End Game – Chapter 6

It was Thursday morning, and it had indeed been a very busy week as Olivia suspected after coming back from vacation. When She entered the kitchen, she was greeted with good morning by Victoria and the twins who were sitting to the table eating breakfast. Victoria was one of their previous staffers who worked at the White House and when they moved to Vermont. She stayed on for a while and then just help when needed once they were settled, even though Fitz still pays her as a full-time salary. Therefore, since Liv has been working longer hours this week, she asked Victoria to come in and help. This was something that Fitz was not happy about because he rather them take care of the kids and house themselves, which has caused a little tension between him and Olivia. She tried to explain to him that it was to help keep things in place and on track.

The twins were already sitting at the table eating breakfast when Kennedy came downstairs. Since she's been on punishment with no phone, no one must call her several times before she would appear. Kennedy rubbed the top of the twin's head and said good morning to them and Liv. "Good morning Kennedy." Victoria fixed her plate and placed it on the island where she sat. "Thank you Ms. V as the kids would call Victoria. After Liv fixed her tea in her to go cup for work she asked, "where is Aiden?" "He was standing in the bathroom looking at his self in the mirror when I walked past, like that's going to help him." She said sarcastically. Then smiled until she seen the look on her mom's face and says, "sorry mom." Liv goes to the stairs and yells up the stairs for him to hurry up. Since Kennedy and Aiden school was in her direction, she usually droped them off to school when she's going into the office, and it's almost time for her to get going.

Fitz was in his home office already, so Liv went to his office and knocked on the door and opens it. He was sitting at his desk looking over some files, but looked up when he heard Liv come in. "Hi!" he says. She walks over to the front of his desk and says, "Hi! Why didn't you wake me up this morning before you came downstairs?" Fitz looked at her and tossed his pen down and then said, in kind of an annoyed tone. "I wanted you to get some rest since you been putting in longer hours this week." "Fitz, we have a very big case right now and they really need me in the office to help. You know I have to go in sometimes and can't just work from home." He looked back down to the papers on his desk and walked around his desk where Liv was. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her close, "I don't like this Liv. I haven't seen you in three days." "I'm sorry babe, but it shouldn't take us too much longer to finish and that's because I'm helping out." He kissed her on the crock of her neck, "please hurry up cause me and the kids miss you when you're not here. Can you at least try to make it home for dinner tonight? Is that too much to ask? Your team can definitely survive after 5pm if you come home." She smiles and tells him she will see what she can do. Fitz presses his lips to her and kisses her with passion. Liv lets out a soft moan against his mouth then pulls away. She says, "babe I really have to get going. I'm dropping the kids off to school on my way to the office. Are you going to come say goodbye to your children?" With a pout on his face, he lazily let go of her and says ok. She smiles up at him shaking her head while they walk out towards the kitchen. When they walked in the kitchen Fitz greeted everyone and said, "hey gang!" "Hey dad!" everyone said. "Everyone ready for a good day of school?" he asked. Brooklyn said, "I'm always good daddy." "Yeah, know you are," he said and kissed the top of her head. Liv finish making her tea and was ready to go. She gave the twins a kiss goodbye and then said goodbye to Fitz. Kennedy and Aiden got their book bags and said goodbye. After everyone left Fitz went back in his office to finish his work.

Olivia arrived at her office by 9am. When she walked in the office everyone was already there waiting on her and going over information. "Good morning everyone! Do we have new and fresh information on our client?" Abby was the first one to speak, "yep and you're not going to be happy about this Liv. This case may take longer than we thought cause it's getting messier by the day." Liv walks in her office to place her things in her office before joining the team in the conference room. Soon as Liv got back from Italy a client came into OPA and needed their help. At first, they were not going to take the case because they had a feeling that it would take up too much time and they would have to turn down other cases. Once she was back in the room, she told Abby to continue and to fill her in on what was going on. The client was a well-known lawyer in DC who had been caught tampering and setting up false evidence to win a big case, but he claims he was being set up by a woman that he was cheating on his wife with. Now this morning Abby tells her that the woman he was cheating with was found murdered in a hotel room where Attorney Rosen was known to spend the night. After Abby finish, Liv then hears from Harrison who fills her in on the police picked Rosen up about an hour ago and will not go in front of the judge until tomorrow, but the prosecutors are looking at no bail until his court date. The charges are tampering with evidence and murder. Soon as he finishes, she looks at Huck and Quin. Huck says, they have checked all surveillance cameras in the hotel and around the hotel and they have nothing showing Rosen going in or coming out the hotel around the time of the murder. When Liv finish hearing what everyone has gathered, she says, "Damn It! Ok, Abby can you go check out Rosen's house see if you can find anything that can show what he was up to last night that can give him an alibi. Harrison, I want you to come with me down to the jail to see if we can get in to speak with Rosen. Huck and Quin continue to check everything to see if you can find out when the women went in the hotel and if you can find out if she was with anyone else. Ok, lets go people!" Everyone immediately goes their separate ways.

