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.

11. Chapter 11

Hello everyone!

*taps makeshift mic*

Testing, testing. Mmmm…ok.

Remember that time I said I was gonna update soon and didn't come back for seven months?! That person is trash. Absolute, procrastinating basura. Forgive me. I'm trying to be a better version of myself and with that said, I want to thank you all for continuing to stick with me; even when I haven't given you much reason to. You all make it so worth it and I truly hope you enjoy this long, eventful chapter. May it clear your skin, make you cry, make you laugh and may it measure up to everything I hope it is. :)

PS: For the sake of timeline, everything in this chapter occurs in the span of a month. Keep in mind that Olivia and Fitz got together mid-October, a couple of days after his birthday!

And without further ado - read on Gladiators!

---

It was Friday night and he was at her place cooking her dinner. They were just gonna have a low key night in together, eat some food and watch movies. Something they've done many times before, but this time was different. They were doing it as a couple and everything he did made Olivia giddy.

She has a boyfriend.

He's her best friend.

And he looked so sexy in her kitchen cooking her food.

God, I love him.

She snapped out of one dreamy moment onto the next. This night brought her back to that first night when she met him. Him in his kitchen chopping vegetables. And she remembered feeling so conflicted for wanting him. But back then she thought it must've been a side effect of her intoxication. But this time around… no such thing. She wanted him because that was her man.

Her man.

She watched him cover up the pot of pasta to bring it to a boil. Then he wiped his hand on a towel before he was circling from behind the kitchen and into her space.

"Hi, mama…" He pulled her in his arms and kissed her forehead before hugging her.

Olivia just about melted in his arms. A few days ago, he started calling her "mama" and she freaking loved it. She didn't bother to ask why. She just knew she preferred it to "babe".

"Hi, baby." She replied, looking up at his handsome face. Fitz couldn't resist leaning down to steal a quick kiss. And then one just wasn't enough so he kept kissing her over and over until she was full on laughing against his mouth while kissing him back.

God, I love her.

"So I was thinking we should date." Fitz said very matter of fact when they pulled apart.

Olivia nodded. "I think we are dating though?" She replied.

"Uhhh…. right," Fitz said with crooked eyebrows. "I meant to say, I think you should let me know take you out on our official first date… woo you so to speak."

Olivia was smiling again. Why did it take her so long to find him? Why hadn't she saved herself all the heartache of previous relationships and simply waited for him? Because damn, he was perfect wasn't he?

"In that case, I think you should ask me then." She sassed. "And I reserve the right to think about it."

"Think about it?" Fitz gasped. "Girlfriend…"

Before he could even finish, Olivia burst into laughter. It was the way his voice changed and how miserable he looked for a second.

"You enjoy torturing me don't you?" Fitz asked.

"Only a little," Olivia admitted. "But I do believe you were going to ask me something?"

"Right. Question. Very important." He rambled. "Oh, God… I didn't practice this."

Olivia again started laughing. "I'm sorry… you're just such a dork and you're so adorable right now."

Fitz rolled his eyes. "Oh dear…" He sighed.

"Okay, okay. I'm ready." Olivia said, barely holding in a smile. "Serious business. Go ahead."

And so he went…

A goofy smile on his face, his hand holding hers, Fitz begin, "Olivia Carolyn…"

Olivia couldn't help it. Here was the man of her dreams, standing in front of her in her kitchen acting all nervous and adorable because he was about to ask her out officially. Damn, she could just burst out into tears. He made her so fucking happy. Why should she try hiding that?

"Fitzgerald Thomas…" She replied.

"Me… you… date. What do you say?"

Hah! And she thought he was a dork before.

Shaking her head, Olivia buried her face in his chest and begin laughing again. How could she even say no? But she decided to tease him a bit anyway.

"Real romantic of you, Casanova." She said, looking back up at him.

"Oh yeah?" Fitz grinned, framing her beautiful face in his palms. "Well, only the best for you, mama." He responded. "Now put me out of my misery and say yes?"

"Yes." Olivia blurted. "Will you please kiss me now?"

"Oh thank God!" Fitz sighed. "I thought you'd never ask."

He pressed his lips gently against hers and whisked her into a world of perfection. She wrapped one arm around his shoulder and the other went in his hair as he deepened the kiss, rolling his tongue inside her mouth in all the right ways. Damn… she could really kiss him forever.

They pulled apart slowly, staring breathlessly into each other's eyes.

"So fucking gorgeous." Fitz whispered, leaning in to peck her lips.

All Olivia could do was smile.

At some point, they managed to unglue themselves from each other in order to finish dinner. Olivia opened a bottle of wine and turned on her google home system to play music. They danced with each other and drank wine while cooking dinner together. They took brief breaks to make out against the counter like horny teenagers. It was amazing. This was the stuff the movies were made of and they were living it as their reality and they couldn't be happier.

A half hour later, Fitz announced through his best impression of a French accent that dinner was ready.

"Your linguine with shrimp scampi is ready for feasting mademoiselle!"

"Smells so good!" Olivia squealed cheerfully when Fitz placed her plate in front of her. "Thank you so much for cooking baby. It looks delicious."

Fitz poured her another glass of wine before taking a seat across from her at the small dining table.

They dined and laughed. Once they were done, they cleaned up together while belting out everything from Stevie Wonder to Whitney Houston. And once they were done drying the last of the dishes, they got ready for their movie.

Olivia went ahead to change into comfortable pajamas while Fitz prepared a large bowl of popcorn. Five minutes later, Fitz joined Olivia in bed with popcorn, chocolate, and more wine. He removed his shoes and then got under the comforter with Olivia. Pressing a kiss to her naked shoulder, he then tucked her at his side as he looked at the TV.

"What are we watchin'?" He asked.

"Good Will Hunting." Olivia replied.

"Oh cool," Fitz said. "I've never seen that movie in full."

And Fitz knew exactly why because by the time the ending credits rolled through, his shirt was soaked from Olivia's tears. He did all he could to comfort her. Eventually, she stopped crying and just lie there on his chest.

"You know… I've always liked this movie but it's never made me cry before tonight." Olivia confessed.

Fitz raised an eyebrow. "What gives?"

"The main character reminds me of you a lot," Olivia answered. "I mean I didn't know you as a teenager, but I imagine you were similar." She continued as she looked up at Fitz. She gave him the cutest smile as she begins running her fingers through his hair. " Genius, quiet but super cool, handsome, and definitely a bit of a smart ass."

Fitz chuckled. "Very astute Miss. Pope." He winked. "Especially the handsome and smart ass part."

Olivia fought hard not to roll her eyes or give him the satisfaction of a smile. But then he kissed her lips and it was a given for her joy to reflect in a smile against his soft lips.

"I can't wait to take you out on our first date." He grinned.

Olivia could only reciprocate his excitement. "Me too, sweetie. I know I'll love whatever you plan."

"Does next Saturday work for you?"

"Hold on," Olivia made a show of checking her schedule on her phone which threw Fitz in a fit of laughter. "Actually… I'm already booked for another date with this really good looking guy."

Fitz could hardly get a hold of himself. He felt like he hit the lottery this time. He found his soulmate at last and she was fucking amazing if her sense of humor alone was anything to go by.

He decided to entertain her teasing for a bit. "Oh yeah?" He asked with a smirk across his lips and a twinkle in his eyes.

Olivia chuckled, "Oh yeah. I mean you might know him. I'm talking fiooone! He's so fucking gorgeous." She continued to rattle on. "On a scale of one to ten, I think he's a solid dime plus ninety-nine..."

At that, Fitz lost it. "You did not just quote Mario to me!"

"That's how fine that ass is, my man." Olivia nodded, barely keeping it together. "So you see, I'm not sure-"

Before she could finish teasing him, Fitz had her pinned beneath him and they found themselves in a familiar situation. Him on top of her, unraveling a vicious tickling war on her as she squirmed and begged underneath him to stop. And just when she was breathless and aching from his assault, he took pity on her in the most gentle way as his lips fell against hers and together, they moved so sweetly; so sensually; so passionately; so perfectly and they redefined breathlessness in a way that left Olivia yearning for more.

"Is your schedule free now?" Fitz whispered softly as he ghosted sweet pecks on her upper lip.

"God, yes." Olivia managed just before wrapping her legs around his hips and her arms around his back, pressing him tighter and closer and he fit exactly right as they resumed their makeout session.

---

The weekend came and went all too quickly. But as Olivia's week progressed with teaching and bone-tired exhaustion, she still kept her very important first date with Fitz in the back of her mind.

Her calendar was a constant reminder of it and by Friday afternoon that week, she was over the moon. Later in the evening, she and Fitz joined their friends to celebrate Celery and Harrison's new apartment in Manhattan together, with a low key housewarming party. They had a blast together as usual. They enjoyed a variety of delicious wine and foods; constant belly aching laughter, endless teasing, and legendary karaoke. It was awesome.

And when the time came for a toast, it was kept very brief by Cece. The brunette was radiant and she stood proudly in Harrison's arms as she spoke. "To this amazing, perfect, kickass group of friends. So glad you all could come and be here with us. It's an honor. And to my lovely partner… Harry baby, I hope you know that it's too late to back out since we already signed the lease." That got a laugh out of everyone and Harrison shook his head, looking lovingly at the woman he's planning to make his wife soon. "Thanks for making our place together everything I've dreamed it to be. I promise not to drive you too crazy." Cece pecked Harrison's lips quickly and a few "aww's" and whistles followed as the couple parted. "And last but not least, to Olivia and Fitz! I think I speak for everyone in this room when I say it's about bloody time you two got together!"

"It only took them about eighty-four years, but hey, don't sweat them too much about it." Abby chimed cooly.

The living room exploded with laughter at the couple's expense. Olivia buried her face in Fitz's neck and he gently stroked her back.

They partied hard the rest of the evening until gradually, everyone began to make their exit at the wee early hours of the next day.

---

Saturday morning, Olivia woke up to Fitz's kisses along the slope of her back. She felt goosebumps on her skin and butterflies in her stomach. Today was the day.

"Good morning, Fireball." Fitz greeted.

Rolling on her back, Olivia framed his perfect face in her palm and lifted her head to meet his lips. She moaned when he pulled her closer and crossed her leg over his thigh, grabbing a handful of her butt.

"It is a good morning. I love waking up to you." Olivia smiled. "You're so handsome." She said running her fingers through his messy head of curls. She absolutely adored his natural, morning look. And those gorgeous blue eyes. Sigh. He was very dreamy.

And waking up to him in the mornings was heaven. She couldn't imagine starting her day any other way now.

...

After an hour of intensely steamy makeout and warm cuddles, they decided to get a head start on their day.

First up, was the gym for some training. They got ready together and drove to the gym in Fitz's truck. Once there, they did some stretching and warming up before they hit the treadmill for some cardio. Olivia wanted to train her upper body and Fitz got her started on some muscle burning exercises that left them both absolutely drenched in sweat. Next, they hit the ring for a fifteen-minute session of sparring. This has become Olivia's favorite part of training.

Fitz never went easy on her and she loved that. Something about learning to defend herself better made her feel stronger, more independent and powerful. Fitz had lots to teach and Olivia soaked up everything he could offer. They were such both passionate people and it reflected in their style of fighting. But now, another thing was also in play. No longer suppressed, their chemistry was at its peak, exploding around them with every look, every smirk, every batted breath and every pin to the mat.

Olivia was in a haze. One minute her back was pressed up against his chest and her feet were planted solidly on the mat, the next, she was swept off her feet as the mat beneath her thud with the contact of their sweaty bodies pressed together. She struggled to catch her breath as numbness chilled all her muscles. All Olivia could feel was the man on top of her breathing heavily and looking at her lips. His hands at either side of her head kept his full body weight off her and she could feel the vibrations of his body as he maintained the pressure of his weight off her. He was dangerously close and Olivia found it even harder to breathe. Just when she thought he was going to kiss her, his blue eyes met hers and he smiled.

"Better luck next time?" Fitz said.

He didn't see it coming but before he could even take his next breath of victory, the tiny woman beneath him had managed to overthrow his body completely off of hers and now, Fitz lie pinned beneath her and looking up into her brown eyes.

"You were saying?"

Fitz was beyond impressed and in awe. Pulling her fully on top of him, he wrapped one arm around her waist while the other hand went behind her neck. "Well played, Ms. Pope." He conceded.

