A/N: Happy Reading. Enjoy and I'd love to hear your reviews. Thank you to all the readers continuing to inspire this story.

Chapter 11—A Step Ahead

Once Grant was secure with Huck, Fitz took Olivia off to the meeting room to talk with her. She was numb from head to toe, not truly understanding what Fitz thought he accomplished. Once she heard the words "Chip in custody", everything became a blur.

She had been pacing, her arms folded across her body as Fitz explained the plan to her. He thought it was brilliant, she thought it was insane. She cut him off mid-sentence. Her hands rubbing her temples as she took a seat in a chair at the table.

"We had him on jumping bail. Quinn was in touch with the DA who was looking for Chip, he was going to the judge in the morning to alert him that Chip jumped bail, we had him. You only made things worse."

Fitz took a deep breath. He sat in front of her. "Look at me Olivia. He is in custody. What don't you understand? We have him in a holding room. No one besides the LA Dept. of Homeland Security and I know he is in custody."

Olivia shook her head not quite understanding. Then she squinted. "Wait, Los Angeles? You're saying you are holding him in connection with the boat explosion?"

"There she is." Fitz said sarcastically. "Yes, exactly. "No one is visiting with him. He has 48 hours before he can obtain a lawyer or even get a phone call. He is being held on one count of murder and domestic terrorism charges, but he won't be tried for those crimes, yet."

"Because he has to have his trial in New York first on the murder charge there. Not to mention the whole jumping bail issue." Olivia finally smiled.

"Yes, we will be starting extradition talks with New York. See, Chip was bitter he wasn't chosen for Lt. Governor. After hearing Linda was speaking instead of me, he thought it was the perfect revenge to take her out of the picture. He wasn't expecting to get into a fight with his partner, a paid criminal on the Putney payroll, and he killed him."

Liv squinted. "How did Chip get to Los Angeles?" She pulled her shoulders back. "Fitz, don't tell me."

"I'm not telling you anything, I am just telling you that you." He kissed her. "And our son, are free from fear from Chip any longer." He held her face, cheek in hand, and continued a kiss, that Liv pulled back from.

"You think Jax Putney is going to let this go? He's the one you have to watch out for, he has all the connections, he's the head of the Putney family, Fitz, you may have gone from bad to worse."

"Think about it Liv, just think, ok. Put all your personal issues aside for a moment and think like the brilliant attorney that you are." He tilted his head and waited a moment.

Liv took a deep breath. "Chip, or Jax for that matter really have no defense or no alibi. If Chip mentions he was in Oakland or he was set up, what was the reason? Is he going to tell authorities he was here to get me? What can Jax do to defend him either?"

"Exactly. So, tomorrow I will go in front of the media. Tonight, we let the media play out the guessing game. Now, one more thing, and I'm sorry to tell you this."

Liv's shoulders slumped. It was too good to be true, she knew it. There was always a catch. "What?"

"You need to go to the courthouse tomorrow for Jake Ballard's trial."

Liv stood up. "No, Fitz, no. He's the reason I quit my job, no absolutely not, you know my feelings on that. What is wrong with you?"

"Listen, ok, just listen. My father is the one that set you up."

She stopped in the middle of the room and turned. "Say that again."

Fitz shook his head. "My father set you up. He told Jax you would be here, told him the room number and Jax let Chip come to finish you off. My father never told him about our relationship, nor did he tell him about Grant. My father said you were in Oakland to help with the Ballard trial. He said he needed you gone so Jake had no chance and I could score my first big legal win."

"Fitz, I can't go and sit with you, Jake will claim I gave you or the DA information. He can declare a mistrial."

"That's not the plan. My father thinks Jax took care of you not showing up at all. You have to show up, you have to show your face, let the media see you there. They are aware how you represented Jake the last time. You didn't stick around long enough to hear the news reports say how Jake is missing out having you as an attorney."

Liv shivered at the thought of having to see Ballard again. She remembered his words to her, calling her beautiful. She closed her eyes. "I can't do this." She whispered.

"You can, I'll be right across from you, you'll be fine. Just show up, that's all you have to do."

She walked over to Fitz. He stood up, facing her. "I don't think you realized how much I fell in love with you that weekend." Liv closed her eyes. "I left here thinking I would never see you again. I could go on loving you, but it wouldn't matter because we were miles apart. Then, the pregnancy. I didn't want to do this to you, to turn your life upside down, Fitz."