Fitz had been working for a few hours and decided to take a break. He tried calling Liv to check on her but didn't get an answer. He was a little annoyed that she didn't answer but tried to brush it off. He went in the kitchen and asked Victoria if she could make him something for lunch to take back in his office in a little while and a glass of lemonade. Victoria said sure and Fitz went upstairs to his bedroom. While he was upstairs his phone rang, he picked up without looking thinking it was Liv calling back but when he answered it was a friend of his that he went to school with name Jake. The last time they had spoke to each other was before Fitz took office and moved in the White House. He kept in touch a few times after that but then everything got busy and he hadn't heard from him. Fitz answers and says, "Jake? What's up man? How are you?" Jake laughed and said, "oh I been fine. I'm surprise you still have the same number. I didn't think I would get you, but I just took a chance." "Yeah, I still have my personal phone after I got out of office but also have a business phone. You still in DC?" Jake hesitated a little before answering, "well no I actually relocated about a year ago to Vermont. I had heard that you were in the area now and I lost my place. I found another place, but it will not be ready for a few weeks and wanted to see if I could crash with you until I can move in. This caught Fitz a little off guard and he was completely surprised. However he said, "Um you will have to go through a security check with my security detail, but I'll have to speak to my wife to as well but I don't really see it as a problem and I have more than enough room." Jake was kind of shocked cause he really thought it was a long shot, but he is very happy and says, "really man! You don't know how this is such a weight off me cause I had to be out in two days and I really couldn't afford to stay at a hotel for that long." Fitz looks at the phone. "Is everything really ok Jake? I thought you had your own business?" He says, I lost it. It kind of a long story that we can talk about when I get there but that is kind of the reason that I ended up here in Vermont." Fitz says, "ok well look man I'm going to send you what security needs to clear you, and why don't you just come over and have dinner?" "You sure your wife isn't going to mind?" He answers and says, "no I'm sure she is going to be working late anyway and then I will mention it to her later or in the morning." Jake says, "ok that sounds great! What time should I be there?" "Let's say about 5 o'clock, so we have plenty of time to catch up a little." Jake responds with a yes and they hang up. Soon as Fitz get off the phone, he goes in the kitchen to talk to Veronica and see if his lunch was ready.

She was in the kitchen and had just finish fixing Fitz's sandwich and cleaning up. When she looks up, she says, "Oh hi Mr. Grant. I was just getting ready to bring your lunch in the office." "That's OK I will eat it right here. I wanted to see what you were making for dinner tonight. We are having a guest and I wanted to make sure you had enough stuff." She looks and says, "well I was going to make a meatloaf, mash potatoes, and green beans which was a request from little miss grant (Kennedy)." He says, "Oh really? Well that sounds good and is looking forward to dinner." After he said that Veronica was standing still looking at Fitz with a look of concern on her mind. Therefore, Fitz ask, "is there something else Veronica? You seem like you have something on your mind that you want to talk about?" "Umm, well sir there is something I needed to talk to you about. Fitz sat down to listen to what she had to say. "Ok Veronica I'm listening."