"Why, thank you, Mr. Grant." Olivia was nothing if not humble. She gave Fitz a sweet smile before leaning down to capture his lips.

Ah. Finally.

---

Eventually, they parted ways at the gym's exit. They had a very special date to prepare for. Their first date! And Olivia had a couple of errands she wanted to get to before her outing with her handsome man. Fitz was gonna stay behind and get some work done in the office while his new staff held the fort on the customer service side of things.

"I'm so sad," Fitz whined. "Please don't make me go back in there and do work, Livvie." Pouting, he dropped his head on Olivia's shoulder and nuzzled his nose against her cheek. "Don't leave me." He fake-sobbed

Olivia chuckled while peppering his face with kisses. "Is this what I'll have to look forward to when we have babies?"

"Babies huh?" Fitz raised his eyebrows; smirking. "I like the sound of that. A lot."

"Mmmm, I know." Olivia pecked his lips. "Let's talk about it some more during our date." She said.

"Damn you're good." Fitz squinted.

An alert on Olivia's phone notified her that her Uber driver was arriving in two minutes and to be at the pick up location.

"Okay baby. I gotta go. Uber's almost outside." She pulled out of Fitz's embrace but still kept their hands entwined. "What time are you picking me up?" She asked.

"How's one-thirty sound?" Fitz inquired.

"Perfect." Olivia replied.

Just then, Olivia got another alert that her driver was outside and she could see the blinking headlight of a silver 4runner and its anxious owner looking on and about.

"Uber's here," Olivia said.

Fitz stepped into her space and framed her face in both of his hands before placing a lingering kiss on her lips. "One-thirty, woman. Be ready." He murmured.

"I can't wait." Olivia smiled.

"Wear something sexy for me, will ya?"

"You got it baby." Olivia replied. "I really gotta go now."

Fitz nodded. "Okay. Send me a text when you're home."

"Yes, Capo."

With one last peck to her lips and a smack to her butt, Fitz released Olivia. He watched her get in the Uber and waved as the car drove away.

He had just made it to his office when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He took a glance at the screen and his face split into a bright smile as he read the text:

Fireball

Hi. I miss you already.

They texted back and forth until she told him she made it home from the Uber safely. She left him to get back to his "work" by telling him she was going to hop into the shower. That of course conjured images that made it very difficult to focus on anything work related. After spending minutes talking himself off the edge and decreasing the tent that was building in his shorts, he decided to focus on something very important that would save him some time. He pulled up google to find the nearest florist in town for a special request.

---

After her shower, Olivia paraded in just a towel to her kitchen for something edible while dialing Abby on FaceTime. She wanted to go get pampered and wanted to see if Abby was interested in tagging along.

The first thing she saw when she opened her fridge were grapes. She reached for a handful and the carton of orange juice. As she begin to pour herself a glass of OJ, Abby finally picked up.

"Sup shorty?" She sounded and looked rather chipper. "What it does? What it is, what it isn't?" She rambled.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "You make no fucking sense. Ever." She said.

"Get off my phone then asshole." Abby retorted.

"Calm your clementines." Olivia chuckled.

"You know what Olivia, you can fight me, pineapple head-ass!" Abby challenged. "You know how I feel about my paper plane chest. How dare you?"

"I know." Olivia snorted. "I'm sorry. Forgive me."

"Yeah, yeah." Abby rolled her eyes. "Are you done?"

"Yes." Olivia promised. "I love you." She smiled. "Let's go to the nail salon with me. I got a hot date tonight."

At that Abby perked right back up again. "That's what I'm talking about! Whewww!" The redhead screamed. "I knew homeboy was a gentleman. I'm glad you guys are gonna do the whole courting and woowing shit. You're the type and you deserve that shit, my Queen. Yaaaaas."

Olivia smiled. "He was so cute about asking me. And I can hardly wait to see what he's got planned for us."

"Ayeee!" Abby squealed. "I'm down for nails. What time is he picking you up and where is he taking you?"

"He said one-thirty and no idea. Esta a surprise." Olivia answered. "It's almost eleven. I need to do my nails, wax the tarantulas that I have for eyebrows, and I gotta do some sprucing up my vagina, too. Fuck! That's at least an hour and a half right there. And I actually have to go to the bank and figure some stuff out. I need to be back here by one."

"Why the hell are we still on the phone then?" Abby asked. "Waze me the address for the salon and I'll Uber to meet you there."

"Okay! You're the best. Love you!"

"Bye bitch. Love you too."

---

After going through agony to find a parking space for the Mustang, Olivia met Abby at the salon who had already gotten them a reservation. She greeted the redhead with a kiss and started giving her shit about the black turtleneck she was wearing. The collar was riding too low and doing a shitty job of hiding the assault of hickeys done to her neck, no doubt by Stephen.

"Did your neck get into a fight with someone's lips last night gingersnap?" She teased.

Abby rolled her eyes. "Did I miss the fucking memo on "give your best friend shit" day?" She replied.

Before Olivia could respond, they were each called to be seated. They each got their regular nail stylist. Both very lovely and friendly Asian ladies.

"What we doing today ladies?" Olivia's stylist Leelee asked.

"I actually want a French manicure. Same cut style though and some cool designs." Olivia replied.

"Ohhh, you got a man didn't you?!" Leelee asked, turning Olivia's palm over and gently tapping her. "Who is he? He white man?"

Olivia's jaw dropped and Abby burst into laughter.

"You got all that from my saying I want a French manicure?"

"Ah... you don't know. I with the shit." Leelee said.

Abby's laughter was absolutely uncontrollable after hearing that. "You tell her, Leelee!" She hollered.

---

Olivia got back home from her pampering session with Abby a few minutes before one. Fitz would be here in a half hour if not earlier. She knew she didn't have time to do much and was grateful that she was already showered at least.

She headed straight for her vanity and got started on her makeup. She knew she wanted something light and natural. She wanted something that was easy on the eye yet a knockout as well. Keeping her hair style in mind, she got into the groove of perfecting her look while jamming to her spotify playlist. She was done with her makeup in fifteen minutes and was pretty happy with how it turned out.

She decided to keep her hair in its natural curly state. Since she just washed them after the gym, she simply applied some moisturizer, and opted for a half-up, half-down hairdo. Simple. Classic. Gorgeous.

With barely twenty minutes on the clock, she put together her outfit and coordinated her accessories. Then she stepped out of her yoga pants and put on the lingerie set she had in mind. As she stood in front of her mirror, she recalled that Fitz had so politely asked her to wear something sexy for him and she quickly snapped a picture of herself. It showed her in a stunning and sexy all black number from Agent Provocateur. She was well moisturized; her belly button ring was back on as well as her waist chain. Simply put, she looked great and she knew it.

However, Olivia was hesitant about sending it. This would be the first ever nude/semi-nude picture she sends to a man. Her grandmother had always drilled into her the value of her body and what was ladylike. So she's never really sent a naked picture of herself to any man. She would sooner describe herself and engage in some heavy sexting rather than ever sending anything that put her out there like that in such a vulnerable way.

And here she was; her fifth and final relationship she hoped. About to dedicate her first naughty picture to her best friend/lover and she felt really fucking excited. She wanted the thoughts that came to his mind at seeing her like this to be as raunchy as possible. And truth be told, this gave her an upper hand for once with this date. Fitz has been very hush-hush about the planning. She was excited about the prospect of having something to make him nervous and blush about when he sees her. Cause God knows her stomach was already filled with butterflies that were apparently blackbelt champions at taekwondo.

Without much hesitation, she captioned the picture with the gift box emoji and hit send.

Before she could even set her phone down, she received all five of Fitz responses. They came one after the other. First one was a GIF of Blanche Deveraux looking flustered and spraying herself with water from an episode of the Golden Girls. Second, were a series of heart eyes, the surprise and mind-blown emoji and some red hearts. Then in all caps: HAVE MERCY! And then it was two more GIFs. One with some man dramatically passing out and the other of Ilana from Broad City, hysterically crying, "Yaaaas Queen".

Olivia was cracking up. If this is how he's going to react every single time about her nudes, she couldn't wait to send him more. She was curious about how much longer she had before he was at her door. So far, she still only had underwear on.

F: ETA?

The bubbles indicating he was responding back popped up. Then briefly disappeared. A minute later, she got his response.

A: I ubered. I'll be there in fifteen.

F: No General today?

A: The General is taking a break. For what I've got planned for us, the train is actually better. I want you to get the full experience.

F: Ok. See you soon, Capo.

After sending the last text, Olivia tossed her phone on the bed and slipped into her clothes and shoes. She had just enough time to brush her teeth again, spray on some perfume and reapply some lip-gloss. Soon enough, Fitz was ringing her doorbell and the skilled martial arts butterflies were in full effect.

Opening the door to him felt like literally walking into an air conditioned room with unlimited water supply after being in the desert all day. And by God, he was gorgeous. And such a gentleman because along with his handsome face, he brought her flowers. Freshly cut red roses and lilies. The sweet smell was intoxicating to her senses and she gratefully accepted them and took a deep whiff when he presented them to her.

"I love these. Thank you." She was getting emotional. Tears were welling up. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this good about going on a date. She couldn't remember the last time she received flowers and they were not because somebody fucked up and didn't know how else to apologize.

Before she thought much deeper into it, she decided against it. Placing a hand on Fitz's cheek, she gently pressed her lips against his in a sweet "thank you" kiss.

"I'm glad you like them." Fitz smiled.

"Let me put them in some water and get my jacket, then we can get out of here."

Fitz waited patiently as she did just that. When she returned, rocking the final piece to her outfit, he nearly fainted. She looked amazing and was now completely matching him.

She was definitely dressed to impress and he was beyond. He always thought she had an amazing sense of fashion and she continued to prove him right. From her hair style, to her makeup, to the mid-thigh, mock neck sweater dress and her thigh-high leather Chanel boots - she was perfect. The leather Burberry jacket and boots were what tipped the scale and put her right in between perfect princess and badass biker chick.

"You look so fucking amazing!" He gushed. "Such a fashionista. I can't even..." Fitz palmed his face and grabbed one of her hands. He made Olivia do a whole show of spinning around and catching her in his arms to plant a sweet peck on her lips.

He felt so proud to have her walking alongside him as a partner. And together, he knew they made one hell of a pair.

"You're so sweet." Olivia smiled. "You look great too Ace. So handsome and sexy."

Fitz didn't think he was anything to fawn over. He was decent for her obviously. He wore dark jeans with the bottoms rolled up, Blundstone leather boots, a white t-shirt, a black vest and a grey trench coat.

"Don't talk to me about sexy, Miss I'm-wearing-a-belly-chain-under-this-dress." Fitz said. "I'm pretty sure all the blood in my body drained and went south when I opened your text. Were you trying to give me a heart attack with that picture?!"

And just like that, the upper hand Olivia thought she had slipped. Instead, she was the one whose cheek was on fire and face threatening to split in half from smiling too much. Clearly, the picture did its job. Evidently a little too well. And now, she's coming to realize that apparently her boyfriend Fitz, was not the blushing type she thought him to be. And that was a good thing. But she was so confused as well. He was not the same Fitz from months ago who turned all red and awkward at the thought of her being a lesbian. Her current and newly boyfriend Fitz was on a whole different level… he didn't give a shit. He had that whole BDE (Big Dick Energy) thing going for him. He said what he felt, and did what he wanted so honestly and openly and with such confidence. Lord have mercy. Olivia was blown away. She found that version of him to be so refreshing and sexy and with all that newfound knowledge, Olivia simply wanted to climb him and sit on his face . She was going to have to find a different approach on keeping up with him.

"No comment." She replied. "I'm ready if you are sir."

Shaking his head, Fitz gave her a knowing smirk. "Andiamo."

And off they went. Onto their first date ever. It already started on a great note and Olivia could hardly wait for what came next. They boarded the subway on the D-line together; something neither one of them had done in a while. They stood for the whole ride and Fitz held onto Olivia securely in his embrace the entire way. Once they arrived at their station, it was a short walk to their final destination and as soon as she saw the big ferris, Olivia knew exactly where they were.

Coney Island.

She didn't even know they opened beyond the summer.

