The night before the ball
Liv sat on the bench in the thinking garden. Erin had just said her good night, taking little Grant inside with her to put him down for the night. MiMi had offered to go get a few things Erin needed before the ball. With the watchful eyes of Huck as he typed away on his computer Liv looked into the lighted garden.
Rubbing her forearms, she thought about the past few days. Fitz had been gone the whole day, having a meeting with lawmakers in DC. He had left late last night, and it was the first night Liv had been without him by her side since they got married. "Married." She said the word out loud just to hear it, because she still couldn't believe it.
There was no doubt he would run into his father in DC, and Liv was waiting for Fitz to arrive home to hear all about it. She was also a bundle of nerves, not knowing what tomorrow night at the ball would bring.
Everything was set. Grant had a little tuxedo to match his father's. Erin's dress was stunning and MiMi made any necessary adjustments that were needed for Erin to have the perfect fit. Liv's dress was simply gorgeous and very rarely did Liv compliment herself but she looked damn good in it.
Her thoughts raced back to just four days ago when they got married. That night in the duplex was, by far, absolutely amazing.
After hearing his bill was defeated, Liv didn't know what kind of mood he would be in, she wouldn't blame him for being angry, even frustrated, but it was just the opposite.
Upon entering the home, Fitz picked her up, wedding style and kissed her. "Welcome home Mrs. Grant." Her hands ruffled up his curls and they kissed as he held her, walking to the couch. That would be the first place they made love as husband and wife, as Fitz slowly undressed her, and just took in her body, as he undressed himself.
"I've been waiting all day for this Livvie; you have made me the happiest man on this planet." He came back down to her as her body took the length of the couch. He pushed a button on a remote and Liv heard the instrumental of soft music in the back as he kissed from her stomach up to her neck.
Reaching for a condom, he looked at her. "You really need to get on birth control, I want to feel all of you."
"Or", Liv said as she kissed his neck, "we could work on baby number two." A loud groan came from him.
"Livvie don't do that to me. I am already so turned on." He guided his rock hard erection to her entrance as he felt her legs wrap tightly around him.
"No teasing." She whispered. "I want you in me, deep, I want to feel my husband." She pulled at his curls, as his lips devoured hers, and he slid right into her soaking wet entrance.
His head now resting on her chest, as she rubbed his curls, they filled the couch, both of them breathing heavily. Liv coming down from two mind blowing orgasms and Fitz leading her up to both of them to get to his. "That was heavenly, Mrs. Grant."
"MMMM say that again." Liv kissed the top of his head.
"That was heavenly?" He smiled against her chest.
'You know what I mean, Mister."
"Mrs. Grant, Mrs. Grant, Mrs. Grant." He kissed her breast, circling her nipple with his tongue. "I could say it all night."
"I don't want dinner, Governor, I want you, in bed, all night." She kissed his forehead as he rubbed her smooth, silky skin on her thigh, continuing on to her other breast.
"I can live with that." He picked her up and led her to the bedroom, where the rest of the night was spent sporadically making love.
At the peak of the morning daylight into the room, Liv covered her eyes into his chest. Kissing from his breast up to his neck she stopped. "How was making love to your wife, Governor Grant?"
"Mmmm say that again." He smiled.
"Your wife, Governor Grant."
"Oh, I like that. It was everything I dreamed times ten." He kissed her. "How was your day yesterday?"
Liv told Fitz about Loretta and the first judge that would probably be caught. She had also given Joyce a call. She was doing as best as she can awaiting her hearing in a week. "What about you, the bill?"
"Scott Demp, Putney's guy. He got to the one assemblyman, got him to change his vote, and we were defeated. It happens. I'm going to have plenty of faceoffs with Putney funded lawmakers. We'll get him. The first blow will come at the ball."
That day Liv went to the other shelter, the one she met Joyce at and filed some paperwork with Janice. Janice was as comforting as when Liv first met her, and although she was there for strictly paperwork, Liv promised to be back to help other women in need of legal advice.
Fitz was gone for the day also, stuck in legislature for hours drafting up at least 50 more bills. That night was much like the night before, then they headed home to Grant and the others at the ranch.
Wednesday, they took Grant to the doctor and spent the day as a family on the ranch in Santa Barbara. Fitz was called away a few times, but it had been the most time they spent together as parents to Grant and Liv couldn't deny she loved every minute of it.