"Well sir, I really have enjoyed working for you all after all you all are the first family. However, I'm getting old and tired and I have been thinking about just retiring and enjoying the rest of my life. Maybe do some light traveling." He was looking at her surprised because he didn't realize that she was feeling this way. Veronica finished listening to what she had to say. "Even though I want to retire I didn't want to leave you high and dry so I was wondering if you would be willing to hire my niece? She is 21 years old and she just finished college. She knows how to clean, and she learned to cook from me." Fitz gave her a chuckle. "Can she come in for an interview tomorrow?"

"Yes! I a make sure she is here. Just tell me the time." He still looking surprised by all of this but says, "why didn't you talk to us sooner? How long have you been thinking about retiring?" She looks at him, "I was going to be calling you any day now but then when Mrs. Grant called me about coming to help out, I didn't want to spring it on her right then and there so I just said yes. You know it's hard to say no to Mrs. Grant." They both laugh about it. "Yeah, trust me I know." "Well I hope you will enjoy your retirement. I will expect your niece tomorrow around 12pm?" Veronica has a smile on her face with excitement and says, "sure sir I will have her here on time. I think you will see she can handle the job!" Fitz laughs as he gets up to go back to his office. Once he got back to his office, he looked at the clock and seen that it was almost time for the children to get home from school. He sits down and checks his phone to see if he had missed call from Liv, but she still hadn't returned his call. He decided to try her again, and again he got her voicemail. This time he leaves her a message. Soon as he hung up the phone, he hears the children coming in from school going to the kitchen asking Veronica for a snack. He decides to go back out to the kitchen to greet them and see how their day was.

"Hey guys!" "Hey dad!" He asks the twins first, "how was your day?" while rustling their hair. "It was good dad, but I'm happy to be home! Is mom going to be home soon?" He looks and says, "I don't know but she should be." Kennedy hollers out, "give me Aiden before I break your hands!" Aiden is reaching up high trying to keep Kennedy from getting her phone that he took from her. Fitz then turns from the twins and says, "hey give your sister back her phone now Aiden." He gives her his phone back and says, "here cry baby. You're lucky dad's here." "Aiden! Fitz looks at him. "She started it taking picture of me and this girl at school trying to say she is my girlfriend, but we are just friends, and now she won't take it out her phone dad!" Fitz looks at his daughter with a displeased look, "Kennedy, is that right? Cause you know we don't like for you all to tease each other like that. So, erase the picture and respect your brother wishes." Kennedy rolled her eyes and said, "lok cry baby it's gone!" "Thank you!" He said and stuck his tong out at her. Fitz said, "ok enough is enough before I add another week on to your punishments. When ya'll finish your snack please go do your homework and then go clean up for dinner because we are having a guest for dinner tonight." They all kind of sighed. Kennedy ask, "who dad?" "It's an old high school buddy of mine from school. He also will be staying with us for a little while so I thought this would e a good way for everyone to get acquainted a little. Ok?" The twins yelled yay! While Aiden and Kennedy gave each other a look and said, "sure dad." "Ok, thank you. Now I have a little more work to do in my office so Kennedy please help the twins with there homework and be ready for dinner at 6pm." He checked with Veronica and made sure she had everything she needed for dinner. She assured him that she did and told him she would be leaving soon as she was done, and she would see him tomorrow with her niece.

Fitz went in his office and finished working for about another hour. After he finish everything he needed to get done, he looked at his watch and seen it was 5:30pm. He went upstairs and started to get ready before Jake got there. He checked his phone to see if Liv had called since she said that she was going to try and make it home around 5pm but she still had not called. This mad Fitz somewhat upset, but he was going to try and not let that put a damper on his mood while Jake was here. However, he knew he was going to have to deal with Liv later to let him know how he was feeling.

Everyone's energy at OPA seem to be running down except for Olivia's. They were pleading with her to call it a night because they have had a busy day and nothing else could be done until in the morning. However, Olivia wasn't giving in because she wanted to have something to present when they appeared in court in the morning to assure that their client was release tomorrow. Abby was the first to speak up and said, "Liv my brain is hurting so bad that I wouldn't be able to think about anything until I get some sleep. Now I don't know about anyone else, but I am going home to get some rest and I suggest you do the same or we won't be no good to our client." Liv looks at her like she is crazy and says, "do anyone else feel the same way as Abby? If so, you can join her tomorrow in the unemployment line. If not let's get back to work!" Abby put her things back down and joined everyone else at the conference table. As they spent two more ours plunging through evidence and conclusions to present to the judge it was getting latter and later. Olivia never realized that she hadn't even spoke with Fitz all day today. Abby had excused herself to go to the rest room. Everyone else was so tired they were sitting at the table with their heads down trying to keep up with Liv. When Abby return from the bathroom it looks like she was more pleasant, but nobody questioned it. After another hour of working no one was really giving to much more suggestions. Finally, Harrison said, Liv it really is late and there is nothing more we can give. We been here all day and….