She could feel herself getting emotional again. This was perfect. She had shared with him once that she's never had a simple date in her life. That all the men she's dated were more interested in impressing her with their wealth, so their idea of wooing her have been over the top. She told this to Fitz so long ago and she couldn't believe that he remembered and he seemed to grasp how much she craved simplicity, real romance and authenticity in her personal-romantic life. And he brought her to the perfect place to experience just that.

"This is already so amazing." Olivia smiled. "You did good baby."

"Eh, let's go on the rides first and if you don't throw up all over me and yourself, you can tell me again. " Fitz teased.

Olivia chuckled. "You've got a deal."

Fitz purchased their admissions ticket and the fun begin. They took turns playing a variety of games. Fitz won her one of those gigantic bears that every girl secretly wants and Olivia ended up giving it to a little girl who was crying because she ran out of coins and really wanted that big bear too. Fitz fell a little harder after witnessing that. She was just so freaking kind and she went out of her way, every single time for complete strangers with no expectations and no matter how many times he's seen her do something like that, he never ceased to be amazed by her. She was such an inspiration and he was lucky to have her.

When they had their fill of the arcade games, they walked around a bit; sampling some snacks from different vendors. A hot dog from Nathan's Famous; burgers and chicken wings from Paul's Daughter; and definitely candy apple and a mixed bag of other candies and chocolate from William's Candy Shop. Olivia was having the time of her life. The perpetual twelve year old in her was ecstatic and she was so excited to be sharing a day like that with her best friend and partner in life.

Moment of truth came with those rides. Most iconic of all was the Cyclone Roller Coaster and naturally they absolutely had to go on that one. They boarded and secured themselves beside each other. As they waited for more courageous people to join the ride, Olivia wanted to take the opportunity to take some pictures. She wanted a souvenir of this day. After a few silly pictures and a last second warning, the ride took off and they held onto each other for dear life. The faster and steeper it went, the louder they screamed. Fitz both loved and hated it. And with every other activity and adventure they tried after that ride, one singular emotion remained consistent and it was how absolutely in love Fitz was with the woman beside him. There was no other person on earth he'd rather be doing life with. Olivia Pope was the real deal for him.

Early evening approached quickly and they decided to head back to grab some real dinner and settle down. Their next destination was a hole in a wall type of restaurant. One you would bypass without a second glance but it served the most delicious Korean Barbecue Olivia has ever tasted. And over a generous glass of wine for herself and Scotch for Fitz, they had the conversation.

And Fitz the man was amazing. Olivia was not surprised at all because of course he is, but she was still blown away by the idea that she almost didn't get to experience this - all of him as the man he was always meant to be to her. And with emotions overwhelming her, she couldn't resist leaning over their little table candle and kiss him softly.

They talked about their individual long term goals. Fitz listened on, content to just hear about her aspirations. Her wants and desires.

"Ideally, I want to retire from teaching at forty-five." Olivia told him. "That should be enough time for me to make a real impact in the education system. And then after that, I really want to focus on growing my company/foundation and traveling and drinking all the wine and eating all the foods I can get my hands on."

He agreed on every point. He wanted whatever she wanted. He supposed for himself, fifty would be a nice time to scale things back and enjoy the luxury of all his labor. It sounds really nice. And he could hardly wait to begin and progress to that journey.

Next, they talked about kids; like Olivia promised they would. Fitz was over the moon. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine this day would come. Meeting his soulmate. Being so sure and ready to risk it all so that he can have it all with that one person. And here she was. More perfect than he could've ever dreamed. Truly.

When Fitz met Olivia, he could honestly say that he wasn't looking for her. Past relationships and his own upbringing toughened him up and hardened the softest parts of his soul but he's always been "glass half full" type of guy who wore his heart on his sleeves. So after the clusterfuck of a relationship that was the majority of his twenties, he had his fair share of meaningless sex and lust-filled, yet superficial relationships with women he still to this day respects. But he never closed his heart. After getting his head on right and seeking therapy, he has reasoned and put the words out into the universe. "Dear things that make me stronger… you fucking win. And Dear No One, if you're out there; I'm done looking cause when the time is right, you'll be here and I'll have done all the work I need to do on myself, so that I'll be fully prepared to accept and love the person that you are."

Eight months after he uttered those words, here they were. Discussing a future he didn't know could be a reality.

She crossed her legs under the table and clasped her hands under her chin. "I won't put my body and vagina through the agony of six kids, babe." Olivia shook her head good-humoredly. "Let's meet halfway here, please?"

"I'm on board with however many you want to give me, Mama." Fitz replied.

"Three…" Olivia squinted. "Maybe four. Twins run in my family."

"Sold." Fitz brought Olivia's hand to his lips and kissed her palm. "Nothing would make me happier."

"I'm open to the idea of adoption." Olivia added.

Fitz froze and his jaw went slack. "I thought you didn't want more than three or four?" He questioned.

"I said I won't physically subject myself to birthing six children but there's no reason why we can't have our dream." Olivia answered. "Six kids, house in Vermont or Nova Scotia, our German Shepherd named Ghost, a boat, at least three vacations a year but Italy and Greece is just our trip." She repeated all the things she's heard him speak to her about hundreds of times. And she's been listening. It just took her a little bit to figure out she's the one he's been waiting on. "I heard you baby. Every single time you described it to me and I would get absolutely breathless. I'm sorry it took so long for me to catch up, honey, but I promise you, I want every single one of those things too."

Fitz had no words. Tears pooled behind his eyes and he found himself unable to contain the floodgates. 'Fuck! If this is a dream, please wake me before it's too late.' He thought. Cause this was truly beyond his wildest, wildest dreams. Wooof!

Before the tears could roll down his cheeks, her soft, shaky hands came up and gently brushed them away. "Don't cry." Olivia said, voice shaken. "Cause if you start, I won't be able to stop." She left her side of the booth and came to sit on Fitz's lap. He hugged her waist tightly before leaning in to capture her lips. He kissed her slowly, softly and with wide open eyes because he didn't want to miss a thing.

They pulled apart just seconds before their server came to offer a dessert menu.

"Would you like anything?" Fitz asked, stroking her cheek with a lone finger.

Olivia shook her head. "I have everything I need right here." She whispered.

Smiling, Fitz turned to the server and answered, "We're all set. Could we get the check when you get a chance, please?"

"Certainly sir." With a curt nod, the waitress disappeared.

After taking care of the bill, Fitz led Olivia towards the exit with his hand pressed firmly and lovingly in the small of her back. He kissed her forehead as they headed towards the direction of the subway.

"Are you tired?" He asked.

Olivia shook her head. "I feel like I can stay awake forever." She replied.

"Okay." Fitz smiled. "I want to take you to one more place. Promise you'll love it." He said.

Instead of continuing towards the closest subway, he hailed the next available taxi and informed the driver of his destination. He didn't feel like getting on a crowded train right now. Olivia said a lot at that restaurant that he was still processing and he wanted that quiet with her. That stillness to ground himself.

Twenty-ish minutes later, they arrived at their destination in Battery Park and Fitz rewarded the driver for his services. Once the pedestrian light was theirs, Fitz crossed the street with Olivia at his side.

"Seaglass!" Olivia squealed. "I haven't been here in so long! Oh my Goodness!"

Seaglass is a fish-themed carousel and it was magical at night. Fitz paid thirty bucks in advance to ensure a few minutes of quality time without interruption. He sat in a Walrus and watched as Olivia climbed inside of a dolphin. Once they begin spinning and floating up and down, he simply watched as she giggled and laughed and that's when he made up his mind. He didn't care. He was going to tell her.

"Hey, Livvie…" He called out to get her attention.

Olivia tried to catch his eyes but the carousel started going faster. She watched him stand up and started bouncing from one sea animal to the next until he got to her dolphin seat.

"Yay! You found me!" She giggled.

Fitz chuckled. "Yeah, I did."

She was still smiling. And she looked so fucking beautiful. It made Fitz want to start crying all over again.

"What's up baby?" She asked, starting to get a concerned look about her.

And Fitz didn't want to give her any cause to worry. Not right now. Not ever. So he smiled and leaned forward to gently kiss lips. When they separated, he nodded, as if he knew something she didn't know. And indeed he did.

"I'm gonna marry you one day, Olivia Carolyn Pope."

Her face broke into that breathtaking smile of hers and Fitz found himself unable to do anything else except watch and try to capture this moment to memory.

"I know." She replied. "I can't wait, baby!"

Fitz placed a kiss on her forehead then Olivia lie her head against his chest and for a few silent minutes, just listening to the happy thumping sound of his heart. There was nowhere else she could dream of being in that moment.

---

Much later, Fitz tipped their driver in front of Olivia's condo. As they walked towards the lobby with fingers entwined, Olivia exhaled a deep breath. This was what it's supposed to feel like getting it right? She hasn't felt this light and secure and happy with a partner at her side in... ever. This was new. This was breathtaking.

They rode the elevator to her floor quietly; neither feeling the need to fill the silence because even when they said nothing, they felt everything simultaneously. One would call it their own love language. To be understood without having to speak, it was quite fascinating. To love and trust and want everything with one person... without a shadow of doubt. Wow.

And at last they were at her door. Olivia could still feel the butterflies in her stomach doing backflips and she willed herself to remain calm as she turned to face Fitz. She really didn't want this night to end.

"I had an amazing time with you tonight." He grinned. "One of the best nights of my life."

"Same here too, baby." Olivia smiled.

"Oh yeah?" Fitz cocked an eyebrow. "You sure? I mean I know it wasn't sushi in San Francisco, but-"

Before he could finish teasing her about her over-the-top first date, Olivia smacked his chest, pouting. "Shut up, stupid." She stepped forward and looped her arms around his neck. "Hands down - best date of my entire life. Thank you for today Fitz."

At that, Fitz eyes softened. He wrapped his arms around her petite waist and leaned his forehead against hers, breathing in sync.

"May I kiss you goodnight?" He whispered, ghosting his lips over hers faintly and rubbing his nose against her cheek.

Olivia closed her eyes momentarily and licked her lips. "I'm certain that I would murder you if you leave here without kissing me." She replied.

"Jesus Christ, woman!" Fitz dropped his head on her shoulder as laughter escaped him. Once he was able to get it together, he looked at her again, a wide grin on his face. "I guess I better kiss you then." He said.

Olivia nodded. "It would be so wise."

"Okay baby."

And when their lips, the feelings could not be fully explained. But it was an overwhelming transformation for both. Like two souls finally meeting after a long search for home. It was like trying to capture a sense of the next fifty years together; running through the decades with every synchronized breath and falling deeper into bliss with every moan. Like an aphrodisiac mixed with the effects of explosive fireworks and by God, they could not get enough.

"Damn." Olivia uttered breathlessly.

Fitz's hand at her waist squeezed a little tight and he hit her with that charming and gorgeous smile of his. Olivia knew she was done for. And as if everything's he's done throughout the night wasn't nearly enough; he brushed her curly hair from her neck then leaned down and gently pressed his lips at her racing pulse.

"Goodnight Fireball." He whispered.

---

It was shaping out to a sleepless night for Olivia. She was still buzzing with energy; butterflies were still flipping in her stomach and she wanted to break into song; scream of excitement and dance until her feet gave way. But it was too late for all that. But she also could not keep all of this happiness contained. She felt as though she was going to burst at any moment.

Instead, she focused on getting into pajamas and removing her makeup. Even after she was done, she still could not settle down enough to succumb to exhaustion. So she called the only living soul in the world she wanted to talk to after the night she just had.

It was a longshot but she was surprised when her mom's night light switched on and her face embellished the screen of her phone.

"Livia honey," Maya answered, smiling. "This is a nice surprise baby."

Olivia smiled back. Even with her reading glasses on and her silk bonnet over her head, Maya Pope was a work of art. And Olivia couldn't contain the tears that came and quickly glide down her cheeks. It was a combination everything that happened with Fitz tonight, everything they discussed and being able to see her future so clearly for the first time in her whole life. And then seeing a glimmer of that future reflected in her mother's features because yes, she was after all Maya Pope's child through and through. She couldn't wait for her thirties, and forties and HELL YES, fifties because she knew what to expect. All of it was just so overwhelming and she just couldn't stop crying.

"Olivia, you're crying sweetheart." Maya said, concern evident in her voice. "Is everything okay? Did something happen tonight?"

"Yeah mom. I'm okay." She sniffled and wiped her tears. "I know it's late so I won't keep you too long. But something amazing happened to me today and I couldn't wait to tell you about it."

