to ensure that she was protected, starting with the restraining order and taking up a form of martial arts. It didn't completely calm Maya, because as a mother it was in her nature to be protective of her only baby and worry. Now even more so since some deranged lunatic was stalking her.

Then they moved on to talking about the lighter and fun stuff. Like her trip with Fitz and all the things they did. She showed her mom pictures. There were a series of "Oh my gosh, Livia, that's gorgeous!" as well as "So jealous" and "I love that picture. Send it to me."

"I brought you and dad and Mrs. Robinson some souvenirs." Olivia said.

"That's super nice of you baby." Maya kissed her daughter's cheek and then went back to searing her pan in order to begin cooking her vegetables.

"How is Mrs. Robinson by the way?" Olivia asked.

"Having a good time, I hope." Maya replied. "Her and Eli finally went on that cruise to the Bahamas."

"Oh nice!" Olivia cheered, popping a cooked broccoli in her mouth. "Uh momma, that's so good." She gushed.

---

Meanwhile in the man-cave...

Fitz was getting his ass handed to him in a game of pool by Dominic. They were sipping on the oldest and smoothest scotch money could buy while shit-talking each other, hoping to throw the other off their game.

"Goddamn it old man. You're too good at this." Fitz teased.

Chuckling, Dominic gently pushed his cue stick between his fingers and hit his next shot, sending at least three cue balls into a pocket.

"They don't call me The King of 8 Ball of no reason." Dominic bragged.

"Get outta here. They don't call you no such thing." Fitz said.

Dominic hit another shot and cleared the table. "Do too." He circled around the table, a smirk on his lips.

Fitz shook his head. "Alright there, show off." He said, sounding annoyed but in reality, he was having an amazing time.

---

By eight thirty, dinner was served. It smelled so good that Dominic requested a plate even though he had dinner with his wife not too long ago. The conversation at the table was very minimal as all that could be heard was moans of gusto.

"You've outdone yourself again, baby." Dominic said, taking a sip of his scotch.

And Maya really had. She loved to spoil her kid and husband. And when Olivia requested that she make her famous Mongolian glazed steak with broccoli and hasselback garlic butter potatoes, she had all the ingredients and jumped on the occasion to cook the meal with all the love in her heart. Now to see them basically inhaling it brought her all the satisfaction and joy in the world.

"This really is delicious, Maya-amazing." Fitz agreed.

"Thank you my loves," Maya replied smiling. "I'm glad you all like it."

"Hey, I helped too." Olivia chimed.

Everyone just looked at her blankly.

"I did!" She cried. "These amazing potatoes you're all eating? Guess who put it under the oven to bake?"

Dominic smiled at his little girl. She could be so silly sometimes. He hoped she never changed.

"You did well, puppy. And the potatoes came out beautiful and golden." Dominic said.

"That's more like it." Olivia boasted. "Thank you, dad. And you Fitzgerald Grant..." Olivia pointed her fork at him and stick her tongue out at him. "... are dead to me. I can't believe you didn't think I helped."

Everyone laughed at Olivia's dramatic. Fitz most of all.

"You know I'm your biggest cheerleader, Fireball," Fitz said. "Of course you helped. And it's delicious." He winked.

Finally, Olivia smiled his way. "And... you're welcome!"

Gosh, he really loved that woman.

---

After dinner, Fitz and Olivia took care of the dishes while her mother made popcorn for their movie. Her father, an avid fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger picked out - Junior; an oldie but funny. Olivia was having the time of her life laughing with her mother. Even Fitz was cracking up. He thought that scene where a very pregnant Arnold asked his love interest in the movie if his body disgusted her was hysterical and plus Danny DeVito was awesome as usual in that movie. After the first movie ended, Dominic retired to his study to get some reading done, leaving his wife, Olivia and Fitz to watch another movie of their choosing. Next, they put on Heat starring Robert De Niro per Fitz's request. It was one of Fitz's favorite movies ever made, however halfway through it, his eyes started getting heavy. He had Olivia cuddled up next to him on the couch, playing in his hair. That usually did the trick.

About fifteen minutes passed, Maya realized that it had gone too quiet except for the sweet little snores coming from her daughter. Turning on the night lamp, her heart nearly melted. Both Fitz and Olivia had fallen asleep together on the couch, entwined together. There was no room to breathe in between them. Her heart nearly melted as she continued to watch them. Silently, she stood up and went to grab a blanket to cover them before they froze to death in the middle of the night.

When she returned, she covered them both and placed a maternal kiss on each of their foreheads. Maya then turned off the TV and left to go find her husband in his study.

"Oh, hi honey." Dominic greeted his wife with a smile.

Maya joined him, fresh tears glistening behind her eyes. Instantly Dominic was on alert. "Honey, what's the matter?" He asked reaching for her as soon as she was within his reach.

"It's our baby." Maya sniffled. "Gosh, we're so lucky. She's so lucky and I don't even think she knows it."

"You're talking about Fitz aren't you?" Dominic prompted.

Maya nodded. "You see it too, right?"

"I do," Dominic answered. "He's a kind, respectful, hardworking young man."

Maya agreed. "AND.. he loves our little girl." She added. "Dom," Maya wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and kissed his lips gently before pulling away with a smile. "When the time comes and Fitz asks for your blessing to marry Livia, don't give him any shit okay? Just say yes cause he's the one."

"I know sweetheart." Dominic grinned.

---

Labor Day weekend found Olivia and her closest friends at her parent's cottage again. Her, Fitz, Abby, Stephen, Harrison, Cece, and Quinn all decided to rent a bigger car in order to make the trip up her parent's house together. On the day following their arrivals, everyone was put to a task in order to ensure that they had everything for the massive barbecue they wanted to throw themselves. While Fitz, Maya, and Abby worked on preparing their food for the evening, the rest of the clan either ran errands or cleaned around the house and helped each other set up for the barbecue.

In the later afternoon, everybody played in a fun game of flag football. Then they ate amazing food, sipped on great drinks, danced to amazing music and simply enjoyed the company of each other. Laughter was a constant as they all made fun of each other. It was a wonderful day spent with everyone content with simply spending time together - bonding and strengthening friendships that were already amazing and beautiful.

---

Two days later...

Old habits die hard.

