So, I did a thing... I know many of you will not like what I did but just know that I have my reasons and this will not be a continuing thing. Also, for those of you who were wondering, the dress I had in mind for the State Dinner was the dress Olivia wore in Happy Birthday Mr. President. I can picture in my mind how cute that dress would be with her little bump.

Chapter 16

"You look pretty!" Teddy said in awe as he stared up at Olivia who was checking her dress in her bedroom mirror. "That's very sweet of you. Thank you for saying that." Olivia said as she glanced down at the little boy. "Why don't I get to go to the party?" Teddy asked for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. "Because…" Fitz said coming into the bedroom from the dressing room. "This is an adult party and you and your sister would be bored out of your minds if you were there." He said as he scooped the little boy up and tossed him playfully on the bed. "You and Karen are going to have your own fun tonight." Fitz told him. Trying to cheer up the little boy. He looked unconvinced. "Chef is making you and Karen your favorite dinner and dessert, and afterwards you get to go bowling and watch a movie." Fitz said as he looked the little boy in the eyes. "All Karen does is text her boyfriend, can't I go with you and Olivia?" He asked. "Karen has a boyfriend?" Fitz asked. Concerned. "She's been at that school a week. How does she have a boyfriend already?" Fitz asked, concerned. "Young love." She teased him with a smile. "And good job saying your 'v's buddy, I'm proud of you." Olivia said looking at Teddy. "Thanks!" Teddy said smiling. "Nanny Jen taught me." Teddy admitted proudly.

"You are going to have fun tonight." Fitz reiterated as he stood Teddy up on the bed so that he could look his son in the eye. "You know what else would be fun tonight?" Fitz asked, trying to get Teddy excited about the prospect of being left alone with his sister for the evening. "What?" Teddy asked curiously. "You could make a tent in your bedroom." Fitz suggested. Immediately, Teddy's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "We can?!" He asked excitedly. "Can I sleep in there tonight?" Teddy asked looking back and forth between Olivia and Fitz. "Hmm… I don't know." Fitz said looking back at Olivia. "Please Daddy!" The little boy pleaded. "What do you think Liv?" He asked Olivia with a playful grin on his face. "I don't know. Do you think he's big enough?" Olivia asked matching Fitz's playful demeanor. "I am going to be a big brother, you know." He said confidently. "You're going to be the best big brother aren't you?" Olivia asked him. "Uhuh!" He said proudly. Fitz and Olivia shared one more smile. "Okay fine, but you can't stay up all night." Fitz told him, finally giving in. "Can I at least stay up until you get done with your party?" Teddy asked. "Not this time." Fitz told him. "But afterwards I'll come give you a goodnight kiss." He told the little boy. "Olivia too?" Teddy asked. Both Fitz and Teddy looked up at Olivia with questioning eyes. "Olivia too." She told him with a smile. "Now, go find your sister and tell her that I need to see her." Fitz told Teddy as he placed the little boy on the floor.

Teddy ran out of his room to go find his sister leaving Olivia and Fitz alone together. "He's right…" Fitz told her as he grabbed her by the small of her back. "You are exceptionally beautiful tonight." Fitz told her with a smile. Olivia smiled at the compliment and wrapped her hands around the back of his neck. "You think so?" She asked him with a seductive smile. "Always, even when you're not wearing anything…Especially when you're not wearing anything." He said with an evil smile. "Ew!" Karen said in disgust causing Fitz and Olivia to jump a little. "Teddy said you wanted to see me." Karen said after they both looked at her. "Yes." Fitz said trying to shake off the mild embarrassment of having his daughter over hear his comment to Olivia. "What's this I hear about a boyfriend?" He asked, going into full dad-mode. "Fitz!" Olivia warned. Karen rolled her eyes. "He's not my boyfriend!" Karen argued defensively. "So who is he?" Fitz asked, unrelenting. "No one…" Karen began. "He's just a friend from drama class." Karen finished. "Ground rules for tonight." Fitz told her sternly. "You are in charge of Teddy for the evening." Fitz ordered. "That means you will make sure he eats his dinner and takes his bath." Fitz paused to make sure that Karen was listening. "Anything else?" She asked him as she anxiously glanced at her phone. "Yes." He said firmly, trying to keep his daughter's attention. "Just because you have your phone back doesn't mean that you have to be on it all night." Fitz paused once more. "Your 'friend from drama class' can wait until AFTER Teddy's bedtime, which is 8:30 by the way." Fitz told her searching for any kind of response. "I know when his bed time is dad. Don't worry, I can handle it." She told him looking him in the eyes. "I know you can." He said smiling. "Have fun with your brother tonight, I'll check on you after the dinner." Fitz told her as he kissed the top of her head. "Okay, have fun." Karen said as she walked out of their room. "You look great tonight Liv." She called before she exited.