Getting confirmation that nothing was wrong with her only baby, Maya welcomed the relief that washed over her. Then she felt pure joy and warmth in her heart, because her kid was in tears about something amazing that happened and couldn't even wait until morning to tell her. It was everything she ever wanted to accomplish as a mother. And Olivia continually validated that she indeed did her best as a mom. It was evident in the relationship they have.

"Oh yeah?" Maya smiled. "Well now I'm excited too. What is it?!"

"I went on a date with the love of my life today." Olivia replied. "And mom, I've never been more sure about anyone being this perfect for me."

It was Maya's turn to get teary eyes. She removed her glasses and squeezed her eyes shut as her lips trembled.

"Fitz?" She asked.

Olivia nodded, not at all surprised that her mom knew exactly who she was talking about. Apparently, the whole freaking world knew before she got a clue.

"Fitz." She repeated - her smile a mile wide.

They chatted a bit longer. Olivia went into details about the date and her mom cried, laughed and cried some more. And by the end of their phone call, Olivia was agreeing to visiting before thanksgiving. Her mother's annual Gala for her foundation was fast approaching and each year, she usually helps her mom with finalizing some details before the event. This would be a great way to catch up more and prepare for the holidays coming ahead.

"I miss Nana." Olivia crinkled her nose. "Especially today. And it hurts mom. That feeling is never going away, is it?"

Maya shook her head. She knew exactly what her daughter was talking about. Time certainly helps lessen the pain, but the sadness will always linger. There are morning when Maya awakes from a weird dream and she goes to pick up her phone to call her mom to ask her about it, but instead she's hit with the chilling reminder that Giselle Lewis is no longer and after that, it takes everything she has to pull it together again and get out of bed. So she understood. And she curses and weeps for the day when Olivia will have to go through the same experience... again.

"I know you miss her Vie. And so do I." Maya said. "But you know that she's always with us right?"

Olivia swallowed the lump forming in her throat; not wanting to start crying again. "I love you, Ma."

"Till the sun don't shine baby." Maya winked. "I love you too."

---

Exhaustion was beginning to set in after Olivia hung up with her mom. It was exactly what she needed. And of course, Abby was the next person she wanted to tell about her night but that would have to wait until the morning when she had more energy again. Emotional conversations like the one she just had with her mom usually drains everything out of her.

But of course she couldn't fall asleep yet. It's been about forty minutes since Fitz left and she still hasn't received confirmation that he made it home safely. She decided to shoot him a text.

F: Home yet baby?

Fitz received the text and cursed under his breath. He completely forgot to text. Instead of replying back, he decided to pop in his airpods and give Olivia a call.

She answered immediately. And as usual, fucking with him.

"New phone, who dis?"

He snorted. "You got a man, little lady?"

"Yeah. And what about it?" Olivia sassed.

"Does he know you're talking to strangers on your new phone?" Fitz continued to play along.

"Nope." Olivia replied. "And if you play your cards right, I might replace him with you since he doesn't text like he promises to."

Oh, oh. Shots fired.

"Aw, I'm sorry baby." Fitz pouted. "I'm not even home yet. I was going to Uber but I had so much energy and stuff to think about that I decided to just walk home and get some air."

It warmed Olivia's heart to know that the end of their date had left him in a similar place emotionally. But she still didn't like the thought of him out there in the cold.

"That's a long walk sweetie. And it's cold out."

"Yeah but it's not that bad." Fitz said. "I'm almost there."

"Okay." Olivia sighed. "Call me back when you're there and settled for bed."

"Sounds good mama."

It was a solid twenty minutes again before Fitz could call again. After a quick shower and settling in bed, he opted to facetime Olivia. When she picked up, his breath caught in his throat and he couldn't help to sigh. She was just so beautiful. Especially right now; in the dark with no makeup on.

"I'm glad you're home." Olivia said softly.

"Thank you baby." He replied. "You look so beautiful right now. Makes me wanna kiss you and hold you and never let go."

That caused Olivia to blush and hide her face in her pillow. "Plenty of space over here." She teased, licking her lips.

"Oh, that's just cruel." Fitz said in a deep baritone.

"Just sayin'." Olivia chuckled.

"Such a tease." Fitz shook his head. "Gimme kiss..."

Olivia never thought of herself as the kind of girl who did mushy shit like that. And she used to cringe at seeing other couples be that way. But now that she was one of those couples, she could admit to there being something so appealing and freeing to it. Being with Fitz was also different in so many ways. He didn't try being macho all the time. He was a hundred percent himself, always. And he was very openly sensitive and emotional. Olivia found that to be absolutely sexy and made her crave affection and intimacy with him in a way she never did before in past relationships. And even though there was still this newness to their new status, he's made it seem as though they've been doing it for a lifetime. She was comfortable in being vulnerable, mushy, girly... whatever it was around him because he made her feel so secure.

She puckered her lips prettily and blew him several kisses.

"So fucking cute and all mine. I can't believe it." Fitz gushed.

They talked for a few more minutes before their bodies begin to give in to exhaustion and they both could no longer keep their eyes open.

"I'm gonna be dreaming about you tonight, pretty girl." Fitz yawned. "I'll call you in the morning, okay?"

Olivia nodded, eyes closed. "Okay. Goodnight Ace."

"Goodnight Fireball."

---

Their second date took place the following week on Wednesday evening. When Fitz called her after work and asked her to pack an overnight bag, Olivia didn't question it. She was more than excited for a sleepover. She welcomed any chance to lay up in that man's arms and be in his company. So once she got home, Olivia did just what he asked. She showered and packed a bag with an extra toothbrush, her pajamas, makeup and work clothes for the next day. On the way over, she tried to Facetime him to ask if she could bring him anything, but he didn't answer. Instead, he replied with a text, telling her he was a bit busy but couldn't wait to see her.

The ride over was long and frustrating. Traffic was gruesome for a half hour, because it was an absolute fucking nightmare leaving Manhattan to go into Brooklyn during rush hour. But as she neared her destination, she sent Fitz a quick text letting him know she was nearby. Three minutes later, she arrived and he was waiting on the sidewalk to greet her. He looked so simple, yet freaking handsome in a pair of grey joggers, a long-sleeved white shirt and white loafers. She practically jumped out of the uber into his arms and he welcomed her with a tight hug and the sweetest kiss on the lips. The kiss lingered and she sighed contently against his mouth. Olivia had no idea how much she yearned to feel him and be in his presence again. It's been a long day and she couldn't imagine a better way to end her day.

"I missed you." She murmured, running her fingers through his soft, curly hair.

Fitz smiled, leaning in to peck her lips again. "I missed you too baby." He replied. "Let's go inside. It's getting chilly." He grabbed her light duffel bag and guided her up the small steps that led towards his loft.

Once inside, Olivia was stunned speechless at the view before her. It was absolutely magical. His living room was completely transformed and it looked like something straight out of pinterest. The room was dimly lit by candles and Christmas lights, and where his big couch once resided, the coolest blanket fort Olivia had ever seen. Her senses soon became overwhelmed by the sweet smell of potpourri and Olivia fought hard to keep her tears at bay.

Turning to Fitz, she walked into his arms again and melted her lips against his. Fitz dropped the duffel bag on the floor and secured his arms around her waist as the kiss deepened. The gentle swapping of his tongue against her upper lip completely weakened Olivia. She arched into him, and moaned softly as his tongue joined hers in a familiar tango that left them both breathless. And when they pulled apart, Olivia still had no words for how truly touched she was. The amount of effort and thought he put into this was incredible and the execution was flawless. Nobody's ever done anything quite as sweet for her. It was simple but so damn romantic.

"Do you like it?" Fitz asked.

"I love it." Olivia smiled. "It's so perfect. You're perfect." She kissed his cheek. "I'm gonna remember this for the rest of my life, baby. Thank you."

The rest of the night progressed just as perfectly. Fitz had prepared them a hearty and flavorful chicken dumpling soup followed by cajun-butter steak and baked potatoes. Between her hunger and the deliciousness of the meal, Olivia didn't stand a chance. She inhaled the food in no time, leaving Fitz completely mesmerized by her really loved to watch her eat. They talked about their day over a smooth and delicious glass of wine. Dessert followed suit and Olivia was powerless to resist.

She was ready to get down on one knee and propose when Fitz brought over a sampler of assorted cheesecakes. He poured them more wine and when Fitz suggested they play a "silly" game of answering thirty-six questions from an article written by the New York Times, Olivia agreed because if New York Times guaranteed it would make them fall more in love, then they absolutely had to try it, of course. What was supposed to be "silly" turned out to be a very thrilling and emotional experience. Some of the questions required profound thinking and it made room for honest answers and raw emotions to surface. They were both surprised by how much they were learning about each other and by the end, they had to sit in silence and stare into each other's eyes for four minutes.

It was easier said than done. For the first minute they were very fidgety, laughing and making silly faces at each other but as time dwindled, they soon realized the point of the exercise and its effectiveness. And by the end end of minute four, they both had tears running down their faces, not just from the result of staring unblinkingly into each other's eyes but from the emotions that conjured.

Olivia carefully moved their wine glasses and cheesecake to the side, then climbed onto Fitz's lap. He instantly wrapped his arms around her waist as she wiped his tears and kissed his lips repeatedly.

"We're a mess, baby." She chuckled.

"What gave us away?" He teased. "Is it because we somehow both manage to cry on our first and second date?"

She wrinkled her nose in that cute way only she can and gave Fitz that weakening smile. "Yeah, that might have a little something to do with it." She replied.

"You're so right. We're a total mess." Fitz agreed. "Why did you cry?"

"I don't know exactly," Olivia shook her head. "Could've been because I don't remember a time when I felt so happy and whole. Not to say that I wasn't either one of those before but it's somehow magnified. And just now, when I was looking into your eyes, they just kept getting bluer and bluer and I got lulled into this sequence and for a moment, I could see everything I've ever wished for and so much more reflected into your eyes."

"Oh God." Fitz voice cracked and he could feel another storm of emotions brewing and ready to swallow him up. His heart swell in size and he felt as if it was going to burst right out of his chest from feeling so much goodness.

"Crazy right?" Olivia said rhetorically.

"Not at all, Fireball." Fitz shook his head.

He twisted around a bit and propped some pillow behind his back before he leaned back to rest. Olivia never moved from her position on his lap. Instead, she stretched her limbs and lie completely on top of him. And for a while, that's all they did. Every now and again, they would feed each other a spoon of cheesecake but otherwise, they were content to just be together and soak up every second.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" Fitz asked. He had his hands under Olivia's shirt and was currently running his palm all over her back and squeezing here and there. The feeling was heavenly.

Olivia shook her head. "No." She answered. "Can we sleep here?"

This blanket fort was not only freaking cool but really cozy as well and Olivia couldn't even think about moving from this spot. She was unbelievably full and exhausted. And even though it was just approaching eight-thirty, which was relatively early for her, she was actually ready to call it a night. And how could she not when she was in such a relaxed and peaceful state.

"Of course we can." Fitz kissed her forehead. He heard her sigh before she buried her face in the crook of his neck.

Ten minutes passed with them unmoving and Fitz chuckled when he heard the soft little snores coming from Olivia in his ear. He guessed she really was tired. He did the best he could to roll himself from under her but failed spectacularly when she lifted her head, pouting at him.

"Don't leave me." She batted her sleepy lashes at him and Fitz felt his heart swell up again.

Jesus, she was so freaking cute. He couldn't handle it. And he couldn't stop himself from thinking about a little mini-Olivia saying the same thing to him. "Daddy, don't weave me." Except in that scenario, he's pretty sure he never leaves because, how could he ever?

"I'm not sweetie." He kissed her pouty lips and stroked her cheek. "I just want to make sure we don't get eaten by ants though." He pointed at the rest of the cake and wine next to them. "I'll be super quick."

Olivia reluctantly accepted and rolled off him. She figured that while he stored everything away and load the dishwasher, she could quickly wash her face, brush her teeth and change into pajamas. She found herself unable to stop smiling in front of the bathroom mirror as she completed her bedtime routine. It was such a huge contrast to how she was the first night she did this in this very same bathroom. That night felt like so long ago now and she wouldn't change any of the events that led her to this point in her life.

