"Santa seemed to go a bit overboard."

Fitz came out to the living room to find Olivia sitting on the couch looking at the lights on the Christmas tree. Kissing the top of her head, he came round to sit beside her.

"Santa always goes overboard," she smiled and moved over towards him. "Did I wake you up?"

"No, I rolled over to go to the bathroom and saw you weren't in bed. How long have you been awake?"

"I haven't slept yet. I was working while you were sleeping and then I got things out here ready with Huck and Kim. Javi is going to love everything we got him. I hope you like your gifts too."

"Thought my gift was my mom joining us?"

"I got you more than that. But don't worry, it's nothing big."

"So not a Ferrari. Disappointing but alright," Fitz laughed. "Maybe you'll like yours too."

Laying on the couch, Liv laid against his chest relaxed for a couple of hours before she heard Javi get up and come see the tree.

"Merry Christmas sugar," Liv smiled and moved off Fitz to go to the tree with him.

"Merry Christmas Aunt Livia, did you see Santa?"

"I did see him, and Rudolph too. All the reindeer were here, and they loved the snacks you left for them. Santa ate all the cookies you made him." One thing Liv loved to see was Javi's face light up when he was happy or excited.

Sitting on Liv's lap on the floor, he waited as patiently as he could for people to wake up so they could have breakfast. All of which lasted five minutes. "Can we open one present? Just one?"

"I don't think mommy or daddy would like that. They love seeing you open your presents. What if we do something else? Want to go build a snowman with me?"

"I'll get my coat!"

Running over to the front door to get ready, Liv got herself up and heard Fitz roll over on the couch. "It's six in the morning and you're going to take him outside for snowmen? The sun isn't even up yet."

"Go back to sleep," she told him and gave him a quick kiss.

Having the best time outside with her, Javi forgot all about the presents inside waiting for him. For several hours they were outside building snowmen together until everyone started to wake up. Verna started the cinnamon rolls before stepping onto the porch and watching them for a few minutes.

"Anyone out here ready for breakfast and presents?" she called out to them getting their attention.

"Nana! Look what we made! Eight snowmen!" Javi yelled to her. "Is everybody up? We can open presents now?"

"We're waiting for you."

After all the presents were open and boxes and wrapping paper spread across the living room, everyone went about their separate ways in the house. Kim and Huck went skiing with Javi in the backyard. Verna and Jerry decided to go down to the shelter and help out. Sitting in the living room, Lily got to spend some time with Fitz and Liv alone. George went off to take a walk around the property.

"Your dad told me how you two got together, you didn't tell me she is your secretary," Lily started.

"Probably because I didn't want to see the look you're giving me now. Besides, that shouldn't matter. Olivia and I love each other. It's different than what dad had with his secretaries. We have something real."

"I don't doubt that. I've seen the two of you together yesterday and today. You breathe in sync. As long as you are happy, Fitz, that's all I care about. I do wish you would have told me that she is your secretary or that Liv's only 25. But I think you two are perfect together from what I can see."

Reaching over, Liv took Fitz's hand in hers and squeezed it lightly. "We make a pretty good team," she told her. "I would not say perfect though."

"No where near perfect," Fitz added, kissing the back of her hand. "But you are perfect to me."

Hearing her phone ring on the side table, she excused herself to answer it. Lily watched Fitz watch Olivia leave the room.

"I had a long talk with Jerry last night. I want to talk to you too," Lily smiled but saw the look on his face. "Don't worry, I didn't kill him, you've seen him today."

"Mom, don't use that term please. I don't want Liv upset." Seeing her confused face, Fitz shook his head. "I thought dad would have told you last night. Liv's fiancé was murdered by her ex-boyfriend several years ago. There's words and terms we don't use and 'kill' is one of them."

"Jerry didn't tell me anything about Olivia. Just that she's not normal but Verna slapped him. That's tragic though. I'll be sure to be more careful around her."

"Thank you, but what did you and dad talk about?"

"Us, me and him. And you, of course. I shouldn't have let you believe that the failure of our marriage was all because of him. It wasn't fair to you or to him. He thinks Olivia told you the truth though. That she's the reason that you started talking to him again."

"Livie did tell me about you and George. I was sure that she was lying for him, trying to make him look good but she was able to prove that he wasn't lying to her. I feel bad for hating him for all of that. We wasted all the time between. That doesn't mean I'm blaming you now, either. Like Livie said, a child has no place being put in the middle of a marriage. But dad and I are fine now. We're great. I'm glad both of you are happy."

