Chapter 14

As Fitz was getting the drinks, Liv was dishing out the mac and cheese. Two hearty spoonful's went on each plate, and Fitz licked his lips in anticipation.

"Liv, that smells amazing. Makes me salivate almost as much as you do." Fitz kissed her forehead as she held the plates steadily with a wide smile.

"You are shameless, Fitz." As she put the plates on the small table she was startled by the knock on her door.

Fitz looked towards the door. "Are you expecting someone?"

"Maybe a delivery, but no I'm not expecting anyone." Liv began to the door.

"Wait." Fitz put his back to her. "Jump on, we'll answer it together." He smiled.

Liv giggled a bit and hopped on his back as he reached for the door. She had her head buried in his neck, taking him all in, thinking of how happy she was when she felt him let her go down slowly.

Fitz took a hard swallow, and Liv tilted her head in frustration. "Dad, why are you here?"

"Hmm, yes, and hello to you also, Olivia." He looked over at Fitz, a stern look, up and down, and casually nodded. "Fitzgerald."

"What do you need dad?" Olivia asked, he was still standing in the hallway.

"You umm, going to invite me inside?" He stood waiting.

"Fine, come in." She was in a bathrobe, Fitz had no shirt on, but as she looked at him coming out of the bedroom, that changed, and Fitz had put on a shirt. "Would you like some mac and cheese?"

"I didn't make mac and cheese." Her father looked at the plates curiously, then looked up at her. "You cooked?"

"I did," she smiled, grabbing a plate and filling it up. "Eat up."

"I uh, thought you said you had no idea Fitz made bail," he waited as he took a fork and ate some of his daughter's creation.

"I bumped into him leaving the station. I had gone there to ask Jordan to let him out the door without the press and there Fitz was. I happened to be there on my motorcycle, and Fitz needed a ride some place to clean up. So here we are." Liv rubbed Fitz's hand, smiling at him and getting him to ease up a bit.

"Is everything cleared up?" Eli turned to Fitz. He took a deep breath. He had just stopped DC from knocking on the door. He saw the boy standing there unsure whether to knock or not.

"I advise you to find some place else to go." Eli said sternly. DC jumped, turning towards Eli as if he was a cop and put his hands in the air.

"I didn't do anything, Eli, I swear."

"You're a bit jumpy for someone who claims they're innocent. Leave Liv alone. She's obviously here to put her place together and she wants to be alone, now go. Meet me at the shelter in two hours. We have some talking to do."

"Sir, I can assure you."

"Assure you me you'll be there in two hours, otherwise the police get the camera footage from my store, and I have you arrested for shoplifting." Eli's head went down, his eyes up on DC.

DC took a long breath. Eli did know after all. "Two hours." DC dropped his head in defeat, took one last look at the door and walked slowly away.

As Fitz was speaking, Eli was happy to have intervened. He's not so sure what Fitz would have done, but he's sure Olivia would have lost any patience she had left with DC.

"My lawyer is working to clear my name. Results from the medical examiner, my alibi checking out, and other things are being investigated. I didn't do anything that would have killed Bradley. I promise you that."

Eli took another taste of the mac and cheese. "Liv, I don't remember you cooking much for anyone, what made you do this?"

"Do you like it? Better than yours right?" Liv took some of hers. "What do you think Fitz?"

Fitz stopped mid chew and looked at Liv like she just asked the silliest question ever. "Uh, I think." Then he looked at Eli who had his hands folded and his chin resting on them, waiting for an answer.

"Yes, Fitzgerald, do tell me which mac and cheese is better."

Fitz looked at Liv then back at Eli. He finished chewing and took a sip of his iced tea. "Well," he cleared his throat. "I think if you didn't make such fine mac and cheese, Liv wouldn't make such fine mac and cheese." His one shoulder went up. "On a selling note, I still would like to market your mac and cheese at the banquet halls."

Fitz looked at Liv. "I would like to keep your mac and cheese just between us. I don't want to share it with anyone."

