May 2019

Fitz takes his eye off the burgers sizzling on the grill when he hears the sound of blissful giggles and an irrepressible grin tugs at the corners of his mouth; Olivia is pleasantly tipsy on sangria, throwing her head back with the most infectious, genuinely euphoric laughter.

A year ago he never could've envisioned the sight before him.

He'd lost all hope for them, for her. She'd become so consumed by darkness that the dream he'd had of them someday reuniting, living in the house he'd built for her, was destroyed. He'd given up on any chance of a life with her; he would have been a fool to continue to invest his energy in an impossible future. Though it wasn't easy, somehow she'd fought her way back into the light; in time he found a way to forgive her and they rebuilt everything together.

Even more surprising, however, was the way she'd managed to repair her friendship with Quinn. It didn't happen overnight, but underneath all the hurt and pain, their bond was still there. After Olivia had put everything on the line to expose B613, regardless of the consequences, it was easier for Quinn to let go of the bitter hatred and learn to trust her again; she was able to see her as the woman she used to idolize once again, no longer the woman she'd grown to resent.

Despite their reconciliation, it's still a shock to Fitz to see how far they've come; to see them actually laughing together with Abby in their backyard, enjoying a summer barbecue, is really, really nice. His chest swells with pride and happiness for her because he knows how hard she's worked to earn Quinn back. He's seen how deeply her actions had impacted her and watched her suffer through unbearable guilt over it all. When he'd suggested she invite the girls and Charlie out to Vermont for the weekend she'd initially been apprehensive, fearing their rejection, but he'd eventually convinced her to ask them. Seeing her unadulterated joy now, he understands just how much this means to her, to have her friends back – to have Quinn back.

They watch in amusement as Robin – with careful guidance from Charlie, who's only a foot behind her – stumbles across the lawn to Buddy, gently grasping at his fur with pudgy hands. Fitz turns his attention back to the grill, flipping burgers over one by one, and when he's done a faint smile touches his lips as he senses Olivia's presence.

"I thought you'd like a refill."

"Thanks, Livvie." He grins, watching her place a generous glass of sangria down on the table beside him.

Her arms loop around his waist as she hugs into his side, lightly tracing his abs through his t-shirt. If he didn't know she was tipsy before, he'd know now; in time she's grown to be more openly tactile with him with a little liquor in her bloodstream.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself."

"I am… Thank you for this."

His eyebrows lift and he turns his head, gazing down at her with a bewildered look in his eyes. "For what?"

"I never would've invited them – Quinn – out here if you hadn't persuaded me," Her pensive expression dissolves as a rueful smile edges onto her face, "Besides, without you who would cook?"

He laughs. "That's true."

"Finish up and come sit with us soon, okay?" She steps up on the tips of her toes to brush her lips over his. The kiss is innocent but she lingers just enough to get him hot under the collar.

The sun is still warm on Fitz's skin when late afternoon draws in. The day has been pleasant so far, filled with laughter and easy conversation, but he's noticed Olivia's a little more on edge now. She glances at her watch, then checks her phone for the fourth or fifth time that hour; he gives her a questioning look when their eyes meet across the garden table, but says nothing. Her gaze drifts to Abby, who's happily bouncing a very giggly Robin in her lap.

"I'll be right back." Olivia mutters as she gets up from the bench, then walks across the terrace, into the house.

Curiosity and mild concern get the better of Fitz; he follows her inside, sliding the doors closed behind him. She's pacing the living room, twirling her cell between her fingers.

"Liv?"

She comes to a stop and turns on her heels to face him, forcing a smile that he, of course, sees right through immediately. There's no fooling him.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing, it's fine. I'll be out in a minute."

"Liv." His tone is firm this time and she winces. They don't lie or hide things from each other anymore, but old habits die hard.

"Right, sorry, okay," Sighing out, she perches on the arm of the chair, "I did something."

"What do you mean something?"

"I invited Stephen… I did it for Abby."

He lifts his brows at her in surprise. "Oh."

