Author's Note: First of all, I hope every one is doing well. I am doing good, taking it one day at a time. Life has been changing for me and I've been taking a lot of time to do things that will edify and enhance the quality of my living. Apart from school and work that keeps me busy I've been spending more time doing other things rather than being stuck to my phone and computer (like I used to be), which has honestly been a great experience for me. To answer what many of you are thinking, yes, I will be completing all of my stories but will only resume them once this semester has ended. I'm also reevaluating the way I write because although it is something I enjoy doing for fun I also want to improve my craft and take it seriously. Truthfully, I even feel limited by writing Olitz fanfic because I have to follow a certain model because these characters were not created by me, only inspired. So, hopefully, one day I'll branch out into writing my own stories with my own characters.

Anyways, please enjoy the story. I had a plan in mind of how I wanted this story to go but most writers can attest that that isn't always the case. Hope you enjoy this one-shot and please do me the honor of leaving a review at the end. Thank you.

PS. I've been so behind on my fanfic reading, hopefully, I'll get to catch up soon.

Enjoy!

Summary: Life isn't perfect but there are perfect moments. Mostly Olivia centric as she battles life's unpleasantness and joys.

To Love is To Gain

Prologue

An eight-year-old Olivia surveyed the countless amount of pills atop her mother's nightstand that she was strictly warned to never touch. Not that she was even able to crack open any of them if she tried. All that she knew was that sometimes it made her mommy sleepy whenever she took them.

"I'm sorry, baby. Mommy just needs a few more minutes of rest before I can get up and play with you. Ok, sweetheart?"

"Ok, mommy." Olivia whispered before sitting at the foot of her mother's bed playing with her Barbie dolls.

….

"Shit, shit," Olivia mumbled as she hastily dragged the white cotton T-shirt over her head while simultaneously pulling on a pair of black leggings. She was in a hurry to get dress before the clock struck 5 PM when her ride would arrive. With her clothes on she rushed to her adjoined bathroom, which was still warm from the hot shower she'd just taken and the mirror she was looking into wore the steam from it. She hurriedly brush her shoulder length locks into a low ponytail, securing it with a elastic tie before applying some edge control on her edges and smoothing the flyaway hairs with a soft bristle brush.

"Livia!" Just as she was applying moisturizer to her face the sound of her mother's voice accompanied by the ding of the doorbell alerted her of her tardiness.

"I'm coming. Tell him I'm coming!" Olivia returned just as loudly as she moved even quicker. She rushed out of the bathroom while simultaneously rubbing in the white lotion into her face. She moved towards her closet, dropped unceremoniously to her knees as she looked for a pair of shoes to wear that would be appropriate for hiking. She saw the pair of brown hiking boots that she'd received as a Christmas present last year and decided against them because in her mind they were too clunky, so she quickly decided on her white and black Nike Roshes. Once they were securely on her feet she grabbed her everyday bag that held her wallet and other miscellaneous things and made her way out of the bedroom and moved to the living room where her mother and now boyfriend were seated.

"Hey," Olivia greeted them both with a smile and her mother decided it was a good time to poke fun at her.

"Fitz, I don't know how you put up with her lateness. She's going to be late for her own funeral," her mother, Marcel Pope, teased.

"I don't know how I do it either," Fitzgerald Grant, her boyfriend of one year and five months chorused in a playful manner.

Olivia rolled her eyes at the both of them. They were thick like thieves and enjoyed getting her riled up.

"Whatever… It's not my fault that you called last minute with your hiking trip," Olivia quipped, making her way over to where Fitz was sitting and sat on the arm of his chair – his left arm automatically wrapped around her waist.

"You two are going hiking?" Marcel probed as though Olivia didn't just said that they were. "It looks like it's going to rain," she continued before they could answer.

"Did you check the weather, babe?" Olivia turned her attention to her very handsome boyfriend. He was outfitted in a short-sleeved grey Henley T-shirt and brown cargo pants with a matching pair of brown hiking boots to the ones in her closet.

"I did, there's a 40% chance of rain," Fitz answered, taking her small hand in his when she gave him a skeptical look.

"That's more than a 40% chance of rain. It's going to rain," Marcel said confidently.

Fitz squinted his eyes at the woman who looked so much like his girlfriend – smooth mocha brown skin, petite frame with beautiful eyes that complemented her lovely face – in disbelief. Marcel noticed his look and with a smile, elaborated further, "I just know these things. Right, Livia?"

