A/N: Once again thank you all so much for your reviews. Love reading all of them. Happy reading, hope you enjoy the chapter. The book referenced is "The Fall of Freddie the Leaf" by Leo Buscaglia. I highly recommend this book if you or someone you know is dealing with the loss of a loved one.

Chapter 14- Some Vengeance

Governor "Big Gerry" Grant stared at his son through the window facing the garden. It had been three months since the death of his wife, his son's mother, Emma. Seven year old "Fitz" had become somewhat distant and antisocial. Once a happy child, he rarely had a smile on his face anymore.

Big Gerry had been bombarded with meetings and Legislative sessions unable to focus on the needs of his son. Looking at him now, sitting on the bench in the garden of the new ranch home, it broke Gerry's heart. Gerry was angry, angry at a God who would take a young mother and leave a son with one parent. Gerry refused to cry anymore, he had to be strong, show his son how to be a man.

He heard footsteps approach from behind. "Hello Governor, Fitz has been asking for you."

"Thank you, Dolores, has he spoken much at all?" Gerry asked.

"No, not much at all. He sits in the garden for hours, reading. Sometimes he reads out loud and I sit next to him. I figured he should have someone listen to him. He is so lost without Emma."

Big Gerry nodded. He looked down at the book he was holding. "Hopefully I can ease some of his pain." Gerry took a deep breath and walked outside.

Fitz looked over; he pained a smile on his young face. "Hi Dad, how long are you staying?"

"I'll be here for three days, until Wednesday. Are you liking the ranch?"

Fitz shrugged. He looked at the cover of the book he had been reading and smoothed his hand over it. "I guess, it's nice here. Are you going to come with me tomorrow when I start my new school?"

"Yes, I am, I am even driving you, just you and me kid, how does that sound?"

Fitz looked up; one eye closed in the sun. "You never drive anywhere." This time he did muster up a real smile.

"Well, I'm making the exception for you tomorrow. What book do you have there, Fitz?"

"This is The Giving Tree. It was mom's favorite. I don't even have to open it, I know all the words by heart, I just want something she loved close to me."

Big Gerry sat down, now, next to his son. He looked at the flowers, shining in the sun. "Your mother loved you very much."

Fitz swung his legs; they were still too short to reach the ground on the bench. "I know. I loved her too. She was always..." Then he began crying. "Why, dad, why do people die? What is death?"

Big Gerry inhaled deeply, as to not fall into the crying mode. He did not want his son to see him like that. "I know how much your mother read to you, how much you read, and I thought this book may help a bit with the grief. Do you mind if I read it to you?"

Fitz tilted his head on his father's shoulder. "I would like for you to read to me. I want to understand grief."

Gerry showed Fitz the title of the book, he opened it and began reading. Fitz was listening intently. His father had a voice, a way with words, and Fitz was listening to everything the book had to say through his father's words.

Fitz wasn't sure if his father knew, but Fitz cried the whole read aloud. He wiped his tears enough, so he was sure his father had to know. The book was so touching, and it was like his father was reading words right from Fitz's heart.

His father stopped for a moment. He put his hand over the last page. "Fitz before I read this last part, I want you to really listen to the words, to understand them, ok. I think this will help you move forward. I know it will be hard without your mother, I know how much she meant to you, but take these words to heart. It explains how this is not the end, this is the beginning."

"Ok, but can I read them? I'll understand better if I read them, and after I read the words, I don't forget them. Mommy always said I could remember every book I read."

Gerry nodded. "Fair enough. Go ahead, read that last part."

"That afternoon Daniel fell with a smile. Freddie was the only leaf left on his branch. The first snow fell the next morning."

Fitz took a deep breath in and continued. "The wind came and took Freddie from his branch. It did not hurt at all. As he fell, he saw the big tree for the first time. He remembered Daniel's words "Life lasts forever."

Fitz looked at Big Gerry now, confused. "How is that dad? How does life last forever?"

"Keep reading son, alright. You'll get it and if you don't, I'll explain."

Fitz cleared his throat. He wiped away a tear before it fell and began the final sentences of the book. "Freddie landed on the snow. He closed his eyes and went to sleep. He did not know this. But, in the tree and the ground, there were already plans for new leaves in the spring."

"Do you understand?" Big Gerry faced young Fitz now, cupping his small face in his hands.

"Not really."