"I know how hard it's been for her, losing David…" She exhales a shaky breath and swallows against the lump in her throat; David's senseless murder is still raw. "I don't know. Stephen's been divorced over a year now and I thought she might appreciate having a friend here who isn't coupled up."

His heart clenches because she's so thoughtful. There was a time when he didn't think she'd ever be this person again, when she was doing everything selfishly, without caring about the consequences or damage to other people.

Again, that recurring thought of I want to marry you is deafeningly loud in his head.

He steps towards her, pulling her hand into his with a reassuring squeeze.

"You're amazing, you know that?" His thumb lightly caresses her knuckles as he leans in, pressing a tender kiss to her lips. Their doorbell rings out, announcing her friend's arrival and he pulls back an inch. "Go on, answer it."

Her expression is still a little apprehensive, but she smiles nervously at him and hops off the armchair, crossing over to the door. He watches her greet Stephen, letting him pull her into a warm hug.

"It's so good to see you, Liv."

"I'm glad you could come. How was your flight?"

For a few moments, they catch up and Fitz can't help but smile at her, at how sincerely happy she is to be reunited with another old friend. It isn't that she's discontented with the life they have now, but it's plain to see that her bond with her friends runs deep. When she calls them her 'family' it isn't meant lightly.

"Stephen?"

Fitz, Olivia, and Stephen all spin around; Abby is standing in the doorway. She hesitates, but just for a second, then she crosses the room and embraces him tightly. Olivia silently steps away from them as they reconnect, taking Fitz by the hand to lead him back outside with her.

Later in the evening, Olivia finds Fitz in the kitchen, clearing away leftovers into the refrigerator. Quinn is putting Robin down for the night with Charlie, leaving Abby and Stephen alone, catching up out on the terrace.

"Hi."

He watches with a faint smile on his lips as she rounds the breakfast bar. "Hi."

"Today made me remember how happy you make me," She utters, taking his hands into hers as she stands in front of him, leaning against the counter, "You're so good to me. How did I get so lucky?"

He stares at her for a long moment, then takes a deep breath, "I have to tell you something."

"Okay." The sobering expression on his face makes her stomach clench with nerves.

"Back when things were really dark, after I brought you out here and you manipulated all of us and promised to resign… That was when I'd lost hope," He immediately feels her tense up and sees the lingering guilt and shame in her eyes as she averts her gaze from his, "I secretly put the house up for sale."

His revelation knocks the air out of her lungs. She swallows thickly, her eyes filling with tears. He pulls his hands from hers to cup her jaw, gently caressing her cheeks with his thumbs.

"I couldn't find it in my heart to accept any offer," His brows draw together and he exhales a quiet sigh, "I might have lost hope that there was a future for us, but that didn't make it any easier to let it go."

"What changed your mind?" She asks when she finally finds her voice, her fingertips absently toying with the hem of his shirt as she speaks.

"The first time I had second thoughts about selling the house was when we worked together on the class action lawsuit. That night when you tried to pick a fight with me because you were doubting yourself, I saw that underneath it all you were still you," He studies her intently, watching her expression soften as she blinks back tears, "I was still hesitant but you kept proving yourself to me, over and over. The night you came to my hotel room, the night you brought that really expensive olive branch…"

She smiles fondly at the memory, finishing for him, "The bottle of scotch."

"Right. That was the night I knew that I was never going to sell the house. I just couldn't. I took it off the market as soon as you left," His thumb catches a tear that escapes her eye and he gently brushes it away, breathing out a soft sigh, "I spent so long feeling paralyzed by my fear of losing you and it nearly killed me, but I'm glad that I couldn't let myself give up on you."

Rather than even attempting to express the overwhelming feeling of love and adoration she has for him through words, she leans in close to kiss him soundly on the lips, effectively silencing him. He gently pins her hips to the counter and sighs contentedly, eventually prying himself from her deliciously soft lips before they get too carried away.

"I love you." She whispers hoarsely, her eyes still wet with tears.