Liv looked down, playing with her food with her fork, then side eyed him. "That's an answer I can live with."

Feeling for the first time as a father as the odd man out in his daughter's life, Eli clapped his hands gently and pushed the chair out from under him. Liv stood with him, and Fitz stood up as well.

"Everything ok, Dad?" Liv looked at Fitz. She didn't think he said anything insulting, nothing to the effect that would have Eli leave in anger in any way.

"Yes, please, sit back down, everything is fine." He rubbed his hands on his lap, watching Fitz have a seat to let him speak to his daughter.

"I was only joking about the mac and cheese, Dad, you don't have to get all upset." Liv looped his arm.

He gave a pat to Liv's hand. "I know they are shorthanded at the shelter. It's getting late, I want to help Nicole, and make sure everyone is down for the night." Eli smiled a bit while looking at Fitz.

Fitz nodded, not really knowing what to do. Should he offer help at the shelter, should he wave bye, or should he just take another mouthful of mac and cheese. As Liv began walking with Eli towards the door, Fitz took the mouthful of food, it was too damn good not to do it.

"Dad, you're not upset that I'm not at the shelter, it's just." Eli stopped Liv from talking and put his hands on her shoulders, having her look up to him.

"I know how you care for him Olivia. I hope he didn't do what they are saying he did, in fact, I don't think he's capable of that. The bruises on him make it hard to believe, but murder, I don't think so." He cupped her face. "Take your time, but don't miss out on your life's opportunities." He kissed her cheek. "I love you. Call me if you're heading over to our place in the morning."

Liv smiled and gave her father a hug. He was always so protective, so worried, and so caring. Liv would never want that to end and him believing in Fitz like she does meant everything to her.

"Nothing will get in the way of opportunity. I know how hard you worked to get me to this opportunity. I just need to look at other areas of my life now." She never stopped hugging him as she was speaking."

Before Eli left he turned to Liv while he was standing outside the door. "Have you heard at all from DC?"

Liv shook her head. "No, I haven't. Is he ok?" Liv had a bit of guilt, not even asking Eli.

"We'll see, I'll let you know." Eli's eyes went passed Liv's shoulder and he nodded at Fitz who had come now to meet Liv by the door.

"Goodnight Mr. Pope." Fitz waved. Liv closed the door and turned to Fitz giving him a hug to rest her head on her chest.

Fitz's chin was on her head. "You alright, Livvie?" He was lying to himself if he didn't feel a hint of jealousy hearing Liv ask about DC. Fitz had a feeling DC was involved in some way in all of this.

Liv shook her head. "Yes, but I know our time is limited. Thank you for entertaining him."

"Like I said he loves you, and nothing is going to come between your love for him, I'm certainly not." He pulled her back and smiled at her, as she tipped her toes to pull his lips to hers.

She untied the bathrobe, letting it fall as she felt his hands rub down her back. Those big protective, gentle hands, and she felt the chills spread up her body as her arms locked around him falling deeper into the kiss.

Liv felt her body get lifted from the floor and for the second time, they were making their way to her bedroom. It was a fight Liv didn't have in her, her body wouldn't let her fight it. For now, the night was still theirs, despite the outside factors.

Maxwell slowly opened the door to his lab and peered out the slit the opening made. He recognized the gentlemen, finely dressed, and he had to look twice before the realization came to him who it was.

Feeling a bit numb, but safe, strangely enough to feel when a dead body was in the next room, Maxwell swung the door open. "Mr. Falcon?" He said it as a question just to be sure he was correct.

Raquel's father stepped in, gave a nod to young man and said "That's right, I have some questions for you."

"For me?" Maxwell took a deep swallow. "How can I help you?" Maxwell looked to the room; thank goodness he had covered the body. He looked at his small chair and put his hand out. "Would you like to sit?"

Intimidating as he knew he was, Mr. Falcon just stared at the young man, knowing how it was making Maxwell nervous. Then he heard the words of his longtime friend Gerry Grant, and he stopped the intimidation game. "Go to this Maxwell fellow. Olivia's friend Abby reached out to us; I think you may want to speak to him. You have the power and influence to go there, to get in, go to him."