Fitz left then, to DC, and here Liv was back to reality waiting for him to come home. They were ready to walk into that ball together and to give California what they wanted: A happily married Governor with a child. Liv couldn't be nervous anymore, in fact, she wanted this over with.
Jax
Dez sat listening to his boss slur his words, but still make sense. He had orders for tomorrow night, and nothing better go wrong. Seeing how easily Jax got Rafael to kill his brother Andres, Dez wasn't about to mess anything up. Whatever his boss wanted, his boss was getting.
"I have been called away for an urgent meeting I cannot miss. I have every intention of getting to the ball, but just in case, we need Fitz's story announced. Is Fallon ready to go with you?"
"She is. I gave her pictures of Olivia Pope, if Olivia is there Fallon will take care of her."
"And if she isn't there? What's the plan?"
"Rafael is going to the ranch house. If Olivia is there with the kid, he'll take them both, if not, he'll take the kid and the nanny, you want her dead?"
"No, not dead, I'm guessing Erin, the redhead's mother will be there. I want her, you get that right, I want her, she's the one I really want. What about his security?"
"Look, just do your business, alright, I got this, Jax."
"Just covering all angles." Besides, I'll be right there at the beach house retrieving my gun and killing Fitz's little MiMi.
"Ok, boss, what about Fitz's caretaker, Dolores?" It was as if Dez was reading his mind.
Jax downed his drink. "Not a factor. I know she won't be there. With Erin there, she's taking some time off, just focus on the kid and Erin." Jax felt his heart begin to pound. Dolores wasn't smart enough to lead him into a trap, she wants something in return for that gun.
"Boss, what about the rumors that the Governor is married to Olivia? How are we dealing with that? The whole premises is the kid out of wedlock with the Pope woman."
"It's a ploy, they aren't married. He's wearing that ring to throw people off. If he was married, Gerry would have told me. Despite our differences lately, that's not something he would have held back, especially knowing we're taking him down tomorrow." Jax rubbed his face in thought.
He leaned over and rummaged through the pile of pictures in the middle of the table. He took out the one of Olivia Pope, the one of Erin, and the one of Abby. He poured himself another glass, staring at the three pictures he lined up in front of him.
"Boss, you alright?" Dez looked at him staring at the pictures.
"I can live with the loss of money, Dez, money is always out there to make. It's the loss of my boy I can't live with. These three women are the reason I don't have my boy anymore, and I am thinking how the remaining two can pay. I want them both, Olivia and Erin, and I want them to suffer for what happened to Chip." He finished the drink he poured, not knowing it was last time he would taste his favorite Johnnie Walker Black Label.
"They'll pay boss, I promise you that, they will pay." Dez reassured him.
Jax stood up and gave Dez a pat on the back. "We all set?"
"It's all good boss, good luck with your meeting tomorrow and I'll see you at the ball."
"You're a good man Dez, loyal, Chip always thought of you as a brother. Have a good night."
Dez took one last look at Jax as he walked away not realizing it would be the final time he ever spoke to the man who had taken him off the streets.
Big Gerry
Arriving in Santa Barbara at 2 pm, He checked into a small hotel not too far from the ranch house. He didn't want to be noticed, so he planned on staying in his room until the ball tomorrow.
It took every ounce of constraint not to drive into the Ranch house. He really needed to see Grant, see how his grandson was doing. He wanted to apologize to Olivia, make things right with him and Fitz, but he feared that ship had long since sailed. He caught a glimpse of the large gate he had installed so many years ago.
The big G in the middle was closed, no doubt locked, but Gerry noticed two secret service men stationed outside the gate. He's never had that before, giving Gerry more of the notion that his son was going all out to protect his own son and his possible new wife.
Why couldn't Fitz understand, then, that's exactly what Big Gerry had done for him. "Sir." His driver broke his thoughts. "You want to stop at the ranch?"
"No, thank you, straight to the hotel." Gerry looked out the window as the ranch house and property became a distant blip in sight.
Never guessing it would be the last time he ever spoke to his long time friend, Gerry dialed Jax's number. Not in a confrontational mood at all, when Jax picked up Gerry was cordial.
"What time are you getting to the ball tonight?"
"Are you trying to stop something that's going to happen? You know, Gerry, I have people you don't know going to be there, this is happening."
"I'm not calling to argue with you Jax, I just want to know what time you're getting there, so I know when this is all going down."
"You're not going to be there?"
"No, I'm still in DC" Gerry lied. "I have no intention of Fitz thinking I'm even remotely part of this."
