It hurt to breath. Olivia clutched her ribs. They were bruised. She was grateful they hadn't been broken. She looked at her face in the mirror. Her black eye was already starting to turn a deep purple. Her outward appearance had nothing on what she was feeling on the inside. She knew these superficial wounds would heal in time like they never happened, but the damage that was being inflicted on the inside was some of her own making. Why did he have to be so wonderful? Why did she have to fall in love with him? She touched the bruises on her neck and flashbacks of her attack flashed in her mind. She remembers struggling for breath, trying to fight off her attacker. She had fought with every ounce of her being to stay alive. It wasn't until she woke up in that hospital bed that she had even had the thought that she could have died. That thought now in the cold light of day made her think of all the unsaid things, all the events and occasions she would have missed. She knew she had a decision to make. She also knew that she couldn't keep playing with his heart. She had to make a choice once and for all.

He was restless. It was hard to concentrate and not think about her and how she was doing. Plus, it was his first day in weeks without alcohol and he was feeling the effects of going cold turkey after drinking like a fish. If this meeting droned on one minute longer he was going to lose it. Fitz cleared his throat and interrupted one of the joint chiefs of staff, "Let's resume in the morning."

Some surprised faces looked up at the President and cut their eyes at each other. They were far from being finished. Before anyone could object Cyrus jumped up. "Let's finish up in the morning gentlemen."

Everyone filed out mumbling under their breath.

Cy shut the door on the last person and turned to address Fitz.

"Listen, I know you're worried about her. She was just released this morning and I put a security detail on her."

Fitz doesn't look up at Cyrus, but nods his head and mumbles, "Good."

Cyrus watches him. He can tell that Fitz hasn't touched the bottle this morning. Thank God for small favors. Cyrus would never voice it out loud, but he was thankful Olivia's attack had woken Fitz from his alcohol induced stupor.

The two men sat in silence for a while. Finally Cyrus decides to speak.

"We both know who was responsible for what happened last night and I wanted to know what you planned to do about it?"

Fitz still hasn't bothered to look up at him so Cyrus continues on.

"When you were in the hospital you told me you didn't want anything to happen to Hollis and now I'm wondering if you've had a change of heart?"

Fitz fixes his steely gaze on Cyrus.

"I know you would like nothing more than for me to let you off your leash Cy, especially since Hollis made the mistake of putting hands on Liv…"

Fitz gets up from his chair and walks to the window in contemplation.

"You know when I stepped into this office I thought I would get to do some good, make much needed changes, but now all I seem to be managing to do is try and keep my hands clean from all the cover-ups and scandals…and right now all I want is to destroy Hollis Doyle…"

He turns and looks at Cyrus then.

"I plan to make him pay and I plan to sleep well at night once I do. So, I'm not so much letting you off your leash as much as I'm letting the chain loose for you to cover more ground in the yard. We do this my way Cy, but we're both going to get our hands dirty on this one."

Cyrus smiles with a sense of pride at Fitz.

"Where do we begin sir?"

Before heading to the White House Olivia has decided to stop by and see Verna. Although Verna had recovered from Hollis' attack she was still very weak. Unfortunately, her battle with cancer had been made public and she'd had to step down from her seat on the bench.

When Olivia walked into the room Verna sat up as best she could in the hospital bed.

"What does the other guy look like?"

Concern etched her voice, despite her attempt at humor. Olivia touched her eye and gave a bitter smile.

"Another casualty of Hollis Doyle."

Verna pursed her lips together. They had to get this bastard. Olivia patted her hand somehow reading her mind.

"We're working on it. We're going to get him Verna."

Verna placed her other hand over Olivia's and squeezed. They both sit in silence a moment. Olivia gives her a brief overview of what's happening before Olivia says she has to go.

As Olivia is leaving the hospital she runs into Governor Reston. She tries not to look surprised.

"Why Olivia Pope. It's very nice to see you. I take it you were upstairs visiting our good friend."

"I didn't know you knew Supreme Court Justice Thornton."

Reston has a smug look on his face.

"You do mean former Supreme Court Justice right?"

Olivia wishes she could slap that look off his face. She doesn't dignify his question with a response. Olivia is about to walk away when Reston's next words catch her.

"You're right. I don't know MISS Thornton very well,"

He says placing emphasis on the Miss.