She finished moisturizing and opted to find something in Fitz's drawers to wear instead of her own pajamas. She slipped on a pair of his Calvin Klein boxer briefs and a thick grey sweatshirt. Perfectly comfy, she padded back into the living room to find Fitz waiting for her. A smile flourished on his face as soon as he saw her and what she was wearing.

"Damn you're sexy." He shook his head, as if to say, 'unbelievable. How did I get so lucky this time?'

"I'm just trying to keep up with you mister." Olivia winked, kneeling down in front of him. "Arms up, please?"

Fitz didn't even hesitate. His arms came up and his shirt came off next.

"Much better." Olivia said. "Who's the sexy one now?"

Fitz chuckled. "Well played Ms. Pope." He kissed her nose and pulled her into his chest as he fell back against the pillows behind him.

His hands were everywhere again; roaming and massaging. Olivia could feel goosebumps rising and a puddle forming between her legs. But she didn't want him to stop. It all felt too good.

"I think you just made a liar out of me, mister." She mumbled.

"How come?" Fitz asked.

"Because at the end of our last date, I said it was hands-down the best date of my now I'm conflicted because this date also feels like the best one ever." She answered.

Fitz chuckled. If this was her only dilemma at this stage of their relationship, then he was happy. This meant that so far he wasn't fucking up and he planned to keep it that way. She looked up at him and he leaned in to kiss her as he palmed her butt and squeezed hard.

"Like I told you before," He murmured against her lips, "Only the best for you, mama."

---

Today marked their fourth date. And the first week of November brought amazing weather. The tree branches were already bare and pumpkin season was back with a vengeance. Next, to summer, the fall was Olivia's favorite season because of all the beautiful colors and yummy foods. And this year, the fall didn't disappoint one bit. It was a nice evening, with the weather just right. It was chilly enough to wear one of those new fluffy sweaters she bought not too long ago at Barneys. She paired them with thick leggings and calf boots. All in all, it was just a perfect evening for a long walk with the man she loves.

They had just come out of the little Cuban café that Fitz swore serves the best apple pie in town. Olivia had argued with him and told him that there was no way that Debbie's apple pie could ever taste better than the ones Abby make. He had nodded and said it would be a close second. And to prove it, they decided to put it to a test by going on what Fitz called "a fun little adventure."

Olivia couldn't help but laugh. She loved that they continued to have fun together even though what they are to each other have changed for the better over the past few weeks. There was never a dull moment with him. They were always getting into some kind of trouble together and Olivia absolutely loved those little moments with him. Those little epiphanies. They're the happiest memories she carries with her and reminisce about during a bad day.

As always, he was right. Debbie's cafe made the best apple pie in New York City. Her crusts were homemade, her apples were as organic and sweet as can be. Fresh out of the oven with a cloud of whipped cream and a little bit of cinnamon on top, it was the purest form of heaven on one's tongue. And pair that with a warm cup of Cortadito and your life was surely made. Olivia knows hers was.

"How do you keep finding these great little places and I've lived here my whole life and I don't know them?" Olivia complained.

Fitz chuckled while kissing her temple. "It's New York, babe. And no matter how long you've lived here, you're a tourist. You just need to get out more."

Olivia lifted her gaze at him with a pout. "I get out plenty."

"Oh I know you do. You know all the places with sexy shoes. I know because I've seen your closet." He teased. "But New York is also more about going out. It's about exploring. If you don't explore often then you can't possibly expect to find the best places for certain things."

What he said made sense.

If someone were to ask Olivia where they could find the best pair of fuck-me-heels at a forty percent discount, she'd have a list drawn so fast, they wouldn't even know what hit them. Now try asking her about the best burger joint within a five-mile radius. We're talking about a great, juicy burger. The kind that's still affordable, satisfactory and won't kill you with a heart attack. Try asking her and it might take her while to give you a referral.

"I'm glad I have you to explore with." She said.

Cheesy. Olivia knew that but she was trying this thing where she was honest about everything when it came to Fitz. Miscommunication and sugar coating things almost cost her the best thing that's ever happened to her and now that she's learned from her mistakes, she refused to not voice the things she wants to say or feel the things that she's feeling because of fear. It was crazy how much Fitz being a presence in her life has impacted her but she wouldn't change it to have it any other way. She'd rather be a cheese ball all day, every day!

Tilting her head back on his shoulder, Fitz smiled down at her and pecked her nose. "You're not such a terrible partner." He winked.

Olivia scoffed and feigned offense. "Oh please. I'm the best you're ever gonna do, Ace." She declared.

Fitz contemplated for a few second before shrugging and accepting his fate. Still he decided to give Olivia shit about it anyway cause that's just how they do. "Says who?"

"Says me, mofo!" Olivia cackled. "You're mine."

"Better put a ring on it then... bruh!" Fitz sassed.

At that, Olivia halted them to a stop in the middle of Times Square. She could care less that they were pissing off every New Yorker in the city by causing sidewalk traffic with their little moment. Olivia wanted to make it absolutely clear to him that while there was no ring on that finger yet, he was still hers. And it'll be so until her dying breath.

"Fitz my love..." She begin, caressing his cheek. "There will come a day when we'll both be wearing that ring you speak of and on that day, I'll be happiest woman on earth." Olivia smiled when she saw the grin creeping on his face. Brushing a curl back from his forehead, she leaned forward a bit as she finished her speech, "But from this point forward, consider that ass..." one of her hands slowly traveled down his back until she was fully groping his ass... in the middle of Times Square... still causing traffic and Fitz was absolutely loving it. "Cuffed and all mine baby."

Fitz sighed dreamily. "Oh my Queen... it is such an honor-" He begin dramatically.

"Oh shut up and kiss me, stupid." Olivia cut him off.

They both laughed as they sealed the deal.

"Cuffed!" Fitz mumbled. "I like that. I'm gonna get a tattoo next week on it that says, "Olivia's ass."." He teased.

Olivia shook her head. "Please don't do that." She chuckled. "I'd be so sad."

Fitz kissed her forehead before they resumed walking once again. "You have a real obsession with my ass, don't you?" He asked.

"Hell yeah." And just to prove it, Olivia squeezed his ass again, causing Fitz to shake his head. "Just like you're obsessed with my boobs. Earlier this week, you said you wanted to drown in them. I still die laughing at that."

Fitz looked over at her chest and bit his lips, not even trying to be the least bit discreet. "Shit, I wanna drown in them right now." He said. "They're perfect. You're perfect."

"Aww baby." Olivia cooed. "I honestly would've never guessed." She said. "Before we were ever this, you never did or said anything to make me think you thought about me that way."

"Lots of self-control baby." Fitz brought their entwined hands to his lips to kiss the inside of her palm. "And some really painful blue balls. Every time you slept over, I would wake up an hour before you to take care of it."

Olivia gasped at what that meant. So she wasn't the only one who has conjured up some pretty sinful thoughts about him to release some tension. This was good information and she was blushing. She was about to inquire more when some woman too preoccupied on her phone literally came bumping into them, sending the device in her hand tumbling on the cement.

"Oh my goodness. I'm so, so, so sorry!" She stuttered, looking at Olivia.

At least she was instantly apologetic. Olivia shrugged before kneeling to pick up the phone at her feet.

"Here you go." She said, handing the phone to the brunette. She was actually quite stunning with her pretty blue eyes. "Just watch where you're headed."

Taking the phone back, she nodded. "Thank you so much." The brunette replied. Finally, she took her attention from Olivia and directed it at the man next to her to offer an apology as well.

And from the moment the brunette's eyes settled on Fitz's; recognition took over her features and she gasped out loud and her face reddened. "Oh my God! No way!"

Fitz was completely shocked and frozen into place when he realized who this woman was. Of all the fucking people in the world he could bump into right now... he wasn't expecting her. Especially not in New York.

Before he knew it or could stop it... the woman who wrecked his whole fucking self-esteem some odd years ago, was pulling him into a hug and he found himself wishing he could disappear.

They separated quickly and he forced a genuine smile to appear but his face just wouldn't do it. Instead he gave a curt nod. "Hello Melody." He greeted.

Melody was his ex-girlfriend who preferred to go by Mellie. But Fitz stopped giving a shit long ago about her preferences and he deliberately called her by her full name just to fuck with her.

Olivia watched the whole thing with curious eyebrows. She could sense Fitz's discomfort and wanted to step in but the part of her that was so curious wanted to see the interaction play out.

If Mellie was annoyed, she showed no sign of that. Instead, she took a step back and looked at Fitz from head to toe. "It's so good to see you! Such a small world, huh?"

"Seems like it." Fitz scratched his ear and chuckled awkwardly. He needed to get the fuck away from this woman.

Seeing her in the flesh after so long... He felt... Fitz didn't know what he felt. But he didn't hate her as much as he thought he would.

He didn't wish her evil, or dead or misery. But he still wanted to be as far away from her as possible. After all these years of holding grudges and being so angry for the scars that this woman had inflicted on his vulnerable heart, seeing her in this very moment, standing in the flesh in front of him, he felt a sense of freedom! Fitz realized then that he just didn't care anymore. All that bad stuff was now behind him and he was focused on one of the few things that made him happy these days: his relationship with Olivia.

His eyes followed the shape of her body and stopped at her growing stomach. She wore a hideous, fluffy sweater for the fall weather, but he could still see her showing. Glowing.

"You're pregnant." He said.

Why-oh-why that shocked him, he simply could not tell you.

Five years with this woman and she swore up and down that she hated children. Said she didn't want them because they were evil little creature that sucked all the life out of you and that she wasn't mother material and also that she wasn't ready for such a big commitment. She threw every bullshit excuse in the world at him whenever he brought up the topic of children, starting a family and because he thought he loved her, and when you love someone, you sacrifice for them - he was willing to sacrifice the joy of fatherhood, and having a family because of her. For her.

And yet, here she stood in front of him, almost three years later, the biggest hypocrite in the face of the earth with maternal glow glistening her fair skin.

He still didn't hate her.

And he found himself feeling thankful and relieved that he didn't have anything dear and physical in this world to tie himself to this woman.

He reached for Olivia's hand and held on tightly. In return, she squeezed his hand back, as if to tell him she was right beside him and wasn't going anywhere.

"Yeah. Five months and ten days." Mellie replied smiling.

"Congratulations, Melissa." Fitz offered without missing a beat.

He wasn't gonna give her the satisfaction of getting a rise out of him. He didn't hate her. Hell, he might even go as far as saying he was happy for her. But he wouldn't push it. Just because he didn't hate her didn't mean he didn't dislike her.

"Thank you." She bowed in a ladylike manner.

Mellie's eyes landed on his and Olivia's entwined hands and her smile disappeared when she looked up at them.

"You guys..."

Why any of it concerned her, was beyond Fitz. He didn't know what she expected? Was she hoping that he was still that pathetic man who would rather subject himself to heartache and misery instead of letting her go? Did she expect him to not have moved on and find happiness again after she wrecked him? He didn't know but he was so ready to never see her again.

"Yeah." Fitz nodded.

"You look... good. You guys look good."

"Yeah. We are." Fitz said.

They were all looking at each other back and forth. The tension between them so thick, it could be cut with a knife.

"Well, it was good to see you, Fitzgerald." Mellie was the first one to break with her southern belle charm, all smiles and good grace.

Fitz had to fight the urge to not roll his eyes like a spoiled kid. "You too. Take care."

And with that, they all went back to the different paths that life now had for them after that interaction. It wasn't until they were a few block down the street that Olivia stopped them again one more time.

"What was that?" She asked in a whisper dramatically.

"That was pomegranate girl." Fitz replied, looking straight-ahead.

"Pomegranate-pomegranate?" Olivia gasped with raised eyebrows.

Fitz nodded. "Pomegranate-pomegranate." He clarified. "I hate that woman."

"You don't say." Olivia said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "The tension between you two... I swear I would've been jealous if it didn't make me wanna crawl out of my skin."

Fitz wrapped his arm around her neck and they started walking again.

"What happened between you two by the way?" Olivia asked curiously. "You never really told me the full story."

"We didn't end well." Fitz replied. Plain and simple.

Olivia's brows tighten up and threatened to leave a permanent scar on her forehead. "Well, obviously you guys didn't going by what I just witnessed back there." She said rationally. "Are you gonna elaborate on that?"

"Oh it's a bore." Fitz quickly brushed her off. He'd stomach enough of Mellie for one day. He didn't need this woman back in his life, ruining things.

