Chapter 17

A few weeks have passed since Cyrus visited Olivia and Fitz at their apartment in the middle of the snowstorm. There has been such a whirlwind of activity at GranPo with new artists coming onboard, drafting new contracts, and booking tour dates, they have not had the opportunity to discuss Cyrus' proposition. After a long day at the office they sit in bed, winding down from their work day.

"Fitz", squeezing lotion into her hands. "I don't think Cyrus is telling us everything."

"I agree, babe. This deal he's offering doesn't make any sense. The deal is based on the premise that GranPo is failing, which isn't true I'm proud to say."

"Thanks to my smart, Harvard-educated husband", she smiles looking over at her husband who is reading something on his tablet.

"And my smart attorney-wife." He says, looking over at Olivia and smiles.

"Thank you, baby."

"Liv, Cyrus is clueless about GranPo's finances. The data Jon gave him was outdated."

"I know, babe. The sharks are begging to partner with us now that they see we have a successful business model. Just a few months ago we couldn't get much of their attention. Things are finally looking up for us, Fitz. If we choose to establish a partnership with Cyrus or any other shark, we are definitely in the driver's seat."

He nods, seemingly in deep thought.

"Liv, I would like to meet with Cyrus to find out what's really going on", looking up from his tablet. "Something just doesn't feel right about his proposition. Would you be okay if I met with him alone - to try to figure out what's he up to?"

"Of course, babe. Do what you need to do. Oh, my", she says, grabbing the left side of her stomach.

"What's the matter?" He asks, looking at her worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine - we're fine. Junior just gave me a big kick."

Fitz puts down his tablet and crawls across the bed smiling.

"Let me feel", Fitz says excitedly.

Olivia grabs his hand and places it on the left side of her stomach where Junior kicked a few seconds ago. He's smiling, waiting in anticipation for Junior to do his thing again.

"Oh my god, Liv. I felt it. Does it hurt?"

"No, babe. I just wasn't expecting it. He's been quiet all day."

"That's my boy", he says with the biggest smile and brightest eyes.

XXX

Fitz looks in the floor-length mirror in their bedroom as he fastens on his wrist the gold Rolex watch Cyrus gave him last year when he agreed to assume the leadership of The Beene Group. Today he is wearing a navy blue pinstripe suit, crisp white shirt, blue tie, and his shoes are polished to a high sheen. He looks every bit the corporate executive. His attire isn't as formal at GranPo, it's a much more relaxed environment. He can't decide which culture he prefers.

Fitz walks into the kitchen where Olivia is preparing breakfast and places his suit jacket on the back of his chair.

"Baby, you look so handsome this morning. You know I always love when you wear a suit. I get so turned on when you get all dressed up", wrapping her arms around his waist and giving him a deep kiss.

"Junior", he says, looking down at Olivia's stomach. "Tell your mother to get back. We don't have time this morning", giving her a peck on her nose and a pat on her plump bottom.

"Baby, are you okay – are you ready for this meeting with Cyrus this morning?" Pulling back and looking into his eyes.

"I am, Liv. I need to find out what's going on with him. Something just isn't right", he says, reaching for his coffee mug.

She nods, grazing her finger nails through the soft hairs at the nape of his neck.

XXX

Fitz feels strange walking down the halls of The Beene Group again. It feels like it's been forever since he's been in the building. While everything looks the same so much has changed – he has changed. He's a different man – a better man. With a broad smile spread across her face Lauren stands quickly from her seat, clasping her hands in front of her chest.

"Mr. Grant, it's so good to see you again. It's been much too long."

"It's good to see you too, Lauren. How have you been?" He asks, smiling and placing a hand on Lauren's shoulder.

"I've been well, sir. And how is Mrs. Grant? She was such a lovely bride."

"Olivia is doing well. I'll tell her you asked. Lauren, can you keep a secret?" Fitz asks as if he's about to share some national security information.

"Of course", looking at Fitz sincerely and nodding her head.

