Scandal 1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

_**Here it is everyone! The first chapter to "Swan Dive," which is the next "book" in the "Feels Like Today" series! Yay!**_

**Chapter One: You're Not Sorry**

_So you don't have to call anymore_

_I won't pick up the phone_

_This is the last straw_

_There's nothing left to beg for_

_And you can tell me that you're sorry_

_But I don't believe you baby_

_Like I did before_

_You're not sorry_

_\- "You're Not Sorry" Taylor Swift_

* * *

Olivia tipped her head back in the shower and let the water wash over her. Opening her eyes she smiled softly at Fitz, "Hi." She repeated the phrase they used to say 'I love you.'

"Hi." He repeated.

SCANDAL

Mellie sat on the floor of the Blair House surrounded by the divorce papers and a bottle of vodka. He was actually leaving her. He was abandoning her when she needed him. She didn't know where her life would go at this point, how she would exist without him, without the White House, without any of it.

The worst part was that he wanted custody of the kids. He wanted to transfer them to a school in DC.

She could feel everything slipping away from her.

SCANDAL

Cyrus stood outside of Olivia's apartment in front of Tom, "You won't let me in or you physically can't?"

Tom sighed, "Cyrus, they want to be alone together for a while. Can't you give them that?"

Cyrus took a deep breath, "Mellie is threatening to go on national television to tell the world that they're in that apartment doing the nasty. I need to get in there and I need to tell them to take a breather so we can handle this. Then they can hump like gorillas all they fucking want to."

Tom looked up at Hank, who silently nodded to him. "Fine." He paused, "But I need an emergency. I need a reason to open the door."

Cyrus paused, "Huck found Becky." Tom's eyebrows rose, "And yes I'm actually being serious when I say that. So open the fucking door now."

Cyrus barged into the bedroom to find Fitz on top of Olivia with his tongue in her throat, "Please stop for a moment so we can handle this."

Fitz and Olivia looked up, "What, Cy?" Fitz asked.

"1. Congrats on all of this." He paused, "2. Huck found Becky. 3. Oh, your wife, who you're still legally married to, is lining up an interview as we speak. We'll all be ruined if she goes on live TV!"

Olivia pushed Fitz off of her and gathered the sheet around her chest, "Okay, we're up and we'll handle it. Now get out while I get dressed."

Cyrus sighed as he stood in Olivia's kitchen. A few moments later he was greeted by a slightly disheveled president and his girlfriend, "Okay give us the update." Fitz requested.

"Becky is in federal custody and is being detained in a secret location with Billy. They haven't given up Hollis yet." Cyrus paused, "We need to figure out what we're going to do about him." He reminded them, "Oh and yes we need to handle Mellie as well."

"I'll take care of Mellie." Fitz announced flatly. Leaning down he kissed Olivia, "I'll be back tonight." He promised.

Cyrus and Olivia watched him leave. Finally, Olivia spoke, "I know how to handle Hollis. Want to join me?"

Cyrus frowned, "What did you have in mind?"

"I don't like it, but you probably will." She picked up her purse from the kitchen table, "Let's go. We can get brunch after we're done."

SCANDAL

"Liv?" Cyrus broke into her thoughts, "Why are we at the Marine Corps monument? And why did we leave DC?"

Olivia tilted her head to the side, "I used to come here as a child. It was always so peaceful. I love the quote, 'Uncommon valor was a common virtue' I'd like to think that still applies today, but it doesn't."

"Liv, what's going on?" Cyrus asked again.

"Olivia, I am a busy man, what do you want?" Cyrus's head swung around at the new voice. His mouth dropped open, "Ah, and you brought Cyrus Beene. Of course."

Olivia looked between the two men, "Why am I not surprised you two know each other. Please, Dad, sit." She requested.

Rowan Pope sat on the other side of Olivia and asked, "Are you reconsidering my offer."

"Just Doyle. Handle Hollis Doyle. We can't handle him without,"

"Without Defiance coming out. Understood." Rowan stood up. "I'm surprised you remembered this place."

"You used to bring me here all the time. Before Mom died."

"Yes." Rowan nodded stiffly before turning around and leaving the park.

Cyrus waited a full minute before he said, "How did I never know that your father was Rowan Pope the head of B-613?"

Olivia sighed, "I didn't know he was Rowan Pope the head of B-613 until a couple of years ago." She paused, "He hasn't been much of a dad since my mother died, but he was always Eli Pope, dad, to me."

Cyrus shook his head, "Come on, let's get some calories in you in the form of a good brunch and then we'll meet up with Fitz and see how well he handled Mellie."

"At least we won't have to worry about anyone killing him any time soon now." Olivia tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and leaned into him, "This is going to be a long road. I'm sorry you're being dragged down it."

"I'm not." Cyrus smiled at her.

SCANDAL

"You cannot just leave me for her." Mellie yelled.

Fitz rolled his eyes, "You'd be pissed no matter who I left you for. The problem isn't me leaving you. It's you losing the White House and Hollis all in one fell swoop."

"Don't you dare bring Hollis into this." Mellie sneered.

"Hollis has already been handled. He's officially a nonfactor now." Fitz informed her as he tucked his phone into his back pocket. "So now we just have to deal with us. You threaten to oust Olivia and me and I will make sure you pay. Consider your actions wisely. I think in the end you will wind up hurting worse than I do." He picked up the folder he'd brought with him, "Some light reading. Potential approval ratings. You may want to take a look before deciding how you're going to proceed." He let them drop with a loud thud on the coffee table of the Blair House parlor. "Have a nice day, Mel."

SCANDAL

Olivia and Cyrus stood in the conference room, "I've already informed Fitz of this, but Doyle has been picked up. We've done it. It's all been handled. Hopefully that means there will be no further threats against him."

A loud cheer erupted in the office at the news. "So what's next?" Stephen asked.

"More news. Fitz served Mellie with divorce papers. And he's requested custody of his kids. So Fitz and his children are our next clients. We have been instructed by Fitz to only help Mellie if it helps his kids. We are not on her team. We are not here to save her reputation if she's going to take down the rest of the family or someone in our family."

Harrison shook his head, "The first President to ever get divorced and he's in love with our own Liv, what do you know?"

"Let's hope this all works out well." Olivia murmured.

SCANDAL

"So you want us to move from California to DC?" Jerry stared at his father skeptically, "Does Mom know?"

Fitz reached across the table and grasped Jerry's hand. Karen seemed more confused than aware that a big decision and transition were in her future. "I want to divorce your mother."

Jerry slowly retracted his hand and leaned back. His mouth opened and then closed. He sat quietly for a full minute before replying, "Okay, I understand why, but have you tried to work it out?"

Fitz sighed, "I'm going to tell you something you're not going to want to hear." He waited for Jerry's full attention, "Over the years your mother and I have both been unfaithful to each other. Now we've reached a fork in the road where I could be truly happy with someone else and she could be happier looking for that someone else."

"Who has you so happy?"

"Olivia."

Karen's ears perked up at Olivia's name, "I love Miss Liv! She's so much fun and has the best shoes ever. I got to walk in a pair the last time we were at the office. I want shoes like that when I get to be old like her."

Fitz chuckled and placed a kiss on Karen's temple, "You got it, princess."

"So are you going to like live with her or marry her now?" Jerry asked.

Fitz shook his head, "No, we're not going to even start dating until your mother and I are divorced and as a family the four of us have settled into a new routine. Just because your mother and I won't be married anymore doesn't mean we won't be a family still. We'll just be a different family."

"Where will Mom live?" Jerry asked.

"That's up to her."

"So are you going to force us to be here if Mom is somewhere else?"

Fitz felt a pang hit him in his heart and in his gut at the thought of his kids wanting to be with their mother over him. Taking a breath he responded, "You can live with either of us or you can live between our houses."

Karen looked between her brother and father, "I want to live with Daddy." She stated firmly.

Jerry shrugged, "I kind of want to get out of California. Is that where Mom will be going?"

"I wish I had an answer for you son, your mother and I are struggling to reach an agreement about the divorce."

"She doesn't want to leave the White House, does she?" Jerry asked.

"Well of course not! It's so big and pretty!" Karen squealed.

Jerry and Fitz both smiled at her, "I don't want you to have to raise her or raise yourself anymore than you have, Jerry."

"We'll figure it out, Dad. And if all else fails Miss Liv can handle it."

"Miss Liv does handle everything doesn't she." Fitz agreed with a smile.

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Two: Home to Me**

_Love's taken me across the map, all the way to hell and back_

_Gave everything I had, lost my mind a couple times_

_Met you and I was sure I found the center of the universe_

_Hit the interstate fast now I'm never looking back_

_No looking back, looking back oh no_

_Got a heart like Indiana, laugh like Louisiana_

_Take me down to Alabama show me some of that laid back vibe_

_Kissing while we're fishing in the moonlight_

_Shine like California, hot like an Arizona noontime_

_Baby when you're all mine, anywhere, any place I go_

_You feel like home to me_

_You feel like home to me_

_\- "Home to Me" Sara Darling_

* * *

_Five Months Later - September 2011_

Olivia flicked on the television in her living room and poured a glass of wine. It was amazing. The divorce had been finalized two weeks ago, but it just made the major news circuit. And what had really caused the media excitement was that the kids wanted to go to school in DC. Even with their mother living in Santa Barbara.

"_President Grant's ratings remain steady in the wake of the divorce announcement, the actual divorce and the former First Lady leaving the White House." _

"_In a statement made by former First Lady Mellie Grant, she says she's content with the decision to leave the White House because she's ready to start this next chapter of her life. She and President Grant were unable to make their marriage work, but it doesn't mean they can't be happy with another person. She claims to wish him the best." _

"_The White House Spokesperson, Scott McKay, made a statement today on President Grant's behalf. President Grant says he has appreciated the privacy the American people have granted him during these past few months and that it has been very difficult on his family; however, he believes in the end the American people will benefit from his decision." _

"_Despite the rocky divorce, President Grant's approval ratings remain at a steady 70%, which is low for his career, but not nearly as bad a predicted." _

"_In a recent poll, 78% of Americans support the Grant's divorce stating that 50% of marriages fail and just because he is in the spotlight does not mean he should be held to a different standard."_

"_The Catholic Church has come forward denouncing the divorce. They believe that the morality of America is in trouble if the President of the United States refuses to try to make his marriage work."_

"_It appears that where President Grant is losing support is in his own party. Republicans did not take kindly to his divorce. Vice President Sally Langston is rumored to be considering a bid on the Republican ticket in 2012."_

"_President Grant has confirmed he intends to run again in 2012 as the first person in history to run without a spouse by his side. He claims his friends, family and, most importantly, two children are more than enough." _

Olivia flicked off the television and leaned back, her glass of wine cupped between her hands. In the wake of the divorce she had made a conscious effort to distance herself from Fitz and his kids. She knew he was being as honest as he could with them, and she didn't want to wind up being seen as the woman who drove their father and mother apart. Even if it was, in part, true.

Oh but she missed him. She'd nearly given up everything for him. In a way, she'd given up a little piece of her soul for him. And she wanted to be apart of his life now, but they'd agreed, they needed to wait through the divorce. It scared her that without him she felt like she was so far away from home, just searching to get back to what she'd found in him.

She jumped at the knocking at her door, spilling the smallest drop of wine on her silk tank top. "Shit." She murmured as she stood up and walked over to the door, flinging it open without checking on who it was.

"Miss Liv!" Olivia's eyes widened and a smile spread on her face at the squeal of Karen Grant. Behind her stood Jerry and Fitz.

"Hey Miss Karen! What are you guys doing here?" She pulled the girl into a hug.

"We were hoping you'd join us for dinner?" Fitz suggested as she ushered them inside. "We don't get to get out of the White House much, but I managed to convince everyone that my kids deserved a night at one of their favorite restaurants before they start at new schools.

"Well I think that sounds like a grand plan." She smiled at them.

"And we asked Dad if you could come with us." Jerry spoke up. "Please, Miss Liv?"

Olivia's grin grew wider, "Of course, just let me change." She pointed to her bedroom, "Make yourselves at home."

Before she shut her room door she heard Jerry say, "See, Dad, I told you she'd come. Just because you wanted to think about us doesn't mean you shouldn't get to date Miss Liv. We like her she's cool." Olivia smiled softly as she shut the door and darted to her closet, pulling out a pair of jeans and a silky cream colored t-shirt.

When she came out of her bedroom five minutes later Karen let out a squeal, "You always look so pretty Miss Liv!"

Olivia opened her arms and pulled Karen into another hug, "Thank you Miss Karen, so do you. Maybe one day your daddy will even let me take you shopping." She suggested.

Fitz groaned, "You two would bankrupt me."

Olivia winked at him, "Not intentionally." She grinned. "Come on, you guys have waited long enough, you must be starving." She opened the door and was greeted by Hank and Tom, "Oh how I've missed you two!" She pulled Hank into a brief hug and then Tom into a tight one.

Tom couldn't help the grin that spread across his face, "It's nice to have you back with us Liv." Hank nodded his approval with the statement.

"Come on you guys," Jerry held the elevator open, "I'm so hungry!"

Fitz laughed, "Oh the challenges of being a teenage boy." He whispered to Olivia as his arm curled naturally around her waist.

"Play your cards right and you may get another one in the next few years." She whispered back.

He looked down at her, "I better." He placed a kiss on the apple of her cheek before following her into the elevator.

The group arrived at The Palm twenty minutes later. The restaurant was filled with patrons and the noise and the crowd excited Karen and Jerry who didn't get to do things like this often. Leading the group of four past the flashes of the media, who'd heard the First Family would be eating dinner there, Tom and Hank got them safely inside. Once inside they were directed to a table in the back of the restaurant. They could still be seen from the outside, but only barely. While there were patrons around, the restaurant was still filled with SSAs, and of course the ambulance out back and sniper across the street.

Karen grinned and dipped her head down to grasp her straw between her lips. After sucking down a good portion of her shirley temple, she looked up, her blue eyes sparkling, "We haven't gotten to do this in forever. Thank you, daddy. Mommy never takes us out to eat!"

Fitz reached across the table and patted her hand, "Of course, princess. Who knows? Maybe Uncle Cyrus will let us out more often."

"Uncle Cyrus is nicer since he married Uncle James and had a baby." Jerry pointed out.

"Ella is so pretty Miss Liv. Have you met her?"

Olivia smiled, "I have, did you know your daddy and I are going to be her godparents?"

Karen's eyes widened, "What does that mean?"

"It means that she's our baby if anything ever happens to Uncle Cyrus and Uncle James." Fitz explained.

"Wow! I want to be a godparent and get a baby." Karen gushed.

"Not for a very long time please. I don't want to be a grandparent in any sense of the word yet. I'm far too young." Fitz pleaded. Olivia couldn't help but laugh at the look on his face. Instinctively he reached out, tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, reached down and took her hand, squeezing it. He was home. His kids were home. Their home would be in Olivia, he could see his future in her and he could never imagine turning back.

In that moment the public dynamics of their relationship changed. The world would now view them as a couple.

SCANDAL

"_In the wake of the first Presidential divorce in our country's history, it seems President Grant has started a relationship with form Grant campaign advisor Olivia Pope." _

"_The two were seen at dinner with his children just two weeks after his divorced from Melanie 'Mellie' Carswell." _

"_The four looked very comfortable with each other laughing, talking, the kids seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely." _

"_A recent poll shows 40% of Americans are happy for President Grant, which is much higher than numbers predicted." _

"_Former First Lady Mellie Carswell was seen at a function for wounded female veterans last night. She appeared to be quite close with Governor Andrew Nichols of California. Nichols was the Lt. Governor under President Grant when he was Governor of California." _

"_Rumors of a relationship between Mellie Carswell and Governor Andrew Nichols of California have started to spread, as well as rumors of a relationship between President Grant and political fixer Olivia Pope." _

"_Former First Lady Mellie Carswell came back to DC and stayed overnight at the White House for two nights for the first days of school for Karen and Jerry Grant. According to an insider she stayed in an entirely different wing of the Residence, away from President Grant's bedroom."_

Harrison muted the television in the conference room of OPA, "Well you two are out, and it looks like Mellie and Governor Nichols are out too."

Olivia smiled, "It's better this way. They both deserve to be happy. More power to Mellie. Governor Nichols appears to be a good man. A better man than Doyle ever was."

"And you're okay with her staying at the White House like that?" Abby asked.

Olivia shrugged, "I trust Fitz. And it was good that she was here for the kids first days of school. She's still their mother, for better or for worse. And she needs to be there for them. And he needs to let her. I'm not ever going to try to take her place. She loves them in her own way."

"Wow, you're like a legit grown up." Stephen rolled his eyes, "Dating a divorced man with kids and being okay with the ex-wife. Look at you all mature."

"I feel like I've finally come home." She admitted with a smile.

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Three: Burning the Harbor Part I**

_I don't know what to do but stare into space_

_Wish I could shut my eyes_

_I used to sleep at night I used to feel safe_

_And now I'm terrified_

_So take away this darkness in the air_

_It's like black flames are everywhere_

_Someone say there's hope on the way_

_Oh can you shake it down on the sea and rain down the water_

_Make it count can't you see our hearts are breaking harder_

_Rain down, rain down the water_

_Rain down, rain down the water_

_Have you heard us screaming out_

_We're burning the harbor_

_\- "Burning the Harbor" Kate Voegele_

* * *

_Two Months Later_

Harrison stared blankly towards the empty waiting room, and then down at his silent phone. They thought they'd managed to skirt all major blowbacks from the divorce and the announcement that Fitz and Olivia were dating.

They were wrong.

"_Rumors are starting to fly that President Grant left his wife specifically for Olivia Pope."_

"_It appears Grant and Pope were having an affair while she was a member of the staff during the campaign trail and in her time at the White House." _

"_It also is speculated that Olivia Pope is not the only woman President Grant has had sexual relations with." _

"_The word impeachment is being thrown around both the Democratic and Republican parties for President Grant. It seems his liberal stances on social issues and conservative stances fiscal issues is finally coming back home to haunt him. Neither party wants to shoulder the burden of another philandering President." _

"_It's Bill Clinton all over again, only this time Monica Lewinsky wants the truth to stay hidden." _

"_It appears Mellie Carswell was not happy with the terms of the divorce and did not want to leave President Grant." _

"_The rumors that Mellie Carswell had an affair with Paul Mosley have been proven false. In actuality she was having an affair with former donor and oil man Hollis Doyle." _

"_The blowback both affairs have created may make re-election impossible for President Grant." _

"_Vice-President Sally Langston is rumored to be looking for a bid on the Republican Ticket in 2012." _

"_Olivia Pope's business appears to be faltering. According to a source close to both Ms. Pope and President Grant, she has not had a client in a month." _

"_We have video of President Grant leaving Olivia Pope's apartment prior to the divorce being finalized. Please excuse the graphic content. The intended subject of the video was intoxicated." _

Even a month after the news stories of Olivia and Fitz's relationships dropping, they were still unable to find the source of the leak. At first they assumed Mellie, but then the news about Hollis came out, along with Hollis's involvement in the assassination attempt. They were able to rule Mellie out instantaneously. Her reputation was shot to hell and she was devastated. In a surprising move, Governor Andrew Nichols of California was sticking by her. Fitz and Olivia were both grateful for that. They needed all the support they could get.

Huck tapped on Harrison's doorframe, "She's pulling up in a town car now." He paused, "It's going to take you, Stephen and me to get her in. Abby and Quinn are already here. David dropped Abby off and snuck her in the back. I got Quinn up quietly." Also surprising was Abby's newly formed relationship with DA David Rosen, who had stood with the entire team during the catastrophic announcement two months ago.

Harrison stood up and brushed off his slacks, "Let's get her up here."

Harrison and Stephen followed Huck down to the first floor, where reporters were camped out, banging on the door of the black town car Olivia was in. Pushing their way through, Harrison took one half of the reporters and Stephen took the other, while Huck forced the door open and latched onto Olivia's arm. The moment she stepped out flashes and questions flew as reporters tried to shove microphones and lenses in her face.

"_Ms. Pope, why did you start an affair with a married man?"_

"_Ms. Pope, did he force you into the relationship like Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings?"_

"_What did you get in return for this relationship?"_

"_Did you also help plot to kill the President, with Mrs. Grant and Hollis Doyle?"_

"_Do you think you'll be First Lady if President Grant wins this next election?"_

By the time they reached the doorway of the office building, Olivia was rattled. Half sliding in her heels, half running, Olivia pulled Stephen, Harrison and Huck to the elevator. When it closed she let out a sigh and sob.

Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, Stephen pulled her in for a hug, "It's gonna be okay, Liv. We're going to work through this. We will see the light at the other end of the tunnel."

"What light? What light could there possibly be anymore." She murmured.

SCANDAL

Fitz glanced out the window the Oval Office, "They're still camped out there." He muttered, referring to the reporters that seemed to have been on the lawn of the White House since the news of an affair dropped two months ago.

"Any idea who leaked the story?" Cyrus faced Mark, Karen, Scott, Lauren and James. His face darkened ever so slightly. No one had adjusted to the loss of Julie months before, even as Scott took over her job.

Scott cleared his throat, "Not yet, I'd like to request something."

"Go ahead." Fitz sat down in a chair next to Cyrus.

"I'd like to run background checks again on everyone on the White House staff, including maids, cooks, repairmen, everyone. I was talking to Huck and we agree, this is an inside job. And we know it's not one of us," he motioned around the room, "or one of Liv's people."

"Do it. Find me someone, anyone." Fitz stood up, "I need to look over the budget numbers again," he rubbed his forehead, "and I miss Livie."

Cyrus stood up and walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder blade, "I know sir, but we agreed you two need to at least cool off a little bit until the dust settles. We need to squash affair rumors for both you and Mellie first. She and Andrew have cooled off. It's what we agreed to."