"I think we both are. Verna makes him happy; she always has. George makes me happy. And like I told Jerry last night; we didn't have a great marriage, but we have a great son."

"I have great parents. It just took me forty years to figure it out."

"Now, on the other side of this. Why are you still married to that trash?"

Fitz shook his head and laughed. "I knew I wasn't getting out of that. My divorce to Mellie will be final soon. I have a judge who's questioning bank statements. Thanks to dad. But it should be over soon. I can't wait to be rid of her. I want to be with Livie. More than anything I want to be with her and not have a marriage hanging over my head. And soon it will be."

Nodding her understanding, Lily watched Fitz's eyes light up with the thought of being with Olivia. The smile on his face wider than she'd seen in a long time. "I want to ask you about something and not have you bite my head off. Can we do that?" Waiting for an answer, she only got a nod of his head. "Why don't you want to run for President?"

"Ugh, not you, too! Dad and Cyrus have been pushing this for years. Who would want me as a president? I'm a 50-year-old white man with an alcoholic soon to be ex-wife, a 25-year-old girlfriend, no kids, and a partner at a law firm. Aren't there enough of them who want to be president?"

"None of them are as qualified as you are," Lily smiled at him. "All of what you said is true, no doubt. But you are also a brilliant lawyer with so much potential to help people. You and I have talked about everything happening in this screwed up world and how you would fix it. We've had conversations about how you would implement new immigration laws, death penalties, abortion, wars, and all the other things. You have marvelous plans. Thorough, well thought out, plans. Why wouldn't you want to take the next step and make that happen?"

"Because it's not a place I saw myself."

"You saw yourself moving to D.C. and you did that. You wanted to become a lawyer and you did it. You wanted to be a partner and you did that. How do you not see yourself fixing the country with all the plans and ideas you have? Or are you chicken?"

"Mother…"

"I didn't raise a chicken."

"Enraging me is not the best way to make me do something you want, remember? That's how we ended up with a Mellie situation."

"And yet I still have no grandchildren," Lily laughed. "Maybe someday. Will you at least give it real thought? Don't just slide it under the rug and forget about it. Sweetheart, I think you'd make a great president."

Coming out from the hallway, Liv had her cell phone held up to her ear while she tried to get her coat on. "I will come there; the office isn't too far… I am aware that it's Christmas here, Nicholas. Just as it was Christmas there yesterday… I'm not in D.C. but there's an office about twenty minutes away… Good, I will see you soon. Don't do anything until I tell you."

"Livie, it's Christmas, you said no work," Fitz complained and went to her.

"I have to go in, just stay here and be with your family. I'll be back as soon as I can." Kissing Fitz's lips fast, she grabbed her purse and keys running out the door to the car.

"Is she always like that?" Lily smiled at him.

"Liv is dedicated to her work. Day and night, it doesn't matter if she's asleep or not, she's going to answer the phone and run when they call. I'm worried she's going to give herself a heart attack one of these days. Maybe I should have gone with her? But she doesn't want me in her way. I'll check on her in a bit."

Giving her some time to herself to work, Fitz sat at the house with everyone enjoying their presents and time together. Calling Liv's phone several times without an answer, he left a couple of voicemails for her.

"Should you go get her?" Verna asked him when he started to bounce his leg at the edge of the couch.

"If he wants to be chewed out, yeah, go get her. But if you want your balls attached, stay here," Jerry told him. "Livia will be just fine, and she'll be home when she's done."

"She's been gone for hours though. What if she's not fine?" Fitz shook his head. "I'll just go check on her."

"Do you know where the office is?" Jerry laughed knowing he didn't.

"I can track her phone, dad."

"That's not a good idea and you know it, Fitz." Verna scolded him. "You did not see how angry she was when you did that before. She was furious."

"Who was furious?" Turning around, Liv was at the front door hanging up her coat. "What did I miss?"

Going to her, Fitz wrapped his arms around her tight, hugging her to him. "Nothing, everything okay? You were gone for so long I was getting concerned."

"Everything is fine. Beijing had a small crisis that needed my attention. But everything is taken care of now."

"You didn't answer my calls."

"My phone's dead. I forgot to charge it this morning. Come on, let's join everyone else," Liv smiled and pulled him to the couch.

"Glad you can join us, Olivia," Lily smiled at her.

Taking the seat next to Fitz on the couch, she could see Jerry looking at her deep in thought. Giving him a slight half smile, she tried to wave it off.

"Are you okay?" he mouthed to her so no one would know.

Shaking her head no, Olivia knew if she tried to pass it off as she was alright, he would see right through her.

Mouthing back to him, "I'll be fine."