"You didn't turn my life upside down. You left, and I was lost. It was a pain I never felt before. I connected with you, I fell in love with you also, and my father knew that. That's why he's tried so hard to keep us apart, he knows there is nothing I wouldn't do for you, and now, for Grant."

"What about tomorrow, what about Grant?"

"Huck and Davis are going to head to the ranch with him in the morning. He'll be fine. Dolores was my nanny growing up, she still works there. She is expecting them. He'll be safe with her and them. Besides you, she's the only other person in the world I trust with my life, and she isn't beholden to my father."

Fitz wrapped his arms around her. "It's going to be fine; I promise Liv, it's going to be fine. Aside from my trips to Sacramento during the day, we are going to have a great week at the ranch, ok." He pulled her back and lifted her chin. "Why do you still look skeptical."

"When Chip does talk, when he does get to Jax, he's going to tell Jax I had the baby. Grant is going to become a target. It's not going to take long for the Putney's to make a connection Fitz. They're going to find out soon enough that he's yours. Then what? He becomes a target because of me and you. And what are you going to do about your father? You have a state to run. You can't be worried about me and Grant. You have obligations."

"My father made you a target, pregnant, not pregnant, he made you and Grant a target, you think I am going to let that go, I will deal with my father my way. You just worry about working with Quinn to get that trial against Chip started. It's time for Abby to get justice."

Liv breathed a sigh of relief. Her eyes swelled with tears when she heard Fitz say that. She wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his chest. "I can't wait." She hugged him, but she didn't have a good feeling at all. This was far from over and Fitz has a state to run, Olivia can't possibly stick around and ruin this for him.

"Tonight, Liv, for the first time in a year you sleep without the threat of Chip Putney haunting your dreams. Let's go get our son. We'll put him to sleep, and I'll get to hold the woman I love in my arms." He kissed her temple.

Jackson "Jax" Putney was no stranger to crime. His crime committing days have been over for more than two decades. He had built an empire that no one was coming close to. He owned politicians, and not the measly local politicians, he owned senators, governors, and congressmen, one day he planned to own a president.

When Jax was ten years old on the streets of San Francisco, his parents were gunned down in an apparent robbery. It wasn't until five years later did he learn his parent's murders were no accident. They were borrowing money from the wrong people, and never paying back. The hit on them was personal and Jax was dragged into the street life of crime.

Everything came easy to him. He could sneak into a store and have a week's worth of food in a matter of minutes. He could pickpocket any wallet, stick a hand in any purse, and walk away with money far beyond he could ever make in an everyday job.

Frank "Frisk" Luther was the man responsible for the murder of Jax's parents. Jax never let on that he knew that, and he let Frank take him under his wing. He was a money maker for Frisk and Frisk had a gang of bad people that would do anything for him.

The difference between Jax and the others was drugs. Jax never touched the stuff. He could play a good game, a good "I'm high" game, but Jax would travel for miles and sell the drugs elsewhere. He was the one making the profit. He would give Frisk a marginal amount of what he was really making.

By the age of 18, Jax had enough stashed to buy some of his own people, and he had earned the respect he needed. In a dark alleyway one dark August night, Frisk was being harassed by some dirty cops. Jax, from a rooftop above, fired two shots from an illegal gun and shot the officers down in cold blood.

Frisk, being forever in his mercy, took Jax and showed him a hideout only Frisk knew of. It was there that Jax killed Frisk, burying his body deep in the woods, and returned to the streets that Frisk once owned. Having been rumored Jax was the one who killed the cops, Frisk's people took him in.

It had been believed that Frisk took off in fear he would be charged in the deaths of the cops. Jax was never a suspect and thus he began the leadership of the life he was always destined to lead. He moved, at the age of 21, to Santa Barbara.

Jax fell in love and married Julianne "Jules" Mara. After three years of building relationships with local politicians and high society women, Jules announced she was pregnant. Together, on a cold, brisk, December day, Jax became father to a son, Charles.

Jules, having led a life of drugs and alcohol before settling down with Jax had a body not entirely ready for a full-term pregnancy. Despite having the best medical treatment, her body broke down, and Jules died one week after giving birth.

At the hospital, the day Jules died, Jax was on his way out. He had funeral arrangements to make, a son to care for, and he had no idea where to begin. For the first time since his parents died, Jax was at a loss.

