"Mellie has been a naughty girl. Before she married you, Mr. President, she was engaged to a Jeffery Thompson. Jeffery was a military man who died in a routine flight crash in Arizona where he was stationed."

"Yeah, I remember her dad talking about him when we were first set up. He liked that I was a NAVY man vs. a Air Force man. Something about optics." Fitz said with a shrug.

"Well, what he and Mellie neglected to tell you was that she and Jeffery had love child. A little baby boy named Jeffery Jr." Harrison said as he handed Fitz a file.

"Jeffery Jr.? What happened to the kid?" Fitz asked as he opened the file.

"Turn to page three." Harrison said, shooting Olivia a look that let her know this was about to get ugly.

"Wait, her brother? J.J. is her son?" Fitz said incredulously. He'd known J.J. since he was a kid and assumed that Sid and Anna just had a late in life baby. He was a cute kid and looked almost exactly like Mellie so it wasn't at all difficult to believe that he was her brother.

"Sid and Anna adopted J.J. when he was a year old. Mellie was apparently just as motherly then as she is now and her parents thought it best if they took care of him, especially since the family is extremely wealthy and influential. They needed a good way to spin their situation. Daughter of wealthy southern business mogul has child out of wedlock at the ripe age of eighteen, not the best of headlines."

"None of this has been an issue before, so why is she hiding this? We can spin it in her favor easily." Olivia asked as she shifted Ele onto her chest.

"It's been a secret for more than 20 years, does she think someone will dig up the info?" Fitz asked as he continued to flip through the pictures of his ex-brother-in-law, who was his ex-wife's son. He was having a hard time wrapping his head around that.

"That's the thing, someone has. Mellie has been being blackmailed for the past year. Apparently she has been receiving emails of her holding her son and walking around pregnant. There's also a DNA test apparently out there that proves he's her son. Huck is working on the details but whoever is doing this is good. It took Huck three days to hack into that email address and grab copies of those files." Harrison said as she leaned back onto the couch. It's been a long day and it wasn't even close to over. They needed to find out who would want to expose this and why.

"What about the money?" Liv asked as she glanced over Fitz's shoulder at the file. He visibly tensed and Olivia placed a hand on his shoulder, causing him to relax almost immediately. He knew as well as she did that that money could only be from one person.

'Ah, that's a whole different situation entirely. BJ had been paying Mellie a lump sum of money per year of your marriage, but I have a feeling you gathered that much." Harrison questioned and shrugged his shoulders when they nodded their heads yes. "He knew she didn't love you so he made the deal worth her wile. After about ten years those large sums stopped and then he only gave her money two other times. Three years apart." Harrison said as he slid Olivia the file. She raised an eyebrow at him and he shook his head in confirmation.

"Harrison?" Olivia asked hesitantly.

"I hate to tell you this, but you were right." Harrison said, a somber tone in his voice.

"Right about what?" Fitz asked in confusion. Olivia sighed and moved to place Ele in her bassinet, knowing that she couldn't be The Olivia Pope with her month old daughter in her arms. When she returned she opened the file and scanned it before handing it to Fitz.

"Mellie was paid a generous amount for having children. Your children. She was paid one sum for Karen and a larger sum for Jerry because he's able to pass on the family name. When your father died, Mellie was paid over 150 million over the remaining years of her marriage, apparently from your father's estate." Liv said in as soft a tone as possible. The bitter chuckle that escaped his lips caught her by surprise but she didn't flinch at his display. She allowed him to chuckle for a moment and when he leaned back against the couch, resting his head on the back, she placed a hand on his thigh. His laughing ceased almost immediately and slowly, tears slowly streamed from his eyes.

"We need to confront Mellie about this. We can't let any of this get out, especially any information about Mellie being paid to have Karen and Jerry. They definitely don't need to know about any of that." Olivia said softly as she moved her gaze to Harrison.

"We're on it. I'm gonna head back to the office, I'll call if we find anything." Olivia nodded and Harrison got up, making his way over to the bassinette. He gently picked up Ele and placed her on his chest, nuzzling into her soft baby hair. He kissed her head gently and placed her back. "I love you little one." He whispered before walking out of the residence.