On the eve of a new school year, Olivia could never sleep no matter how relaxed she was. Most people would knock out after a two week's vacation abroad and a long spa treatment the day before the event but not Olivia. With all the excitement and adrenaline rushing through her veins, all her efforts to try and close her eyes for some much-needed sleep were fruitless at best. Since she was a little girl, it's always been this way. But now as a teacher, the jittery feelings have only intensified. Her brain was running at the speed of lightning. She found herself unable to stop thinking about the group of students she will be getting. In her head, she was already planning all the year's activities and field trips that her students will be indulging in. She was thinking about how she was going to decorate her classroom. She was doing a whole self-reflection and coming up with new ways to improve herself as a teacher this new coming school year. With all that in mind, the tingling feeling in the tip of her fingers wouldn't go away. She was too nervous and excited to manage any peace of mind.

She thought if she got her mind off school, she could at least calm herself down. And it did help some when she begin thinking about her whole summer. She was very bittersweet about it ending for a lot of obvious reason. She's had the summer of her life and she wouldn't change any event for anything in the world. The time she's spent finding herself and learning to be independent all by herself again was her most proud achievement. She carried the new friendships she's made in her heart so happily. She wouldn't change meeting Fitz. Just the mere thought of him had her smiling immediately. There were so many moments of laughter logged in her memories and half - if not all of them always included Fitz. Not to mention all the adventures they've had. Those moments flashed in her mind like a mini-movie and she loved that there was no ending to it. All and all, Olivia concluded that she's had a great summer.

Olivia glanced a look at the clock on her night table. Big red numbers flashed 12:07 a.m. back at her. She released a sigh into the darkness of her room and pulled the sheets higher against her chest. She knew she wasn't going to get any sleep but she was gonna try anyway because she couldn't continue to stare blankly at the walls anymore.

…

One hour later…

After much tossing and turning and staring at the wall, Olivia was as awake as ever. Throwing caution into the wind, she picked up her charging phone from the nightstand. Going through her phone log, she put a call to a familiar number.

Olivia hadn't expected him to answer seeing as though it was so late but after just only one ring, his deep baritone filled her ears and she sat up in bed against the headboard, a smile on her lips.

"I can't sleep." She told him.

---

Across town, Fitz folded an arm behind his head and sighed.

No matter what he did, he couldn't sleep either. He'd spent the better half of an hour thinking about his summer. It was the best he's ever had to memory. He never expected to be hit with this magical thing called love when he walked into Mike's bar a few months ago. But here he was, three glorious months later hopelessly in love with an incredible woman. Although, she would probably never know it. He thought about Spain - it was the closest to paradise he's ever been. He would love to go back again someday if only to reminisce about all the wonderful memories he's made there.

He let his mind drift further into memory lane. A particular favorite time spent with Olivia came to mind and he couldn't help the boyish smile that graced his lips. Most of the time, he found himself going back to that night he took Olivia roller skating for the first time. He didn't know why out of the thousand amazing things they've done together, this one seems to be the highlight for him. Maybe it was because she looked so damn beautiful that night in his arms. Maybe it's because it was when she truly begin to let him in by letting herself get vulnerably cute. Maybe it was because he was a first for her at something as mundane as skating. Perhaps it was because of that big ball of happiness he had felt bursting out of his chest when he innocently kissed her goodnight on the cheek at the end of the evening. It didn't really matter why. That night was simply his favorite.

Just as he was beginning to think of another favorite memory, his phone begin to buzz with an incoming call. Groaning aloud, he swore that if it was Stephen calling him to pick him up at yet another bar because he's drunk, tonight would be the night he finally committed murder. But then he picked up the phone and saw her name splayed across his screen. Almost instantly - a smile formed on his lips as he accepted the call.

Everything felt right a second later when her sweet voice filled his ear.

"… I can't sleep." She told him.

"I'm sorry." Fitz offered sympathetically. "Wanna talk about it?"

There was a pause before she sighed. "It's nothing." Olivia replied.

Fitz was quiet as he let her gather her thoughts. He knew it was not nothing because of how well he's come to know Olivia. She wouldn't have called if it was nothing but he also knew better than to call bullshit on her. But then again, who knew? He could also be wrong. Maybe it really was nothing and she just wanted to hear his voice before she fell asleep.

Just as quickly as the thought crept up on him, Fitz willed it to go away. He couldn't allow himself to hope so much. Not after Spain. Not after missing his golden chance to tell her how he really felt. Not after being a coward yet again because he didn't wanna risk shattering that perfect little bubble they seem to be existing in.

"Lucky for you, I love hearing about nothing." He said. "Honestly, it's my dream job."

On the other end of the line, Olivia was a smiling mess. She couldn't understand how he always knew what to say. It must be a great talent. And for a second, she almost forgot how persistent and relentless he can be without being a pushover. It's all those same qualities of his that's gotten them this far together because had it been for her, they would've still been strangers to each other. That might've made for two more lonely people in the world but Olivia was infinitely glad that he was the way he is.

"You're gonna think it's silly." She said.

"I specialize in silliness too. Bring it on." Fitz dared.

Olivia giggled. She couldn't help but think that he would be amazing with children. She didn't know where that thought came from but it's the only one in her mind at the moment as he worked very hard to coax information out of her. He would make a wonderful father one day to some very lucky children when the time came.

"Jitters." She finally answered.

Fitz let out a small chuckle at her admission.

"I told you it was silly!" Olivia cried.

Fitz imagined she was pouting in that cute, adorable way of hers. The image was enough to paint a love-sick look over his face. It was nauseating.

"Relax, pazza. I'm not judging." He assured. "Why are you jittery?"

"I don't know!" Olivia groaned. The shuffling of sheets could be heard in the background as Olivia kicked the silk sheets off her. "I guess because school starts in a few hours. It's obviously not my first rodeo but for some reason, every year before it all begins, I'm always a basket case of nerves and adrenaline. I can never sleep." She explained.

Fitz couldn't say that he could relate but he understood just fine what she meant. He supposed it was a natural thing to feel. He almost chuckled again. Her nothing was such an Olivia thing. She wouldn't be any good at her job if she didn't feel those jitters and he contemplated telling her that the day she stopped feeling those jitters in her profession, she should consider retiring. But instead, a better idea came to mind and he begin to get out of bed. Walking towards his door, he flicked the light on and pulled a drawer in search of some shorts.

"Go get ready. I'll be at your apartment in fifteen minutes." He said.

Fitz didn't plan on being on the phone with her for long anymore. He was almost hanging up when she shouted.

"Wait! Ready for what?"

Knowing her as well as he does, Fitz knew she wasn't asking about what they will be doing. She was asking about what she should wear. He shook his head with a smile. "Just throw some yoga pants on, Livvie. We're not gonna walk the red carpet or nothing."

