"Mommy, are you going to have a baby?"

Olivia stopped running the brush through Ivy's hair. "Where did that come from?"

Ivy shrugged, "I was talking to Mr. Rip and he told me that he loved me and you. I asked him if he wanted to have kids and he said that we needed to ask you."

Olivia was honestly feeling put on the spot with the question. "I've never really thought about that before. I've always been happy just having you. I just want to make up for all the things I missed with you Happy Feet."
"I love you mommy and I'm not upset. I know you had to work and help people, which is why I was with Ms. JoJo. But I do want a brother or a sister. I want to protect them the way you protect me."

"Okay little lady. I am all done with your hair."

"Mommy" Ivy whined. "Are you gonna give me a brother or a sister?"

"Maybe one day Happy Feet. Now, you're finally done and you need to pick your outfit for school tomorrow."

Ivy reached down to tie her shoe and ran away saying, "Don't forget to invite everybody to the carnival."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Olivia—against her better judgment—scheduled a meeting at the White House. She wanted to put this whole Verna thing to bed for good. She was dressed in a dark purple suit with a crème colored overcoat and matching crème pumps. She was anxiously tapping away on her phone as she waited for her meeting to begin. She felt eyes on her and looked up to see Cyrus staring back at her with a shocked expression. He looked around them and lowered his voice. "Liv, what are you doing here?"

"I have a meeting", Olivia responded dismissively.

Cyrus said, "You're his 11:30 meeting."

"It would appear so." With a bored expression, Olivia looked up from her phone. "Is there something I can help you with Cyrus?"

"Uh, not that I can think of."

"Then stop staring at me."

Fitz's receptionist, Lauren, stared wordlessly between Olivia and Cyrus. Cyrus attempted to take a step toward her but resisted when he saw the disdain on her face. "Liv, I just wanted to say—"

"I'm very much uninterested in anything you have to say to me." The door to the Oval Office opened slowly and Olivia stood up from her seated position. Olivia walked into the Oval Office and closed the door behind her, leaving Cyrus to fume all the way back to his office.

Fitz was his own ball of nerves and nervously greeted her. "Hello Olivia."

"Hello Mr. President."

Fitz sat down across from the couch Olivia was sitting on. "Is there a reason why you requested that Cyrus not be a part of this meeting?"

Olivia discreetly pointed toward the camera above them. "I felt that the context of our meeting did not fall under Cyrus' purview."

Fitz stood up and ushered Olivia to the private office off to the side of the room. Once inside the room, Fitz closed the door. "This is about Verna."

Olivia nodded. "Yes. Her son came to me and was adamant that his mother was murdered."

"That's why you had questions about Verna's death?" Fitz surmised.

Olivia scoffed. "Her death. Yes, that's why I had questions." Olivia rolled her shoulders, "I'm going to tell her son that she died because of hospital negligence. I will find a way to convince him of that." She paused to look him in the eye, "I know your secret Fitz. I know what Verna was holding over you."

Fitz felt his stomach drop, "Livvie—"

"What I don't understand is why that girl dying at your party was so much of a threat to you. You've always had to be strongarmed into running for a specific political office. Why wouldn't you just take responsibility and live the life you want?"

Fitz crossed his arms, "Like I had any choice? Come on Livvie. You of all people know what it's like to have a demanding father. Your father sent you to schools with the children of kings."

Olivia internally laughed at one of the many lectures her father gave her over the years. "So what? I didn't do what he wanted me to do. He wanted me to actively practice law and I'm in crisis management. He wanted me to live a life that he designed and I chose not to. You just never have the balls to go toe-to-toe with Big Gerry. I understand that you were lost when your mom died, so was I. That doesn't mean that you just play dead and let Big Gerry puppeteer your life. Oh my mistake, you let just about everybody make you a puppet. Does that put all of them on your murderous hitlist? Who's next? Is it Mellie, Cyrus, Hollis, or me?"

Fitz became angry. "Where the hell do you get off on talking to me like that Liv? I am the President of the United States."

"No, right now you aren't" she countered. "Right now, you are Fitzgerald Grant and I am Olivia Pope. You have let everyone—including me—influence so many of your life and career decisions. When are you going to take control over your own life and only make the choices that you want to make? You kill Verna because she knew about a situation that wasn't as convoluted as one would think."

"I lied Livvie."

"About what now?"

"I told myself that I did it to keep my secret. The driving force behind why I did it was anger and worry. I was angry about Defiance and even more so because she had no remorse for her part. I was worried about what exposing Defiance would do to you. I knew that Cyrus and Mellie would find a way to land on their feet but I was more concerned with Hollis convincing them to blame everything on you. Contrary to what you think, I am damn proud of all that you have built for yourself. I now understand that you needed to leave the White House in order to continue being Olivia Pope. I didn't want you to lose all of that and have a tarnished reputation because of Verna. I know that I should feel guilt for killing Verna but I simply don't. Aside from my children, I live for you Sweet Baby."

Olivia felt her emotions go haywire and made it a point to not become emotional in front of Fitz. "What you did was wrong Fitz, just like what I did with Defiance. I was willing to deal with the consequences of my actions because I was going to bring everyone involved down with me."

"I shouldn't have put you in that position Livvie. I should've never stayed in the race because I just kept botching debates and all but forced everyone's hands to rig that election."

"You didn't put me in that position. I made a choice."