Olivia wanted to call bullshit on him for trying to brush off this thing from her. She didn't know what went down between the two of him and this Melissa woman, and though curious, she was gonna back off and wait for Fitz to come to her on his own time when he was ready. She wasn't a pushover, she believed in things happening organically in relationships and if Fitz didn't want to talk about his ex-girlfriend, then she'd drop the subject even though she will stew about it for days and wonder if he was harboring hang-ups that could potentially cripple their relationship's beginning before it even had a chance to learn how to crawl.

"Wanna take me shopping?" She asked jokingly to lighten up the mood as they passed by a clothing store.

But something in the window must've caught Fitz's eyes because he stopped for real and pulled her to his chest. Olivia swooned with dizziness as he captured her lips in a kiss. Deep thrusts of his tongue inside her mouth claimed her as his in the middle of Times Square for everyone to see and Olivia could not fight the urge to smile against Fitz's lips. Pulling away, they both turned and looked through the windows of Express, one of the most popular clothing stores in New York City as they regained their breaths. Olivia's eyes widened when Fitz then started tugging at her arm and dragging her through the doors of the store.

"What is happening?" She asked.

"I've got a couple thousand bucks to spare and I'm in the mood for a private show all of the sudden." Fitz grinned wickedly. "Would you mind if I took you on a little shopping spree, milady?"

Olivia rolled her eyes, feigning irritation at how silly and so utterly cute he was when really, all she wanted to do was jump him right there. "You don't have to buy me nice things kind sir. I was gonna make out with you and let you touch those boobs you so passionately want to drown in later, anyways."

Fitz gasped dramatically. "See, that was news to me." He smirked. "Now that I know it's a sure thing for later, I suppose we could just get going then? Get to the boob touching right now?"

Mouth gaping, Olivia squinted at him. "Now that's just rude!" She protested with a cute pout.

Damn if it wasn't the most adorable thing Fitz has ever seen in his life. Shaking his head, he pulled the door open wide and gestured for her to go in like the polite gentleman he was. "Come on. Let's go drain my wallet."

---

After walking out with multiple shopping bags from Express, Saks, Armani, they took the subway to pick up take outs at Azzara's on 6th avenue. Olivia didn't know when it happened, but that spot had quickly became one of their places since the very first night Fitz took her there. It also didn't hurt that the pizza was the absolute best thing she's ever had. It was definitely something with the sauce.

Now they both lie in bed with a box of pizza between them as they streamed an episode of Whose Line Is It Anyway?

"You know, you just might be the weirdest girlfriend I've ever had." Fitz said, staring at Olivia intently.

Her attention now focused on him, Olivia inquired, "How come?"

"If you know you're gonna have dessert, you eat it before your meals and you don't eat the crust of your pizza." Fitz stated.

Olivia shrugged. "Dessert is the best part of a meal. The crust is pointless." She explained.

"DUDE….HOW?!" Fitz's eyes widened. "It's like the best part of the pizza."

Olivia took another huge bite of her cheese, Italian sausage/turkey bacon pizza as she shook her head. "Nope." She disagreed as Fitz continued to look at her as if she had lost her mind. "The cheese and toppings are the best part." She said. "Why would I waste my time trying to eat something hard as cardboard when I could be filling my stomach with delicious cheese and sausage?" When she got to the crust of her slice, she held up the rough piece of dough in Fitz's face and examined it before shrugging again. "See? Pointless." She dropped the crust in her plate and picked up another slice of cheesy goodness. Biting into it, she moaned with avidity. "Mmmm. Yes, Jesus!"

Fitz shook his head, completely amused and enamored. No words could describe just how much he loves this girl. "Damn you're cute." He said, bending his head to capture her greasy lips.

Olivia smiled. He was probably the only man that would want to kiss her while she was stuffing herself fat with pizza. And guess what? She loved him to death.

She giggled when he poked her stomach. "I must be cute if you keep on kissing me." She said.

"No one likes a bragger, Olivia Carolyn." Fitz teased.

He pulled away and picked up her uneaten crust. He was a firm believer in the "no pizza crust left behind" policy. If she wouldn't eat them, he was more than happy to oblige.

---

After performing their nightly bed routines aside each other in the bathroom, they both climbed in bed together, ready to call it a night. Now an episode of The Simpsons streamed in the background on mute as Olivia wrapped herself up completely against Fitz. The warmth of his naked chest was the most heavenly feeling she's ever known.

Fingers entwined, Olivia sighed and brought his hand to her lips to kiss the inside of his wrist.

"Good day?" Fitz inquired.

Olivia nodded. "Great day." She replied.

Looking up into his eyes, Olivia wanted nothing more than to say those three little words to him. They were so simple. She could just blurt it out at any time because to her, it would almost feel like a natural thing but even with that in mind, she didn't want to say something to Fitz that could potentially overwhelm him because he wasn't ready to hear it. She didn't want to say it only to make him feel pressured because he thought he had to say it back. But looking up at him, Olivia knew in her heart, with absolutely no doubt in mind that she loved that man. She loved that they could walk all around New York City and find new things to fall in love with together. She loved that she could grab his hand in public and he would reciprocate the gesture right back by intertwining their fingers together because she was so entirely his and him, hers. She loved that he liked shopping and enjoyed watching her model her new purchases to him. She loved that even though this was new to them... this whole being together as a couple thing - even though it was new, she loved that it felt like they've been doing it their whole lives. More importantly, Olivia loved the way he looked at her. Like she was the most important thing on this planet to him. Like she was what made his world spin. She loved this man.

She was brought back from her inner thought when she heard Fitz speak again.

"Even though we ran into pomegranate girl?" Fitz asked.

Being a part of that moment was no doubt one of the most awkward thing Olivia's ever experienced but still, that tiny little blip didn't overshadow the perfect day that they had.

"Even then." She nodded.

If it wasn't an issue to him, it wasn't to her either. Olivia's logic is that she didn't know this Mellissa/Mellie woman and she didn't feel the least bit threatened by her as long as she wasn't trying to get in between her relationship with her man. Though Olivia can't say that she wasn't curious. She was very curious but if Fitz didn't want to talk about it, that was fine with her too.

"We met seven years ago when I was fresh out of Berkeley and still working as a mechanic at Voight's shop." He said, suddenly.

So apparently he did want to talk about. Hmm.

Olivia listened to him quietly, not pushing for more unless he wanted to tell her more. She traced the shape of his stubborn jawline, and his lips. He kissed her fingers one by one and Olivia couldn't help but smile. This is the kind of things that he does that makes her fall more and more in love with him each and every day.

"We were together for five years and only two out of those five years were honestly good."

This time, Olivia did ask. Her curiosity getting the best of her. "What went wrong?" She asked.

Fitz's eyes were fixed up at the ceiling as his fingers played in her hair. Over the last few months, Olivia's come to realize that this simple, yet intimate gesture soothed him just as much as it soothed her. And each time he did it, she could hardly control the smile that blossomed on her lips.

"She had an affair with the only guy I ever considered a friend." He replied.

Ouch!

Now Olivia better understood his hesitation to share. And it was then too that her mind flashed back to the night they first met again. When she'd asked if he'd hurt pomegranate girl, he'd said that they both hurt each other. She just didn't know to what capacity until now. It was also now that Olivia truly understood just how much they both had in common. He's been hurt the same way that she has and unlike her, he didn't have someone to simplify all the hurt for him. It was one of those moments again that she wished she had met him sooner.

"I'm sorry, baby." She offered sympathetically.

Fitz kissed the crown of her head in acknowledgement. In that moment, he clutched her to his chest and held her just a little bit tighter. Olivia more than understood that sudden need to feel her and hold her closer in his arms. In return, she rained soft little kisses all over him, starting from his naked chest, mapping up to his neck, his jaw, his ear until she reached his mouth. She kissed him softly and told him in a wordless promise that he'll never have to worry about her breaking his heart in that way. Never.

But Fitz wasn't worried. He knew. Still, it meant the world to have the reassurance. He knew then too that he loved the woman in his arms more than he's ever loved anything on this planet.

Pulling away, Olivia snuggled closer in his arms and waited patiently for him to continue.

"When I found out and confronted her about it, I expected her to lie. At that point in our relationship, we were barely intimate with each other so when she admitted it, I wasn't really mad at her. I felt more empty than anything else. We didn't even argue about it." Fitz recalled the events to her as if they had occurred just yesterday. "The bitch of it all is, I'd somehow managed to make myself believe that I was truly in love with her. Truth is, I was more afraid of being alone again. I'd spent so much of my life being alone, existing in my own little world and feeling invisible that I didn't want to ever do it again. Voight had just passed away so that left me with no one. She was all I had and I didn't wanna let go because I was scared that I just might wake up one day and end it all."

Olivia's heart broke into a million pieces at hearing him confess such a thing. Tears coat the corners of eyes as a sob broke from her chest. Every time he shared a piece of his past with her, something inside her shattered because now, he was far from that person he used to be. He'd come from a long way, all by himself and that kind of strength was inspiring to Olivia. Still, it broke her heart.

"So I stayed." Fitz continued. "I told myself that I forgave her. We're only humans, after all right? Mistakes are all we've got and we're bound to make many. So we wrote it off as a mistake and I asked her to move to New York with me."

For the first time in his life then, money was of no object to Fitzgerald. Before his passing, Voight had taken the phrase "getting his affairs in order" very literally. The stubborn old man had sold all his businesses and cars and left the money in Fitz's name. There was a trust fund worth ten million dollars for Fitz's first born. Voight and his wife unfortunately were never blessed with children so all of Voight's most prized possessions were left in his will for Fitz to claim as his sole beneficiary. The only thing the old man didn't sell was the house that he and his wife had built from the ground up together so many years ago when they decided to make America their second home. He also left it for Fitzgerald with specific instructions for him to make it his home, with the woman he couldn't bear to live without.

Mellie fell short to be that woman so Fitz had to move. He had to get away from it all. After spending this many years in California, Mellie's unfaithfulness was the perfect excuse... well opportunity for him to move to a new place. Gain some culture. Get acquainted with a new scenery. And when he'd put the choices of Chicago, New York, Washington and Boston before Mellie, she had chosen New York, albeit very hesitantly.

"Things were never the same after that but flash forward a year later, I truly believed that we were making progress." Fitz said. "And then six months after the move, Andrew Nichols is coincidentally in town for a business meeting. It only takes that one chance meeting for her to make that same mistake twice. The night she told me, we fought. She said some shit, I said some shit, she threw dishes, I said some more shit and we ended up forgiving each other in the morning. A year later, she swears up and down that the affair has ended for good. That they've never seen each other since that second time. A part of me knew that I should've let her go but the other part of me that loathed the feeling of loneliness far outweighed what was best to do. Also in that same period of time, I was focused on getting the gym up and running so I started failing as a man. I started neglecting her and so, we fell into the cycle of having sex once or twice a month. Sometimes when she'd come home from work and I could smell him on her, instead of confronting her and just ending it, we'd just end up naked with me behind her, hate fucking the shit out of her. I could never look at her and I found that it satisfied me in a way, knowing just how cheap she must've felt in the aftermath. I don't know what kind of man that makes me." Fitz sighed.

"It makes you hurt." Olivia answered.

"I guess so." Fitz sighed. "In the end, I started entertaining the idea of fucking around on her too." He admitted. "I started seeing this girl. Her name was Khalani Evans. She was an extreme contrast to a woman like Mellie. But at the same time, they were much too alike now that I think about it." Another sigh, Fitz checked to see if Olivia had dosed off and he found her still listening to him intently. "Anyways, we dated for about three months and the big blow up that ended everything between me and Mellie happened shortly after that. The ninety days period had arrived for me and Khalani; I'd passed every test known to mankind in her book and she was ready to give away her sugar."

Fitz heard Olivia laugh. "What's funny?" He asked.

"Give away her sugar?" Olivia questioned. "Seriously, babe? And you can still say that I'm the weird one in this relationship with a straight face?"

Fitz frowned. "What? Don't people use that terminology?"

"Uh, no," Olivia shook her head. "No one says that kind of stuff, Ace."

"Fine!" Fitz pouted. "Well, three months had passed and Ms. Evans was finally ready for the dick."

"I can't!" Olivia burst into an unaccountable laughter that lashed her body. Her head thrown back, exposing her neck as the voluminous sound of her laughter filled the room. Fitz couldn't help but stare at her in his arms. She was beautiful and he found pleasure in watching her look so light, even if the source of that laughter was at his expense.