He heard Jax take a deep breath. Jax held, in his hand, the picture of Erin. His finger went down her face. He flicked it in disgust, it was like looking at an older Abby. "I'm not going right there, I have an urgent meeting to take care of business. I figure I'll get there about an hour after it starts, I have people though, ready to call out your boy."
"You know, doing this Jax may backfire, it may make him the opposite and the people may embrace him. I wouldn't be so sure you have it all thought out."
"You know, Gerry, our friendship, although toxic at times, was truly one I cherished. We went through hell and back together. It's a shame our boys never saw eye to eye. I am not going to lie it burns me up with jealousy to see Fitz became just what you said he would. It's a shame you aren't a part of it, though, I know how much you shaped him to be a good leader. Anyway, he goes down tonight, regardless of what you think. If I see you there, then we'll have a drink, if I don't see you there, well, consider this goodbye."
Gerry closed his eyes, shaking his head as his car pulled into the hotel driveway. "Don't do this Jax, let the vendetta go already. Chip is gone, so much heartache, for what?"
"Gerry, it was good talking to you, I have things to do."
Gerry heard the line go dead. He checked into his room with nothing but his tux and his thoughts. Maybe, just maybe before he gets to the ball, he will try to contact Fitz. Perhaps he'll gain the courage to even get to the ranch house and face Olivia in person, maybe that will clear Fitz's heart for forgiveness.
The Grants
Finally lying in bed with Fitz, Liv wasn't into the kissing storm she was getting from Fitz. He was kissing all around her neck, but her body was numb. "What if something goes wrong?"
Fitz stopped kissing her. He took a frustrated breath. "Nothing is going wrong. I have triple the security I would normally have, hell I feel like I felt on the night I met you. Huck is going to be glued to Erin and Grant, along with two others."
"Before we are, or I am introduced, Evan is going to say a few words, he's going to play the interview I did the other day, calling out Jax, it's all good, Livvie, try to relax."
Her hand rested on his shoulder blade. She scrunched her body to get comfortable under him. Cupping his face, she kissed him. "You really sure about Grant."
"I'm sure about everything, will you stop." He rolled off her. Grant gave a squeal from his room. Fitz got up. Opening the door he saw MiMi. "I got him MiMi, go back to sleep."
"Hey big guy, not you too. You aren't nervous about tomorrow are you?" Fitz lifted him out of the crib. "Look, look over there." Grant stopped crying with Fitz's voice. "See, this is the suit you'll be wearing. You'll look just like daddy." Fitz smiled. MiMi pulled it off, she actually got a baby Dior tux. She really knew no boundaries when it comes to Grant.
He turned and she was standing in the doorway. "MiMi, I was just thinking how he's going to look in that tux, you went all out."
She grabbed his little hand, shaking it up and down. "Anything for my little man, right, Grant, anything for you." Grant rubbed his eye with his other hand. "He's tired, are you taking him?"
"Yeah, I'm going to take him in with Liv, she's a barrel of nerves."
"Fitz, I have to be somewhere early tomorrow, I am leaving a note in your inside pocket of your tux. Just in case I am not back to see you off, please read it after you introduce your son to the state, could you do that for me?"
Fitz's looked concerned, but shrugged. "Of course MiMi, I'll do that, but I do hope you're here to see us off."
"You'll be dazzled by Olivia in that dress, you won't miss me. Good night my loves."
In between his parents now, Grant had a whole new ball of energy. He was on his tummy, head up and with each one speaking, he would turn his head to the voices he was familiar with, his mom and dad.
"See, Liv, he's not the least bit nervous." Grant looked at his father and dipped his head down. Blue to blue, eyes connecting, "nope, tell your mommy to calm down, everyone is going to love you."
Grant put his head in the direction of Liv, pushing against her chest. "Looks like someone is hungry." Liv let him latch on, watching him now. His little hands in the air as he took in the milk, and Fitz rubbing his curls to comfort him to sleep. It didn't take much longer for his parents to fall asleep after Fitz had carried him back to his crib.
Evan's Ball/Jax's Death
MiMi did make it back in time to see everyone dressed up. She had used the beach house to take care of everything. It was all set up and she put the thought of watching Jax suffer in the back of her mind now.
Huck walked over to her. "I can send Toby with Erin and Grant, I could stay here with you."
"No, absolutely not, you are the best to watch over my little man, I would trust no one else, don't you worry yourself about me, who wants to hurt me?" She smiled as Liv made her way down the stairs.
