A/N: I've had some of this written since March, but most of it was written today! Hope you enjoy.

"You about finished?"

Fitz looks up to find Olivia standing in the doorway to his office, one hand resting on her bump, the other holding her favourite Prada bag.

"Hi," he smiles back at her, "just give me a few minutes, I need to sign a couple things before we go."

It's not the answer she was looking for and she lets out a disgruntled huff before unceremoniously dropping her bag and settling onto the couch.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Fitz asks, picking up on her bad mood. It wasn't an unusual request. Whenever one of them was finished for the day, they often seeked out the other in their office, waiting there before they headed home together.

"I'm just exhausted," Liv sighs. "Today was really draining and this little one was especially wriggly," she gestures to her stomach. "Just wanna go home."

"Well I'll be quick then."

Liv shifts around a bit in an effort to get comfortable, leaning her head back and closing her eyes until she hears him gather his things, crossing the room to gently place a hand on her shoulder, letting her know he's ready to go.

They're hand in hand, about to reach the main exit of the building when he says, "How would you feel about going to Vermont?"

She stops in her tracks, effectively halting him too. "What?"

"We could leave in the morning, spend one last long weekend up there before Rosa arrives. I mean, I'm not really needed here tomorrow, are you? We could just relax, get some rest."

Liv looks unconvinced, the thought of packing and travelling not sounding ideal as tired as she is.

"Look," he offers, "how about we sleep on it. If you wake up and decide you just want to stay here that's fine, but just think about it. I think it'll be good for us. I can talk to Secret Service so they're prepared either way."

His thoughtfulness melts her, and she caresses the back of his hand with her thumb, smiling.

"I don't need to think about it. That sounds wonderful."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

She tips her head back slightly, pouting her lips, and he leans down to press his to them in a firm but chaste kiss. When he pulls back, she leans her head on his bicep for a second before they make their way to the car.

.

The Vermont house is the epitome of an extravagant love letter, and although it's tainted with memories of one of her lowest moments, she still feels as though her soul belongs here. He lived here on his own for a while but it's their respite, their own personal safe haven. That's why it cut so deep when he took her here to make her see how she'd lost herself, but equally why it's the perfect place to spend their last weekend away without a baby.

"I had Laura stock up the fridge this morning before we arrived," Fitz calls over his shoulder, already making his way to their room with their bags. "I can put something together for lunch now if you want, or we can wait 'til later."

"Baby's hungry," she calls back, "lunch as soon as possible sounds ideal."

She can hear his laugh even as he reaches the top of the stairs, because he shouldn't have bothered asking, food as soon as possible is always the right answer these days.

.

She knows it's killing him to be up here and not exploring the land, inspecting the orchards or the progress of the greenhouse, or taking advantage of the air that's just always that bit crisper in Rutland, but she just isn't up for that this weekend, and it's not the same by himself. So instead, he runs them a bath and adds bubbles, prepares a tray of chocolates and strawberries and asks Liv to ensure the temperature is perfect before she settles into the water and he climbs in behind her.

It's heavenly, the hot water soothing her tired muscles, Fitz reaching over to the tray beside them so he can feed her as she rests her head against his shoulder, but the sigh she lets out is slightly watery and he notices.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asks as he leans down to press a kiss against her shoulder.

"I wish my mom stayed dead," Liv whispers, eyes closing against the intensity of the statement.

"What?"

"I was just thinking that… I had happy memories of her… before. I thought my dad was the bad guy - or the only bad guy, I guess. And I'd talk to her, in my mind. I told her all about you, how you tore down my walls, managed to insert yourself into my every thought and feeling, how I fell in love with this amazing man who wasn't mine. And I keep thinking, I wish I could do that now, about the baby. It's silly because it wasn't real, I was just… talking to myself. But now I can't do it because my mom isn't dead and she's a terrorist and she doesn't love me. So, I wish she stayed dead."

She looks at him then, her lips pouting and her eyes silently pleading with him not to think she's an awful person, and he strokes the back of his hand down her cheek.

"Oh, Livvie, I'm sorry," he breathes.

"It's so silly, I know-"

"It's not silly."

"And I was thinking about how the only grandparent our baby is going to have is my father and-" She trails off as she feels him stiffen slightly behind her. "What is it?"

"I just… I don't know how comfortable I am about your father being around my child, Liv. I know he's important to you, and maybe, at some point, I'll be able to handle it, but I - he killed my son. And he's in your life and I would never ask you to change that but I can't trust him with my children." He takes a breath. "Is that okay with you? For now?"

When she turns her head to face him, her expression is one of pure horror.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I should've brought this up sooner, but I-"

"No," she cuts him off. "Don't apologize. You shouldn't even have to ask me, I should have realized. If you don't want my dad to be in Rosa's life, he won't be in her life. End of story. I won't ever force you to be okay with that. I can't even - Fitz, I can't even imagine."

"Thank you," he whispers. "I love you."

"I love you, too. We should get out soon."

"Yeah, in a minute."

.

She's rubbing oil onto her stomach when he enters the bedroom later that evening.

"How are you feeling now?" he asks softly.

"Tired," she sighs. "Always tired. And too hot, and she won't stop moving but equally she won't stop putting so much pressure on my bladder." Once she has all of her complaints out in the air, she looks at him properly, her features softening. "I just want her to be here now. I wanna cuddle her, and I want her to stop kicking my ribs."

He can't help but chuckle at that, but he settles down beside her on the bed, drawing her into a sideways hug.

"Not long now," he whispers. "We'll get to meet her soon."

"I know. I was having Braxton Hicks again when you were clearing up downstairs."

"Oh yeah? Was it okay?"

