"Abby, Ivy is not his."

Abby was trying to be understanding, "Liv, I know that and you know that. Edison is just being spiteful."

"Ivy isn't his or mine biologically. Genetically, she belongs to Ingrid and a sperm donor."

"Okay. Do you know the sperm donor? Maybe—"

Olivia shook her head, "No. Ingrid went to a sperm bank and picked a donor. I have no idea who the donor is. Why can't he just leave me alone?" Olivia started pacing, "If that isn't bad enough, I slept with Fitz again and Rip has been keeping secrets from me. What the fuck is wrong with the men in my life?"

"Wait a minute. Back up. You slept with the President again? Why the hell did you do that?"

Olivia shrugged, "I don't know. We were arguing and then we started screwing and then we started arguing again."

"We will definitely be deep diving that later on."

Ivy had opened the door and went looking for Olivia. She smiled when she found Olivia and Abby. She ran over to Olivia and tugged on her hand, "Come on mommy. It's cake time."

Olivia and Abby let her drag them outside and their smiles faded the minute the got on the porch and saw Fitz. Ivy kept tugging Olivia's hand until she was standing between Olivia and Rip. Rip tried to ease the awkwardness, "Come on squirt, let's get you some cake."

Ivy looked at Olivia, "You coming mommy?"

Olivia shook her head, "Of course Happy Feet. Go ahead, I'll catch up."

Olivia turned to look at Fitz' shocked face. She took a step closer to him and hissed, "Do not make a scene."

Fitz nodded towards Ivy and Rip, "You had his baby? She's your daughter?"

Olivia kept her voice low, "She's my daughter but she's not Rip's. I'm not having this conversation with you right now."

"Then when are we supposed to have this conversation Livvie?"

Olivia reached into her pocket for something to write on. She jotted something down and gave it to him. "Call me later tonight, after I put Ivy to bed, and we'll talk about this. It's a secure line. For now, please leave my daughter's birthday party. I don't have the patience for you and Rip to get into it in front of her."

Olivia led everyone into singing Happy Birthday to Ivy. Because Ivy still loved smash cakes, Olivia made sure she had a separate one from the cake that everyone else would be eating. Ivy smashed her face into the icing and nuzzled her sticky nose into Olivia's cheek—earning laughs from both of them. Rip and OPA stood back to just bask in Olivia being so carefree with her daughter. Ivy was ecstatic when JoJo announced that it was time to open some of her presents.

Ivy opened the first present from Harrison and was ecstatic to have tickets to Disney on Ice. Huck had bought her first video game, Mario Kart. Abby bought her a few dresses so that she could twin with Olivia. Quinn bought her a customized teddy bear and Easybake oven. JoJo had bought Ivy her first pair of diamond studs—in spite of Olivia's mild protests. Olivia bought several gifts for Ivy, that she'd give her later, but chose to give her the one she was happiest about.

"Mommy, it's moving."

Ivy opened the box and squealed when she saw the beautiful puppy looking back at her. Olivia had bought her a German Shepard. "Is it really mine mommy?"

"Yes. You'll have to help mommy train and keep up after her but yes, she's yours baby. What do you want to name her?"

"Gypsy" Ivy said with a smile.

Rip presented her with her final gift, "I hope your mom doesn't get upset with me."

"What did you buy her Rip?" Olivia asked with a raised brow.

"Miracle is all yours squirt."

Ivy started jumping up and down. "I have my own horse?"

Rip smiled, "Yes, you do. You have to learn all the basics of taking care of her first. You have to follow all the directions Shady gives you about taking care of Miracle."

Ivy was still bouncing up and down. "I promise I will. I'll do everything she says." Ivy hugged Rip and then hugged Olivia's legs. "Mommy, this is the best birthday ever."

The rest of the party went on with the same high levels of excitement and boundless energy from the kids. Olivia chastised Rip for buying Ivy a horse. "Technically, I didn't buy it Bambi."

