A/N - This is my attempt to overcome writer's block. Another FF writer mentioned how she just let her mind wonder and wrote about whatever popped into her head. Sounded like a good idea to me, so I thought I'd try it.

As usually I own nothing, these characters belong to the great S. Rhimes.

The Things People Will Do For An Oval Office

Chapter 1 The Devil Provides the Details

Present day

Big Gerry stood in front his expansive office window staring out at the New York skyline. The wood paneled office reeked of opulence, indulgence and stale cigars. His hands were positioned behind his back, the index finger of his left hand anxiously tapping the back of his right. It had been over an hour since Mellie had called in a panic. The great master plan was being threatened with exposure. Mellie had a penchant for the dramatic. She also lacked the conviction necessary to truly trust Gerry's puppeteering skills when it came to Fitz's life. The presidential goal was so close. He had already secured the California governorship for Fitz without a single hitch. While securing the oval was a more complex game, Gerry's confidence in his ability to place a Grant behind the Resolute desk was absolute. Clearly he had prepared for every possible scenario. He refused to believe everything he had orchestrated to this point was in danger of unraveling. The thought that something or someone could challenge his master plan caused something rare in him; a physical reaction. Anger rose within him, his breathing became labored, the vein at his temple pulsated and his teethe clenched.

The things he had done to put Fitz on the pathway to 1600 Penn were nothing short diabolical and he knew it. He had sold his soul to the devil for a carefully crafted legacy his descendants would bask in and he would brag about in hell. Gerry was delusional, completely believing in his own omnipotence. It shall be done so saith Gerry was his personal motto. To the public he was the consummate politician, an admired leader. To those that who dealt with him he was a ruthless, vindictive monster who exploited your weaknesses to make you conform to his will. He was the devil incarnate.

He had destroyed his relationship with Fitz and many others. His obsession with control and power sent his wife to an early grave. Gerry had few friends and those he considered friends were friends out of fear not out of any sense of loyalty or love. The sad thing was Gerry really did not care how others felt about him. To him friends and family could always be replaced; you just had decide what price you were willing to pay for replacements. Gerry, a classic narcissist, quite often was given over to mental spells where he fondly thought of his self-declared awesomeness. Unfortunately, for him this episode of how great I am was being interrupted by the sound of Mellie's shrieking voice outside his office door. She was arguing with his secretary.

Moments later, his office door swung open and Mellie entered, slightly disheveled with a flustered facial expression. He moved towards her making no attempt to hide his irritation with her presence. "So what has you so spooked? What is so damn urgent I need to rearrange my schedule to accommodate this little meeting? Mellie hands him a copy of the email she received that morning. "Who the hell sent you this?" The email written in 36 pitch contained only two sentences. "We know you and Gerry murdered Olivia and Fitz's baby. This and all you other sins will be revealed for all to know!"

"I don't know. I don't want to know. I expect you to have your people look into this and take care of this problem before all hell breaks loose. If Fitz finds out what we've done it's over. Everything will be lost. We will be ruined. If Olivia finds out she and her team will destroy us. We've both screwed over so many people she won't have to go far to find volunteers willing to burn us in effigy, turn us over to the authorities for incarceration and happily dance on our graves. We'll become a public spectacle, vilified, a blogosphere tag line."

'Get a hold of yourself! If whoever sent this really had evidence they would have just used it. Why give us an opportunity to find them? Why give me the opportunity to reinforce all the safeguards I have in place? I think you running over here have given credence to what initially was just speculation. I bet you were followed. But no worries, I have a trip wire surrounding everything we have done, the minute anyone starts snooping around the alarms will sound and I'll make sure their little foray into vigilante justice ends. You just keep an eye on Fitz and make sure he doesn't suspect anything. If he makes any new friends immediately contact me."

What about Olivia?

"I think it's time for her to have another accident. This time the accident will need to be more serious."

"Gerry, you can't! You know how Fitz will react. He'll shut down even more and all that we've worked for will be for not."

"You let me worry about Fitz. He's my son and I know how to handle him."