Just then, he was cut off by a deep voice that said, "and its time for you all to go home and get some rest." Not taking his eyes off Olivia. No one moved and then he looked at them and said, "go home and get some rest because my wife is about to go home and do the same." He looked at Olivia and asked, "what time do you want them to come in?' Liv looked at her husband and knew by the look on his face and mood she didn't need to say too early, so she said, "be here at 10am." No one on her team ever seen anyone on who could handle Liv the way Fitz seem to do, but they were grateful tonight. Everyone said good night and left. Soon as everyone left Liv look at Fitz and said, "babe?" She was cut off when Fitz said, "not right now. Get your stuff together so we can go home." Liv went to her office to gather her things and then left to go home with Fitz. The ride home was quite due to secret service with them in the car. They arrived home in as little as 20 minutes.

When they drove up, secret service opens the door for them, and they exited the vehicle and said good night. Soon as they entered the house Veronica gave them, they report for they who were now sleep except for Kennedy. Fitz thanked Veronica for staying and she said, good night and left. Once the door closed Olivia went to say something to Fitz, but he turned and went upstairs. She sighed, and took her jacket off to hang up, and then went in the kitchen to give Fitz a few minutes to himself. She retrieved a bottle of water out the fridge and sat down at the island to drink. She sat there till she was done and then locked everything up and headed upstairs. When she walked in the room, Fitz was not there yet which see assumed that he was in Kennedy's to find out why she wasn't sleep yet.

She decided to go take a nice hot shower to think and relax a little before bed. She stayed in there for longer than she intended. When she got out Fitz was at the doing his nightly routine. She got out and was drying off and said, "so we not going to talk about this? We said when we got married, we wouldn't go to sleep angry or upset." She was putting on her nighty waiting for Fitz to respond. When he was finish brushing his teeth he said, "Olivia what do you want me to say? I asked you to try and be home by 5pm today so that we (your children) could get to see you before morning here lately for the past couple of weeks and you act like you can't do it! Then to my surprise it's not really the work cause your associates are just as tired and wanting to go home but their slave working boss won't let them!" He was clearly frustrated and upset by the tone of his voice. Olivia stood in the doorway of the bathroom and then walks to the bed to remove the pillows off the bed to get in. She looks at Fitz and says, "Fitz, I'm sorry. I just have been having something to tell you and I wasn't ready yet." Fitz slid in the bed from his side and said, "baby talk to me. What's going on?" His face now was concern and a little worried. She turns towards him and tells him. "I'm pregnant!" Fitz sat there for a couple of second when I smile graced his face. He wrapped his arms around her and said, "really babe!" "So, your happy about having another baby?" She laughed a little and then gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "I didn't think you would want anymore because we always said we only wanted four?" He turns and look at her, he brushed her hair back, then said, "I would have a million babies as long as it was with you Liv. It wouldn't matter." With tears now in her eyes she turned and kissed him passionately. They both had to do all they could to separate from each. Fitz looked at her and ask, "when did you find out? How far along? Did you go to the doctors without me?" Liv took his face in her hands to calm him so she could keep up with the questions.

"I had been having a feeling a little before we went away but I was too scared to find out, but when we came back off our little vacation the first day back to work, I got sick at work. Thank God no one else had came into the office yet. I manage to pull myself together a finished up my tea. On my way home I decided to stop and pick up a couple of tests and sure enough all five of them said positive. So, I'm not sure how far because I was waiting to tell you so we could go to the doctor together." She smiled at Fitz, and he looked back at her and said, "I love you Liv." They kissed and snuggled up together cause they both were tired.