---

As promised, fifteen minutes later on the dot, Olivia was opening the door of her apartment to Fitz. He was casually dressed in black Nike shorts, a white round neck t-shirt that clung to his every muscle and some sneakers. Olivia has seen him in casual clothing a thousand times now but for some reason this time was different. Olivia didn't know if it was because it was nearly the middle of the night and he was standing before her looking impossibly handsome but she wanted to jump him like a bitch caught in heat. She also found that ignoring those thoughts and feelings were becoming significantly harder since they got back from Spain.

"Hi." Olivia smiled.

Dressed in yoga pants, a sweatshirt, some flip-flops and her silk bonnet on top of her head - Olivia couldn't hide the fact that she was curious as to what the hell they were going to do at almost two o'clock in the morning.

"Hi." Fitz replied, returning her smile.

"So…" Olivia drawled, her tone slightly questioning.

Fitz reached out and stroked the bridge of her cute button nose before pinching it between his fingers. Olivia grimaced at him in the cutest way. "You're not gonna get any sleep and neither am I. So… how about one last adventure for the road before we both get to be too busy for each other?"

Grabbing her keys from the foyer, Olivia stuffed them in the front pocket of her sweatshirt before stepping out into the hallway and closing the door behind her.

"Let's do it, Grant." She said.

They took the elevator attached at the hip with arms wrapped around each other. They were inseparable and wouldn't have it any other way.

---

Nothing felt better than this. Nothing felt more right as Fitz stepped harder on the gas. He basically flew through the empty road. The wind was blowing through his windows and beside him sat the most beautiful woman he knew as Biggie Smalls blasted through the speakers of his car. Fitz didn't think life could get any better as he and Olivia rapped to every song that came through the 90's hip-hop station.

After about fifteen minutes of driving seamlessly, Fitz was over the moon when he rounded a corner to a Taco Bell that was still open to customers. He went to the drive-thru and ordered an obnoxious amount of food. Olivia was no better than him since she was indulging his overspending.

Soon they found themselves at Fitz's favorite spot at the hills in the borough of Manhattan. It's a secluded rooftop parking lot. Olivia knew the story behind why it was his favorite place and because of that, it made her feel special that she was the only person on earth Fitz felt comfortable sharing that space with. As luck would have it, Fitz always keeps a blanket in the back seat of his car. They opened it in the back of the pickup and settled to watch the New York City skylines as they stuffed their faces with crunchy taco burritos and nachos.

Olivia was nearly in tears as Fitz recalled the story of how he knew he had hit puberty at the tender age of thirteen years old. And oh, the nightmare that he was when he learned of morning erections and the gift of masturbation. By the time he was finished, Olivia was clutching her chest and stomach as she doubled over in loud fits of laughter. Some quiet settled in between the barrels of laughter as they watched the way the moon flirted with the stars and complimented the sky in a magical scenery. Olivia found herself wondering for the millionth time what kind of meanings hid behind every single star up above. She resigned herself to never knowing and somehow, that was just fine with her because she found that it's the essence of the unknown that makes her admire and appreciate the view more. It was another night in which they lived instead of simply existing. It was another night in which they were each other's companion and it was amazing. With that in mind, Olivia closed her eyes for a few minutes with a smile on her lips. She knew that sixty years from now when she's dying gracefully of old age, she will remember this moment and know that she's lived a wonderful life because this moment… this night, it counted for something.

Now laying against Fitz's chest, completely entangled into him - Olivia released a sigh into the air before planting yet another kiss against Fitz's jaw. In return, Fitz reciprocated the loving gesture with an affectionate kiss to her forehead.

"I will never get too busy." She said.

It was barely above a whisper that Fitz wasn't even sure if she had really spoken.

"What?" He asked.

Grabbing his hand, Olivia entwined their fingers. Somehow they still fit so perfectly together and Olivia didn't think she would ever get over that feeling of complete awe every time their fingers found home in between the empty spaces of each other's hands. It was truly marveling.

"Back at my apartment, you said: "one last adventure for the road before we both get to be too busy for each other." And now I'm telling you - no, I'm promising you that I will never get to be too busy for you." Olivia said.

Fitz's eyes glowed with tears under the complexion of the silver moon. He was in no way a soft bitch baby, but he couldn't help letting himself feel the raw emotions rolling through him at that moment. Her words spoke volume to a lot of things that didn't need to be said out loud in order for Fitz to understand where he stood in terms of priority. He was a priority to her just as much as she was a priority to him. Fitz was learning so much from this tiny, beautiful, intelligent, kind and amazing woman. An epiphany occurred to him then: people come and go, but sometimes… sometimes, they stay too. Fitz is so used to everyone leaving that this new epiphany shook him to the core.

And as if he wasn't already a mess of emotions on the inside, Olivia then told him the most incredible thing a human being could say to someone else.

"You're my person, Ace." She whispered to him softly as though it was their own little secret.

This time, the tears more than shone behind the blues of his eyes. They fell in waves down his cheeks and when one drop fell against his lip, it tasted a lot like love. All Fitz could do at that moment was hold Olivia tighter in his arms. He's never said it in so many words, but Olivia Pope was without a doubt his person too.

---

Sometime later, Fitz was awakened to the crooning sound of eastern bluebirds. A shiver ran through him as goosebumps begin to form on his skin. Blinking back the sleep in his eyes, he realized that they had fallen asleep in the back of his truck and the sky was opening up to a new day. Big, fluffy white clouds embellished the sky, the sun not too far behind the horizon. It was gonna be a beautiful day. Fitz felt it in his guts.

Reaching for Olivia's discarded phone, Fitz pressed on the home button for the time. 5:18 a.m. was displayed on the home screen in a large font. Bringing his hand to her beautiful face, Fitz hesitated to stroke her smooth cheeks with the gentle tip of his finger. She looked too peaceful; too beautiful and he couldn't bear the thought of waking her. But he knew he had to. She would kill him if she was late for her first day back to work. With a heavy heart, Fitz gently brushed a lone finger down her jawbone; mapping the side of her beautiful face. It took everything out of him not to lean down and kiss her delicious bee-stung lips again.

Before his thoughts could consume him, Olivia's lashes begin to flutter as she stretched in his arms; looking as precious as a flower finally blooming into its full existence.

"We slept here." Olivia said.

Nodding, Fitz kissed her forehead. "Good morning." He answered.

"Good morning." She replied back. "What time is it?"

"It's five-eighteen," Fitz said.

