A/N: Less of a response from the last chapter so far, how is everyone feeling? As I have said so many times, this story is about my readers so I will make changes based on what you want to see and what you absolutely do not want to see. I appreciate all of you that have taken the time to continue reading and hopefully we can keep this one going for a while! I hope you're all ready for another flashback!

Chapter 8

Five Years Ago

"Look, Amanda was it? It really has been a pleasure and I'm really flattered," the woman's hands were wandering over his chest while she ground her hips in front of him. Fitz hadn't even looked at her since his first attempt at rejecting her, and now his eyes were focused on the door to the patio that Jake and his stranger retreated through. "I'm not even remotely interested in this." He grabbed her hands and pulled them off of his body, walking quickly back towards his table without giving her another glance.

Tom was one of Fitz' best friends, they met in his freshman year of college and have been side by side ever since. Tom never was a man of many words, but his loyalty ran far deeper than blood and Fitz knew he could always count on him. "Hey Tom, I need a favor."

"What can I do for you, pretty boy?" Tom took a sip of his beer as he leaned back in his chair.

"I need you to get Jake back inside, just for a few minutes."

"Didn't he just go out back with a girl? Do you really want me to interrupt whatever he is doing out there?" Tom chuckled softly and raised an eyebrow. Fitz didn't want to think about what Jake was doing outside, he wanted to talk to his friend and figure out what in the hell just happened.

"Tom, please?" There was a shocking hint of desperation in his voice. Fitzgerald Grant didn't bed, he didn't ask. He only gave orders, the fact that he was willing to ask for this was enough to pull Tom out of his chair and venture outside to find Jake.

Fitz was standing at the bar when Jake found him, a knowing and arrogant smirk rested on his face as he approached his friend. "What's up, pretty boy? You summoned me?"

"Here, have a drink." Fitz slid a glass of scotch over to Jake before taking a sip himself, he still hadn't bothered to look up at him. "Want to tell me what the fuck that was about?" He finally turned his head, dark green eyes meeting his stormy blue.

Jake took a slow lip, raising a smug eyebrow at Fitz, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Bullshit, I saw you take her outside. I was on my way to her and next thing I know she's walking outside with you."

"Oh please, I saw you getting all hot with the blonde! I should have seen it coming too, you did fuck my sister so I guess some hot chick I want to fuck isn't really off limits to you."

"Amanda? She approached me, I didn't entertain her! And it's nothing like your sister, I asked you if I could date your sister before I even tried." Fitz scoffed, he always knew that night he spent with Lauren would come back to bite him in the ass.

"You know what, Fitz? I don't believe you. You fuck anything with a pulse, so you have fun with Amanda and I'll have fun with Olivia. That's her name by the way, and holy fuck you should hear the way she says my name. I'll make sure to let you know how it sounds when she's screaming and moaning it later tonight." Before Fitz can even think about it, his fist is making contact with Jake's jaw. He quickly shook off the sting to his knuckles before taking a step back.

"Fuck you, Jake. I didn't go after the woman you wanted. And don't throw your sister in my face, you're just as much of a fuckboy as I am. This friendship is over." Fitz finished off his scotch in one last gulp before heading to the exit, not bothering to look back."

Present Day

The sight of Olivia walking back towards the patio instantly sobered him up. The last time he watched her go through that door he didn't see her again for five years, he couldn't run after her fast enough.

"Liv, Livvie! Please, wait!"

She couldn't stop, she needed air. She needed to breathe. For years Olivia was well aware that Fitz and Jake had history but she never thought that the two of them might have been together the night she met Jake. Maybe it wasn't that night, maybe her and Fitz had met on another night that she came back here with Abby. None of it was making sense and she was too drunk to try and make it make sense.

When she finally came to a stop, leaning against the cold metal fence, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Liv, are you okay?"

Her eyes shot open, she had expected Abby to run after her but for whatever reason she didn't expect to see Fitz.

"Why are you here? What- How?" For the life of her she could not determine what the correct question to ask was. She had a million, and none of them would leave her lips.

"I shouldn't have said anything. I promised myself I wouldn't be the one to mention it. You should talk to Jake-"

"Jake won't talk to me about you! He makes sure I know how much he hates you, that's it. I have no idea why!" There were too many secrets, everything that once seemed simple feels complicated and all she wants are answers. She shivers slightly as a cold breeze hits her skin, her arms fold around herself instinctively as she eyes Fitz.