"Life lasts forever son. Your mother's life will last through you. She went to sleep, but you are the big plans. You are left here to carry on her memory. Then, when you have a child or children of your own, you will continue her memory, and she will live through them because of you. Then your children's children will continue. Just like Freddie fell to the Earth to make way for the new leaves to bring that tree back to life in the spring."

Fitz grabbed both his father's hands. "Oh, I get it. So, talking about mom, remembering mom, and sharing her memory when I get older keeps her life alive."

"Yes, son, exactly. Your children will know your mother because of you, and her life will continue."

From that moment on, with the understanding of what his father had told him, Fitz wanted to be a father. He looked at Gerry for the first time in three months with a wide smile. "I can't wait now, dad, I can't wait to be a father, so I can continue mom's life to last forever. Being a father will be the greatest thing to happen to me."

"Fitz." Gerry jumped. He still couldn't take his eyes off the baby that Fitz was holding. Besides the light brown skin, he was the spitting image of Fitz. "I didn't know you were in here." He took a hard swallow.

Fitz stared coldly at the man he called dad. He finally moved his stare away from his father and looked at his son. "This is my son, dad, your grandson. Would you like to hold him?"

"Fitz, I" Gerry was a bit startled by the request.

"Here, there's a rocking chair. The same one you and mom used to sit in with me, at least that's what MiMi told me. Sit down."

Gerry walked slowly and cautiously to the chair. Before he sat down, he faced Fitz. Fitz handed Grant off to his father. Grant's hands shot up with the movement, but he took a deep breath, and continued sleeping peacefully.

As soon as Gerry felt Grant in his arms, he had to sit down. He felt weak at the knees. This brought back so many memories of Emma handing Fitz to him. "Your son", she had said to him.

"Your grandson," Fitz said, as he watched his father sit. Looking down now at his father, a hate in his heart, a feeling he's never felt before, Fitz found the strength to continue.

"But you already knew that right? Olivia reached out to you, told you she was pregnant and wanted my input on her decision. Then, when she decided to keep him, she reached out to you again. Do you remember your words to her?"

Gerry's eyes didn't leave the baby. For the first time in almost 25 years, he felt a wetness in his eyes he had grown unfamiliar to. He blinked rapidly to keep the tears in. "I remember," he whispered.

"Tell me, what did you say to her?"

Gerry bit his bottom lip. Looking at his grandson now, thinking back to the picture he was holding a few moments ago, "I told her to do what she wanted, you would never know."

"I would never know. What else? The second time she called, what else did you say?"

"Fitz, I'm."

"DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE SORRY!" His voice was loud, but not yelling. He didn't want to wake Olivia, Grant he wouldn't mind, then Gerry would get to look into the blue eyes that Fitz inherited from Gerry and Grant inherited from Fitz.

"He didn't budge." Gerry said.

"What?" Fitz asked confused.

"When your voice got loud, he didn't budge. Just like you. You were always sleeping through all the noises, no matter what was going on around you, nothing bothered you." Gerry began rocking him. He stopped. He looked up at Fitz, finally.

"I told her to forget the Grant name."

Not satisfied with his father's answer, he corrected him. "No, you said, he's a married man now, it was just a fling, I've had many and I'll have many more. Then, you told her to forget me, and to forget the Grant name."

The room grew eerily quiet now. Gerry felt a knot in his stomach. He wanted to hand the baby back to Fitz, the guilt was now consuming him.

"Fitz, you were on your way to Governor, you were still confused about Mellie, you just needed to get back on track."

"Want to know what his name is?" Fitz was still as cold as could be, Gerry could hear the hurt, the anger in his voice, almost daring him to ask for his grandson's name.

Gerry didn't answer. He looked down at the baby once again. "Olivia Pope, she seemed like a plant, a decoy, like she was planted in that hotel to do this." He motioned to Grant, as if he was a painting Olivia did.

"Grant Thomas Pope. That's his name. Olivia was so sure she made a mistake, that she would never see me again, that I possibly would never know I had a son, that she named him the best way she could after me. She thought she decided to have a married man's baby. So, this is your grandson, Grant."

"Grant." Gerry repeated. Suddenly, as if he knew his name, he moved his little head from side to side once, and opened his eyes, looking directly into Gerry's eyes. Grant blinked again to focus, and moved his hands a bit, as if he waving hello. Then, grandfather and grandson were just looking at one another. Fitz was able to quietly snap a picture.