It was that day Jax bumped into Fitzgerald "Big Gerry" Grant the Second (Junior). Gerry was celebrating the birth of his son Fitzgerald the Third and noticed the solemn look on this man's face in the visitor's room.

After hearing the story of what happened to Jax and Jules, the two became immediate friends. They didn't live too far from each other in Santa Barbara and Jax became instant friends with the soon to be powerful Governor and State Senator.

Jax helped Gerry, Gerry helped Jax. Their sons, not having much in common did not become as friendly as both fathers would have wanted. Jax figured a better life for Charles would be on the east coast, so he sent him with relatives of friends in New York.

Gerry, having knowing from Fitz's early age he was going to be a better politician than anyone in his generation kept Fitz right there, in California. He wasn't expecting to lose his love, his Emma, when Fitz was so young.

Having understood the heartache Gerry was feeling, Jax was his friend through it all. He would never let Gerry wander too far from the priorities of political office.

Fitz grew up to become a powerful and respected mayor. Charles grew up using his privilege and becoming a domestic abuser and entitled brat. This is where the Putney's and the Grant's friendship would come to a halt.

Jax sat now, in the back of his car being driven to Oakland. He hadn't heard from Chip, hadn't heard from Lewis, and now he couldn't even get the other two he sent with Lewis. His boat had been on fire on the Los Angeles Waterfront, and things were not adding up.

Lewis fucked up somehow, he was sure of it. His son, though, came first, and he couldn't underestimate Olivia Pope. Charles thought Jax didn't know, but he did, he knew Olivia was the one that broke both his kneecaps. Charles would never admit being beaten by a woman.

Jax knew the woman beater his son was, but that Abby put him in a position that imprisoned him. Chip did want a life in politics, he didn't know how to live off anything else, and those two words "I'm pregnant", ruined it all for Chip. How lucky was it that she lost the baby, but it had come after the marriage.

His son had snapped, beating her, and it could've been left at that, but Olivia Pope had to take it one step further and take a bat to Chip. Now it was more than personal.

Jax knew who he was dealing with. Much like him on the streets of San Francisco, Olivia grew up on the streets on New York. To take a bat to a well-known son of a career criminal took guts, balls, that a woman doesn't have, unless that woman is Olivia Pope.

His son is missing now, he can't get a hold of him. Olivia has a baby now. This could end bad either way for Olivia or for Jax, but it wasn't going to be for Jax. He would never take the life of a baby, but he would take the baby. Olivia could be dead, and the baby would lead a very good life, one in the shadows of the Putney's and it could be Jax's redemption to where he went wrong with Chip.

Fitz stayed behind with his team discussing the press conference he would hold in the morning. He was in contact with Linda Marshall, she was safe, and besides some damage to surrounding boats, there were no casualties or injuries to any civilians.

Fitz would be sure to thank the quick thinking and the leadership of the LAPD department and the Department of Homeland Security for their ability to show bravery in an emergency. He would also give the up to the minute details about the suspect and the motive.

Olivia had gone downstairs to the room with Huck and Davis. Grant was sleeping in the middle of Huck's queen size bed. He looked so tiny in such a big bed. Huck was lying next to him, having him practice squeezing his finger, even though Grant was sleeping.

Davis was at the table, punching something into the computer. "So, the two of you think this isn't crazy, you think this thing with Chip is a smart idea, you think it will work?"

Davis stopped typing; he looked over at Liv. "If you think about it, it's kind of brilliant. Chip has no other alibi for being in California, other than the bitterness of not getting a shot at Lt. Governor."

Huck sat up on the bed, letting Grant sleep. "It's good Liv. It puts Chip away. That's something we have had a hard time doing. It's going to be tough for Jax, the Putney's to argue with two governors. The Governor of New York is not going to want this blemish on her record, running for reelection in November, and this is good for Fitz, finding Chip and cooperating with New York."

"Huck, you know that Jax is far worse than Chip, he's not going to take kindly to this, besides, when we return to New York in a week."

"Wait, you're returning?" Davis asked. "What do you mean returning? Liv you can't go back to that life, not with little man over there. He needs his father."

Liv eye rolled a deep breath to Davis. "What am I supposed to do, just leave Quinn with the dirty work? I have to be there for the trial, to see Chip get his due justice."