"Should I be worried?" Fitz asked Olivia after Karen left the room. "She's a teenage girl, Fitz." Olivia offered as she straightened his bowtie. "If my dad knew half of the things I was up to when I was Karen's age, he would not have allowed me to continue going to boarding school." Olivia told him as she reminisced about her prep school days. "That's not making me feel any better." Fitz said with a worried look on his face. "If anything, it's making me think that this one" Fitz said as he reached out for his unborn daughter. "Should never be allowed to leave the house." He finished causing Olivia to crack a smile. "Fitz, Karen is fine." She began, "and this one…" she said referring to their baby "is not even born yet. If there is one child you don't have to worry about it's her." She reminded him. "Okay but did you see her?" Fitz asked. "She could barely look away from her phone for two seconds." He pointed out, clearly not willing to let the subject go. "Fitz, she's a teenager. Her entire life is on that phone." Olivia told him. She could see that he was still worried. "Fitz, she's making friends." She said trying to calm him down. "This is a good thing." She reminded him. "You're right." He said, finally relenting. He held his arm out for her to take as they made their way out of the Residence and into the elevator.

After cocktails and dinner Olivia and Fitz made their way to the ballroom to continue the festivities for the evening. Olivia danced a couple of dances with Fitz and with their guest of honor before excusing herself. Abby soon caught up with her, noticing that she was leaving the ballroom. "Hey, Liv." She called out causing Olivia to slow her pace. "I need to talk to you about something." Abby said, matching Olivia's strides. "Talk while I pee." Olivia said in a hurried voice. "What's up Abby?" Olivia asked after reaching the bathroom. "I think I might have a problem." Abby confessed. Olivia narrowed her eyes and searched Abby's face. "You're not…" Olivia began pointing to her stomach to indicate what she was trying to say. "Oh god no, Liv I'm on the pill." Abby said as she gasped in horror. "So was I." Olivia confessed. "That's terrifying, but not the problem." Abby said aloud. "Okay, then what's the problem?" Olivia asked as she locked the stall door. "I think he wants to propose." Abby told her in a hushed voice. "What makes you think this?" Olivia asked, prodding Abby for more information. "He's David, you know how twitchy he gets when he's trying to keep a secret?" Abby asked. "I always thought twitchy was just his default." Olivia called out. "He's an anxious man, anyway that's not the point." Abby said hurriedly. "What's the point?" Olivia asked as she flushed and unlocked the stall door. "The point is he lied to me." Abby explained as Olivia washed her hands. "He told me the texts were from his grandmother, but he was being all weird and twitchy about it." Abby said before pausing. "So…" Olivia pressed as Abby handed her a paper towel to dry her hands with. "So… when he took a shower this morning, I did some digging." Abby confessed.