Deep inside, Mr. Falcon didn't want the fantasy of his perfect daughter to become the reality of the vindictive mean girl reputation he knew wasn't far fetched. Mr. Falcon sat down, realizing he was going to hear from this honest young man something he never wanted to hear. It was what he would do after he heard it was what he was struggling with.

He looked at the room then back at Maxwell. "I see you've been working."

"Yes sir, umm, Bradley Barrett, the reporter. Fitzgerald Gant was arrested for his murder. I'm working on the autopsy." Maxwell stopped. He was under no obligation to give this man any information.

The silence was deafening, then finally Mr. Falcon spoke up. "Look, you don't have to go any further. I know at some point my daughter is going to be questioned about this." Upon the voice of Gerry in his mind was his daughter's.

"I was with him tonight daddy, I was, but I didn't do anything, but I'm afraid something might be found because I was there and well, I didn't do anything, you have to believe me. Raquel fell into his arms sobbing, crying, like she always does when she wants daddy to fix something for her.

"That weirdo Maxwell is doing the autopsy. You have to find out what he knows. He never liked me; he's going to lie."

Between Gerry's words and her words, here he was in a morgue lab with a dead body behind him and scared medical examiner in front of him. He was the top producer in all of the Hills, and this is where he was. Raquel has gone too far.

Maxwell cleared his throat. "Sir, I can't say much, but I will say it doesn't look like Fitz did anything that would have killed Mr. Barrett. If I could just go back and finish up.."

Mr. Falcon raised his hand. 'I'm not here for that. I am here for one thing. If my daughter is suspected, by you, in any way, all I am asking is for a courtesy call in advance. I want to know how far her vindictiveness went this time. Daddy may not be there to bail her out of his one." He stood up without saying anything else.

Maxwell took the card Mr. Falcon was holding out for him to take for the obvious contact information, and as quickly as he walked in, Mr. Falcon walked out.

For the moment they both sat on the bed. Liv's legs were on either side of Fitz, as she was just about straddling him. Her hands were using his neck as an anchor and she teased just a bit with air kisses to his tender lips.

His gorgeous hands rubbed down her sides and stopped at her hips. "Why are you doing this to me Livvie?" His voice was a baritone soft whisper and it brought a weakening effect to Liv's inner and outer body.

She leaned in closer, her lips at his ear and whispered back, "because you make me feel so good." Her head then came front and she pounded her lips to his, feeling his hands go down her back. She stopped and then just rested her forehead on his. Her eyes closed as she caught her breath.

When her eyes opened she looked at him, trying to salvage every moment they were going to have together. She saw doubt in his eyes. Was he doubting her love for him? Was he doubting his innocence? Was he doubting things would ever get better?

"Hey, talk to me." Her head tilted, as she felt his hands now linked at the bottom of her back."

"I don't know." He looked away. "What if this goes all wrong? I mean," his head went and he gave it a shake, "I don't want you involved in this and I have to state you as an alibi."

"So, state me as an alibi" Liv had nothing to hide, and she wasn't lying. He was with her most of that night.

"But your book, the shelter, your community, your reputation." He looked away again.

She stopped his head from turning, and made him look at her. "It will not be affected. Stop doing this to yourself Fitz. You aren't as bad as a person as you think you are. You have people in your corner, and this isn't going to end well for the people truly responsible."

His eyes danced with hers, it was too complicated for him to understand how someone like Liv could love someone like him. He finally pulled her body to his, him falling on his back, and her on top, and pulled her down into an earth shattering kiss.

His hands just rubbed her body, feeling her, wanting her, needing her, and he felt his tongue go in deep, hearing her moan , hearing himself breathe into her as if she needed the life she was giving to him.

He raised her body up slightly and pulled her up so that her breast was aligned with his mouth, and he took it gently, rubbing the tip of his tongue around her nipple. Looking up at her beauty, her eyes were closed, and her head was swaying in the air as she bit her bottom lip.