It was that very moment; Gerry had realized the most terrible mistake he had ever made. He knew, looking in the eyes of the life his son helped to create, that Fitz would never forgive him. Gerry's eyes shifted to the door, seeing a shadow standing there.

"Fitz, do you want me to take Grant to my room?"

Fitz didn't turn around. "MiMi, check that Olivia is still sleeping please."

Fitz continued to watch his father as Gerry watched Grant. "You had Olivia so brainwashed that I was married, that I wanted nothing to do with her, you denied me knowledge of my child."

"She is sleeping Fitz, peacefully, soundly, she was exhausted, you could tell."

"Take Grant from my father. Sit with him in here. I'm taking my father next door to my childhood room."

Dolores reached down, she scooped Grant into her arms, kissing him as she cradled him and stepped to the side, protecting him from Gerry. She waited for Gerry to walk to the door, and she sat in the rocking chair with Grant.

Fitz walked over to the darkened window, as his father sat on the bed. "The Fall of Freddie the Leaf." Fitz said to the window.

"Excuse me?" Gerry asked.

"The Fall of Freddie the Leaf. "Life lasts forever."

Gerry's shoulders slumped remembering the day he read the book to him. "Son."

"No, I'm not your son. Not anymore. Let's forget for the time being that I have a son. Let's talk about Mellie first. I want you to make it clear to her, I want nothing to do with her. I don't want you conspiring with her to try to get back in my life. She doesn't talk to the press, she doesn't use my name for any campaign, nothing, I am done with her. That's number one."

"Fitz, don't you think Mellie has a right to…"

"NO! Mellie has a right to nothing about me. You knew, for God's sake, you knew she couldn't have children, and you knew that I had a child on the way out there, and you still kept it from me. The way I opened up to you that day in the garden, telling you how I want to be a father, to keep mom's memory alive. That meant nothing to you."

"That's not true, Fitz. We were both grieving."

"Boozer." Fitz changed the subject.

"What?"

"Boozer, do you even know what Jax Putney hired him to do?"

"I-I, no, I don't, I didn't want to know."

"Because Jax is a criminal, and you still acquainted yourself with him, called him a friend. Boozer was used to attack Olivia's mother. He broke both her legs with a bat. She's had months of extensive therapy, she even had to move to another state in fear of Jax finishing the job."

Gerry covered his mouth and closed his eyes. "I had no idea Jax even knew Olivia."

Fitz turned from the window now. He faced his father. "Chip, you wanted Chip Putney to be my Lt. Governor. Did you know he had a restraining order against him? Did you know he was lead suspect in the murder of his wife."

Gerry didn't talk. He nodded his head.

"You know who he murdered? He murdered Olivia's sister. Olivia is the one who had the restraining order drawn up against him on behalf of her sister, Abby. Did you know that?"

"Fitz, I had no idea. I just…"

"You just ignored the fact that you tried to get a criminal on my team. What would have happened had I done that, and the media caught on? Did you think Jax, and you could hide it, oh wait, I guess you did, because you know what? Chip tried to kill Olivia when she was six months pregnant."

"NOW THAT I DIDN'T KNOW!" Gerry yelled it.

"Held her up against the wall, choking the air out of her, while threatening to cut the baby out of her stomach, even had her get stitches on her lip. She has a scar there now, a reminder of how she almost died, how Grant almost died. Had it not been for the guard Olivia hired to protect her from the Putney's both her and Grant would be dead."

Gerry covered his eyes now. "I had no idea." He whispered.

"Yeah, that excuse isn't going to cut it for me. You know why, because you took it one step further. You are the only one who can get phone call access in the Governor's mansion. You told Jax where Olivia would be this past weekend. He sent Chip to finish her."

"No, not to finish her, to get her back to New York, because." Gerry was too quick to jump to his own defense, burying himself in the process.

"Because you didn't want me to find out about my child. You know how much I love her, how I never got over her, and if I knew she was in state, I would go to her, but now that I know she has my child, our child, you know I am never letting her go, and that must eat away at you dad."

"I never would have involved the Putneys had I known the history." Gerry said

"Oh, you would have gotten some other criminal in your line of political favors to scare Olivia away. Jax tried at the courthouse to scare her away, it didn't work. In fact, Jake took the deal because of Olivia."