"Rip that's just semantics."

"Bambi, Ivy is the only person that Miracle doesn't rebel against. She doesn't even try to buck against Ivy. That was my most stubborn horse and she happens to like Ivy."

Olivia rolled her eyes, "I'll let it go for now."

Rip spoke in her ear, "Surprised you didn't ask why he was here."

"Not my business."

"I didn't know he was coming Bambi. I would've never let him pop up with Ivy here."

"I don't want to talk about that right now Rip."

"Seems to be a growing theme with you."

Olivia ignored that comment and helped wind down Ivy's party. By the time it was all over, all of the kids were half asleep and being carried out of the party. Olivia informed OPA that she needed to see everyone in the office the following day. They all agreed and left the ranch. Olivia allowed Rip to help her get Ivy and her presents in the car.

He leaned into the driver side window, "I'll give you a few days to calm down but we will be having a conversation Bambi."

"If I agree, will you let it go?"

Rip tapped on the window frame, "I'll talk to you in a few days Bambi."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%*

When Ivy and Olivia got home Olivia informed her, "I've got another gift for you baby."

"What is it?" she asked sleepily

Olivia pulled out a scrapbook and placed it in Ivy's lap. "Happy Feet, I think you're old enough to hear a very important story."

"Okay." Ivy said as she nuzzled into Olivia's side.

Olivia opened the scrapbook to the first few pictures of her, Mac, and Ingrid. "Ivy, I am your mom but you also have an egg mommy. Your egg mommy wasn't able to carry you safely in her tummy, so I carried you for her. Her body wasn't as strong and she had some sickness in her body."

"Did she love me?"

Olivia's eyes filled with happy tears, "You bet. She loved you so much."

"Why isn't she here?"

Olivia sighed, "The sickness in her body came back and she couldn't fight it this time. She went to heaven when you were still a baby."

Ivy pointed to Mac, "Who's that?"

"That's your uncle Mac. He and I were in love. He got hurt by a bad man and went to heaven a while ago."

"What's my egg mommy's name?"

"Ingrid. She named you Ivy because she loved flowers but couldn't decide which flower name she liked the best."

"Did my egg mommy make your heart happy after my uncle went to heaven?"

"Yes. We became a lot closer because we both lost him."

Ivy pushed some hair out of Olivia's face, "Do I make your heart happy because you lost them?"

Olivia pressed her forehead against Ivy's. "You make my heart happy but not for that reason. You make my heart happy because you are one of a kind. You deserve all the good things in the world and it's my job to give those to you. You make my heart happy because you're nice, funny, creative, athletic, and so beautiful. You are my world Happy Feet. I love you to pieces."

"I love you too mommy. I'm sorry that you lost my uncle and my egg mommy. I love you. I'll never leave you mommy."

Olivia kissed the crown of her head and tucked her in for the night. She left Ivy's room and went into her bedroom. She stayed up for a couple of hours staring at the child custody petition. Her other phone—the number she'd given Fitz—started to ring. She let out a deep breath before answering the call.

"Hello."

"Hi Livvie." He responded. "Is your daughter down for the night?"

"Yes."

"May I ask her name?" he said cautiously

"Not yet. Fitz, what's going on with you?"

"I could ask you the same Livvie. Why did you never tell me you have a child?"

"Because she will used as a pawn if the wrong people know about her. No matter what you say, you're incapable of keeping a secret from Cyrus. Cyrus is the last person that needs to know about my child."

"She's not Rip's?"

"No."

Fitz hesitated, "Is she mine? We have known each other for the same amount of time—"

Olivia chuckled, "She's not yours Fitz. She just turned 8 and I didn't lie about her age to keep you in the dark."

"I never called you a liar."

"You didn't see your eyes when we came on the porch."

"Is she one of your ex-boyfriends'? Maybe Edison?"