Her hand went down in between them and she grabbed his erection, using her fingertips to rub it down, and Fitz's hand just pushed her back down, so that her breast was deeper into his salivating mouth.

This time he stifled the moan, as the gentle tickle from her touch made his body shiver, and he needed to be inside her right at the moment. He wanted to just drop her body down and line her entrance so that he could glide right into her, and the old him probably would have done that, but not to Olivia, not to the woman who has stolen his heart.

He pulled his mouth away from her breast, and deeply breathed the word "Fuck" as he anchored her back now, so that he was on top. He reached over to the nightstand, so grateful he pulled out more than one condom, and she pulled the packet from him.

"Allow me," her seductive voice went through him, just as his goes through hers, and before she rolled that condom down what was trying to get into her, her mouth made it wet with her warm lips.

Fitz pulled her hair a bit as his body tensed, and he rubbed around her head. "Woman you are going to kill me." He watched as her soft hands rolled the condom down slowly, and Fitz nearly burst right there.

Her body back flat, her big doe eyes just looking at him, waiting, and he couldn't bear it any longer. God, how he loved her. He felt the kiss first, his lips crashing into hers, then he felt her wetness inside, his easy glide into her as they became one again, but this time it felt different.

She saved him today. Speeding away from that station and bringing him here, keeeping him safe, and no one, ever, did that for him. He was so thankful for her, and he just pushed his body into hers.

Their hands, both of them, interlocked on either side of the pillow, and he pounded again. She took it all in, her body arching, then going down. Their lips crashing, stopping, tongue circling, crashing, stopping again.

Finally, she pulled away from the kiss, her head turning, her body moving to the rhythm he was pushing it in, and he knew she was exploding under him. It was a feeling he would never get used to, because he wanted it to happen over again, in his meaning of forever.

He felt the sweat, dripping a bit from his temple down his cheek, and he had to let her hands go and use the bed for leverage as her body was so weak under him. "God, you feel so fucking good." His lips fell to her neck, and he sucked a bit, licked it, such smooth skin, and anything he had left in him, came out into her.

He had to catch his breath. He was overwhelmed with emotion, with love, with, with, just a feeling he could never describe in words. He felt her hand ruffle his curls, his wet with sweat curls. "You ok, Fitz?" She whispered.

"Yeah," His head nodded with the word, just so fucking in love with you." He smiled into her neck, and he felt her smile too.

"Me too." She watched him lift his head and look at her. "I am so happy we came back here." She rubbed his sweat soaked face, and felt him get him up, but not without her.

"Let's take a quick warm shower." He carried her to the bathroom and turned on the faucet. Their bodies began to become wet, and they hugged as they just let the water hit them.

Eli slammed the door to the back room of the shelter. The residents were all down for the night, and he didn't want them being disturbed. DC was slouched down in the corner of the room he spent most of his childhood in and was holding his head in his hands.

Walking over to him, Eli grabbed his wrist and pulled him up. "Get up and stop acting like you're a victim. A man is dead, an innocent man is being accused of something I believe he didn't do, and I know you have a hand in this. Now you better talk before it gets too late for me to help you."

DC pulled his wrist out of the grip of Eli and walked towards the table. "I only did what she asked me to do. I just wanted Fitz to get what he deserved. I just wanted him away from Olivia, ok?" He couldn't punch or pound the table, it would be too loud and he knew better. "I'm jealous, and she doesn't need him in her life, he doesn't deserve her."

"Well that's not for you to decide now is it?" Eli sternly looked at him, his face not changing at all. "I have no sympathy for you. You knew Olivia would never want you, love you like that, why did you play yourself? What did you do? Did you kill that boy?"

"God no, Eli, I could never." He side eyed the man he thought of as his hero. "I made a phone call; told the police I saw a guy fitting Fitz's description going to where Bradley was. That's all I did."

"That's all you did, huh?" Eli shrugged. "That's all you did. You gave the police a reason to suspect Fitz, you gave them something to get an arrest warrant for, you could be sending an innocent man to jail. So no, that is not all you did."