"I still don't know why it matters." Lauren whispered, "I mean if they stay together at least the front is they're all strong in their relationships."

"We're not saying they need to break up," Scott interrupted, "we're just saying they need to stay low key. And that means no midnight visits to her apartment."

"Especially after the video scandal." Mark reminded them.

"I know why I'm staying away." Fitz snapped. The moment the words and the tone left his mouth he regretted it, "Sorry." He murmured.

SCANDAL

Olivia stared down at her hands, "I can't believe this has not let up after a month."

"It will quiet down." Abby assured her.

"I can't believe I did this to his kids. To children." She murmured.

Abby reached over and grabbed her hand, "You are not solely responsible for this. Fitz and Mellie fucked them up to start with."

"But,"

"No buts, you cannot blame yourself for all of this. You just can't. It happened. We are handling this the best we can. Unfortunately this is a weather the storm crisis. There isn't much we can do except for hope the media bites on one of the leads that proves this was not an affair."

"But it was an affair. I slept with a married man. His wife slept with a married man. We're all adulterous whores. We're paying for this now. And I'm taking you guys down with me. We're taking a lot of people down with us."

"Don't you dare talk about walking away from him." Harrison snapped, "He worships you, you adore him, and we've all worked our asses off to try to keep you two together. Don't you dare say it."

Olivia rolled her eyes, "At this point, I don't think I could say it even if I wanted to. I can't walk away from him."

Abby sighed, "Good, and hey we have our first client in like a month and a half today."

"So who are we expecting today?" Stephen asked as he threw the tennis ball back to Harrison, who caught it.

"A Mary Nesbitt." Olivia answered, "No idea what she wants. She should be here any minute."

Abby pulled herself up onto the table top, "I like surprise clients. It shakes things up a bit."

Olivia rolled her eyes, "Well I don't, we could be working now instead of waiting."

"Liv?" Huck appeared in the doorway, "Mary Nesbitt is here. You guys ready for her?"

Olivia nodded and stood, "Send her in, and get Quinn in here please." A moment later the conference room was filled, "Ms. Nesbitt, please take a seat. I'm Olivia Pope." Olivia stepped forward.

"I know, Ms. Pope, look I don't have time to sit, I'm late for a meeting on the hill right now now." She shook Olivia's hand, "I do have payment for you though," She held out a check that Quinn accepted. "I'm so sorry to be rushing in and out like this, butI have to go. I'll call you." She waved as she left.

Olivia frowned and glanced at the check in Quinn's hand. "What are you thinking, Liv?" Stephen interrupted her thoughts.

"I don't know." She paused, "Go ahead and enter the check into the books and cash it. We need the money to pay the bills." She shrugged, "Let's get back to cold calling former clients."

"Liv, we're at the end of that list."

"We're going to re-call some people. I've had Huck type up a revised list. See if some of this passing could've changed some people's minds." She accepted the papers from Huck.

"Liv?" Quinn popped her head back in, "We have a problem."

"Don't tell me the check bounced." Olivia's complexion grew slightly paler.

"The check bounced?" Stephen's ears perked up.

"No, not that, it's just, I was looking at the amount, $27,870.26." Quinn held up the small piece of paper.

"That's an oddly specific amount." Harrison muttered.

"So I hacked into her bank accounts," Quinn shrugged, "because I can."

"Quinn!" Olivia admonished, "You and Huck have spent far too much time together."

Both parties blushed and Abby and Olivia both raised knowing eyebrows, clearing her throat, Quinn continued, "She cleaned out her accounts with this check."

"Cleaned out her accounts?" Stephen's asked.

"So I googled her. Does the name Christopher Lawrence ring any bells?"

"Wasn't he the American who was a member of the Taliban who was killed in the FBI raid last year?" Abby asked. Quinn nodded.

"Where did she say she was going again?" Olivia moved out of the conference room, dropping the papers she'd been holding on the floor.

"The Hill." Harrison answered.

"Damn it!" Olivia screamed, "Huck find me what office." Grabbing her coat and purse she snatched Harrison's car keys off of his desk, she slammed the front door on her way out.

"Did she just steal my car?" Harrison asked.

"I think so." Abby frowned.

"She's lost it." Stephen muttered. "Lack of work makes her crazy."

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Four: Burning the Harbor Part II**

_We took a holy place we taught it violence_

_And called it efficiency_

_We've seen the hell it creates, but we've chosen silence_

_And kept it viciously_

_So take away this darkness in the air_

_It's like black flames are everywhere_

_Someone say there's hope on the way_

_Oh can you shake it down on the sea and rain down the water_

_Make it count can't you see our hearts are breaking harder_

_Rain down, rain down the water_

_Rain down, rain down the water_

_Have you heard us screaming out_

_We're burning the harbor_

_\- "Burning the Harbor" Kate Voegele_

* * *

"Which office?" Olivia asked as she whipped Harrison's BMW into a parking spot near the Hill.

"Jim Struthers, her Congressman." Huck answered.

"Find out why she's here." Olivia hung up her phone, grabbed her purse and rushed as fast as she could before some reporter saw her and she was ambushed and alone.

When she entered the Hill and made it through security, she made her way to Congressman Struthers's floor. Pushing the door open, she was met with an eery silence. The hallways weren't buzzing with gossip like they usually were. With all her senses on high alert, she walked down to his office and pushed the heavy wooden doors opened. Her eyes scanned the scene in front of her. Everyone had recently cleared out. Tentatively, she walked over to a desk and wrapped her hand around an abandoned mug of coffee. It was still warm. As her eyes continued to dart around the room, Olivia made her way to the big doors with Jim Struthers's name on it.

Turning the knob she pushed the door open and was faced with six terrified aides, a pale congressman and Mary Nesbitt. Mary Nesbitt with a bomb strapped to her chest and a he thumb hovering precariously over a red button.

Olivia's mouth opened and closed as she stared at Mary.

"Ms. Pope, what are you doing here?" Mary asked. Her voice was calm, not indicating that she had a bomb strapped to her chest. A bomb that was most likely strapped to her chest when she was at Olivia Pope and Associates. All frazzled and sweet and apologetic. The woman was crazy.

Olivia stepped fully into the room, aware that Fitz was going to strangle her when and if she made it out of here in one piece. "I was worried about you, Mary. You rushed out of my office so quickly that it had me concerned."

"Oh," Mary seemed surprised by her response, "well I had a few things to take care of here on the Hill."

Olivia nodded, "I see that, Mary does this have to do with your son?"

"How do you know about my son?" Mary snapped.

Everyone in the room visibly tensed. Olivia waited for the woman's breathing to normalize before she continued, "You're my client, it's my job to know about you. Is that why you came to me? To find out what happened to your son?"

"I want to know why he was killed." Mary screamed, "And I wrote to you," her free hand pointed to Struthers, "I called you. You said you were looking into it."

"And I am," Congressman Struthers answered quickly, "but an investigation like this takes time even for a congressman."

"You're lying. You didn't try hard enough." Mary accused.

"Mary," the woman ignored Olivia, "Mary look at me. Look. At. Me." She demanded. When she had Mary's attention she smiled disarmingly, "Mary it does take time for a congressman. They have to go through a lot of red tape. I, on the other hand, don't. You came to me, you want my help. Please let me help you." She took another step forward, ignoring Fitz's voice in her head telling her to turn and run.

Mary shook her head, "If he can't do anything what can you do?"

"I have more qualified people than he does. I can do things he can't do. I promise to help you if you'll let me."

"Let Olivia help you." Congressman Struthers spoke up. Personally, he'd never needed her services, but he knew she was the best. And she had the President in her pocket. Anything she needed, she would get. Especially so she came out alive.

"Fine." Mary consented. "What do you need?"

"I need to call my team." Olivia requested, and made a move towards the landline, aware her cell phone could accidentally trigger the homemade bomb. Mary nodded and she picked up the phone, dialing her office.

"Olivia Pope and Associates, this is Quinn."

"Quinn, get everyone in the conference room and put the phone on speaker." When everyone was in the room, Olivia continued, "I want everything on Christopher Lawrence and the FBI raid, including the FBI files. Huck, hack into whatever the hell you need to hack into. Abby work David for information on the raid. Stephen, call Fitz, see what he's got. Harrison, call Cyrus, work him and all our friends at the White House."

"What should I do?" Quinn asked.

"You'll probably be with Huck. Stay next to a phone in case I need to call you. You'll be the liaison and do whatever anyone else needs. All cylinders people." She hung up the phone at Mary's insistence.

The phone rang moments after Olivia hung up from her call with her team. She looked at Mary who looked between the Congressman, the aides, and Olivia, "You can answer it." She pointed the red button at Olivia.

Tentatively, Olivia picked up the phone, aware it was probably a member of the bomb squad. "This is Olivia Pope." She answered.

"Ms. Pope, this is Commander Randolph Boles of the DC police, bomb squad, what you looking at?" Randy Boles knew Olivia Pope by reputation only. Despite all the controversy surrounding her and the President at the moment, he knew he could trust her to act professionally.

"The Congressman, six aides and I are here with Mary right now. Everyone is fine." Olivia informed him calmly.

"Is there a bomb?"

"Yes."

"Is it homemade?"

"Yes."

"Damn it. What does she want?"

Olivia glanced sideways at Mary and decided it was better to have too many people working on this, rather than too few, "Her son, Christopher Lawrence, was killed in an FBI raid on a Taliban safe house last year, she wants to know why he was killed and why no one will answer her questions."

"I can look into it, but I'll need something in return."

"Of course, Commander."

"Hang up." Mary's finger hovered close to the red button.

"I need the Congressman." She could just hear Randy Boles's voice as she hung up the phone.

"You have to turn someone over if you expect the FBI to delve into this." Olivia told the woman calmly.

"No."

"They're the well-equipped and motivated with the Congressman here. Turn over the aides." Olivia suggested. She knew, deep down in her gut, that she and the Congressman were stuck. And making eye contact with Congressman Struthers, she realized he knew too.

"Let them go and Olivia and I will stay." He bargained, "They are of no use to you and they can't help here or somewhere else. Let them go."

Mary sighed and glanced out the window and the building scene of camera crews, reporters, cops and bystanders. "Fine." She relented and motioned to the door with her hand that held steadily over the red button, "You may go."

Olivia breathed a deep sigh of relief when six of the eight of them were safe. She was counting on her team for this one. She glanced over at the Congressman. He was counting on her team too.

SCANDAL

"Commander Boles, this is President Grant," Fitz's voice boomed through the phone, "I have a live feed up here at the White House, tell me what I'm looking at though."

"Mr. President, Mary Nesbitt is up there with eight people and a bomb strapped to her chest and, whoa, what's going on?"

"Commander?" Fitz's voice wavered, "Commander?" He yelled.

"Six of the eight hostages have been released." Commander Boles sighed, "How would you like us to proceed?"

"What would you suggest?"

"If we have a clear shot, we take it." Commander Boles said confidently.

"Do it. We need Congressman Struthers alive." Fitz stated flatly, "It's your call, Commander."

Fitz and Cyrus waited with baited breath, listening to Commander Boles shout out orders as snipers perched on nearby buildings and prepared to take the shot at Mary Nesbitt.

SCANDAL

"Harrison, what's going on?" Olivia asked quickly into the phone.

"Liv, it looks like he was a terrorist."

"What?"

"There's someone from Homeland Security talking to Commander Boles about his file and his death and I chased her down. She showed me a tape of him leading a Taliban recruitment."

"And you're sure?"

"Yes I'm, wait, Liv, she just got into a car. It doesn't have government plates." Harrison groaned, "I'll have Quinn find out who that woman was. She can pull her picture off of traffic cams." He grunted, "Damn it."

"Find out what branch of the government she's from and why they would want to hide information on," Olivia dropped the phone and darted to Mary's side, "Mary move."

Congressman Struthers let out a yell, "What are you doing, Olivia?" He watched as Olivia threw open the blinds of the window Mary had been standing in front of and faced it, even as a dozen red dots appeared on her chest.

"What's going on?" Mary asked, stunned by Olivia's sudden movements.

Harrison's voice screaming, "Liv!" could be heard through the dangling phone.

SCANDAL

"Hold your fire!" Fitz screamed out, as Olivia's face appeared on the television screen in the Situation Room.

"Holding fire." Commander Boles confirmed.

"Why didn't I know Olivia Pope was in there?" Fitz bellowed.

"Jesus Christ, she's a hostage. That's why Stephen and Harrison have been trying to get a hold of us." Cyrus moaned as he pulled his cell phone out and rushed to call Harrison back.

Commander Boles shut off his connection with the White House and picked up the phone, dialing into Congressman Struthers's office. "Ms. Pope, would you care to tell me what the hell that was about!"

"If you missed Congressman Struthers and I would've been blown up." Olivia snapped back.

"That was not your call."

"My life is my call. And, no thanks to you, we are still alive." She yelled.

"You are aligning yourself with a terrorist. Is that what you want? Do you want to be the President's mistress and a terrorist?"

"You will not take that tone with me. Do not call back until you have calmed down and can treat me with some respect, Commander." Olivia slammed the phone down and put her head in her hands. "Damn it." She muttered.

The phone ringing again drew attention away from the fight with Commander Boles, "What?" Olivia snapped.

"How the hell did you end up in that building?" Fitz asked.

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Five: Burning the Harbor Part III**

_Maybe we need a second chance_

_Maybe it's out of our hands_

_Maybe it's time we take a stand_

_Oh can you shake it down on the sea and rain down the water_

_Make it count can't you see our hearts are breaking harder_

_Rain down, rain down the water_

_Rain down, rain down the water_

_Have you heard us screaming out_

_Oh can you shake it down on the sea and rain down the water_

_Make it count can't you see our hearts are breaking harder_

_Rain down, rain down the water_

_Rain down, rain down the water_

_Have you heard us screaming out_

_We're burning the harbor_

_You know we're burning the harbor_

_\- "Burning the Harbor" Kate Voegele_

* * *

"Have you talked to Harrison and Stephen?" Olivia asked quickly.

"Cyrus is on the phone with Harrison now, we were ignoring their calls because we had a Congressman in a building with a bomb. I had no idea the love of my life was up there too."

Olivia smiled, "I love you too." She murmured, "Now find out what you can about Christopher Lawrence and don't call me back until you have something so the three of us can leave. Okay?"

Fitz couldn't help, but chuckled, "Will do."

SCANDAL

"Lauren," David stood outside of the Oval Office, "I just need you to get him here."

"He's," Lauren looked around fretfully.

"Dealing with a bomb threat, I know, I have information for him on it, and Olivia's there."

"Olivia's where?"

"In the building with the bomb." David explained.

He watched as Lauren's complexion grew considerably paler and a sweat broke out on her brow as she mechanically picked up the phone and dialed the extension to the Situation Room, "Mr. President, David Rosen is here with information for you. He's outside of your office right now, and he says that Olivia,"

"I know, I just spoke to her. Tell David that Cyrus and I will be there in a moment. Go ahead and let him in." Fitz hung up the phone and turned to Cyrus, "David has something for us."

When they reached the Oval Office they found David sitting in a chair with his head in his hands, "You're not going to like what Huck and I found." He stood up, "And if Liv dies, we may not always see eye to eye on work, but she can't die." He held out the file to him.

Fitz accepted the file and opened it. So far the FBI had gotten him nothing useful on the raid. Between David's resources and Huck's hacking they had the file. The file explained how Christopher Lawrence died and why and his connections with the Taliban. Looking out the window Fitz realized this file was going to kill Olivia and Jim Struthers.

Walking over to the phone he picked it up and dialed the office number, "What?" Echoed through the other end.

"I have what you need, but you can't use it. You can't react. You can't say anything."

"What are you talking about, Fitz? Do you have the information on Christopher Lawrence or not?"

"I do," Fitz sighed at her impatience, "Christopher Lawrence was an American hero. He was a spy who infiltrated the Taliban. He was a recruiter for them. He recruited other spies and actual believers. He passed on his intimate knowledge to our government. He was killed because his real loyalties were not known by the agents who raided the safe house. And he can't be honored as a hero because the Taliban must see him as a martyr, they can't know we have agents inside."

"Fitz, you aren't asking me to,"

"I'm telling you that if this gets out you will be killing dozens of agents, dozens of heroes will die. I'm sorry that he can't have the funeral he deserves. I'm sorry he can't have honors he deserves and his mother can't be proud like he deserves. This is the front line in the war on terror though. We can't jeopardize our other agents." Fitz insisted.

"You're asking me to destroy this woman." Olivia whispered, "I can't do that, I'm sorry." She hung up the phone before Fitz could protest any further. Olivia looked at Mary who was standing next to the ornate bookcase, and at Jim Struthers, who was sitting dejectedly in his chair. If she told the truth they would more than likely get out of this alive, but kill so many people in the process. If she lied, they would die. If she lied, she'd be killing this woman inside.

"Well?" Mary asked.

"I'm sorry, Mary, but your son was a recruiter for the Taliban."

"No." Mary repeated, over and over again.

Congressman Struthers, who was past deathly pale at this point rose and walked over to her, "You couldn't have lied?"

Olivia looked up at him and whispered, "I did."

The knowledge of what she'd done dawned on him in that moment, and the knowledge that this was more complicated than he could imagine. He bit his tongue and looked over at Mary, "Mary, just because your son will have this reputation doesn't mean you have to." Congressman Struthers tried to reason with her.

"Let's go, let's leave here, I will work with you to try to clear his name. You're still my client, I will get through this with you. I promise." Olivia assured her.

"Okay, we can go." Mary nodded, "Let's call Commander Boles."

Olivia stared at Jim Struthers, they both knew it couldn't be that easy. With a little trepidation, Olivia picked up the phone, "Commander Boles, we're ready to leave."

She could feel the shock radiate through the phone, "Alright, we'll have men up there to escort you out."

"They're sending men up, are you sure you're alright, Mary?" Olivia asked. Her hesitation in excitement was because of the fear that Mary could blow them all to smithereens the moment all the men were in the building.

"Oh yes, quite fine." Olivia and Jim Struthers stared at each other once again at her response.

A moment later there was a rap on the door, Olivia opened it, she and Congressman Struthers were ushered out before Mary. Suddenly the door slammed shut. Letting out a scream, Olivia made a lunge for it, only to be pulled back by a member of the bomb squad and thrown down the hall just as an explosion rocked the building.

SCANDAL

Fitz paced around in front of the Capitol building Huck, Quinn, Abby, Stephen, Harrison, David, Cyrus, James, Lauren, Scott, Mark, Karen, James, Hank, Tom and his kids. Karen and Jerry had insisted on seeing Olivia the moment they wandered into the Oval Office and heard the words 'bomb' and 'Olivia' in the same sentence. And Fitz agreed with them, he didn't want to wait for her to come to the White House or for them to get to her office or her apartment. He wanted to see her now.

At that moment the ground shook and an explosion rocked the building. Fitz looked up from the across the street, where they had been quarantined. Karen let out a loud scream that turned into a sob. Scooping her up in his arms, Fitz rocked her and held onto Jerry's hand. The group sat in a stunned, teary-eyed silence.

They waited for what felt like an hour for people to emerge from the building.

It had been nearly impossible to find out she, and Congressman Struthers apparently, had survived the explosion. Fitz couldn't stop shaking. He imagined the fear he felt was about as great as it could be. It would only be magnified if one of his children had been in that building. Impulsively he pulled them both into a hug. Karen still hadn't stopped crying. She probably wouldn't until she saw Liv. And Jerry still had not said a word.

"Hey guys." Olivia's voice was raspy from the smoke and tears. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulder, her clothes were ripped and every inch of her was covered in dust and soot.

"Livie." Fitz was next to her in an instant, his hands dug in her hair as he brought his lips crashing down on hers. She responded instantaneously, relishing in the feel of him against her. A feeling she thought she'd never get again.

When she pulled back she kneeled on the ground and scooped Karen up in her arms, "Everything is alright." She whispered, as the blanket dropped to the floor, "I promise everything is alright."

She sighed as she felt Jerry's arms wrap around her back. Opening up one arm, she stood and pulled Jerry into the hug she and Karen were sharing, "Please don't die." Jerry whispered, "We need you."

Olivia kissed the top of his head, "I'm not going anywhere. I promise." She squeezed them tightly and looked over at Fitz, who immediately joined in on the hug. Onlookers watched as the senior staff at the White House joined in, along with the well-known gladiators of Olivia Pope and Associates.

"Mr. President, Olivia?" They both turned at the voice of Congressman Jim Struthers.

Olivia gently set Karen on the ground, but kept her pulled up against her, "Congressman Struthers." Fitz held out his hand, "Glad to see you made it out in one piece."

Jim Struthers nodded his head and pulled the warm blanket closer to him, "Me too, Olivia," she looked up at him, "thank you for getting us out of there. I'm sorry Mary didn't make it as well."

Olivia felt her eyes swimming with tears, she wasn't sure if it was the adrenaline, the exhaustion, the love from the group around her or the stress, but they were there, "Me too, but thankfully we did." She held out her hand, "I hope the next time we meet it is peacefully, and we can enjoy a drink."

Jim Struthers shook her hand, "Me too, and please, call me Jim."

"Dinner at the Residence." Fitz suggested.

"What?"

"Bring your wife and kids, we'll have dinner at the Residence." Fitz suggested.

Olivia smiled, "I make the best lasagna. At least Karen here thinks so." Olivia squeezed the girl until she squeaked.

"Liv can cook really, really well, even if she only eats popcorn." Jerry nodded his agreement.

"Great, I'll call you on Monday." Jim once again shook Fitz's hand before turning to leave.

SCANDAL

That night, Olivia curled herself up on the sofa of sitting area in Fitz's bedroom. He'd talked her into coming over and staying the night. She'd been hesitant, but Karen and Jerry wanted her to stay as well. She'd eaten pizza with them, tucked them in with Fitz and was now curled up with a cup of hot tea. She was opting out of the wine tonight. Picking up the remote she flipped on the news.