"Well", Fitz begins. "Olivia and I are expecting. We're due in three months - in May", he says with the biggest smile stretched across his face.

Lauren brings a hand to her mouth, covering her equally wide smile. "Oh, Mr. Grant", lowering her voice, remembering what they're discussing is a secret. "That's just wonderful. Congratulations. Do you know if you're having a boy or a girl?" Lauren whispers.

"It's a boy", he grins, nodding vigorously.

"A baby boy", Lauren gushes. "Tell Mrs. Grant I said congratulations. I hope I can get a picture because I'm sure you and Mrs. Grant are going to make beautiful babies."

"I'll make sure you get a picture, Lauren."

"Thank you", she whispers as Cyrus opens his office door.

XXX

"Cyrus", Fitz offers a handshake. "Thank you for making time to see me today."

"Of course, of course. Any time, Fitzgerald. Come in. Have a seat." Cyrus glances at Lauren's beaming face and wonders what has her so happy. "Hold all my calls, Lauren", he says gruffly.

Cyrus walks around his desk and sits down in his huge, black leather chair. Fitz' eyes sweep the room quickly before sitting in one of the plush chairs in front of the desk. He thinks about the last time he was in this office and shakes his head. The two men look at each other trying to figure out how to start the difficult conversation. Cyrus begins as he lowers himself into his chair.

"So, Fitzgerald, I assume you're here to let me know if you're going to take me up on my offer to invest in GranPo if you return to The Beene Group as President and CEO. This is where you belong", he adds quickly.

"Cyrus, I love my work at GranPo. Liv and I are building something that will be great one day. It might not become The Beene Entertainment Group, but that's not what we're trying to achieve."

Cyrus looks at Fitz, sensing the younger man has more to say, so he nods his head, encouraging Fitz to continue. Fitz shifts in his seat and continues.

"Cyrus, Olivia and I have not made a decision about your proposition, although it's an interesting offer. We're going to need more time to think about it."

Cyrus nods and stares intently at Fitz.

"But that's not what today is about – it's not why I'm here today, Cyrus." Fitz leans forward in the chair and rests his arms on his thighs. "As interesting as your offer sounds, I can't help but think there is something more to it – that something else is going on." Fitz looks at his old friend for a sign the man is willing to come clean and share more about what is really going on.

Cyrus remains silent, not willing to show his cards until he knows what's on Fitz' mind.

Sensing Cyrus isn't going to be more forthcoming, Fitz continues. "Cyrus, when you visited our home a few weeks ago you made a lot of assumptions about GranPo's financials, which were incorrect. Your assumptions are based on inaccurate information that Jon provided you."

It's now Cyrus' turn to shift nervously in his seat.

"While I won't go into details about the financial health of our business Cyrus, I can assure you the business is sound financially." Fitz stares at the old man.

Surprised by the new information Cyrus' lips twitch and his eyebrows stretch upward. He inhales deeply and leans back into his plush leather chair and remains silent.

Time is running out.

"Cyrus, I just feel there is something you're not telling me. I'm here today - talking to you one on one - about what's really behind your offer."

"There's nothing else going on here, Fitzgerald", Cyrus says tersely. "Everything is as I presented it to you and Olivia. If GranPo is doing well then I guess there isn't anything more to say."

Fitz looks pleadingly at the frail man, giving him another chance to share what's going. "Are you sure there isn't anything else you want to tell me, Cy?" Fitz is no longer in business mode. His tone is softer.

Cyrus looks at the younger man for a while, pondering what he should say, if anything. Not wanting Fitz' pity, he remains silent. Fitz eyes Cyrus carefully, more convinced he's not gotten the complete story. He shakes his head and reluctantly stands and walks toward the door. Fitz stops midway and turns to Cyrus one last time.

"Good-bye, Cy."

Fitz' words sound so final.

Time is running out.

Cyrus needs to decide quickly if he is going to come clean or if he is going to maintain the charade. He stands quickly from his seat and leans onto his desk.

"Fitzgerald ..."