"Oh my God, Olivia." Huck's voice never sounded so surprising.
"Fitz, get out here, right now, Fitz, Governor, now." MiMi looked at Erin. "That is so perfect on her, it just connects so well with her gorgeous skin tone. She's going to turn heads."
Fitz stopped in his tracks, holding Grant in his arms. "Look at your mama, look how pretty she is." She did look very Governor's wife like.
Dressed in a metallic purple full length gown, Liv had one shoulder showing her smooth skin. A drape came over the other arm where the shoulder wasn't exposed and Liv stopped at the bottom of the stairs.
Going to her back, Fitz clipped on a necklace. It was a silver chained lavender flower that came just below the neck. "My father gave this to my mother on their second date after she told him on her first date that the lavender was her favorite flower. You look so gorgeous." He kissed her neck.
"Thank you." She took a deep breath. She gave MiMi a big hug. "Thank you for giving me the courage to do this."
"Go, let the state love you, let the state love Grant, as much as they love and embrace Fitz."
Within a few minutes they were bypassing the line of cars waiting to get into the mayor's place, having clearance to enter around back. "You go into the party, mingle around. Luther is right there, he'll be with you, Huck…" Fitz looked at him.
"I know, Fitz, I won't lose sight of them."
"Once I get introduced to the podium, I'll have already have taken Grant from Erin, I'm walking out with him in my arms." The car came to a stop. Every one got out, except for Liv and Erin.
In her long dress, she moved over to Fitz and rested her head on his shoulder. "Are you sure?"
He kissed her head. "So sure." She looked at him, and they kissed. "Get ready Mrs. Grant, your time to shine."
In that line of cars waiting to be parked by valet, Dez and Fallon were on high alert for Jax. All of the runners had checked in with Dez, they would be working the politicians in the room, especially the ones loyal to Fitz. "Everyone has a price." That's what Jax taught Dez.
Dez looked over at Fallon, "if you see Olivia Pope, do not approach her, she probably has security watching her, stand your distance, we'll get her at the right time."
"What about the one Jax really wants, that redhead's mother, Chip's ex?"
"Jax doesn't think she'd be here, but if she is, I'll get her, man that would have Jax salivating at the mouth." Their car was next, the door was opened. "Showtime, Fallon, let's do this."
Jax's car made a left away from all the cars making a right towards the mayor's home. He was driving himself, not needing any witnesses to this, no matter how loyal some of his employees were. Upon entering the car, Jax called Rafael and told him the mission was off. "Big Gerry told me no one is at the ranch house, so it's off, go enjoy your evening."
Fitz's ranch house was five miles in the opposite direction. Since all cars looked alike going to that ball, the one that passed Jax's on the way to the ball went unnoticed. That was the car carrying the Senator from California, Big Gerry. Big Gerry would be entering the ball just minutes after his son, grandson, and new daughter in law.
Jax turned into the long driveway and noticed the gate was opened. A chill suddenly ran up his spine, he never remembered that gate ever being opened. Dolores was expecting him, almost welcoming him. "What do you have planned, you bitch?" He whispered as his car went through the gate and made a left towards the beach house.
MiMi was inside, standing at the upstairs window in the darkness. She saw the headlights from a distance, and pushed the button so the gate would open. Cautiously watching so that the car headed in the direction of the beach house and not the ranch house, MiMi was so focused on the car, she didn't notice the figure of the person who ran in just before the gate closed and locked.
Fitz climbed out of the car to a greeting Evan. He gave Fitz a pat on the shoulder and brief hug. Fitz smirked, "look at you all mayor and all, so happy for you, hope you raise a ton."
"Thanks to you being here, we're sold out. That's a nice shiny penny in itself." Evan turned to see Olivia get out of the car with Fitz's hand holding hers to guide her out. "Holy wow, you look stunning Olivia."
"Thank you." Olivia blushed. Behind her Erin, holding Grant stepped out, again Fitz guiding her out, giving Grant a gentle kiss on his head.
"Hey, you little tux man, look at you in your tuxedo. You look just like daddy. You ready to stun the world, huh?" Grant, not recognizing Evan's voice placed his head on his Nana's snuggling into her neck.
"Good to see you again Ms. Whelan." Evan nodded.
"See you on the other side." Fitz gave a quick kiss to Liv and walked up the path towards the house, two service guards following.