"_Olivia Pope and Congressman Jim Struthers did survive the explosion on the Hill this morning, however, Mary Nesbitt, the bomber did not."_

"_In a statement given by the Congressman after the explosion, he gave full credit to Olivia Pope for getting them out in one piece."_

"_Here is Congressman Struthers's take on this afternoon's events, 'I'm very saddened to say that, due to grief, Mary Nesbitt did take her own life. Despite her actions earlier, she did think of us and our families by letting us go unharmed. Olivia Pope was exceptional, she kept Mary calm throughout the afternoon, convinced her to release the six aides in my office and then ultimately us. I would also like to take this moment to put any rumors about an inappropriate relationship with President Grant to rest, it is simply not our business how their relationship formed. It is clear that Olivia is loved by not only President Grant, but his children, his staff and her staff. While the FBI and the local PD played a crucial role in making sure we were safe as we left the building and during the explosion, it was the staff of Olivia Pope and Associates that worked to get the information Ms. Nesbitt needed to find the peace to release us. The work ethic and abilities of the staff at Olivia Pope and Associates is incredible, and if I ever have a problem, I know exactly who my first phone call will be. Thank you." _

"_The pictures and videos of the President's first sighting of Olivia Pope are spreading like wildfire. It appears that it is not lust that fuels this relationship, like it is in most affairs, it is love. You cannot fake that kind of emotion." _

"_His children looked so lost prior to seeing her alive. A bystander commented that they fought tooth and nail to go with him to make sure she came out alive." _

"_Little Karen Grant was in tears until she saw Olivia and Olivia was not about to let her go once she got to her."_

"_Jerry Grant, who is oftentimes viewed as stoic and uninterested in any of the President's associates, showed and uncharacteristic amount of emotion when he saw Olivia. It's not everyday you see a teenage boy show that kind of fear or relief in public." _

"_The White House staff appears to be in full support of the relationship between Ms. Pope and President Grant, as the senior aides, the spokesperson and other White House officials were present at the scene waiting on the news of Ms. Pope's safety." _

Olivia clicked off the television as Fitz came into the room, "I think the affair gossip may blow over." She whispered.

"About damn time." Fitz sighed, "And you made quite and impression on Jim. I think your business may be back thanks to him."

"We owe him big time."

"He owes you for keeping him alive."

Olivia shrugged, "I wasn't ready to leave you."

Pulling her into his chest, Fitz kissed her temple, "About that, can you please try to avoid life or death situations for awhile? That was not good for my heart."

Olivia grinned and kissed him, "Deal. No more life or death situations for either of us for awhile."

Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, Fitz nodded and pressed his lips against hers, "Deal." He murmured.

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Six: Second Chance**

_I just saw Hayley's Comet she waved_

_Said, why you always running in place_

_Even the man on the moon disappeared_

_Somewhere in the atmosphere_

_Tell my mother, tell my father_

_I've done the best I can_

_To make them realize this is my life_

_I hope they understand_

_I'm not angry, I'm just saying_

_Sometimes goodbye is a second chance_

_\- "Second Chance" Shinedown_

* * *

_One Month Later_

"What do you want, Edison?" Olivia snapped as she stood in the office doorway of Olivia Pope and Associates.

"I need your help."

"You're the last person I'd help." She crossed her arms. "Or do you not remember your,"

"Highly observant conclusions that appear to be true, but I won't question them anymore." He raised his hands in surrender, "I'm just here to ask you for a favor, not for me, but for two of my constituents. Their daughter is missing."

"So call the police." She didn't budge.

"They have, but the police aren't taking them seriously. Olivia, they're desperate. She's a twenty-one year old girl."

Olivia bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming. As much as she wanted to drown Edison, she couldn't turn away a client at this point. Even a month after the bomb scare and the kind words from Congressman Struthers, OPA was still struggling to make ends meet. Clients weren't pounding down their door anymore. She wasn't sure if she could change that. The tides needed to shift. Perhaps a client from a liberal senator could help. A good case that could scare up some American support of her could be good for business. Like a a client whose daughter was missing and quite possibly dead. "Fine, bring them in."

SCANDAL

"You're seriously helping him?" Fitz shook his head, "Why?"

"I'm trying to see it as helping his friends whose daughter is missing." Olivia explained, "I will definitely need a glass of wine tonight."

"Come over and I'll pour it for you." Fitz offered.

"I'd like nothing more than that." She smiled and nodded to Abby who was silently gesturing that Edison and the Nystroms were there, "I have to go, they're here."

"Call me later and let me know if I need to shoot Edison."

"Will do, love you."

"Love you, too." Fitz murmured before he disconnected the call so Olivia could work.

When she entered the conference room a moment later she did her best to ignore Edison's presence in the room. She'd tried to negotiate that he not be present during the meeting. He hadn't budged, the bastard. "Mr. &amp; Mrs. Nystrom, I'm Olivia Pope."

"Ms. Pope, Edison says you're the best. We need you to find our daughter." Peter Nystrom began.

"What can you tell me about her?" Olivia asked as she sat across from them.

Janet Nystrom choked on a sob before she spoke, "She's a good girl, a smart girl. She's a sophomore at Georgetown."

"She goes to church every Sunday and then calls us. She didn't call on Sunday. We knew something was wrong." Peter spoke up.

"And what do the police have to say?"

"They're looking into it, but they're not taking it seriously. She's twenty-one, she can leave on her own if she wants." Peter scoffed, "They don't know our daughter."

Olivia nodded and leaned forward, "The first thing we need to do is get you on the news. That's the difference between three hundred and three million people looking for Jenny."

Abby stood, "I'll start to get our contacts lined up."

"Then we need the picture of Jenny."

"The picture?" Janet queried.

"The picture of innocence, the one that makes her America's sweetheart overnight." Olivia explained.

"I'll get everything set up to mass produce the picture." Stephen was the next out of the room.

"And then we need the statement. You get your plea right and you'll be on every major network overnight. Everyone in America will be looking for your little girl." Olivia promised.

"I'll set up a press conference." Harrison stood and buttoned his coat, "I can also help with the statement." Olivia nodded.

"Thank you, Ms. Pope." Janet reached forward and grabbed her hand, "After seeing how you were with President Grant's children I knew you'd understand how important this is to us."

SCANDAL

"Pictures of Jenny have been sent to every major network." Stephen leaned down to whisper in Olivia's ear as they watched the Nystroms plead for the country to help find their daughter. "If she nails this we're good."

"The picture was perfect." Olivia murmured. "She can do this."

"She's doing great so far." Harrison agreed. "I've got Quinn checking local hospitals for girls matching Jenny's description."

"Great, get Huck to set up a tip line. Quinn can monitor it." Olivia didn't look at Harrison as she gave the directions, but she knew he nodded before darting off to get the ball rolling.

SCANDAL

_The Next Day_

"That's weird." Harrison scrolled through the email from a friend at _The Post._

"What's weird?" Abby asked.

"My friend from _The Post _asked me to check out The Beltway Unbuckled Blog." Harrison pulled up his web browser as he spoke.

"The what?" Abby leaned over his computer, "Harrison is that porn? This is no time for porn!"

"No, it's not porn. It's a blog. This woman screws all of these major DC players and the blogs about how much they suck. She doesn't identify the men and women, she just leaves clues on her blog. She usually, huh, that's weird."

"What's weird?" Abby leaned in closer.

"The blog hasn't been updated for days. Usually she posts something every other day." He looked up at Abby, "She keeps busy."

"Apparently not lately, look when the last post was. The 16th." Abby pointed to the screen before straightening, "Whatever, it doesn't matter anyhow."

Harrison frowned, "Oh my God." He muttered. Abby turned to look at him, "The last night she updated her blog was the last night anyone remembers seeing Jenny Nystrom."

"Harrison, there's no way that sweet church going girl is this sex blogger." Abby rolled her eyes, "Get real."

"Not according to this," he pointed to an article he pulled up, "the news has this already." He hit print, "We're screwed." He picked up the paper, "Liv!" He called out, "Conference room, now, everyone!"

"What's going on? Do you have something?" Olivia asked as she followed her team into the conference room.

"We're in trouble." He laid the article down on the table, "The Beltway Unbuckled Blogger has been identified as Jenny Nystrom. She parties and has sex with every major mover and shaker around and the blogs about how much the sex sucks."

Olivia picked up the article, "Shit, damn it Edison." She pulled her phone out of her, "He didn't do his due diligence. Edison Davis," Olivia left the room, "this is Olivia Pope."

"Let the slut shaming begin." Abby whispered as everyone scattered.

SCANDAL

"Let me guess, no wine tonight?" Fitz asked.

Olivia sighed, "No wine tonight. We have to figure out who Jenny Nystrom was with that night."

"I know, let me know if I can help. Her poor parents. I can't imagine if that was Karen. Or Jerry."

"They won't be like her. They won't hang around the crowd she was with." Olivia promised. "They're better than that."

"I hope so."

"You and Mellie raised them to be better than that. Trust me, I know them." Olivia assured him, "I'll call you tomorrow. Love you."

"Love you too. Try to get some sleep tonight."

"You too, don't stay in the Oval too late." She warned. "Remember,"

"Twenty-three people have to stay late when stay late. Got it. Now goodnight, sweet baby."

Olivia laughed, "Night." Standing up, she walked into the break room, "No more television." She turned off the TV and faced the Nystroms, "Remember the girl you raised and ignore what they're saying. Let's focus on bringing her home." She advised the grieving parents.

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Seven: Stand**

_Mothers weep, children sleep_

_So much violence ends in silence_

_It's a shame there's no one to blame_

_For all the pain that life brings_

_If you will just take me _

_It might just complete me_

_And together we can make a stand_

_\- "Stand" Jewel_

* * *

Harrison threw a picture on the conference room table, "Alexander Lavich, diplomat to Kurkistan."

"That's who she was with?" Olivia asked, picking up the photo of the handsome man.

"Yes, and he's got diplomatic immunity." Huck spoke up.

"Are we sure?" Olivia asked.

"We're sure." Abby sat down, "She was seen getting into his car. I've already told David. He's still hunting for a body, anywhere really."

SCANDAL

"Olivia," Quinn came careening though the open doorway, "I have a lead."

Gently, Olivia hung up her cell phone and set it on her desk. Clearing her throat she looked up, "Yes?"

"A girl matching Jenny's description is in a hospital about twenty miles from Georgetown. She's in a coma from alcohol poisoning. They're faxing me a picture now. The Nystroms are here now." Quinn pointed through the open doorway to the hopeful parents who were heading to the break room.

Olivia nodded, "That's fine, Quinn. I'm going out, I'll be back." She placed her cell phone in her purse and exited her office without another word.

"What?" She screeched into her phone.

"Did you get my directions?"

"Yes, I'm on my way." Olivia hung up her phone without a goodbye or a second glance at anyone in her office.

"Where is she going?" Abby asked, "I thought we finally had a lead?"

"We do, and I don't know." Quinn shrugged. "The fax should be coming in soon."

SCANDAL

"Olivia," David Rosen, a DA stepped forward, "I think this is Jenny, her face is pretty messed up, but everything else tracks." He led them down a steep slope into the woods off the side of the highway.

"She was wearing a silver ankle bracelet with a cross on it." Olivia whispered as she slipped and grabbed onto David's hand.

"You're not going to like what you have to see." David stopped her in front of a white sheet covered body. "I can look for you, if you'd like, to confirm the anklet is,"

"I need to look." Olivia insisted.

David sighed and nodded to the coroner who removed the sheet. Olivia's eyes honed in on her ankle, "I'm sorry, Olivia." David whispered.

"That's Jenny Nystrom." Olivia confirmed. Pulling her cell phone out of her pocket she pressed the number one, "Cyrus Beene please." She waited, "I need a pass at the gate." She paused, "And I need you to get him to the Oval now."

"Liv, what do you think is going to happen?" She asked.

"I think I'm going to convince Fitz to revoke Lavich's diplomatic immunity." Olivia snapped.

"We need that access to East Sudan, he's not going to do it." David argued.

"I'll figure out a way to make him do it."

"Liv, this could ruin the relationship you two have worked hard to build." David followed her scampering form up the hill to the side of the highway.

"I don't care." She stepped into her car.

"Liv," Harrison's voice rang through her car's bluetooth speaker, "Quinn's girl wasn't Jenny, but I have something else."

"Jenny's dead." Olivia deadpanned. "David found her off the highway. It looks like she's been in an accident."

"Lavich's car was in a wreck." Harrison replied, "The car was totaled."

"Damn it," she pulled into a parking spot near the White House, "I'm going to talk to Fitz." She hung up before Harrison could argue.

SCANDAL

"Livie?" Fitz stepped into the Oval Office with Cyrus at his heels to find Olivia sitting on the sofa with her head in her hands, her shoulders slightly vibrating. "What happened?"

She stood up and took a step away from him, "We found Jenny Nystrom." Her voice was calm and steady, "Alexander Lavich was in an accident and left her for dead on the side of the road."

Cyrus looked at Olivia carefully before turning to Fitz, "Sir, Kurkistan, you can't do anything about this, we need airspace into East Sudan."

"Enough." Fitz cut him off. "Olivia, what are you asking me to do?"

"Arrest Lavich. Revoke his immunity and arrest him." She crossed her arms defiantly.

Fitz matched her pose, "I can't, you know that."

Olivia felt the tears fall, "She's a twenty-one year old _child._"

"I know and I can't imagine what I'd do if it was Jerry or Karen, but I can't. We need Kurkistan. You understand that." He argued.

Olivia nodded, "I do not understand that." She picked up her purse and slammed the door on her way out.

SCANDAL

"My daughter suffocates in a pit of mud in excruciating pain and he won't do anything because her murderer had diplomatic immunity?" Peter Nystrom shouted.

Olivia took a deep breath, "Mr. Nystrom, we are going to do everything we can to get justice for Jenny. I promise you, just because President Grant,"

"He's your boyfriend. He's your fucking boyfriend and you can't get him to do anything about it." Mrs. Nystrom wailed.

"Mrs. Nystrom," Olivia tried to calm her, "I don't care who he is, I'm going to do everything in my power to get justice for Jenny." Olivia fingered Jenny's photograph on the conference room table, "No one deserves to die this way." She whispered.

SCANDAL

"Look, Livie, I understand why you're upset," Fitz started.

"No you don't. If you did then you'd do something about it." Olivia yelled into the phone.

"Why don't you just come over and,"

"And what, Fitz? Let you make me squirm and moan until I see things your way. I will never see this your way." Olivia snapped.

"Okay, you're being unreasonable." Fitz started. "I think you need to take a breath and think like the political animal I know you are."

"Do not talk to me like I'm some little woman in the middle of her period, I'm thinking about my clients and how I had two hysterical parents in here because their daughter can't get justice because a _foreign_ politician was the one who murdered her."

"Liv,"

"Don't 'Liv' me." Olivia hung up the phone before she could even think about responding further.

She had to do something. She just wasn't sure what. Tapping her fingers on her desk she grinned. She knew just what to do.

SCANDAL

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Harrison asked as he tapped his cellphone against his chin.

"Yes." Olivia nodded positively. "We've got all the news networks coming out. Everyone knows Lavich did it. We leaked that brilliantly."

"Mr. Nystrom," Kimberly Mitchell stepped in front of the upset parent, "what do you hope to accomplish by standing out here, protesting on the White House lawn?"

Peter Nystrom looked over at his wife and then down at his feet, "Look, I feel like a jerk standing out here. Hell, I even voted for this guy." He jerked his thumb back at the White House, "But I'm not here over politics. I'm here for Jenny. I'm here for my little girl. Right or wrong in her own actions, no one deserves to be threatened like that by a foreign diplomat on American soil and then get away with it. He should not be able to hide behind his diplomatic immunity. He killed an American citizen. He should be arrested and tried."

SCANDAL

"_Support is growing every day for the Nystrom family as protestors join them on the White House lawn."_

"_The President is digging his heels in over foreign policy in East Sudan. He's refusing to back down." _

"_It seems that the happy couple America saw after the bomb threat on Capitol Hill last month has passed. DC Fixer Olivia Pope and President Fitzgerald Grant are at odds with each other over Jenny Nystrom. America seems to be in support of the Nystroms. However, it is much easier for the average American to relate to the family who lost a child over a potential attack on East Sudan. Foreign policy can be a heavy topic for the average American to fully understand." _

"_Mellie Carswell, the former First Lady, and her boyfriend, Governor Andrew Nichols of California, have not made a statement regarding the Nystroms or East Sudan." _

Olivia flicked off the television. "It's front page news." Harrison set the newspaper on the conference room table. "Good job, Liv."

"It will only stay front page news if Fitz moves to revoke his immunity. If he stands his ground it will slip." She pushed the newspaper away, "We still have work to do."

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Eight: Someday**

_Well I'd hope that since we're here anyway_

_That we could end up saying things we always needed to say_

_So we could end up staying_

_Now the story's played out like this just like a paperback novel_

_Let's rewrite an ending that fits instead of a Hollywood horror_

_Nothing's wrong, just as long as you know that someday I will_

_Someday, somehow I'm gonna make it alright, but not right now_

_I know you're wondering when_

_Someday, somehow I'm gonna make it alright, but not right now_

_I know you're wondering when_

_\- "Someday" Nickelback_

* * *

Harrison threw the newspaper on the conference room table, "Page three. Tomorrow we'll be page four." He spun around and clicked on the television.

"_Lawmakers are siding with President Grant in regards to their stance on Kurkistani Diplomat Alexander Lavich and the murder of twenty-one year old Georgetown freshman Jenny Nystrom."_

"_Support for the Nystroms is waning, as people have left the protest. It seems that in their first battle on opposite sides, Olivia Pope has lost to her boyfriend, President Fitzgerald Grant." _

"_With growing tensions reaching a peak with East Sudan, DC is more concerned with appeasing the Kurkistani government so they can have access to East Sudan for potential airstrikes."_

"_It seems Olivia Pope has lost her footing here in DC. The scandal of a presidential affair in the wake of the first presidential divorce has made it impossible for her business to bounce back."_

Olivia picked up the remote and shut off the television, "I know. We just need a fresh wind."

"I don't see that happening any time soon." Harrison strode out of the conference room and down the hall to his office, slamming the door.

"We all took this one very personally." Stephen was leaning in the doorway, "She was just a kid. Just a kid who got in over her head. And we were all anxious to have a real case again and this seemed right up our alley. It's okay to lose though, everyone has to once in a while. The last thing you want to do is risk your relationship with Fitz. We've all done a lot to keep you two together. You two have been through so much and his kids adore you, do you really want to throw it away?"

"I hate losing, Stephen. I don't lose. To anyone." She snapped.

"I know, Liv, but we might have lost this one."

"Not necessarily." Olivia and Stephen both turned to face the doorway.

"Mellie." Olivia smiled politely, "Whatever are you doing here?"

Mellie adjusted the strap of her purse on her shoulder, "I'm here to help." Olivia just raised an eyebrow in a silent response, "Shall we talk in your office?" It wasn't really a question as she turned on her heel and walked down the hall to Olivia's office.

"I'll handle it." Olivia held up a hand, silencing Stephen's oncoming questions.

Olivia shut the door and turned to find Mellie taking a seat, "Before you get mad at me for just showing up, I'm here for the kids' open houses. They know I'm in town. They think I'm shopping."

Olivia leaned back, "I knew you were going to be in town. With Andrew."

Mellie nodded, "Andrew and Fitz are bonding."

"How nice for them, is that what we're supposed to be doing?" Olivia snapped.

Mellie chuckled, "No we've done plenty of that, now, haven't we?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow, "I have a way to save the Nystroms."

"You want to save the Nystroms? Why?" Olivia crossed her arms.

"I will go out there, without Andrew because Lord knows he'd never agree to this." Mellie waited for Olivia's response.

"You're going to go out there and protest with them?"

"Yes, I'll say or do whatever you want me to, but I'll go out there as a mother. Not as a political figure or former political figure or anything else." Mellie stated calmly.

"And what do you want in return?" Olivia leaned forward as she asked. Nothing with Mellie came without a price.

"I know Sally is looking to run in 2012, we all know that. I want Andrew to be Fitz's running mate in 2012 and then I want you to back him in 2016 as President." Mellie stated flatly. "I'll be First Lady again."

Olivia stared at Mellie considering her offer. Bringing Andrew on would be suicide in 2012. Then again, maybe not. Maybe they could make it work. Show a strong united force. Especially because Mellie and Andrew would definitely be married by next year. Olivia could see it in her eyes. "Fine. I'll see what I can do. It'll be up to Andrew to make nice with Fitz though. And you'll have to keep your mouth shut about it." She pointed to Mellie.

"Done, I'll be out there tomorrow morning at 9am. Top of the hour." Mellie stood and stretched out a hand, "Olivia." She shook it with a nod before leaving.

"What was that about?" Abby asked quickly coming into view.

"Our fresh wind is here. We've got work to do." Olivia pushed past her.

SCANDAL

"Olivia, this story is dead. Why are we beating a dead horse?" Kimberly asked.

"I told you, Kim, just wait for it. This is good. I promise." Olivia assured her.

Kim rolled her eyes and faced the car that just pulled up, right before the top of the hour hit. "Oh my God, is that?" Kimberly didn't even finish her sentence before rushing toward Mellie Carswell who just stepped out. "Ms. Carswell, what are you doing here?" Kimberly pushed the microphone in her face.

Mellie's eyes moved over Kimberly's head to connect with Olivia's. The two shared a brief smile before Olivia stepped back into the circle of Gladiators. "Kimberly, let me be clear, I'm not here as the former First Lady, or the girlfriend of the Governor, I'm here as a mother of a daughter. I'm here as a parent who can't believe something like this can happen here in America. I just want to offer the Nystroms my support and stand here with them for a while." She faced Peter and Janet Nystrom, "Is that okay?"