"Like I said, it was a convenience she was in that hotel room that weekend. It wasn't an accident."

Fitz shook his head. "You're disgusting. You don't even know the circumstances of that weekend, but that's when I woke up, that's when my eyes opened. Your security left me alone for two minutes and I got away, and my life changed forever."

"You made a mistake."

"No, what happened was Olivia asked me what I wanted. No one ever did that for me. Olivia chased security from the door, lied to you in the presence of Mellie, and saw me for me. She didn't see me as some politician, she saw me as a person, human. You never saw me like that, Mellie just wanted the name. So, I took control of my life. The only mistake I made was wanting to be like you."

"You're never going to get into the White House with a baby out of wedlock, a side woman like Olivia for your pleasure."

Fitz took a punch at Gerry, something he never thought he would do, and watched as his father grabbed his mouth and watched the blood drip from his lip.

"What Olivia went through to have my baby, her bravery all around through the pregnancy, at the hotel this weekend, she's done more for me in my life than you have ever done. I was just another steppingstone in power for you. You sit back. Watch how I dismantle the Putney's, watch how I turn this state around, because if there's one thing, I learned from that weekend back in May it's I could be different. I could be the difference no one would see coming. I am not you; I never will be you. For the first time in my life, I am glad my mother is dead. She doesn't get to see the cold-hearted beast you have become."

Fitz reached the shelf. He grabbed the picture Gerry had in his hands. He dropped the picture frame into Gerry's lap. He pulled out his phone, pushed a few buttons and sent the picture he took of Gerry holding Grant to Gerry's phone.

As Gerry's phone buzzed, Tom and Luther arrived at the door. Fitz looked at his father one last time. "The Fall of Freddie the Leaf." He reached up. Above Fitz's childhood bed was the book his father gave him so many years ago. He dropped that, also, into his father's lap and turned to his two detail.

"Please see to it that my father leaves the premises and put him on the list as security breach. His is not welcomed here any longer." Fitz turned to leave the room.

"Fitz, come on, Fitz, wait, Fitz."

"It's ok dad, I don't exist to you. See how that feels. Forget my name. I am going to undo every thing you did wrong for this state as Governor. You pray that your criminal acts with Jax isn't as easy to find out as his is, because you will go down with him. Goodbye dad." Fitz walked out, not even taking a last look at his father. He stopped by the nursery. Dolores was looking over the crib at the sleeping Grant.

"You can go back to bed MiMi, we have it from here."

Dolores came out of the room. She hugged Fitz, her hands only reaching his waist. He put his forehead on her head. "He's no good, Fitz, he lost his way."

He gave his MiMi a small kiss. "I know, MiMi." Good night.

Fitz turned on the baby monitor. He saw Grant lying in his crib, eyes closed, not a worry in the world. Fitz plopped on the bed. Olivia was sleeping. Her eyes closed, like their son, no movement, no nightmares. Fitz's heart was aching, he loved her so much, and he just something he never thought he would do.

He remembered when Olivia told him about her father, how he left, how she was parentless, a foster child. How he wished now his father just left, instead of controlling him for so many years. It was just them now, him and Olivia along with their son.

Fitz put his finger on her forehead, and softly traced her face down to her lips. He stopped at the scar, staring at it with so much anger. It wouldn't be there had his father just told him the truth. She wouldn't have had to go through that ordeal if Gerry was honest with him. "I love you so much." he said in the quietest of whispers.

Liv grabbed Fitz's hand, not gently, in defense. She squeezed his wrist and she shot up in fear. She looked at him, and calmed down. She took a deep breath and put her head back on the pillow. Fitz was still just staring at her. "Fitz, you alright?" She looked at the monitor and saw Grant sleeping. "Grant ok?'

"Yeah, everything is fine, I just couldn't sleep. I have to be up early and out, just watching you while I can." He softly smiled. "Go back to sleep. No nightmares, huh?"

"Not when I'm with you. I feel safe with you." She rubbed his face. "You sure you're alright?"

"Yes." He put his forehead down and connected with hers. She turned and put her arm around his waist, rubbing his back. It was soothing him.

They fell asleep like that. Forehead to forehead, with Liv rubbing his back, finding comfort in comforting him. His arm around her as well, until the beginning of the morning light peeked in the window.