Olivia slowly begin to sit up in his arms. They should go. She needed the hour and a half to get ready for work and the last thing she wanted was to be late for work on her first day back. The jitters were still there but they felt different. She was more excited than she was nervous or anxious.

"We should go." Fitz added.

Olivia agreed. "We should go."

---

They don't talk on the drive back to Olivia's apartment. The silence was more than welcomed as they cruised down tenth avenue with fingers entwined over the gearshifter. Fitz parked the truck by a meter on Amsterdam Ave in front of a Starbucks. There, he found a homeless man probably wondering where his meal for the day is going to come from. He offered the homeless man leftovers from Taco Bell and some pocket change before entering the fine café establishment.

In line, he continued to hold Olivia's hand as they waited for her tea and breakfast order. It hit Fitz then that summer is truly over and he's bittersweet about it but not nearly as unbelievably proud as he is of Olivia. She went through a painful breakup and didn't let it define the person she became afterward. Instead, she rose back up from the ashes of a heartbreaking betrayal and decided to live her life as carefree and as fully as possible. She's made him laugh, she's made him cry and she's made him smile more times than he can ever count. And in the process, Fitzgerald fell head over heels in love with this incredible woman. To think it only took three months. Hah! Not such a bad outcome, eh?

He thought it was pretty damn great.

Five minutes later, they were in front of Liv's apartment building and Fitz killed the engine. He glanced a look at Olivia in the passenger's seat and smiled. "Not so bad for the last summer adventure right?"

Olivia chuckled cheekily at him. "Not bad at all. It was wonderful. Thank you." There was that glow again in her eyes. The same one that weakened Fitz at the knees.

"The pleasure was all mine." Fitz said. "But now, your ride has expired." He unbuckled his seat belt and reached to unbuckle Olivia's too before he got out of the car. Seconds later, Fitz opened the passenger's door and helped Olivia out. He gathered her petite frame in his arms for a long hug before pulling away with a wide grin on his face. Pride was evident in his eyes. "Go change some lives, Olivia Pope." He said.

---

The school year started just as Olivia had hoped. With a bang.

Olivia was in love with the group of students she got. All of them are already very smart and very special each on their own. They are eager to be taught and it makes her feel a sense of purpose. Although, with all the good came some bad. Teacher's meetings were already kicking her ass. And even though the first week of school is basically all half-days, she's been staying well into the late afternoons to decorate her room, prepare classroom curriculum and getting back into the groove of things.

All and all, by Friday afternoon, Olivia was exhausted and ready to unwind in the company of her friends.

She met her clan - Fitz, Harrison, Cece, Charlie, Stephen, Abby, Quinn, Mike, and his girlfriend Raina for a night out on the town. It was exciting stuff. They ate at an upscale rooftop restaurant in Soho and sipped on expensive Dom Perignon as they caught up with each other. Laughter always a constant among them. They ended the night at 1OAK where they lived young, partied too hard and it was incredible. By the time the night wrapped up, Olivia was bone tired, entangled in every which way in Fitz's arms in the comfort of his bed.

---

The next morning, Olivia was up fairly early after having a good night's rest. Fitz wasn't working but still, they took off for the gym to work out and get a session of sparring in. Since Spain, Olivia found that she loved sparring. Not only has it been good to learn ways to defend herself but she loved that badass feeling she got every time she managed to flip Fitz on his ass. It was a good way to blow off some steam and she loved that Fitz never went easy on her when most would have because she's a girl.

He kicked her ass but she held her own as well. After pushing her body to its breaking point with sparring and lifting weights, she sat on the mat next to Fitz, hugging her knees and trying to get her breathing back on track. She grabbed her bottle of water and she gulped almost half of it in one go.

"Tough week?" Fitz asked, wiping sweat from his brows.

"No. Just long." Olivia replied. "I missed you."

"I'm here." Fitz grinned.

Olivia shoved her shoulder into his; a grin on her lips matching his. "This is the part where you say it back, you asshole." She said.

"What's the fun in that?" Fitz teased.

"Asshole." Olivia reiterated.

"I know," Fitz smirked. "It's charming right?"

"I hate you." Olivia chuckled.

"No, you don't." Fitz smiled.

Olivia nodded. "You're right. I don't."

Quiet settled as they watched gymholics hit the machines hard. Olivia couldn't imagine putting her body through all that nonsense. But hey, to each their own. As she took a long, hard look at the place, she realized just how huge Fitz's gym really was. He had so much space wasting away that could be put to great use. And just like that, the fixer-upper in her took root.

"Uh oh!" Fitz groaned.

"What?" Olivia asked.

"You got that look." Fitz pointed.

"What look?" Olivia asked.

"The look that says you've got some brilliant idea that's going to make a dent in my bank account." Fitz accused.

"Shut up!" Olivia chuckled.

Anybody who didn't know better would have thought they were some old married couple with the obnoxious way they were bantering. It was a good look.

"God help me." Fitz said sarcastically, mimicking the sign of the cross. "Okay, I'm ready. Out with it, little lady."

Olivia rolled her eyes. He knows she hates it when he calls her that. And he was being so damn dramatic, she was fighting the urge to burst into laughter. "Fine!" She growled. "So I was thinking that you had a lot of space here. Why not use it for profit instead of rotting storage?" She questioned.

"What do you mean?" Fitz asked with raised eyebrows.

"Look around, Ace," Olivia said. "This place is huge. You have a large room just for storage. What if you took some of that space and turned it into something profitable? It might cost you but it will also be worth it."

Fitz wouldn't dream of changing a thing about this gym. It was perfect and to his liking. But yet, he was intrigued as ever by the woman. "I'm listening." He said.

Shaking his head, Fitz watched as the woman he loves more than anything in the entire world switch from sexy, sweaty, badass sparring partner in one second, to wide-eyed, bubbly, excited fixer-upper.

"Alright, close your eyes and picture this..." Olivia said, turning to face him. "Imagine if you took some of that space and build a second floor. Gym up and down will be your main entrance. You could have a front desk personnel. Sell t-shirts, protein powder, water bottles. The whole nine yards. You could even install a few vending machines there and stock it with sports beverages and protein bars. Maybe open a small little bar and hire someone to serve all kinds of smoothies and protein shakes. Imagine all the more business you could bring in. A gym with its very own smoothie bar. People will dig up that kind of after-workout refreshment. I have a friend who works in broadcast advertisement. Just say the word and this gym will be swamped up with more people than you could ever imagine. Then, you can raise up the membership prices and you know what, it won't be excessive because… guess why?"

"There are not that many gyms with their very own in-house smoothie bar." Fitz replied.