For the next hour Cyrus tells Fitz everything about his diagnosis. With a degree of shame, he tells him about his relationship with James and wonders if Fitz will judge him. He tells him it was always his dream that Fitz would one day lead The Beene Group. And he tells him about the love he has always had for him, since her was a boy.

Fitz feels like the floor has opened beneath him and he is falling down a black hole without a life line. He can't believe what his father is telling him; it's too heart-wrenching. The two men cry together.

XXX

It's February and the outside temperature is 17° F but Olivia works at the desk in their apartment wearing the tiniest black shorts and a white camisole because she's hot all of the time. She smiles when she hears his key slide into the front door lock and waits for the familiar sounds she knows so well. First he'll drop his keys into the crystal bowl that sits atop the little table in the foyer. Next, he'll hang his coat in the closet. Then, he'll remove his shoes and walk into the living announcing, honey I'm home.

She stands immediately, dropping her eyeglasses onto the desk when she hears his heavy footsteps on the hardwood floor that leads to the spacious living room. Something's wrong.

He stands in the space between the foyer and living room and looks across the room at her. He's been cracked open and she's in front of him in an instant.

What the fuck did Cyrus do to him? I'll personally kick his old ass if he has pulled some new shit.

.

"Fitz, what happened? What's the matter?" She asks nervously, looking into his cloudy, blue eyes.

"Liv ..." He manages to say.

They stare at each other, him with pain in his eyes and her with fear in hers. Her heart hammers in her chest and she holds her breath. He clenches the keys in his hand so tightly his knuckles turn a pale shade of white. Olivia gently removes the keys from his hand. She slides his coat over his shoulders, down his arms, and tosses it onto the back of the sofa. She guides him to the sofa where he sits, staring across the room blankly. After some time he lay his head on her lap and wraps an arm around her leg, not wanting her to move. He's home with his wife – safe. His body begins to tremble and tears stream down his face.

"Let it out, babe. Let it out", she says, stroking his head.

Through the tears he tells her everything. He tells her about Cyrus' diagnosis. He tells her about Cyrus' long-term relationship with James. He tells her about the plan Cyrus concocted to get him to return to The Beene Group. Olivia is shocked. They sit in silence for a long time, neither knowing what to say. She massages his scalp absently as his tears roll down her bare thigh. After a few minutes he turns on his side and places the softest kiss on her stomach. He closes his eyes and lay like that until sleep overtakes him.

As the sun sets Olivia pulls Fitz' coat from the back of the sofa and drapes it over him. She doesn't sleep. She sits up throughout the night, with his head in her lap, and thinks. She thinks about the pain her husband is feeling. She doesn't like when he's hurting. She thinks about Cyrus' visit to the apartment a few weeks ago and shakes her head. It all makes sense now. She thinks about GranPo. The sun begins to rise and Fitz stirs from his slumber, wrapping his arms more tightly around her waist. He nuzzles his face in her stomach and she strokes his hair.

"Hi", she says softly, grazing her fingernails through his hair.

"Hi", he says hoarsely, into her stomach.

They shower together in silence. There isn't anything sexual about this shower. There is no kissing, no sucking, and no thrusting. This is her taking care of him – her cleansing his body and his pain. It's them sharing a level of intimacy with which they are familiar. So she washes him as he stands with his back against the wall, eyes closed, tears intermingling with the water streaming down his face.

Olivia prepares breakfast while Fitz gets dressed. When she hears him walking down the long hall from their bedroom she places his mug of coffee on the island. He looks tired and sad as he enters the kitchen. He wraps his arms around her waist and buries his face in her neck. They stand in silence for a few minutes.

"Thank you", he says, hugging her more tightly.

"You never have to thank me for loving you. We're in this together."

He sits at the island and she follows him.

"Liv, I cut him out of my life when he needed me the most. He's been living with - been ill all of this time."

Olivia places a small hand on top of his larger hand and shakes her head.

"No, Fitz. I will not let you blame yourself for this. You have nothing to feel guilty about."