Olivia rolled her eyes, "She's not Edison's but he convinced himself that she is. Answer my question Fitz. What the hell is going on with you? You've been a different man, than the one I met, for over a year now."

Fitz sighed "After we had our blow up at the christening, I was still hopeful that we could work it out. That was until I found the paperwork. Liv, did you abort my baby?"

Olivia willed herself to calm down. "It wasn't my abortion Fitz. It was…Mellie's."

Fitz was surprised. "You and Mellie aren't friends. You expect me to believe that you helped her get an abortion?"

"I didn't help her do anything Fitz. I found out after the fact and confronted her about using my name to get an abortion at a clinic on the other side of town."

"I don't understand. Mellie would've milked that child for political capital. Why not keep it?"

"Because it wasn't yours. That was all I could get out of her before she threatened to expose Defiance to you herself. I let her hold that over me and I didn't say anything." Olivia took a moment to compose herself. "You've changed Fitz."

"It's because I've had to come to terms with the possibility that you would fall out of love with me and with someone else. Livvie, I didn't cherish you the way that I fooled myself into believing. I should've fought harder to prove to you how much I love you."

"Fitz—"

"No please let me get this out. I convinced myself that I'd always have your heart without acknowledging how much damage I was doing to it. I always thought that Vermont would keep our love around until…you went to Texas. When you came back a different version of yourself, I realized that I'd been keeping this false hope alive that no one else could win your heart. I've never seen you as carefree as you are with Ripley. That stung a lot so I started lashing out. I started taking my frustration at someone else loving you—out on you. A blind man can see that Ripley loves you and it's hard to come to terms with being in competition with someone. I know you aren't a consolation prize but you are the woman I'm in love with. I felt like you were playing puppet master by letting Rip be the one to fund my campaign."

"I didn't talk him into that Fitz. I just knew that Cyrus would go that route and forewarned Rip ahead of time. Him funding your campaign isn't to get back at you for the christening. It's truly because he's the only legitimate way that you can win re-election fair and square. I have changed Fitz. I've had to take a step back from being so consumed by you and our relationship. I lost important parts of myself being in love with you. I can't control what Rip feels for me but I also won't ignore what I feel for him. I have feelings for him and I still have love for you. Before you even ask, right now I choose me. I choose me and my daughter."

"Can we just…start over Livvie?" Fitz pleaded.

Olivia shook her head and let out a sigh, "Not until you tell me why you killed Verna."

"I can't do that Olivia."

"Then, we can't start over Fitz. You didn't do it for me. You did it to protect whatever secret of yours that she knew. I don't want that around me and my child. By the way, if anyone in your circle makes a move on my kid, all of you are going to see a side of me that you don't recognize."

"Why would anyone in my circle—"

"Cyrus would and you know he would. Who else would plant a seed in Edison's head to come after my child? You trust Cyrus too much. That's like trusting a cobra not to attack you. Cyrus is going to be your downfall. He was definitely mine. I have to go Fitz."

"Wait, you didn't tell me her name."

"Ask Cyrus. You have him digging in my business anyways." Olivia hung the phone up and went out on her balcony to think. She spoke out loud, "Mac, Ingy, there's no way in hell that I'm not fighting this with everything I've got. I said I'd protect her and that's what I mean. I'll keep our girl safe."

The next morning at OPA had everyone on edge. Olivia came into the office to see Huck pacing and Abby's muffled yelling in her closed office. Olivia looked at Harrison, "What's going on?"

Huck stopped pacing when he saw her and pulled her into the conference room by the hand. He put some distance between them and kneeled down, "Did he hurt you? Tell me now so that I can stop creating scenarios in my head."

Olivia tried to play it off, "What are you talking about?"

Harrison cleared his throat, "Abby told us about what David uncovered from your old neighbors. Did Edison Davis put hands on you?"

Olivia sagged against the seat and said, "Sometimes. Most of the time, I started the fights but—"

"Don't blame yourself for what he did to you."