"I've only met her once at some fundraising dinner, but it was our mutual friend, Hollis Doyle…"

Her back becomes ramrod straight at the mention of Hollis' name, but more so because Reston now seems to be running in the same social circles as Hollis. That can't be a coincidence. She knows that Reston has had it in for Fitz ever since he took the election and would like nothing more than to see him have a fall from grace. She turns around to face Reston again. Schooling the emotions on her face.

"I believe you know him. He's spoken very highly of you Olivia…Anyways, he's the one who told me of the unfortunate circumstances that befell MISS Thornton. I came to pay my respects."

Olivia walks up to Reston.

"Regardless, of whether she no longer sits the bench it's JUSTICE Thornton. I think she's earned it."

She turns and walks away and she hears Reston call after her.

"Bye Olivia. I'm sure we'll see each other again."

Olivia keeps walking refusing to be goaded into a fight.

Olivia rushes into the OPA office. Once she arrives she's happy to find Huck alone. She goes into his office and shuts the door behind her.

"We may have another problem."

Huck stands there unwilling to meet her eyes. She knows he is still feeling guilty about not being there.

"Huck, look at me."

After a minute he finally looks at her.

"I'm okay…I need you to stop beating yourself up. We have work to do and I need you to be on your game. Promise me okay? We're going to put this past us?"

He finally nods his head.

"Okay, I need you to look into Governor Reston. Hollis has been meeting with him and we need to find out what he knows, what their plans are, everything you can dig up."

"Okay, I'll start working on it right now.

"I have to head to the White house, but call me the minute you find anything interesting."

Olivia gives one last look at Huck as he sits typing furiously on his keyboard. She's about to say something else, but decides against it as she leaves.

Fitz sits on the sofas in the Oval with his feet kicked up on the coffee table. He's trying to read through some briefs, but his mind won't stay focused. Why hasn't she called to let him know she's alright. He sat the documents on the sofa next to him, shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He hated waiting. If he were a normal man he could just go to her. A knock sounds on the door breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Come in," Fitz answers tiredly.

Olivia walks in and shuts the door behind her. She leans against it. She was going to immediately tell him about Reston, but all thought leaves her as she sees him and knows that she is putting away her running shoes for good. The situation isn't ideal, but Fitz is the man she loves and no matter what she's not going anywhere.

Fitz stands up quickly from the sofa. Their gaze meets and holds for what seems like forever and then Olivia is quickly moving into his arms. Their mouths fuse together as they press each other closer. For once she is the one initiating and he likes it.

He hears her swift intake of breath and pulls away.

"Oh God Livvie…I'm sorry," he says panting breathlessly. He sees her swollen lips and his eyes drop down to her heaving chest. She looks up at him.

"It's okay. It doesn't hurt that much."

His hand caresses her face. He doesn't want them to be interrupted again, but he knows he must finish up here.

"Would you meet me in the rose garden in 20?"

His eyes look into hers, pleading with her not to say no. Olivia nods her head. She cups his face and kisses him softly once more on the lips before turning and leaving the Oval.

Fitz runs his hand through his hair as he watches her leave. He goes back over to his desk and puts on his tie and suit jacket. He signs his name to a few more documents and then leaves the office to go wait for Liv in the rose garden.

When Olivia arrives she finds Fitz waiting for her in their spot.

"Part of me was afraid you'd stand me up."

Olivia cups Fitz's face in her hands. She sees the uncertainty swimming in his eyes.

"I'm sorry for making you doubt us…doubt me…"

He leans his face into her palm and closes his eyes briefly before looking at her again. Being here with her like this feels like home.

"Forgive me Fitz. Forgive me for not believing in us. I'm not going to run anymore. I love you."

Fitz pulls her into his body at her declaration and crushes her lips with his. He backs her up against the tree that they are standing near and starts to undo her pants. Olivia tries to speak in between kisses.

"Fitz…what…"

He pushes her pants down her legs.

"I need you…now…Livvie."

She moans into his mouth as she steps out of her pants and kicks them away while still clinging to him. She pushes his suit jacket off his shoulders letting it drop to the ground. She stops kissing him for a split second to tear off his tie. They resume kissing, their tongues dueling. She franticly works at his belt and his zipper, as he starts trying to unbutton her blouse, but he's impatient to feel her soft skin under his hands so he rips her shirt open sending buttons flying. She shoves his pants along with his briefs down his legs.