"Liv, if I have this conversation with you right now then I am no better than Jake, I'm no better than the man he thinks I am. I'm willing to be completely honest with you, I want to be completely honest with you about everything. But I can't be the one to tell you this story. I'm drunk, I spoke out of place."

She looked so broken, so fragile standing in front of him. He slowly stepped closer, watching her face closely to make sure she was okay with every move he made. When she didn't step away, he gently grabbed her arms and pulled her towards his chest. Relief washed over him when she stepped further into him, keeping her hands tucked between their chests as she laid her head over his heart.

"I just need some answers, Fitz. Jake hasn't talked to me all week, even if I ask him about that night I don't think he will ever tell me." She sighed against his chest, letting herself relax in his warmth.

Their embrace was nothing but friendly. Neither pushed any further, they simply allowed themselves to be comforted by the other's touch. Fitz lets out a long sigh as he runs his hands up and down her back.

"Can I take you home? It's late, and I think I have successfully killed the mood tonight." They both let out a soft laugh as Olivia finally pulls away.

"What about your friend? And Abby?" Abby, she must have a million questions right now. "Shit, Abby! I'm going to have to give her some kind of explanation. How am I supposed to tell her that I've made out with my boss and now there's more to the story?" She runs a hand through her hair, her body tensing up once again.

"Liv, she doesn't have to know. I am not going to push further, I am not going to try to kiss you again. I don't want you to forget that it happened but I'm going to give you time, give us time." He wraps a single arm around her again, squeezing her tightly before pulling away and moving back towards the inside of the club.

"Come on, let's go rescue our friends."

Olivia is still in shock over his words. He had made it abundantly clear how he felt about her and she never expected him to show so much resolve. She chews on the inside of her lip, contemplating everything that has happened between them.

"Whatever happened when we first met, can I trust you? Am I going to find out something about you that will make me regret knowing you?" She avoids his eyes, embarrassed that she even bothered to ask such a question.

"I don't think so. Honestly our meeting wasn't much of anything. I mean, it meant something to me but it's not the kind of story that I think would make you feel differently about me."

"Can we be friends?"

Fitz stops just in front of the door, turning towards her with the sweetest, confused look on his face. "I thought we were friends." If she wasn't so drunk, she would think there was a hint of hurt in his tone.

"I mean-" she contemplates her words carefully. Her bottom lip has made its way back between her teeth and Fitz can't help but look. She looks so beautiful when she's concentrating, her eyebrows furrow in the most subtle way possible and her eyes dilate just slightly. Some days he asks her questions just so that he can see that look.

"I mean real friends. I think we should get to know each other better, but we obviously can't date. So I want to be friends instead."

"I would love to be your friend, Olivia Pope. Now, can we please get out of here? You might still be young and fun but I am an old man." They both laugh as they make their way back into the club. They both head straight to the bar to find Abby but the sight before them is nothing like what they expected to see.

"Stephen?!"

"Abby?!"

Olivia and Fitz question in unison. In front of them are their respective best friends with their tongues shoved down each other's throats. At the sound of their names, both Abby and Stephen pull away and look at them with cheeky smiles.

"Oh, oh uhm… So Liv, this is your boss?" Abby clears her throat as she wipes lipstick from the corner of her mouth. "And I'm guessing that this," she gestures towards Stephen, "is his friend that he mentioned?"

Fitz, still wide-eyed, makes eye contact with Stephen. "Yeah, this is him. Liv, this is my friend Stephen. And Abby, please call me Fitz, I've heard a lot about you and it's a pleasure to meet you."

They stand there in awkward silence as Fitz pulls out his phone and sends a quick text. The four of them are avoiding looking at each other, none of them wanting to discuss what had just transpired in the last twenty minutes. Finally, Fitz alerts everyone that their car is waiting and they finally make their way to the exit. A million questions are left unanswered that night and the only thing that aids their sleep is the final effects of the alcohol in their systems.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

"Jake, it's me… again. I'm just calling to make sure you're still coming home today. I made reservations at Flavio. Call me back, please."

Ever since the conversation that transpired between Fitz and Olivia on Friday night, she has been desperately trying to get Jake on the phone to get some answers. Just like the rest of the week, he could only give her a few minutes at a time and that was on the rare occasion that he answered her calls.