Looking at Olivia, Fitz could only shake his head. Goddamn. She was brilliant. And he didn't think he could fall any harder for her.

"Yep!" Olivia cheered. "It opens up more employment opportunities and it's a win-win." She continued to say as if she hadn't already sold him on the idea the second that look glossed over her face. Goddamn it! "So what do you think?" She waited with wide eyes and bated breath.

Fitz knew that in order to accomplish this new idea, there were a bunch of hurdles they had to jump. For starters, he'd have to close up the gym for quite some time in order to refurbish the place into the vision Olivia sees. On top of that, there was other paperwork he'd have to go through. He wasn't so worried about money. He had money now. More than he knows what to do with. And this wasn't a bad idea at all. The businessman in him saw how much he could profit from this new development indeed. It just sucked that he didn't think of this idea himself a lot sooner.

Scratching his brow, Fitz sighed. "I think that dent has already been made." He said, a smile blooming across his handsome face.

Olivia squealed, attracting the attention of a few gymaholics. "Is that a yes?" She asked.

Once again, Fitz found himself fighting the urge to lean in and place a dizzying kiss against her delicious bee-stung lips. She was incredible and he didn't think she had any idea. Not caring that they were both gross and sweaty, Fitz pulled her against his chest and planted a loud kiss on her cheek. "Of course it's a yes." He said. "What would I do without you hunh, Livvie?" He asked.

She looked him dead in the eye and smiled the most beautiful smile Fitz had ever seen. It took his breath away. "You'd be miserable." She said nonchalantly.

And the bitch of it is, it was so damn true!

Smiling back, Fitz kissed Olivia's cheek again. "I missed you too." He finally said.

---

They spent the rest of the weekend together indulging in all their glorious food craving, killing their brain cells with addicting TV series, and taking turns in kicking each other's asses in Just Dance when they weren't obsessing and coming up with more ways to become America's Biggest Billionaires together.

Olivia went home Sunday evening feeling like she was walking on cloud nine. That night, she went to bed wishing that everybody else in the world had a Fitz in their life. She went to bed wishing that everyone could feel the same way she was feeling - at a peak of happiness that can't be outdone but at the same time, can never truly go away. She closed her eyes feeling infinite.

---

Two weeks later…

Eight o'clock in the morning on a Saturday, Olivia stirred from a deep sleep only to feel this incredible wetness between her thighs.

You're probably wondering- "What naughty dreams has Miss. Pope been having"- and that would be a great question to ask. Except for this time, the cause of her wetness wasn't from some naughty dream. (Though, she wished to God it had been a wet dream.) Unfortunately for her, it was that time of the month that every woman secretly dreaded.

With that realization, she jumped out of bed in record time, praying to God she hadn't leaked overnight all over the white linen sheets because it was going to be a bitch of a clean up that she wasn't feeling too keen on doing this early in the morning.

Once in the bathroom, she opened the faucet and let the water run to a warm level before hopping in the shower. When she wakes up like this, she couldn't just clean up, put a tampon on and go back to bed like a normal person. It didn't feel right. She had to take a scorching hot shower and scrub up real good in order to feel clean again. Squeezing some toothpaste onto her brush, she hopped into the shower and brushed her teeth while letting the hot water spray down on her.

Fifteen minutes later, she stepped out of the shower and reached for a clean towel in the cabinet. She got dressed fairly quickly and by the time she left the bathroom, she started to feel like crap. Sleep was no longer a factor of her morning. She was awake now and getting back to sleep would be a dilemma. Instead, she decided to make herself some breakfast.

Nothing in her full fridge really looked that appealing to her this morning, so after five minutes of internal battle she decided on one of the baked chocolate chips muffins that Abby had stocked her fridge with a couple of days ago with a tall glass of organic milk. After that, she settled in the living room on the couch and turned the TV on. There wasn't really anything interesting to watch this early in the morning so she had no choice but to make do with the rerun of old episodes of Golden Girls.

...

Ten o'clock...

She had been so close... so close to falling back asleep when she felt it.

It being that tiny little zap at the pit of her stomach that was increasing by the second. It that literally felt like being stabbed over and over by a thousand pins and needles. Except, she knew that wasn't the case. That pain, it was her uterus getting rid of dead tissue and cleaning itself.

It was called cramps and they were a bitch.

Once they started, moving from her position on the couch was absolutely impossible and she just wanted to curl up in a ball and weep for days. She'd always had horrible menstrual pain. It's the exact reason why her doctor had put her on birth control pills at the tender age of thirteen. Her cramps were so excruciating and they happened almost instantly when she started her period. They were so bad that she could feel the agony all the way through her bones. It wasn't fun.

Burying her face in a pillow, Olivia contemplated finally putting the butcher's knife in her kitchen to great use because surely, nothing could hurt physically worse than this.

She hated everything. She hated the world and everyone in it at the moment. She was on the verge of tears when it became too much and she literally had to bite the inside of her mouth in order to surf the wave of cramp that crashed over her unexpectedly. Then, it stopped temporarily but she knew better than to allow herself to feel even an inkling of relief about it because she knew it was far from over. She had three more days of it to go.

---

Getting off the couch a few hours later wasn't a voluntary choice. She needed to change her tampon before she ruined her perfectly beautiful white couch. She ran to the bathroom as fast as her legs would allow her to, only to then realize that she was running out of tampons.

"Fuck my life!" She groaned.

What have I done to deserve the long-lasting curse that's PMS?

After changing, she walked into her room and collapsed on the pile of linen sheets. She was suffering and much too lazy to make the bed.

Reaching for her phone on the nightstand, she accessed her contact list.

Who to call? - Olivia pondered.

She only had so many real friends in New York City that would come running at her beck and call. Cece was back in London visiting her mom. Abby is a sweetheart. She would be more than happy to come over and bring her tampons and make tea for her then stay over until she felt better. It's one of the main reasons why Olivia loved her so much. Her caring heart was one in a million. But today out of all days, Olivia couldn't call the redhead. She was probably up to her neck at the tattoo parlor. She usually has a lot of tattoos booked over the weekends. Which means, she sure as hell couldn't call Quinn.

Other than Abby and Quinn, she had her mom and it would take at least three hours for her to get here. By then, she was pretty sure she might bleed to death. If not that, then the cramps would kill her. Only one person was left and she really didn't want to call. He's a guy. He shouldn't have to deal with her crap but damn it, she didn't really have much of a choice.

So she swallowed her pride and shot him a text message.

Three letters: S.O.S.

His reply came almost instantly, making Olivia smile.