"Whoever taught you that line should be shot." Olivia said as she tried hard to get a lid on her manic laughter. "Has Stephen been saying these things around you? Harrison, maybe? I wouldn't put it past them."

"What?" Fitz questioned. "Do people not say that either?"

"I guess they do but coming from you, it just sounds..." Olivia couldn't find the word.

"Alright ma'am!" Fitz sassed. "Would intercourse make you feel better?"

Olivia shook her head, a ridiculous grin on her lips. "Now you sound like a virgin and a prude."

"But we both know the truth though." Fitz rolled his eyes. "So we were ready to get real personal with each other," Fitz tried to continue but he quickly realized that no matter how he phrased this part of the story, Olivia will still laugh. "We had dinner, good conversation and we even shared some good laughs. The time came for me to put out and so we decided to go to a hotel. This is the part where it all went to shit."

Olivia has always been pretty good at finding the twist in a good story so she saw the next part coming a mile away. A gasp erupted from her lips as she stared up at Fitz with wide eyes. "Oh Fitz... No..."

"Oh yeah." Fitz nodded. "So here I am, in the lobby at The Four Seasons waiting for the elevator. Khalani's hand is squeezing my ass because she's drunk as hell and horny to fuck. I'm fifty shades of red because I'm a little drunk too and I'm trying hard not to sprout a boner. The elevator finally reaches the main floor and out comes... guess who?"

"Mellie and Andrew." Olivia guessed.

"Ding, ding, ding!" Fitz clicked his tongue as he looked into space. "It was the weirdest thing that's ever happened to me to this day. The elevator opened and we came face to face with each other. For all of two seconds, we looked shocked to see one another and the next second, it was as if we were both strangers to each other. Like we were just passing by or going on the train and we bumped into each other by accident. It was as if we didn't know the most intimate details about each other. Like we didn't even know each other's names. And just like that, she stepped off the elevator with Andrew and I walked in with Khalani. We stared at each other blankly until the elevator closed."

Umm, can somebody say wild yet or what?

"When Khalani asked if I knew her, I didn't want to lie. I couldn't. So I told her the truth once we were inside the hotel room. Rightfully, she got upset. The hits came, then the ugly words and then finally the tears. I felt like the scum of the earth that night. I don't know what my intentions were when I started seeing her but it was never to hurt her or break her heart. I comforted her as best as I could and I let her order as much champagne as she wanted that night on my card. I figure it's the least I could do."

"You're not that much of an asshole." Olivia told him.

She wasn't going to make him feel like what he did was right but she understood his situation. As his girlfriend, she wanted to slap him but as his friend, she was able to level down with him and sympathize. She also gave him credit for being better than most men out there. Some men would've lied through their teeth and still slept with Khalani that night.

"Thanks." Fitz said. "That night was the first night I stepped into Mike's bar. I remember just sitting there for hours looking through an empty glass. I realized how my life was much like playing marbles on a glass table. I finally think I've found stability in my life for the first time in years, life throws me for a loop and I lose Voight and that source of stability. Just when I think I could count on Mellie, she turns around while I'm not looking and jumps into bed with my best friend. I move to a new state to get away from it all, same shit happens. I didn't know what to do." Fitz swallowed the sudden dryness in his throat. Those were dark times for him. Contemplating if living was even worth it then was probably one of his weakest moments to this day. This is also why he harbored so much resentment towards Mellie still. That night, she made him question the value of his being, the value of his life and hadn't he had a strong head on his shoulders and made the decision to finally end it and seek therapy to better himself, he probably wouldn't even be here today to tell this story.

"I'll never forget how it all ended." Fitz countered. "I remember getting home at four o'clock in the morning that night. She was in the living room when I got there. All her shit was packed and she was drinking that godawful hooch shit she gets from her dad during Christmas. We were both drunk so it was explosive. She had the audacity to be upset because thought I went through with sleeping with Khalani. I called her a hypocrite, she called me a pussy. And for a while, we just drilled into each other nonstop. It was so fucking awful. She said some hurtful shit, I said some worse shit. At the last straw, she threw a bottle at me and I put my hands around her throat and almost choked her to death. That's when I decided I didn't wanna do it anymore. She almost made me become somebody I could never want to be. So I just gave up and long after the screaming match was done, we were both just a hot mess on the kitchen floor, broken glasses mirroring exactly what our relationship was. The worse part is that neither of us wanted to fix it at that point so we stared at each other, knowing that this was it." Silence engulfed the moment for a few minutes before Fitz spoke again. "She swore up and down that that last time was goodbye at the hotel. She said that she had gone to meet Andrew to tell him that she loved me, that she wanted to give our relationship a real shot at being good again but I guess the last fuck was her parting gift to him. Before she left, she asked me to forgive her and I did. I had to. Not for her, but for me because I could've fucking killed the bitch that night. The last thing she said to me before she left was "we tried" and to this day, I can't help but think that even that was also a lie."

All in all, Olivia was rendered completely speechless. She didn't have words to offer Fitz because she couldn't even get past her shocked state long enough to think of something helpful to say to him. To say that his first ever serious relationship with a woman was a shit show, now that would be a gross use of the word understatement. Before, Mellie didn't bother her, but now that Olivia knew what she knows about the woman, she can't say that if Mellie was to be caught on fire and she was the sole witness that she'd even consider throwing water on the woman.

Who knows? Maybe deep down Mellie is a great woman and what happened with Fitz was just fate doing its work. Maybe. But this Olivia didn't care. The one who is fiercely protective of Fitz didn't care. Her baby had been hurt enough. By people, by this world and she was sick of his heart getting broken. Past, present and future, anyone who's hurt Fitz, tries to or even thinks to do it, she has no reservation- they can all catch her wrath. She will cut a bitch. And Mellie was pretty high on her list. Now, Olivia was extremely bothered by her.

"I'm sorry." Olivia finally said.

Fitz shrugged. "What are you apologizing for, pretty girl?" He grinned. "You didn't do anything."

Olivia shook her head. "No. I'm saying sorry because you had to go through that." She clarified. "Can you promise me something?"

Suddenly, Olivia was on top of Fitz straddling his waist. Her fingers played with the soft hairs on his chest as she looked down into his eyes. His hands ran up and down her thighs as he mirrored her gaze.

"What is it?" Fitz asked.

"Can you promise me that we'll never let ourselves become like you and Mellie?" Olivia asked. "I couldn't live with myself in a world where I knew that you hated me." She confessed. "So, if it ever comes down to it- if we ever get to that bridge in our relationship where we can't stomach each other, promise me that you won't let the fear of being alone keep you prisoner. Promise me you'll let me go."

Fitz couldn't even entertain the thought. He closed his eyes and tried to picture a life where Olivia Carolyn Pope wasn't a factor and all he sees is himself, a miserable man with more money than he knows what to do with. It's him in a big ol' house, growing old alone. There's no laughter, no warmth, no happiness. Nothing to look forward to. The only sound ever is the echoes of his demons mocking him until they eventually drive him crazy. It's him in that same big ol' house, sitting in his favorite chair every night with a bottle of scotch in one hand and a revolver in the other hand with a single bullet. It's him playing Russian Roulette with himself night after night until he eventually dies of heartbreak syndrome or loneliness because he's too coward to pull the trigger himself and end his misery once and for all.

Olivia watched the tears come and fall then it was the pained look on his face before the most heartbreaking sound of a sob escaped his lips. Not knowing what to do, Olivia quickly gathered him in her arms, making him sit up as she hugged him for dear life. She pampered his face with kisses, her tears not too far away because of how tight he was holding onto her.

"You're breaking my heart, baby." Olivia whispered in his neck.

She rocked back and forth with him as more sobs escaped him. In Olivia's mind, she tried to find exactly which word triggered him. What she said that caused this outburst and then she realized it wasn't so much what she said. It's where he went after that.

She wanted to scream! What kind of insensitive asshole was she?

Eventually, the sobs subsided and Olivia finally brought herself to pull away in order to look into Fitz's eyes again. She kissed his lips softly as she wiped away the fallen tears. Even those tasted like pain.

"Hi." She murmured.

Fitz lowered his gaze. He couldn't even look at her after this ridiculous outburst. He was a special kind of pussy if the simple thought of being without her could cause him to weep like this.

"Stop." Olivia chastised. And when he still wouldn't look at her, Olivia had to level down with him like he had done for her so many times. "It's just me, Ace."

As always, this did the trick. It took a few more seconds before Fitz was able to look up again.

"Hi." Olivia repeated, a tender smile on her lips.

Fitz blinked past his blurry vison and did his best to reciprocate the smile. He didn't like this version of himself. He didn't like being so vulnerable and raw in front of her. He didn't want Olivia to feel the pressure of his dependence on her. Truth is, Fitz knew he could live without Olivia. If he was a regular person that hadn't known so much turbulence before, that life would be nice, simple, normal and surely, overtime he would find someone else to move on with if he was lucky. But he wasn't regular. Fitzgerald knew pain and suffering like no other and what he had picture just a few short minutes ago fell on the spectrum of misery, agony and a painful death. He's a fighter and a survivor. He's gone his whole life not knowing what heaven felt like until he met Olivia Pope. Letting her go would never be easy. His heart would break every day at the crack of dawn, he would cope during the day only to shatter again into nothingness in the dark of the evening if God forbid he had to live a life where Olivia didn't factor. He could handle the pain and loneliness. Hell, the two easily could become his best friends in no time. He could live without Olivia. He just didn't want to ever have to. Not in this lifetime, or the next or even the one after that. He never wanted to find out what that would be like.

"Hi." He replied back.

Olivia could tell he wasn't completely back. She combed her fingers through Fitz's curls and scratched his scalp, something she came to learn brought him solace in his dark moments. "Come back to me." She whispered as she placed kisses to his forehead.

For a long time, they just held onto each other in the semi-darkness of the room until they both felt that everything would be alright. Fitz had pulled himself from the dark hole he'd crawled into with only the force of her love.

"I'm okay." Fitz said minutes later.

She was still hugging his head. "I know." Olivia nodded.

"How's that?" Fitz asked kissing her forearm.

"Cause I'm okay too." Olivia replied, repeating the words he'd spoken to her for what seemed to have been so long ago.

Fitz chuckled. "Or maybe you're just full of horse-shit, Livvie." He retorted.

It was then that Olivia was truly convinced that he was back. "Don't ever scare me like that again, Fitzgerald!" She scolded.

"I'm sorry." He brought out the big guns - pouty lips, puppy eyes and all- to express just how truly sorry he was.

He got on Olivia's nerve if anything. How could she be mad at him when he was so damn cute?

"I don't want you to apologize. You did nothing wrong." Olivia said. "However, I'd appreciate it if you shared what's on your mind." She found herself tracing the shape of his lips again - admiring them in that way of hers that usually gets her kissed breathless, within an inch of her short life. "Where'd you go just then?"

Unbothered at this point with sharing his vulnerable side with her, Fitz stripped off another layer of his soul and bared himself to her viewing. "I went somewhere you weren't." He replied.

"Because of what I said." Olivia said.

Fitz could already hear the guilt in her voice and before she started to apologize for nothing, he quickly stopped her.

"You're it for me, Livvie." He spoke softly. "I've never been more sure of a thing in my whole entire life and just then, I tried to picture what life without you would be like and the picture I got was not something worth sticking around for. I want so badly to give you everything this life has to offer-"

"But you're enough!" Olivia protested.

Fitz nodded. "I know." He smiled. "I know baby." He pressed a kiss to Olivia's lips to reassure her. "What I'm getting at is, I want to give you everything you want and ask for. Starting with the little promises. I want to keep them because I don't ever want to fail you and just then when you asked me to promise to let go, I tried to see what that would look like. Even if it killed me, to keep my promise, I would let you go because I'd rather be miserable alone than drag you down with me. I would let you go if I really needed to, but I just don't wanna ever have to."

This time it was Olivia's turn to cry a river. She hated how much she loved him just then. How can he say things like this to her and expect her to be whole? To breathe right?

"What if I told you right now that you won't ever have to?" Olivia asked, tears pooling behind her eyes

Fitz grinned - his lips stretching widely in what looks to be on it's way to a permanent smile. "Well, to that I'd say that I'm the luckiest man on the planet, Miss. Pope."