"No, you don't, I'll be there for it, you have to begin building a life for Grant. You have to decide how you go forward with Fitz, Liv." Huck looked at her. "This vendetta has to end somewhere, sometime."

Liv's tongue was in her cheek. "We can't just leave Quinn over there with nothing. Jax is going to go after her."

"And with you here with Fitz, I can be on her 24/7, like I was with you." Davis chimed in. "You're not going to need me here with his detail."

"Davis is right Liv. Besides, I'm not leaving you. I'll be here. I am not going to let you do this alone. When everything gets settled, we can bring Erin out here. She can finally be a grandma to Grant."

"We'll talk more about this at the ranch. Did you check out Dolores?" Liv looked at Huck.

"Mary Poppins looks like Satan compared to her. Everywhere I searched it's all good. She's credited for raising Fitz after his mother died. She is interviewed as keeping his love for reading alive, how she was there when Big Gerry was Governing, and how he grew to love her like his own mother. She's good Liv."

Liv shook her head. She didn't doubt Fitz at all, but Liv would always be more than cautious. She saw Grant begin to kick his legs a bit. "Someone is waking up."

Before Liv went to Grant, there were two loud beeps that came from the direction of the computer. It caught all their attention, and something came printing through. Huck grabbed the paper that came through on the printer. He looked at Liv. "We have trouble."

Vivian had some strength to walk around. She's a server, she is always on her feet. Having been forced to lay down for 48 hours was driving her mad. Rick was there, helping her up, and with no dizziness, she said she would take a walk around the lobby and visit with Shaun.

She went to the bathroom first. She had to jump in fear of her own face in the mirror. "Holy hell, you look like you went ten rounds with Tyson." Her cut down the forehead didn't look at bad as she thought. The stitches were light and dissolving as the wound heals.

It was the two black eyes that would keep her from serving for a few days. She would have to make her money helping in the kitchen for the time being. The job at the day care should be fun. How is she going to explain this to the kiddies?

She squinted in the well-lighted lobby. It was filled with people coming and going. As she walked passed several people, she heard buzzing about the boat fire in Los Angeles. She wondered what was going on with that but had no doubt Governor Grant would put everyone's mind at ease once he got in front of the cameras about it.

She was standing at the check in counter waiting for Shaun to finish speaking to a guest. She overheard the whole conversation, and she immediately raised the red flag in her mind. One thing, being friends with Olivia, it had awakened her to be aware of her surroundings.

Olivia had also taught her to trust no one or anything, everyone was not as they seemed. She walked down the hallway and opened the door to the security room. Miguel was his usual self, devouring a burger from the bar and paying more attention to the television than the monitors.

"Would you do your job for once? I need a front faced picture of the guy who just left that was talking to Shaun at the counter."

Moving his burger stuffed in his mouth to one side, Miguel said, "like you don't know what to do. Have at it. I'm not going to get burger grease on the monitors."

Vivian shook her head. "Useless."

She heard Miguel throw a kiss. "Love you more sweet cheeks."

She gave him the finger as she pulled the screen up. She didn't know it, but she was looking directly at Jax Putney. Her red flag came up because he asked for the alias that Chip used to check in. He also mentioned room 784. She pushed a few buttons and sent the picture to Huck.

Grant began crying. Liv picked him up, noticing immediately that he needed a change. "Tell me you have diapers in here."

"No, we brought everything up to your room."

"Ok, I have to go, he needs a change, and Fitz and I want some quiet time before it all hits the fan tomorrow. I'm."

"Shhhh" Huck put his finger to his mouth, "quiet, you're not going anywhere."

He held the picture up that he received from Vivian. "Jax is here and he's looking for Chip."

They heard noises coming from the room next door. Liv saw as Huck closed his eyes with concern.

"What did you do in there?" She whispered.

"Ripped a few clothes, broke a few glasses, you know nothing too bad, he's not dead in there." Huck shrugged.

Suddenly, Grant began to cry. Liv tried to latch him on, but he wouldn't take, he was too uncomfortable in his soiled diaper. She began to rock him, to talk to him in whispers, nothing was helping. If Big Gerry knew the room number, so did Jax. If he heard a baby, he would know. Liv closed her eyes.

Seeing one of Huck's tee shirts, Liv grabbed it and ran to the bathroom with Grant. "That's a good shirt Liv, what are you doing?"