DC had nothing to say. He knew better, but he didn't think, and now what.

"She'll never look at you the same again. She'll never trust you again. Her heart can only stay loyal and gold for those that don't betray her. Look at Ethan, that boy came back around a dozen times, she never even breathed in his direction. I don't know how you even show your face here anymore."

"So, what do I do now?"

"Oh, you get Jordan here. You talk to him, tell him the whole truth and pray he has an answer for you. You lied to the police, you obstructed justice, and you better be prepared to be a witness for Fitz if it goes that far."

"You can't expect me to.."

"To what? To get Fitz off for this. Oh, I assure you I can. You made a bed, then messed it all up, guess what, you have to now make that bed all neat again." Eli pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"Call and get it done before someone other than Jordan gets the information and uses it against you." He held the phone out for DC to take, which he did without argument or hesitation.

"No one is going to believe me over Raquel Falcon." DC just stared at the phone before dialing.

"Raquel?" Eli took a deep breath. "She's responsible." He closed his eyes. "You've made a mess for Olivia as well I see." He looked at DC's hesitation. "Make the damn call, now!" Raquel, from reputation, was a vindictive woman. Eli could see passed the reputation Fitz had, but Raquel, not at all. If Olivia helps Fitz in any way that implicates Raquel, Eli shook the thought away. His daughter may be a caring, loving, person, but that will fade fast if Raquel does anything.

Eli walked over to the window as DC made the call. He looked at his reflection in the dark glass, rubbing his head. Raquel was going to come at Olivia with a vengeance. Eli had no doubts his daughter could take care of herself, but with the book deal, the tour, the autograph sessions, he worried about all the hard work, and if it would affect the dream they both worked on since Olivia was twelve.

"Jordan is on his way." DC handed the phone back to Eli and walked away. "I'm sorry."
"You're apologizing to the wrong person." Eli warned him. "If Raquel gets in the way of Liv and her success with this book, you're going to have much more than a dead friendship with Olivia to worry about." Eli took a seat on the only chair and waited for Jordan to arrive.

Liv was lying now on her side, hands under her cheek as she watched Fitz and then she lifted her head. "Wait, you're leaving?"

He walked to the bed, sitting on the side of it. He caressed her face softly. "You've done enough tonight, Liv, you need your rest. You have some busy few days coming up."

Her hand stopped the caress, and she held it. "Let me get dressed and take you…"

"No, I have Felix coming. I have to go see my parents. I'm sure they know I am out by now and are probably worried about me. Besides, you're not riding that motorcycle at night." He smirked at her. "Yes, I am telling you something you can't do."
She dipped her head. "Ok, deal, but only because I love your mom." She smiled.

He leaned back against the headboard and put his arm out. "At least give me the pleasure of having you fall asleep in my arms. I want to make sure you get your rest."

Liv put her head on his chest. "I'm in contact, through Abby, with the medical examiner." She closed her eyes waiting for his argument. "Maxwell is a friend. Abby and I have known him since high school."

Fitz just rubbed her shoulder. "Of course you are friends. I don't know what he can find, but I appreciate the help. I am sure my father will have information when I see him also. I just want this nightmare to go away, for you, for us."

"And for you Mister. I think Abby and I have it covered. You'd be surprised what two girls from the hood can do to a medical examiner." She gave a soft smile feeling her body relaxed and get comforted in his arms with his caress.

Her eyes closed and she fell so soundly asleep enclosed in his arms. Her breathing so shallow, and Fitz just held her, listening to the sound he could listen to for hours. He had so much thinking to do.

As much as he hated the thought, he may just hire Justin back, so FTG was taken care of. He had a weekend filled with events coming up, if they weren't cancelled with the news of his arrest.

The realization hit him that he had to get back into the living world, as much as he wanted to keep this woman wrapped in his arms. He saw the headlights outside the window and the flashes for Felix to indicate he was there.