A: What's up, Fireball?

She responded back just as quickly.

F: I need you.

A: Okay. What's going on?

The concern through his response was bleeding onto Olivia's screen and she couldn't erase the smile on her face. Immediately, she typed her response, not wanting to worry him too much.

F: Time of the month...

He didn't need the gory details.

A: Fuck. I'm sorry.

F: It's fine. Can you come over? Please?

A: I wish I could but I have a plane to catch to Miami. I'm supposed to be seeing potential spaces for the club in the next two days remember?

Of course, she totally forgot! It was the only way she was going to pretend to not miss him while he was gone for the next four days. But this had to happen. She couldn't have worse timing.

F: Can you just come by on your way to the airport for like five minutes? I need some stuff.

It was radio silent after that last text message. She didn't know if he was gonna show up for her this time. She wouldn't be mad if he didn't. He had other priorities but damn it, she needed him.

The last thing Olivia remembers is sending Fitz another text message before she fell asleep face down on the bed, gripping her stomach.

---

It must've been well into the evening when she woke up again because the sun was no longer peeking through the shades. She could make out the small noises coming from down the hall of her bedroom but she still didn't move from her position on the bed.

Maybe it's a thief, she thought dramatically.

That still didn't make her budge either. Whomever it was could rob the whole damn place if they wanted to. She was gonna bleed to death anyhow. She knew she was being a bit melodramatic but she didn't care.

But then he showed up in the door frame of her bedroom looking all kinds of sexy and handsome in grey suede chukka boots, dark slim fitted jeans and a black round-neck t-shirt that made his every muscle pop. His thick, dark, rich hair was slicked back with the exception of one silky curl hanging on his forehead rakishly.

He looked deadly. So sinfully beautiful and all kinds of hot. It should be illegal to look that good. That delicious.

And for a moment, Olivia thought that she dreamed him up. But she hadn't. He showed up for her which meant he was missing Miami and she knew how important finding a space for the club was to him.

Oh, God!

Fitz walked towards her on the bed and she could feel the exact moment he climbed under the covers with her because his added weight deepened the mattress. He hadn't even bothered with taking his shoes off. Olivia knew that she should be yelling at him for that but she just didn't have the energy. Plus she was too glad to see him.

When he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her flat against his chest, this strange feeling left her body and was replaced with a kind of lightness Olivia hadn't felt since this morning. She snuggled closer against his chest and through the large oversize t-shirt she wore, (which might or might not be his,) Fitz started roaming his large palm over her stomach in this soothing motion to her cramps.

"Hi." He finally spoke.

Olivia placed her hand over his on her stomach and the soothing stopped. That hadn't been her intention though.

Interlocking their fingers together, she mumbled back weakly, "Hi." Then, "You came."

Fitz kissed her shoulder and nodded. "You SOS, I come. That's usually how friendships work."

Olivia's heart nearly melted.

"You're supposed to be in Miami. What happened?" She asked.

Fitz spooned closer behind her and their legs tangled together under the covers. Kissing her temple, he sighed. "Too many mosquitoes." He replied.

He pulled out his phone from his pocket and accessed his messaging app. Clicking on his conversation with her, he read the last text message she sent him.

Fine! Go to Miami. I hope the mosquitoes bite. (With a lot of angry emojis.)

Oh, hormones! Fitz couldn't help but laugh.

About two seconds later, Olivia's phone vibrated under her pillow and when she looked at the screen and saw it was a text from him, she turned to look at him confusingly.

"Read it." Fitz whispered.

Clicking on the newly received text, a smile stretched across Olivia's face as she read it.

"I'd rather be here."

"Mhmm..." Fitz nodded against her shoulder. "I'd rather be here." He repeated, kissing her collarbone. "With you. Taking care of you and making sure you don't become twice as mean as you already are."

The words had barely ended on his lips when he felt the sting on his shin.

"Ow! Damn it, Olivia!" He cried.

"You started out so good too." Olivia told him. "How'd you get in?"

"When I called and you didn't answer, I called Abby. She took pity on me and told me where you hide your spare keys." As he rubbed his shin against the sheets to sooth the sting she caused him, Fitz's big hands resumed roaming across her toned stomach. "How are the cramps?" He asked.

Olivia shrugged. "I wanted to cry so much this morning. That's how bad it was."

"I'm sorry, gorgeous." Fitz sympathized, kissing her temple.

A smile crossed Olivia's lips as she snuggled closer in his arms. "S'okay. It's not your fault."

"If I could bleed for you, I'd take your place in a heartbeat." He said.

Despite the pain, Olivia chuckled because funny thing is, she knew he would. She knew he meant it. "Are you hitting on me, Grant?" She teased.

Much like the first night they met, he grinned in response to her question. "Nah-unh." He replied. "I promise you, you'll definitely know when I decide to start hitting on you."

When he decided... Hmm. Olivia decided to capitalize on that and tease him a bit. "And yet you said I wasn't your type." Olivia chuckled. And if she felt the skipping of Fitz's heartbeat against her back, she didn't mention it.

"Must you always be such a smart ass?" Fitz asked, rolling his eyes. "And yes, that was rhetorical, woman. I got you what you needed." He kissed her cheek before he went on to list the items he picked up. "I got you two big ass boxes of tampons. The biggest ones I could find at the pharmacy. I got you some Ibuprofen too. Popcorn - extra butter; the wavy potato chips you like - lightly salted obviously, with French onion dip; those mini chocolate truffle cakes you like; two pints of your favorite ice cream and pizza should be here in a bit."

Olivia couldn't help but melt in his arms. He was doing things to her right now. She was on her period which meant she was extra sensitive and emotional and right now, he was being such an amazing human being to her, it was literally bringing her to tears. He was doing the stuff that a good boyfriend would do and the best thing about it is that he didn't have to because he's not her boyfriend. He could've of easily ignored her needy text messages to come to rescue her. He didn't have to be here but he was because he was a great friend. And she loved him so much for it.

"You're so good to me." She slurred. He could be basking in the Miami sun by tomorrow and the ladies of Miami would undoubtedly be throwing themselves at him because let's face it, he's a goddamn catch. But yet he was here. With her. Being miserable. With her. "Why are you so good to me?" She asked.

A million different responses came to mind but none of them seemed like the appropriate response to give your best friend without revealing some real feelings in the process. Feelings one shouldn't have for a friend.

So yet again, instead of the truth, Fitz settled on something simple and honest. "You're a fireball, Pope. Somebody's gotta look out for you once in a while. I like being that person. I like being your person."