"He was always there for me and -"

"You didn't know, babe. As horrible as Cyrus' illness is, it's not your fault you two have been estranged this past year. You have to separate the two."

He looks into her wide eyes and she continues.

"Fitz, we can't prevent bad things from happening. The reality is that at some point in life, we all go through struggle. We don't get to choose what those challenges are or when they're going to happen. We learned that the hard way." She looks intently into his eyes. "But, babe, we do get to choose how we respond to them", she says tenderly, rubbing his hand.

He nods his head slowly, processing what she said.

"Cyrus' illness is not the end. HIV is not the death sentence it used to be, babe. Many people live a full life with HIV. But, he is going to need you - your help."

He looks at her curiously.

"You need to go back - go back to Beene and run the company for him."

He looks at her in surprise, opening his mouth to protest.

"Just listen to me, okay? I know you're torn between your loyalty to GranPo and your loyalty to Cyrus."

He's shaking his head 'no' and goes to pour himself another cup of coffee. Sitting down again, he begins.

"Liv, this is not about my loyalty to GranPo. GranPo is our business, something we're building together. We've worked tirelessly for over a year to establish our company in a tough and unforgiving industry. I can't just walk away from that – I won't."

"And you don't have to. I'll run GranPo and keep you updated on everything."

"Liv, I manage the financial aspects of GranPo and you manage the talent. Plus, Junior is going to be here in three months. It'll be too much. I don't want you stressed."

"We'll figure it out babe, but we don't have to figure it out right at this moment. GranPo will be fine, Junior is going to be fine, and we're going to be fine. But Fitz, if you decide to return to Beene, I don't want to be in partnership with Cyrus. I want to keep our companies separate."

He looks at his wife for a long moment, then nods.

"Liv, no matter what we decide, Cyrus is going to retire to Hawaii – with James."

XXX

Cyrus sits at the table in their favorite steakhouse waiting for his dinner guests to arrive. Tonight he'll find out if his son is coming back home - if Fitz is going to assume the leadership role for which he has been groomed. Cyrus knows Fitz' decision will depend on what Olivia wants to do. He realizes he has to accept the level of influence she has over him. He has learned the hard way not to interfere in their relationship. Even if Fitz doesn't return to Beene, he will not risk losing him again. He will no longer try to control Fitzgerald Grant.

XXX

Their meeting with the new GranPo investor ran over the allotted time because Fitz vigorously argued the terms of the agreement to ensure Olivia would have full control of the company and all major decisions. After several hours of negotiating, the investor agrees to Fitz' terms.

"You drive a hard bargain, Fitzgerald", Anderson says. "And you and Olivia call me the shark", Anderson McDermott says smiling.

"Send the revised contract to our offices, Anderson", Olivia says standing from her seat.

Fitz quickly helps her up and walks over to the plush sofa to retrieve their coats.

"Anderson, we must be going", Fitz says, extending a handshake to the portly man who has walked from around his desk.

"Well that's a shame. I was hoping we could go out for a celebration."

"Another time, Anderson", Fitz says as he helps Olivia into her coat.

Fitz is sliding on his coat when Anderson walks toward Olivia.

"Olivia, you are absolutely radiant. May I have a hug to seal the deal?"

"No!" Fitz says and places himself protectively in front of his wife.

"I meant know offense - disrespect Olivia, Fitzgerald."

"Good night, Anderson", Fitz says abruptly as he escorts Olivia out of the office.

"Fucking asshole", Fitz whispers to his wife as they walk toward the elevator.

XXX

Olivia and Fitz are running a few minutes late for their next appointment because their meeting with the investor ran overtime. They walk through the restaurant hand in hand to meet their dinner guest. Cyrus spots the couple quickly and stands to greet them as they approach the table.

"Olivia, Fitzgerald. Good to see you both", he smiles nervously.

Cyrus shakes Fitz' hand and is unsure how to greet Olivia so he extends a hand to her as well. Olivia slides into the booth and Fitz sits next to her.

"I'm sorry we're late, Cyrus", reaching for the glass of water. "Our previous appointment ran a bit over."