"Abby you stole his phone?" Olivia asked. "What? It's not like people in relationships don't do that all the time." Abby shrugged. "Still, it's an invasion of his privacy." Olivia said as she grabbed Abby's hand and pulled her over to the loveseat in the corner of the women's restroom. "Do you want to know what I found or are you going to keep judging me?" Abby asked. "Sorry continue." Olivia told her. "I found reservations at not one, not two, but THREE restaurants!" Abby exclaimed. Olivia continued looking at her in confusion. "That doesn't mean that he's going to propose." Olivia said, trying to calm her down. "Why else would he make reservations at 3 of the fanciest restaurants in town if he's not planning something big?" Abby asked her, exasperated. "Okay so, let's talk this out." Olivia said taking a deep breath, trying to get her friend to do the same. "You love David." Olivia said. Abby nodded. "David loves you." Olivia continued. Again, Abby nodded. "Despite everything that has come between you in the past you still keep winding up together." Olivia added. "Would it be so bad if he did want to propose? I know your scars run deep Abby, but David is not Chip. He would never intentionally hurt you, and he would NEVER lay a hand on you." Olivia finished, doing her best to talk her friend down. "In my head I know that he would never do those things, but it's in the back of my mind." Abby told Olivia. "Constantly! The little voice in the back of my mind never takes a break." Abby confessed. "Let me talk to him." Olivia said, trying to get her friend to relax. "I'll see what's going on." Olivia told her. "Oh my God Liv really?" Abby asked. "Consider it handled." She said as Abby helped her to her feet. "Wait!" Olivia called causing Abby to turn back. "Before we go back in there, how do I look?" Olivia asked, wanting to make sure that her dress looked okay. "Great Liv, you and your little sidekick in there look great." Abby reassured her before they headed back to the ballroom.

"There you are." Fitz greeted her when she made her way back to the dance floor. "Here I am. Sorry, bathroom break." She said as she kissed his cheek. "I'm actually looking for David have you seen him?" Olivia asked. "I saw him…" Fitz began before Olivia spotted him and wandered off. "What about the next dance?" He called as she walked away. "I'll be back, dance with Abby." She replied as she made her way over to David. "David." Olivia said with a faux sweet smile on her face. "Olivia." He replied. "Dance with me David." She told him, dropping her smile. "Oh…okay." He said as he tried to figure out where to put his hands. "This is weird, have we ever danced together before?" He asked cautiously. She thought about it and replied. "No, I don't think we have, but David how many people get to brag that they danced with the First Lady a State Dinner." Finally, she put his hand on her waist for him. They soon began to waltz around the dance floor together. "I know about the reservations David." Olivia stated in a low voice. "Okay, how?" He asked as they glided back and forth in a 1-2-3 motion. "It doesn't matter." She told him. "I know." She said, her eyes narrowing. "One thing you should know, is that Abby is my best friend." Olivia told him as they moved across the floor. "There isn't anything I wouldn't do for her." She added, her eyes narrowing. "And if you don't believe me, you should ask Chip." She said in a sweet voice, trying not to appear too threatening considering they were in a room full of people. "We've been back together for almost 2 months now, aren't you kind of late for the whole 'don't mess with my best friend' speech?" He asked her, not sure where she was headed. "Do you love her?" She asked him directly. "Do I… what?" David asked, stunned by the question. "You heard me." She stated shortly. "It's a yes or no answer David. Do you love Abby or not?" She pressed. David began looking visibly uncomfortable. "Yes… why is this any of your business?" He asked her. "Because I'm her best friend, and if you plan on proposing I need to make a few things clear to you." Olivia began. "Okay, let me stop you right there." David said as they continued dancing. "I'm not proposing to her." He confessed. "What?" Olivia asked, confused. "Do I love her?" He asked. "Yes." He answered. "Do I want to spend the rest of my life with her?" He asked. "Yes." He answered again. "Am I going to propose to her?" He asked. "No." He said flatly. This last answer threw Olivia off and she looked at him with a startled look on her face. "Wh…" Olivia asked. Confused. "What's with the reservations to three restaurants?" She asked him, almost offended that he didn't want to propose to her friend. "She's a picky eater." He explained. "She never knows from one day to the next what she wants to eat for dinner." He confided. "One day it's Thai, the next its Italian, and by tomorrow it could be French or Indian for all I know." He said, exasperated. "She is the hardest person to make reservations for." David admitted. "So all of this is just in Abby's head?" She asked as the music stopped. "Yes!" He exclaimed. "Good to know. Now maybe try telling her that." Olivia said to David as she walked away. "I will, right after I talk to my girlfriend about invading people's privacy." He called back to her. "He's all yours." Olivia said to Abby as they passed each other on the dance floor.