A small cry from Grant had Olivia stir out of sleep. Fitz was looking in the mirror, fixing his tie. She glanced over at the clock. 6 a.m., looking at Fitz. "You look sexy as a Governor, all dressed up."

He smiled. Dolores gave a knock on the door. She was holding Grant. "Good morning, Governor, Good morning, Miss Olivia."

"Please, just Olivia or Liv." She reached up for Grant. "Are you hungry handsome boy? You feeling like the caterpillar on Tuesday? Did he wake you up MiMi?"

"Not at all. I changed him already. He just wanted his mommy to feed him. Besides I would never tell you if he woke me up. He is just a delight. Fitz, I'll have some breakfast for you before you leave."

Liv let Grant latch and Fitz held his elbow up on the bed watching. "Don't ruin your clothes by laying down Fitz." Liv sat up with Grant.

Fitz rubbed Grant's forehead and leaned in for a kiss. "Be good for mommy, ok. Daddy won't be long today."

Liv stopped Fitz's hand. "What's this?" She looked at the ring he was wearing.

"My college graduation ring. I have a meeting today with the Student Government Association from Santa Barbara University. Want to show off my Alma Mater." He twisted the ring a bit. He caught her eyes and just looked at her. "Love you Livvie, I'll be home in time for the sunset. Take advantage of all the ranch has to offer ok."

Liv couldn't pinpoint it, but there was a sadness about him. Something she hadn't seen before. "Fitz is there anything you want to talk about."

"Sir." Tom knocked on the door. "Car is ready." Tom turned and left.

"Later." He kissed Liv and Grant and left.

Fitz called to Davis, who joined him and Tom and rushed out the door. He didn't want Dolores catching him leaving without breakfast. He didn't have much of an appetite this morning. Tom jumped into the front seat with Luther driving and Davis was in back with the Governor.

"Why did you ask me to come?" Davis was curious.

"I just want someone with me who has been with Liv during her whole pregnancy ordeal. I closed one door last night with my father, today I'm closing another. I'd like you there. So, are you liking the ranch?"

"It's a beautiful place, gorgeous piece of property with so much to offer. I've already spoken to Liv about staying. I can go back to New York and work with Quinn. Liv can work virtually with her, it's what she did most of the time anyway."

Fitz squinted at Davis. "Liv didn't get out much when she was pregnant?"

"After the attack." Davis put his head down in guilt. "After the attack, we moved to a more secluded part of the state. We encouraged her to take walks to get some sunlight, but she wouldn't. Besides being upset over you not knowing, and then the fear of Chip and his men, she pretty much kept to herself, me, and Huck."

Fitz nodded looking out the window. "Don't blame yourself for what Chip did to her. He's a criminal, he'll get his. I don't know how to thank you for being there at all to get him off her, she told me she was about to lose her breath."

Davis nodded. "Yeah, she was…." He stopped. He didn't know how much Liv had told him.

"Go on." Fitz said.

"She was gasping for air. She wouldn't cave to him, wouldn't plead for her life or scream. She never will let him win, Governor, this is going to be a battle. When I went in there, and hit him, Liv was already getting weak at the knees. She fell to me, and I stitched her up. I really wanted to kill him, but she won't let us, me or Huck, she just won't let us retaliate."

"I know, she wants him to suffer in prison, to live with the guilt of what he did to Abby. We're here."

Davis saw a sign that said Los Angeles. He looked at Fitz. "I thought we were heading to Sacramento, to the Governor's mansion."

"Oh we are. From here we are going to catch a plane to Sacramento. I just have a stop to make. Tom, how much time do I have?"

"Twenty minutes until he can lawyer up. His father has been in the building for the past 24 hours."

"Good, make sure I'm in without being seen. Come on Davis."

They entered the windowless building through a secluded door. Davis read a sign that said Holding Cell that pointed down. They went through a door, then another door. There were cement walls all around and in front of them was a tinted window. Davis peered inside. He turned to Fitz, a bit shocked. "Governor, what are you going to do?"

Fitz gave him tight lipped smile. He patted him on the shoulder. "I'm not going to kill him if that's what you're worried about. Just make sure I do this the right way, stay here, it's important he doesn't see you. He has a few more minutes before he can get a lawyer, so I have to hurry."