And to that, Olivia smiled again.

Then he continued, "I also got you Chinese herbal tea that's apparently "the cure" for period cramps."

Olivia turned on her back to get a better look at his handsome face. With a frown of genuine curiosity, she asked; "Where did you find Chinese herbal tea?"

"I know a guy who knows a guy." Fitz replied smiling.

He wouldn't tell her that he drove an hour in traffic to get to Chinatown for that herb. The place isn't very public. Hell, it's unknown to most because the woman that grows the herb doesn't really make it for sale. It's more of a personal family thing to her. But luckily for him, the friend that owed him the favor is a close family friend with the woman and he recommended that he paid Mrs. Mei a visit.

"A guy who knows a guy, huh?"

"Unh-hunh." Fitz nodded. "It's good to have people owe you favors in this city."

Olivia smiled. "I guess so."

"I'm gonna go make the tea and hopefully by the time it's done, the pizza will be here." He pushed the covers off him and kissed her cheek again before hopping out of bed.

"Ace..." Olivia called after him, stopping him dead in his tracks when he neared the door.

Fitz turned back and raised his eyebrows at her questioningly. "Whatchu want from my life, woman?" He sassed.

Olivia almost threw a pillow at him but she quickly reminded herself that in her hour of need, he didn't leave her to bleed to death alone. He'd shown up for her and to her that meant everything. He proved to her what she already knew and it's that she could count on him for anything and he'll show up. Whenever wherever for whatever. So instead of being mean, Olivia's face spread into a warm, grateful smile. "Not all heroes wear capes, but you are most certainly mine, Fitzgerald Grant."

He offered no verbal response. Just a wink paired with the goofiest smile Olivia's ever seen. As he left her room, Olivia couldn't help but sigh as a thought popped in her mind. Olivia girl, you're in trouble.

---

The tea worked like a magic potion. Though Olivia couldn't tell exactly what the herbs were, the tea had a pleasant aroma to it and tasted like lemongrass and peppermint. And just minutes after having a steaming cup of it, Olivia could feel the cramps slowly appeasing and she wondered where that tea had been all her life.

Delivered pizza from Azzara's on 6th avenue came shortly after that and together, they lay comfortably under the covers with a greasy box of pizza, a pint of mango ice cream and two plastic spoons.

"You wanna watch Game of Thrones?" Fitz asked.

Recently Fitz discovered an obsession with the show Vikings and he somehow managed to get Olivia just as obsessed with it too. Game of Thrones was kind of the best in comparison to the storyline that the Vikings told when it came to the Lords and Thanes, warriors and their gruesome scenes. (It was a high, don't judge), so while they were waiting for the new season of Vikings to air, they took to watching Game of Thrones and it turns out, it was just as obsessively worthy. They've managed to binge watch two full seasons together last week.

"I'm on my period, Fitzgerald! And you know I have a thing for Jason Momoa. Unless you want me to be an annoying, horny mess, (and I'm not talking about "I just saw a picture of George Clooney naked with a puppy" kind of horniness. You don't even wanna know the kind of horniness I'm talking about...) Game of Thrones is the last show on earth I wanna watch right now."

Fitz was so lost. The thought of her being horny was doing things to him.

"Okay. New Girl it is."

So it was settled.

Two episodes into New Girl, all but one slice of pizza was left in the box and the pint of ice cream was gone. Fitz enjoyed the humor and lightness of the show. And so did Olivia even though she was more of The Mindy Project kind of gal.

"Thanks for coming." She whispered.

Grabbing her hand, Fitz entwined their fingers together and kissed her forehead. "Queen over hoes."

"Oh my God!" Olivia buried her face deeper in his chest and just started dying of laughter. Queen over hoes! God, she loved him! "I'm gonna print that on a shirt. It should be a hashtag. You're officially the greatest person in the world."

"Say that again." Fitz said. "Say that I'm the greatest person in the world."

Olivia looked up at him with a teasing grin. "What? Your ego not big enough, old man?"

He poked her rib and Olivia jumped, catching his hand in hers before he did it again. That didn't go unnoticed by Fitz as he stared back at her with a sly smile. "How ticklish are you?" He asked.

Before Olivia could even open her mouth to answer him, he was climbing over her, pulling her legs to wrap around his waist.

"What are you doing?" Olivia asked.

"How ticklish are you?" He asked again, grabbing both her hands in his and pinning them over her head against her pillow in a strong grip.

Olivia started shaking her head at him. "Don't you dare..."

He started singing the itsy bitsy spider song while his fingers crawled across her stomach, anticipating the moment when he would start his tickling attack on her.

"Do not tickle me, Fitzgerald. I'm on my period!" She protested.

It's like what she said fell completely to deaf ears because next thing Olivia knew, she was kicking and screaming bloody murder beneath him as he launched a tickling attack on her. All her efforts to fight him off was in vain because he was obviously stronger than her and whatever she did to him was just a sad attempt.

"STOP!" She cried. Tears were starting to coat the corners of her eyes and she could barely breathe.

"You called me an old man." That was his defense for torturing the life out of her right now.

"Okay fine, fine!" Olivia screamed. "Sorry. You're not old! And you're the greatest person ever! Please stop."

He was now straddling her waist completely and even as Olivia fought hard to breathe after his attack subsided, she couldn't help but question how often they've come to be in this position together. And each time, it felt right for some reason. And right now he looked so fucking sexy, it took her breath away all over again. My goodness. Suddenly, it's like her blinders came off and she found herself staring at Fitz with totally different eyes. She didn't know what it was about him all of the sudden that made her whole entire being come alive. And as she looked deeper into his eyes, she found herself consumed with this urge to kiss him for all she's worth. Olivia girl, you are in trouble.

"Do you promise?" Fitz asked.

His eyes were glowing with pure adoration. And in that instant, Olivia found that she felt the same way about him too. Sometimes, she'd catch herself watching him do something... as mundane as cooking her a meal after work and she would just stare at him and completely melt. Then she could chalk it up to her just being grateful to have him and she was indeed very grateful. But this time it was something else... a certain "je ne sais quois" that she couldn't begin to figure out. And quite frankly, she didn't want to. Because at that moment, all she wanted... all she yearned was to feel Fitzgerald Grant in a way she hasn't allowed herself to want or feel anybody in her whole entire life.