On her way back to Fitz an arm grabbed her out of nowhere. "Dance with me." A familiar voice said. Olivia looked at Jake and began dancing with him as she looked back at Fitz with apologetic eyes. "Your friend is in trouble." Jake said in a hushed voice. Olivia opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. She just looked at him with horror in her eyes. "What are you…" She began. "Your father got to him." Jake told her. "Although, he didn't need much of a push from what I know about him." Jake said. Olivia said nothing she just continued looking at him in horror. They turned circles and she could again see Fitz's face. She could tell he was not happy about her latest dance partner but was trying to keep his temper in check. "How do you know this?" She asked as she continued to lock eyes with Fitz. "I know this man Olivia. You know him too." Jake said as he spun her around once more. "Why are you still with him?" Olivia asked out of nowhere. The question had been on her mind for some time. "What's it matter to you?" He asked her. "It matters because my father is poison. He's playing you Jake. He plays everybody." She told him. "He's the closest thing I've ever had to a father Liv." Jake confessed. "My first father, my real father tore me down." Jake began. "Your father, my father…" He corrected himself. "He built me back up. He made me strong." Olivia laughed, but pitied him at the same time. "He threw you in a hole and was willing to let you go down for the death of Fitz's son." Olivia scolded. "Stay away from him." She warned. "Why do you care what I do? You're married now… to him." He said nodding to Fitz. "You're having his baby." He added looking almost hurt. "So what business is it of yours who I spend my time with anymore?" He asked. "I…" She began. Unsure of why she even cared in the first place. "By the way…" He added. "You're welcome for the whole Andrew Nichols thing." He told her in a hushed voice. A shocked look spread across her face as the dancing stopped and he disappeared.

"You mind telling me what that was about?" Fitz asked Olivia when she found her way back to him. "I'll tell you about it when we get back to the Residence tonight." Olivia told him as the US Navy Band started playing another song. "Or you could tell me now, to keep my mind from going to places it shouldn't." He said with a thinly veiled tone of jealousy to his voice. "Abby thinks that David is going to propose so I danced with him to find out what was going on." Olivia told him, completely ignoring the Jake aspect of the evening. "Cute." He said sarcastically. "Why were you dancing with your ex-boyfriend?" He asked her. "Huck is in trouble." Olivia told him. Fitz looked at her skeptically. "Jake would know this how?" Fitz asked her. "I don't know." Olivia told him as they danced around the floor in unison, Olivia following Fitz's lead. "All I know is my dad has something to do with it." Olivia confessed. "How has your evening gone with the king?" Olivia asked, trying to avoid having a conversation about her father. "It could have gone better." He admitted as he pulled her closer to him. "Well, it's only day one of his visit." Olivia reminded him. She knew how much he wanted that Naval Base and wondered if the reason the king had visited this time around was to give him what he had been pushing for since the beginning of his presidency.

After the State Dinner was over and the kids checked on, Olivia made her way to OPA hoping that somebody was still there. She had hoped what Jake had told her wasn't true, but knowing her father it probably was. Jake was right. It didn't usually take much of a push to send Huck over the edge. Her mind was working overtime imagining what state Huck was in right now. There was a chance that he was holding it together, trying to play through the pain. There was also a chance that her father had left him a huddled mess on the floor. She stared out the window as the car made the familiar route to her office. Other cars passed by in a blur and lights, illuminating the city. Car horns and music from other people's cars could be heard from the backseat of the town car. She forgot how alive this city was, even at night. She could hear the faint street noise from the Truman when she was sitting outside at night but the only view she got was of the Washington Monument and the fence surrounding the White House. The car came to a slow stop and within moments Olivia's door opened to reveal their destination.