Olivia avoided eye contact, "We only had two physical altercations. Most of Edison's abuse was emotional and verbal. The first was when he brought up having kids and I said no. He got mad and shoved me when I tried to leave the room. I got knocked into this wooden dining table that we had. I had bruises on my back from it. The bruises on my stomach…came from when he rammed his knee into my stomach after I slapped him for pushing me."

Huck's blood was boiling, "And the second time?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Please don't ask me about that Huck." Olivia pleaded.

Quinn squeezed Olivia's hand, "It's okay Liv. We're your family."

Olivia let out a shuddering breath, "He found out that I was leaving him for good. Nyla had finally talked some sense into me. He came home from work and saw my bags packed by the stairs. He came upstairs and flew into a rage. He kept slapping me and pushing me into furniture. I started fighting back. As soon as I put some space between us, I tried to run away as fast as I could. He grabbed me by the back of my neck and threw me down the stairs. That wasn't enough for him. He started kicking me over and over. My neighbor came over and banged on the door, which stopped the kicking. He tried to hurt her and I said some stuff to turn his attention back to me so that he would leave her alone. I crawled into his home office, grabbed the letter opener, and stabbed him in the leg three times. I used the last bit of energy I had to run away. I spent a few nights in a DV shelter. When I was well enough to leave, I went back to the house to pack all my things and leave."

Harrison said, "Why would he think that Ivy is his? Abby told us."

"We had sex the day before our last fight. By that point in our relationship, I was willing to pretend to care about him so that I could find my opportunity to leave for good. Basically, I left Edison the beginning of the month and me being implanted with Ingrid's egg happened at the end of that month. Edison probably thinks that he did get me pregnant and I kept his child from him out of spite. I've never been pregnant by Edison nor do I ever want to be."

Huck started pacing again, "I want to kill him."

"So do I" Olivia confessed, "but that only puts the spotlight on us…especially since Rosen has been asking around."

"Should we do something about Rosen?" Harrison asked.

Olivia shook her head, "No. He's just doing his job. If anything, he's being used by someone else."

Abby finally came out of her office, "So I dragged as much information out of David as I could. Turns out, Sally Langston planted this seed about Ivy in his ear."

"Of course she did. Since we have a good handle on our current clients, I want us to look into the death of Chastity Cartwright."

"Wait a minute. You want us to look into the death of Rip's wife?" Abby asked. "Why?"

"He's convinced that Hollis Doyle was behind it. If that's the case, then maybe she had something worthwhile on Hollis."

"Why would that matter to us?" Quinn asked.

"We're still enemies to Hollis. We know a lot of his secrets, which makes us a threat to him. We know how far Hollis is willing to go to keep his secrets buried. Maybe we can actually get him on something that can send him to jail."

"Is there another reason you want to do this Liv?" Huck asked.

"JoJo and Rip want him dead and they don't care about the repercussions. I don't want JoJo taken out of Ivy's life because of her hatred of Hollis."

Fitz wandered the halls of the West Wing the following morning still reeling from his conversation with Olivia. He knew that he had a long way to go before he could make her believe that she was the only woman for him. He planned to begin that journey by making amends with Rip. He called Rip to set up a meeting. "I would like for us to speak in person. I want to apologize to you in person."

"Well, I'm already here. Figured I return the favor of popping up on you."

Fitz barely let Rip sit down before he said, "You were right about Edison. He's going after Olivia for custody of her child."

Rip was surprised, "Excuse me? That motherfucker is trying to drag Ivy into this?"

Fitz mentally stored Ivy's name. "So what are we going to do?"

"We?" Rip asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yes. What are we going to do to protect the woman we love and her daughter?"

"She's not a prize for us to fight over."

"I'm aware."

"You expect me to trust you when it comes to her?"

"You don't have to trust me. She always protected my kids, as much as she could, on the whole campaign trail. The least I can do is return the favor."