"Yeah, fine. Didn't last long. And nothing compared to what I know is coming. Hey, can you pass me my phone? I wanna show you the rug I found for the nursery."

"We already have a rug for the nursery. We already have everything for the nursery."

"Well, I changed my mind," she explains as if he shouldn't be surprised, and he isn't.

"Hey, Fitz," she whispers, later, when the lights are off, and he's almost drifting off to sleep.

"Hhmm?"

"I think this weekend was exactly what I needed. Even if I still can't sleep."

"I'm glad," he manages to mumble before sleep finally manages to catch him, a faint smile tugging on his lips.

.

"Fitz, I need you to come home right now."

"Why? What's happened?"

He's already grabbing his jacket, keys and briefcase, awkwardly trying to balance the cell between his shoulder and ear so he can use both hands. It's three days before her due date but he's pretty sure he knows what's going on before she replies.

"I'm having contractions. They're not close together, but they're consistent so I just really, really… need you here."

"Okay. Okay, I'm leaving now. I'll be there as quickly as I can. Do you want me to stay on the phone? Have you got the timer app running?"

"Yes, please. And yes, the app is running. I don't think we'll need to go in for a few hours yet. I just want you here."

"I'll be there."

She can tell he's running because his breathing is erratic.

"Hey, be careful," she warns him. "The last thing I need right now is for you to fall and break a bone."

"I'm being careful," he laughs. "I'm at the car, I'll be with you in fifteen."

"Okay."

"Where are you? Are you downstairs? Do you have water? Do you have that squeezy ball thing we bought?"

"Can you calm down? Yes, I'm downstairs. I'll have everything I need in fifteen minutes when you get home. Actually I don't think we have anything to eat. Can you pick up lunch on the way?"

"Really? Can't we just order something when I get there?"

"Fitz, in a couple of hours I'm gonna be pushing your baby out, so can you please pick me up lunch on the way home?"

"Right, pitstop for lunch it is."

It's almost six hours later before her contractions are close enough together they need to consider going to the hospital. No position is in any way lessening the pain of yet another contraction, and he coaches her to breathe through it but she wishes he'd just shut up because he doesn't understand.

"I think we need to go," she breathes as the pain subsides. "These have been close for over an hour now."

"I told the guys to have the car ready to go right at the door," he tells her. "And the hospital bag is right here, so we should move before the next contraction starts."

"Okay," she nods. "Help me walk."

.

"I can't, oh god, I can't do it anymore. Please no, I'm too tired."

"Olivia, you're doing so well, she's almost here," the midwife promises.

"She is?"

"Yes, I can see her head. I need you to hold on just a little bit longer, can you do that for me?"

"You hear that, Liv?" Fitz asks, jostling her hand in his a little. "She's almost here."

"Okay," Olivia manages, "okay, I - oooow"

He whispers words of reassurance against her temple as she pushes through another searing contraction, telling her that she's a superhero, that he knows she can get through this because she's gotten through worse before and the results are going to be so much better this time. She doesn't process any of it because the pain is too much but the sound of his voice is her favorite thing nonetheless.

The midwife is telling her she's only going to need one more push and that's the only reason she has the mental strength to do it. And then everyone seems to be moving and the pressure is gone, and a baby is being placed on her chest and she's here.

"Congratulations, Olivia. You have a healthy baby girl."

The newborn squawks on her chest and she thinks she's crying but she's not sure. The only thing she's sure of is she's never loved anything as much as the little bundle she has instinctively wrapped her arms around right now.

"Oh my god, we have a baby. We have a baby, hi baby. You're so beautiful, hi Rosa. I'm your mommy, I love you so much. Fitz, we have a baby."

In all the years she's known him, she's never seen his smile as it is as he leans down to press his lips to her temple, carefully stroking the back of Rosa's head.

"We do," he murmurs. "I love you both so much. I'm in awe of you, Livvie."

After a few moments she finally realises there are still other people in the room, working on her and carrying out other tasks she's sure are important.

"Do you… need to take her? To weigh her and everything?" she asks the nurse closest to her.

"Well, we do need Dad to cut the umbilical cord. And we'll need to take baby away for a few minutes at some stage, but not just yet if you don't want us to, is that okay?"

"Okay, that's… yeah, good." She shifts her eyes back to the only place they want to be. "I love you. I can't believe you're real. Can you believe she's real, Fitz? She's perfect."

"She is," he agrees. "She's perfect, everything's perfect."

.

Karen is dragged through the door by a very enthusiastic Teddy, doing her utmost to slow him down, and ultimately failing.

"Well, hi there," Liv calls sleepily from the bed.

"Hi, Liv," Teddy replies. "Daddy told me the baby is here."

"Yeah, she is, she's right here. Do you wanna come meet her?"

Teddy looks to Fitz as if for permission and he nods his consent, ruffling the boy's hair. All of his previous confidence has abandoned him and he approaches the bed cautiously, as if he's unsure what he'll find in Olivia's arms. He stands on his tiptoes and still can't quite see so his dad lifts him up and sets him carefully on the edge of the mattress.

"Oh," Teddy breathes in wonder once the baby is in his line of vision. "That's her?"

"That's your baby sister," Fitz confirms from behind him. "Do you like her?"

"Yeah, she's cool," he confirms, shrugging his shoulders.

Karen appears at the other side of the bed, leaning down to carefully hug Liv without disrupting her too much.

"She's so beautiful. Does she have a name?"

Liv looks to Fitz but he gives her a look that tells her he wants her to tell them.

"Her name is Rosa Pope-Grant."

"Woah," Karen breathes, "I'm so glad to meet you baby sister."

"She's happy to meet you, too."

A/N: Um, so I've never had a baby but that scene had to be written at some stage so cut me some slack please :)