"Fitz…" Liv sighed as she moved closer to him. He quickly pulled her into his arms, needing her body next to his. She easily melted into him, resting her head on his chest as he nuzzled into her hair taking her in. His body relaxed and they sat there for what seemed like an eternity letting the world and the pain fall away as they sat. The only noise that threaded through the silence were Ele's soft coos as she started getting restless.

"I should get her." She mumbled but Fitz held her closer.

"Just… I just need one more minute." He whispered and she could deny him. His voice broken and full of hurt. How could Mellie do this? She knew how much he hated everything his father stood for and how he manipulated everyone to get the power he wanted but this, paying Mellie to have his children because he knew she didn't want to? Because he knew that her having children was political gold? This was something entirely different.

"Okay." She whispered as she sunk back into his embrace.

He'd been quiet for most of the afternoon. He was in seclusion with Teddy and Ele, playing with Teddy's blocks and his stuffed animals while Ele rested happily on his chest in her sling. Olivia had to suppress a giggle when he walked in with it on in search of a bottle but he caught her, smiling slightly, before heading back into the playroom. Other than that she had barely seen him since he found out about Mellie's secrets. She couldn't understand how a woman who claimed to love a man, especially a man like Fitz, could do something so horrible. She could understand not wanting kids, hell she didn't even want kids until she was pregnant with Ele. But she could never imagine accepting money as compensation for having her baby girl. She sat quietly on the couch in the family room thinking, contemplating, and strategizing. They had to figure out who was blackmailing Mellie and they had to hide this info. She couldn't allow Karen and Jerry to be humiliated or for them to think that Mellie didn't love them, because she did. She had a very different way of showing it but she loved Karen, Jerry and Teddy.

"What are you watching?" His voice broke her out of her thoughts and a smile formed on her lips.

"A Star is Born, the 1954 version with Judy Garland." She said matter- of- fact-ly and he chuckled.

"Your favorite." He said lightly and she nods her head in confirmation. He sits in the vacant spot next to her and without a word moves closer, pulling her body into his. She giggles but soon settles down as she snuggles into him.

"Are Teddy and Ele down for their naps?" She asks softly and receives a rumbling "Mmmmhmmm" in confirmation. She sighs contently as his hand roams lazily over her body, tracing from her arm and all the way down her side to her hip. He takes a deep breath and sinks deeper into the couch. She can tell he's tired, exhausted really, and she's concerned for him because they haven't talked. She knows it's coming, she can tell it in the way his jaw is set but she won't push him.

"I'm meeting with Mellie in an hour." He says, his voice raspy and tired. Her body stiffens slightly and she tries to get up but he places his hand firmly on her side and she knows, she knows that she can't go into fixer mode right now because this is something he has to do. She wants to kill Mellie, she wants to rip her to shreds but this is something he has to do. His marriage to Mellie was exactly that, his. They needed to talk and no matter how badly she wanted to be involved it was all on him. She rests her body against his again, relaxing into him before speaking.

"Are you sure you want to do this tonight? We've just figured this out and it's still raw, this could be-"

"I know." He sighed. His voice void of any real emotion, he was putting up a wall. "but I don't think I can move on, honestly move past the Mellie portion of my life without knowing, without putting a lid on all of this and today when I was with Teddy and Ele I knew that I needed to get this off of my chest. They don't need a father who's clouded with anger towards a woman who has done nothing but put me through emotional hell for the past twenty five years. I tried, I honestly did, to let it go but every time I look at Teddy I think about how he came into this world- I honestly thought that at least I'd done good by Karen and Jerry, that they'd been brought into this world out of love but it wasn't that, it was obligation and money. Fucking money." His voice was bitter and she could feel the ice in his voice, no matter if it wasn't directed at her it was still something she hoped to never be on the receiving end of again.

"Fitz..."

"I know, you're worried. But I promise you this, if I need your help you will be the first and only person I run to." He said softly as he kissed her temple, his lips lingering on her skin. It was simple, but it was what she needed to hear.

