Chapter 5 - Father and Son

A gush of air pushed out of his mouth as Eli Pope exhaled through the night. The Vermont air suddenly surrounding him as soon as he exits the sliding door and as he makes his way to one of the rocking chairs outside the house. Behind him, inside the warmth of their house, the family of three which his daughter unexpectedly created, were sharing a laughter earned from a new stunt his granddaughter had done. He too smiled even without bothering to look back knowing too well how Bella could marvel all of them. At eleven months, he just knew his granddaughter would own her world just as his daughter owned hers growing up.

He quietly settled took a seat on one of the two rocking chairs before pulling her sweater tighter to his body. He never figured why exactly Olivia and Fitz decided to settle here in Vermont – this cold, laidback Vermont – but every time he comes over for a visit, he slowly understands why.

Out of habit, his eyes scanned the perimeter of the huge span of land before settling his eyes on the family of three inside the stone-walled house. Who would have thought, that after all those years of hatred, all those layers of stories, of troubled pasts and broken hearts, he would still find himself getting the front seat of seeing his daughter get the family he once tried to create.

He remembered rejecting invitations for a visit, slightly ashamed that he may be like misplaced piece of a puzzle but once he heard about Olivia's labor and delivery, it only took him three hours before boarding a plane out of Washington, just in time to see and hold his first grandchild.

Now eleven months have passed, and while the visits where not as frequent as one would wish, each one of them was something he wish could make up for all the years he wasn't around.

Taking in the familiar piney air, it once again dawned on him why Fitz and Olivia settled here in Vermont. Apart from the soft rustles of trees as the evening air comes in, there really aren't much noise around the vicinity of the property. In here, his daughter doesn't have to wear her power suits or rack her brain to come up with abrupt solutions, Fitz isn't the former leader of the free world, and he himself isn't even the former Command of the strongest secret agency in the world.

In here, they're just plain Olivia, just plain Fitz, and he's just plain grandpop.

A soft growl from a throat pulled him from his thoughts and only then he realized he had his closed his eyes all these time. Following the sound, he saw Fitz standing next to the vacant chair next to him and despite himself, he gave a curt nod signaling the former President can join in.

"Here," Fitz said as he offers the older man an opened bottle of beer, "something to warm you up."

"Thanks," Eli replied before taking a quick swig from the bottle.

A comfortable silence settled between both men as their eyes watch Olivia gave Bella some tighter snuggles inside the house eliciting a laughter from the eleven month old.

"I have not thanked you," Eli quiet said, breaking the silence and earning the former president's attention.

"What for?" Fitz asked.

"For…," a gulp, "for keeping them safe. For keeping them happy," the former Command responded of which Fitz returned with a nod. "I know I wasn't the warmest and I apologize for doubting you and your intentions but you long proved to be… worthy."

"Thank you," Fitz quietly replied, "but I would have done just the same if I were you too, maybe even worst." he added with a smile. A chuckle left Eli's lips knowing too well the man was right, anybody would be at their worst if they see someone as a threat to their loved ones. Eli knows he would gladly do it again should anything bad happen to his family.

When Bella let another squeak of joy, both men turned their heads again to the house as they let a comfortable silence surrounds them. Each taking turns taking some beer or two.

"Son," Eli softly calls out, "I'll be leaving on your hands the greatest possessions I ever have. Love them, care for them, protect them. I know I don't have to remind you but, when I'm gone…please… look after them… for me."

In an instant, Fitz's head whipped towards Eli, his expression mixed with surprise and questions. "Rowan…" the former president began, frowning as he feared to probe what he thinks might be right.

"Cancer," Eli Pope shared with a quick eyebrow arch. "Stage 4. Prostate." He added plainly.

"I'm sorry," Fitz returned only for the older man to shake his head.

"It is what it is, son," the black man said nonchalantly, before taking another swig from this beer.

"I take it Liv doesn't know," Fitz said a beat after.

"And I'd like to keep it that way," the former Command firmly said. "There's no use to bother Olivia with things we cannot change."

With no room to argue, Fitz drank from his bottle. He knew Eli; once the older man set his mind on something, it's a done deal but knowing the man is Liv's father, he decided to still try.

"We can have you checked with another doctor. Just say 'yes' and we'll bring the best. I know this urologist from Washington and I'm sure we…" Fitz said.

"I already tried with three doctors. All said the same thing," Eli confirmed before taking in another gulp of air. "Three months, that's what they told me," he added as his eyes landed squarely on the former president.

"Rowan… I…" Fitz began only for him to stop knowing to well his convincing power won't work this, so instead he said, "Yes sir, I'll take good care of them, for you."

"Good," the former Command replied.

"And son," Eli began as he got up on his feet, "I don't want to wait; so should you… decide to finally make an honest woman out of my daughter, I'll… I'll give you now my blessing."

In an instant, Fitz stood and pulled his phone from his pocket, beer now forgotten on the small circular table beside the chair. He quickly scanned through his phone's gallery before his lips drawn in a smile as soon as he found what he was looking for and held it for Eli to look on.

"Uhm, exquisite," the older man noted as his eyes traced the photo of a gold ring beaded with what he assumed were diamonds.

"I had it for quite sometime now, I just don't know when's the right time. Well I know it's just that… the last time," Fitz supplied, momentarily closing his eyes as not to let the memories of the past come back. He doesn't know which one is worst, was it the time when he proposed to Liv at the Truman Balcony and she turned him down or that time when Liv returned her Betsy Ross engagement ring after saying 'yes' that same morning.

"Ha. Last time, both times, flopped," Eli continued teasing, before beginning to walk towards the house.

"Yeah," Fitz agreed embarrassingly before following close behind.

"You know it doesn't matter when or how you propose, son," Eli said, stopping on his tracks and turning to face the white man. "But you know what does matter?" he added.

"What?" Fitz asked.

"Her," Eli replied with a smile before patting the former president and began walking towards the house leaving Fitz alone on the stone-paved walkway.

Just as the former Command reached the sliding door, Olivia opened the door and let her father in. In a gentle manner, he pulled Bella out of her mother's arms allowing the couple to be alone as the former fixer met the former leader of the free world.

"That seems serious," Olivia commented, noticing the somewhat serious features on her boyfriend's face.

"Yeah." Fitz replied with a smile before pulling his girlfriend close and planting a kiss on her forehead.