"No problem. No problem at all", Cyrus says, waving his hand dismissively.

"Olivia you look absolutely radiant. Married life seems to be treating you well - both of you", Cyrus corrects quickly. He's not sure how to make small talk with them after everything that has happened.

"Thank you, Cyrus", Olivia says, reaching for her water.

Cyrus waves over their waiter.

"Let's have something a little stronger than water, shall we?" Looking between the couple.

"I'll have the usual and Liv will have -"

"Cabernet", Cyrus finishes Fitz' thought. "I remember quite well."

Olivia looks at Fitz.

"Olivia isn't drinking tonight, Cyrus."

Cyrus' eye dart between the couple, giving them a questioning look.

"Cyrus, Olivia and I are expecting", he says proudly, as if he couldn't wait to share that bit of news. "We're having a baby in three months."

Cyrus' eyes bulge, then he recovers as he looks across the table at the smiling faces.

"Oh my. I guess that accounts for your radiance. Congratulations, to both of you."

"Thank you, Cyrus. I'll just have a glass of grape juice."

Fitz kisses her on the temple and adds, "Make sure it's served in a wine glass."

Olivia smiles and elbows him lightly.

"What?" He says, looking at her grinning. "That's how you drink it at home."

He knows she's going to get him when they get home but he doesn't care because he's feeling good. Life is good. Cyrus stares at the couple engage in playful banter and internally shakes his head.

"Grape juice in a wine glass it is then", Cyrus says as the waiter arrived.

After dinner and a lot of uncomfortable small talk the trio is ready to address the purpose of the dinner meeting.

"So", Cyrus begins as he runs his hairy fingers up and down the sweating tumbler of vodka on the rocks. "Have you thought about my offer?"

The couple look at each other and Olivia nods to her husband. He nods back and Cyrus restrains himself from rolling his eyes.

"Cyrus", Fitz begins. "Olivia and I have given your proposal a great deal of thought, and we have decided to decline your offer to invest in GranPo."

Cyrus nods. He's a shrewd businessman and senses there is more to come because he extended a two-part offer to the couple.

"We won't go into detail about the other funding options we are exploring, but we will be considering other investors."

Cyrus and Olivia stare at each other and he thinks, touché Olivia Pope. And she thinks, I still don't trust you.

"Cy", Fitz says softly. "While GranPo is off the table, Olivia and I have decided that it would be prudent if I returned to Beene."

Olivia places her hand on her husband's thigh. She knows he might get emotional.

"Cy, you and I have a long, long history together. I have respected you as a brilliant business man and a dear, dear friend. Cy, I love you like a father."

Cyrus reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out his handkerchief, wiping his eyes and nose quickly.

"Cy, you should retire. It's time you enjoyed the fruits of your labor without having to worry about the health of your company. I want to make it easy for you to walk away - to live the good life in Hawaii. So I will come back to Beene. I will take over the reins of your company."

Both sets of blue eyes are filled with tears. Fitz reaches across the table and places his hand on top of his old friend's hand.

"Thank you, Fitzgerald. Thank you, Olivia." The old man says choking back the tears.

XXX

As Olivia stands in front of the full-length mirror in their bedroom she reflects on everything that has happened over the past 18 months. She thinks about how far she has come and how much she has grown as a woman and business owner. She thinks about Dr. McManus and how integral she was in helping her to let go of the past and become more open with Fitz. She thinks about her two new friends Abby and Leo, and smiles when she remembers the day Abby "diagnosed" her pregnancy. She rubs her stomach and shakes her head. She never could have imagined how a routine business meeting at Preggio's would change her life forever. At that time in her life she never hoped for or even dreamed of a life better than the one she was living. Now she can't imagine not having her new life with her husband, which brings her back to the problem at hand, her attire for this important day.