Janet held out a sign, "Thank you, Mellie."

Abby shook her head, "You know you crossed a line with Fitz today."

Olivia nodded her head, "I know, but I had to."

"What did she want in return?" Stephen asked.

"Don't worry about that," Olivia began, "we won't have to worry about paying her back for a while."

"How do you know?" Quinn asked quickly.

"She told me what she wants. We don't have to worry about that now." Olivia turned, "Let's go."

SCANDAL

"How do you like that?" Fitz shook his head and laughed, "My girlfriend and ex-wife boxed me in a corner."

Cyrus bowed his head, "The women in your life, sir, they play a mean game of political chess."

Fitz ran a hand over his face, "What do I do now?"

Cyrus shook his head, "I'm not sure at this moment sir."

SCANDAL

Peter Nystrom paced the conference room of Olivia Pope and Associates. "Nothing is happening." He muttered.

Huck paused in the doorway, "You don't want to do it, Mr. Nystrom."

Peter looked up, "Excuse me?"

"I know," Huck paused, "I know what you're thinking and trust me, you don't want to do it. Trust Olivia. The President hasn't made any comments yet. You just have to wait and trust her." He left without another word.

SCANDAL

"I can't believe you went behind Fitz's back like that." Andrew screamed.

"Trust me, Andrew, I did it for the right reasons. He murdered an American girl. He killed her and he just gets to walk away? What if that were Karen?" She screamed back.

Andrew threw his hands up, "You did this to screw Fitz one last time."

"Yes and by screwing Fitz I helped Olivia. _Olivia freaking Pope._ The woman ruined my marriage." She screamed, "It makes no sense, Andrew. Your argument makes no sense."

SCANDAL

"Peter," Janet Nystrom set her glass of wine on the nightstand in the motel room they were staying in while the press was running rampant over Mellie Carswell's sudden appearance, "do you really have to go out?"

"Just for a few minutes." Peter adjusted his jacket to hide the gun he'd just purchased. A gun that was weighing him down. He stopped to look at the news. Alexander Lavich was just going into a club. He'd meet him in the alley.

SCANDAL

"You went behind my back." Fitz accused.

"I protected my client. I did my job." Olivia shot back. She was trying to keep her voice down. She'd heard Mellie and Andrew arguing from the other side of the Residence and she didn't want Karen and Jerry to here them fighting as well.

"At the cost of my reputation and my job, which you understand." Fitz screamed.

"What about my reputation and my job?" She spun to face him, "Do you understand what it's been like to be in my shoes? Just because you're hit by a scandal doesn't mean you're out of a job. I have employees to pay that the government doesn't fund. We haven't worked in three months. I gave up everything to be with you. I sacrificed who I am to be with you." She shook her head at his advanced. "I'm going home. I'll see you at the school tomorrow night for open house."

SCANDAL

When Peter Nystrom arrived at the club, he found an ambulance and two paramedics pushing a gurney with a body bag. A reporter was already on the scene setting up, "Excuse me, sir?" Peter Nystrom stopped him, "What happened here?"

"You know that diplomat that killed that college kid?" The reporter was too green to even realize who Peter Nystrom was.

"Alexander Lavich?"

"Yeah that's the one, he was shot." The reporter told him. Peter looked over the reporter's shoulder and saw Huck in the distance. Olivia Pope's office really had come through.

SCANDAL

"_In other news, it appears the debate over Alexander Lavich and Jenny Nystrom can finally be put to rest. Lavich was shot in a hold up outside of Club Med in downtown DC earlier this evening."_

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Nine: Spin**

_I'd rather chase your shadow all my life_

_Than be afraid of my own_

_I'd rather be with you_

_I'd rather not know where I'll be than be alone_

_And convinced that I know_

_And the world keeps spinning round_

_My world's upside down and I wouldn't change a thing_

_I've got nothing else to lose_

_I lost it all when I found you_

_And I wouldn't change a thing_

_No you and I wouldn't change a thing_

_\- "Spin" Lifehouse_

* * *

Olivia stepped out of the cab and walked up to the St. Joseph's Academy, a private elementary, middle and high school that catered to children of diplomats, politicians and every so often the children of the President. Holding her head up high at the looks for some parents, she made her way through the throng of children dressed in blue and gray and their families and into the front hall of the school. Smoothing out her gray dress and adjusting the matching blazer, she skimmed the hallway looking for either Fitz, Mellie, Andrew, Karen or Jerry.

Quinn's words from earlier were still haunting her.

"_Liv, I know we haven't known each other as long as the others have known you, but I've seen you and Fitz. I know in my heart you two are meant to be together. And I've seen you with his kids. They love you. This will all work out, you just have to be willing to put him first. I know that sounds stupid, but he has to do the same for you. And I know we're taught to never put a man before our careers and shit like that, but this is true love. This is extraordinary, heartbreaking, painful, passionate, life changing love. This is what's in the movies and you can be the girl the guy gets at the end. He's earned you. He left his wife for you. He broke up his family for you. Now you have to earn him. For the first time, put your job on the back burner and put him first. Put what he needs and wants first. He's finally ready and deserving of you. He doesn't want you in the shadows, he wants you center stage with him. Just go for it._

Her mind was spinning and reeling from the truth behind Quinn's observations. Sure she'd given up a piece of herself to have that affair, but Fitz had done the same. She'd always been available for him. She had no relationships to break up. He had to break up his family and then try to piece it back together for his kids. He'd done that. His family was his life just like OPA was her life. Shouldn't she break it up and try to piece it back together for him? Didn't she owe him at least that?

"Liv!" The scream of her name caught her attention and she looked down the hall to see Karen's small figure flying toward her, Tom hot at her heels.

Olivia opened her arms and caught the girl before rocking back on the ground. "Hey sweet girl!" Olivia cooed.

Karen straightened and held a hand out for Olivia, "I was afraid you weren't coming." Karen's big blue eyes widened with unshed tears, "So was Jerry."

Olivia looked over Karen's shoulder at Jerry's approaching figure, "You came." He stated flatly.

Olivia opened her arms and forced him into a hug, "I wouldn't miss seeing your school for the world." She pressed a kiss to the top of his head, "You have to always remember that."

"You and dad were fighting. Mom and Andrew were fighting." He looked up at her, "This was over work wasn't it?"

Olivia nodded, "Yes, but we're going to figure it out. We're going to figure out how to keep work separate so we don't fight about it anymore." She promised.

"Does Dad know that?" Jerry snapped, "Because he said you were no longer coming."

Olivia frowned. How the hell would Fitz know that? He'd been ducking her calls all day. Calls that were to confirm he was picking her up, which she realized he wasn't doing so she took a cab, intent upon riding back with him so he was forced to talk to her.

Olivia got down on her knees so she was looking up at Jerry and eye level with Karen. Taking each of their hands she said forcefully, "I will always be here for you two. Do you understand me?" Neither of them respond, so she repeated, "Do you understand me?"

Jerry's face broke out into a grin and he leaned down to hug her as Karen dove between them not wanting to be left out, "I understand." Jerry whispered.

"Me too!" Karen squeaked as they squeezed her tighter. "Can't breathe!" She whined dramatically.

Giving her one last squeeze that prompted a loud giggle from her, Olivia and Jerry released her, "Let's go find your Mommy and Daddy and Andrew." Olivia stood up and took Karen's hand, tucking her other arm into the crook of Jerry's. "I cant' wait to see everything." She smiled at the two of them.

"Thank God you're here, Liv." Mellie gushed as she stepped forward, "We've got so much to see and only so much time. Who wants to go first?" She glanced down at her kids.

Olivia's eyes flicked up to Fitz's as Karen squealed, "I want to go first."

"You always want to go first." Jerry whined before ruffling her hair, "Fine." He rolled his eyes.

"Thank you, Jerry." Karen giggled before taking Mellie and Olivia's hands, "Let's go." She pulled them forward.

Jerry fell in stride between Andrew and Fitz, "You know you two can't be mad at them forever."

"What?" Fitz looked down at his son.

"We should've picked Liv up and all of us should've ridden over here together." Jerry continued, "I know we're a weird family, but we're still a family. That is what you and Mom told us when you decided to get divorced." He reminded his father. He glanced at Andrew, "And you promised to be there for us." He accused, "And you promised to help keep our family together. So, I don't care who made the mistake. I don't care who was right and who was wrong," he continued, "I want you two to just forgive them so we can have fun tonight. Karen and I were promised a pizza and movie party tonight with you guys. We want to have it." He stepped away from them as they reached the door for Karen's classroom, "So what lame stuff are you guys doing?" He asked, nudging his little sister in the arm.

Karen crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue, "It's not lame." She protested.

"Relax, Kare, I was just teasing you." Jerry rolled his eyes, "You're such a drama queen."

SCANDAL

Olivia spoke quietly with another parent while Jerry showed Andrew one of the projects he was working on, Karen dashed around the room with a boy from her class, and Fitz and Mellie spoke with Jerry's science teacher. A moment later she felt an arm slither around her waist. The parent she was talking to blushed with wide eyes and stepped away. Olivia spun around into the arms of Fitz, "Hi." She whispered.

"Hi." He whispered back. He tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear before saying, "Jerry yelled at me for being in a fight with you."

"You told them I wasn't coming." She accused quietly, "How could you do that to them?"

Fitz dropped his head, "It was selfish, but I thought it'd be easier if you weren't here."

"This," she motioned around the room, "has nothing to do with us. It's about them." She pointed to Jerry who had lifted Karen up so she could touch one of the planets from the mobile hanging from the ceiling. "Fitz I love you. We knew this was going to be hard, but we have to figure out how we're going to do this together. And Andrew and Mellie love each other too. We all need to figure out how to make this family work. For Jerry and Karen."

Fitz leaned down and pressed a small kiss to her cheek, "For Jerry and Karen and our future family." He whispered in her ear.

"Future family, huh?" Olivia squeezed his bicep tauntingly, "why President Grant, I think we have a little ways to go before then, don't you?"

"Define little." He requested.

"How about a date or two, and then maybe a proposal and wedding." She suggested.

"I'll make you a deal," he pulled her a little bit closer, "let's work out the logistics of our jobs this weekend, just the two of us at Camp David, while Mellie and Andrew take the kids for the long weekend to California, and we'll have our first date and vacation while we're there, and maybe, just maybe we can discuss just how long this whole dating and proposal and wedding thing has to take."

Olivia pressed a small kiss to his lips, "Deal, Mr. President."

"I love it when you say that." He cooed into her ear, "Mrs. Grant."

"Oh I like that, say it again."

"Mrs. Grant." He whispered.

SCANDAL

"Hey, Liv," Jerry sat down next to Olivia after the movie was over and the pizza and ice cream had been devoured, "thanks for working it out with Dad. And I'm glad you and Mom are friends."

Olivia hugged him, "This is going to be an ongoing thing, Jer. We're not going to be perfect over night." She told him.

"I know, it's just, I told Dad I didn't care who was right and who was wrong. We just need to work together."

"Wise beyond your years, Jerry Grant." Olivia smiled and tousled his hair, "We're going to do our best. Sometimes grown ups can be pretty stupid." She admitted.

"I hear ya on that." Jerry nudged her with a wink and she rolled her eyes at him. "I'm going to bed. Karen wants you to tuck her in with Mom." He hugged her one last time before leaving the room.

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Ten: God Gave Me You**

_I've been a walking heartache, I've made a mess of me_

_The person that I've been lately ain't who I want to be_

_But you stay here right beside me_

_Watch as the storm blows through, and I need you_

_Cause God gave me you for the ups and downs_

_God gave me you for the days of doubt_

_And for when I think I've lost my way_

_There are no words here left to say it's true_

_God gave me you_

_\- "God Gave Me You" Blake Shelton_

* * *

"His ratings are in trouble, Cy." Olivia pointed out, "And with the reelection happening _this _year we can't stall this interview any longer."

"I just don't think it's a good idea, Liv." Cyrus continued to pace around his office.

"Look, the four of us sit down with Kimberly Mitchell and begin to discuss how our family is functioning, how we're adjusting how we work and how the Jenny Nystrom incident affected us." She paused and frowned, "Why are you so against this?" Her frown deepened, "What do you know?"

He sighed and closed his office door, leading her over to the sofa he whispered, "Sally is talking to Leo Bergen."

"The political consultant and wanna be fixer?" Olivia asked incredulously. Honestly, Leo was very good at his job. Many of her clients and would be clients had run to him after the affair scandal dropped. Luckily for her, many were coming back. He wasn't as good and lacked the tact she and her team had.

"She's going to run as an independent." Cyrus continued, "James did some snooping for me."

Olivia leaned back, "We need to find another VP candidate." She stated flatly.

"And the interview,"

"Will do more good than harm, trust me. Okay, look we just need read Fitz in and get through this interview." Olivia told him calmly. "One crisis at a time."

"You're on this right? OPA is on this?" Cyrus confirmed.

"OPA is on this." Olivia assured him.

SCANDAL

"Liv, what's up that we all need to meet right in the middle of the day?" Fitz asked as Mellie and Andrew joined them in the Oval Office.

"Well you're approval numbers sure aren't up." Olivia told them honestly, "Cyrus and I have discussed it and we agree that the four of us need to sit down with Kimberly Mitchell and discuss the new dynamics with the family."

"Our family." Mellie told her.

"Excuse me?" Olivia asked.

"It's not the family, it's our family." She motioned to the four of them, "We need to present it that way. The people need to know that."

"Our family." Fitz repeated, "I like it. Set it up and get us talking points." He told Olivia.

"Of course, Cyrus is setting everything up and I'll have Abby and Harrison go through everything that could be asked. We can do this." Olivia stated firmly.

"Of course we can," Andrew spoke up, "we may be an unconventional family, but we are still a family." He grinned over at Mellie who reached out and took his hand.

"Sounds good, now there's one more issue." Olivia glanced over at Mellie, "Cyrus has confirmed that Sally is looking to run as an independent in 2012."

"What?" Andrew and Fitz chorused together.

"Which means we need to start vetting candidates. I just want to bring this to your attention," she motioned to Mellie and Andrew, "so you know these next few months could be a little bit rocky."

"Anything we can do to help," Andrew told her and Fitz, "just let us know."

"Thanks, Liv, can I talk to you for a little bit?" Olivia nodded and Fitz opened the door, "Lauren, get Cyrus in here please."

When the room had been cleared with the exception of Olivia, Cyrus and Fitz, Lauren shut the door and Cyrus jumped into action, "We need a list of candidates to begin quietly vetting, sir."

"I can have a list ready for you to review in an hour." Olivia informed him.

"I don't need a list." Fitz moved to stand behind the Resolute Desk.

Olivia knew that move. It was his way of reminding them that he had the power and what he wanted was ultimately what would happen, "You have a candidate or a list in mind?" Olivia asked.

"Andrew."

"Andrew?" Cyrus asked, "Andrew who?"

"Andrew Nichols." Fitz clarified.

"You can't be serious, Fitz." Olivia snapped, "Do you want to lose? Do you want to hand the election to Sally or God forbid Reston?"

"Reston would be better than Sally." Cyrus quipped.

"You cannot have another California boy run with you." Olivia told him gently, "Baby, the party won't like him because he's too liberal and the liberals will crucify you because he's a rich, white guy who's your buddy."

"I trust Andrew. Andrew is running with me. I'm going to ask him today. Figure out how to make it work." Fitz looked evenly at the two of them, "That will be all."

Olivia made sure to slam the Oval Office door as hard as she could on her way out. "He wants to lose." She snapped at Cyrus as she led him down the hall to his office.

"He's not thinking clearly." Cyrus pointed out.

"Obviously, he just dismissed me." Olivia nearly screeched. "He has got to stop acting like a five year old and learn to think like a grown ass man." She continued to rant as he shut the door behind them.

"Okay, so what do we need to do?" Cyrus asked.

Olivia sat down and sighed, "We need to get my team here." She began, "And we need to look at what poll numbers would look like if he ran Andrew before he asks Andrew. Maybe then we can get him to change his mind."

"I'll get the geeks here on it." Cyrus picked up his phone, "I'll have Jeanine clear out an office space for you guys." He called out as she moved to the door.

"Great, I'm going to pump your husband for more information." She waved as she left.

SCANDAL

"Two things," Olivia began as she shut the door to the Oval Office, "I don't care how you're feeling, you never dismiss me like that again." Fitz looked up from the briefing on his desk.

"What?"

"The way you dismissed me with Cyrus earlier, I do not work for you. I am your girlfriend. And if you ever dismiss me like that again, I will not be your girlfriend any longer. Anything I do for you and your campaign, I do because I love you, not because I have to. Not because you pay me. I'm not your lackey. I'm your girlfriend." She repeated.

"I'm sorry." His eyes dropped from her face to his briefing and then back up at her again.

"It's okay." She told him honestly, "Secondly, these are your poll numbers if you ask Andrew to be your vice president."

"I've already asked him." Fitz pushed the numbers she set on his desk back at her. "I don't want to see the numbers."

"Okay," Olivia began, "but,"

"No buts, Livie. Look, you and your team don't have to work on this, but you're the best and we need the best, I'd like if you did. So I don't want to see the numbers, I just want you to support my choice and fix it."

Olivia straightened and sighed, her mind flashing back to what she'd told Mellie and Cyrus during the press conference Fitz insisted on having after he was shot. She has to support him. It's not asking a lot. "We'll handle it."

"Thank you, Livie."

"Of course, Mr. President." She leered slightly.

When her hand was on the door knob he said, "I love you, Livie."

She turned and grinned, "I love you to, Fitz."

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	11. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Eleven: Secrets**

_Till all my sleeves stained red, from all the truth that I've said_

_Come by it honestly I swear, thought you saw me wink, no_

_I've been on the brink so_

_Tell me what you want to hear, something that will light those ears_

_Sick of all the insincere, so I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

_This time, don't need another perfect lie_

_Don't care if critics ever jump in line_

_I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

_\- "Secrets" OneRepublic_

* * *

Kimberley Mitchell leaned back in a sitting room in the East Wing of the White House. Across from her sat Mellie Carmichael, who had her hand firmly planted on Governor Andrew Nichols knee, and Olivia Pope, who was tucked under President Fitzgerald Grant's arm. It was the strangest of sights.

Olivia felt Fitz fidgeting slightly under her. She glanced over at Mellie, who gave her a brief smile, indicating she was trying to keep Andrew still as well. Olivia took a breath, hoping the potential for Andrew to be Fitz's running mate in 2012 did not come up. She was not interested in having that conversation as well with Kimberly Mitchell.

"So," Kimberly began with a smile, "this is a bit," she paused, "unconventional."

The four of them laughed together on cue, "You think?" Andrew asked.

"Let's start with the dynamics," Kimberly looked down at her notepad before realizing there was no way she was truly prepared for this interview, she was in completely foreign territory. Leave it to Olivia Pope to drag her into a situation she couldn't be ready for, "What exactly are the dynamics of Grant family now?"

Fitz cleared his throat, "I realize it seems muddled, particularly after the Nystrom case," he paused, "but we have clearly defined our roles and we do know what we're doing."

"What exactly are you defined roles?" Kimberly asked.

"Well Fitz and Mellie are mom and dad." Olivia explained, "Nothing in this world could change that. They're the most important people in Karen and Jerry's lives."

"And politically?"

"Well, Fitz is still the President of the United States and, Lord and the people willing, he will be President for another four years." Mellie explained.

"And you and Olivia?"

Olivia and Mellie looked at each other and finally Olivia spoke, "Fitz and I are taking it slowly. I'm not looking to be First Lady, I'm just looking to see if Fitz and I can make it work, I love him."

"And I love her." Fitz murmured.

"And Mellie?" Kimberly asked.

"I'm not looking to be the First Lady of California or the United States either." Mellie smiled, "I'm just enjoying time with Andrew."

"We're taking it slowly as well and trying to make it work." Andrew laced his fingers with hers.

"So you're both in solid relationships then?" Kimberly asked skeptically.

"Yes." Came four simultaneous answers.

Kimberly leaned back, "Well okay then, and Karen and Jerry?"

"Are doing remarkably well with this." Mellie spoke up. "Karen seems to like the idea of having two different closets."

Olivia laughed, "What girl wouldn't?"

"I know, right?" Mellie laughed with her. Olivia could sense it was still tense, her laugh wasn't quite full and real, it was forced, but Mellie was making an effort. And Olivia would meet her half way. Anything to make this easier on Karen and Jerry and Fitz.

"In regards to the 2012 election," Kimberly began.

"Vote Grant." Mellie smiled raising her fist in the air.

"So you're still supporting the Grant ticket even though you're not on it? Even though Olivia,"

"I'm not on it either." Olivia spoke up. "Fitz is running without a First Lady."

"Exactly. I'm running alone. And I can only hope the people can understand why I've, we've made this decision. It's for the best. The country is in better hands now, we're all happier, the White House is a lighter place, well as light as it can be in this day and age." Fitz explained.

"There are rumors circulating that Vice President Sally Langston is running as an independent." Kimberly began, pausing as the four got eerily quiet, "She's hired Leo Bergen."

Fitz cleared his throat, "While I have received no confirmation from my Vice President," he answered icily, "that is what I have heard, and if that is true, I will find a new running mate."

Olivia and Mellie let out a simultaneous breath. They'd argued with Fitz over announcing Andrew as a running mate, stating it would destroy both of them and their careers and the election prematurely since Sally hasn't officially announced her candidacy. If they acted before Sally, well officially acted, then Sally would say she had no intention of running and find a way to ruin Fitz before running openly. It would be better to let her burn her own house down.

"So you haven't picked a running mate?" Kimberly's eyes flicked to Andrew.