Huck and Luther, one in front, and one in back, went next with Liv, Erin, and Grant in the middle. "Fitz said there's a room to the right for you to bring Grant into. Maybe he needs a change, a little bottle, I'm going to work the room a bit. You'll be fine, Huck will be with you."
Erin nodded. She looked around. "I don't feel the hairs standing on my back, I don't think Satan is here yet." Erin said speaking about Jax.
Liv turned to a very well lighted, crowded room. Before walking in, she pulled Grant from Erin, holding him close to her. "I love you Caterpillar, daddy will be introducing you soon." Liv blinked back some tears. "They'll love you, but not as much as I love you." She kissed him a hundred and one times on his cheek, aggravating him to give a bit of an annoyed cry, as Olivia handed him back to Erin.
"Come to Nana, mommy gave you too many kisses huh?" She hugged him and walked away with Huck.
Huck nodded at Olivia. "It'll be fine."
Liv took a deep breath and looked into the crowded room. "Here goes, Abby be with me, please."
Five minutes after Fitz's car was on the back path, Gerry's car followed. He saw Olivia walking with a woman and he swore she was holding a baby. "no way." He whispered. "He wouldn't dare chance that, would he?" He didn't know his own son anymore.
Feeling daring, Gerry took out his phone. He called Fitz's line, hoping, for just a moment he would answer.
"It's the mayor's ball, dad, I don't have the time." His annoyed voice came through and Gerry never felt so happy as to have heard it as he did right now.
"Please tell me Grant isn't at the ball with you."
"None of your business, the reason for this call is?"
"Jax is ousting you tonight, he's going to announce to the ball attendees about your relationship with Olivia about Grant, I wanted to give you a heads up."
"Old news dad. Sorry we didn't meet up in DC, I was there shortly. Watch the news, it will be interesting tonight. Say goodbye to Jax, he's history."
Before getting out of the car, Gerry told his driver to head back towards the ranch. Maybe Dolores could talk some sense into Fitz, she was always good at that. He called her cell, but it had gone right to voicemail.
Jax pulled his car into the garage, not totally in but not totally out either. He backed in, just in case he needed a rushed exit. He was surprised, but maybe not, that the garage door was opened. He headed up the front stairs, the darkened house was giving him the creeps.
As he opened the door he yelled in. "I'm here, Dolores, why here, why not the ranch house." He stopped. "Never mind, I know why, you don't want to remember how good I made you feel right. Do you have the little Grant boy with you? I have a car seat, he'll be safe with me."
MiMi closed her eyes. She was by the back patio door. She felt tears forming, she knew he wanted Grant, thank God he wasn't home. She flicked the light on in the room she was in at the same time closing the sliding door as she went out to the sand. "18 steps forward, 5 steps right, that's where the hole is." She whispered to herself, not realizing behind the siding the shadow heard her every word.
She felt into her pocket, the gun in there, her gloves firmly on, and the gun in plastic, it would lure Jax to exactly where she wanted once she placed it next to the hole. As Jax saw the light flick on, he made a quick dash towards the room and looked down on what he almost slipped on, it was a picture of the gun, the same one he got in the mail.
There was a trail of pictures to the patio door, and Jax followed the trail, picking up each picture along the way. When he got to the door, he peered out, but saw nothing in dark. He didn't want to touch the sand, but he needed that gun. He opened the door slowly and stepped out.
Liv was standing off towards the left of the podium Fitz would be speaking at shortly. There was a group of about 8 women standing and talking, one of them caught Liv's eye and looked at her up and down. She nodded to Liv. "Are you new to Santa Barbara?"
All the ladies turned and looked in Liv's direction now. Liv smiled, a fake smile, but a smile, "you could say that, somewhat, I'm back and forth to other cities and towns in California."
Every single one of them nodded on cue at the same damn time, and Liv held back her laughter. They were all dressed in elegance, but none looked as good as Liv did, she could tell from the looks she was getting around the room.
One of the women, Marybeth, as Olivia would soon learn looked at Liv's hand. "Where's your husband?"
Liv looked at Marybeth's hand. "Where's yours?"
"He's security for one of the Legislators, your turn." They stood in silence waiting for Liv to answer.
"He's talking to the mayor. He's been good friends with him for a very long time."
"Hmm." They looked away momentarily. "Hey Tracy, over here."
A stunning brunette in a red gown that fit her body a bit too tightly walked over to them. "Did you see him, did he see you? Come on." A blond from the 8 housewives was questioning Tracy.
Tracy looked all around the room again. "I don't know that he's here yet."