Laying a towel down, and wetting a washcloth, Liv began to take Grant out of his soiled clothes and diaper. He stopped crying and was now quietly enjoying the wet cloth over his skin. "That's it baby boy, you just needed to be cleaned up a bit. There's my baby."

Liv wrapped his bottom in Huck's tee shirt, tying knots on either side for it to stay put. She was able to lift him, get him quiet and he finally latched on, feeding his hungry tummy.

Huck looked at Liv come out, "Great, my shirt, Liv, really?"

"Anything for your little guy, no?"

Huck smiled. "Of course. Sounds like they are leaving." Huck looked through the slot. He had his hand on the handle of his knife. He watched as Jax stood outside the door, stared at it for a few moments, and walked away with the two men he was with.

Vivian watched the man, and his two companions exit the elevator. He spoke quietly to them, looking worried, and they continued out the door. She sent a quick email to Huck that he had left the building and it was all clear.

Big Gerry hated two things in life. One was being sequestered with no contact to the outside world, the other was a democratic president. Those two things are what he had to deal with this weekend, and he was pissed.

Senator Barber from Minnesota nudged him. "Come on, it wasn't that bad, at least we narrowed the picks down to two justices. Maybe next time it will take two days instead of three."

"This was a useless waste of time if you ask me. The President had no need to call this meeting. He's just putting up smokescreens to the real issues he should be focused on. I'll be happy when a Republican is back as Chief."

"Like your son? It will be interesting to see how he deals with the incident that happened on the waterfront. I do have to admit, in only a month in office, he is making quite a name for himself. Hope there aren't skeletons that would hold him back from presidency."

Gerry shook his head. What the fuck was this guy talking about "incident of the waterfront." He patted Barber on the shoulder. "No skeletons, you and the democrats are famous for that and he's been making a name for himself long before he became governor."

"Yeah, well he needs a family, a wife, children, something to show he has a commitment, otherwise you can kiss the presidency goodbye. At this rate, I would even vote for him, but where's his wife? Where are his kids? People want kids running around the White House, hunting for eggs on the White House lawn. If Fitz doesn't have that, his chances are shot. Safe travels back Gerry."

Gerry sat now, alone at the table in the Capitol Senate room. His first call was to Lewis James. What the fuck happened, he said to abort. The phone went right to voicemail. This wasn't good.

He called Fitz next. Fitz picked up on the first ring. "Dad, I really don't have time for you right now. Things have been happening and I am trying to run a state."

"I just heard, something about the waterfront, is everything alright."

"I'm sure you have your ways of finding out." Fitz clicked the phone off and entered his room. Liv turned from the table, all set up with food.

"Hi", Fitz said, "what's all this?"

"Hi," Liv said back. "Thought you might be hungry, so I broke down a barrier and ordered some room service. I figured we were safe for the time being."

He grabbed her from around the waist and pulled her to him. "Not for the time being, for good. Did you miss me?" He leaned in for a kiss.

"Fitz, don't you want to eat?" Liv said turning her head, but then turning back, leaning up towards his lips. "Yes, I missed you."

His hand grasped her head behind her ear, and he planted his lips on hers. He pulled her closer, and when he let the kiss go, he looked at her. "Thank you. I'm just going to wash my hands."

As Fitz was walking in the bathroom, Liv called, "so Jax was here. He almost heard Grant down in Huck's room, he was crying while Jax was looking in Chip's room. Told you he isn't going to stop."

Fitz looked in the mirror. He closed his eyes. He had to reassure her she would be safe with him. He splashed some water on his face. As he was drying himself, he called out, "don't worry, he's searching for a needle in a haystack right now. He's busy worrying about his boat being catching fire. We're distracting him." He walked out and sat with Liv at the table. He looked at Grant, sleeping in his cradle. "How long before he is hungry?"

Liv cut Fitz's steak and put a piece on the fork. She put the fork in his mouth. "Until after we enjoy our dinner, at least." She handed the Fitz the fork.

"What, you can't feed me?" He laughed. "You ok about tomorrow?"

"No, I'm not ok, but I also don't want to talk about it now. Tell me about the ranch."

Fitz's expression changed. It was like he was telling a child a story. He got so animated. He was so proud of where he grew up, where he lived. He was so happy to share it with Liv.