Fitz frowned, "I haven't even considered it. I just heard the rumors about Sally. I can't imagine her going behind my back though." Fitz shrugged, "I have to believe that it's just Capitol Hill rumors, nothing to it."

SCANDAL

Cyrus flicked off the television in his office, "It was brilliantly done." He smiled at Olivia and Mellie. An unlikely team. Then again, while Olivia didn't care about the White House, this got Mellie back in.

"We need to make sure she's outed." Mellie spoke up. "We need to make sure it comes out officially that she's running before she announces it."

"Liv?" Cyrus looked at her.

Olivia rolled her eyes. Cyrus looked so hopeful. He wanted to take Sally down. "Go for it."

Cyrus looked like a kid on Christmas who got the bike he wanted so badly, "I'll get my people on it."

"Use mine too, whatever you need." Olivia waved at him, "Quietly though, Cyrus. We don't want this to get out."

"You got it." Cyrus darted out to find Ethan, his favorite minion.

"He looks so happy." Mellie snorted.

"He gets to destroy someone." Olivia shook her head, "He's positively gleeful."

"Well as long as it gets handled. That Puritan needs to go." Mellie sighed.

"No arguments here." Olivia agreed.

Mellie leaned against a chair back, "You think he and Andrew can do it?"

Olivia crossed her arms, "We'll do our best. We're doing it clean though."

"Of course." Mellie rolled her eyes.

SCANDAL

"Ethan, there you are." Cyrus grabbed him, "I need you to do something for me."

"Of course, Cyrus." Ethan nodded, his green eyes wide as he looked at his boss.

"I want you to find out proof that Langston is running as an independent. And I want it found out before she officially announces it." Cyrus whispered. "And do it quietly. Use the Gladiators."

"You got it." Ethan's grin matched Cyrus's as he scurried off.

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Twelve: Drop in the Ocean**

_A drop in the ocean, a change in the weather_

_I was praying that you and me might end up together_

_It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert_

_But I'm holding you closer than most cause you are my heaven_

_\- "Drop in the Ocean" Ron Pope_

* * *

"_Sally Langston has officially announced her candidacy as an Independent in the 2012 Presidential Race. In the same speech she resigned as Vice President under President Grant." _

"_With Langston running as an Independent, the question is raised as to who Grant's running mate will be."_

"_There's speculation that Grant will run with California Governor Andrew Nichols, who is now publicly dating his ex-wife attorney Mellie Carmichael." _

"_Grant is still maintaining that he will not run with Olivia Pope as First Lady. She maintains that they will not get married until after his next term is over if he does in fact win the race. They're taking their relationship slowly." _

Olivia bit back a moan, "God, Fitz." She murmured, her eyes rolling to the back of her head.

Glancing up from between her legs, Fitz grinned wickedly before diving back down. She sucked in her breath as his teeth grazed her. _This man will be the death of me. And what a way to go. _

SCANDAL

"I think it's time we announce Andrew as my running mate." Fitz stated calmly from his spot behind the Resolute Desk.

Olivia looked over at Cyrus and sighed in resignation, "Out." She pointed to the door before he could start a fight with Fitz.

"But,"

"Out." Olivia repeated slowly. Nodding and mumbling under his breath about hormonal presidents and difficult fixers he slammed the door shut behind him. Moving to sit on the edge of his desk, Olivia took his hands in hers, "Tell me why."

"What?" Fitz asked.

"I'm not saying no and I'm telling you I won't do exactly what you want me to do, I'm just asking you to tell me why. Why are you so determined to run with Andrew?" She asked.

"Because I trust him. Because I know that no matter what he'll be on my side. Because he'll _never _do to me what Sally did to me. Because that means Mellie will move back and Karen will have her mother here. Because that means my kids can have both us whenever they need us without me having to be married to the bitch herself. Because Andrew is a _damn _good governor. Because the people of California adore him. Because we compliment each other. Because this is a practiced dance and I _know _we can be the best for the people. We can do this. And we can do it together."

Bringing his hands up, she lightly brushed her lips over his knuckles, "I'll handle Cyrus." She whispered.

"My Chief of Staff shouldn't need handling." He muttered.

"You did choose Cyrus Beene to be your Chief of Staff, he is the most difficult man in the _entire _world. And that's saying something coming from me." Olivia smirked at him, "We've got this. You'll demolish Sally and Reston in one fell swoop. I just _know _it."

"Only because I have my Gladiator." He squeezed her hands lovingly.

Olivia shook her head and withdrew one of her hands, letting it rest against his slightly scruffy cheek, "No, because you're a _damn_ good president." She brushed her lips against his and stood, "And shave. You're going to look like a wolf man and unfit to lead if that scruff gets too out of hand." He let out a small howl that had her laughing and shaking her head as she exited his office to find Cyrus. Pausing in the doorway she said, "We'll make the announcement on the five o'clock news tonight that you're running without Sally and looking towards Governor Nichols as your replacement. Of course the official announcement will come when you win the primary. Word on the street there's a woman running against you. I'll have all the details on her when we meet with the team tomorrow morning." She blew him one last kiss before ordering, "Now go end a war some place."

SCANDAL

"Well, did you talk him out of it?" Cyrus caught her at the edge of the hallway.

"He's dug his heels in. We're running with it." Olivia told him flatly.

"Damn." Cyrus muttered, "Well, better than the Puritan."

"I think we can spin this, it keeps Mellie here and there _are_ people who like her. Some of the Conservative base supported her over Fitz, so maybe they'll see this as a way to have their cake and eat it too. She may not be First Lady, but she's dating the new VP and she'll still be in the spotlight." Olivia mused. "And those who are worried about the kids in the divorce will see that she's still here and a part of their lives."

"You're not seriously spinning Mellie as an asset?" Cyrus asked in disbelief.

"I wouldn't if she were First Lady, but I am since she's just going to be on the periphery of everything." Olivia shrugged, "Get Jeanine to run some potential numbers." Pushing open the door to her old office, she tossed her blazer on a chair, "And get my team in here, I have to give my marching orders."

"Aye, aye fixer lady." Cyrus saluted her before turning.

SCANDAL

"Okay, so here's the game plan," Olivia began, "we need to spin Andrew as VP."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Abby screeched, "Is Fitz out of his ever loving presidential mind? Andrew as VP is suicide."

Olivia held up her hands, "Look, this is what Fitz wants. Fitz is the one running and we have to support him. When he's asked about potential running mates we're not committing to Andrew yet, it's still too early, but we will toss his name out, just to see how the public responds to it. We have a bigger problem to deal with right now."

"Bigger than Fitz 2.0 running for VP when the country wants change?" Abby continued to rant.

Harrison held up his hands, "Okay, Liv, what's our bigger problem."

Olivia picked up the remote for the television, "It's not what, it's who." She flicked the TV on, "Congresswoman Josephine Marcus."

"Holy fuck, we have another female candidate?" Abby screeched.

"And not just any female candidate, a war vet who lost her own husband in the war who is from a small town in the middle of nowhere who's running on the Republican ticket."

"We really are screwed." Stephen muttered.

"That's what I said when I heard her speak." Cyrus muttered, draining his glass of bourbon.

Olivia rolled her eyes and snatched the glass from his hands, "This," she waved the empty glass in the air, "does not help. There will be no more drinking, no more wallowing, no more whining and no more second guessing Fitz's decisions. Huck I want all the background you can find on the good Congresswoman. Quinn, I want to know all of Andrew's skeletons. Go digging. Abby, prepare Fitz's statement for addressing Sally leaving office tonight." She paused, "Stephen, I want you to sit down with Andrew and prep him for the onslaught of questions." She tapped her fingers and leaned forward, "Harrison, work with Cyrus's minion Ethan, find out what Sally is planning and what Leo's play is. That's her campaign manager."

"You got it, boss." Harrison saluted her.

"I want everyone back here at 4:15 to prepare for Fitz's speech from the press room, Abs I want to see anything before you hand it to Fitz." Picking up her blazer, she shrugged into it, "I need to go talk to Mellie."

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	13. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Thirteen: Pressure**

_Now that I'm losing hope and there's nothing else to show_

_For all of the days that we spent carried away from home_

_Some things I'll never know and I had to let them go_

_I'm sitting all alone feeling empty_

_I can feel the pressure, it's getting closer now_

_We're better off without you, I can feel the pressure_

_It's getting closer now, we're better off without you_

_\- "Pressure" Paramore_

* * *

Lauren glanced down at Olivia's tapping fingers. Sighing, Lauren stilled her pen, "Liv," Lauren let the formalities that usually hung around them in the West Wing drop, "he's fine. He can handle Sally."

"I'm not worried about his feelings. I'm worried about his temper." Olivia stilled her fingers, "I guess I'm distracting you from working though. Sorry."

"It's okay, whatever he throws at Sally she deserves." Lauren replied honestly, "I can't believe she pulled what she did."

"Didn't you hear that the Puritan was a bitch?" Cyrus asked, dragging up his own chair and starting to tap his own fingers against her desk. "You can't honestly be surprised."

Letting out a groan at the tapping, Lauren reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels, "Drink more." She ordered dryly.

"Liv banned me from drinking." Cyrus grumbled. Sticking her tongue out, Olivia unscrewed the bottled and took a long pull before handing it to Cyrus silently. "Apparently she's reconsidered." He grimaced as he swallowed. "You with us or against us?" He asked Lauren.

"I'm working." She rolled her eyes.

"You're working on drinking with us." Olivia quipped with a grin, pushing the bottled towards the secretary. Lauren saluted them before she took a long sip, "That a girl!"

A crash from inside the Oval stopped their conversation, _"You have disrespected the entire institution of the United States government!" Fitz shouted._

_Matching his volume, Sally shot back, "And divorcing your wife while trotting your mistress around like some trained harlot is respecting it?" _

"_You will not speak about Olivia in that manner. You will not speak to me that way. You may no longer be Vice President, but I am still your President and you will speak to me with the utmost respect."_

"_Or I shall not speak to you at all. Good day, Mr. President." _Suddenly the door flew open and Sally stopped, startled by the sight of Lauren, Cyrus and Olivia sitting around Lauren's desk with an opened handle of Jack. Glaring at them, she offered a stiff nod before retreating down the hallway.

Taking one last pull of whiskey, Olivia stood, "I'll handle him." She closed the Oval door behind her softly.

"Not in the mood, Cyrus." Fitz mumbled as he spun his desk chair to look out over the lawn.

"It's not Cyrus." Olivia murmured.

Fitz turned in his chair, "I guess you heard."

"You don't need to defend my honor against her, but thank you." She leaned back against the door.

"I love you, Olivia. I will always defend your honor. It's as simple as that."

Pushing herself up off the door, Olivia crossed the room and settled into his lap without preamble, "I love you too." She pressed a kiss to his lips before leaning back, "I meet Josie tomorrow."

"Ah, the other woman." He nodded, "This is going to be tough, isn't it?"

"We'll make sure everyone else is a nonfactor." She promised. "If you want this, just promise me you won't lose faith in yourself."

"I want this, Liv. And as long as you have faith in me, nothing can stop us." He told her confidently.

"I will always have faith in you." She whispered, pressing her forehead against his. "And if you want it, then take it."

SCANDAL

"I wish I could offer you a job, Miss Pope." Congresswoman Josephine Marcus smiled as she tucked her blonde hair behind her ears, "Well, actually, I suppose I can, it's just a matter of you taking it."

"I have a job, Congresswoman." Olivia replied simply.

"Yes, with the Grant Campaign." The blonde waved her hand as she spoke, "Doesn't mean I don't recognize talent when I see it." She sent a disarming smile to Olivia. "And you're the best. The President is a lucky man."

Olivia refrained from responding to the small quip. She was getting used to the jabs. "Why am I here?" She asked instead.

"Just wanted to get to know the players." Josie replied in an off-handed manner.

Picking up her purse, Olivia stood, "My time is valuable, I won't waste it here." Turning she left the office without another word.

Pulling her phone out, Josie dialed a swift number, "She just left." She paused, "Did you do it?" She tapped her fingers against the armrest of her chair, "Well I'd get out of there before she finds you. She was on the phone talking about heading over there after she left. You don't want her to catch you." She rolled her eyes, "Don't be stupid."

SCANDAL

"We have a location." Jeanine Locke followed Olivia down the hall to the office she'd commandeered.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Jeanine, and I don't particularly have time for it right now. Fitz is speaking to the press in an hour about Sally. I have more important things to deal with. So if you have something important to tell me, you better spit it out in the next five minutes."

Jeanine nodded, "Of course, I'm speaking of the main campaign headquarters. Harrison reminded me that with the entire Sally debacle we're behind schedule. He found us a location today, though."

"Have Harrison coordinate it. Tell him I said he can have free reign. Cyrus and I don't have time to deal with it. Once he's figured out staffing for it then we can talk." Emma set her purse down in a spare chair, "I need to know who the RNC is supporting." Olivia barked the order out, "I want to know their stance on Marcus and on Sally running as an independent. I need to know who the powers that be support." She paused, "And get me Abby." She pulled her phone out and dialed a number, silently dismissing Abby.

SCANDAL

"I have his speech here." Abby came in with notecards.

Olivia grabbed them, "Come on." She walked out of her office, flicking through the cards as she did so. "This looks great. Let's pass these onto Fitz." She thrust the cards at Abby, "Take them to him, I need to find Cyrus."

"Is everything okay?" Abby called out as Olivia split from her in a hallway.

"Not sure yet." Olivia called out. When she reached Cyrus's door she threw it open, "I think Marcus is up to something, but I don't know what. It's just a gut feeling."

Cyrus dropped his feet that had be resting on his desk, "What are you talking about?"

"I don't know." Olivia admitted as she paced in a circle, "There was just something about her. Something I don't trust. I think she's going to do something, something underhanded. Something _illegal_." She paused, "And she's going to do it to us."

"I'll send Ethan digging." Cyrus reached for his phone, "Get in here!" He screeched.

Ethan appeared a moment later, "Take Stephen and Huck with you. I'll pull Stephen off Andrew and put Abby on him."

"What about Wright?"

"Campaign headquarters." Olivia replied.

"Fuck, I forgot." Cyrus admitted.

"Me too." Olivia rolled her eyes, "Go to her hometown. I want dirty details, I want knocking doors, pounding pavement, old school research and I want it fast."

"Sounds good." Ethan nodded nervously, "Also, it's time for the President's speech."

SCANDAL

"I'll make this brief," Fitz smiled at the press gathered, "yes, Vice President Langston has resigned from office and is running as an Independent. I have accepted her resignation, effective immediately." Fitz nodded, "I wish Sally the best and will be working to vet new candidates for the position." Fitz looked around, "I'll now be taking questions."

"What about the accusations that your campaign fixer, Olivia Pope, has stolen Congresswoman Josephine Marcus's laptop in an effort to destroy her campaign before it even begins?"

Fitz stared at the reporter from ABC, "I'm sorry?"

"Ten minutes ago a laptop was found in Olivia Pope's office from the Marcus campaign." He explained.

Fitz glanced off to the side, just in time to see police officers speaking to Tom and Hank. "Excuse me." Fitz moved away from the podium and Harrison swiftly took his place, offering a brief apology to media with the promise for a rescheduled briefing on the situation with Sally and the laptop from the Marcus campaign.

"What's going on?" Fitz asked quickly.

"I have no idea, Fitz." Olivia answered honestly. "A laptop was found in my office. I've barely been in there since I was at headquarters. Someone from Marcus's office called the police over a missing laptop and now they're here."

"Miss Pope, I'm afraid you're under arrest." The officer stepped around Tom.

"She should be held somewhere away from media scrutiny." Fitz ordered, "I want this kept quiet. Take her to the Blair House through the tunnel."

"Mr. President," the officer went to argue.

"Have your chief call me if he has an issue with this. I will not have her taken downtown." He paused, "And no cuffs."

"Fitz, I swear," Olivia began.

"I know, Liv. I'll sort this out." He promised as she was escorted away.

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	14. Chapter 14

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Fourteen: Radioactive**

_I raise my flags, don my clothes, it's a revolution I suppose_

_We'll paint it red to fit right in whoa_

_I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus_

_This is it, the apocalypse, whoa_

_I'm waking up I feel it in my bones_

_Enough to make my systems blow_

_Welcome to the new age, to the new age_

_Welcome to the new age, to the new_

_Whoa I'm radioactive, radioactive_

_Whoa I'm radioactive, radioactive_

_All systems go, the sun hasn't died_

_Deep in my bones straight from inside_

_\- "Radioactive" Imagine Dragons_

* * *

Olivia sighed, "Look, I have never seen that laptop before." Olivia muttered, "I have no reason to take if rom Congresswoman Marcus. We're up in the polls, she doesn't even have a campaign manager."

"Isn't it true you turned down a job with her?" The officer asked.

"Of course it's true. Why would I take a job with her? I have a job here? And wouldn't that make her more a of a suspect and not me? I mean shouldn't she be wanting to destroy our campaign and,"

"My client will be taking no further questions." Harrison appeared at that moment. "Olivia, you're done talking."

"But," Olivia went to protest.

"No, arguing with me. Fitz hired me to handle you." He sat down. "Now, officer, will there be any further questions?"

The officer stared between Olivia and Harrison, "No." He finally stood. Facing two uniforms he said, "She doesn't leave this room."

Harrison faced them, "I'd like a moment alone with my client."

The two uniforms seemed just as unnerved about the situation and finally moved to the door, "We'll be outside." One mumbled.

"Don't worry, Liv, we've got this. Quinn is tracing the laptop now. We'll find out who planted it there." Harrison promised her, "In the meantime I'm staying with you."

"I need you to handle the headquarters."

"Jeanine is handling the headquarters. We're putting Abby in as the head of the office."

"But Andrew,"

"Is not being announced as a VP candidate any time soon." Harrison interrupted her. "Fitz wants to halt discussions about the campaign until we get you cleared." He paused, "Look, Huck, Stephen and Ethan are on their way to Montana or wherever Marcus is from. We're handling everything. You've trained us well." His phone rang. "Talk to me." When he hung she looked at him.

"Well?"

"That was Quinn. She's got something." Harrison told her.

"Go handle it." She nudged him.

He shook his head, "I'm not the lead gladiator on this." At Olivia's questioning look he replied, "Fitz is." Olivia just beamed at him.

SCANDAL

"According to the IP address," Quinn stood at the head of the conference room table, "the laptop was used here when Olivia was at Marcus's headquarters."

"So the laptop was here before Liv officially met Marcus." Cyrus frowned, "Can you track it before then?"

Quinn nodded, "I'm working on it, what I was able to do was find out what was on the laptop."

"Well that's obvious, right?" Abby asked, "Campaign secrets."

"Nothing." Quinn grinned, "The laptop was wiped clean before it was put in Olivia's office."

"Quinn," Fitz leaned forward, "are you telling me you can find out exactly where the laptop was when it was wiped clean?"

Quinn grinned, "Sally's office."

"Mother of God, she's trying to take you out and take out the Marcus campaign at the same time." Cyrus shook his head in disbelief.

"See, that's what I thought," Quinn paced, "but then I thought, what if someone from Marcus's campaign wants to take out Sally and you in one fell swoop? This could be how to do it."

"So we need to find out who brought the laptop to Sally's office." Abby surmised.

"We need to go through security footage." Fitz stood up and opened the door, "Tom!" He called out. When Tom appeared he said, "I need you to go through security footage of Sally's office from earlier today and I need you to quietly do it now."

"Yes, sir." Tom turned and took off towards the security wing of the White House.

SCANDAL

"Harrison, I appreciate you being here, but I'd rather you be helping. The more hands on deck the faster we can get through this." Olivia pushed him towards the door, "Go, I promise not to speak to anyone with a badge. Of any sort." She grinned.

"Fine, but I'll be back shortly with an update." He agreed.

SCANDAL

Huck called once the team landed on the ground in the midwest, "We got your messages. Get me Quinn." He directed Cyrus.

"Hey babe." Quinn came on the speaker phone.

"I'm going to walk you through tapping Marcus's phone and Sally's phone." Huck stated calmly. "The tap will allow you to not only hear them, but see what's on their phones." He paused, "You should be able to thread together something from there."

"Okay, I'm ready." Quinn poised her pen over a pad of paper waiting for directions.

Ten minutes later, while Quinn typed away at a secure laptop, James came in, "I have what the press is reporting. It's a top story and Marcus is slated to make a statement about Liv and the theft."

Cyrus banged his hand on the table, "There's no way to stop that statement and you know that means Sally will speak. And probably Reston."

"What do we do?" James asked.

Fitz grabbed his coat, "I speak to the press at the same exact time. I want to know what time Marcus is scheduled to speak and I want the press assembled. Abby, you're with me. We're going over talking points." He turned, "I know there's no way to stop what Sally and Reston have to say, but let's be honest, Marcus is our main concern." He clapped his hands, "All cylinders people." He mimicked Olivia.

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	15. Chapter 15

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Fifteen: Angel**

_But you say we don't mess around_

_You've got no freedom to come down_

_We don't take angels from the sky_

_Oh no we don't mess around_

_You're meant to be among the clouds_

_Cause you're an angel_

_But that's a lie_

_\- "Angel" Kate Voegele _

* * *

_President Grant spoke about the arrest of Olivia Pope, his girlfriend and campaign fixer, in regards to the laptop found in her office from the Marcus campaign. He maintains that she did not steal it and the police are working to find out how it got there._

_If I were President Grant, I wouldn't have the police working on the case, I'd have the Gladiators working on it. Lord knows they'll do a better job. Also, why would Olivia Pope need to steal that laptop in the first place? Grant's up in the polls, she has a good job and a hot man, what would be her motive? _

_Clearly this is all a dog and pony show by the Grant Campaign to smear an actual Conservative candidate. They want to make her look bad because she's a woman and because she's a candidate the people will actually be able to relate to. _

"We're all over the board with what the media and talking heads are saying." James shut his laptop and spun in his chair. "Some are just stating what's going on, some are blasting Josie saying she planted it and Liv is innocent and some think we're trying to run a smear campaign."

