2 years later…

Prologue

To say Olivia Pope had not been this happy in years was an understatement. The proof? Her stomach hurt from laughing so hard.

It was a Friday night and she was in bed. A few years ago, it would be inconceivable to even entertain the notion of being home on a Friday night. Normally she would be working, held up in the office going through phone records, medical bills and bank transactions. But those days were no longer. And to make her life anymore different than it once was, there was a man in her bed.

Derek Ramirez was her boyfriend. Yes…boyfriend. And she was in her bed with him, wearing one of his old dress shirts, laughing hysterically at Fresh Prince of Bel-Air re-runs.

"I…can't…believe…that DANCE!" Olivia doubled over in hysterics. She caught a brief glimpse of her boyfriend, attempting to stifle his laughter.

"Umm…" he said, his voice cackling with glee. But he could not contain himself anymore. Their laughter filled the apartment, bouncing of the walls until they could laugh no more.

"I cannot believe you've never watched this". He said, picking up the remote and turning the TV off.

Olivia rolled her eyes, amused. "Well…I was very busy in the 90's, being Olivia Pope and all."

Derek smirked, reaching over to Olivia and cuddling her against his broad chest. She loved being with him. Snuggling cozily, with not a care in the world with a man she loved. She closed her eyes at ease. Feeling safe and warm for the first time since…

Don't think about that. Don't you dare!

She readjusted herself in Derek's arms, almost as if she were physically shaking away the clouds of dark thoughts that permeated through her mind. But it was understandable why such a thing would happen. Given what she had been contemplating doing. She was edging on the line, throwing herself back in the lines den.

And for the first time in about three years, her stomach was performing backflips. For the first time in years, her life would be chaos. Hotel rooms, fatty food, cable news green rooms.

For the first time in years, she was contemplating working for Fitzgerald Grant III.