"Ok. Then I'll make sure to keep the whole litter happy while daddy goes out to conquer the DAR Dragon. I'll call Huck and ask him to be on kid duty with me, he'll jump at the chance to hang with Ele." She said as she sank deeper into his embrace. Fitz chuckled and held her tighter.

"I love seeing you in mommy mode. The formidable Olivia Pope is also the best mother with a gentle soul and a heart bigger than anyone I've ever met. I'm so lucky to have you in my life." He leans down and places a chaste kiss on her lips and she whimpers when he moves away.

"More." She says and he laughs, his rich voice filling her ears and her heart. He quickly brings his lips back to hers and kisses her fully, properly. A kiss that imprints into your spirit and is burned into your memory. A kiss that makes her stomach fill with butterflies and clouds her mind. When he pulls away the dazed look on her face makes him feel extremely cocky and gives him something to look forward to after he meets with Mellie.

"After my meeting we're having more mommy and daddy time. We need to pick up where we left off. One round with you is never enough so tell the nurse she's on baby fruity tonight." He says as his lips move back to hers, she dodges his attempt and pulls away from him, a sly smile on her lips.

"Is that an order Mr. President?" The glint in her eyes and the seductive drop in her voice made his stomach knot in anticipation.

"Livvie..." He growled as he reached for her but she was faster, moving off the couch and effectively out of his reach.

"You have to prepare for your meeting with the Dragon. I'm going to check in on the little ones and get dinner started. You just make sure you're ready for tonight." She winks at him and saunters out of the room. Fitz can't help but smile as he rested his head on the back of the couch, he was undeniably happy and even though he would have to deal with Mellie, Olivia's love would help him through.

"Fitzgerald." Mellie said flatly. She received word from her assistant that her ex called and demanded a meeting at, to her, was an absolutely inconvenient time and although she was in no mood to talk to him about anything, he said it was an emergency about the children and she needed to maintain the loving mother image. So here she was, sitting on one of the couches in the oval office sitting across from her ex-husband who was nursing on a scotch neat. Typical.

"Mellie, how are you?" Fitz asked flatly as he took a sip of his drink. Mellie rolled her eyes in response.

"Fitz I am in no mood to sit here and make small talk. What do you want? What is so pressing about the kids that you had to summon me to your office?" She said sharply and Fitz could only chuckle.

"There was a time when you thought it was "Exciting" to be summoned. But I guess that was only when you thought you could control me."Mellie could only laugh.

"What do you want Fitzgerald? If you came here to rub your precious Olivia in my face I could honestly care less. So if were done here-"

"Oh we're nowhere near done, Mellie. I didn't come here to discuss Liv but I did mean it when I said we needed to discuss the children." Fitz got up from his spot on the couch and walked over to his desk, picking up the file that held the contents that he could barely stomach to read again. He made his way beck over to her and placed the file in front of her. "Read it." He said before walking over to his decanter of scotch, pouring a hefty glassful.

Mellie read over the file, her face showing no emotion at first and he assumed she knew he'd figure out as much about her brother. But with the turn of the page he heard a gasp and he couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips. He knew it was wrong, taking pleasure in Mellie's embarrassment but he could care less. She'd embarrassed him. She took money from his father, she took money as compensation for having their children. She lied to him and went behind his back and for that he'd make her suffer.

"Fitz…" She trailed off as his emotionless eyes connected with hers. He moved over to her, placing the glass of scotch in front of her. She looked up, confused in his intentions.

"As much as I cannot bear the thought of having been married to you in this moment, I also feel extremely sad for you. This is something that could ruin you, something that could make you the laughing stock of this town, hell of this great nation! Did you really think that Olivia wouldn't find any of this?" He asked, his feet propped up on the coffee table in front of him.

"I honestly didn't think about it. Fitz this was so long ago and I didn't take the money for me…"

"I don't give a damn who you took it for!" His voice was hard and Mellie couldn't stop the tear that fell from her eye. She'd known that taking the money was a bad idea but damn it, they needed the money. Campaigning and Fitz being a man who wanted to provide for his family, he wouldn't take any money Jerry would offer.