Before she could overthink it - a certain feeling of boldness and extreme courage swamped her and she was reaching for his face. Framed between her hands, she realized again just how perfectly structured his face was. And his eyes...God, they were... this map straight to his beautiful soul and for the first time ever, Olivia saw him so clearly, that tears threatened to fall from her eyes. He was Fitzgerald Grant - a man whom she wanted beyond the levels of friendship. It's a moment of total clarity and admiration that it caused her heart to stop beating for a second because Olivia Pope at that moment, knows he's the only man in her life that's ever mattered. And just as the realization shook her to her very core, she did the inevitable.

"I promise." She whispered and then she was crashing her lips against his.

Explosive. Pure exhilaration.

Those were the only words Olivia could use to describe what really, truly kissing Fitzgerald Grant for the first time felt like. The gravity of their lips inescapable. The passion of a thousand fires igniting and burning as the whole entire world shifted into its correct place. There was no before or later. There was just now and them. The world around them completely melted away and in that very moment, every secret revealed, every truthful word spoken into that one kiss. It changed everything because it was then that everything started making sense.

All too soon it was ending as Fitz begin to pull away - very reluctantly.

"Livvie... Livvie... Livvie," His voice was barely a whisper as he breathed her name like a prayer, their faces coming barely an inch apart. Laying on top of her, his breathing was heavy, his heart was racing about a thousand beats per seconds. This woman... this incredibly brilliant, beautiful goddess of a woman whom he's been in love with since the very second he's laid eyes on her, had just kissed him and it felt incredible. Surely he was dreaming.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

What the fuck were they doing?!

It felt real so Fitz refused to believe he was dreaming. But what happens later when the moment wore its course? Would they go back to being "just friends"? He couldn't go back. His heart would absolutely shatter to pieces. So he wanted to know.

"What are we doing, baby?" He asked.

Cowardly as this sounded, he couldn't look her in the eyes right then. Because if this was just a fluke; a mistake they were just gonna write off again, he didn't want to see whatever look was gonna be in her eyes. It would wreck him.

His cheeks still rested in the palms of her delicate hands and with the pad of her thumb, she traced his stubborn jawline and placed the softness of her lips against his forehead. "Look. At. Me." She breathed each word into his ear.

Fitz struggled with her plea and when he finally did, their gazes locked. His a stormy gray filled with arousal and need and want for his best friend and hers, a glowing cafe noir that mirrored the same look back at him. Denial had a tight grip locked around his pumping heart because Fitz still couldn't believe it.

A dream, still.

So he asked again. "What are we doing, Livvie?"

Olivia shook her head. This was nothing like the last time they kissed. And unlike last time, they couldn't go on pretending that this wasn't happening. Her mind was too clouded with this sudden burning desire she felt for him to know exactly what the hell they were getting themselves into. And while she didn't have the answer to his very important question, Olivia Pope knew one thing with absolute certainty at this very moment. She knew she wanted this. Whatever it was at the moment, she wanted it. She wanted Fitz, the man - because much like the first night they met, she was seeing him and looking at him again as that hot-blooded, incredibly sexy man in the kitchen making her grilled cheese. He wasn't just Fitz, her best friend. He was Fitz - the man she ogled and drooled over when she wasn't yet brave enough to admit that she wanted him. And just for that simple clarity, she was willing to overlook whatever else he was to her. Selfish as that may be. His lips were like a soft touch of heaven and they felt like redemption for a sinner like her. She couldn't deny herself another taste; not even if she wanted to. And the truth of it is; she really didn't want to.

"I don't know." She replied honestly, her lips a feather touch away from his. "But it feels too damn good to stop now."

It did! God, it did!

Her fingers found their way to his thick mane of curls then she brushed her lips against his; her very soul trembling with joy. She grinded beneath him, rubbing against his throbbing erection. "Do you feel it?" She whispered.

Fitz's breath hitched. Fuck me! How could something so heavenly feel like torture? There were a number of different reasons why that might be. It might have to do with this being the first time he's been so damn aroused in his entire lifetime. It could also very well be because he's fantasized about this very moment so many times that it felt almost unreal.

He couldn't say exactly. But she was driving him freaking insane nonetheless.

"Kiss me again, Fitz." Her tone a soft plea. "Save me."

"Baby..." It was barely a whisper but it conveyed how he felt. At least he hoped it did.

A shiver threatened to paralyze Fitz after those words escaped her lips. She was asking him to save her. From what exactly, he didn't know because she was the most perfect person he knew. She didn't need saving but Fitz welcomed the plea and took on the challenge because he never thought he would see the day where he got to repay the favor in full. This woman came into his life a short while ago and completely changed everything for him. She's been saving him selflessly since day one and today of all days, she was asking him to do the same for her for whatever reason. She was asking and he could never deny her a thing; not for as long as he was a walking, breathing person. And while Fitz was most definitely willing, something begged the question: what could a beautiful human being such as Olivia Carolyn Pope need saving from?

This time when she kissed his jaw again, inching closer to his lips, Fitz threw all caution to the wind and decided he didn't care for the whys and whats. Shaking his head, he pushed a strand of her beautiful hair behind her ears and for a moment, let himself get lost in the beauty that was so uniquely hers. How many times since Spain has he dreamed of this very moment? How many times before then? He always imagined she would look beautiful because of course, she would. But nothing compared to the reality of this moment. Her beneath him with glazed eyes; full to the brim with so much desire and passion for him. And lust. So much lust. He didn't think it was love? At least not yet but he could deal because at least now he knew, he wasn't alone in his feelings for her. Right now as she looked at him beyond the layers of their friendship, she saw him for something else. She saw him for a hot-blooded man who desperately wanted her and if only for now, she wanted him just the same. And by all heavens, she looked like a Goddess. Her lips parted open as if she couldn't breathe. She looked at him as if her whole life depended on the actions he took next: to save her or to cower. And her body, God! Her petite body so fitting beneath his, warm with desire shooting through her every last connective nerve. And more importantly, so responsive to his.

And so, Fitzgerald made a brave choice, well aware of the line they would be crossing together. Instead of taking flight, or using his sense of better judgment to rationalize, to salvage their once-in-a-lifetime friendship; he chose boldness, he chose bravery and he chose to save when his lips captured her sweet ones once more.

Fitz knew one of them would suffer for this simple act of foolishness. One of them would pay the consequences or their friendship would because friends don't kiss each other and enjoy it. He knew all of that. But he was way in too deep now to hold back, better yet come up with a plan on how he was going to fix their friendship when it hits rock bottom for allowing their selfish wanting for each other to cloud their better judgment.

But for now, his judgment be damned. He wanted this slice of heaven. He wanted her.

And oh, how Olivia wanted him too.

---

A/N: Don't kill me? :)