"Liv… I wasn't expecting to see you." Quinn said, confused. "I wasn't expecting to come this late… have you seen Huck?" Olivia asked. Quinn looked down the hall and nodded to Huck's office. Olivia barged into Huck's office to find him huddled in the corner mumbling incoherently and rocking back and forth. Olivia looked at Quinn who had followed her into his office. "The most I could get out of him was that he drank the whiskey." Marcus said, appearing out of nowhere. "Drank the whiskey?" Olivia asked confused. "I didn't know Huck was in recovery." Olivia stated as she stared at Marcus in bewilderment. "He is… but not from alcohol." Quinn confessed. The confused look on Olivia's face only got more distorted. "Whiskey is a person." Quinn admitted. "I followed him to an AA meeting once where he talked about drinking whiskey… it's a euphemism for killing people." Quinn told her. Marcus and Olivia looked at each other in shock. "Who?" Olivia asked. "I don't know, all I could get was that he drank the whiskey." Marcus said, reeling from the unexpected revelation. "Thanks guys." Olivia said, concerned. "I'll take it from here." She told them as they left.

"Can you give us a minute alone please?" She said to her guards who were standing too close for comfort. "Huck, hey it's me." Olivia said as she knelt down in front of him. Causing the mumbling and the rocking to pause momentarily. He looked awful. The bags under his eyes told her that had not been sleeping well and the sunken expression on her face told her he had not been eating well either. "She knew everything… I had to keep you safe." Huck said in a hushed voice as he pulled something out of his pocket. "Everything she knew was on here…" He managed to say. "Don't worry. There's nothing else… I made sure of that." Huck told her as he handed her a thumb drive. Olivia took the thumb drive from Huck's hand realizing what he had done. "Huck did my dad make you do this?" She asked in a soothing, concerned voice. "I lied…" was all he said at first. "About what?" Olivia asked him. "About the thumb drive. Tom gave it to me the night before you came to visit OPA." He confessed. "I had to Liv… I had to do it." He told her as he started rocking back and forth again. "I had to protect you. It was the only way." He told her. "What does Tom have to do with any of this?" Olivia asked him. "He was working as one of Lillian Forrester's body guards." Huck told her. She furrowed her brows even further. "Huck?" Olivia asked gently. "Did my dad put you up to this?" Olivia asked, trying to get him to look her in the eyes. "Yes." He whispered. A wide look of terror in his eyes.

"Huck look at me." She said after he looked away again. Nothing. "Huck!" She said raising her voice. He complied. "What did you do?" Olivia asked. "They won't find her for a couple of days, but they will think it was an accident. No one will know what she knew. No one will know it was me. I'm a professional." He said as the rocking continued. "He taught me how to make it look like an accident… Don't worry Liv… No one will ever know what she knew about your kidnapping and how the president went to war for you." He told her. "Huck. Can I take you home?" She asked him. He shook his head. "Are you going to be okay by yourself?" She asked him, concerned for his well-being. "I'll be fine." He told her. "I'll be fine as long as you say you're not mad at me… please Liv don't be mad at me, I did this to protect you." He said in an almost hysterical mumble. "I'm not mad at you Huck." She told him sincerely. She instinctively reached out for his hand to comfort him. He flinched and pulled his hand away. "Huck." She said calmly. "You need to go home and get some sleep. Everything will be better if you just go home and sleep." She lied. She had no idea if any of that was true but she knew enough to know that sleep deprivation was only making things worse for him. He nodded. "Is there someone I can call for you?" She asked as she stood up. He shook his head. "I'm going to call you a cab. Here's some cash." Olivia said as she pulled the wallet out from her purse. She walked out to the main hallway and gave Quinn orders to make sure that he made it into the cab safely.