Back at the ranch, Liv got dressed, very casually. She had to go shopping for some clothes. She only packed for a weekend. She wanted something nice to wear for the sunset this evening, maybe just a sundress, anything nicer than jeans and a t-shirt.

Dolores knocked on the door. Liv smiled. "Hey MiMi, thank you so much for taking care of Grant last night. I was so tired. That sleep did wonders for me." Liv walked over to the bed and scooped Grant into her arms. "Want to go for a walk?"

"I would love that, Olivia. Oh, you are going to love the grounds. I'll show you everywhere Fitz played as a child. He would find the best hiding places."

"Can you show me the beach house? I want to have a surprise ready for Fitz there tonight."

"Only if you promise I can watch Grant for the two of you tonight. You need some time alone with the Governor."

Liv nodded. "Ok. I could tell something was bothering him this morning." Liv looked concerned. She placed Grant in the carriage, and let Dolores push him. Dolores knew her way around, so she should guide the carriage.

"Little man met grandpa last night." Dolores said looking at Grant. "I know that devil fell in love with him, but he forgot what love is, and now it's…" She stopped. "Fitz didn't tell you, did he?"

Liv crossed her arms. She stopped walking. "Gerry? He was here last night?"

"Please just let Fitz tell you, ok. He cut ties with him, there was yelling, words were said. I can't give you all the details because I don't know them, but he is going to need you to talk to."

Liv looked at Dolores. "I won't say anything MiMi. So, Gerry really liked him?" She couldn't believe it, but it doesn't matter does it, Fitz did what he did. God, she wished he was here now. It made sense to her now, how he was acting last night. His heart was probably in pieces.

"Dear, what happened to you during your pregnancy? Did Gerry do something to you? I see there's a scar on your lip, is that from something that happened.?"

Liv began walking ,slowly again, along a trail of beautiful palm trees and hills way out in the distance. "It wasn't Gerry, but Gerry knew I was pregnant. I was attacked when I was six months pregnant with Grant. Gerry never told Fitz about the pregnancy. The attack could have been avoided." Liv saw a bench facing the hills. "Mind if we sit for little bit?"

"Absolutely. Grant is sleeping. He's such a good baby Olivia, just like his father. I mean no offense, I didn't know you as a baby."

"None taken. I'm not sure how I was. I never got to talk to my parents about it. But, that's a story for another day."

Fitz walked into the holding cell. The battered face of Charles Putney looked up at him. He was bruised from eye to jaw. "You look fucking beautiful" Fitz said as he sat down. Chip was handcuffed to the table. Fitz looked over at the guard. "Uncuff him."

"Governor I strongly suggest."

"UNCUFF HIM" Fitz yelled. He was directly across from Chip.

"Yes sir." The guard did as Fitz asked.

"Don't move from the chair Chip, I'll have you cuffed in a matter of seconds, you hear me."

"I want a fucking lawyer you shit. Get a little power and this is what you fucking do with it?"

"I have twenty minutes before you legally can get a lawyer, so shut up. You're lucking arresting you is all that happened. You shouldn't have killed your father's leading man."

"I didn't kill him. I swear to God, I didn't kill him. There was a guy on the ship, he did it. I swear, he took me from Oakland to…." Chip shut up.

"Oakland? What were you doing in Oakland?"

"Nothing, I want my lawyer."

"No, if you're saying you were in Oakland, I can check that out. Where were you?"

Chip knew he couldn't say it. He used an alias; he had no proof. "Just forget it. Why the fuck are you here anyway?"

Fitz stood up. "I think that question should be aimed at you. You are on bail in New York, why are you in California. You do know your facing extradition back to New York. Your trial for the murder of Abby Whelan will begin immediately when you get back. You fucked up."

"Fitz, come on. Don't do this. We go way back."

He walked behind Chip now. The door opened and Tom walked in. He stood in front of Chip. All the while, Davis was outside watching everything going on, still not sure why Fitz asked him here.

"That's him." Chip went to stand up and Fitz pushed him back down from his shoulders. "That's the fucker from the boat, the one that killed Lewis."

"That's my security detail, my secret service. He was with me that whole weekend, I think you're losing your mind Chip. He's here to make sure you don't do anything stupid."

Chip's eyes never left Tom's. "You're too much of a pussy to fight your own battles now, huh, Fitz. Little silver spoon Governor can't fight. You were always a mama's boy."