"What did Marcus say?" Quinn asked. At the stupefied looks she said, "What? My ass has been glued to this chair since Liv was arrested. I'm working."

"I'll play it." James opened his laptop back up, typed in a few things and turned the volume up before hitting play.

"_I am appalled at what is happening right now. To think that Olivia Pope could steal a laptop when I called her into my office to offer her a job is just astounding. It's hard to believe that someone who is that above reproach could commit such a crime is incredible. Of course I will help the police in the investigation in any way I can. No one has anything to hide at my office. We hope that Miss Pope and her associates can be brought to justice so that this can be a fair and clean election." _

"What a fucking bitch." Quinn muttered as she continued typing.

"So it's pretty much what we expected." Harrison tipped his chair back, "What next?" He asked Fitz.

Fitz faced Quinn, "What do you have on the phone tap?"

"There's a bunch of texts and calls to one number." She continued typing on her keyboard without looking up, "I'm looking into it. It's a burner phone."

"Find out if it's connected to Sally's campaign." Cyrus advised, "What do you want to bet the Puritan is in on it?"

"Twenty that she knows nothing." Harrison called out.

"Deal." Cyrus shook his hand.

"You two are sick." Quinn muttered, "What?" She hit the speaker phone button.

"Josie has a kid." Stephen's voice echoed through the speaker.

"She has a what?" Fitz asked.

"She has a kid. Ethan, Huck and I found the nurse. The thing is that we don't really know what happened to her. It doesn't look like she was put up for adoption or put in the system, but Josie didn't raise her. She's got a daughter though."

"Find out everything you can about her." Cyrus leaned forward, "This could kill her campaign."

"We're not dragging an unsuspecting child into this." Fitz argued.

"She'd be an adult now." Cyrus waved the thought away.

"We're not ruining an innocent's life." Fitz repeated. "Find the kid, but don't do anything with it."

A knock at the door sounded, "Mr. President?" Tom appeared. Everyone stilled as he shut the door, "I have the footage." He moved to the TV in the room and slipped the DVD in. "You're not going to believe this." The group waited with bated breath as they watched Leo Bergen wander into Sally's office and settle into her desk chair, propping his feet up and opening the laptop.

"Mother of God. You owe me twenty bucks." Cyrus pointed to Harrison.

"Wait," Fitz held up his hand, "we don't know if Sally's involved yet. We can't go after her until we have proof."

"But"

"No buts, Cyrus. We have to make sure we can nail her ass to the wall before we attack her. We want it to stick. What we can do is handle Leo." He paused, "Let's show this to the police."

"What do we say?" Tom asked.

"You tell them you were reviewing security tapes and this was out of the ordinary." Fitz instructed. "You let them bring Leo in and we have a Secret Service Agent there during questioning. They'll want to question Sally as well I'm sure."

"I'll handle it." Tom pulled the disk out and handed it to Quinn, "I have another copy. I thought you may want to analyze it."

Quinn smiled and nodded, "Thanks, and I've got a trace on the phone and I now have all the text messages." She scrolled down on her screen, "Whoa, I don't think Sally knows what's going on."

"Why do you say that?" Cyrus asked.

"Because I think this was all to make her look like she and Liv were conspiring together to ruin Marcus's campaign." She bit her lip, "And I think Leo is on Marcus's payroll."

"Get this to Huck, let's see what he can piece together." Harrison shrugged into his coat, "I'm going to fill Liv in."

_Leo Bergen, Sally Langston's campaign manager, has been escorted to the Metro Police Station by officers in regards to the theft of Congresswoman Josie Marcus's laptop. Former Vice President Sally Langston is also being questioned in regards to the theft. _

_According to sources close to the Chief of Police's office, fixer Olivia Pope is being released and has been cleared of all charges. A search of the laptop found that there were no campaign secrets or any campaign strategy on the laptop. Congresswoman Josie Marcus is scheduled to speak at the top of the hour about the stolen laptop and the possible connection to the Langston campaign. _

XOXO

MAS


	16. Chapter 16

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Sixteen: Dreams**

_Thunder only happens when it's raining_

_Players only love you when they're playing_

_Say women come and they will go_

_When the rain washes you clean you'll know_

_\- "Dreams" Fleetwood Mac_

* * *

Josie Marcus settled herself behind the podium in front of her office. Clearing her throat, she looked around at the reporters, "I have a brief statement to make about the break in at my office." She took a shallow breath, "It pains me to say that the entire incident was a shameful fraud, entirely conceived and executed by myself." She glanced off to the side at her campaign staff, "I staged the break in and had the laptop planted in Olivia Pope's office. I want to apologize to the Grant Campaign, Olivia Pope herself, and the American people for this unforgivable lapse in judgement on my part." She had to refrain from rolling her eyes at how Pope had nailed her to the wall even while arrested, "As a result, I am hereby announcing the withdrawal of my candidacy for the Presidential nomination. My behavior clearly falls beneath the standard for those who would aspire to the highest office in the land. Thank you and goodbye." Josie stepped back from the podium and withdrew to her office, not taking any of the hundreds of questions flying her way.

SCANDAL

_In other news today, Congresswoman Josie Marcus has pulled her bid for the presidency today. She admitted to planting the laptop in Olivia Pope's office in hopes of dismantling the Grant Campaign._

_Olivia Pope is scheduled to speak on the laptop incident tomorrow morning. Reston and Langston have been eerily quiet regarding the issue. We're left to wonder what Leo Berger, the campaign manager for Langston has to do with everything. Our sources say that he's still in custody. _

SCANDAL

Sally Langston paced her home office, the television with the news on Leo Berger bouncing off the walls. "Sally?" Daniel Douglas Langston appeared in the doorway, "The kids want to know when dinner will be ready."

Sally stopped and spun to face him, "Dinner? They're concerned about dinner?" She snapped. "Do they not know what's happening with my campaign? With our future?" She gestured to the television as a picture of Leo being led in was once again looping on the feed on Fox News now. She'd already seen it on CNN, MSNBC and every other major network.

Daniel Douglas shrugged, "Sally," he sighed tiredly, "they don't care." When she just stared at him, he turned, "I'll make dinner then. It's about all I'm good for." He muttered darkly. Sally stared at his retreating figure. _He was right, he was nothing more than ornamental anyhow. _

SCANDAL

"Well with Josie out of the campaign that just leaves Reston and Langston." Abby tapped her pen on the table top, "How do we get rid of them?"

"Unfortunately, Sally's numbers haven't faltered even with Leo being involved." Cyrus threw a folder on the table, "There _has_ to be a way to destroy that damn Puritan."

Mellie tipped her chair back, "Well, losing her campaign manager, _another_ campaign manager I might remind you all, doesn't directly effect her."

Olivia turned from the article she was reading, "What are you suggesting?"

"Well, you need to destroy _her_." Mellie pointed out, "She needs a scandal. Something that directly discredits _her_."

Cyrus snapped, "That's it, that's what we need to do." Everyone stared at him, "So how do we do it?"

Olivia rolled her eyes, "We go digging. Run Sally, this time go really deep. I want to know about the ins and outs of her marriage and family, her finances, every vote she's every cast, every cup of coffee she's ever made, you name it we need it." Olivia stood, "I'm going to check on Fitz." Picking up the folder she'd been reading, she left the conference room and made her way to the Oval.

Stopping at Lauren's desk she asked, "Is he in?"

"Yes, go on in." Lauren didn't even bother announcing her.

Olivia knocked once and when she heard Fitz's distant, "Come in." She opened the door and stepped inside. He looked up from his desk as the door clicked shut and smiled, "Livie." He murmured, standing and crossing the room to her.

"Hey, baby." She whispered, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him close, "Missed you today." She pressed a kiss to his neck.

"Always." He murmured into her hair, kissing her temple lightly, "What's going on?"

Olivia bit her lip and took his hand, leading him over to the sofa. Settling down, she pulled him next to her, "I have something you need to look at, but I really did miss you." She ran a hand through his hair, "I just wanted to see you. Selfish as it may be."

Fitz grinned and surged forward to press a kiss to her lips, "Feel free to always be selfish with me." He whispered against her mouth. She hummed in agreement with the statement, "But before Cyrus or someone else barges in, what did you bring me?"

"Bad news on Andrew." Olivia pulled the file out of her bag and handed it to him.

Fitz frowned, but flipped open the file anyways. His eyes roved the article, "It's one article, Liv." He closed the folder and tossed it onto the marble coffee table.

Olivia sighed, "I know that, Fitz, but one article can lead to more. We all know how rumors on the Hill spread. And the moment someone bigger gets wind of this and rips it from his tiny reporter hands," She sighed, "Look, this guy has announced for you that Andrew is officially going to be your running mate."

"Well he was going to be anyhow." Fitz interjected.

"I know, and we're going to make it happen." Olivia took his hand in hers, "It also points out that it's two of the same in office. You can't make big changes or help the people with Andrew as your running mate. Now _I'm _not saying that's true, in fact I think the two of you can do great things together, but this is what the general consensus is going to be. I want you to be prepared for that."

"I'm ready for that. I'm okay with that, I promise." Fitz assured her, "Can you work with this?"

Olivia smirked, "Please, I'm Olivia Pope. I can do anything."

"That's my girl." Fitz leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. "Thank you, Livie."

"I'll always support you, Fitz, but this is going to be another long and hard road and not just because of Andrew."

"But because of Mellie." Fitz surmised. "How are we going to spin that one to the people?"

Olivia leaned back into him, "I'm not sure yet. I asked Quinn, who found the article, to not tell the others just yet. I want to chew on it before Cyrus loses his shit." She admitted with a laugh.

"God, or worse, he gets Ethan to kill Mellie and Andrew to eliminate the problem." Olivia snickered at that, "How do Sally's numbers look with the Leo drama?"

Olivia tucked herself more firmly into his side, "Surprisingly good. Mellie made a fair point, none of what's happened has been about her, it's been about the people surrounding her. We need to discredit her as a politician."

"You know the best way to do that is to prove her marriage is a sham." Fitz idly picked up a piece of her hair, twirling it between his fingers as he spoke, "I swear they're not getting it on anymore."

Olivia craned her neck to look up at him, "'Getting it on'? Really, Fitz?" She snorted.

He laughed, "Yes, 'getting it on'." Fitz laughed at his own phrasing, "But think about it, they look like Mellie and I did."

"But their optics have never been a problem. They hold hands and all that jazz." Olivia reminded him.

"It's fake. From one past fake marriage guy to another, I promise you that it's fake. Daniel Douglas has someone on the side. He has to. I doubt Sally does, otherwise she wouldn't be so damn uptight."

Olivia twined her hand with his, "That's interesting. I'll put Huck and Quinn on it and Abby on surveillance. We'll see what we can dig up."

A knock at the door stopped the conversation. Fitz leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips before she could stand, "Let me know if I can help gladiate."

"We'd love to have you gladiate. Go stop a war somewhere for now though." She collected the article and her bag, "And I'll figure out how to handle the spin. I promise."

"If anyone can it's you, Livie." He followed her to the door.

"I'll bring it to you before the team." She decided, "I'd rather not have everyone on us about this. I'm just going to use Quinn." She paused with her hand on the door, "I love you."

"Love you, too." He pressed one more kiss before he opened the door to find one of his cabinet members waiting for him.

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	17. Chapter 17

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Seventeen: Goodbye Alice in Wonderland**

_Oh truth is stranger than fiction_

_This is my chance to get it right_

_And life is so much better without all those pretty lies_

_Oh so goodbye Alice in Wonderland_

_And you can keep your yellow brick road_

_\- "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland" Jewel_

* * *

"I think Daniel is having an affair." Mellie stated flatly. She and Olivia were sitting in one of the rooms Olivia's team had taken over to help run Fitz's campaign from the White House at a small circular table across from each other. The brunette leaned forward, her blue twinkling at the thought of the total destruction of another, "I think he's having an affair and I think if we can tempt him with the right woman then we can get proof."

Olivia leaned back in her own chair and laced her hands across her flat stomach, her gaze questioning as she asked, "What makes you think he's having an affair?"

"Well he's certainly not getting any from Sally." Mellie snapped quickly, the sting of her own failed marriage still a fresh wound at times. Olivia chose to ignore the underlying jab at herself.

Instead, Olivia commented, "Funny, that's exactly what Fitz said."

"We would know, we were there." Mellie's face smoothed out into a pleasant grin, one Olivia _almost _believed was friendly. Continuing, Mellie suggested, "So, I was thinking, we buy a hooker for the night at the next event and let her show interest in Daniel Douglas, see what it does. My bet is the wind up doing it in a closet, but if not I'm sure something will be planned for a later time."

Olivia shrugged, she still wasn't convinced of any infidelity and she wasn't convinced that Daniel Douglas was stupid enough to fall for a hooker. He had too much at stake. His reputation, Sally's reputation, their family's name, his own aspirations (her team really needed to find out what they were so they could exploit them), but Olivia was willing to roll the dice and see if this could turn up anything. She was nothing if not thorough in her destruction of the enemy, "Fine by me. Work with Stephen. He has gross connections like that. He should use Sharon Marquette, she's still got connections in the business even if she's retired to Florida now. She'll know classier women who could play in political waters." Olivia stood up, "I'll go get Cyrus, he should probably be involved in this." She paused, "Scratch that, he'd be devastated if he wasn't involved in this and would probably sulk like a little child."

SCANDAL

"What about her?" Cyrus pushed a photo forward. Abby reached across the table and pulled it in front of her. Abby, Stephen, Mellie and Cyrus were currently hovering over a coffee table going through a folder of women from one of Sharon Marquette's friends. So far everyone woman Cyrus or Stephen suggested was shot down by either Mellie or Abby, usually both of them.

"Ugh, she _looks _like a hooker." Abby complained, scooting from the edge of the chair and down to the floor, stretching her legs out before her, "We should have wine for this. That would make this way more tolerable. Hookers are just gross."

"That's because she is one, Abs." Stephen rolled his eyes. "And we all know your opinion of the profession."

"Well, can't you find someone who doesn't look like a hooker?" She asked tartly, ignoring Stephen's jab at her opinions.

"What about her?" Cyrus asked, ignoring the squabbling coming from across the table and handing the photo directly to Mellie.

"Oh, Cy, you're really very bad at this." Mellie snatched the folder from him and began flipping through it herself, "Sharon's friend couldn't find anyone who looks wholesome enough to not be noticed at a political event for wounded veterans?" Mellie snapped.

"Apparently not." Abby muttered as she picked up Mellie's discarded photos. "God, this is so gross. This even more gross than when we worked her case and had to go over all those old men and that was just" she shuddered and didn't complete her sentence.

"What, they're all pretty!" Cyrus objected. At the simultaneous looks of disgust from Mellie and Abby he shrugged, "I'm gay, what do I know. If you want me to find him a gay hooker I'm sure I'll be of more help."

Mellie rolled her eyes at his response before a grin spread across her face, "Her." She handed the photo to Abby.

Abby nodded, "Definitely. Tell her to dress conservatively. He maybe a lying faux conservative, but he still needs to play the part in public." She handed the photo to Cyrus, who showed Stephen.

"Her?" Stephen grimaced, "She's doesn't"

"She doesn't look like a hooker." Mellie snapped. "She's perfect."

"You may've sucked at picking out china patterns, but give you a file of hookers and you're good to go, Mel." Cyrus stood up, "I'll set it up." He agreed with a smile.

SCANDAL

"You're sure this is going to work?" Fitz asked with an arched brow as he gazed down at Olivia's knee length white dress with the black lace panel around her torso. It was a favorite of his that held many _satisfying _memories.

Olivia shrugged and took a sip of her wine, doing her best not to grin shamelessly at the memory of Fitz taking her on the Resolute Desk for the first time in the very dress she was wearing. It'd had been such a difficult time for them, but now all of that seemed like another lifetime. Things were just so much simpler now. She would never take that for granted, life with Fitz was too good to waste. Clearing her throat, she finally responded, "I'm not completely convinced he's having an affair to begin with."

"Oh, he's having one, trust me." Fitz replied with an eye roll, remembering his life from not too long ago. _Oh how different and much better it is now_.

"It's very unsettling that you and Mellie just _know." _Olivia teased him, nudging his ribs with her elbow.

Fitz shrugged, "I guess what I'm not entirely convinced of is if he's having an affair with a _woman_."

Olivia's eyes widened, "You don't honestly think?" She shook her head, "But Cy and James haven't said anything and wouldn't they know?"

"Livie, he's got a role to play, a reputation to maintain, wouldn't you think he'd hide it at all costs?" Fitz asked. "I mean this is DC it's doable."

"You're right. Damn. I never even considered the possibility of Daniel being gay." Olivia grinned, "That would be too good to be true." DC really was a clusterfuck. Then again, that's how Olivia made her living so she would never be one to complain about the inherent sickness and debauchery in the people and their need to cheat, lie and steal their way to the top.

"Well then, here's to him liking hookers." Fitz clinked his glass of scotch with her glass of wine.

Olivia rolled her eyes and snorted, "The things that happen in DC. If only the people knew."

"It's probably better that they don't." Fitz reminded her.

SCANDAL

"He's barely said two words to her." Cyrus snapped thirty minutes later from the corner of the room as he stared at the hooker who would probably be going home with Senator Collins that night _instead _of her mark. "I take it back, Mellie, you suck a picking out china and hookers."

Mellie glared at him, "You know what, Cy, you may want to consider keeping your voice down so that no one finds out that we were buying hookers for" she stopped speaking and narrowed in her gaze as Daniel Douglas barely touched James's shoulder. "We weren't wrong about the hookers, Cyrus." Mellie began. Before he could protest she continued, "We were just wrong about what kind of hookers." She nodded behind him.

Cyrus stared at his husband and Daniel Douglas, "Mother of God, he's gay."

"This is dynamite." Mellie ginned wickedly, "We need to find Fitz, Liv and Andrew."

SCANDAL

"I swear, I had no idea until he touched me. There has to be something we can do with that." James was grinning wildly the next morning in the conference room.

"We need names. We need to know who else and for how long. He must have a list of men." Olivia paced around, "Huck,"

"I'm already on it. If there are other men, we'll find them." He assured her.

"In the meantime, I've set up an interview with him to talk about Sally's campaign." James grinned, "If he comes onto me, I'll record it."

"We'll wire you." Olivia decided. "Now if you get uncomfortable with anything, you get out of there. We don't know if he's violent or what. We don't know enough about him."

"Don't worry, Liv, I can handle myself." He promised. Facing his husband he said, "And I promise nothing will happen, Cy."

Cyrus was just beaming at him. Grabbing his face and pulling him in for a hard kiss, he grinned, "I know, James. You're a genius. I married a genius." He spun and faced the rest of the room, "I married a fucking genius who could win a fucking Pulitzer for this story."

James shook his head, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves now." He collected his things, "I need to go prepare interview questions."

"This could be it." Abby smiled, "This could destroy Sally's campaign."

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	18. Chapter 18

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Eighteen: Top of the World**

_You're on top of the world _

_And I'm just waiting make up your excuse_

_You say that love's tough are you sure_

_Ain't it just a piece of cake to make me look like a fool_

_You're on top of the world_

_And if you're thinking I've been blinking while you're breaking the rules_

_Don't that make you the fool_

_Oh you're on top of the world_

"_Top of the World" Kate Voegele_

* * *

"Thanks for coming by the house." Daniel Douglas held out a glass tumbler of expensive bourbon. He grinned as James took in the masculine room filled with football paraphernalia from his college ball days.

James accepted it with an easy smile, "No problem, thanks for agreeing to this. I honestly don't know how I'm going to get interviews with other candidates when I'm married to the Chief of Staff of the Grant Administration, you know?"

Douglas laughed and motioned to the overstuffed leather chairs. Sitting in one he leaned closer to James, "I'd be happy to help in whatever way I can." He winked.

James arched a brow and set his tumbler down. Pulling his pad of paper out of his briefcase he asked, "So, what's it like to be married to the first female VP and potentially the first female President of the United States?" James asked the broadest question first.

He watched as a myriad of expressions crossed Daniel Douglas's face before he settled on a pleasant, albeit fake, smile, "Sally's worked so hard to get where she is. The least I can do is support her."

James sent him an easy smile, "Well, that's so nice to hear. You don't hear about too many supportive spouses on the Hill." He admitted.

"Well, we all have to find ways to let out our tension so we can be supportive." He winked again and leaned forward, "Tell me, James, how do you release your tension?"

SCANDAL

Olivia rewound the tape, "James, I don't know how, but you nailed his ass."

"He was looking for a lil something, something." James winked at her. "Honestly, it was gross. He was gross. Those athletic meathead types are just," James shuddered, "Anyhow, I'm just glad it's over. So, what do we do next?" He asked.

"Well, Huck is looking into other guys. I have Abby, Harrison and Stephen tracking them down to see if anyone will talk." Olivia replied. They'd relocated back to OPA's main office to make sure this stayed away from Sally and any other prying ears. After the scandal with Leo and Josie, Olivia was hesitant to do anything in the White House.

"You think that will work?" James asked.

"What we're really hoping for is some names of people like you. People he came onto who didn't want it or ask for it. Those people can do more damage than ex-boyfriends. Unless, of course, he doesn't play nice with his exes."

"So, we out Douglas, then what happens?" James asked.

"Well, that will upset the balance of their marriage, which should upset the balance of her campaign. The voters won't like it one bit. We just have to make sure we're clean when we do it. Otherwise, it could effect Fitz negatively. We'll start with an interview just with you, wanting to expose what happened to you, then two days later a mass interview with multiple men. Then we'll trickle in some more and by the end of it hopefully we'll have a couple of dozen names and testimonies."