'Oh, he is, I saw him talking to Evan." Marybeth assured her.
"Girl, he sees that dress on you, you standout, maybe you'll have a date with the most eligible bachelor in the nation, the Governor of California."
Liv almost coughed up her drink holding back her laughter. She got the disgusted looks from them all now. "Something funny, Ms." Marybeth looked at her, "Sorry, didn't get your name. I'm Marybeth, by the way. "
"No you didn't. You think the Governor is going to notice you? In that dress?" Liv stopped. Play nice she said in her mind. Screw that her other side said, she wants your man.
Tracy walked over to Liv. "What's wrong with my dress?"
Liv shrugged, "nothing, it's so you, but I hear the Governor is not a red kind of guy."
"Whatever that means, as if you know him, who did you say your were?"
"Just a guest at the mayor's ball." She looked over to all the women again, "just like all of you." Her fake smile back as the microphone buzzed.
"Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, Mayor Evan Sanchez, your host." Gentle clapping as Evan walked towards the podium smiling and waving. Like Liv thought, he would be some competition for Fitz, he could play a crowd as well as Fitz could.
"Hey Olivia." Liv felt a hand rub her back and she tensed up then calmed down when she saw Cameron.
"Hey you, thank God, someone I recognize." She smiled.
"It'll be fine, Liv." He stood by her, listening to Evan.
"I'd thank you all for coming, but that would be a lie, huh?" He laughed. "I'm just going to go ahead and thank you all for the money."
The crowd now laughed. "Before we begin the venue, I'd like to welcome Senator Sanderson, the California pro Tempore." Liv turned to see the man she heard about frequently from Fitz. He waved to the crowd and caught Liv's eye. As everyone turned back towards Evan, he gave a nod to Liv.
She remembered he had the picture of her and Fitz in the Avila Beach shop. She nodded back, and took a deep breath. She sent a quick text to Erin and Huck asking how everything was. "Fine, Huck texted back, just focus on you."
At exactly 16 steps forward, Mimi stopped. She saw the door open, and flashed her light three times. "Take 16 steps, Jax, 16, and I'll have something for you."
"I don't like this game Dolores."
"It'll be done with soon, Jax, I want this all out of my mind, this is it. It's tonight, or it's never."
She saw his figure begin walking towards her. There was a small table she had set up, more pictures on the table, and she waited, waited for him to come a bit closer. She would be able to smell him, she was sure he would smell of booze and she wasn't wrong.
Seeing her light flash, the other mystery figure crawled onto the sand, making a way towards the light, but not in the path MiMi was on. Carefully crawling on the sand, the figured lined up to where MiMi was waiting, just bearing a bit more to her right. Jax was now face to face with MiMi.
MiMi took a hard swallow. 2 more steps forward, 5 more steps to the right, it played on repeat in her mind. "Jax." MiMi said in the darkness, the sound of the waves in the background, the tide coming in.
"Turn on the fucking light MiMi." Jax was scared, he could hear it in his voice. MiMi directed the light to the table and turned it on. Jax looked down at the table. "What the fuck?" he looked back at MiMi. "What the fuck is this?"
Big Gerry pulled up to the same gate Jax had just a little while ago. The gate was closed, though now, no guards either, which meant no one was home. This wasn't making sense. Taking a chance he highly doubted would work, Gerry swiped his card that once opened the gate. To his surprise, it still worked, and the gate slowly opened.
Because the players in Jax's soon to be death were on the other side of the beach house, no one noticed the gate opening. Gerry took one look at both houses and noticed them to be pitch dark. "Park there, just behind the garden." He told the driver what to do so he could go out and just take a quick walk around; He never saw the place so dark.
"So, you all know we have a very special guest of honor here tonight." Evan began. The crowd clapped again. "Yes, me, but also…" Again, laughter from the crowd.
"No, being serious now, this town Santa Barbara which so many of us call home flourishes because of this man. You elected him to be the youngest mayor ever of Santa Barbara and he didn't disappoint. I have some very big shoes to fill, and being friends with him since we were eight, I've learned a thing or two. Now before I introduce him, he has a story to tell, one that is going to blow some of you away."
"Fuck!" Dez said from way back in the room. "Where the fuck is he?" He sent a text to Jax's phone that read delivered, and never changed to read.
"First, take a look at the interview KTC"s Santos Alvaro had with Governor Fitzgerald Grant just this past Monday." The lights dimmed a bit and a big screen behind Evan lit up with video.