"You're going to love it Liv. It's right on the beach, so we can walk there with Grant. There's a pool, there's tennis courts, a golf course, and the residence will be all ours. You don't need to worry about the staff. They have been the same staff since I moved there when I was 8 years old. They're my family."

Liv couldn't help but smile. She saw how proud he was of it. "What about your father? Does he live there also?"

"He hasn't been there much at all. The ranch is in my name. I'm the owner. He prefers his house in Southern California. Calm down and stop worrying." Fitz looked at her plate. "I'm glad to see you're eating." Her salad was finished.

"Taking your advice, I'm not good if I'm not keeping my strength up. It's weird huh, how we've come full circle. Last May you were trying to outrun the detail, you didn't know what you wanted, you were trapped. Here I am now, feeling the same way, but you're the one who figured it all out.' She looked over at Grant who began to cry.

"Right on time, like he knows when we finish eating."

"Wait, Liv, what is that supposed to mean? I have it figured all out. What don't you have figured out?"

She picked up Grant. She took off her shirt and had him lay with her on the bed. Fitz joined them, shirtless himself and Grant was in between them. "Liv, talk to me."

"You knew, I knew if you married Mellie, you would be miserable. You didn't want it, but you wanted to be Governor, you aspire to be president one day, and I don't doubt for a second you will achieve that, but where do we fit in?"

"What do you mean where do you fit in? Livvie, you're my life now, he's my life now." Fitz rubbed the back of his finger down Grant's small cheek.

"Fitz, you're a Republican Governor. You want a relationship with a black woman, whom you had a baby with, out of wedlock, that's going to ruin your chances at presidency, you know that. I never meant to ruin you. You didn't want to be ruined with a loveless marriage with Mellie, and here I throw parenthood on you, it just doesn't seem fair."

"Liv, he is the best gift I ever could have received, and if having a life with you means I don't become president so be it."

Liv looked down at Grant, still sucking away. She switched breasts, and she kissed his forehead. She looked back up at Fitz. "I did the right thing?"

"You could have had it terminated; I would have never known. From the moment I met you Liv, you have had my best interests in your heart. Less than ten minutes after meeting me, you put yourself on the line to protect me. Then, you faced my father and did the same thing. You went back to New York, and you carried a baby, our baby for nine months, in constant fear. You know how brave you are? He's lucky to have you as a mother, I'm lucky to love you, please just give this a chance."

"You know, there was one night during the pregnancy, I had to be about 7 months along, I was craving milk, just straight up milk. I needed an ice-cold glass of milk, and we had none. I sent Huck to the store for milk and when he was there, I called him because I was also craving raspberry Jell-O. I hate Jell-O, but I wanted it, and it had to be raspberry."

"Ok, that's gross, you fed that to my son."

Liv nodded her head smiling. "I did. Huck came back. He took out an ice cold gallon of milk, and four cups of raspberry Jell-O and he watched me like I was an alien. I ate all four cups and drank the milk in one sip. Pregnancy makes you this ravenous monster at times."

"Did Grant take well to the contents?"

"This guy, this little savage cookie monster, kicked the whole entire night. I think it was his first tantrum. His foot stayed on my bladder, I was running to the bathroom every ten minutes, thinking I had to go but didn't. I just remember being up half the night feeling his movements." She stopped.

She looked at Fitz, just his eyes. She put her hand on his cheek. "And I just thought there was nothing I wouldn't do to have your hand on my belly, feeling your son kick away. I took that away from you Fitz, I made you miss that."

Grant was now on his back, sleeping soundly between his mother and father. Their voices soothing him to stay asleep. "Liv." Fitz whispered. "It's ok, you tried. You were the one deprived, you shouldn't have had to go through that alone. My father will pay for this."

"Look at him Fitz. He's just so perfect. Sometimes I feel like my heart is going to explode."

"Was it a rough birth? I mean you had to induce four weeks early and trust me Chip will pay for that also."

"Nineteen hours of labor. By the fifth hour they tried to talk me into a C-section. I wasn't having it. A C-section would have me vulnerable, unable to walk for a few days. I was determined to get him out as much as he was determined to stay in."

"Wow, nineteen hours."

"It's funny because from the moment he was in my arms, Huck's finger was in his hand, trying to get him to squeeze. I think Huck wants to make him the youngest body builder." She laughed. "It was rough, but it was worth it."

"Thank you, Liv, thank you so much."