Olivia nodded her head in agreement and laughed. "She's always right when it comes to the weather." Her mother had an intuition that was none like any other she has witnessed. She only needed to meet a person once and she would be able to read them. And because of this, Olivia was terribly afraid of bringing Fitz home at the beginning stages of their relationship. She was worried that her mother wouldn't like him but thankfully from since introduction the two had hit it off spectacularly. They were now the two most important people in her life.

The trio spent a few more minutes catching up before Olivia and Fitz got ready to leave. Within a few seconds, Fitz was already out the door and heading to his navy blue Jeep Wrangler while Olivia made last minute fuss with her mother.

"Don't forget to take your meds and call me if you need anything. Do you need me to bring you anything while I'm out?" She rattled off as she stood in the doorway – part of her body already out the door while the other part remained inside. It was a physical demonstration of her life. Half ready to go and half ready to stay.

"Olivia…" her mother trailed in her warning voice that tells her she was being overbearing.

Olivia sighed and smiled. "I know, I'm sorry. Just call me if you need me, ok?"

Marcel moved closer to her daughter and hugged her closely. "I will. Now, go and have a good time with that lovely gentleman." Both ladies turned to the driveway where Fitz was standing at the passenger side with the door open. He was such a gentleman indeed. Marcel released her daughter from her embrace. "And don't come back pregnant," she teased. It was something she said every time Olivia went on a date.

"Mom…" It was Olivia's turn to chastise her, even though her mother would be secretly happy if that happened. Her mother loved children and it was always her desire to have a house full of them, whether through procreation or adoption. But that desire was sadly unfulfilled when at the age of 4 years old they discovered she had a serious heart condition. All of her life she fought hard to survive and make the most out of it but the doctors had told her that she shouldn't get pregnant because it would be too strenuous on her already poorly functioning heart. But at the age of 25 when she discovered that she was pregnant by her long-term boyfriend it was the most scariest and exciting time of her life, Olivia recalled her saying. Surprisingly, her entire pregnancy and delivery went by smoothly, it was nothing short of a miracle. However, while she was happy to be pregnant and a new mother her boyfriend on the other hand wasn't. Olivia wasn't even 24 hours old when he disappeared without a phone number to reach him or a signature on his daughter's birth certificate. From that moment on it was just the two of them.

So it was a no brainer at least to Olivia when her mother got really sick a month before she was supposed to go to California College of the Arts (CCA) on a full scholarship to pursue a bachelor's degree in graphic arts design. What neither of them anticipated was that the next 2 years would be an upheaval battle for them where her mother's health was concerned. Suffice to say, Olivia didn't get to go to college in California where most of her mother's family lived. She instead enrolled part time at a local college in North Carolina where they lived, while working part time to help off set some of the expenses her mother's insurance didn't cover.

Life wasn't a bed of roses for the Pope women but through it all they've loved each other wholly and purely. Olivia had to grow up quickly and for that she saw the world differently than many 25-year-olds. The only thing she would change is her mother's abnormal heart for a normally functioning one even though it is the catalyst that tightened their bond.

...

Olivia settled comfortably against the leather seat with her head tilted towards the driver while Coldplay's Adventure of a Lifetime played, which was frequently heard because Coldplay was one of Fitz's favorite music band, so last year for his birthday she had surprised him with tickets to see them at the Time Warner Cable Arena in downtown Charlotte.

Presently, Fitz was filling her in on his week – since they hadn't seen each other since last Saturday but had still maintain communication via phone calls and text messages – while her eyes drunkenly admire his ruggedly handsome face covered in light shrubs – the dark hair covered his chiseled jaws impeccably and the way his blue eyes shone with merit made her heart skip several beats. She loved when he grew out his beard but his father hated it because it wasn't becoming of a grooming CEO to be for one of North Carolina's popular cabin rental companies. It was a family company that had been in their family for at least 60 years, passed down from generation to generation.

Turn your magic on…

"Oh, can you grab my phone? I forgot to send you the picture of Kayla's newly missing tooth." Kayla was Fitz's 6-year-old niece from his older sister, Jennifer.

Olivia laughed, "another one fell out? At this rate we might as well start feeding her soup since she'll have no teeth to chew with," she joked at the little girl's expense.

"I'll tell her what you said," Fitz teased, briefly casting his eyes on her before refocusing them on the moderately trafficked road. But as they moved further away from downtown Charlotte the traffic grew lighter.