"If anyone can do it, it's us." James held up his hand in a fist and Olivia chuckled as she gave him a fist bump. Her laughter doubled when he made an explosion sound as he pulled back. "You're a trip, James."

"Why thank you, Miss Pope." He bowed, "Well, I'm off. I have a piece to finish on the Keystone Pipe Line vote happening next week." He waved before turning to leave the office.

SCANDAL

Olivia tossed a piece of popcorn at Jerry, "That was just not very nice." She scolded playfully, picking the popcorn and M&amp;Ms he'd thrown at her off of her t-shirt and out of her hair. Fitz had an emergency meeting about Russia's use of drones on the Ukraine, so she decided to surprise Jerry and Karen with a pizza party and sleepover. It was after all a Friday night. They should enjoy themselves a little bit. She knew they both wished they had more of social life than they got to have. She made a mental note to talk to Fitz about really getting to know the families of some of their friends at school so they could have sleepovers with their friends. Maybe they couldn't really go to their houses, but there was no reason kids couldn't come here, right? So Olivia bought tubs of ice cream and supplies for sundaes, popcorn, candy, more pizza than they could ever eat and extra DVDs for their collection and the three of them made a huge pillow and blanket fort in the living room. Even Jerry wasn't too old for all of this it seemed. The knowledge that Fitz's kids loved spending time alone with her made Olivia's heart swell. On the off chance that she and Fitz never had kids of their own (and she was hoping that at the very least they could adopt a baby), she had Jerry and Karen who loved her and she certainly loved them.

"Okay fine, you girls can pick the movie." He stuck his tongue out maturely and snatched up another slice of meat pizza, practically inhaling it.

Olivia and Karen scrunched up their noses and simultaneously dove for the DVD case to flip through it, looking for something fun and easy to watch.

An hour later, Olivia was tucking blankets around Jerry in their makeshift living room fort when her phone buzzed. Flipping the television off, she answered it, "What?"

"How's the sleepover?" Abby asked. Olivia could practically hear the grin in her friend's voice.

Glancing over at the two sleeping kids, Olivia whispered, "They're out like lights. What do you have for me?"

"A dozen or so names of people he forced himself on. And another two dozen names of affairs. All are willing to talk as long as they're not the only ones." Abby informed her, "Well, by talk I mean they all agreed to a sit down. Some have already said they'd do whatever it took to make sure Langston stayed out of office, some aren't so sure. The list varies from hookers, to waiters, to senator's aides."

"Let's get them all in our conference room." Olivia decided. "What we need is to sit them all down with one media person. A good tell-all thing. Of course not all at once, but still the same person."

"James?"

"No, not James. I want him involved in the process. Let's get Kimberly Mitchell. She loves a good scoop and will play ball our way." Olivia decided. "See if you can get them there Monday. In the late morning or afternoon. Fitz will be tied up all weekend. I think I'm going to take the next two days off and spend it with the kids. Maybe ride to school with them Monday morning. Mellie and Andrew had to dash back out to California. I just hate them feeling like they're alone, you know?"

"Sounds good Momma Pope." Abby teased. "We'll take care of it."

"Thanks, Abs. Night." Olivia hung up and made her own bed up in the fort before moving to the bar and pouring a glass of wine. She pulled a Pottery Barn magazine out of her purse and began to flip through it, thinking of different patterns and color schemes she and Fitz could use to one day decorate their own home.

SCANDAL

Fitz brushed his lips across Olivia's forehead Monday morning just as the pitter patter of feet, indicating his kids were awake and moving, descended upon them. "Thanks for spending the weekend with them." He murmured.

"We had so much fun." Olivia grinned, "Like so much fun. It's too bad you had to work. Did you get things situated?"

"With Russia?" Fitz snorted, "Not even close, unfortunately." He looked up, "Hey, kiddos!"

"Morning!" They both chirped.

"You're still here, Liv?" Jerry asked.

"I thought I'd take you guys to school this morning. That cool?" She questioned.

"Awesome!" Karen giggled, "Will you walk me to my classroom?"

Olivia pulled the girl into a hug, "Of course, Miss Karen." She pressed a kiss on top of her head, "I promise not to embarrass you, Jer."

Jerry rolled his eyes, "Thank God. I love you, Liv, but I don't need a chaperone."

Fitz laughed and stood, pressing a kiss to everyone's head, "Well, I love all three of you, but I have a conference call with Putin and Cameron this morning. I'll see you two after school. Come by the Oval, we'll have an afternoon snack there." He told his kids.

"Love you, Daddy!" Karen called out as Fitz left the kitchen with a wave.

SCANDAL

An hour later, Olivia was standing at the head of her conference room table as man after man filed into the room. When the room settled down, Olivia cleared her throat, "Good afternoon, gentlemen, I know you all have been briefed on why you're here, so I'll make this quick. We want to expose Daniel Douglas for who he really is. A philandering liar who hides behind his wife." There was a little bit of ruckus in the room at her statement. Holding up her hands, she silenced everyone, "We're not demanding anything or offering anything, we're simply asking that anyone who is interested in letting the world know what kind of man he is and what kind of woman his wife is, sit down with Kimberly Mitchell to discuss his relationship with Mr. Douglas."

One man stood up, "Define relationship, because I certainly didn't have one with him."

Olivia smiled softly, "Neither did Cyrus Beene's husband, James Novak." Olivia motioned to James who was sitting on her right side, "He was simply there to interview Mr. Douglas when the man all but pounced on him, then threatened him to keep him quiet."

Another man stood up, "I would be more than willing to share my story. You just set up the interview, Miss Pope, and tell me where to be and when." His agreement spurred on the majority of the room. Some men stayed quiet because they didn't want to out themselves, something Olivia knew would happen.

"For those of you who do not want to participate," she waved Stephen in the room, "this is my associate, Stephen Finch, he's drawn up a basic non-disclosure for the rest of us to sign. If it's to your liking, every member of my staff, myself and everyone in this room will sign one for you so you can rest comfortably knowing that your secret is safe. My goal isn't to make anyone uncomfortable, it's just to get to the truth."

"And destroy his reputation." One man, a congressman's aide, spoke up.

Olivia nodded her head, "Would you want Sally and Daniel in the Oval based on these lies?" She questioned, "And if they're lying about this, what else are they hiding?" The room was silent, save for the shuffling of nondisclosure agreements being passed around. "Well then," Olivia continued after a moment, "I'll set up the interviews with Kimberly Mitchell."

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	19. Chapter 19

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Nineteen: Welcome to the Fishbowl**

_Everybody's business is everybody's business_

_And it's big business now_

_Who's gonna be the first to get the story out_

_Who loves who and where they gonna meet_

_Covert pictures that proves they cheat_

_God it's getting hard to breathe this way_

_Everybody's life is on display_

_It's gotten out of control_

_Tell me do you feel exposed_

_Well, welcome to the fishbowl_

"_Welcome to the Fishbowl" Kenny Chesney_

* * *

"_In the wake of James Novak's accusations against Daniel Douglas, more than two dozen men have come forward with details about their sexual relationships with Presidential Candidate Sally Langston's husband. Douglas has not been available for comment."_

"_No comments yet from the Langston campaign about the multiple affairs Daniel Douglas has been accused of over the past twenty years." _

"_With Daniel Douglas's sexual orientation up in the air, it seems that former Vice President Sally Langston, is losing support from more conservative voters. And Grant is picking those voters up left and right." _

Harrison muted the television and held up his glass of champagne, "To James. You're one hell of an undercover operative, my man. Great job."

"To James!" The room saluted.

James flushed, "Thank you guys for trusting me with this. Particularly you guys," he motioned to Fitz and Olivia. "I know that if this had gone to wrong way it could've ruined your reputations and careers. And let's be honest, you two are the most important in the room." A chuckle rippled through the room, "And of course thank you to my wonderful, manipulative, cantankerous husband whom I love." He toasted Cyrus, "Thank you for trusting that I would _never _betray you or throw away our marriage vows. I love you."

Olivia clinked her glass with Fitz's and took a sip. The group was standing in the Oval Office celebrating the successful victory over the Langston Campaign. It was about damn time they had one too. It appeared the woman was not indestructible.

SCANDAL

"What the hell were you thinking?" Sally screeched as she stood up from behind her desk in her home office. "You were supposed to be discreet. I told you that you could live your sinful lifestyle so long as no one ever found out!"

Daniel glared at her, "You're just lucky that I agreed to marry you. Little Miss Debutant who was too loud and too ambitious to find a suitor. You're lucky I married you so that you could climb that political ladder all by yourself while I played homemaker and helped you create the perfect cookie cutter family you needed to get the votes you wanted."

"Lucky you married me? Lucky you? Are you an imbecile Daniel Douglas!" She stomped towards him, "Your shenanigans have all but ruined my campaign!"

"Oh you'll find a way around it, I'm sure you will. You're _The _Sally Langston. You'll lie and smile brightly for the cameras and tell the world that God will have mercy on my soul if I'll just repent and then you'll fight your way into that damn Oval Office." He glared down at her, "And since my dirty secret is out I won't have to wait around for it any longer. I won't have to wait on you hand and foot and play the dutiful husband." He crossed the room and threw open the office door. "I'll sleep in the guest room tonight."

SCANDAL

The next morning, Olivia was flipping through the reports Quinn had dug up on Andrew and Fitz running together for the Presidential election. So far the numbers were holding much steadier than she expected and no other articles had popped up. The Daniel Douglas scandal was more than enough to distract the media and tide them over until she could find a way to discredit Reston.

"Thanks for handling this alone, Quinn." Olivia murmured, "I just don't want Cyrus and Mellie freaking out about it yet."

"No problem, it doesn't look like much of a problem though." Quinn admitted. "Except,"

"Except what?" Olivia's head shot up and her eyes connected with Quinn's concerned ones.

"Reston is planning on asking Alma Quintera to run with him." Quinn told her.

Olivia closed her eyes, "Well, shit. She's got a solid liberal track record, her mother is African American, her father is Hispanic"

"He's from Guatemala actually, legally immigrated on his own when he was eighteen. Didn't speak a lick of English, learned while he was working for minimum wage, put himself through college and married a girl from a tough neighborhood who worked her ass off and they had Alma." Quinn interrupted. "She's the perfect candidate, and Andrew, well he's"

"He's Fitz 2.0, I know." Olivia sighed, "That's going to make the General Election harder."

"Well there has to be a way to take him down. There has to be a way to destroy him." Quinn frowned, "I'll go digging, there's got to be something on him we're missing." She paused, "What about his wife?"

"She's in jail. She screamed rape a couple of years ago and it wasn't. He shot her boyfriend."

"That's right, what if I look into that?" Quinn offered.

"Go for it. Let me know what you find." Olivia looked back down at the folder in front of her before her office door slammed open.

"_You can't go in there, she's busy." Stephen's voice floated down the hall._

"_So help me, I will shoot you!" Abby called out._

Olivia's eyes narrowed on Sally Langston who was standing in her doorway in a red power suit with murder in her blue eyes and Abby and Stephen at her heels. Closing the file, Olivia leaned back in her chair, "Please, have a seat, Sally."

Quinn closed the door as soon as Sally sat down, pushing Stephen and Abby down the hall. Olivia could just make out her voice ordering Abby to put the gun away. "You did this." Sally accused.

"Yes, I did." Olivia didn't try to hide it.

"You ruined my marriage." Sally snapped.

"Well, if those three dozen men were any indication, your marriage was already ruined. It's been a farce from the start." Olivia offered with a bright smile.

"You ruined my campaign." Sally's voice lowered and Olivia swore for a moment she saw the Devil himself standing before her.

"Oh, yes, that, well I suppose there's no hiding the fact that I hoped your campaign would suffer because of that." Olivia admitted honestly.

"You fix it." Sally threatened.

"I'm already hired as a fixer for the Grant Campaign. Sorry, conflict of interest." Olivia shrugged and shuffled some papers on her desk absently, waiting for Sally to get her breathing under control.

"How someone can enjoy ruining lives is beyond me. You've corrupted the sanctity of the Oval and" Sally began to rattle off in anger.

"And you think it would've remained pure if you and Daniel Douglas and his whores would've been there. Tell me, Sally, would you have taken a man into the secret room off the Oval, would you have had a man warming your bed? How pious are you really?"

Sally stood up so quickly and with such force she knocked the chair she was sitting on over. It clattered to the ground with a loud bang, "I will make sure his campaign suffers because of this."

Olivia stood slowly, "You're the least of my worries, Sally. I eat people like you for lunch." She smiled sweetly, "Good luck on the trail." She called out as Sally spun and left.

"You okay?" Huck was in her doorway a moment later.

Olivia nodded, "Are we ready for the trail to start up again?" She asked.

"Everything's set for Fitz to leave in two days for Ohio." He confirmed.

"Make sure his security is doubled. Same with the kids." Olivia requested.

"You don't think she would"

"No, I don't, but I don't want to rest on that confidence. It's not built on any evidence." She admitted.

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	20. Chapter 20

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Twenty: Rumor Has It**

_Bless your soul you've got your head in the clouds_

_You made a fool out of me and boy I'm bringing me down_

_You made my heart melt, yet I'm cold to the core_

_But rumor has it I'm the one you're leaving her for_

"_Rumor Has It" Adele_

* * *

_Three Months Later_

"_With the official announcements of Vice Presidential Candidates, the General Election is now underway with Governor Samuel Reston running for the Democratic Party, President Fitzgerald Grant for the Republican Party and former Vice President Sally Langston running as an Independent. So far the scandal with Presidential Candidate Sally Langston's husband, Daniel Douglas, has put her behind in the polls tremendously. President Fitzgerald Grant's selection of Governor Andrew Nichols has also seemed to put him behind Governor Samuel Reston and Congresswoman Alma Quintera." _

_"Governor Samuel Reston's choice in running mate seems to be the most popular at the moment. Congresswoman Quintera has also cost Langston the female vote."_

Sally shut off the television in her office and threw the remote across the room, "This is all your fault." She screeched at Daniel.

"If you'd just sign the damn divorce papers" He began.

"I don't believe in divorce. I don't stand for divorce!" She yelled.

"Well then you're not going to get anywhere. And it's not my damn fault!" Daniel screamed back.

Advancing on him, Sally leaned against the edge of her desk for support, "If you had been able to keep yourself in check, if you weren't such a sinful human being"

"And what of you, Sally?" He snapped, "You condoned this, you condoned my behavior. Doesn't that make you just as guilty?" He spun around from her, "I'm packing a bag and I'm leaving. Sign the divorce papers or don't sign them. I don't give a damn anymore. I'm just through with you."

She wasn't even thinking when her hand reached for the letter opener.

SCANDAL

"Olivia?" Quinn stood in the doorway of her office, "There's someone here you're going to want to talk to."

"Can it wait?" Olivia asked, "I'm expecting a Skype call from Fitz and the kids. They're in Texas with Mellie and Andrew and I miss them." She admitted.

"I don't think so." Quinn stepped aside, "Olivia Pope, this is Brady Jones. He wast he fixer Reston hired to help with his wife and the contractor she was dating."

"Miss Pope," Brady Jones stepped into her office, "I should've come sooner, but I have confidentiality agreements and when Miss Perkins contacted me I realized that I couldn't sit on this any longer."

"Sit on what, Mr. Jones?" Olivia asked with an arched brow.

"Governor Reston murdered Mrs. Reston's boyfriend in cold blood. It was premeditated. And he's not going to pay for it. Unless you can help me, that is."

Olivia stared at him for thirty seconds. "Have a seat." She motioned to the chair, "Quinn,"

"Coffee and tea. Got it."

"Have Abby put it on. You stay." Olivia pulled up a third chair, "Tell me what happened, Mr. Jones."

"Brady's fine, Miss Pope. I grew in Alabama. We're really casual down there." Olivia quirked an eyebrow at him, but allowed a smile to curl at her lips, "Okay then, Brady, tell me what happened."

"I honestly had no idea. I mean it didn't take long for my team to realize that it wasn't rape." He pulled a file out of his side satchel, "Here's the case file." He handed it to her, "We found his hair in the shower, among other things. It was evident he spent considerable time at the Reston house outside of his duties as a contractor." He drawled. "Mrs. Reston admitted to the affair quickly and he reacted appropriately shocked."

"How did you know it was a set up?" Olivia asked.

"Well, we had to do the run around with his head of public relations and his chief of staff. Both women were difficult to deal with, they didn't want my opinion. Almost hung him out to dry actually. Kind of wish I'd stepped back and let 'em now." He shook his head, "Instead I fixed their mistakes." He sighed, "The day they carted Mrs. Reston off for her crimes, I was waiting in his office for Reston to finish giving his statement to the press when I knocked over a bunch of files. I didn't mean to, honestly. I wasn't trying to snoop or anything." He assured them. He quieted when the door opened and Abby came in with coffee and tea on a tray. Setting it down, she sent Olivia a questioning look before retreating.

"Go on, Brady." Olivia prompted, reaching forward to pour herself a cup of tea.

Brady waited until he'd made Quinn and himself a cup of coffee before he sat back, "I knocked over an envelope with photos in it. And sales for the gun. It was all the evidence of the set up in one little envelope."

"Did you get copies?" Olivia asked.

Brady scratched his head and nodded, "Yeah, I was shocked, but not shocked enough to not take pictures of everything before Reston showed up. He doesn't know I have these. He sat there and touted out client privilege and suing me and Miss Pope, ma'am, at the time, my wife, she was pregnant and I was scared. And it's like I forgot everything I tell my clients, I just panicked. Guess that's what happens when the tables are turned." He shook his head, "Anyhow, when I saw he was running again, well I told my Maybelle everything and she just shook her head and told me that I should come talk to you because it was the right thing to do and we were raised to do the right thing and we can't have the people not know that one of their Presidential candidates is a lying murderer. It's like it was meant to be cause the next thing I know, Miss Perkins is calling my office and asking me all sorts of questions. I told her I'd come in and tell you everything if you promised to go after Reston."

He pulled out another folder and handed it to Olivia. She skimmed through it quickly and smiled, "Well, Brady, I think you and your team should come in and we can certainly help put Reston away for this."

Brady grinned, "I'm sure glad to hear that." He stood, "By the way, I'm very excited to see that President Grant is running again. I voted for him in 2008 and I'm voting for him again. That scandal with Langston was something else, though. I always knew there was something wrong with the two of them, Sally Langston and Daniel Douglas that is, just didn't know what." He winked at her, "You're quite the fixer, Miss Pope."

Olivia chuckled, "Olivia, is fine, Brady. And thank you. Fitz and Andrew appreciate your support."

When he left Olivia called everyone to the conference room. "Okay, so Quinn, as you all know, has been working on a side project for me." Everyone's eyes turned from Olivia to Quinn, "She's found a way to take down Reston."

SCANDAL

"_Daniel Douglas died overnight of an apparent heart attack while asleep. Even though he and Presidential Candidate Sally Langston were going through some personal issues, they were still living together."_

"_Langston called the paramedics at 6:30am this morning. He was declared dead on the scene." _

"_Funeral arrangements will be announced as soon as they are available." _

Olivia frowned as she stared at the television. "A spike in her numbers." Stephen muttered, handing her a piece of paper. "His death spiked her numbers. Can you believe it? Of all the bloody things that could go wrong this time around." He shook his head and crossed his arms, turning to face the television that was giving updates on Daniel Douglas's death.

"Of course they did." Olivia sighed tiredly. "Get me the funeral details." She tossed the poll numbers on the desk. "Put Huck on it. I want you and Harrison to interview Brady's staff."

"You got it, Liv." Stephen nodded and left her office.

Grabbing her cell phone, Olivia dialed Cyrus's number, "What do you want to bet he didn't just have a heart attack?"

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	21. Chapter 21

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Twenty-One: Rolling in the Deep**

_The scars of your love remind me of us_

_They keep me thinking that we almost had it all_

_The scars of your love they leave me breathless_

_I can't help feeling we could've had it all_

_Rolling in the deep_

_You had my heart inside your hand_

_And you played it to the beat_

"_Rolling in the Deep" Adele_

* * *

Sally paced in the back room of the church, "You need to breath, Sally." Liz North, the former head of the RNC and newest campaign manager for Sally ordered, "You need to breath and you need to hold it together."

"You try holding it together. I committed a sin, Ms. North."

"We all commit sins, Sally!" Liz yelled, "But if you think that your sin outweighs what good you can do to this nation, then please, by all means, tell the world you murdered your husband. If you think you can do good as President, then pull it together and let's get through this."

Sally straightened her shoulders, "Fine."

SCANDAL

"_There was no autopsy done on Daniel." Cyrus's voice echoed through the phone. "Nothing." _

"Why didn't she have an autopsy done?" Olivia asked.

"_The coroner from the military said that she was hysterical. Her new campaign manager, Elizabeth North, convinced him not to. It looked like a heart attack." Abby's voice sounded through the speaker. "If it's a cover up for a murder, we've got Huck going through North and Langston's finances to see who they'd go to. He's got a couple of ideas though." _

"_It won't take me long to find out, Liv." Huck replied, "We'll be back at the office soon."_

"Good, Brady's staff is here. Stephen and Harrison are interviewing them now. Quinn, Brady and I are going to the jail to see Mrs. Reston." Olivia tapped her fingers on the table top, "Call me if you need anything." She pressed the end button on the speaker system before waiting for their reply. "You guys ready?" She called down the hallway.

SCANDAL

"Mrs. Reston," Olivia stood up, "thank you for seeing us on such short notice. I'm sure you remember Brady Jones?" She motioned to the man next to her, "This is Quinn Perkins and I'm Olivia Pope, we never formally met during the last campaign."

"I know who you are Ms. Pope. Why are you here?" Joan asked with a bored sigh.

"Because your husband killed your boyfriend." Olivia responded calmly.