"I love you too," A faint smile touches his lips and he nods towards the window, gesturing to Abby and Stephen, "Things seem to be going well with them."

"They were always close. Abby and I never talked about it, but after he left I knew she missed him… I was worried I might've done the wrong thing by inviting him because I was trusting my gut. I hadn't really done that in I don't know how long," Her hands run up his torso, skimming his sculpted body before she winds her arms around his neck, hugging him close as she breathes out a soft sigh, "I haven't seen her smile like this since…"

She trails off; she doesn't need to finish, he understands. His thumbs rub soothing circles at the base of her back as he nuzzles against the side of her neck, gently pressing his lips against her delicate skin.

"You did a good thing, Livvie. I'm proud of you."

The way he hums against her pulse point makes her shiver; even now, it thrills him to know that even after a decade together he still possesses the ability to make her weak.

A little after midnight Stephen leaves for his hotel, but not before making plans with Abby to go for brunch in the morning. Charlie's already turned in for the night with Robin and Fitz follows suit soon after, leaving the girls with an open invitation to demolish his whiskey collection.

He'd assumed Olivia would later tiptoe into their room and quietly crawl into bed, but the reality is quite the opposite. He stirs with a muted groan when he hears her stumble through to the bathroom and then the door closes loudly behind her. When he feels warm, soft lips brushing lightly along his jawline he realizes he must've drifted back to sleep while she was getting ready for bed.

"Fitz," Her voice is soft but insistent, and she continues to kiss him, pausing to tug his earlobe between her teeth, "C'mon. I know you're not asleep."

"Liv, you've had too much to drink and it's late and…" His mumbled, halfhearted protests trail off as her hand slips into his boxer briefs.

"I might be a little drunk but I'm drunk and turned on," She purrs and sucks at the sensitive patch of skin below his ear, "And if you don't wake up, I might have to go make use of our showerhead and have fun without you."

"I'm awake, I'm awake." He responds quickly and she chuckles because it's just too easy with him.

Her lips find his in the dim light and they kiss slowly and sensuously for a few minutes as she tugs his boxers down to stroke his cock, feeling him fill beneath her fingertips. He caresses his hands down her bare back to squeeze her ass, reveling in the fact she's already naked.

"What's gotten into you?"

"You have," She growls lowly as she tugs his bottom lip between her teeth, nipping softly at it, "I love you."

"I love you too, so– oh much." He gasps when she wraps a leg around his hip, pressing him onto his back as she straddles him.

"I need to make love to you."

"Right now?" He's teasing her. She can just make out the crooked grin spreading across his face in the hazy light.

"Yes, now. I haven't been able to stop thinking about how you nearly sold the house…" Her voice catches a little with emotion and he finds her hands, squeezing them reassuringly. "I'm sorry I put you through that."

"Liv –"

"No, I mean it," She interrupts him resolutely and dips down to recapture his lips, kissing him with intent for a long moment, "I love you, Fitz. Really, truly love you. And I've never been happier than I am now, here, with you, in our house."

There's something about the weight of her sincere words and the sensation of her bare skin pressed against his that leaves him breathless. There's a beat of silence as they both take in the moment because they can do that now; they're able to really pause and appreciate the time they have together.

He's the first to speak, "Can we make love now?"

"Yes."

Using his hands for leverage, she pushes herself up and a shiver runs through her as she sinks deeper into his lap, feeling his throbbing erection straining against her lower abdomen. He places one of his hands on her thigh as she kneels up, reaching between them to align him at her cunt, brushing the head of his cock between her folds.

"Fuck, Liv, you're so wet." He grunts, panting a little as he clenches his jaw.

"Mmm, only for you." Her mouth falls open with a breathy sigh when she lowers herself onto him, taking him to the hilt.