After getting her blouse open he pushes her bra down so that his mouth can finally have access to her lovely brown nipples he's been craving to have inside his mouth. He licks her nipple and watches as it forms into a hard peak, then he sucks it whole into his mouth enjoying the moans coming from her throat and the way she hugs him to her body. Fitz nudges her thighs apart with his knee. He lets her nipple go with a pop. She moans the loss.

Fitz licks his tongue slowly across her bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth. As he's sucking her lip he trails his fingers up the inside of her thigh until he reaches her pussy, which is soaked with her yearning for him. He groans and begins kissing her roughly as he inserts his finger and then a second finger and begins pumping into her. He loves hearing her cries as he can feel her building towards her climax. He pulls back to watch her face.

"Cum for me Liv…my sweet baby."

At that moment Liv comes undone as she grinds herself on Fitz's fingers. As soon as he feels her orgasm subside he quickly removes his fingers, licking her juices off of them and thrusts his cock into her deeply making her gasp and hold him tighter. Olivia wraps her legs around Fitz. Although she can feel the bark of the tree digging into her ass as he thrusts she doesn't care. She just wants this exquisite pleasure he is bringing her.

"Liv…you're so…tight…fuck!" Fitz growls as he plows into her.

"Fitz! Fitz!"

Olivia matches Fitz's thrusts as he builds up speed, slamming into her. Their mating is primal as they moan and growl and clutch each other. Olivia can feel her second orgasm building fast. Fitz begins to lap at the spot on her neck that he knows drives her crazy and then he gently tugs the skin between his teeth before sucking the spot knowing that Olivia will cum any moment. He feels her inner walls squeezing his dick as she is about to cum. He thrusts deeply hitting her spot and Olivia releases her juices over his cock. She moans his name over and over as she cums hard. Seconds later Fitz joins her as he pumps furiously into her, emptying his seed. Olivia hugs him to her body as they slump against the tree. Fitz buries his head into her chest as they both try and catch their breath. He kisses the space over her heart before looking up into her eyes.

"I'm sorry for being so rough…did I hurt you?" He breathes out gently wiping her damp hair away from her face. She gives him a sweet smile.

"I'm okay Fitz."

He is still inside of her and she whimpers as he moves slightly.

He smiles sexily at her.

"Mmmmm," he moves his hips against her again and she moans once more. Olivia can see the smug look on Fitz's face and she giggles.

"No more Fitz…I'm sore."

He looks contrite. She kisses him lightly on the lips. He slowly pulls out of her and sets her on her feet. He notices Olivia rubbing her backside.

"Here let me do that," he grins wickedly at her before slowly massaging circles into her butt. She leans into him and sighs.

"Next time you get to be against the tree."

They both laugh.

"What am I gonna do about my blouse?"

She looks up at him showing the missing buttons. Fitz smirks.

"I wouldn't mind if you left it open."

She smacks him playfully.

"I'll just have to button up my suit jacket. You owe me a blouse."

"Okay," he says smiling as they begin to dress each other.

After they finish dressing he pulls her in for another kiss. After he pulls away Olivia remembers that she needs to tell Fitz about her run in with Reston and her suspicions about his relationship with Hollis.

"I need to tell you something."

He sees how serious she has become.

"What is it Liv?"

"Today I went by to visit Verna and guess who I ran into as I was leaving?"

He looks concerned, "Who?"

"Governor Reston. He didn't know Verna well enough to be visiting her and then he mentioned that Hollis told him."

Fitz looks at her dismayed.

"You think that Hollis has involved Reston in whatever's going on? It makes sense. He's had it out for me ever since he lost the election."

"I have Huck looking into it. As soon as I know anything I'll let you know."

He kisses her quickly.

"You should go first and then I'll follow a few minutes later."

He cups her face.

"Liv, we're going to figure this out. He's not going to win."

"I know."

She smiles up at him. He beams at her.

"You don't know how happy you've made me today, Liv."

His thumb strokes her cheek and then he places a soft kiss on her forehead before he adjusts his jacket and walks back toward the White House. Olivia waits the requisite 10 minutes and walks back towards the White House. Upon stepping inside, she comes face to face with Mellie. Just great! She was the last person Olivia wanted to see, but if Mellie wanted a fight Olivia was not about to back down today. She would give Mellie the fight she was itching for.

- Sorry I've been away so long. I never meant to leave this story for so long. I know a lot has happened on the show since I first took up this story so things will be different from the Scandal that is currently on TV. I'm going to do my best to finish the story. I appreciate all your reviews and for reading the story. I will try and update soon.