She leaned him and kissed him. Her hand on Grant's chest, gently holding him in place. "I never thought I could feel love like this. I was so bitter, first going into foster care, then with Abby dying, I never thought I would feel love again. Now, you, him, you changed that. I just don't want to drag you down the wrong road."

"One week." He picked Grant up. He placed him in his cradle, giving him a small kiss. He laid back down next to Liv. He hadn't seen her this calm. She seemed to finally let some tension leave her body, so he continued to talk to her. "Just let's get through one week, ok."

" Ok, tell me about Dolores? Your eyes lit up when you mentioned her before."

"Ahh, my MiMi. I call her my MiMi because I felt she was my mother after my mother died. She was, still is, so good to me. I called her. I told her about Grant. She can't wait to meet him. He's all set there you know. Crib, baby carriage, car seats, clothes, diapers, Dolores has the works."

"She seems so special to you. I can't wait to meet her."

"She can't wait to meet you." He smiled.

"You told her about me?"

"Umm, how else was I going to explain Grant?"

"When are you going to address the media tomorrow?"

"At the courthouse. It'll be the backdrop. Just to make you aware, that's when I'm going to mention Putney is in custody."

Liv nodded. "You're an excellent speaker Fitz. I heard you at that gun rally for your bill. You're something else, you know that?"

"When I was 8 about two months after Dolores came into my life, I had become very shy, scared even to talk out loud. Dolores had me read to her every night, much like my mother did. One day she took me into to school and she told my teacher I wanted to read in front of the class. I thought I was going to faint."

"My teacher looked at me. Is that what you want Fitzgerald? I just shrugged. I didn't know.

The book was a book about planets. It was a fifth grade level book and I read it word for word. By the end of the book and all the questions, I had three classmates thinking there were twelve planets and we really lived on a planet called Mugsy."

"Fitz!" Liv was laughing. "You did not."

"I did." He nodded. "That's when Dolores saw what my dad saw in me all along, I would make a great politician."

"You're one of the good guys though Fitz."

"I hope I am. You know why I have Sykes as the prosecutor against Ballard and not Bayley?"

"No, I wondered what that was about."

"Sykes is a genius at getting plea deals. We're going to talk Ballard into a plea deal. That's where you come in."

"What do you mean me? Fitz I…"

"Once Ballard sees you in the courtroom, he's going to want you as his attorney. Just tell him what his best interest is."

"I already told him they didn't have enough time, he's toast."

"Exactly, so will you…"

"Yes, I already told you for you I will." Liv yawned. She felt his hand go around her and rub her back. Feeling his touch comforted her and she fell asleep leaned up against his shoulder.

Big Gerry was in DC, it was much later there than in California and he wouldn't get a start until the morning. His phone rang, and seeing Jax's number on the display, he picked up. "What the hell is going on?"

"I thought you would know, this son of yours has lost his mind."

"I don't think Fitz had anything to do with this. What's going on with Olivia Pope?"

"I don't know, I can't get a hold of Chip."

"You sent Chip, are you crazy?"

"Yeah, I'm beginning to think I am. He's fallen off the face of the Earth."

"Your boat blew up in the dock while the Lt. Governor was speaking, you know I told Lewis to abort the mission."

"Look, Gerry, we're both being blindsided by your boy. He's in for a rude awakening when I show up at that courthouse tomorrow."

"Yeah, and will Olivia Pope show up there as well?"

Jax took a deep breath. "If she does, I'll be ready for her also." Jax hung up the phone.

Gerry had one more call to make. "It's me. What time is the plane landing?"

"6pm our time here in California."

"What's my son's schedule?"

"He's due in Santa Barbara for the week with trips back and forth to Sacramento and surrounding cities."

"Have my driver take me to the ranch, then. And don't tell Fitz."

"Sir." He acknowledged and hung up the phone.

Before Grant could wake up a finally peacefully sleeping Liv, Fitz scooped him out of the cradle. "Hey big guy, you ready to go home tomorrow? It's going to be your home, like it was mine. We'll be a family there, ok. He kissed him as his small head was on his chest. He walked over to the dark window, Grant's blue eyes trying to focus on the lights he was seeing.

Fitz's phone buzzed. "Boss, your father just requested to be brought to the ranch tomorrow evening."

"Thank you." Fitz clicked off the phone. "And, we'll be having company." He rocked his son calmly back to sleep.