"A choice that you wouldn't have made if you weren't in love with me. You compromised yourself to get me the job that I decided to fight for at the last minute. I can't say that we would've worked out if I'd lost the election but I do believe that you wouldn't have lost pieces of yourself by believing in me."

"Why did you cave so easily when that girl died at your party?"

Fitz let out a breath, "I caved in because my father ordered me to follow his lead. My dad owed yours a favor from something before I was even born. He collected on that favor by hiding what happened at the party. The girl who died was assaulted by my father. She told me at the party that she believes that my father drugged and raped her during one of his charity galas. I didn't know the girl personally, so I chose not to believe her. She had already made a formal complaint against him, so her dying at my party was bad for everyone involved. I'm not saying that it was justified to cover everything up but it was what I agreed to at the time."

"How did Verna know?"

"She was one of his mistresses back then. He admitted it during pillow talk with her. My father put me on endless guilt trips about how much I owed him for covering up my mistake."

"When are you going to let your balls drop and you take back control over your life? When are you going to clean up your garden and weed out the snakes? Regardless as to whether or not you win re-election, will you ever be fully in control of your own life?"

"Yes I will."

"You sure about that?"

"Olivia, I am now fully in control of my life and my actions."

Olivia inhaled deeply, "I'll put this thing with Verna to bed."

Fitz decided to switch topics. "How is your daughter doing?"

"She's fine. How are Karen and Gerry?"

"They're….adjusting to the divorce."

Olivia knew that he was deflecting and refused to let him off so easily. "Why does Cyrus still have your trust? His prized possession is your presidency. Everything he does is for the sake of your presidency and not you as a person." Olivia knew she was getting under his skin and decided to keep goading him. "Does Cyrus carry your 'presidential' balls in his pocket? I understand Big Gerry pulling your strings but Cyrus. Cyrus is a lunatic with far too much power. Oh I get it. Cyrus is just a fatherly extension of Big Gerry."

Fitz was flexing his jaw, "I know you're trying to agitate me Livvie, but it won't work. Cyrus is not my puppet master."

Olivia challenged, "Prove it."

Fitz launched forward and pulled Olivia into a forceful kiss. He pushed her back until her back slammed against the wall. Fitz deepened the kiss and moaned into Olivia's mouth. He regretfully broke their kiss to start placing wet pecks down the column of her neck. He hastily peeled her coat off and threw it across the room. He started to work on her shirt as she tried to pull away. "Tell me to stop Sweet Baby." Fitz blew onto the wet kisses he already left, causing goosebumps to adorn her skin.

Olivia's body betrayed her and she felt herself giving in. She whined, "Don't stop."

Fitz carefully unbuttoned her shirt and peeled the fabric away from her body. He covered one of her breasts with his full hand. He teased the other hand just about her waistline. Fitz nudged her breasts out of the bra and immediately latched on to her erect nipple. Olivia moaned at the action and nudged him to suck harder. Fitz unzipped her pants with his free hand and pulled down her legs. Fitz dropped to his knees and propped her right leg over his shoulder; he guided the other leg to rest on his other shoulder. Fitz lapped at her core before shoving his tongue inside her as deep as it would go. Fitz had missed her taste and relished in having her on his tongue again. He could feel Olivia grabbing handfuls of his hair—a tell that makes it known that she's close to reaching her peak. Fitz sloppily ate her out and dug his fingers deep into her hips.
Olivia was a quivering mess. "Ah, Fitz it's too much."

Fitz stared up at her, mouth still attached to her core and said "Cum for me sweet baby."

Olivia's thighs began to shake and tighten around his head. Olivia bit down hard on her tongue to keep from screaming his name while waves of pleasure rolled through her body. With one final suckle to her clit, Olivia exploded in his mouth. Her body slumped against the wall and she felt Fitz gently placing her on her feet. Once Olivia regained full use of her limbs she pushed Fitz away. She was mortified about what just transpired. Olivia started pacing and shot a nasty look at Fitz. "I can't believe that just happened."

Fitz had a cocky smirk, "Why not? You wanted to know if I was still capable of making my own decisions. I just made one."

Olivia slapped Fitz across the face. "Why would you do that?"

"Livvie—"

"No. You know that there's something going on with me and Rip", she accused.

"You still love me Livvie. I can feel it. No one knows your body as well as I do."

"That's not the point. I've been trying my best to figure out which way to go. You may love me Fitz, but so does he. I can't believe I let myself be that weak."

"You're not weak Livvie. You're one of the strongest people that I know."

"Fitz. What we just did was wrong." Olivia quickly got redressed and grabbed her belongings.

"Where are you going Liv?"

"That's not your concern. Dammit Fitz, I didn't come here for this. I came here on business yet here I am in an office with you after just letting you eat me out. What in the actual fuck!"

"Livvie, you are the love of my life. I'd do anything to keep you happy."

Olivia reached the door handle, "Your definition of anything and mine are polar opposites.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

"JoJo, got a minute?" Rip asked.

"Yeah. What's up?"

"We're pulling out of funding the campaign."

"Why? What happened?"

"Take your pick. The wife can't keep their divorce under wraps. Cyrus sent someone after Ivy. And my personal favorite—POTUS is in bed with Liv's father. We don't need the stress and negative connotation of all that drama."

"Okay, so when are you going to tell them that?"