"I took it for us! That money was for all of us, so we could get you to your dream, Fitz. I know I should have told you but you would never have taken the money…"

"Exactly. I would never have taken that money. Because Jerry would have held it over my head until I caved and gave him what he wanted, whatever the fuck that may be. And you, you went behind my back and did one of the most ridiculous and stupid things!" Mellie rolled her eyes, her sympathy and her sadness quickly dissipating.

"Jerry didn't want anything from me when I took that money except to see his grandchildren. Jerry offered me the money and I took it. I took it and I put it in a safe place for if we needed it. I did what I had to do because you were too stubborn and too stupid to take the money. Was there a part of me that thought "hey I might as well get something out of this deal."? Yes. Hell yes! I didn't want kids. You wanted kids and I gave them to you. I gave you what you wanted and I gave up my law career and so when Jerry offered me the money I took it. I took it gladly." Her words spilled out of her mouth before she could stop them. She cupped her hand over her mouth and took several deep breaths, she needed to calm down. She took the glass of scotch and downed most of the contents in one go, coughing harshly as the burn started to subside. Fitz only sat there, quietly waiting. He wasn't surprised by her words, because he knew her. He knew Mellie. And he really didn't want to. Not anymore.

"Don't worry about it." Fitz said, moving to stand but stopping to look over at her again. As much as he hated her, he wanted to know that she was ok. Her tears were streaming down her face but her face was emotionless, she knew she wasn't sorry for her actions. But she was sorry that he found out. He knew that much. "Olivia and her team will handle your case. They'll try to find out who's blackmailing you and she'll burry the info on the kids."

"Thank you." She said, her voice raspy. "Tell Liv I said thank you."

"I will." He stood from his place on the couch and walked around the couch. When he reached the door he paused. "One last thing. You will leave Me, Olivia and the kids alone. You can have contact with them and they can visit if they want but you will not force them to attend political galas, fundraisers, balls, events, or anything of that sort without my consent."

"Okay." She said sheepishly. He knew she'd fight him later but he was good with her answer for now.

"And Olivia is not your go to girl. You do not get to decide that she take you on as a client. She does. And from what I know, she will not be running your campaign. She would love to help you, I'm sure you'll need it at some point, but you will not force anything on her. You will not guilt her into anything." His voice stern. Mellie nodded her head in agreement.

"You can show yourself out." He said quietly as he opened the door and walked out of his office.

"When is Dad gonna be done with his meeting? He promised me he'd bake cookies with me tonight for my class party." Karen said with a huff. They were having dinner, a very healthy quinoa bake with cheese and lots of veggies and nice fudge brownies a la mode for dessert and although the kids were content, hanging out with Huck and playing games with him before dinner they were missing their Dad. And who could blame them? Liv had barely seen him before today and it wasn't all on him, he did what he could and tried to spend as much time with her and Ele as possible, but he was the leader of the free world. But usually, he was the leader of the free world who was always home in time for dinner.

"Kar your dad will be home soon and he'll be more than happy to help you bake." Liv said sweetly as she nursed Ele at the table. She watched as Jerry helped Teddy eat his diner, cutting up the veggies that might be a little too big for him to handle. Teddy loved when his brother helped him eat, she couldn't figure out why, but he loved it and it made her so very happy. She turned her attention back to Karen who had turned her attention to the novel she was reading at the table, shoveling in food as she read along and a smile playing at the corner of her lips. She would tell her to put the book up for dinner but she figured it would help occupy the young girl until her dad got home. The kids were hers during the day. They knew the routine and they had a lot of fun but evenings were daddy time. And if dad wasn't there they were slightly thrown off.

"What are you reading?" Huck asked quietly, pulling Karen out of her imaginary world.

"The Ape Who Guards The Balance." She said excitedly and she giggled when Huck made a face at the title. "It's a historical mystery! It's about this woman…" Karen continued to give Huck the blow by blow of everything that had gone on in the book as far as she'd read. Huck listened intently, smiling slightly at how animated she was and how happy reading made her. He liked this family, his family. They were funny and loving and they invited him to dinner almost every night and it was good.