"Please don't," Olivia begged – she didn't want to make the little girl feel even more self-conscious about her changing body – as she unlocked his phone and pulled up his photo album where she quickly found the photo of the little girl with dark wavy hair, smiling widely with two missing upper incisors and two missing outer lower incisors. Olivia chortled again at how adorable she looked. "Ohmygawd, you have to frame this, Fitz. Look how precious she is."

Fitz cast his eyes briefly to soak in the adoring expression he knew was there every time she talked about or interacted with Kayla. His niece was fascinated with Olivia, besotted even… but that could be said for most of the Grant family.

"I miss her 21 questions," she continued, still staring at the picture. Kayla always had a lot of questions for Olivia and they were normally well thought out and thought provoking. Questions like "do you believe in evolution and why is there bad people in the world?" She was quite a smarty-pants for six.

"You'll just have to set up a play date with her. If you're free next Saturday I can have her over and we can spend the day with her," Fitz suggested. He also loved kids and enjoyed anytime he got to spend with his niece. He made sure to play an active role in her life because she was fatherless. Her father died in the army when she was two in Afghanistan when their convoy went under attack. It was a rough time for his sister but their family had surrounded her and provided support. Now, she was doing much better and finally opening herself to the possibility of dating again.

Olivia pulled out her phone from her black purse and opened up her calendar app to check if she could. She was normally very busy all of the time. She was in her final year of college and also worked 32 hours a week as an office assistant at a graphic design company in the business district of downtown Charlotte. She had a hate love relationship with her job, she appreciated it for what it was – a foot in the door – but hated the people who worked there. Firstly, it was male dominated and some wished it was even more so. Ridiculous…

She checked her schedule and it looked like her next Saturday was free. "I can make it, just need to make sure I finish all my assignments for that week," she sighed; ready to be finished with college. It felt like she was in school forever and she was. Instead of earning her BA in 4 years it was taking her almost 6 years to do. Some days she felt discouraged and would often times share her grievances with Fitz who would encourage her on.

Fitz grabbed her hand over the console, empathizing with how she felt, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You're almost at the finish line, honey."

Her countenance softened from his gentle encouragement. She loved how understanding he was of her situation and how patient he was with her. What they had worked; it worked really well. He was approaching his thirtieth birthday in two months while she was turning 26 in the month after his. They'd met almost two years ago at the hospital while her mother was admitted for bronchitis – they always had to be careful of every infection she contracted and made sure it was under control before it could turn deadly. So, while her mother was being treated up in her room Olivia had went to the cafeteria to grab something to eat. When she'd paid for her food she hadn't realized how crowded the cafeteria was. She searched the room for an empty table and chair but couldn't find one. So she started hunting for a tablemate. Some were two crowded and some faces looked very unfriendly so she wasn't even going to try asking them to share their table, but then she saw a table with only one occupant – his face was handsome even though she didn't really pay a lot of attention to it; she was too famished and just in need of a table to sit and eat at, she wasn't looking for a hot date. After grabbing her food, she strode over to the table and asked if it was ok to join him and the occupant told her it was fine.

From sitting with her tablemate she learned that his father recently had heart surgery and he was with him all night but had retired to the cafeteria for replenishments when his mother arrived. Conversation flowed easily between them as they ate their individual meals. Little did the two of them know that it was just the beginning of an incredible relationship. They didn't immediately start dating but had a few months of just been friends and getting to know one another. Fitz was kind of old fashion in that regards and Olivia was grateful because of her lack of experience, required things be taking slowly. And their relationship was good for it. They communicated well and that could only aid in strengthening their bond.

Everything you want is a dream away

"Fitz, what is that?" Olivia asked, looking up at the grey sky as it started releasing small raindrops. Before he could even reply the rain grew heavier, pouring down in torrents.

"Un…believable!" He shook his head in disbelief and a smile graced his face that Marcel was actually right.

Olivia laughed, "I told you she's always right about these kind of things."

….

Instead of heading to the mountain whose trail they were going to hike, Fitz turned down the road that would lead them to a secluded part of a lake that his father used to take him as a young boy to fish. The rain was still falling in torrents atop the metal roof of his jeep while his wiper blades worked overtime to maintain proper visibility.

Once they came to a spot that overlooked the blue body of water he turned off the engine to his truck but left on the air.

"So how was your week?" Fitz asked in a low voice, turning his head so that he can face her, unbuckling his seatbelt at the same time.

"Same ole, same ole. Work and school, school and work but now I get to see you," her response ended with a bright smile.

"That you do, Ms. Pope. Sorry we couldn't go on our hike."

"I'm not," Olivia quipped.