Fitz's gorgeous face lit up the screen and he smiled as the camera light turned on. "Good to be here Santos, what can I do for you today?"
"Governor, taking the state by storm. A 75% approval rating, that's unheard of, but yet here you are. First question, Mellie Sinclair."
"Let me stop you there, Santos, she's no longer in my life."
Liv heard a chuckle from the group of woman. "How dumb was she?" Tracy asked, "now he's free to be mine." She laughed lifting her shoulders as Marybeth put her arm around her.
"In fact, I'm very much in love. California will love her too, you'll meet her tonight, here at the ball." Fitz smiled.
"Interesting Governor, and why are we just hearing about this?"
"I'll answer that, then it's political, not personal anymore, agreed?"
Liv looked over at the ladies. Tracy's posture fell to stoic, to total slump. "Who's the tramp he's talking about? He can't be in love." Marybeth now patted her shoulder in comfort.
"Jax Putney has a history, a very long history with the woman I am in love with. In fact, Jax's son, the late Charles Putney killed her sister out in New York. That was the hearing he was at, when he was so tragically killed. Jax Putney has made her life a living hell, attacking her mother, and threatening her life. When Charles was alive, she was threatened by both of them and had to live in seclusion. So, that is why I've kept it very personal, but tonight that ends, and the bullying from Putney ends."
"Wow, ok, so speaking of Putney, the oil companies?"
"I am heading over to the state house now, hopefully to pass stricter bills to these oil companies to stop bankrupting the people for profits, let's see who your Senators here in California work for?"
"Is your father, Senator Gerry Grant a factor in any of this?"
"He takes care of his business in DC, I take care of mine here. Stay tuned, listen for the bills going to be passed to help the whole state in some way, good things are happening young man, keep your ears open and be ready to report." Fitz smiled into the camera, and it melted Liv's heart.
"Whoever she is, Tracy, she can't be as gorgeous as you. I'm sure it's just a thing to shut the people up, just like his engagement to Mellie."
As the lights turned back on, Evan spoke down into the microphone. "Without any more wait, my friend, the man I would call my brother if we had the same mother and father, Governor Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third."
Fitz walked out, waving with one hand, his award winning smile on his handsome face, holding his son, who was looking out into the crowd with his father. The crowd grew absolutely silent. "Jesus," Marybeth said. "that baby looks just like him, maybe he is in love, where's the mother?"
Big Gerry went towards the beach house for some strange reason. His feet had just touched sand when his phone began a loud ring signaling a text. "Shit." He fell almost burying himself in the sand, and jumped up wiping the sand off best he could.
He grabbed the phone and looked at the display. It was from Sanderson. "You better be here, your son just walked out holding his son. What the fuck?"
Gerry nearly sprinted back to his car. "Get back to the ball, now, fast as you can." He was rubbing the sand off best he could trying to get it off his black tux.
"Your son, or what would have been your son. I held on to these for 25 years. Your disgusting sperm got me pregnant the night you raped me, but no way I would give you the satisfaction of fathering another devil."
He just looked at the pile, it was all the same picture, an ultrasound of a fetus. "This could be anyone's picture, probably that illegitimate love child the Governor has. Where is the little shit?"
MiMi could hear the waves crash a bit louder, she had to move. "You'll never get to him Jax, your days of torturing Olivia, Erin, and Fitz, they are over, it ends tonight. Look at the date on the ultrasound, it's the real deal."
"Says who that it ends tonight?" He took the pile of pictures and held them with the pile of gun pictures he had.
"Says me. You want your gun?" MiMi turned on the flashlight, and the gun was seen in the distance on the sand. Jax didn't know, it was just next to the hole and if MiMi wanted this to work in her favor they had to get there before the tide.
MiMi walked her two steps forward and began to the right when she saw the mystery figure crawl in her path. Before she could speak or scream, she heard a gunshot, and her foot was on fire. She had been shot in the ankle, and she went down, crawling away from where the tide would come in.
Jax turned towards the gunshot, and the figure pushed him down, making sure he landed in the hole. Jax fell, with his pictures and his tux, and his alcohol breath into the hole and felt the first wave fill it up. He tried to move, but couldn't. He reached up to the figure, begging, pleading for his life.
MiMi far off the sand now, but covered in it, continued to grab her ankle, with a bullet in it, she grabbed for her phone and turned it on, texting the only person who could help her. She watched now, as the moonlight took a glow on the hole Jax was in, and she heard him gasping for air. The pain went away, and MiMi enjoyed the sound.