Olivia stared at the hills. "It's beautiful, that scene. It's so quiet and serene." She took a deep breath. 'I was grabbed from behind."

Fitz put his arm around Chip's neck and pulled him out of the chair, grabbing him from behind. Fitz turned him and pushed him up against the wall. He was facing him now.

Dolores grabbed Olivia's hand. "Oh gosh"

"He pushed me up against the wall in my building, having me face him. He saw I was pregnant, he threatened to cut the baby out. He had a knife, so I wasn't going to move. His arm went across my neck, and he began to push, beginning to take the breath out of me." Liv closed her eyes remembering.

Fitz's arm went across Chip's neck. Fitz applied pressure onto his neck. He heard Chip begin gasping for air. He was slapping at Fitz's arm, trying to get some words out, but the breath was being taken out of him.

"I wouldn't scream, I wouldn't plead. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. If my baby was going to die, I would die with him. He had a ring on, his ring was digging into my lip, causing it to split open."

Fitz didn't completely lie about the ring to Olivia this morning. It was on him because of the student meeting, but it was on him for this reason mainly. He made sure it was penetrating now onto Chip's lip, he noticed blood begin to ooze out of Chip's lip, as he was still breathing for air.

"Maybe you want to go a bit quicker, Chip." Tom walked over and held a knife out for Fitz. "I could take the knife and cut a hole in your stomach, if you so wish."

Chip looked at him curiously now. He was describing exactly what he was going to do to Olivia Pope. In fact he was getting the same punishment right now that Olivia Pope got at his hands. What the fuck was going on? Chip couldn't think straight, his breath was being squeezed out of his lungs.

"Davis, he was with me. It wasn't his fault I had asked him to wait outside the building while I went back inside, I was waiting for Fitz to call a phone I had and I had forgotten the phone inside. I just ran in to get it. Anyway, I took too long, and Davis came in right on time. He knocked the attacker out, and I was able to breathe again. Davis had to stitch my lip, two stitches, but enough for a scar." Liv shrugged. "A reminder of what I went through."

Fitz was satisfied watching Chip turn a shade of blue, while his lip was split open. He let go of his grip and watched Chip fall to the ground getting air back into his lungs. Fitz took off his ring, put it in his pocket, and looked down at Chip.

Davis stood outside, his mouth opened in shock. He just witnessed what he witnessed when he walked in on Chip attacking Olivia. Fitz reenacted the scene perfectly, only thing, Chip wasn't pregnant. Davis smiled. Fitz was the real deal. There was no doubt Liv would be safe with him.

"Get up you prick. You have some nerve calling me a pussy. Guard, cuff him back up." The guard walked in, picked up Chip and sat him back down.

Chip was licking the blood away from his lip having no hands to wipe it away. "Look what you did to my lip."

"Me? I didn't do anything to your lip, you wiped it while the cuffs were on, cutting it in the process, right Tom."

"Yes sir."

"What fucking game are you playing Fitz? WHAT GAME ARE YOU PLAYING?" Chip actually began to cry.

"Who's the pussy now?" Fitz laughed.

The door opened and Jax walked in with some woman. Jax took one look at Chip. He looked at Fitz. "You are going to pay dearly for this, so help me God."

"Threatening a Governor are you, you do know your counsel can be called as a witness."

The woman put her hand up. "Jax, shut up." She turned to Fitz. "Governor Grant, I'm Leslie Alum, I'll be representing Charles Putney." She put her hand out.

Fitz ignored the hand. "I'll see you at the extradition hearing." He looked at Jax. "Make sure you don't cut yourself when you're in cuffs next like your shit ass of a son."

Jax went to leap at Fitz, but Tom stopped him. "One day Fitz, you aren't going to have this beast by your side and I'm going to."

"SHUT UP!" Leslie screamed as Fitz left.

Liv began walking again with Dolores. Grant was wide awake now enjoying the fresh air. Liv was talking to him. "Hello baby boy, Grant, hey, hello." Grant's eyes were looking all around. He was kicking his tiny feet.

Dolores stopped pushing the carriage. "This is the beach house."

Liv looked up at an enormous building. She noticed a balcony enclosed on the second floor. "This house is amazing."

"Five bedrooms, 3 baths, a rec room, a patio, beachfront, balcony, it has it all. Over there." Dolores pointed to the ocean. "That's where you can watch the sunset with the perfect view from the balcony. Fitz used to sit up there when he was mayor and just watch it every night. It brought him peace."