For a few minutes he lets her do the work and ride him unhurriedly, only pulling his hand from her thigh to squeeze her ass, possessively pressing his fingers into her soft flesh. The way she's barely lifting her hips from his, grinding down against him in slow circles, is a potent mixture of torture and ecstasy. He can only hold back for so long before taking her by surprise, snapping his hips up, fucking into her even deeper. A strangled moan erupts from her throat and if she's aware of how loud she's being when they've got company for the night, she doesn't seem to care.

When Olivia moves to grip Fitz's shoulders with both hands, rocking her hips faster and harder against his, he knows she's close. Her body clenches around his, tiny inner muscles fluttering and squeezing his cock. He brings his free hand – the one not gripping her ass – between her thighs, easily finding her clit with his thumb.

"Come for me, baby." He encourages her lowly and she whimpers, digging her nails into his shoulders.

"Oh god, Fitz. Fuck. That's so –" She's cut off as she climaxes with a broken moan, her entire body trembling through it.

She's a little wrecked, she has to still her hips against his from the oversensitivity, but he doesn't give her much of a chance to recover. Before she can even catch her breath, he flips her onto her back in one fluid motion, without pulling out. Hooking one of her legs over his arm, he presses deeper into her than before, groaning out raggedly at the sensation. Her fingers wind into his hair and cup the back of his neck as she pulls him down to kiss him urgently, only half muffling the feverish moans coming from her throat. He fucks into her in hard strokes, grinding down against her clit and hitting her g-spot with just the right amount of pressure to push her to her next orgasm fast. He's clenching his jaw, trying to hold off and make it last as long as possible, but her thighs are quaking and he knows she's almost there.

"Fitz, I'm gonna come. Let go."

That's all the persuasion he needs; he quickens his thrusts, groaning into her mouth when she lifts her hips to meet his. Her nails scratch down his back, and she tugs at his hair when her orgasm tears through her. The way she cries out his name as her body convulses around him sets him off. He comes with a guttural moan and then slumps down, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

"God, that was good." Olivia murmurs in a breathy voice, moments later.

"I should threaten to sell the house more often if that is how you respond…" Fitz chuckles into the hollow of her throat, kissing the delicate skin there.

Grabbing a fistful of his hair, she yanks him up a little less than gently to glower at him. "Not funny, mister."

The goofiest smile tugs at the corners of his mouth; it makes her want to kiss it right off his face. And so she does.

The following morning Fitz is in their bathroom, shaving at the sink, when he sees Olivia appear behind him in the mirror, leaning against the door frame with a sheepish grin on her lips.

"What is that look for?"

She stifles a laugh, clearing her throat. "Well, I think next time we do something like this we may have to be a little more self-aware…"

"What do you mean?"

"I just overheard Charlie talking with Quinn and Abby in the living room."

"About what?"

"I believe his exact words were 'Did you hear them last night?' followed by 'I can't believe I was kept up by the sounds of the President and his girlfriend doing the nasty!'"

"'Doing the nasty'?" Fitz repeats with a rueful chuckle, shaking his head softly.

"I know." Olivia clasps a hand over her mouth, smothering a giggle.

He finishes shaving and wipes his face clean, then turns to her looking decidedly amused. "You're not embarrassed, are you?"

"He's not exactly the first person who's caught us having sex," Her shoulders lift in a tiny shrug as she rolls her eyes playfully, "But maybe we should book them all into hotels next time…"

"Or we could just go without sex for the weekend."

She fixes him with a look, raising her eyebrows at him in disbelief. Suddenly he crumbles with a laugh, reaching forward to tug at her hips, pulling up her against him.

"Yeah, you're right. That was a stupid idea." His lips hover barely an inch above hers and his eyes grow hazy with desire.

"C'mon," She giggles, kissing him quickly before pulling away, taking his hand to lead him out of the room, "I want breakfast."

A/N: This was based on a scene they cut from 7x10, where Fitz put the Vermont house up for sale. Thankfully it never made it into the show or even as a deleted scene, but I still wanted to explore where his head was at after what Olivia did to him, and why he contemplated selling the house. I hope I did it justice and it feels real.

I'd love to know what you think anyway!