In the five years they have been together, Jake had always been attentive and almost obsessive when it came to Olivia. It wasn't until shortly after their wedding that he seemed more distant, more interested in work. She never tried to think much of it, she always knew that he was passionate about his business and it was one of the things she loved about him. Recently though, she can't help the feelings of loneliness that lingers over her on a daily basis.

Olivia lets out a long sigh before sending him a quick text, letting him know that she has a meeting but to call as soon as he can. She stands from her desk, grabbing a stack of folders on her way before making her way to Fitz' office.

His phone rings on his desk and he smiles when he sees the caller ID listed as his mom, he answers quickly. "Hello?"

"Daddy! Hi, daddy! It's me, Karen. Not grandma." His little girl is smiling brightly from the other side of the country.

"Hi princess! How is California?"

"It's good. I miss you and Jerry keeps crying. I just want some peace and quiet!" The nearly three year old yells and Fitz can't help but laugh.

When Olivia lets herself into his office, she is met with one of the brightest smiles she has seen on any human being. The joy he has right now is evident in his eyes and it sends a tingle down her spine. His smile, one she has never seen before, is contagious and she can't help the wide smile that appears on her face as she sets the files down on the coffee table and has a seat to wait for him.

"Princess, I have a meeting I have to get to but I love you. Is mommy there?"

"No, mommy is with Uncle Christopher. We had a sleepover with Nana and Papa last night."

Olivia is too focused on her laptop to see the way his demeanor changes. The joyful Fitz that was bantering with his daughter is nearly gone, his body is tense and his breathing is faltered. It's not surprising to him that she might be having an affair, it was clear early on that their marriage was more of a business arrangement than it ever was a loving relationship. What he couldn't believe though, if she really was having an affair, is that she would ever bring this man or men around his children. With a quick goodbye to Kare, he hung up the phone and made his way to the window, sliding his hands in his pockets as he attempted to regain his composure.

After a minute of silence, Olivia finally looked up from her laptop. Something had changed, even staring at his back she could tell that something was upsetting him. She removed the computer from her lap and stood slowly, taking a few small steps towards him. "Fitz?" The sound of her voice was almost enough to ease the building anger inside of him. When he didn't respond, she decided to be bold and she placed her small hand in between his shoulder blades.

He was tense, and she hated herself for noticing how the muscles felt beneath her hand at that moment. She took a centering breath before she spoke again, "Fitz, you can talk to me. Are you okay?"

She could feel him relax just slightly, he let out a long breath and his shoulders dropped before he turned to look at her. "I think Mellie is having an affair."

Olivia's eyes widened and her mind was racing a hundred miles a minute. Her heart broke for him, she couldn't imagine how she would feel to find out that Jake was having an affair. Whatever past Fitz might have had, he was a good man and a good father and didn't deserve that kind of betrayal. Next, she couldn't understand how any woman could be unsatisfied by Fitz. If the kiss he gave her was any indication of how he could please a woman, there was no possible way that anyone could ever need anyone else. Or maybe he wasn't satisfying in bed, but she didn't need to be concerned with that right now.

"Fitz, I'm so sorry. I-"

"It's okay, I don't really care that she is having an affair." He ran a hand through his thick curls and walked over to his couch, taking a seat as he looked up at her. "I mean, it makes me feel a bit like shit knowing she won't put out for her husband but she's spreading her legs for another man. But really, it's the fact that she is with him while she's supposed to be with our children. What kind of who-" He stops himself and runs his hands through is air, laughing softly as he leans forward. He rests his elbows on his knees, holding his chin with his thumbs as he looks up at her. "Well fuck, now you're going to think I'm horrible in bed. I promise I'm not."

He was deflecting, trying not to let the anger he was feeling come out sideways in front of Liv. Not that informing her of his sexual abilities was much better, or nearly calling his wife a whore. He wasn't that hateful of a man, but when it came to his children there weren't many lengths he wouldn't go to. He silently kicked himself for the erratic and irresponsible changes in his behavior and was genuinely surprised when Olivia took a seat next to him.

"I never questioned your abilities in bed… okay well maybe a little bit but I was sure I was wrong." She let out a nervous laugh that Fitz couldn't help but reciprocate. "I am sorry that she might be having an affair. You don't deserve that."