"What's everyone doing?" Fitz said as he entered the dining room.

"Dad!" Karen and Jerry said in unison as they watched their father saunter into the room. He looked tired, but happy. His blue eyes sparkled as me made his rounds, kissing Karen on the cheek, tousling his two boys hair and giving Huck a pat on the back before he made his way to Liv.

"Hi." He breathed out.

"Hi." She said with a small sigh. She missed him and she was worried about him but he seemed okay. He leaned down and placed a quick kiss on her lips and then on Ele's forehead before sitting down to dinner.

They finished their meal and Fitz helped Karen bake the cookies she needed for her class, making a mess of the kitchen and throwing flour everywhere in their baking war. Olivia and Ele watched for a short while from a safe distance but it was getting late for Ele and she was getting fussy so she made her way to the nursery where she could settle her down. Fitz sent Karen off to bed once the last batch of cookies were in the oven and a vast majority of the kitchen was cleaned. He put the rest of the dishes in the sink to soak and headed up the stairs once the cookies were on the cooling rack.

He peeked into Teddy's room, the toddler in his crib sound asleep with his spaceship pj's on. He smiled as he quietly slipped back out, keeping the door cracked just in case he woke up in the night. Jerry was still awake doing his homework and listening to music when he peeked in, he gave him his usual hour warning and with a signature Grant smile shot his way Fitz chuckled lightly before closing the door. Karen was sound asleep when he entered her room, the scent of her shampoo wafting into his nostrils as he bent down to kiss her head. He loved this. His kids were such precious gifts and as much as he hated Mellie, he was so grateful to her. She gave him three beautiful children. He stroked her head lightly and smiled as she mumbled "Good night Daddy" into her pillow. Fitz was just about to head to the master suite when he heard soft humming coming from Ele's nursery. He smiled when he heard Olivia's voice, soft and sweet. She was sitting at the bay window, looking out to the D.C. skyline, stroking Ele's back as she slept on her mother's chest.

"She tried to wait for you." She said with a smile, her voice light and happy. Ele made her so very happy and Fitz knew it. He would say he was jealous of his little angel but he'd be lying. Ele was beautiful and affectionate and even at two months old she was a character. She stole the hearts of everyone around her and he loved how much Liv loved her. She was wrapped around her little chubby finger and she would have it no other way.

"Karen and I had to clean up the kitchen. I'll make it up to her." He said as he walked over to his girls. Olivia turned to him, her eyes shining bright in the dark room. She was beautiful and he couldn't help but kiss her. Her soft lips molding into his. Simple and sweet and everything he needed from her. He pulled away from her smiling like a kid in a candy store and she couldn't help the small giggle that escaped her lips. "Did you tell the nanny we'd need her tonight?"

"Yes. She's on call till two so that gives us five hours of mommy and daddy time." She smiled slyly as she moved to place Ele in her bassinet. She smiled as her little girl stretched her tiny body to its full length before yawning and settling back down. She placed a blanket over her, tucking her in, and kissed her goodnight. Fitz placed a gentle kiss on his infant daughter's head and stroked her chubby cheek before walking out of the room.

"So, , what are we going to do now. All the kids are tucked in and the nanny is on call. We have the whole night and you can have anything you want." She said as she sauntered into their bedroom.

"I was thinking that we could take a nice long and oh so romantic bath. And then I plan on making love to you all night and holding you as close as possible for as long as Ele lets me." The last part made them both chuckle because they knew she'd break up the fun at some point.

"You're very right. So c'mon! We're wasting time!" She laughed as she took off her shirt. What she didn't expect was for Fitz to come up behind her and scoop her into his arms. She squealed in delight as he shifted her over his shoulder, carrying her into the bathroom to start their romantic night.

Okay, I know. Most of you had to re-read this fic to remember what was going on but I hope you enjoyed it! Lol

I would say I'll update soon but I won't lie to you. The company I'm in takes up a lot of time with travel and rehearsals and I don't have time to update as much as I'd like. Nor do I have the energy to. But I will be finishing my stories, you can believe that. I wouldn't dream of leaving them unfinished.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know and reviews are always welcome. Xoxo