He gave her body one last caress, kissed her gently on her head, and slowly pushed her body towards the pillow, hoping she wouldn't wake up. He looked at her one last time, and whispered, "first up, mom and dad." He leaned over, kissed her cheek, and reluctantly left the room and her beautiful little apartment.

"Oh my, Fitzgerald!" Sarah was opening the car door before Felix or Fitz himself could do it. Fitz heard his mother's voice coming down the long walkway. "Come, come inside and eat, and get that terrible jail cell off you. Wash up." She grabbed his hand and stopped reaching up to hug him tightly.

"Mom, I'm fine, really, I'm ok." Fitz assured her as he began walking to the house with her and his father was standing in the doorway.

"Dad." His father put his arm around him and pulled him close.

"Good to have you home son." He gave Fitz a pat on the back.

They went right to the living room and sat down, Sarah smiling at her son, just happy he was ok and so glad to see him. "You're not hungry?" She looked at him confused.

"I stopped by Olivia's. We ate. She cooked. Mac and cheese. The best next to her dad's but please don't ever tell her I said that." Then he looked down. "She helped me out today, getting me away from all the press at the station. I'm surprised none were here."

"Oh, they were." Gerry said. "I called the police, had them move them away. Told every last one of them I was going to have them arrested for trespassing."

"You saw Olivia. Oh, that makes my heart happy Fitz, she certainly does care for you."

"As I do for her." He looked over at his father. "I'm meeting with Leonard in the morning. Thank you for sending him over. He's a good lawyer."

"One of the best. He'll have these charges gone by tomorrow afternoon, I'm sure of it." He looked down at Fitz's hands and back up to his cheek. "Uh, son, you sure you didn't…"

"Dad, I went over there, I lost my temper with Bradley, and I beat the shit out of him. He pushed Abby into a desk and put her in the hospital. I couldn't stand to look at him. He said some things about Olivia, and yes, I lost my temper, but murder, no, not me at all."

"Well, someone tipped off the authorities you were there. They must have told them you were fighting, or something for them to have a warrant." He looked at his wife, back to his son. "I just had to ask, I never doubted you Fitz."

"Probably that no good Raquel. Oh Gerry, I am so happy you are done with the Falcon's. You see what they have done to our family." Sarah looked at Fitz. "Your father retired; he's finished."

"I know. Thank you." Fitz rubbed his hand through his hair. "Look, I have a few calls to make from the landline, I don't have my phone, it's at my place. Mind if I crash here tonight?" He stood up, with Sarah following.

"Yes, I would rather you here. Come, I'll take you upstairs, the bed should be fine, I just want to walk with you." Sarah interlocked her arm with Fitz. "So how is Olivia. Oh, Fitz, I knew she wouldn't believe any of this. She is too smart a girl for that. She sees you for who you really are." Sarah kept talking as Fitz said good night to Gerry and continued on with his mom.

He was going to miss texting Olivia tonight, but he was certain she was still sleeping and would do so into the morning. He could see the exhaustion in her eyes, and he hoped she got the good night's sleep she deserved.

The morning sunlight was not nice to Liv, waking her up so calmly from a beautiful sleep. She rubbed her head into the pillow, smiling, remembering falling asleep in his arms. She reached over to an empty bed, and her smile faded.

He did leave after all and she sat up, looking at the new apartment, hearing the silence, and suddenly longing for him. She rubbed her face, just to give herself a wake up, and she reached over to the phone, hoping to see his words in a text.

There were none, not from him anyway. The text was from Abby, and Liv took a disappointed breath. Meet me and Maxwell at the library. He's got what we requested. See you at 10."

Liv looked over. That gave her a little over an hour to get ready. She texted Fitz back first, before Abby. "I hope you slept as well as I did. Can't wait to see you again. Yesterday was amazing. I love you." She looked at the message, read it again three times, and hit the send button.

She watched as nothing was happening. No three dots, not marked read, just sat there, delivered. After five minutes of staring at the words she typed on the phone, she took a deep breath and got herself ready to face the day.