Fitz smiled, showing off the small dimples in his cheeks. "I forget you only go on 'em because of me." He tried to feign hurt but it didn't quite come across that way.

She reached across the console and took one of his large hands into her much smaller one and said, "That's what relationships are all about, right? Compromise and whatnot."

"…and whatnot," Fitz echoed softly on a sigh. For the new few minutes, silence reigned as they watched the downpour of water from the heavens with their hands joined together over the console, neither feeling obliged to speak. They were at that point in their relationship where superfluous words weren't needed to fill silent spaces.

"Have you thought about what we talked about?" Fitz broke the silence and turned his unrelenting gaze from the window shield and redirected it onto Olivia. Her sudden tensed shoulder didn't go unnoticed by him.

A nervous chuckle escaped her lips before she replied, "I have."

"So?" Fitz's eyebrows rose questionably.

"My answer is yes…"

Sensing there was more Fitz interrupted, "But?"

"But not right now, I still have to finish school and my mom…"

Fitz sighed and closed his eyes so that he could reign in his growing temper. It wasn't that he didn't understand her hesitations he just wished they weren't there.

Seeing him emotionally withdrawing from her, Olivia whispered, "baby… I promise it's a yes." He said nothing in response and it began playing on her conscience. She had to do something to pacify him – if only momentarily. And the only thing she could think of was to use her body. With the rain still falling and them parked in a secluded area, Olivia pushed back her seat before taking off her socks and shoes, and then her leggings.

Fitz sensed her jerky movements beside him and reopened his eyes to see her undressing. "What are you doing?"

"What ya think?" she smiled innocently while pulling the white T-shirt over her head so that only her bra and panties remained. "Recline your seat," she requested.

Although he was surprised by her actions he did as she requested, reclining his seat all the way back – freeing up legroom for both of them. Fitz knew what she was doing but instead of calling her out on it he chose to just follow her lead – because talking wasn't getting him anywhere and it was a week too long since he was inside of her. The thought alone was making him hard. As he watched her remove her bra – freeing up her round mounds – he removed his shirt baring his taut midriff.

Clad in only a pair of bikini cut panties Olivia cross over the console as graceful as she could manage before straddling across Fitz's muscular thighs. Her left elbow accidental sounded the horn, the unexpected sound caused her to jump forward and Fitz erupted into laughter, which aided in lighting up the atmosphere considerably.

"Glad that was funny," she chided when he continued to laugh at her mercilessly.

"It was…" She kissed him full on the mouth before he could finish his sentence.

…

6 weeks later

"Shit. Shit. Shit… I'm so stupid. I'm so stupid."

Marcel could hear her daughter mumbling from the living room through her slightly open bedroom door. Getting up from her seat, she slowly ambled towards her. "Livia, what's the matter?" She asked from the doorway of her bedroom.

"I'm so stupid." Marcel gave her distress looking daughter a puzzled look.

"I'm so stupid" she muttered again.

"What are you talking about, honey?"

Instead of elaborating she said, "I'm so stupid, mom" as tears streamed down her face.

Marcel's weak heart started beating fast from her growing worry and she made her way further into her daughter's room. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" And it wasn't until she got closer to where Olivia was seated at the foot of her bed that she noticed the pregnancy stick in her hand, which took her by surprise.

"I'm pregnant." Olivia mumbled as she lowered her eyes to the floor.

Marcel took a seat next to her and grabbed her free hand. "Well, congratulations are in order!" she beamed genuinely.

"Congratulations?" Olivia swung her head around to regard her mother, immediately the smile was erased from her face. "I shouldn't be having a baby right now. I have yet to graduate from college and it's just too much on my plate, mom." She could barely get out the words before erupting into uncontrollable tears.

Marcel wrapped her arms around her daughter's shoulders. "Sweetheart, you have a guy who is madly in love with you and is ready to marry you on a whim. It's going to be all right. You're going to be alright."

Olivia wiped at the fallen tears on her cheeks and asked, "and what about you?"

Marcel gave her a pained look, knowing that she prevented her daughter from fully living her life. "I'm going to be all right too" she spoke confidently even though she didn't know that for sure.