Olivia assesses her appearance in the mirror and isn't sure about her dress choice this morning. She now wishes she had made time to go shopping to buy a new dress for this special occasion. She's groaning as her husband walks from the closet tucking his shirt tail into his pants. He smiles when he sees his very pregnant wife pouting. He loves her new curvy body. Her breasts and ass are full and her hips have spread nicely. He stands behind her and wraps his hands around her protruding stomach, which is on full display today thanks to the form-fitting dress she's wearing.

"You look beautiful, absolutely beautiful", he says, pushing back her hair to reveal her neck. Her hair is really long now and he can't resist touching it. He kisses down the side of her neck.

"Baby, do you think this dress is too tight? I don't want to look inappropriate when you give your speech."

"I love you so much", still kissing down her neck and massaging her breasts.

"Fitz", she whines. "What do you think - about the dress?" She's getting turned on and she knows they really don't have time, not this morning. They can't be late on this day.

"I didn't have time to shop, Fitz. We're so busy setting up the new GranPo office and getting all of the new staff oriented. There is just so much to do."

"You're beautiful. The dress is beautiful. You're beautiful in the dress", resting his chin on her shoulder and rubbing her belly as he looks at their reflection in the mirror.

"Besides, we match", he says, looking down at his charcoal grey pants.

"That's just terrific", she groans. "Now they're going to get a kick out of the new twins showing up for school in the middle of the year."

Flashback

Fitz sits in his small office at GranPo looking at the photograph on his desk of him and Olivia on their wedding day as he reflects on the past 18 months. He shakes his head as he recalls the day he and Cyrus waited at Preggio's for their talent and his attorney to arrive. He never would have imagined that 18 months later he would be married to the love of his life and will be a father in three months. He thinks how much he has grown as a man and as a business leader. He shakes his head and smiles when he hears Amy directing the moving crew in packing up the office to move to their new and larger office across town in the business district. He is proud of Amy and how much she has matured and become a valuable asset to GranPo. He's really going to miss working with her.

The day is bittersweet for him because won't be moving to the new office with them. He won't be a part of GranPo's next growth phase, and that saddens him because he and Olivia worked hard to make GranPo a success. Instead, in two days he will succeed Cyrus as the new President and CEO of the Beene Group. He and Olivia discussed the matter extensively and in the end the answer was always the same, he needed to return to Beene. Cyrus needed retire to focus on his health and he wouldn't do so if he wasn't confident his 40-year-old baby was going to be left in capable hands.

XXX

As Fitz sits at the desk in their apartment writing his succession speech, he reflects on the invaluable lessons he learned while working with the young and energetic GranPo staff. Because GranPo has limited resources, they relied heavily on technology, software tools, and streamlined processes to accomplish the myriad of tasks that normally would require a larger staff. He wants to adopt some of these same practices at Beene. First he wants to extend the use of technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate communication. He will consult with Webster to recommend technologies that will help him to accomplish his goals. He will include the Diane Baker, VP of Human Resources, in those meetings since she had begun to implement some innovative ideas before he resigned.

Fitz wants the entire company, from management to maintenance, to be a part of the transition ceremony where Cyrus Beene passes the leadership mantle to him. After all, the most significant change in The Beene Entertainment Group 40-year history will impact every employee around the world. They need to know who the new President and CEO is, what his beliefs and values are, and the direction in which he plans to take the company. He wants to create a culture at Beene where every employee, who chooses, is actively engaged in building their career and the company, willing to innovate, and have fun doing so. Fitz believes this starts with all 105,000 employees around the world participating in the ceremony where he will outline, at a high level, the future of the company.

Fitz engages Diane Baker in planning the corporate-wide meeting. He wants to answer a few questions, not just from the executives who will be in the banquet room, but from any employee, regardless of their location or position in the company. Diane informed him that their web conferencing tool will enable anyone, at any location, to raise their hand electronically and chat, in real time, with the new President and CEO.