"Would you mind coming inside with me MiMi? Let's make tonight special for Fitz, ok. Tell me all about Fitz, if you would, as a baby, as a child, as a mayor."

"My favorite topic." They entered the enormous, beautiful house ready to plan an evening much needed for the Governor and Olivia.

"Governor, that was something." Davis was following Fitz to the car.

"Did I do her justice?"

"You most certainly did."

The next few hours Fitz spent at the Governor's mansion. He planned for the next few days to be working from Santa Barbara. He had a press conference scheduled for Friday, he had a meeting after the Student Government meeting, with his press secretary.

The California Senate and Assembly were briefed via phone conference about drawing up a bill for the federal government for stricter jail time for domestic abusers. "I want the bill on my desk, ready to go before my press conference on Friday. Use the Ballard sentencing and plea deal as a guide."

Before Fitz left for the day, he made a list of items to be discussed for the following few days. They included eliminating three programs that have been funded by the state since his father was Governor. His deputy assistant looked at him confusingly. "Sir, these were your father's legacies."

"Good, now it's time for them to be gone. I want the wording to eliminate them by Thursday, and by Friday I'll have better programs in their place. Have a good night Gregory."

Huck was sitting with Grant and Olivia in the rec room of the ranch house. Huck was busy playing some childish game on the television.

"Huck, turn the game off and tell me."

Huck was trying to avoid Olivia. Davis had told him what Fitz did to Chip. Huck wanted Fitz to be the one to tell Olivia, but Huck was no good at keeping things from Liv.

"Uh, this game is really…" The screen went off. Liv stood in front of the screen, her arms crossed waiting for Huck to talk.

"Fine, he attacked Chip today."

"He did what?" Liv picked up the phone.

"No." Huck grabbed the phone, "let him tell you. He did to Chip exactly what Chip did to you when you were attacked."

"Oh my God." Liv closed her eyes. "The ring." She remembered.

"Uh, you look beautiful, Liv. What's going on tonight?"

"Dolores is going to watch Grant, with you and Davis. I'm going to the beach house with Fitz tonight." She smiled. "We're going to watch the sunset."

"And?" Huck looked at her.

"Shush!'

"You deserve this Liv. You really do. Quinn said you're going to meet her tomorrow."

"Yeah, Chip got his defense lawyer. Leslie Alum, could you."

"On it. I'll have all the details for you before the meeting."

The door opened and Fitz walked in. He looked as fresh as he left this morning. He didn't have a wrinkle, a scratch, not even a five o'clock shadow. He took Liv's breath away, as did she to him.

He picked up Grant from the seat he was in. He put him over his shoulder, kissing him first. "Hey big guy, did you take care of mommy today? Did you show her around?" He turned to Liv. "You look gorgeous."

Liv was wearing a Blue sea faux wrapped sundress. Her shoulders were curved under the tank like sleeves, her waist was fit perfectly in the waistband. He leaned over and whispered, "I can't wait till this comes off."

She interlocked her hand with his. She reached up and kissed him gently on his lips. She took Grant from him, kissing him and handed him over to Huck. "We're right in the beach house if you need anything."

They began walking following the same trail she had taken with Dolores several hours before. She looked up at the darkening sky. They stopped right before the entrance of the house. Fitz looked over towards the beach. "The sun is going to set in a few minutes."

Liv looked up and saw the sky, still blue with some clouds but beyond that the sky was beginning to turn a golden orange. She led Fitz into the house. He noticed the table set up with covered dishes, dinner awaiting them, candles waiting to be lit. He smiled.

"What's this?"

"Just a little something I had set up." She continued through the bedroom. Fitz saw some strawberries on a dish next to the bed.

"Liv, what's…."

"Shhh, let's enjoy the sunset, ok." She led him out to the balcony. They had the perfect view as the golden sun began to sink into the gorgeous blue waters, Fitz wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Don't be mad at me Liv, ok." He whispered in her ear. "My father met Grant last night." His head fell onto her shoulders, and she could feel his tears on her skin.

She closed her eyes, the sunset light still glowing in her sight. She thought of what he risked today for her, what he did to Chip. She tilted her head onto his. "Tell me all about it Fitz, I could never be mad at you."