Fitz motioned to someone in the crowd. "Come up, Livvie, come on." Cameron gave Liv a quick hug and Liv put her head down and walked slowly towards the podium, glancing over at the wide open mouths of the ladies staring at her in shock. She paused and looked at Tracy. "He is hot, but he's even hotter in bed." She continued her walk, where Fitz put his hand out to her and she took it.
Grant, upon seeing his mother, reached out to her, and she gobbled him in her arms. "For nine, no eight months, Olivia, my wife, yes, you heard that right, my wife, had to hide from Jax and Charles Putney. Now you can't see it from where you are, but Olivia has a scar on her lip from where she was attacked while pregnant with my son. A pregnancy she had to hide from me because I was on a campaign to be your governor, and Jax was very closely monitoring that campaign."
"With fear of never seeing me again, Olivia after Jake Ballard's hearing last May went back to New York, not knowing she was carrying my baby boy. When she did, she lived in fear, hiding from Putney, even getting attacked. After he was born, she had no choice but to hide his true identity."
"My son, Grant Thomas Pope, was able to come into this world a month early to hide the birth from the Putney's. So, to my Californians, I never lied to you, I simply protected my family, and now, I introduce them to you. My wife, Olivia Pope Grant, and my son, Grant Thomas Pope."
Fitz's phone, his emergency phone buzzed, and he had to take it. Looking at the display, his eyes widened and he looked at Liv. "We have to go, don't let go of Grant." Three service guards rushed the podium and escorted them out.
"Wait!" She handed Grant to Fitz. "I have to go get Erin." Olivia dialed Huck's number, but Huck couldn't pick up the phone. He was already at the beach house, carrying in his arms a semi conscious MiMi back to the ranch house.
Huck received her text and with Grant being out on the podium with his parents, he told Erin he had to leave to stick close to Luther. He ran, not needing a car back to the house finding MiMi trying to crawl back to the ranch house.
"I didn't kill him Huck, it wasn't me, I wanted to, God did I want to, but it wasn't me."
"It's ok, don't think about it, I'll get you back to the house, I already called a medic, he's on his way. We'll take care of you MiMi, don't worry."
The figure watched, smiling as Jax Putney screamed a blood curling scream as the last of the tide came in, and kept him under the water long enough for his life to be sucked out of him. By the time the water subsided, the once powerful Jax Putney was lifeless.
His head tilted to the side, his face white with death, and his eyes wide opened. He got a good look at the person that killed him and his last thought was it was a shame he had never seen that person before in his life. What Jax had done had destroyed the person's once happy life. A loving mother so distraught, she killed herself within weeks of what Jax had done to the family. With no other relative the person had to grow up hearing the rumors of Jax Putney and planning the day Jax would take his last breath that this person had every right to witness.
The figure saw MiMi get carried off back to the ranch house. Escaping the same way, with Jax's prized gun, away ran the mystery killer, with a sense of joy no one would understand.
Holding Grant and yelling now, Fitz turned and bumped right into his father who was coming in where Fitz was coming out. He looked at Big Gerry. "Did you decide to go for a swim first?" Fitz noticed all the sand on his father's tux.
Gerry looked at Grant. "Tell me you didn't."
"Oh, I did." Fitz turned away. "Liv, let's go. We have to go."
"I can't find her Fitz, she's no where to be found." Liv began to cry against Fitz's chest. "Where is she? Where the hell is Huck? What the hell is going on?"
He pulled Liv into the car with him, Fitz looked up at Gerry. "Get in." Gerry was shocked, but he listened to Fitz. "Jax Putney is dead, he's on my beach house property, someone dug a hole and lured him in for the tide to hit him, he drowned, on my fucking property." He reached in his jacket pocket feeling the envelope. He crossed his eyebrows and pulled it out.
He read the letter silently, his body going into shock. He looked up at Gerry. "No, this isn't true." He handed Liv the letter, but Liv couldn't grip it, couldn't read it and it fell to the floor, where Gerry picked it up and read it in disbelief.
Fitz took out his phone and frantically tried calling MiMi, but her phone was buzzing on the sand on the very beach where Jax's body lay waiting to be claimed.
Liv's body fell numb. She had no feelings at all, and even as Grant began to cry in his car seat, Liv didn't hear it. She stared at the dark moving car window. Her eyes filled with tears. "Erin, mom, where are you?"