"Really? It has been ten years since we broke them up. Fitz and I have been together five and he still has not asked me to marry him. You heard the tape. They've both vowed never to marry; never to have children. Just knowing he can never have her the way he wants her has made Fitz celibate. He might as well be a monk. He and Olivia would rather be alone and friends, than apart and in relationships with other people. If I was not a player in this little drama I would find this tale of unrequited love damn romantic."

"My darling Mellie, Fitz will propose to you before the end of this year and you will produce heirs."

"Gerry, Fitz has only touched me once in the last five years and that was because he was drunk. And let's be frank, a drunken Fitz has problems raising the flag, Mellie says shaking her head in frustration. I've told you, he treats me more like a sister than a girlfriend."

"If you recall darling, that little comment is what launched this grand scheme. "

Gerry walks over to Mellie and gently rubs her arms. "Don't worry my dear, one way or another you will give birth to a Grant after you and Fitz are married." He gently embraces her and places a soft kiss on her lips. Mellie responds with a soft moan. God, she's so easy he thinks to himself.

"I am so surprised this farfetched web of lies has withstood the test of time." Mellie said shaking her head in disbelief.

"I told you the more outrageous the lie the easier it is to fabricate evidence to support it. Remember the lie was spun before Olivia became a fixer. At this point they've believed the lie for so long going over it again would be like ripping off a newly formed scab. The circumstances surrounding the loss of their baby are too traumatic and painful; the mere thought of revisiting that period in their history is just unimaginable for both of them."

"We will burn in hell if we don't find a way to make that loss up to them. I even had nightmares about what we did. We should have let her come to term and kidnapped the baby. At least we wouldn't have an innocent child's blood on our hands."

Gerry cuts her off before she can continue with her guilt-laden tirade. "Then what? Would you prefer they spend their lives looking for their kidnapped child? You know they'd never give up looking for their child. You need to accept the fact that terminating the baby was the quickest and cleanest thing to do. Termination provides closure. And honey, there is nothing we can do to avoid the sulfuric flames of eternity. The best we can do is to prolong our stay here on earth, enjoy the pleasures it has to offer and when our time comes hope it is quick and painless."

She stares at Gerry as if it was the first time she ever witnessed his maniacal machinations. A chill ran through her soul. In a split second she realized she had sold her soul for a temporary position; first lady. She had cosigned to the murder of an innocent child, agreed to destroy the lives of two people who were just in love with each other and gotten into bed both literally and figuratively with someone who would snuff out her existence if it suited his purposes. A sense of fear, melancholy and hopelessness suddenly overwhelmed her. The realization that her only survival option was to was to continue with the plan Gerry had set in motion hit her like a ton of brinks. The path for her life was etched in stone; there was no escape.

"Mellie, you need to pay Olivia a visit. You need to share with her, woman to woman, how much you love Fitz and how all you want is for him to have a full life. A life filled with love, children and notable public service. Fitz has the potential to be a great leader but he won't allow himself to experience a different life without her sign-off. Despite everything that has happened Fitz and Olivia remain best friends. You need to appeal to her love for him as a friend. You need to make her see a half life for him is no life at all. Olivia more than anything wants the best for Fitz; you need to make her see what's best for Fitz is a life with you. You are a great actress, you can do this."

"Okay, I'll give it a try, she says unconvincingly. If I do this, will you forget about causing another accident? Please, no more blood, she pleads."

"Don't try, do! He bellows then smirks and winks.

Mellie gives a nod to Gerry before hastily exiting his office. Gerry resumes gazing out his office window.

"Maybe it's time to clean house," he mutters under his breath.

Margaret! He yells for his secretary, never turning away from the window.

"Yes, Mr. Grant."

"Contact Ernest and set up a meeting for tomorrow morning."

'Time, sir?"

"First thing in the morning, 8:00."

"Yes, sir. Anything else?"

"No that will be all for now."

A/N - Please let me know what you think. This will be a short story, no more than five chapters. Thanks for reading and commenting.