"I know what happened, Ms. Pope. And he didn't murder Billy. It was my fault." Joan's voice was icy.

"What if I were to tell you that it wasn't? What if I were to tell you that your husband planned it?" Olivia offered.

Joan's eyes narrowed, "Samuel did _what_?"

Olivia pulled out an envelope and pushed it towards Joan Reston, "Let us know what you think." She requested.

SCANDAL

"Joan's in." Olivia shut the door to her office behind them, "Anything new on the Sally front?"

"Yeah, it was just what I thought." Huck followed her down the hall, dodging the workers from Brady's office, Cyrus's minions (led by Ethan of course) and the other OPA employees as he went. The office felt slightly overcrowded at the moment. "It was Charlie."

"Charlie?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah, we've dealt with him before. He's like," Huck paused and lowered his voice, "he's like me." He whispered.

"Can you meet with him?" Olivia asked. Huck nodded, "Do it. Find out what he knows. Pay him whatever he wants. Use petty cash." Olivia crossed her arms and frowned, "Tell him we're not interested in him, we just want to know what he did, what he covered up." She specified, "And if he has any proof. We want any proof he's got." Her phone ringing was Huck's dismissal back to his office.

"_Hi." Fitz's deep baritone sounded through the phone._

"Hi." Olivia repeated. "How was the funeral?"

"_Long. Baptist. Hypocritical. Pretty much what we expected." _

Chuckling, Olivia shut her office door, kicked off her heels and shucked off her blazer, "Well, I spent my morning at the jail."

"_And how is our own Hester Prynne?" _

"Pissed off at her husband." Olivia admitted, "I'm going to do it, Fitz, I'm going to expose him."

"_He's a murderer. He deserves it." Fitz agreed. "How are you going to do it?" _

Olivia bit her lip, "I haven't quite figured that out yet. I've got the evidence, but if I hand it over to the police I'm not sure they'll really be able to follow through with it. I need a confession."

"_What about sending someone in?" _

"To tap his office?" Olivia drummed her fingers against her desk, "I doubt he'd say anything. I'm sure he doesn't talk about it."

"_Point taken." Fitz sighed, "What about just having Joan talk. Her talking would be enough to ruin him. It would bring the case back to the forefront of everyone's mind. Have her do a sit down interview with Kimberly Mitchell and then hand over what you've got to the police and let them run with it. Let the legal system do what it's supposed to do." _

"I love you, Fitzgerald." Olivia sighed. "That's brilliant."

"_Always happy to gladiate." _

Olivia rolled her eyes, "You boys are ridiculous."

"_Perhaps." Fitz consented, "What about Sally?"_

"Huck's handling some leads on that right now. No confirmation of anything yet, though."

"_Well, let me know if I can help gladiate there, as well." _

"Will do, love you Fitz. Good luck in Iowa tomorrow."

"_Love you too." _

SCANDAL

_Three Months Later_

"_With two more months of campaigning ahead of them, our three candidates are in the final stretch of the election. Former Vice President Sally Langston is still hanging on with the sympathy bump. Governor Reston is the real story right now. His wife, Joan Reston, sat down with Kimberly Mitchell to discuss her boyfriend's murder at her husband's hands. She accused the governor of knowingly murdering her boyfriend. Rumor has it that a police investigation is underway; however, the governor's campaign remains running. The front runner at the moment is President Fitzgerald Grant and Governor Andrew Nichols of California. The two have been leading in the polls for the past three weeks with their women, former First Lady Mellie Carswell, and DC fixer Olivia Pope, at their sides."_

"_The Maryland police as well as the FBI have reportedly launched an investigation into Governor Reston's knowledge of his wife's lover. There are reports that he may be charged with first degree murder. His campaign spokesperson has not yet commented." _

"Your timing on this was brilliant, Liv." Quinn admitted.

"It worked out well. I guess it was good that Joan got cold feet for a while. He won't be able to swing back from this in two months. The investigation won't even be over then." Olivia placed a hand on Quinn's arm, "You did this, Quinn. This is your W. Good job."

"Actually, it's Brady's. He had everything." Quinn gave the credit to the other fixer.

"Nope," Olivia shook her head, "if you hadn't found him, if you hadn't been determined, we'd be losing to Reston and Quintera." Olivia smiled softly at the young woman, "You did well, Quinn. Take the compliment. Now go help Huck. He still hasn't managed to nail down Charlie. I want Sally's hypocritical ass nailed to the wall."

_Two Weeks Later_

"I've got a lead on Charlie." Huck shut her office door. "I think he's in Oregon. There was a pretty big hit there. It's his MO."

"Think he's still there?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah." Huck nodded.

"Take Quinn." Olivia instructed.

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	22. Chapter 22

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Sing**

_Sing it out, boy they're gonna sell what tomorrow means_

_Sing it out, girl before they kill what tomorrow brings_

_You've got to make a choice if the music drowns you out_

_And raise your voice every single time they try and shut your mouth_

_Sing it for the boys, sing it for the girls_

_Every time that you lose it sing it for the world_

_Sing it from you heart, sing it till you're nuts_

_Sing it out for the ones that'll hate your guts_

_Sing it for the deaf, sing it for the blind_

_Sing about everyone that you left behind_

_Sing it for the world, sing it for the world_

"_Sing" My Chemical Romance_

* * *

_Six Weeks Later - Two Days Before the General Election_

"Hello, Charlie."

Charlie turned slowly, the drill covered in blood still moving. His eyes landed on the Russian politician at his feet and then up to Huck, "How you doing, Huck?"

"I've been looking for you, Charlie." Huck stated evenly.

"And I've been avoiding you and keeping busy." Charlie chirped. "Who's the girl?"

Quinn's stomach churned as she looked at the man in pain on the ground and the tools Charlie had been using on him. "She's no one." Huck replied.

"Ah, the Robin to your Batman then. How you doing, Robin? I'm Charlie." Charlie held out a blood covered glove.

Quinn grimaced at the sight, "I know."

"A little squeamish, there?" He asked.

"We're not here to hurt you, Charlie." Huck stepped in front of Quinn. Charlie just arched an eyebrow, "We just want to know what Elizabeth North paid you to cover up. What did she and Sally do to Daniel Douglas?"

"Daniel Douglas? Well he died of a heart attack. They cremated the body and had a service and everything a while back." Charlie rocked back and forth on his heels.

"He didn't die of a heart attack, Charlie." Quinn stepped around Huck, "You know that, I know that, we all know that. How did he die, Charlie?"

"Wow, Robin's got some guts." Charlie grinned at her, "You seeing anyone, Robin?"

"Yeah, I'm not interested, Charlie. In fact, we're really not that interested in talking to you. We just want your proof."

"My proof?" Charlie whistled, "Well me having proof of something like that would be highly unethical of me. My clients like their confidentiality."

"Please," Quinn snorted, "a presidential candidate's spouse dies and you get called in before the coroner? We know she murdered him. We just want the proof. If you ever needed to get out of a sticky situation having that kind of proof would sure be helpful." Quinn taunted.

Charlie let out a loud laugh, "Okay, Robin, I'll give you my proof on one condition."

"No conditions." Huck pushed Quinn back, "The proof, Charlie. Or I'll demonstrate how well you taught me."

"One date, Robin. One night out on the town, just you and me." Charlie offered, ignoring Huck's threat.

"Not a chance, the proof, Charlie, before I unleash Huck on you." Quinn's back straightened and her eyes narrowed.

"You drive a hard bargain, Robin. How about this, you two, stay and watch me finish up, maybe you'll change your mind about that date. Then we can discuss the proof."

"You have thirty minutes." Huck pulled Quinn over to two chairs, "Just don't watch." He murmured.

"This is what you did?" Quinn asked, trying to keep the horrified tone out of her voice.

"They trained me to be a monster." Huck murmured.

"You're not a monster, Huck." Quinn assured him, picking up his hand and lacing it through hers gently, "I know that. Let's just get what we need and get back to DC. We need to get Sally out of this race."

SCANDAL

_The Next Day - The General Election_

"_With the ultimate withdrawal of Reston and Quintera, due to Reston's arrest and subsequent murder charge, the female population has switched their votes to Sally's team. Despite the scandal with her now deceased husband, former Vice President Sally Langston is taking the voters by storm. The gap in the race has been steadily tightening between Langston and Grant."_

"_It's up in the air as to who will win the election today. Voters appear to be evenly split between Langston and Grant." _

"I'm so nervous." Fitz paced around Olivia's bedroom. The staff, Andrew and Mellie were all at the White House, but Fitz brought the kids over for lunch at Olivia's. They were now watching television as he tried not to have a panic attack.

"It's going to be okay, Fitz. I promise. You're going to win this. The people love you. I know they do. I can feel it in my gut, and my gut's never wrong." Olivia promised. At Fitz's raised eyebrows she shook her head, "No, nothing like that happened this time. You and Andrew are winning fair and square. I promise. I just know it."

"Dad! Liv! Quinn and Huck are here." Jerry's voice echoed down the small hallway, along with the slamming of her front door.

"Come on, they may have something to tip the scales in our favor." Olivia laced her fingers with his and tugged him down the hallway, "Hey, what's up?"

"We've got it." Quinn held out a flash drive. "It's the proof that Sally murdered her husband."

Olivia grabbed her laptop and led them back into her bedroom. The four of them crowded around her dresser as Huck booted up the computer. Charlie had taken photos of the crime scene and the body before and after he'd cleaned up everything. "Get this to the police." Olivia directed.

"What if they don't do anything before tonight?" Quinn asked.

Olivia shook her head, "We need her arrested. The police should be involved before the media in this case. We don't have time to wait for the to catch wind of this. Go." Olivia ordered. When they were out of the room, Olivia faced Fitz and smiled, "Congratulations, Mr. President."

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	23. Chapter 23

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Roots Before Branches**

_So many things to do and say, but I can't seem to find my way_

_But I wanna know how_

_I know I'm meant for something else, but first I gotta find myself_

_But I don't know how_

_Oh why do I reach for the stars when I don't have wings to carry me that far_

_I've gotta have roots before branches_

_To know who I am before I know who I wanna be_

_And faith to take chances_

_To live like I see, a place in this world for me_

"_Roots Before Branches" Room For Two_

* * *

_Election Day_

Olivia watched the television steadily as the predicted election results rolled in. Nothing on the news had been reported about Sally's arrest. Abby was currently working her contacts at the Metro station, hoping to find out what was going on before anyone else did. She was worried that maybe she'd made the wrong decision. Maybe she should've leaked the news to one of the major networks first. She just wanted to see Sally in trouble tonight.

"Hey," Abby slid up next to her, "so the police have everything and, according to Carlos, they're trying to verify if the images are real and not doctored before they make a move on Sally."

"_What_?" Olivia nearly screeched, "You mean they're not even telling her anything?"

Abby shook her head, "No, they're keeping a lid on everything. They're afraid of potentially upsetting the next President of the United States."

"But after Reston" Olivia began.

"The Captain doesn't believe there can be two corrupt candidates in one election. Plus, he's a big supporter of Langston's." Abby interrupted.

"Shit." Olivia muttered, "Like really, shit." She closed her eyes and ran through different solutions in her head, "Find Huck."

Five minutes later, Olivia and Huck were standing in the hallway. "Can you leak the photos without it being traced back to us?"

"Of course," Huck began, "the police don't know how they got the photos to begin with. I made sure they were untraceable."

"Leak the photos online. Make sure MSNBC and ABC picks them up. The more liberal the network, the better. They'll be the most likely to release the photos quickly. We need to force the police department's hand. And we need to do it now." She paused, "You have copies right?"

"Of course, I'll get right on it, Liv." Huck scurried down the hallway of the West Wing to go send the photos.

"Everything alright, Livie?" Fitz appeared in the doorway.

"The cops aren't moving on Sally." Olivia murmured.

"They will. Even if she wins, they'll move on her eventually." Fitz stated confidently.

"But if the election's over"

"I'm sure there would be some sort of special election."

"Or Ross would become president." Olivia muttered with a scowl.

"Not happening. We've got this, Liv. That's what you've been telling me. Don't go soft on me now." Fitz chastised her lightly.

Olivia shook her head, "Of course. I know, I just hate that she can _murder_ her husband and get away with it."

"But she's not going to get away with it, Livie. The police have the evidence, they just need to comb through it. Though they'll make a move a lot quicker with the photos going out like that." He ran a hand absently through her hair. "Please don't worry about this. I know in _my _gut that everything is going to work out exactly as it's supposed to, okay?" Fitz soothed her.

Olivia nodded and pressed a kiss to his chest as she leaned in for a hug, wrapping her arms securely around his waist, "Okay." She agreed.

"Olivia, Fitz," Mellie's head appeared in the doorway, "you two have to get in here. There's some major announcement on ABC about Sally. It looks _huge_ and really bad for her." She practically squealed before turning around and flying back into the room.

"Looks like Huck works quickly." Fitz chuckled.

"My team's the best. You know that." Olivia nudged him in the ribs before pulling him through the doorway. One of the televisions in the press room had ABC playing.

"_An anonymous source sent in photos regarding the death of Daniel Douglas Langston. We would like to warn viewers that the content of these photos is fairly graphic. The photos indicate that Daniel Douglas Langston was murdered, supposedly by former Vice President and current Presidential Candidate Sally Langston. There is no word from the police yet on the validity of these photos." _

Chaos erupted in the room, "Do you think this means Sally will have to pull herself out of the election?"

"Are they going to arrest her?"

"Did she really _murder_ her husband?"

"He deserved it. He was a creep!"

"What does this mean for us? Polls aren't closed yet. Do you think this means she could lose votes?"

"Quiet, everyone!" Fitz held up his hands, "I don't know what this means yet. The police haven't even verified the photos. All we can do is wait and see what happens."

"Fitz is right." Andrew stood up, "We don't know what this means for us or for Sally. For now let's focus on the election results." He agreed with Fitz.

SCANDAL

"How did they get those photos?" Sally screeched. "You said this was handled." She pointed accusingly at Liz North.

The tiny blonde woman held up her hands, "I have no idea what happened, Sally. I didn't know there were photos. I didn't know there was anything to implicate you. Charlie has done work for me before. He was highly recommended. I had no idea anything like this could happen. I swear. The good news is that there is nothing concrete tying you to Daniel Douglas's murder. No one knows you murdered him. Everything they have is circumstantial at best."

"You were supposed to handle it. You said it would be like it never happened. You told me that man could make what I did look like natural causes. That he could make it go away. Circumstantial is enough to plant doubt in voters minds. It's Election Day! Voters who were planning on supporting me are all the sudden going to get cold feet on their way to the polls and vote for Grant. What the hell am I going to then? My career will disappear with this loss entirely!"

"That's not true, if something were to go wrong there are other avenues we can pursue." Liz tried to placate the hysterical woman.

"There are no other avenues." Sally mocked, "There is no other way to fix America other than running the country from the Oval Office. You told me you could make that happen. You promised me that, despite everything my husband put me through, I could take the Oval."

"I'll fix this, Sally, let me just see what's going on." Liz fled the room before the woman could find another letter opener.

"'_The good news is that there is nothing concrete tying you to Daniel Douglas's murder. No one knows you murdered him. . .You were supposed to handle it. You said it would be like it never happened. You told me that man could make what I did look like natural causes. That he could make it go away.' The recording you just heard was from a bug the DC police planted in Sally Langston's house earlier today. The warrant was approved shortly after photos were sent to the police. ABC was the first news outlet to release the photos of the recently murdered Daniel Douglas Langston. Langston and her current campaign manager, Elizabeth North, have been taken into custody."_

"_President Fitzgerald Grant's win for a second term was apparent even before the his opponent, Sally Langston, was taken into custody for the murder of her husband, Daniel Douglas Langston. Grant is scheduled to give his acceptance speech at 9:30pm EST." _

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


	24. Chapter 24

_Disclaimer: I do not own Scandal_

_**AN: This is the final chapter of "Swan Dive." Thank you everyone for your support of this story. And I hope all y'all enjoy it! ~ XOXO MAS**_

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Swan Dive**

_Would you think I was crazy if I stripped on down to my skin _

_Or would you think I was free as a bee, c'mon tell me, tell me, tell the truth now_

_Would you think you could meditate in the middle of the eye of a hurricane_

_Would you now, but somehow we were tethered here together_

_We can weather out the weather here_

_Oh yeah I might be crazy, but that's not the same as insane_

_And I'm scared, but that's not the same as being afraid_

_If I throw myself over the edge_

_If I find myself in over my head_

_If I shatter from the fall and I lose_

_I'd still want to swan dive into you_

"_Swan Dive" Sister Hazel_

* * *

"_Former Vice President Sally Langston and her current campaign manager, Elizabeth North, were arrested on murder charges yesterday. The police are currently looking for a man they referenced as helping cover up the murder of Sally Langston's husband, Daniel Douglas. In other news, President Fitzgerald Grant will remain in the Oval another four years, this time with California Governor Andrew Nichols by his side. Grant gave a heartwarming acceptance speech last night, highlighting some issues of reform he hopes to enact in this next term. He promises this term will be better than the last and he will work even harder at reaching across the proverbial aisle." _

"So," Andrew leaned back on the sofa in the Oval Office, "you'll be hanging out here another four years, huh?"

Fitz grinned and clinked his glass of scotch to Andrew's, "And then you'll hang out here for the following eight."

"I certainly like the sound of that." Andrew admitted. "So that woman of yours is a force to be reckoned with."

"Livie's the best." Fitz admitted with a smile.

"You going to marry her?"

Fitz sighed, "She said she wants to wait until my time in office is over. I'd wait forever for her, but I'm not sure I want to. I'm ready to build a life with her, to build a future with her."

Andrew rolled his eyes at Fitz's hesitance. "Ask her anyways."

Fitz raised an eyebrow at his friend, "What?"

"If you want to ask her to marry you, then ask her. No one says you have to get married right away. You can have a long engagement. If you're ready to take that step then just take it. Everyone knows Liv won't say no to you. That woman adores you. _Almost _as much as you worship her. She loves your kids. Hell, she even gets along with Mellie and me. Talk about a strange dynamic we have going on here."

"No kidding. If I'd known this could be my life, I'd have divorced Mellie years ago." Fitz admitted.

"I wish you had too." Andrew smiled at his friend, "But I'm glad you've got your kids out of it first. Jerry and Karen are something special."

"That they are. Are you and Mellie going to try?" Fitz asked.

Andrew shook his head, "No, she doesn't want anymore and frankly, I'm good with just being a cool stepdad." He paused, "Olivia is pretty young, I mean compared to us old guys." He grinned at Fitz, who just flipped him off, "Do you think"

"I hope so. You know, we haven't really talked about it, but I think she'd be an incredible mother. I hope so. I'd love to at least have one baby with her." Fitz sighed.

"Ask her, just ask, Fitz. Do something small. She loves the Rose Garden, right?" Fitz nodded, "Do it there. Maybe have the kids there. Keep it small and simple." He threw back the rest of his scotch. "I've got to go, I told Mellie I'd be home early tonight." He grinned at Fitz, "We did it, man. We made it here."

Fitz held out his hand to shake Andrew's, "Yeah, we did. And thanks, Andrew."

"Anytime." Andrew waved before shutting the door to the Oval Office with a quiet click.

SCANDAL

_Two Weeks Later_

"Fitz, it's freezing outside." Olivia whined, "I thought you promised me a glass of wine by a warm fire and pizza with the kids." She rolled her eyes as they maneuvered the first big snow fall of the late fall/early winter in the Rose Garden.

"Trust me, you're going to love this." Fitz tucked her little hand firmly in the crook of his elbow. "Just a little bit further."

"Fine, but I expect that fire later." She teased lightly. She wasn't sure what he was up to, but Fitz's eyes were just sparkling, so she knew it was good. Still, she couldn't help, but give him a little bit of a hard time. Everything had been so nice and easy since the election. She hoped it was a sign of good things to come.

"Okay," Fitz led her to a bench and sat her down, "sit right here." He instructed.

Olivia chuckled, swiping off a little bit of snow. Someone had already been around to do that, but a few flakes had landed there anyhow. "Okay, Fitz, what's up? What's this big surprise?" She asked.

"We want to ask you something?" Fitz told her honestly.

"We?" Olivia echoed. A moment later Jerry and Karen darted out from behind a cluster of bushes. "Hey, kids!" She smiled softly at them as they ran to stand next to their father, "What on earth is going on?"

Jerry grinned and Karen rocked back and forth on her heels, "We have a very important question for you, Liv." Jerry told her seriously.

"I'm all ears." Olivia waited patiently for the three of them to begin. When all three dropped to their knees her mouth fell open, "Fitzgerald, what's going on?"

Karen grinned widely at Olivia and cleared her throat, "Liv, you're one of my favorite people in the entire world. I want to spend all of my time with you, so I want you to marry us. I want you to marry us because we love you and you love us and that's what people do."

Olivia felt tears pooling in her eyes as she nodded. Before she could respond, Jerry spoke, "I know I haven't always been the easiest person to be around, or the nicest, but I really love you, Liv. You've always been there for us, even when things were really hard and scary and I didn't think our family would make it. You've never left us. And Dad loves you more than anything. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together as a family. So, will you marry Dad?"

When her eyes landed on Fitz, she sucked in a breath, "Olivia, I love you. I'm in love you. I think I've been in love with you since the first moment you insulted me. You're a beautiful person, inside and out, and I know we've been through more tough times than most, but I believe that our future is bright and clear. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to grow old with you. And I don't care where we live or what we do, just as long as we're together. So, I the words of my very brilliant daughter, will you marry us? Because we love you and you love us that's what people do."

Olivia shook her head, "You three are so sweet and I love you so much. Of course I will marry you. I'd be stupid not to pass up on such an offer."

SCANDAL

XOXO

MAS


End file.

Scandal