Her book signing and introduction was just a day away, and she was hoping she could get the word to Fitz. He had so much going on, she didn't mention the time or the place to him. It would mean the world to have him there, especially after his name is cleared, and he can finally enjoy being around the public.

"Holy crap, Eli, do you have to scare the life out of me like that?" DC woke up in Eli's guest room, with the stare of Eli right on him.

"Hmm, yes I do. You're not out of the deep water yet."

"I know, I know." Jordon met them. After DC admitted to everything, no charges were going to be filed. He would go before a judge, admit to Raquel wanting him to say Fitz was the one going in, but he didn't see anything, and he didn't see Fitz. The judge would give DC some community service, nothing he's not used to doing anyway, and that would be it.

It was made perfectly clear it would be the last time he would get off so easily for lying to the police. He looked back at Eli. "Now what?"

"I'll see that Olivia doesn't hear anything from me, but you may want to speak to her. Don't do anything before the book event tomorrow."

"The community should be out in full crowd tomorrow. It's great she's doing the event on the lawn of the public library."

"Yeah, get yourself ready and be at the food bank in a half hour. Nicole is alone there now, she could use the help."

No sooner did Eli leave, DC just sat up in his bed. Eli was right. Betrayal was a dirty word of Olivia, and it was a deadly in her book, one she never forgives. He has seen it with her. It still brought heat to his face knowing she was with him yesterday.

"Betrayal." DC looked at himself in the mirror talking to himself. "If only I can get Fitz to walk into a betrayal of Olivia. That would do it." He pointed to the mirror and gave himself a wink. "Think of something my boy."

Liv brought the only police officer she would ever trust in her life to the meeting with Maxwell and Abby. If Maxwell had the evidence, she wanted Jordan to be the one to take it all in.

"You do know I shouldn't be doing this Olivia." She pulled Jordan's hands up the stairs to the library.

"If it's evidence it's time sensitive, Jordan. Raquel and her riches won't stop searching until they get it and can cover it up. You need to get this straight from Maxwell unofficially and have back up in case it never becomes official.

Liv covered her happiness with her hands over her mouth. Maxwell just sealed it that Fitz was innocent in all of this. Well the beating, no, but the killing definitely. Maxwell handed the "confidential" folder over to Jordan.

When Maxwell stood up to leave, Liv jumped up with him. She gave him a hug. This was awkward for Maxwell, but he gently hugged her back. "Glad I could help. He didn't deserve to be accused of something he didn't do."

"Eww, Liv, you hugged him." Abby stood up. "You didn't touch a dead body today did you?" Abby looked at him, making Maxwell laugh.

"Not yet, but you're welcome to come to the morgue with me to see me touch one if you'd like. May bring the baby out a bit sooner though."

Abby gave him a small smack. "Stop.!"

"Ladies, Maxwell." Jordan turned to leave but turned to Olvia. "I will see you here tomorrow. I look forward to purchasing a book. I just hope Fitz is as supportive of you as you are of him."

Maxwell left too, and Abby looked at Liv. "Spill it."

"I haven't heard from him. I know he's busy, the halls and banquets, honestly I don't even know if he knows about the event being tomorrow. It's fine."

"Call him."

"I did. I don't think he has his phone. He may have stayed by his parents last night and went straight to work today. So you think Raquel will get charged."

"I can't see how she doesn't. I mean I can see how she does though. Let's just see, but as long as Fitz is cleared. Let's go get some clothes for the event tomorrow."

"I swear daddy, it was self defense, it really was. I did go there to get anything he had on Fitz and that story about him getting Fiona pregnant, but that was it. That creep grabbed my arm, he scratched me when I pulled away and I hit him, hard. There was some hard object, when he went down I ran. I swear!" The tears were streaming now.

Mr. Falcon tried to believe his daughter, but it was hard. "Then why let Fitz get arrested? Why didn't you tell me this before I went to see Maxwell last night?"

"I was scared. Then I even went to Fitz's place to tell him, but he was already gone into the police car. That Pope girl was there, she probably got her police friends to plant other evidence and try to get me in trouble. I just got scared, daddy. You believe me right."