Olivia sighed heavily because her words did little to alleviate her growing pangs. Marcel sensing this said, "I'm so very sorry, sweetheart." She paused for a few seconds. "I'm sorry I've taken away a lot of your years-"

"Mom..." Olivia interrupted

"No, let me finish. Olivia, you have been everything a mother could hope for. You're my miracle baby and through all of these years you've been by my side. I couldn't have asked for a better daughter than you. I'm so grateful for you. And I just want you to be happy." Tears began to fill Marcel's eyes so she took a deep breath to compose herself before continuing. "Try thinking of me less and think about your future more, your future with Fitz. He's your future, right?" Marcel knew without a doubt he was but she wanted her to verbalize it.

"He is," Olivia stated softly, wiping the big droplets of tears that continued to cascade down her cheeks in an even stream.

"Good. I just want you be happy, sweetheart. Please let me see you be fully happy before my time is up."

Olivia hated when her mother would say stuff like that - that she was on borrowed time. Aren't we all? She would rhetorically ask her.

But her words did get her to seriously think about what she was going to do about the baby and Fitz. If they were her future she was going to have to stop running and fully embrace them.

….

Epilogue

It was the evening before Christmas Eve, and Fitz had just gotten home from handling a work emergency. One of the family cabins was caught on fire due to negligence by one of the campers who had placed a candle too close to the curtain, which got caught on fire while they were outside. Luckily, they were able to stop the fire from spreading too far but 911 were still called so Fitz had to be there for protocol since he was a very hands-on CEO.

"Livvie," Fitz called aloud while taking off his work boots at the door before working on removing his jacket next. He got no reply so he padded along the hallway once his outer layers were removed – to her home office where she spends a considerable amount of time daily doing graphic art designs for several companies she was contracted with as a freelance agent. He found the roomy, minimalistic design room empty so his next stop was the kitchen. He smiled at the Christmas decorated cookies lying out on the cooling rack on the counter top. With a mischievous grin he looked around the empty room just to be sure he was alone before popping one into his mouth. He moaned softly at how tasty it was.

As he was finishing up his impromptu snack he heard loud footsteps above his head followed by "Marcella Elizabeth Grant! You know better than to run towards the stairs, slow down!"

Fitz immediately sprinted towards the staircase where he encountered a contrite looking Marcella who had her mother's eyes but his thin lips and complexion with her mother's naturally curly hair. She was the apple of their eyes and changed their lives for the better. The minute Fitz learned he was going to be a father almost five years ago an unspeakable happiness entered his heart. Looking into his daughter's big brown eyes as she realized that she just caught trouble with her mother made his heart swell even more with happiness.

"Come here, mama," Fitz called; using the nickname they sometimes called her because when she was two years old she used to call everyone including her father "mama". Marcella took her time climbing down the rest of the stairs with her mother not too far behind.

"Hey, baby, I didn't hear you come in," Olivia said as she walked behind their daughter.

"I just got in," he answered, looking up at his girls. He was so blessed to have them and each day he tried to show them that.

"Everything ok now?"

"Yea, thankfully. Not too badly damage so the insurance company will handle it but that guest can kiss their deposit bye, bye."

Olivia chuckled and smiled at her husband who was still as handsome and hot as the day they met. In the past 5 years so much has changed and with the addition of a baby, new jobs, job promotion and the death of her mother she finally felt like they were in a good place. The road has been rocky and lined with thorns that constantly ripped at her flesh but now she can honestly feel the healing in her heart and soul.

Once Marcella's little feet hit the last step, into her father's arms she go squealing, "daddy!"

"Hey, princess."

Olivia looked on at the duo and remembered how dismayed she felt when she first found out she was pregnant. She honestly felt like she was drowning but looking back she wouldn't trade any of it for the world. Her mother got to witness her grandchild, which was something that should've never happened since Olivia wasn't supposed to be born. But she witnessed it and held her, even got to see her first birthday and witnessed her daughter's marriage to a great man but sadly passed away a few months later in her sleep. Olivia was devastated for months and felt like she couldn't go on because a part of whom she was was no longer there but when she looked at her daughter she knew she had to keep going for her. There was still pain and aches in her life but because she has known great loss she also can feel great love. To love is to gain and her husband and daughter has taught her that every single day.

When Olivia was within arms reach, Fitz hugged her into them and she placed her right arm around their daughter before bringing her lips down to his. Abruptly, she pulled back and Fitz asked, "what?" confused by her sudden move.

"Marce, daddy ate your cookies!"

"Daddy! How could you? They are for Santa Claus!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. But there's plenty for him."

Marcella huffed and pouted at his answer. "You're a piece of work."

Fitz chuckled at his grown four-year-old daughter.

"That I am," he winked at his wife who looked as bemused as ever.

Life isn't perfect but there are perfect moments, enjoy it…