"Maybe I do, I mean I was ready to rip your clothes off minutes after she left me. I guess I am no better." He let out a sigh and sat back on the couch, letting his head rest on the back of the couch as he looked at the ceiling.

When her hand rested on his forearm, he thought he might explode. Her touch did something to him, something more than a simple sexual response. She comforted him, she brought him back to a better reality everytime she was near and every touch was like heaven. "You may have wanted to, but you didn't. In that moment I would have let you, but you stopped because you're a better man. I don't know what your life looked like before Mellie, but you are a good man, Fitz."

He grabbed her hand and slowly brought it to his lips, he pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles before placing her hand back in her lap. "Thank you, Liv. Really, you shouldn't have to be here helping me through my personal mess."

"Hey, last I checked we agreed to be friends. This is me being your friend." The smile they shared spoke everything else they may have wanted to say. Maybe this was more than friendship, or it at least had the potential for more. For now though, this was friendship and they would both make the most of it until it destroyed them.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

"Baby, I can't believe you made us these reservations. Thank you." Jake smiled as he held her hand, smiling at her from across the table.

He had finally come home, not bothering to call her until he arrived at the airport and was in a taxi on his way home. Olivia had thought about dinner over and over again, while she wanted to spend a nice night with her fiance she also had plenty to discuss. Starting with what happened to him and Fitz that night five years ago, and followed by why she hadn't spoken to him in a week.

They had been sitting down for nearly an hour, Olivia had barely said a word while he went on and on about his trip. She had stopped listening a while ago, her mind was racing and now she was annoyed that he somehow didn't notice how upset she was. She wasn't hiding it, she made it obvious from the moment he got home that she was unhappy and annoyed, but it all went unnoticed by Jake. It wasn't until he grabbed her hand that she finally averted her attention back to him.

"I need to ask you something." Her voice was stern, not angry or emotional, however it demanded his undivided attention.

He sat back, releasing her hand. She could see in his demeanor that he was already on the defensive which only piqued her curiosity. He raised an eyebrow at her, encouraging her to continue. "What happened the night we met?"

He instantly tensed up, figuring that Fitz must have said something. "What do you mean, Liv? You were there, you know what happened that night."

"You know what I mean, Jake. Fitz and I met that night too, didn't we? Is that night the reason you hate him so much?"

"I was there with Fitz that night. Him and I got into a fight, it has nothing to do with you and I don't know why you keep bringing this up. Is he trying to fuck you? Is that why he's filling your head with stories to stir shit up between us?"

"Watch your mouth when you speak to me, Jake. He didn't tell me anything, other than he and I had met before and I should ask you about it. He is most definitely not trying to fuck me and I take offense that you would think I would allow that behavior from anyone."

Jake let out a sigh and shifted in his chair, "Liv, I'm sorry. I wasn't insinuating anything about you. I know you're not that type of woman. I just don't know why he felt the need to say anything about that night. Him and I got into a stupid fight, stupid but effective in destroying our friendship. It just happened to be on the same night you and I met."

"Why haven't you spoken to me all week?"

"Jesus Liv, is this a date or an interrogation?"

"Jake, you didn't speak to me for an entire week. You dodged my calls, when you did answer you hung up after two minutes. You really couldn't afford one single minute to call your fiance and tell her about your day?"

He let out another sigh. This isn't what he had planned for tonight, he didn't expect her to have so many questions for him and if he was honest it was slightly infuriating. "Olivia, I'm sorry. I was busy, and most of my meetings went late into the night. I should have communicated more. The trip was extended two and a half more days, you know that's never a good sign. I'm home now, and you have my undivided attention."

He wasn't really answering her questions. There were twenty four hours in a day, even while he was starting his business he was never so busy that he couldn't make time to speak to her. She had to trust her gut, and her gut said he wasn't being honest with her but she didn't have the ability to fight right now. This was the first night they have had together since he left her at the party and she wasn't willing to throw away their relationship right now. For now, she would accept his answers, but she needed to talk to Fitz again. She only hoped that he would be honest with her when she asked again.

A/N- I know it's short, but I couldn't make you all wait any longer after reading the kind reviews! Thank you for sticking around. Life has been more than busy so I don't have as much time to write but I will try to keep updates no longer than two weeks apart!