Before Mr. Falcon could answer that, there was a knock at the door. Jordan was there holding up his arrest warrant for Raquel Falcon. As she shrieked while being cuffed, she turned to her father.

"DADDY, DON'T LET THEM DO THIS!"

He watched his daughter get taken away and for the first time felt no urgency at all to call his lawyer to help her out of this.

"Good night Fitz. I missed you today. I know you're busy. Hopefully getting some good news." Liv put her phone away and tried to get some rest for the big day tomorrow.

Surely if Fitz's name was cleared he would have reached out to her, right. Every voice in the back of her mind was talking to her at once. Nothing could make her mad at him though. There was never a thought he would deliberately hurt her. She closed her eyes. Then where is he?

Maybe he heard about Raquel's arrest and was being questioned about that. Maybe he was helping her. No, he wouldn't help her. Come on Liv how well do you really know him? She closed her eyes tighter. He's working, he never got to his phone. She will see him after the event tomorrow.

Her phone began to vibrate, it was DC on the display and Liv wanted nothing to do with him. She picked up though, just because. "What?"

"Your boy from the hills, yeah, he's over at the Hills Headquarters, leading Raquel Falcon out on bail he put up. Just thought I'd let you know that."

"I don't believe you." Liv was doubting herself.

"Don't then, but just know I told you from the start, no way a boy from the Hills picks you. You think he's showing up at a free public library for you tomorrow. Time to realize who your real friends are Liv. See you in the morning. Oh, and spare yourself from turning on the news."

Eli was going to kill him for this, but DC was one hundred percent certain Fitz would not show up in the morning. That boy hadn't left his office in FTG banquet hall. All charges were dropped, but his lawyer delivered that news personally.

Confident it was as good as done; DC left with Fitz still inside at 3 am. In just five short hours he would see the hurt in Liv's eyes, and she would realize who Fitz really was.

Finally entering his place at 6 am, Fitz never longed so much for a shower as he did at that moment. He wanted to shower, call Olivia, hear her voice, and sleep for the next ten hours. His name finally cleared, and all thanks to the woman he loves.

He missed her, longed for her, but he had to get everything cleared for the weekend for her, so he could be with her every step of the journey. He truly had no idea the journey was beginning in just an hour.

He picked up his cell, still where he left it on his night stand. He was rubbing the towel through his wet hair when he read all the texts that had come through.

"The back entrance, over there is fine." Liv told her driver where to drop her behind the library. This was the biggest day of her life, but she felt a big hole in her heart. Nothing was going to make her cry, not today.

As Liv stepped out of the car, she put her head down and walked slowly, sadly to the building. She kept telling herself there's a perfectly good explanation.

Suddenly an arm went around her waist and a hand over her mouth. She was pulled to a body she was all too familiar with and taken behind a wall next to the back entrance door. Although she should have screamed in fright, she squealed in happiness.

Her body up against the wall, and her eyes lit up as his lips replaced his hand that covered her mouth. Her hands went over her head then down around him, as they kissed for what seemed like five minutes.

Tears did fill her eyes, but they were tears of joy, relief, love, and calm. "You're here."

"No place I'd rather be." He looked at her, those eyes smiling.

There was no way he was near Raquel last night; she could feel it in her gut. "How did you?"

"I finally got home today to my phone at 6 am."

"And you came here with no sleep."

"Only thing I need is you Livvie, more than sleep. You're the air I breathe. I would never have missed this purposely. I hope you know that. Tell me you know that."

"I know that." Her lips lunged back at him. Before the biggest moment in her life here she was. She was right where she wanted to be, locked in the arms of the man she loves. Her lips pulled back as she just let him hug her.

He held her. Lifting her up by the waist and giving a small spin, before looking directly in her eyes. "I love you Olivia Pope, now let's go towards your dream." Their hands interlocked as they entered the library.

Back just far enough away, stood a lonely DC, steaming with anger. He kicked a rock that was at his foot and turned to leave, but not before coming face to face with Raquel and her little sidekick Jeremy.