Present Day

Employees around the world prepare to watch the landmark transition in leadership and to listen to what Fitzgerald Grant has to say about the future direction of the company. In a banquet room at headquarters the members of the Board of Directors, the VPs of the various departments, and business directors all wait patiently for their new leader to take the podium. Diane Baker sits in the room and is happy that Fitzgerald Grant has returned to the company. She always enjoyed their meetings and was happy he was supportive of some of her innovative ideas to prepare their workforce for the future growth of the company. Based on recent meetings with him she is hopeful some of her ideas will move forward under his leadership. She smiles in anticipation.

In multi-purpose rooms around the United States and abroad, employees gather to watch the passing of the torch to Cyrus Beene's successor. Small groups also gather in video-conference rooms around the world and individuals watch on their devices from home or on the road. Thacker sits in a video-conference room with the London office staff anxiously awaiting the meeting to start.

"You do recall that Mr. Grant was here, in our offices, a little over a year ago?" He asks, looking around at the eager staff. "He and I spent a week together discussing the progressive measures we have implemented in our offices. He was quite impressed - quite impressed", Thacker gushes.

XXX

Fitz and Olivia are dressed impeccably as they sit next to each other on the stage in the corporate banquet room watching Cyrus deliver his final speech as President and CEO. Cyrus is ecstatic because this is the day he has been waiting for. While the road to this place has been bumpy, filled with so many unexpected obstacles, and his current health situation isn't ideal, he is overjoyed because his son is back home and ready to assume the position for which he was groomed. The anxiety is building as Cyrus Beene winds down his speech.

"And without further ado, I present to you, your new President and CEO, Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third."

Olivia is the first on her feet, clapping and smiling; she is so proud of him. She knows he needed to do this – to come back to Beene – for personal and professional reasons. The crowd in the room stand and employees around the world break out into a thunderous applause. They have been waiting for this change for over a year. Although the rumor mill has been rife with speculation as to why Fitzgerald Grant walked away from the company, no one really knows the truth.

Fitz smiles at Olivia, squeezes her hand lightly, and gives her a deep kiss on the lips before he walks across the stage to greet Cyrus. She blushes and swipes her lipstick from his mouth with her thumb.

"Oh my, god! Is that his wife?" Thacker gasps, cupping his face. "She's absolutely gorgeous. And she's pregnant!"

Fitz and Cyrus shake hands and hug before he stands in front of the podium. Cyrus sits next to Olivia.

"This is a great day, Olivia - a great day."

"Yes it is Cyrus", she smiles while looking proudly at her husband.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thanks to those of you in this room, those of you in rooms around this building, and those of you all around the world." He smiles and waves to the cameras.

"He is so handsome. His pictures don't do him justice", a woman working from her home office in Spain types to a co-worker in Jamaica.

"I'll be brief because as you all can see my beautiful wife is very pregnant and I need to get her out of her before Junior decides to make an appearance." He looks over and winks at Olivia and she blushes again. He smiles proudly and the applause starts up again.

XXX

Hand in hand they walk down the highly polished hardwood floors that lead to the Beene executive suite. He is dressed in a charcoal-colored Tom Ford suit, crisp white Ralph Lauren shirt, a pale blue tie that Olivia bought to highlight his bright blue eyes, and black Armani oxfords. She wears a grey, form-fitting Vera Wang maternity dress that displays her six-month pregnant belly prominently. Her shiny hair bounces as her five-inch, black Ferragamo's clack on the hardwood floors next to her husband and the black Prada bag hangs from her left arm. They are the picture of class, of elegance, and love. They both wear the biggest smiles. Lauren stands immediately when she sees the couple walking through the glass doors.

"Mr. Grant, Mrs. Grant, good morning", she says beaming. "It's so good to have you back, sir. We've all missed you around here. Mrs. Grant, you are absolutely radiant", Lauren says, looking at Olivia's protruding stomach.

"Thank you, Lauren", they say in unison as they stroll into Cyrus' former office.

A/N: Well, that's all folks. Now we know what Olivia and Fitz have been up to over the past 18 months. Thanks for following my favorite couple and I hope you enjoyed their journey.

BTW, I have the writing bug so look out for my new story called Home for the Holidays, if you choose to follow and review. I hope to have chapter 1 up later today.