"So maybe you are." Olivia smiled back as she pulled his head in, leaning in to meet his lips in that kissed that sealed it all.

For as long as they'll have each other, neither planned to go anywhere. Not any time soon, at least.

"A mechanic, hunh?" Olivia questioned when they pulled away.

Fitz nodded. "That's right, ma'am." He replied, the Californian charm on full display.

So Olivia dug deep and pulled her best southern accent. "So about them jumpsuits, kind sir. When can a girl expect a show?"

Fitz burst into laughter. What man in their right damn mind wouldn't fall in love with this silly girl?

"Are you gonna talk like this the whole time?" Fitz asked.

Olivia craned her neck, giving him her best smile. "Well, I just might." She replied. "Does it turn you on?"

"Yes, ma'am." Fitz answered, barely able to keep his laughter at bay.

"Good then." Olivia fought hard to keep her composure. He was smiling and it was kind of hard to not be compelled to do the same when she was literally staring him in the face. "So about them jumpsuits..."

Fitz shook his head. "I wasn't that kind of mechanic." He told her.

Her hands flew to her chest as she looked at him beneath her lashes - an enlightened expression on her face. "Please do tell." Olivia encouraged.

"I was more of a 'commando under worn out blue jeans, tight tank top and combat boots' kind of mechanic."

Olivia could picture it perfectly. Him, ripe in his early twenties with those mack truck arms of his, sweating under the heat of the California sun. Him, covered in machine grease, rocking a sexy ass scruff, his hair slicked back, quenching his thirst with a cold beer after a long day's work. Him, in them worn-out blue jeans riding low on his waist, the V-shape of his lower abdomen on full display as sweat trickled down his skin. Him, just downright greasy and sexy as sin.

"Fitzgerald, listen..."

He started laughing again. It came thick and fast. Like the sound of a glass shattering, his laughter was loud, piercing and explosive. His shoulders shook, his eyes twinkled with tears and breathing through his lung properly became almost an impossible task but it didn't seem to matter much at the moment as Fitz dodged Olivia's pillow hits.

Even as she hit him with the pillow, Olivia couldn't even pretend to be mad at him for laughing at her expense because just then, she had found what became her favorite sound in the entire world. This man's beautiful laughter.

"Sei così cattivo." Olivia pouted. "So damn mean!"

As Fitz looked at her this time, he wore a look of pride and amusement in his eyes. He loved how much of a quick learner she was. He's only been teaching her Italian for a few months now and already she was able to form perfect sentences that made sense. Although, that wasn't always the case. He's pretty sure she picked up all the curse words first.

"You got that look again, Grant!" She called him out.

Fitz shook his head. "I'm just proud." He said. "You're a quick learner."

Olivia smiled at him as she cupped his face in her hands again. He really did have a perfect face! How is that even fair to the female population?

"Can't take all the credit." She said. "Turns out, my teacher's actually pretty great." Leaning in, Olivia gave his lips a peck before pulling back again- her eyes glazed with lust. "Will you touch my boobs and make out with me now?" She asked, batting her pretty doe brown eyes at him.

Fitz chuckled. "You're a dork." He said.

"So is that a yes, or?" Olivia raised her eyebrows.

"Of course it's a yes." Fitz replied. "You're my pretty girl. I can't refuse you a thing."

Fitz gave her a sweet taste. He cupped Olivia's beautiful face in one hand as he cradled her head with the other. The quick swapping of his tongue at the bottom of her lips was the most addicting thing Olivia's ever known. And his lips... God, his lips.. They tasted like heaven and they were her weakness. She could kiss them forever. Olivia wanted him. She wanted him now, forever, for infinity, to the millionth degree. She wanted him always. And just when she thought she would drown in the pleasure of this kiss, he pulled away with a gentle tug to her lower lips.

Dizziness clouded Olivia's vision and lust set her heart racing at a thousand beats per second. She craved more of him. She wanted him. "Why'd you stop?" She asked.

"You have to admit it." Fitz replied.

Olivia was lost. She'd admit to anything if it meant having his lips back against hers. But she was puzzled. "Admit what?"

"You're a bad boy lover." Fitz answered.

Olivia rolled her eyes then. "I swear you ain't shit, Fitzgerald."

And to that, Fitz burst into another fit of laughter. It wasn't that easily stoppable this time.

---

The following day, after an intense session at the gym, Olivia was very much looking forward to brunch with her girlfriends. She was the last to arrive at Le Petit Dejeuner and was not surprised to find James sitting at their table while Abby undoubtedly told him stories of either horror or hilarity. And judging by the laughter coming out of everyone, it must've been hilarity.

"Nice of you to show up shorty." Abby teased.

Olivia rolled her eyes as she welcomed James in a hug. They bantered in French as they always do before Olivia made the rounds, hugging everyone else. James offered her the chair he was previously seated on and left promptly to go get their a la carte brunch started.

Through many mimosas and delicious dishes, the group of girls caught up and organically decompressed as they shared in each other's laughter. Eventually, the conversation was bound to focus on Olivia as Cece pointed out a certain glow to her.

"It might have to do with a certain Greek God she's now dating." Abby wiggled her eyebrows, making everyone else at the table laugh.

Naturally, Olivia was a blushing magnet as her closest friends grilled her about her new status with Fitz. When Quinn questioned if there was any awkwardness with the transition, Olivia couldn't help smiling as she answered.

"There's no awkwardness at all. Our connection has always been so effortless, you know? So, being with him is fucking incredible!" She gushed. "Exclusivity with him is everything I've ever dreamed of in a relationship. He's everything. And he's so fucking confident about himself and secure about what he wants in our relationship. And he tells me all of it. I never have to wonder with him. And that's such a strange and refreshing thing for me because I've never had that, you know? And yet, it's just second nature to him. That shit is so goddamn sexy. Sometimes it takes all I've got not to jump him."

Her friends listened with grins and were genuinely happy for her. Olivia then gave them a brief summary of her dates with Fitz and there were a series of "aww's" and "so jealous" thrown in the mix as she told them.

"And now for what we really want to know.." Abby said taking a sip of her drink. "Have you and Greek God done the freaky sneaky yet?"

It was taking everything Olivia had not to roll her eyes at the redhead.

"It's a valid question." Cece nodded.

"And if yes, we'd like all the details possible. You know, for scientific purposes." Quinn added.

The table burst into laughter again as the girls high fived each other. And this time, Olivia did roll her eyes.

"Well… if you all must know," She drawled. "We've done nothing more than indulge in some amazingly hot makeout session and groping. We're taking things slow."

Abby frowned. "And how many dates so far?" She asked.

"Four." Olivia replied.

"And y'all basically live together right?"

Olivia crinkled her nose. She wouldn't say her and Fitz lived together. Sure he had a whole drawer of clothes at her apartment and she had many of hers and some feminine products over at his place that has accumulated over time. And yes, it's true that since they've gotten together, they've taken to splitting time sleeping over at each other's apartment. But that didn't mean they lived together, did it?

"Her wheels are rotating." Abby smirked. "How much clothes does he have over?" She asked.

"A drawer, a toothbrush, and some closet space." Olivia blurted.

Ah, shit.

"Olivia Carolyn…" Cece started.

"Yes?" Olivia replied.

"What's stopping you?" The brunette asked.

Olivia shrugged. "I don't know." She replied. "I mean he's damn near perfect." Shaking her head, she corrected herself, "No, no, no. He IS perfect. But what if his penis is small?" She pouted.

Another burst of laughter filled the table and everyone was almost brought to tears at Olivia's delivery but they were quick to validate her concerns as they continued. Part of Olivia knew that she was being silly. Her chemistry with Fitz was in a league of its own. A simple kiss from that man leaves her wetter than the Niagara Falls and a simple touch from him leaves her breathless and shaken. But she also knew that she had to be realistic and allow herself the "eaten by wolves" scenario which is her translated version of worse case possible. Because what if all that chemistry was this fantastic only outside of the bedroom? Just as quickly as the thought came, images of Fitz on top of her, licking every part of her body washed them away and she found herself getting flustered.

"But if he is perfect, does size really matter?" Quinn asked.

"Hey, speak for yourself woman!" Abby shouted. "But let's be real Liv. Have you seen the way your man walks? There's nothing small in his pants."

Olivia pondered for a moment and nodded. The redhead had a good point and to that, she only had one word, "Amen!"

"C'mon girl, "amen" is right!"

"Please throw your vagina at that man soon. I have a bet riding on this." Abby said.

"Wait what?!" Cece, Olivia and Quinn blurted in unison.

"Oh," Abby grimaced, "Well… see, what had happened was..."

"Out with it Abigail Sunshine!" Olivia snapped.

Abby groaned. "Oh fine. I sort of bet with Stephen on how long it'd take you and Fitz to do the tango between the sheets. And I said a month and six dates. He thinks sooner. I need you to prove him right."

Olivia raised her eyebrows. "You, Abigail Whelan, want to lose a bet? Has hell frozen over?" She gasped dramatically.

"There might be something of interest to me in losing." The redhead replied. "So will you send me proof in the form of… say a lovely picture of y'all basking in your post-coital glow?"

"Umm, first off, hell no! I won't send you a damn picture." Olivia replied. "And second, why do you want to lose?"

"Well, let's just say that me losing will result in a night where I pretend to be a lady for a couple of hours and then a freak later on… if you know what I mean." Abby replied. "Come on, help a girl out, will ya?"

Olivia shook her head in amusement. How did she come to be friends with this woman? She's been asking herself this question for the past sixteen years and she still has yet to find the answer. But until then, she was very much happy and along for the ride with this crazy redhead she calls a best friend.

"Just so I have this correct…" Olivia said clearing her throat, "You basically want me to pimp myself out to my man so that you can get freaky with yours later?"

Abby pondered for a minute and then nodded. "That sounds about right." She replied.

"Abby, you are insane!" Quinn laughed.

"Absolutely ridiculous," Cece added, laughing as well.

"More like ridiculously insane." Olivia said.

"True to all the above." Abby agreed. "So will ya?"

Olivia pretended to think about it and then shrugged. A picture after couldn't hurt and if Fitz asked why, she will be more than ready to throw Stephen under the bus. That'll teach those two freaks she calls friends a lesson.

"What are best friends for?"

Abby beamed, "My girl!"

They talked some more about what they each had going on in the next few weeks before the holidays. They all agreed that they would be together at her parent's cottage for Thanksgiving. And they would obviously see each other again before that for her mom's foundation gala the following weekend. Attire was formal and that gave them another excuse to plan for a mid-week shopping spree.

---

On the way home that afternoon, Olivia was in deep thought. Everything in her was ready to take that next step with Fitz. And she knew he was on the same page too but both wanted to take it slow and have that next step be as natural and amazing for the both of them as possible.

Waiting was starting to feel like hell though. And it's not like they haven't come close before. Fitz has a tendency to pin her down and kiss her breathless. And the thoughts of what could transpire from there always ran rampant in her mind, but Fitz's self-control was otherworldly and so far have not made it through all the way.

Olivia just knew when it happened, that union would be fucking mind-blowing and indescribable but for the time being, she started plotting. She didn't want to take it slow anymore.

Picking up her phone, she dialed Fitz on FaceTime. He picked up almost instantly. He looked fresh out of the shower with droplets running down his chest. He had a towel in his free hand, drying his hair. Olivia wondered if he was naked below and the thought caused her to bite her lips and squeeze her thighs together.

"What's up baby?" Fitz asked.

"Oh nothing." Olivia sighed. "I was just on my way home from brunch with the girls and wanted to call to say hi."

"Aw. Hi baby." Fitz grinned. "How was brunch?"

"It was great. It's always good to hang out and catch up with my girls." She replied. "Which remind me, I have a very important question to ask you."

"What is it?" Fitz asked.

"Will you be my very handsome date to the annual gala for my mom's foundation?" Olivia smiled. "It's a great cause and a great time. Very formal. Few celebrities here and there, music, delicious food. Whole shebang. You in?"

"You had me at 'handsome date'." Fitz replied.

"Yay!" Olivia squealed. "I can't wait to see you in a tux." She smirked.

And boy oh boy, did she have plans for him. Plans that Fitz had no idea about yet. Yes, Olivia couldn't wait to see him in a tux. She's almost certain that she might faint when she sees him but she was so excited. Because the best part of that night will be when she strips him off that tux.