Olivia was seething with anger. She was now in full gladiator mode. Someone had messed with a member of her team, and she was furious. She made her way up the familiar steps of the familiar house with the familiar red door she had known her whole life and unleashed hell on doorbell. The door opened a few minutes later to reveal her father who seemed annoyed. "What the hell is your problem?" She asked him furiously. "Besides the fact that my daughter woke me up in the middle of the night to yell at me?" He asked her, trying to remain calm. "Does it bring you joy to walk around ruining people's lives?" She asked. "This is the second time you've forced Huck to kill someone!" She said. By now she was yelling. "It didn't take much of a push." Her father told her. "You think you're being cute?" She asked him, her blood boiling over. "You think this is funny?" She asked as she began pacing around in circles. "How many times are you going to destroy his life?" She asked. Her father said nothing, just stood there and watched her. "It's not bad enough you took his family away from him but every time he is doing better you have to keep bringing him down?" She asked almost crying. "The man lost everything, because of you!" She yelled.

Jake appeared at the top of the stairs. Olivia looked at him but said nothing. "I told you I would handle the Lillian Forrester problem ON MY OWN!" She said turning her attention back to her father. "Then I find out from Huck that you have your guy keeping tabs on her, posing as her bodyguard." She said as if she couldn't believe her dad would do something like that. "Let's get a few things straight!" Her father said, matching the tone of her voice. "One, I did not MAKE your boy do anything. All I did was approach him and merely suggest the things that he could do to her to keep her quiet." He told her, the look on Olivia's face sank. "Two, you do not come into my house in the middle of the night to yell at me." He continued. "And three, I wouldn't have to keep doing these things if someone in your camp would do what needs to be done!" He yelled. Olivia looked at Rowan with disgust on her face. "We are not murderers Dad." She spat. "We do not kill people just because we feel like it!" She said raising her voice once more. Rowan looked at Jake. "Do you see how she talks down to us?" He asked in a patronizing tone. "Like her husband didn't take down an ENTIRE plane full of people with one command." He reminded her. "Like your husband didn't kill Verna Thornton JUST so he could stay president." He reminded her. "How did you…" she began. "Think carefully about who I am before you finish that and realize, that I. KNOW. EVERYTHING. that goes on in this town." He snarled. "I'm done!" She said, exasperated. "I can't do this anymore." She clarified. "I don't want you near my home, I don't want you near my friends, I don't want you near my child, and I don't want you near me." She said, her voice filled with emotion. "You too." She said turning her attention to Jake. "There will come a time when you realize that this man breaks everything he touches, and when you realize that it'll be too late." She warned him before she walked out of her childhood house.

The drive back to the White House had been a blur. As if nothing was real. She could hear her agents talking around her but she could not make out what was being said. She heard her code-name being thrown around but she was so dazed she had no idea what was being said. The events of the past hour and a half had felt unreal. Before she knew it they were back at the White House and Fitz was waiting underneath the awning of the South Portico to meet her. Concern was etched all over his face and as soon as the guard had opened her door he was right at her side helping her out of the car. "He did it." She told him, in stunned disbelief. "Jake was right." She told him. "Ssshhh." He said smoothing out her hair as he walked her inside. "Just take a deep breath." He spoke in a calm soothing voice. She complied, wanting nothing more than to be in bed. "He's never going to stop Fitz." She told him, defeated. "I told him I was done with him… Jake too." She clarified. Fitz looked at her in confusion. "When did you see Jake?" He asked her. "He was with my father. Apparently, he's living there now or something." She told him as they stepped onto the elevator. "Why?" Fitz asked as he pressed the button that would take them to their bedroom.

"Don't ask me… Jake is under some allusion that Rowan actually gives a damn about him." Olivia told him as she grabbed her stomach. "Livvie?" He asked, concerned. "Are you okay?" He asked, turning her to face him. "Do we need to see the doctor?" He asked starting to panic. "I'm fine." She smiled as she reached out for his hand. "She's kicking." She said as the elevator doors opened. The look on Fitz's face turned from concern to pure joy. "Are you sure?" He asked. "I don't feel anything." He confessed. "I'm sure." She said trying to calm him down. "Just give it a minute." She told him. In that moment, everything that had Olivia stressed out faded away and nothing else mattered. She knew that she would be okay because everything that was important to her was right in front of her. Another minute or so went by before the baby kicked again, but it still felt just as magical as the first time. After Fitz was able to feel for himself, he led her into the bedroom so they could finally get some sleep.